A virtual scribe in the medical field is a health paraprofessional specializing in taking down accurate, concise information, usually during real-time medical examinations and other doctor-patient interactions.
Ambient speech technology, on the other hand, is voice-enabled technology using artificial intelligence (AI) to document conversations between patients and doctors. This technology can also generate clinical notes to add to electronic healthcare records.
Both types of services have their advantages and disadvantages. The first type uses the services of human professionals to take notes and deliver accurate documentation according to the healthcare provider’s specific needs. The latter, i.e., voice-enabled technology (which is also referred to as ambient AI), relies on technology to produce results. These documented end results and their format depend on your initial human input and specific instructions.
Ambient AI typically works in three stages:
Currently, fifty percent of clinicians make use of either a virtual scribe and/or ambient AI technology. The other fifty percent rely on traditional transcription methods typed up by doctors. This takes up a great deal of their time, however.
In addition, a third type of transcribing exists. This one relies on both AI and human interaction. This thus leaves us with three possible scribing workflow models.
Virtual medical scribes typically start by having a patient’s chart and information available. As most work from a remote location, they would log into the doctor’s user interface and update a patient’s electronic health record (HER) in real time. They could input a patient’s medications, progress, and problems. This information, easily shared with different providers like specialists, for example, is usually accurate and up to date. The virtual scribe and healthcare provider may discuss the information, especially if the virtual scribe has any questions. The information, once deemed accurate by both parties, would then be sent to relevant partners in a patient’s recovery process if necessary.
This approach refers to a symbiosis between humans and AI. Here, an encounter is recorded and processed by AI to create a draft report. A virtual scribe then edits the draft and makes changes where needed. The report is then reviewed and signed off by the healthcare provider.
The third option is when AI uses audio encountered during a doctor-patient encounter or dictated notes to generate a report. In most cases, the electronically updated data is limited, and the final report is updated after the medical practitioner completes their notes and makes edits to the AI offerings.
Each of the three models mentioned have their advantages and disadvantages. We will take a look at a few of each.
Because they work in real-time, virtual medical scribes can interact with medical practitioners. They can also produce an end product that perfectly matches the healthcare professional’s personal preferences.
Virtual scribes can also offer ancillary support. This includes various clerical tasks, pre-charting, email and voice sorting, and order entry. They may also help ensure more efficient billing and ongoing care.
Their discreet yet effective data-capturing services may also mean that a healthcare professional has more free time to rest and spend with their family. They no longer need to spend hours working on electronic health records. As a result, healthcare providers have a lower risk of burnout.
Furthermore, because of their training, a virtual scribe may ensure improved documentation quality with a more efficient turnaround time. As a result of their work, a healthcare provider can see more patients in a day without having to work longer hours. They may have more time because they have less paperwork to get through.
On the other hand, one of the major disadvantages of hiring a virtual scribe is the price point. Their services do not come cheap. Some people offering these services may charge per hour, while others charge per note. This makes budgeting difficult. You can, however, mitigate this by looking into hiring offshore virtual medical scribes. Hiring through a company that specifically offers virtual assistant services may also help in this regard.
If hiring through a company, you may encounter some inconsistencies in the document output because you may work with different scribes. You could work around this by talking to the company you hire with, however, and come to a solution that suits you.
Making use of voice information, i.e., directly from a consultation or a recording, AI can generate a report. A virtual scribe can then edit this report online with a healthcare provider’s preferences. You can also link this type of AI-generated content to user-selected diagnoses. In so doing, it serves as a support method for downstream charting and medical coding.
This model, just like the previous one, will significantly reduce a healthcare provider’s burnout risk because they do not need to dedicate so many hours of their free time to dealing with medical reports. This is also true of other paperwork normally done by the healthcare provider or their staff, because ambient speech AI can easily pair with other AI tools to ensure a quicker, more efficient workflow.
