How Orthopedic Practices Thrive with Scribe Support

Many orthopedic physicians feel that medical note taking interferes with their ability to interact freely with patients. In an academic orthopedic practice, a study revealed that EHR use surpassed face-to-face patient time, taking up 58% of orthopedic physicians’ clinical days. While documentation is an essential component of patient care, it’s not the reason why they chose medicine. Despite choosing orthopedics to improve people's quality of life and function, many find themselves consumed with the administrative burdens which detract them from providing bedside patient care. Scribe support may be one strategy to alleviate some of the administrative burden that orthopedists face, freeing up their time to focus more on delivering high-quality care to their patients. Let's explore what orthopedic scribes are and the benefits they offer within the healthcare system.

How Do Orthopedic Scribes Work

Orthopedic medical scribes are trained professionals who assist orthopedic specialists in taking notes during patient visits and documenting them in real-time into the electronic health record system. Their duties encompass recording patient history, physician examination findings, test results, and other relevant information crucial to patient care. By enhancing the efficiency of patient visits, orthopedic scribes enable orthopedists to dedicate more time to assisting patients in alleviating pain and enhancing their quality of life.

Now, let's explore some of the advantages of taking scribe support for your orthopedic practice.

1. Enhanced Efficiency And Productivity: By assisting orthopedic surgeons with documentation and administrative tasks, scribes contribute to significant improvements in efficiency and productivity. It's well-documented that orthopedic surgeons invest a considerable portion of their time completing electronic health records, leaving them with limited time for direct patient care. Research shows that orthopedic scribes have significantly cut down the time orthopedic surgeons spend on documentation during clinic hours and at the end of each clinic day. Most importantly, by taking on documentation responsibilities, scribes enable orthopedic surgeons to accommodate more patients in their daily schedules.
2. Improved Accuracy Of Documentation: Orthopedic scribes play a crucial role in maintaining accurate and detailed patient records. They undergo specialized training to efficiently handle real-time documentation of patient encounters and ensure that medical records are thorough and up-to-date. This paves the way for more accurate diagnosis, resulting in improved patient outcomes and reduced medical errors. Put it simply, orthopedic scribes significantly improve the accuracy of documentation, thereby enhancing patient care and safety.
3. Enhanced Quality of Care: Scribes significantly enhance the quality of care by taking on the documentation tasks, enabling orthopedic physicians to dedicate more time to patient interaction and clinical decision-making. With scribes documenting patient encounters in real-time, the accuracy and completeness of medical records is improved, leading to better continuity of care, reduced errors, and enhanced communication among healthcare team members. This streamlined workflow ultimately results in increased patient satisfaction and improved health outcomes.
4. Reduced burnout: Excessive time spent on administrative tasks is one of the most significant contributors to provider burnout. The use of orthopedic medical scribes has emerged as a promising solution, particularly in boosting physician workplace satisfaction and addressing burnout by significantly reducing the burden of EHR documentation. Numerous studies have shown that scribe support can lessen the workload associated with EHRs, leading to enhanced physician well-being and decreased burnout rates.
5. Improved Revenue: Scribe support in orthopedic practices was consistently reported as being associated with improved productivity and revenue. By efficiently handling documentation and charting tasks, scribes enable orthopedic physicians to dedicate more time to direct patient care, resulting in higher patient volumes and increased billable encounters. This not only increases practice revenue but also improves operational efficiency, resulting in a more profitable and sustainable practice.

With one in two adult Americans live with a musculoskeletal condition, the demand for orthopedic services continues to rise and so is the need for orthopedic medical scribes. They are indeed, expected to play a crucial role in helping orthopedic physicians meet the growing demand for care and improving patient outcomes. If you are an orthopedist feeling overwhelmed by EHR documentation requirements, consider utilizing scribe support to ease your workload. At Physicians Angels we have a team of highly skilled and qualified orthopedic virtual scribes who offer real-time documentation support, allowing you to prioritize exceptional patient care while maximizing practice efficiency. Get in touch with us today to learn how our orthopedic scribing services can benefit your practice.