Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Medical Scribing: Understanding the Differences

Did you know that two physicians from the same healthcare provider group can approach medical documentation differently? While one doctor opts for asynchronous medical scribing, the other might go for synchronous scribing.

Which method is superior? The reality is that it depends on physician preference. The most effective solution is to provide doctors with the flexibility to choose the approach that best fits their workflow.

To better understand these two methods, let's delve into synchronous and asynchronous scribing, highlight their key differences, and explore how each benefits healthcare providers, outpatient clinics, and urgent care facilities.

What is Virtual Medical Scribing?

A virtual medical scribe is a trained professional who remotely assists healthcare providers by documenting patient encounters in real-time or after the visit. They help physicians by entering medical notes, diagnoses, treatment plans, and other essential details directly into the electronic health record (EHR) system, reducing the administrative burden on doctors.

Virtual medical scribes typically listen to live or recorded audio or video of patient visits and transcribe the relevant clinical details into structured medical notes. They may work in two modes:

1. Synchronous Scribing (Live Documentation) – The scribe listens to the patient encounter remotely and enters notes in real time.
2. Asynchronous Scribing (Post-Visit Documentation) – The scribe reviews a recorded consultation and transcribes the information afterward.

What is Synchronous Virtual Medical Scribing?

Synchronous scribing happens in real-time during the patient encounter. A trained medical scribe listens and documents the consultation as it occurs. The scribe may either be physically present in the exam room or join remotely via a desktop, laptop, or mobile device. This allows the provider to have the necessary documentation completed instantly as the visit unfolds.

Advantages of Synchronous Scribing:

✅ Physicians can give immediate feedback and corrections.
✅ Orders for prescriptions, labs, and radiology tests can be signed off on the spot before the patient leaves.
✅ Reduces the amount of time doctors spend on charting at the end of the day.

Challenges of Synchronous Scribing:

❌ Having an additional person (or voice) in the exam room may be distracting for both the physician and the patient.
❌ A potential solution is using a virtual synchronous scribe. On platforms that support virtual scribing, doctors can mute the scribe during patient interactions and provide feedback once the visit concludes.

What is Asynchronous Virtual Medical Scribing?

In asynchronous scribing, the patient encounter is recorded in real-time via audio, video, or both. The recording is then sent to a trained medical scribe, who completes the documentation later. Once the note is prepared, the provider simply reviews and signs it within the EHR.

Advantages of Asynchronous Scribing:

✅ Physicians can focus entirely on the patient without any interruptions.
✅ Reduces the burden of documentation—doctors only need to review and approve the completed note.

Challenges of Asynchronous Scribing:

❌ Providers cannot give immediate feedback to the scribe.
❌ Real-time orders for prescriptions, labs, or imaging cannot be placed instantly.

Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Scribing: Which One is Better?

Rather than viewing one method as superior, it’s important to recognize that both are highly effective in improving medical documentation. The choice ultimately depends on the physician’s workflow and comfort level. Regardless of the approach, both methods offer significant benefits, such as:

🔹 Enhanced Patient Care – Medical scribes, whether real-time or post-visit, allow physicians to spend more time with patients rather than on administrative tasks. This results in higher-quality interactions and improved healthcare outcomes.

🔹 More Accurate Documentation – Trained scribes ensure that EHR entries are comprehensive, precise, and complete, reducing errors and the risk of missing important details.

🔹 Higher Patient and Provider Satisfaction – Efficient documentation enhances both patient experiences and provider well-being. Medical scribing has been shown to reduce clinician burnout, making it easier for healthcare facilities to retain skilled physicians.

🔹 Seamless Patient Flow – With a scribe handling documentation, doctors no longer need to interrupt a patient mid-sentence to take notes, allowing for more natural and meaningful conversations.

🔹 Improved Revenue Capture – Well-documented patient visits reduce billing errors, speed up claim approvals, and improve revenue cycle efficiency.

🔹 Operational Cost Savings – Since scribing optimizes practice workflows, it can be a cost-effective solution for busy healthcare settings, especially in urgent care and high-volume clinics.

🔹 Better Work-Life Balance for Clinicians – By offloading documentation tasks, physicians experience less stress and burnout, allowing them to focus more on patient care and personal well-being.

Is Medical Scribing Right for Your Facility?

If you're considering medical scribing for your healthcare organization, start by asking:

• How is documentation currently managed within your practice?
• How much time do physicians spend reviewing and correcting notes?
• When do providers sign off on patient notes?
• Are there concerns regarding documentation quality, backlogs, or physician burnout?

By assessing these factors, healthcare administrators can determine whether implementing synchronous or asynchronous scribing would streamline workflows, reduce documentation burdens, and enhance patient care.