AI medical scribes have been slowly making their way into healthcare facilities across the globe, including in the specialized field of neurosurgery. Which raises the questions:

• Are medical scribes still around?
• Is there such a thing as a neurosurgeon scribe?
• Why should any doctor have a scribe?

There are a variety of ambient scribes out there that can easily work in all kinds of healthcare fields, from primary care physicians, psychiatrists, and even in neurosurgery. Neurosurgeons are responsible for diagnosing and treating issues with the brain, spine, and nervous system, and they offer both surgical and non-surgical treatment options. But just like any other clinician, they are responsible for ensuring their patients’ medical record is up to date with the latest documentation tracking progress and treatment. An AI medical scribe can definitely assist them with this, and give them more time back to spend focusing on their patients. 

What are medical scribes?

Are medical scribes still a thing?

But before we get into how an AI neurosurgeon scribe can help out, let’s discuss what medical scribes are. Before the introduction of AI medical scribes, there were human medical scribes who would assist providers with medical documentation. You could expect them to sit in the encounter along with the provider in order to access the patient history, make additions to the notes in real time, and then ensure the information is accurate before entering into the medical record. They can also be expected to look up necessary information and results, or assist with the patient journey in the healthcare facility. 

Having a medical scribe in an encounter allows the provider to focus solely on the patient, and not have to worry about doing the scribe's job as the patient speaks in real time. This enhances the patient experience since the clinician’s attention is not divided between the patient and the computer while they try to type information in. 

Scribes not only allow the provider to focus on the patient, but they also ensure that the clerical task of creating and uploading notes to the patient’s EHR is done so the doctor does not have to do it themselves. They will review the note for accuracy, but it saves them time not having to create it each time they see a patient. As a result, clinicians who use scribes may find that they have more time for patients.

What is the most a medical scribe can make? 

There are a variety of training programs a medical scribe can take to learn about medical terminology and learn what is expected of them as they assist at hospitals, clinics, and other facilities. What a scribe makes depends on their experience, and a good experienced medical scribe is very useful in all kinds of healthcare fields. Depending on what state you’re in and their minimum wage, you can expect to make between $12-$15 per hour and the median salary is around $30,500. Scribes that have experience and are in a specialized field like neurosurgery may make more.

An AI medical scribe alternative

The alternative to using a human medical scribe is an AI scribe. These applications are downloaded to any smartphone or tablet, and use natural language processing (NLP) to listen to and transcribe patient encounters. The clinician just needs to gain patient consent, and then turns the scribe on. The scribe will then use the transcription to create a note according to whatever format is requested, and will finally be reviewed by the clinician for accuracy.

Using AI in this way frees up the provider, just like with a human scribe, to focus solely on listening to and having a discussion with the patient. Their conversation is captured so the provider doesn’t need to worry about missing information and accidentally leaving something out of the note. AI scribes are accurate and are already being used in all kinds of healthcare settings. 

There are many benefits of using an AI scribe over a human scribe:

• It costs less
• Can transcribe the information faster 
• The AI scribe is more accurate than the human scribe
• The patient may feel more comfortable speaking only to the provider

Do neurosurgeons have scribes? 

Is there a place for a scribe in neurosurgery?

The short answer to this is yes, a lot of neurosurgeons take advantage of having a medical scribe. This is an excellent way for a neurosurgeon to keep their focus on their patients. Neurosurgeons are doctors that are trained to treat issues with the nervous system, including the brain, spine, spinal cord, and any of the nerves associated with this. Although you may hear the name surgeon and think that’s all they do, neurosurgeons also treat patients with non-surgical treatments, such as medication, injections, and even physical therapy. 

This means that they also have patient encounters, where it would be very beneficial to have a scribe. Whether that scribe is a human medical scribe or an ambient AI scribe is up to the neurosurgeon. When they meet with patients, the scribe can be present to document all the necessary patient information and start to fill out the notes in real time. If an AI scribe is used, it will listen to the entire encounter and create a note with the important information. After a review, it will be uploaded to the EHR and synced with all devices.

If a human scribe is used, they will also start documenting patient information and confirm that all information is correct and up to date, including any medications. They will transcribe what transpires during the encounter to ensure the note is properly filled out. After it is reviewed by the neurosurgeon (or another member of the team) for accuracy, it will become a part of the patient’s EHR. 

