Experience In Primary Care

Primary care is underdeveloped in most rural areas. At least that has been my experience growing up in a small town in Central Pennsylvania, and working in a tertiary Emergency Department in Williamsport. As both a medical scribe and a patient care technician, I have found that patients and families often feel they received poor outpatient care from their primary physicians. The most common complaints are the wait time to get into the office being too long, and when in the office they are more than likely saw by midlevel providers and not physicians. After appointments, patients feel as though their needs were not addressed and that nothing was done. Patients then come to the Emergency room uneducated about their conditions and mislead about diagnosis. It has also been my experience that the elderly and family members never receive the discussion from their providers about end of life care or placement options. Instead, they find themselves with family members in the Emergency Room trying to figure out the next steps. As a patient myself growing up in a rural community, I can relate to most of these complaints and is why I want to make it better.

As a medical scribe, I …show more content…
I have learned the importance of patient interaction and bedside manner. I understand patient and family concerns and am able to comfort and answer any questions appropriately, along with providing reassurance. I have developed the ability to communicate with patients and verbalize procedures. I have learned the importance of patient identification and HIPPA compliance. I have been confronted with many situations that required critical thinking and quick decision making. I have been able to grow in my time management skills and ability to prioritize. I also value the importance of working together and being able to delegate in situations where multiple tasks need to be completed. Lastly, this experience has allowed me