To scribe or not to scribe? That is the question.

"I was working at an urgent treatment center, where a busy Saturday in January would be overwhelming. At one point, I hired a scribe. She was a bright young woman interested in medicine and some alacrity with computers. It was a pleasant change of pace for me. She would accompany me into the exam room under instructions to remain unobtrusive and abide by HIPAA. I found that she could record the pertinent negatives and positives on the physical exam and the review of systems. She could record the assessment and plan as well. I was then able to give the patient my full attention during their 15-minute visit. I could even maintain eye contact and have a conversation without the distraction of a computer screen demanding my attention. I could feel like a human being instead of a data entry clerk." Janet Tamaren is a family physician and author of Yankee Doctor in the Bible Belt: A Memoir. She can be reached at her self-titled site, Dr. Janet Tamaren, and on Twitter @jtamaren. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "To scribe or not to scribe? That is the question." Did you enjoy today's episode? Rate and review the show so more audiences can find The Podcast by KevinMD. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified when a new episode comes out. Click here to earn 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CME for this episode. Also available in Category 1 CME bundles. Powered by CMEfy - a seamless way for busy clinician learners to discover Internet Point-of-Care Learning opportunities that reward AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Learn more at about.cmefy.com/cme-info