๐ In This Article
The Physician Burden Problem
Physicians face two distinct administrative burdens: documentation burden (time spent charting) and workflow burden (prior auths, referrals, inbox, scheduling). Different solutions address each differently.
What Medical Scribes Do
A medical scribe sits in (or joins remotely) patient encounters and documents the visit in real time. They free the physician from the keyboard during the visit, allowing more eye contact and better patient engagement. After the visit, the physician reviews and signs the note.
Scribes address documentation burden only. They don't handle prior auths, scheduling, inbox management, or billing.
What VMAs Do
VMAs handle the full breadth of non-clinical administrative work โ including documentation support (chart prep, pre-charting, note templates) plus all the workflow tasks scribes don't touch. VMAs typically save 3โ5 hours per day of physician time when fully utilized.
Cost Comparison
| Option | Monthly Cost | Physician Hours Saved | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Scribe | $800โ$1,200 | 1โ2 hr/day | Physicians who hate charting during visits |
| Virtual MA (full) | $1,299โ$1,799 | 3โ5 hr/day | Practices with broad admin burden |
| Both | $2,000โ$2,800 | 4โ6 hr/day | Maximum burnout prevention |
Our Recommendation
For most practices, a full VMA delivers more total value than a scribe alone. If documentation during visits is a specific pain point, adding a scribe to your VMA team is a powerful combination. Start with a VMA and add a scribe if documentation remains a bottleneck.