Oak Street Medical (Eugene, OR) is a primary care practice that has improved physician productivity by employing physician scribes, who are responsible for data entry. The practice has 5 primary care physicians, 1 RN, 6 scribes, and 5 roomers. The scribes are paid an hourly rate of about $16 dollars and are assigned to physicians according to patient volume. Physician productivity has increased from 18 patients per day to 24 patients per day.
What I like about this article: This is not a new concept — it is possible to find lots on the web about physician scribes. But I like that this article quantifies the benefit of having scribes, mentions their pay, and gives a rationale for the number employed.
Source: Grimshaw, H. Physician scribes improve productivity. MGMA Connexion;12(2):27-28, Feb. 2012. A related article is: Meyer, H. How Medicare views scribes. H&HN. Hospitals & Health Networks, Dec. 2010. Click here for story: http://www.hhnmag.com/hhnmag_app/jsp/articledisplay.jsp?dcrpath=HHNMAG/Article/data/12DEC2010/1210HHN_FEA_staffingissues_sb1&domain=HHNMAG Posted by AHA Resource Center, (312) 422-2050, rc@aha.org
Filed under: Efficiency, Posted by Kim Garber | Tagged: Physician practices, Physician productivity, Physician scribes |
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