A Band-Aid: Medical Scribes Could Reduce EHR-Related Burnout, But Long-Term Solutions Are Needed

​Use of medical scribes could mitigate the burden related to electronic health record (EHR) documentation and subsequent burnout, according to a study in the November 2018 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine. The authors conducted a crossover study of 18 primary care physicians at two medical facilities with an integrated healthcare system from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017. The primary care physicians were randomly assigned to start either with medical scribes or without them then alternate exposure every three months for the year. According to physician self-reports, medical scribes were associated with decreased EHR burden, improved work efficiency, and improved visit quality.