Medical scribing is becoming one of the highest-paid jobs in India based on the experience of the candidate. But, how much do medical scribes earn in India? To know about the salary of a medical scribe one should know what actually ascribe does.
Who is a medical scribe?
A medical scribe is a person who works with physicians or doctors as their assistant, documents the patient and doctor’s medically relevant conversation in a chart form, and then add that information into an EHR.
What is an EHR?
EHR stands for electronic health records. It is a digitalized version of a patient’s records including the patient’s medical history, current medical conditions, current medications, allergies, or everything related to patient care. The main benefit of the EHR it provides all the patient information in one chart and also it is easier to find any patient’s information instead of looking the same in a pile of files.
Why medical scribes are necessary?
Earlier physicians used to write the patient’s information into a chart while seeing the patients. But this was quite challenging to the doctors as it was very time-consuming and they were having to spend more time uploading the notes into charts and they were not able to see more patients due to that. However, now due to the medical scribes physicians are able to see more patients and can finish all their work on time.
Types of medical scribes:
There are mainly two types of scribes:
- In-house scribe.
- Virtual scribe.
In-house medical scribe
In-house scribes are those who work with physicians in a medical clinic. They see the patient along with the physician and write the information including patient history, chronic conditions, current issues, physical examination, current medications, and treatment.
Virtual medical scribe
On the other hand, virtual medical scribes are those who work remotely with the physician via connecting through a digital platform. They listen to the patient and doctor’s conversation and then upload the same into the chart in real-time. Physician prefers audio call instead of video call to make the patient more comfortable during the visit and also it comes under HIPPA standards.
Benefits of virtual medical scribes over in-house medical scribes:
As we all know healthcare system in developed countries mostly America is very expensive. Physicians prefer virtual medical scribes instead of in-house medical scribes as they have to pay more to the in-house scribes. Moreover, patients do not feel comfortable to talk to their doctors with the other person around in the same room. These are some reasons due to why physicians prefer virtual scribes.
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How much do medical scribes earn in the USA?
The average medical scribe salary in the USA is $31,200 per year or $16 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $26,351 per year while most experienced workers make up to $37,234 per year.
Qualifications to become a medical scribe:
To become a medical scribe, a person should have the following skills:
- English Communication Skills: To become a medical scribe a person should have a great command of the English language. As a scribe works with international clients due to which one must have very good knowledge about the English language.
- Typing skills: A person has to work live with the doctor and write about all the medically relevant data in real-time. That work requires good typing skills as the doctor-patient visits can be very fast sometimes and a person should not miss the required information.
- Basic computer knowledge: A medical scribe has to work on a computer performing various tasks including word documents. Thus, a person must have at least a basic knowledge of how to work on a computer.
- Medical terms: As we know that person has to work with doctors and that requires medical terminology knowledge. A person with proper knowledge of medical terms may benefit to become a medical scribe.
How much do medical scribes earn in India?
Medical scribing is a great growing industry and it is going to be in high demand in upcoming years. For the job of the medical scribe, a person must have to undergo an interview in which his basic skills will be tested and then he can be eligible for training. After the training, a person will become eligible for the role of medical scribe. Some companies hire freshers and then give them training on a stipend amount of approximately 10000-20000/- INR and after becoming a medical scribe then the person can get the salary of 30000-35000. For an experienced scribe, salaries increase according to the experience of the employee.
Benefits of becoming a medical scribe:
A medical scribe can enhance his knowledge and skills in a proper way. A person can have very good communication skills, knowledge of computers and medical terminology along with that medical scribe can have typing skills also. Moreover, the medical scribe has exposure to the American health care system and one can understand the treatment care of patients in a proper way. Medical scribes can also apply for courses related to medicine in foreign countries based on their experience of medical scribing. This will benefit them in getting the desired job outside of India.
Also Read:
Medical Scribe in India: 11 Reasons why it is an amazing career option
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Why learning fast typing is important to become a medical scribe?