What does a neurosurgeon scribe do during surgery? 

Scribes play a big part during patient encounters, so when a neurosurgeon is discussing treatment or medication with the patient, they do not need to worry about typing up their own notes. However, the other part of being a neurosurgeon means that they will also need to perform surgery. Medical scribes can also accompany surgeons into the surgical arena and can assist in a variety of ways.

Before the surgery

A scribe can review the patient’s chart to make sure everything is up to date and accurate. They will also ensure all the paperwork is correct, including consent forms and any medication lists. 

During surgery

Scribes will document what is happening during the surgery, ensuring there is an accurate transcription of everything that occurs.

Afterwards

They will use the notes taken during the surgery to create the surgical report and ensure that any post-operative information is included. Scribes may also help with the discharge process and schedule any follow up appointments.

Why should a doctor have a scribe? 

The benefits of an AI scribe

Scribes can assist providers, including neurosurgeons, in a variety of ways but they mainly take the clerical burden off of clinicians so they can focus more on their patients. Human scribes are good at documenting information, ensuring everything is up to date, and even ordering additional tests if the clinician requires it. However AI scribes come with a lot of benefits as well, and you may find that these applications could serve your healthcare facility better.

• AI scribes are time savers. Clinicians who have used ambient medical scribes state that one of the biggest advantages that they offer is as a time saver. Not having to create notes from scratch, and then ensuring they’re complete with all the necessary information, gives providers a little bit of their time back. They want to spend time having discussions with their patients, not entering in information either during the encounter, or at the end of the day. Even if it’s just a few minutes per patient, it can really add up, preventing clinicians from staying on for extra hours after their day is done just to enter notes into the computer. 

When the AI scribe is listening and transcribing the whole encounter, it easily creates a note with all the pertinent information exactly where it should be that can be instantly synced. 

• Cost less. An AI scribe costs significantly less than a human scribe who needs a salary and can only work a certain schedule. Even though ambient scribes typically are a subscription service, (although there are free versions of some) they will still cost less than hiring a human medical scribe. AI scribes can cost anywhere from $99-$150+ and some are even less. A lot of AI medical scribes will also offer a free trial, or have a free version that doesn’t have all the features of the paid level, but is still incredibly useful.

• More accurate than human scribes. Successful human medical scribes must undergo training, both in the classroom and in a healthcare setting, and experience is the only way they can get better and more accurate at their jobs. Depending on the facility they’re working in, there may be a steep learning curve when it comes to the providers they're working with, the medical terminology, or even the medical coding. And even experienced human scribes can make mistakes.

AI scribes, thanks to NLP, are extremely accurate, and can transcribe much quicker than a person can type. Most AI scribes can also easily type up voice notes from providers that should also be added to the EHR.

• Enhances patient experience. Clinicians want to care for their patients, which is why they want to ensure they’re fully present during encounters. When the AI scribe is listening and transcribing, the provider no longer needs to worry about dividing their attention between speaking to the patient, and typing up what’s going on. Now they can be fully present with the patient, so the patient really feels like their doctor is listening to their questions and concerns. 

Ambient scribes can also assist with the patient journey, ensuring that they get checked in easily, and any follow up appointments are automated.

• Easy to use and are secure. AI scribes are very easy to use, and most providers can pick it up in the same day. They’re designed to be user friendly, and templates can be customized to meet the specific needs of the healthcare team. The information that the AI scribe creates is not stored in the application, and when it’s been approved, it is securely synced with the EHR. 

• If you’re looking for an AI scribe, make sure it is HIPAA compliant, offers data encryption, and is SOC 2 certified like Playback Health. 

There are a lot of ways that an AI scribe can benefit healthcare facilities of all types and sizes, it’s just a matter of finding the one that works for you. 

Why not use an AI neurosurgeon scribe?

If you’re a neurosurgeon or work in this field of healthcare, consider checking out Playback’s AI medical scribe for your practice. This scribe can generate accurate transcriptions of patient encounters, help automate the patient journey, create notes to save you time, and easily sync with your medical record management system. Get more of your time back so you can focus on assisting your patients with an ambient scribe!