Furthermore, using this model increases a healthcare provider’s service value (RVU) through a billing-focused service report. It may also have a positive impact on your practice’s cost modeling as it can help measure the total amount of time employees actively work.
Of course, this model also has its set of disadvantages. Because you no longer use a virtual scribe to do the initial transcriptions, it is difficult to meet your personal preferences regarding how documents are written. Also, the costs associated with this combined model vary according to the AI engine and the proficiency of your virtual scribe.
Unlike the model using the services of a virtual scribe only, you do not have live support in this model. Neither do you have access to the other services commonly provided by a virtual scribe.
Because the accuracy of documentation depends on sound quality, certain details of a consultation may be missed or not captured. The virtual scribe thus cannot make up for these exclusions by communicating with the healthcare practitioner. Turnaround time is also longer than when making use of a virtual scribe only.
This is the cheapest option. It involves only the use of AI to draw up needed reports. By not employing a virtual scribe, you could save on human labor costs. Processing takes place in almost real-time. This model can also pair with other AI to provide evidence-based decision support. It may also help recognize certain information as pointing towards an unsuspected diagnosis. Furthermore, the healthcare provider has complete control of all information relating to patients.
However, one of the main disadvantages of this model is that it does not significantly reduce the healthcare provider’s after-hour workload because he would have to do all edits himself. Also, the AI-generated reports may not be as accurate, complete, and correctly formatted, although this may depend on the ambient speech vendor you choose. This model may also miss certain details in conversations and thus not capture them in the documentation generated.
AI also comes with some other risks:
To choose the correct solution for your healthcare practice, you need to understand exactly what each solution type offers you.
A human transcription service provides services tailored to a healthcare provider’s needs with documentation customized to the medical provider’s specialty and the type of visit. This type of hire also reduces the editing burden on the healthcare provider. This in-office professional is the most expensive choice, however.
A live virtual scribe offers customized, trained, talented support that fits in with a medical provider’s specialty and type of visit. These professionals can support complex specialties and can also provide pre-charting, pending orders, and clerical support. They reduce the healthcare provider’s editing burden.
As with the previous two, AI scribe editing services produce documents customized to a healthcare provider’s needs, are customized to their specialty and visit type, and support complex specialties. These services can also deal with pending orders and provide clerical task support. In addition to this, they reduce the healthcare provider’s editing burden while making use of trained talent support as well as AI.
This type of solution can provide an outcome customized to a healthcare practitioner’s specialty and visit type using AI only.
One should make sure that your service choice can provide services aligned with your preferences. We will look at each type of solution and what you should expect from each.
If opting for transcription services, make sure the provider can make detailed notes according to your specific preferences. This will help reduce your editing responsibilities. They need to have knowledge of your specialty. Do note that regarding communication, they cannot ask about any issues that may have arisen during a consultation that is not recorded. You also need to ensure that their hours worked can accommodate your patient volume.
When making use of live virtual scribe services, you should make sure that the person is comfortable with technology, can adhere to your compliance specifications, and make detailed notes according to your preferences. They should also have a good idea of your specialty, have good communication skills, and follow your workflow specifications. Someone who meets these criteria will lower your editing burden.
As this option makes use of both AI and human resources, your specifications can include a variety of skills. These include skilled use of technology, adherence to compliance issues, making detailed notes from the information generated by AI, adherence to the healthcare provider’s workflow preferences, and an understanding of the practice's specialty. They should also be able to provide agile solutions with lower weekly hours while being able to deal with your patient volume.
This option makes exclusive use of technology. This option has low weekly clinical hours but can deal with your patient volumes. It does not, however, relieve you of your editing burden as you would need to go through all documents to ensure accuracy. This option can also provide you with the detailed note preference you may desire.
Each of the different models mentioned has its pros and cons. If you would like to know more about how these options work, please do not hesitate to contact Cool Blue VA. Our contact number is 714-695-8000. One of our team members is standing by to hear from you!