AHRQ Patient Safety Network ► The rise of the medical scribe industry: implications for the advancement of electronic health records.

AHRQ Patient Safety Network



The rise of the medical scribe industry: implications for the advancement of electronic health records.

Gellert GA, Ramirez R, Webster SL. JAMA. 2015;313:1315-1316.

The use of medical scribes to enter information into electronic health records has been adopted as a strategy to shift the burden of documentation away from the clinician. This commentary describes how the practice of employing scribes could lead to insufficient interpretation of clinical information and alerts when actions are recorded in the computerized provider order entry systems by nonclinician workers. This workaround may reduce the demand for needed improvements in health information technology and result in potential hazards to patient safety.

PubMed citation 
Available at 
Related news article 

Related Resources

STUDY

A long-term follow-up evaluation of electronic health record prescribing safety.

Abramson EL, Malhotra S, Osorio SN, et al. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2013;20:e52-e58.

SPECIAL OR THEME ISSUE

Health Information Technology.

Am J Manag Care. 2014;20(spec 17):492-554,e1-e31.

REVIEW

Evaluation and certification of computerized physician order entry systems.

Classen D, Avery AJ, Bates DW. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2007;14:48-55.

COMMENTARY

Preventing medication errors in hospitals through a systems approach and technological innovation: a prescription for 2010.

Crane J, Crane FG. Hosp Top. Fall 2006;84:3-8.

View all related resources...