ObjectiveScribes have been used in the emergency department to improve physician productivity and patient interaction. There are no controlled, prospective studies of scribe use in the clinic setting.MethodsA prospective controlled study compared standard visits (20 minute follow-up and 40 minute new patient) to a scribe system (15 minute follow-up and 30 minute new patient) in a cardiology clinic. Physician productivity, patient satisfaction, physician–patient interaction, and revenue were measured.ResultsFour physicians saw 129 patients using standard care and 210 patients with scribes during 65 clinic hours each. Patients seen per hour increased (P < 0.001) from 2.2 ± 0.3 to 3.5 ± 0.4 (59% increase) and work relative value units (wRVU) per hour increased (P < 0.001) from 3.5 ± 1.3 to 5.5 ± 1.3 (57% increase). Patient satisfaction was high at baseline and unchanged with scribes. In a substudy, direct patient contact time was lower (9.1 ± 2.0 versus 12.9 ± 3.4 minutes; P < 0.01) for scribe visits, but time of patient interaction (without computer) was greater (6.7 ± 2.1 versus 1.5 ± 1.9 minutes; P < 0.01). Subjective assessment of physician–patient interaction (1–10) was higher (P < 0.01) on scribe visits (9.1 ± 0.9 versus 7.9 ± 1.1). Direct and indirect (downstream) revenue per patient seen was $142 and $2,398, with $205,740 additional revenue generated from the 81 additional patients seen with scribes.ConclusionUsing scribes in a cardiology clinic is feasible, produces improvements in physician–patient interaction, and results in large increases in physician productivity and system cardiovascular revenue.
ObjectiveScribes are increasingly being used in clinics to assist physicians with documentation during patient care. The annual effect of scribes in a real-world clinic on physician productivity and revenue has not been evaluated.MethodsWe performed a retrospective study comparing the productivity during routine clinic visits of ten cardiologists using scribes vs 15 cardiologists without scribes. We tracked patients per hour and patients per year seen per physician. Average direct revenue (clinic visit) and downstream revenue (cardiovascular revenue in the 2 months following a clinic visit) were measured in 486 patients and used to calculate annual revenue generated as a result of increased productivity.ResultsPhysicians with scribes saw 955 new and 4,830 follow-up patients vs 1,318 new and 7,150 follow-up patients seen by physicians without scribes. Physicians with scribes saw 9.6% more patients per hour (2.50±0.27 vs 2.28±0.15, P<0.001). This improved productivity resulted in 84 additional new and 423 additional follow-up patients seen, 3,029 additional work relative value units (wRVUs) generated, and an increased cardiovascular revenue of $1,348,437. Physicians with scribes also generated an additional revenue of $24,257 by producing clinic notes that were coded at a higher level. Total additional revenue generated was $1,372,694 at a cost of $98,588 for the scribes.ConclusionPhysician productivity in a cardiology clinic was ∼10% higher for physicians using scribes. This improved productivity resulted in 84 additional new and 423 additional follow-up patients seen in 1 year. The use of scribes resulted in the generation of 3,029 additional wRVUs and an additional annual revenue of $1,372,694 at a cost of $98,588.
AimsRight ventricular pacing (RVp) results in an electrocardiographic left bundle branch block pattern and can lead to heart failure. This study aimed to evaluate echocardiographic and clinical outcomes of heart failure patients with RVp upgraded to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), as they are frequently excluded from multicentre studies.
Methods and resultsThis observational study assessed 655 consecutive patients with QRS ≥120 ms and left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35%. There were 465 patients without significant previous RVp and 190 with RVp >40%. Echocardiograms were analysed pre-CRT and ∼ 1 year post-CRT. Death and heart failure hospitalizations were analysed using Cox regression, adjusted for baseline characteristics. The RVp patients had smaller end-systolic volume (P = 0.002), were older (P < 0.001), and had more atrial fibrillation (P < 0.001) pre-CRT. Ejection fraction and proportion of ischaemic aetiology were similar. One year following CRT implantation the ejection fraction response was greater in the RVp group (8.3 ± 9 vs. 5.8 ± 9 units, P = 0.005). The RVp patients had an adjusted 33% lower risk of death or heart failure hospitalization [hazard ratio (HR) 0.67 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.51-0.89, P = 0.005], while tending to have an adjusted lower risk of death (HR 0.73 95% CI 0.53-1.01, P = 0.055).
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