Milestones and Numbers:
- AD: Biblical scribes assist high priests in accurately interpreting and documenting important legal records
- 1974: Documented scribe use with nurses
- 2001: Medicare “appropriate scribe use”
- 2004: Birth of the industry, local market share
- 2006: Demonstrated synergy scribes+EHR
- 2008: 1 National scribe company at ACEP
- 2009: Scribe Academic Textbook
- 2010: Community college and online scribe curriculum
- 2010: Impact of Scribes on Emergency Department Revenue
- 2012: 12 scribe companies at ACEP
- 2013: 20% of all EDs with >100k patients/year, use scribes
- 2014: CMS FAQ 9058 MU. Certified Medical Scribe Specialists may enter CPOE, outpatient; CMS recognizes CMSS Scribes Outpatient
- 2014: ACMSS advocates for accredited medical scribe specialist industry
- 2014: 15,000 scribes nationally; market = 125 million
- 2015: medical scribes formally become recognized as an accredited profession
- 2017: medical scribes stretch internationally
- 2018: 25,000+ scribes implement onto the national blueprint/annually
- 2018: medical scribes expand into over 2500+ medical institutions across the US – and growing
- 2020+: 100,000+ scribes nationally; market projection = 1 billion
Benefits of CMSS utilization assist physicians in:
- Misplaced charts/missing in 30% of office visits
- Generating on average/visit an additional 13 pieces of paper
- Cost savings/one visit generally associated with $10/paper chart to track and file records
- Reduced resource utilization; average paper chart weighs 1.5+ lbs.
Average uptake and adoption ratio implementing Physician/CMSS Team utilization:
- Minimum uptake 1:1 ratio
- 3:1 CMSS/clinician, based upon goals and objective of the licensed clinician, up to and including workflow implementation requirements and interest in growing, expanding, and utilizing national model to improve care
Source: Committee On Improving the Patient Record Institute of Medicine