The financial advantages of medical scribes extend beyond increased visits

Abstract

Purpose Medical scribes are known to increase revenue by increasing visits to a medical practice. We examined whether medical scribes are associated with markers of financial benefit independent of increased visits. uMethods We conducted a pre- and post-observational study with a control group, examining changes in the percentage of visits (1) coded as level of service 4 or 5, (2) with at least 1 hierarchical condition category code billed, and (3) at which orders for 3 pay-for-performance quality measures (screening for breast, cervical, and colon cancer) were placed, if due. We looked at changes in outcomes among scribed providers and compared them to nonscribed providers. We used generalized estimating equations with robust standard errors to account for repeated measures and the hierarchical nature of the data, controlling for patient demographics. uResults We examined 41,371 visits to 17 scribed providers and 230,297 visits to 78 nonscribed providers. In adjusted analyses, and compared to nonscribed providers, scribes were associated with an increase of: • 9.2 percentage points in level-of-service 4 or 5 billing (P < .001) • 3.6 percentage points in hierarchical condition category coding (P < .001) • 4.0 percentage points in breast cancer screening orders (P = .01) • 4.9 percentage points in colon cancer screening orders (P = .04). uConclusions This study suggests that scribes are associated with financial benefit in addition to increased visit volume. Primary care practices should consider the financial benefit of scribes independent of their ability to add patient volume.