Fact · Dictation for work and study
Medicare's WPS guideline says that in evaluation and management services, a scribe does not act independently and simply documents the physician's dictation and activities during the visit.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“does not act independently, but simply documents the physician's dictation and/or activities during the visit”
Guidelines for the Use of Scribes in Medical Record Documentation, WPS Medicare Part B, WPS Medicare Part B (Medicare Administrative Contractor), hosted by the American College of Emergency Physicians, 2009, Guidelines for the Use of Scribes in Medical Record Documentation, opening section.
Open the original- What it measures
- The guideline covers physicians who use staff as scribes in office and facility settings, and it applies to evaluation and management (E/M) and similar encounters.
- What it does not show
- It describes Medicare billing rules for physicians, not the duties of every scribe employer. It is an older contractor guideline.