A new credential aims to bring a level of consistency and quality to the currently unregulated profession of medical scribes.
The American Healthcare Documentation Professionals Group, which developed and administers the new credentials, offers two levels of certification: the Apprentice Medical Scribe Professional (AMSP) and the Certified Medical Scribe Professional (CMSP).
Both require applicants to pass a 100-question online exam, and applicants earn the CMSP credential by documenting 200 hours of experience on the job.
“Becoming a CMSP places you, your coworkers and your entire organization in another league, positioning you as a leader and role model for your organization,” said Peter Reilly, the president and CEO of the AHDPG, in an announcement about the group’s certification exam.
The 21st Century Cures Act allows physicians to delegate documentation required by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to medical scribes, provided physicians sign and verify the information. That’s potential good news for physicians on the verge of burnout.
Physicians frustrated with the ever-increasing burden of administrative tasks can offload data entry onto a scribe. That can be particularly tempting for doctors who dread having to navigate electronic health records (EHR) systems.
Related: Scribes help doctors step away from the EHR
Scribes may also offer relief to healthcare systems seeking greater efficiency and value out of their physicians, as a scribe’s average annual salary of $20,000 could free up clinicians whose time costs organizations significantly more.
And as any physician will tell you, more time spent interacting with patients rather than with computers will improve care quality, including patient satisfaction.
But healthcare organizations worried about data accuracy and integrity within their EHR systems are likely to appreciate some guidance when it comes to hiring well-qualified, experienced individuals. That’s where proving qualifications via credentials can put employers more at ease and better position scribes in a fast-growing field.