Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: How long does the training take?
A: This is by far the most frequently asked question, but the most difficult to answer. The course is self-directed, and some students choose to work through the material for more hours in fewer sittings, whereas others do a module or two after work over a longer span of days. Students with a healthcare background have completed it in as few as 15 hours, but we have had other students report up to 40 hours when more time is needed to look up background information and reinforce concepts. In addition, after uploading notes, there is a delay while our management or medical director hand-grades it. So, plan for at least 15-20 hours of non-consecutive hours, depending on your previous experience level.
Q: Is experience necessary?
A: Nope! Anyone is welcome to take the course; however, it is designed for those planning to enter the scribe job market. These individuals are typically pre-med, and have a number of related college courses under their belt before taking this course. Without that coursework, it may take other students longer to complete the course since some material is new.
Q: How do I know this material is legit? Do you have experts involved?
A: We understand, online training can be offered by just about anyone these days. Unlike others, however, we have a board-certified physician as a medical director, who is additionally certified as a Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner by AHIMA. Before buying a course, it is wise to see who is standing behind the material!
Q: Is this course just for scribes?
A: No. While the training was initially directed at scribes, since then our materials have been used by medical students, medical assistants and mid-level providers alike to learn the essentials of medical documentation.
Q: Do I need to buy the handbook?
A: It is not required, but many students prefer to have the handbook in printed or electronic form, to use side-by-side with the online materials, to keep notes, or to keep as a reference at work.
Q: Are students trained with Medical Scribe Training Systems "certified"?
A: Coursework involves a variety of testing modalities that students must pass to progress through the course. Evaluation includes watching simulated patient videos, writing the patient note, which is then uploaded for our management team or medical director to review and grade by hand. Participants that demonstrate sufficient understanding of the core competences and pass the final test will obtain a certificate of completion as pictured below. Currently, scribes are NOT a licensed healthcare role, and there is no national third-party regulatory body. Therefore, there is no nationwide standard or regulatory body that could issue a true "certification" or add initials after your name like there is for medical assistants, nurses, etc. Companies claiming to offer a "certification" or "license" are simply private companies selling training or testing, without endorsement from TJC, CMS or other agencies.
A: This is by far the most frequently asked question, but the most difficult to answer. The course is self-directed, and some students choose to work through the material for more hours in fewer sittings, whereas others do a module or two after work over a longer span of days. Students with a healthcare background have completed it in as few as 15 hours, but we have had other students report up to 40 hours when more time is needed to look up background information and reinforce concepts. In addition, after uploading notes, there is a delay while our management or medical director hand-grades it. So, plan for at least 15-20 hours of non-consecutive hours, depending on your previous experience level.
Q: Is experience necessary?
A: Nope! Anyone is welcome to take the course; however, it is designed for those planning to enter the scribe job market. These individuals are typically pre-med, and have a number of related college courses under their belt before taking this course. Without that coursework, it may take other students longer to complete the course since some material is new.
Q: How do I know this material is legit? Do you have experts involved?
A: We understand, online training can be offered by just about anyone these days. Unlike others, however, we have a board-certified physician as a medical director, who is additionally certified as a Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner by AHIMA. Before buying a course, it is wise to see who is standing behind the material!
Q: Is this course just for scribes?
A: No. While the training was initially directed at scribes, since then our materials have been used by medical students, medical assistants and mid-level providers alike to learn the essentials of medical documentation.
Q: Do I need to buy the handbook?
A: It is not required, but many students prefer to have the handbook in printed or electronic form, to use side-by-side with the online materials, to keep notes, or to keep as a reference at work.
Q: Are students trained with Medical Scribe Training Systems "certified"?
A: Coursework involves a variety of testing modalities that students must pass to progress through the course. Evaluation includes watching simulated patient videos, writing the patient note, which is then uploaded for our management team or medical director to review and grade by hand. Participants that demonstrate sufficient understanding of the core competences and pass the final test will obtain a certificate of completion as pictured below. Currently, scribes are NOT a licensed healthcare role, and there is no national third-party regulatory body. Therefore, there is no nationwide standard or regulatory body that could issue a true "certification" or add initials after your name like there is for medical assistants, nurses, etc. Companies claiming to offer a "certification" or "license" are simply private companies selling training or testing, without endorsement from TJC, CMS or other agencies.
Q: Does this training mean I will get a job?
A: Students often ask if a certification conveys the ability to get a scribe job, or is required to be a scribe. Again, since there is no national standard, a "certification" cannot be a job requirement unless an employer is associated with a particular private company's training course. Each employer will have their own job description, which may include requirements such as having a college degree, certain GPA or coursework, typing speed, and immunization requirements for instance. Experience and training are always a plus, since employers know that applicants with training will save them hours of training time. So if you're applying for a scribe job, having our certificate shows you passed our training course and this would be a major resume-building advantage compared to others.
Q: Does your company do job placement?
