Medical Scribe Certification: Elevating Healthcare Documentation and Career Pathways

The Medical Scribe Certification Exam (MSCE™) was established in 2017 to advance the profession and highlight the growing contribution medical scribes supply to healthcare delivery. Given the rapid growth of the medical scribe industry, a standardized approach to quality and accurate point-of-care documentation will enable physician workflow efficiencies. The operational improvements resulting from medical scribe use allow the physician to examine additional patients, spend more time at the patient’s bedside, and circumvent the physical barrier imposed by Electronic Health Records (EHRs).

The Value of Certification for Medical Scribes

Earning the Certified Medical Scribe Professional (CMSP™) credential validates each candidate’s ability to accurately record encounters performed by providers, including the patient history, the physical observations of the exam, and the provider’s assessment and plan of care. Earning your AMSP™/CMSP™ credential places you at the top of a blossoming community. Investing in certification is an investment in yourself and your long-term career. Certification represents a high level of achievement and demonstrates proficiency and a broad knowledge base. These certified professionals pass a rigorous exam and commit to ongoing recertification. When a person becomes certified, it reflects a deep personal commitment and sense of accountability, inspiring credibility and confidence in their professional knowledge. No membership or recurring annual fee is required to become a Certified Medical Scribe Professional (CMSP™) and maintain your credential.

Earning your AMSP™/CMSP™ credential makes you a recognized expert and leader in the field of medical scribing—and an asset to your organization, keeping you and your organization more competitive in today’s economy. This professional distinction sets you apart from your colleagues, proving your high level of knowledge and skills. The profession is not just about what you know but rather how you effectively implement that knowledge in the workplace every day. The AMSP™/CMSP™ credentials provide you the opportunity to prove not only what you know but also how you can apply that knowledge on the job. The MSCE™ Credentialing Exam directly links to on-the-job scenarios and realistic work situations, making it the most relevant certification exam available for medical scribe professionals.

How Certification Benefits Your Career

• Prepare you for future healthcare documentation positions
• Validate your breadth of knowledge and skills to employers, which may give you access to preferential hiring/employment practices
• Open the door to more opportunities for career advancement
• Reach not only your short-term job goals but also position yourself for success in your long-term career
• Provide a foundation of broad and deep understanding
• Associate you with AHDPG’s solid and long-standing reputation of integrity and excellence

Medical Scribe Credentialing Programs

The AHDPG credentialing programs offer two levels of certification for medical scribes:

1. The Apprentice Medical Scribe Professional AMSP™ credential is awarded to a candidate who successfully passes the Medical Scribe Certification Exam (MSCE™) and possesses fewer than 200 hours of documented front-line, on-the-job medical scribe experience.
2. The Certified Medical Scribe Professional CMSP™ credential is awarded to a candidate who successfully passes the Medical Scribe Certification Exam (MSCE™) and possesses 200 hours of documented front-line, on-the-job medical scribe experience.

An individual who attains the AMSP™ credential will immediately achieve the CMSP™ credential status upon submitting and receiving approval of attaining 200 hours of front-line, on-the-job medical scribe experience. Graduates from the AHDPG Medical Scribe training programs are encouraged to sit for the Medical Scribe Certification Exam (MSCE™).

The Importance of Certification Standards

Certification as a medical scribe must be as inclusive and diverse as the profession itself. Built by industry experts, these certifications are applicable across our diverse industry, employer types, settings of care, and specialties. The AMSP™ and CMSP™ credentials are based on the rapidly evolving work environment, focusing on the competencies and knowledge medical scribe professionals need. No matter the focus of your organization, there is a universal set of skills necessary to practice as a certified medical scribe effectively.

Benefits of Hiring Certified Medical Scribes for Businesses

There are many reasons your employees pursue professional certifications. Earning a certificate or designation validates the person’s high level of expertise. It often leads to added prestige, not to mention that a professional certification may also yield a pay bump and generally puts holders ahead of the pack. Did you know there are also benefits for your business? Hiring certified individuals or investing in certification for your current employees can help you:

• Build a robust and dedicated team that is committed to high standards of care and quality
• Promote the ongoing enhancement of knowledge and skills
• Minimize errors and reduce exposure to fraud and abuse charges

Reasons to Invest in Certified Medical Scribes

1. Leads to happier employees who stick around longer: Assisting your team in obtaining industry designations shows them you share in their desire to be the best they can be. People are happier working for organizations that are invested in their professional development and committed to helping them take the next step in their careers. Employees will also feel noticed and valued by the company and you as their manager. This sense of value can go a long way in prompting them to want to stay, which reduces one of your biggest headaches and expenses—staff turnover. Managers who promote professional development can get the most from their staff members—and hold on to them.
2. Gives your clients greater confidence in your business: Encouraging your employees to earn a professional certification will tell your clients that your company holds its staff to the highest professional standards and will take excellent care of them. Your customers will feel safer and more secure knowing they’re in certified hands.
3. Boosts productivity and efficiency: Studies by various organizations—including Microsoft, IDC, CompTIA, and Novell—have shown that employees with a professional certification are more productive. That’s because certifications better prepare workers to deal with day-to-day challenges and get the most out of new technologies. Certified employees often work more efficiently than uncertified colleagues, and their presence can help improve the productivity of team projects.

Evolution of Scribe Roles and Order Entry

The Joint Commission has previously defined scribes as unlicensed personnel and prohibited them from entering orders. However, the previous definition is no longer valid or appropriate due to the emergence of models including licensed and unlicensed personnel of varying skill and clinical knowledge levels. There are individuals with the official title of “scribe” for whom documentation assistance is their only role. Some individuals perform dual functions that include clinical responsibilities and documentation assistance. All types of personnel performing documentation assistance may, at the direction of a physician or another LIP, enter orders into an EMR. The use of repeat-back of the order by the documentation assistant is encouraged, especially for new medication orders. Documentation assistants who are not authorized to submit orders should leave the order pending for certified or licensed personnel to activate or submit the orders after verification.