THE REASONS

If you’re still seeing patients without a scribe, it might be time to remove “data entry” from your job description. The scribe role barely existed in optometry 15 to 20 years ago, but many ODs now utilize scribes, and many have told me, “I don’t know how I ever saw patients without a scribe.” With a successful transition, a scribe can add efficiencies to a practice and enhance the patient experience. This is because the doctor can focus more on the patient, and less on a keyboard.

IMPLEMENTATION

• Don’t overwhelm. There will be a lot of clinical terminology and technical information for the scribe to familiarize themselves with. Be patient with training.
• Have the scribe practice by entering data on a fictitious patient; maybe an employee.
• Start on a small scale (one or two patients/day to start). Review charts with the scribe.
• Give lots of guidance, and encourage questions.
• It’s OK to enter complex data yourself. A scribe that can take the majority of data entry and documentation off your plate is a huge asset. OM