What specialties have scribes

[TastyCurrantJelly]

The only thing I really despise in medicine is the scut-work of writing notes and mindlessly clicking through templates. I've seen a few specialties where scribes literally do all of this and all the physician does is talk to patients and make decisions - and it seems amazing.

First of all, I see no reason why every specialty can't operate like these - there are more than enough eager pre-meds willing to work for nothing to gain clinical experience and who will work their butts off for a possible LOR. Secondly, I decided after seeing this awesomeness I am only going to work in medicine if I have a scribe... So, what specialties have these other than ER?

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[Winged Scapula]

One of my partners has had trouble keeping up with her notes so has hired a scribe.

As you state, while it's more common in emergency medicine, it can really be done in any specialty.

 

[Smurfette]

Derm and ophtho have them here.

 

[Kaustikos]

Uhhh... Am I the only one who has seen that it's the interns/residents/pa's that do this?

 

[DermViser]

Uhhh... Am I the only one who has seen that it's the interns/residents/pa's that do this?

They're probably referring to practices that don't have the luxury of having interns/residents/PAs.

 

[MedWonk]

The only thing I really despise in medicine is the scut-work of writing notes and mindlessly clicking through templates. I've seen a few specialties where scribes literally do all of this and all the physician does is talk to patients and make decisions - and it seems amazing.

First of all, I see no reason why every specialty can't operate like these - there are more than enough eager pre-meds willing to work for nothing to gain clinical experience and who will work their butts off for a possible LOR. Secondly, I decided after seeing this awesomeness I am only going to work in medicine if I have a scribe... So, what specialties have these other than ER?

Most of my work was with EM, but I've a done a bit of scribing for primary care, cardiology, GI, neuro, derm and ophtho. It's not as common in those other specialties, but they do exist. A CT surgeon asked me one time in the ED if I wanted to scribe for him, and I totally would've since he was offering me a nice raise over what I made through the scribing company, but the contract with the hospital had some sort of noncompete clause that prevented me from doing it. I'm not entirely sure what my role would've been with him, though it sounds like it would've been cool in theory.

 

[joeDO2]

Any specialty that the doc is willing to take $10-$15/hr off the bottom line to see more patients

 

[Kaustikos]

They're probably referring to practices that don't have the luxury of having interns/residents/PAs.

I... Guess so. All I know is that having a PA in surgery means less rounding and more **** getting done. My vascular surgery rotation has two of em.. So I don't get why you wouldn't try to get one. Oh well... C'est la vie

 

[DermViser]

I... Guess so. All I know is that having a PA in surgery means less rounding and more **** getting done. My vascular surgery rotation has two of em.. So I don't get why you wouldn't try to get one. Oh well... C'est la vie

Bc you have to pay a scribe good money. A resident - you can pay half their salary and they can't bail.

 

[mimelim]

Bc you have to pay a scribe good money. A resident - you can pay half their salary and they can't bail.

Hey! I make $12 an hour! But you got me on the not being able to bail part .

 

[DermViser]

Hey! I make $12 an hour! But you got me on the not being able to bail part .

LOL. The lack of ability on the part of residents to negotiate means you can make them do anything - including being scribes. From what I've read, depending on the company, hiring a scribe can be quite expensive, as can dictation services.

 

[Etorphine]

that I can just hire a scribe and not do all the soul-sucking note writing as an attending is music to my ears. I wonder if one might even break even if they can see more patients and compensate for the cost of the scribe. either way, it'd be worth it to me

 

[wanderer]

You don't like stupid paper-work, templates, checklists and all sorts of outside restrictions placed by people who aren't medically trained? Might want to get out of medicine. I'm kidding (sorta) but from the attendings I've shadowed things are getting much worse in this regard. I suppose it's possible that things will get so bad that doctors will routinely have scribes.