When medical professionals provide care for their patients, they are required to extensively document almost every aspect of the encounter. A failure to properly document a patient visit can lead to serious consequences, from disciplinary action from a state licensing board to insurance audits to charges of fraud. Unfortunately, many medical providers simply lack the time to appropriately and accurately document these encounters.
A medical scribe specializes in charting patient encounters in real-time and is trained in health information management and technology. Hiring a full-time medical scribe can be expensive and often cumbersome, with an extra person present in the exam room. A virtual medical scribe is a safe, cost-effective alternative, with prices starting at just $4.99 per hour.
At Tasks Assistant, we understand the challenges associated with charting and medical records requirements. Our virtual medical scribes support physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and other medical professionals with real-time documentation of patient encounters. If you’re interested in streamlining your medical practice, reach out today to learn more about our services.
What Does a Virtual Medical Scribe Do?
A medical scribe’s role is to follow a physician or other healthcare provider throughout the day and to chart patient encounters. This is typically done using the provider’s electronic health record software and various templates. Medical scribes take on a variety of other duties, including writing referral letters, managing medical documents within the software system, and booking appointments.
In the past, a medical scribe had to be physically present in a doctor’s office in order to perform their work. However, with the advent of computers and the internet, it is possible for medical scribes to work remotely. Medical scribes who work at a secure facility are known as virtual medical scribes.
Virtual medical scribes provide the same services as in-person medical scribes, often for a lower cost and without the need to work around another person or explain to a patient what the scribe is doing. Studies have shown that the use of medical scribes improves the quality of medical documentation. Research also shows that medical scribes improve physician productivity and increased efficiency.
Of course, hiring a medical scribe requires paying them an hourly wage or salary, plus associated taxes and benefits. It can also be difficult to bring another person into an exam room with you, and many providers find that they don’t like having a medical scribe physically present. A virtual medical scribe provides a lower-cost, convenient alternative to a traditional medical scribe.
Our Virtual Medical Scribe Services
Our virtual medical scribes offer a number of services, including:
- Entering patient’s medical history and medical records into an electronic health record
- Enter a history of present illness based on the interactions between the doctor and patient
- Record patient’s answers to physician questions
- Record data from laboratory tests
- Write referral and other letters
- Document patient discharge information
- Write the doctor’s excuses
- Record other data as necessary, including notations when other physicians were contacted and information from support staff
- Recording data in a way that complies with coding and billing requirements
- Managing patient flow
Our virtual medical scribes can be connected via audio or video connection through a tablet on a stand or cart or even a phone. As they observe the encounter, they will document a first-hand account of the interaction to ease paperwork responsibilities for the provider. Unlike dictation and translation services, the patient’s medical information will be recorded in real-time.
How It Works
When you decide to hire a virtual medical scribe through Tasks Assistant, we will get to work right away to find a scribe that is a good fit for your business. Our virtual medical scribes have both training and experience in various medical fields. Our goal is to match you with a scribe that best meets your needs.
Our virtual medical scribes are located in Mumbai, India. They work across time zones so they are available to you whenever you need them.
Each of our virtual medical scribes has a set hourly rate, starting at $4.99 per hour. We do not ask our clients to sign a contract or pay a start-up fee. You will only be charged if you are satisfied with the work that your scribe has performed for you.
Once you have been assigned a medical scribe, you will get a chance to talk to them about the work that you need them to do. Our scribes can communicate with you over email, Zoom, Slack, Skype, or another form of technology that works for you.
Your virtual medical scribe will utilize the electronic health record software that your office or facility uses. With access to this account, they will take real-time notes on patient encounters, update records as necessary, and complete any other tasks that you assign to them. Our virtual medical scribes are trained in HIPAA compliance and will use your preferred software program to ensure that your patients’ medical data is safe.
If you need to talk to your virtual medical scribe about an issue or something that you’d like them to do, you can schedule a time to chat or shoot them an email. This helps to promote efficiency and make sure that you are getting the services that you need for your business. You can also communicate with them directly while they are performing scribe services for you in real-time.
Is This Process HIPAA Complaint?
When you hire a virtual medical scribe through Tasks Assistant, you can be assured that we take data security and medical privacy seriously. All of our virtual medical scribes receive extensive training on HIPAA and protected health information (PHI) compliance. They also receive training on medical terminology, documentation for billing and liability purposes, and efficient, effective services. Our virtual medical scribe services are fully compliant with HIPAA.
We also have a thorough vetting process in place to ensure our virtual medical scribes are not only up to date on the legal requirements of the job, but that they know how to excel at their job. Our process includes conducting background checks, interviews, and speaking with references. We also conduct internal checks for compliance. All of these measures help to guarantee that you’ll be working with a trustworthy medical scribe.
Ready to Get Started? Reach Out to Tasks Assistant Today!
A virtual medical scribe can save a medical practice substantial time, money, and effort. Instead of spending your time on endless paperwork, you can focus more on patient care and building your practice. A virtual medical scribe is a cost-effective alternative to hiring a traditional medical scribe or using a medical transcriptionist.
Tasks Assistant works with businesses throughout the United States to offer them high-quality virtual assistant services – including medical scribe services. Our medical scribes receive special training to ensure that they are providing high-quality work for their clients and that they are complying with applicable federal and state laws.
To learn more, give us a call at 1-888-557-8678. You can also send us an email or Skype us at Support-TA at any time.
Sign Up Now!
LET’S CHAT – We’d love to buy you a coffee and talk about how we can help your business.