Table 1

Metrics for evaluating a medical scribe programme for safety primary care providers

MetricIntervention groupControl groupSourceData collection periodLimitation
Time spent completing medical notes outside of clinicProvider sessions with scribes at five clinics with scribe programmeProvider sessions without scribes at five clinics with scribe programmeDaily provider surveyJuly 2016–December 2016Self-report and recall bias
Incomplete notes at 72 hoursClinics with scribesClinics without scribesEHR-generated incomplete notes reportJanuary 2016–November 2016Intervention group data includes sessions and visits without scribes. This analysis excluded hospital-based clinic where aggregated data combined providers who did and did not use scribes.
Visit length with providerProvider sessions with scribes at five clinics with scribe programmeProvider sessions without scribes at five clinics with scribe programmeEHR-generated provider cycle time reportJanuary 2016–November 2016At one clinic, scribes were used only for visit types for complex patients, new patients or for providers with longer cycle times. Scribes were among staff who recorded patient visit status in the EHR during scribed visits. This analysis excluded the hospital-based clinic where providers with scribes used them for all sessions.
Patient satisfactionPatients receiving primary care from clinics with scribesPatients receiving primary care from clinics without scribesClinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems surveyJanuary 2016–November 2016Low response rate, limited to English-speaking and Spanish-speaking patients. This analysis excluded hospital-based clinic where aggregated data combined providers who did and did not use scribes.