A: No. Our training is intended for students nationwide to take for their own job or educational preparation purposes. We do have a sister company that hires and and manages scribes in MN and CO, so if you are located in those states Contact Us.
Q: I'm a clinic manager and we are considering hiring scribes. Are they worth the cost?
A: Studies have shown that improved patient flow, physician satisfaction and patient satisfaction are all expected when you implement medical scribes appropriately. However, attempting to train a new scribe(s) on-the-job is inefficient, and developing your own training materials can be even more difficult and expensive. Our online course content was originally designed for our sister scribe company that absorbed the cost to produce the materials. As a result, we can offer our training courses for the lowest price in the industry.
Q: Do you offer group rates for hospitals, clinics or scribe companies?
A: We do! We have a couple different options for companies looking to use Medical Scribe Training Systems for their medical scribe training. Contact us today to learn more about group rates for medical scribe training with Medical Scribe Training Systems.
Q: Can I count MSTS training as continuing education units (CEUs) as a medical assistant?
A: Yes! The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) requires that certified medical assistants obtain 60 recertification points (equivalent to 60 CEUs) every 5 years. Half of these CEUs can be obtained from independent organizations like MSTS. Because our courses are comprehensive and include topics like HIPAA, medical terminology, billing/coding, common diseases, as well as the core focus of writing a medical note, users can obtain credit from distinct CEU categories. After successful completion of the course, just email us to receive a certificate for up to 3 CEUs are awarded to the "general" category and 12 CEUs from the "clinical" category. To learn more about MA CEU requirements, check out the AAMA recerification handout and/or the content outline to learn about the different categories of CEU credits.
Q: What is the Joint Commission stance on scribes/documentation assistants?
A: TJC neither supports nor prohibits the use of scribes, but if an organization does choose to use scribes, they do have recommendations regarding training and supporting policies. The American College of Emergency Phyisicians keeps an updated FAQ linked below, and the TJC up-to-date guidance can be found here:
https://www.acep.org/administration/reimbursement/reimbursement-faqs/scribe-faq/
https://www.jointcommission.org/en/standards/standard-faqs/nursing-care-center/record-of-care-treatment-and-services-rc/000002210/
A: Students often ask if a certification conveys the ability to get a scribe job, or is required to be a scribe. Again, since there is no national standard, a "certification" cannot be a job requirement unless an employer is associated with a particular private company's training course. Each employer will have their own job description, which may include requirements such as having a college degree, certain GPA or coursework, typing speed, and immunization requirements for instance. Experience and training are always a plus, since employers know that applicants with training will save them hours of training time. So if you're applying for a scribe job, having our certificate shows you passed our training course and this would be a major resume-building advantage compared to others.
Q: Does your company do job placement?
A: No. Our training is intended for students nationwide to take for their own job or educational preparation purposes. We do have a sister company that hires and and manages scribes in MN and CO, so if you are located in those states Contact Us.
Q: I'm a clinic manager and we are considering hiring scribes. Are they worth the cost?
A: Studies have shown that improved patient flow, physician satisfaction and patient satisfaction are all expected when you implement medical scribes appropriately. However, attempting to train a new scribe(s) on-the-job is inefficient, and developing your own training materials can be even more difficult and expensive. Our online course content was originally designed for our sister scribe company that absorbed the cost to produce the materials. As a result, we can offer our training courses for the lowest price in the industry.
Q: Do you offer group rates for hospitals, clinics or scribe companies?
A: We do! We have a couple different options for companies looking to use Medical Scribe Training Systems for their medical scribe training. Contact us today to learn more about group rates for medical scribe training with Medical Scribe Training Systems.
Q: Can I count MSTS training as continuing education units (CEUs) as a medical assistant?
A: Yes! The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) requires that certified medical assistants obtain 60 recertification points (equivalent to 60 CEUs) every 5 years. Half of these CEUs can be obtained from independent organizations like MSTS. Because our courses are comprehensive and include topics like HIPAA, medical terminology, billing/coding, common diseases, as well as the core focus of writing a medical note, users can obtain credit from distinct CEU categories. After successful completion of the course, just email us to receive a certificate for up to 3 CEUs are awarded to the "general" category and 12 CEUs from the "clinical" category. To learn more about MA CEU requirements, check out the AAMA recerification handout and/or the content outline to learn about the different categories of CEU credits.
Q: What is the Joint Commission stance on scribes/documentation assistants?
A: TJC neither supports nor prohibits the use of scribes, but if an organization does choose to use scribes, they do have recommendations regarding training and supporting policies. The American College of Emergency Phyisicians keeps an updated FAQ linked below, and the TJC up-to-date guidance can be found here:
https://www.acep.org/administration/reimbursement/reimbursement-faqs/scribe-faq/
https://www.jointcommission.org/en/standards/standard-faqs/nursing-care-center/record-of-care-treatment-and-services-rc/000002210/
