What is a Scribe?

A scribe works within the emergency department documenting the history and physical examination as it is being performed by the ED physician. A scribe is an integral part of the team that takes care of patient charting for those who seek care in the emergency department. A scribe documents all procedures, interactions with other physicians, and transcribes all ancillary test results and the interpretation of all test results by the physician, including any lab tests, imaging tests, ECG and radiographs. A scribe also checks the progress of lab, X-ray or other patient evaluation data and notifies the ED Physician of ancillary tests. In addition, scribes record diagnoses and instructions for patient discharge and/or follow-up as made by the ED Physician. Unlike a volunteer in the emergency department, the scribe interacts directly with the physician and staff on every patient seen on that team. This is a paid position and is an ideal role for anyone seeking a career in medicine. Almost all of our scribes have either gone on in advanced studies in medicine, PA, and/or nursing.