Today’s physicians are almost universally concerned about how little time they have to spend with their patients. While some people complain that they have only a few precious moments with their doctors, they don’t realize that most doctors are just as unhappy with the rushed consultations. A large part of the problem is the ever-increasing paperwork that doctors have to contend with. Many doctors spend hours every day with patients, then spend hours filling out paperwork, reviewing notes, and constructing detailed patient reports based on hastily scribbled notes taken while trying to focus on what their patients are saying. It’s a no-win situation.
What Is Medical Records Outsourcing?
There are different ways doctors, clinics, and hospitals can outsource certain medical records and accounts. Each one fulfills specific needs regarding required paperwork that can’t be ignored. What kind of outsourcing your medical office chooses hinges on what documents are interfering the most with each doctor’s ability to interact with patients.
Medical Transcription and Medical Scribing
These two categories are the most commonly outsourced. Medical transcriptionists take a doctor’s short notes or recorded dictation and transcribe them into complete medical reports or word-for-word records of what the doctor dictated. This saves a considerable amount of money because it costs far less to pay someone to type up the paperwork than it does for physicians to do this for themselves. It also means a doctor spends less time at a computer and more time interacting with patients.
Scribing is similar to transcription. A scribe also inputs information for medical records, but in a more immediate fashion. Most medical scribes work in a clinic, doctor’s office, or hospital setting. They may accompany a doctor on his rounds, inputting patient information directly into the records system while the doctor consults with each patient. This relieves the doctor of having to multitask and ensures complete, accurate records in real-time. Companies like Provider’s Choice Scribe Services rigorously train medical scribes in a wide range of specialties, including oncology and pediatrics.
Medical Billing
While a medical clinic or doctor’s office can handle billing in-house, more are outsourcing billing every year. There are several ways this saves money. First and foremost, medical billing can often be done by outsourcing companies with employees who work from home, saving the cost of an office. Medical billing specialists prepare and send out invoices. They also answer billing questions, so patients don’t tie up nurses’ or other medical office employees’ time with phone calls about bills. This is time better spent on running the office, scheduling appointments, and interacting with patients.
Medical Writing
Patients are often given detailed information about handling their illness or injury. It’s difficult for doctors and nurses in busy practices or hospitals to put together accurate, detailed instructions that are easy to understand. They may struggle with creating a document at the appropriate reading level, and many doctors aren’t good writers. By providing the essential information and an outline or specifications to a qualified medical writer, they can get a superior document that’s error-free, professional, and easy for patients to understand. Patients are happier with the information they’re given and appreciate their doctor for providing current, helpful information they can read after their appointment.
When doctors and hospitals can successfully outsource to reduce costs while improving their patient relationships, everyone wins.
