Medical Scribe Training
One of the most frequent questions we hear is about what medical scribe training actually includes. And this is an important question for potential scribes and for the people that are looking to hire them, especially if they are hiring a scribe on their own. Currently, there is not national certification or accreditation for medical scribes. They are technically considered an "unlicensed" member of the medical staff. However, many scribe companies have created their own certification processes for their own staff members. Most scribe training programs have similar elements including:
- Medical terminology
- Medical note structure
- Electronic medical record (EMR) navigation
- Online or textbook learning regarding:
- Medical terminology
- Medical note structure
- Electronic medical record (EMR) navigation
- Classroom instruction
- Computer and/or electronic medical record training
- Testing
- Clinical on-site training with an experience medical scribe
- Periodic review or audit of scribe charts
Text Training Materials
The most difficult part of training for the scribe is the first on-site clinical shift. If you are a part of a scribe company, you will be accompanied by a scribe trainer who will teach you the ins-and-outs of the job. If you were hired directly by a physician, likely to act as a scribe in a clinic, then the first shift can be daunting for you and a hassle for the physician that you work with. Buying a cheap training handbook can be a great asset before your first shift and speed up your development as a scribe. We have reviewed a couple of the scribe training products available online and we have listed our reviews below:
The most difficult part of training for the scribe is the first on-site clinical shift. If you are a part of a scribe company, you will be accompanied by a scribe trainer who will teach you the ins-and-outs of the job. If you were hired directly by a physician, likely to act as a scribe in a clinic, then the first shift can be daunting for you and a hassle for the physician that you work with. Buying a cheap training handbook can be a great asset before your first shift and speed up your development as a scribe. We have reviewed a couple of the scribe training products available online and we have listed our reviews below:
The Ultimate Medical Scribe Handbook series
This series of training handbooks for the medical scribe is fairly well-organized and a reasonable price for the product. There are at least 3 separate versions that we know of and these range from $35-45 in price. Each of can be purchased on Amazon.
This series of training handbooks for the medical scribe is fairly well-organized and a reasonable price for the product. There are at least 3 separate versions that we know of and these range from $35-45 in price. Each of can be purchased on Amazon.
Medical Scribe Training Manual
This manual was written by MedChart Training Systems LLC in 2012. Although it seems like a reputable source, it is poorly organized and filled mainly with procedural and policy information that does little to prepare a scribe for the job function of a medical scribe. This book is also more expensive and therefore is not recommended for those interested in becoming a medical scribe. If interested, it is sold on Amazon but has limited availability.
This manual was written by MedChart Training Systems LLC in 2012. Although it seems like a reputable source, it is poorly organized and filled mainly with procedural and policy information that does little to prepare a scribe for the job function of a medical scribe. This book is also more expensive and therefore is not recommended for those interested in becoming a medical scribe. If interested, it is sold on Amazon but has limited availability.
Medical Scribe Training Manual for the Physician Practice
This book was also written by MedChart Training Systems LLC. It was written in 2013 and may be the subsequent version of their Medical Scribe Training Manual. However, like their other training text, it is both more expensive (~$57) and poorly organized. It appears to have been thrown together quickly as there are errors on every page, some of which are not just grammatical but affect the accuracy of the material (e.g. the "gallbladder" is spelled "gull bladder"). However, it is available on Amazon for those interested.
This book was also written by MedChart Training Systems LLC. It was written in 2013 and may be the subsequent version of their Medical Scribe Training Manual. However, like their other training text, it is both more expensive (~$57) and poorly organized. It appears to have been thrown together quickly as there are errors on every page, some of which are not just grammatical but affect the accuracy of the material (e.g. the "gallbladder" is spelled "gull bladder"). However, it is available on Amazon for those interested.
Online Medical Scribe Training
If you want a more interactive training experience there is at least one company that offers online training programs for medical scribes. Medical Scribes Training Systems offers courses for individuals interested in online training as an emergency department scribe and primary care scribe. They also offer a general course for those that may be working in specialty settings and require a basic training program before they start on-site training. As the scribe industry advances into the clinical settings, this may be more helpful for use by individual scribes and physicians.
As far as we could determine, there are no other online training programs for medical scribes at this time. This makes sense because this is a new and alternative model to many scribe companies. Most of the large scribe companies are operate according to a model like this:
So in essence, in the current model, scribe organizations lose money during the training phase and then more than make up for it once the scribe is working independently. Therefore, we assume that many scribe companies are unwilling to offer their training materials to the general public because this would bypass the largest part of their revenue stream: their scribes.
If you want a more interactive training experience there is at least one company that offers online training programs for medical scribes. Medical Scribes Training Systems offers courses for individuals interested in online training as an emergency department scribe and primary care scribe. They also offer a general course for those that may be working in specialty settings and require a basic training program before they start on-site training. As the scribe industry advances into the clinical settings, this may be more helpful for use by individual scribes and physicians.
As far as we could determine, there are no other online training programs for medical scribes at this time. This makes sense because this is a new and alternative model to many scribe companies. Most of the large scribe companies are operate according to a model like this:
- Investment phase - the company will interview, hire and train new scribes with their program-specific training materials. This costs the company time and money, hence why we call it the investment phase.
- Implementation phase - the company will then train new scribes into a particular location or physician. During this phase, a scribe trainer (experienced scribe) will gradually wean the new scribe into the job, providing feedback during the first 3 to 7 shifts. This too costs the scribe company money because two employees are required to perform the work typically performed by just one.
- Pay-off phase - once a scribe is trained in a scribe company is ready to reap the benefits of their investment. By charging $19.90 per hour and paying the scribe anywhere from $9-13 per hour, the company gradually recoups its investment cost and starts to make a profit on each scribe.
So in essence, in the current model, scribe organizations lose money during the training phase and then more than make up for it once the scribe is working independently. Therefore, we assume that many scribe companies are unwilling to offer their training materials to the general public because this would bypass the largest part of their revenue stream: their scribes.
Scribe Certification and Accreditation
Currently, there is not a nationally recognized criteria for certification of a medical scribe. This seems unlikely to occur in the near-future because of the politics of doing so. However, some organizations offer their own certification or accreditation for medical scribes. Beware of programs that place a heavy emphasis on this because these titles are often used as a justification for the increased price of their training program. The important thing is that you learn the basic knowledge and skills to perform as a medical scribe, not whether you are "certified" or not.
Currently, there is not a nationally recognized criteria for certification of a medical scribe. This seems unlikely to occur in the near-future because of the politics of doing so. However, some organizations offer their own certification or accreditation for medical scribes. Beware of programs that place a heavy emphasis on this because these titles are often used as a justification for the increased price of their training program. The important thing is that you learn the basic knowledge and skills to perform as a medical scribe, not whether you are "certified" or not.