The technique of medical writing is different from other writing like as seen in literature or essay/article writing for publications. How is it different? These are some of the typical features seen in medical writing:
* Has lots of abbreviations
* Have brief forms
* Shortcut language /word coinage
Medical transcriptionists do not have to bring out a polished document, or rewrite it several times like it is done by the other writers, especially when they have to work at a fast pace and still cannot afford to make any mistake on the job. It is not expected of them to do any creative form of writing at all, but a high level of accuracy in transcription is almost mandatory. It is also essential that a medical transcriptionist should produce a clean and accurate transcription of the source document /dictation.
Adherence to prescribed or suggested stylistic guidelines as prescribed by any specific agency is very important. These are usually the vendor specific instructions with regards to editing, punctuation, or the grammar. However in the absence of any specific guide lines, transcriptionists may follow the general medical transcription rules that is followed by other transcription professionals.
Medical transcription work is usually a bit challenging all the time mainly because dictations can very rarely be called perfect. This is understandable. An hospital environment is a real world and a dynamic place with many things happening. While dictating, doctors may even make some simple mistake or even make incorrect dictation due to the slip of tongue.
Remember for the physician giving dictation is not his real objective. However the regular habit of giving dictations and extended experience will bring forth a high degree of accuracy in his dictations. It is up to the medical transcriptionist to be alert to all the relevant issues and he must be able to correct all the "slip of the tongue" dictation mistakes made by the physician.
A sound knowledge of medical terms and experience in handling a wide range of dictations make a transcriptionist fit enough to face any types of audio files. But if a transcriptionist can preferably keep listening to one particular physician on a regular basis and get works on his voice files then he/she can get quite used to that physican's personal style of dictation. This kind of orientation can produce a highly accurate transcript.
The secret of the art of medical transcription is not in being aggressive but to become as subtle as possible with the work. Also it is basic to develop an attitude that tries to impress and get a favorable response from the dictator. Having a keen sense of awareness/ alertness to the possible mistakes in dictations along with good listening skills will go a long way in becoming a successful MT professional. However while editing a dictation, one must know where to draw the line without guess work and basic doubts must be referred back to the concerned doctor.
Read more..
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
ASTM Standards For Medical Transcription
Medical Transcription is about skilled human beings listening to dictations by physicians and typing up every word to make it into a recorded document/transcript. They must obviously have a proper understanding of medical terms and be able to understand most medical jargon and just cannot afford to make any errors.
Besides the human skills factor in transcription there are other factors too that contribute to the ultimate quality of medical transcription. There are four basic factors that determine the quality of a transcript. They are,
# Dictation
# Transcriptionist skill
# System Management
# Components of Quality assurance
An organization called ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) has been responsible for developing the Standard Guide for a Quality Assurance Program for Medical Transcription. ASTM International is over a century old organization and was originally known as the American Society for Testing and Materials. It is one of the largest voluntary standards development organizations in the world.
There are seven ASTM standards that are very important to the medical transcription industry and for proper healthcare documentation. These standards can ensure accuracy, security, and patient confidentiality during the maintenance, transmission, storage, and also during the retrieval process of healthcare documentation.
The ASTM E2117 - 06 is a Standard Guide for Identification and Establishment of a Quality Assurance Program for Medical Transcription. Similarly there is the WK10383 which is the New Standard Guide for Medical Transcription Workstations and this guide will help to make informed decisions related to the design of an efficient medical transcription work environment compliant with federal regulatory agencies.
And there is also a Standard Guide for Requests for Proposals Regarding Medical Transcription Services for Healthcare Institutions. More details are available at the ASTM website.
With medical transcription outsourcing becoming a common procedure today the importance of International Standards in medical transcription cannot be ignored and all industry standards have to be met.
Read more..
Besides the human skills factor in transcription there are other factors too that contribute to the ultimate quality of medical transcription. There are four basic factors that determine the quality of a transcript. They are,
# Dictation
# Transcriptionist skill
# System Management
# Components of Quality assurance
An organization called ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) has been responsible for developing the Standard Guide for a Quality Assurance Program for Medical Transcription. ASTM International is over a century old organization and was originally known as the American Society for Testing and Materials. It is one of the largest voluntary standards development organizations in the world.
There are seven ASTM standards that are very important to the medical transcription industry and for proper healthcare documentation. These standards can ensure accuracy, security, and patient confidentiality during the maintenance, transmission, storage, and also during the retrieval process of healthcare documentation.
The ASTM E2117 - 06 is a Standard Guide for Identification and Establishment of a Quality Assurance Program for Medical Transcription. Similarly there is the WK10383 which is the New Standard Guide for Medical Transcription Workstations and this guide will help to make informed decisions related to the design of an efficient medical transcription work environment compliant with federal regulatory agencies.
And there is also a Standard Guide for Requests for Proposals Regarding Medical Transcription Services for Healthcare Institutions. More details are available at the ASTM website.
With medical transcription outsourcing becoming a common procedure today the importance of International Standards in medical transcription cannot be ignored and all industry standards have to be met.
Read more..
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Medical Transcription Outsourcing - Points to Be Considered During Outsourcing
Outsourcing medical transcription is a prudent business decision and helps the healthcare facility focus totally on their core business while providing the right support. However the outsourcing decision is not one to be taken lightly and needs a thorough analysis of what the healthcare facility hopes to gain from the outsourcing decision. To make sure that everybody in the healthcare facility is comfortable with the outsourcing decision it is important for the healthcare facility to ask itself some questions:
1. Is this activity part of the core business of the healthcare facility? Creating patient medical records is not part of the core business of a healthcare facility though it does play an important role in the operational and commercial aspects of a healthcare facility. It is a specialized skill requiring a combination of the right team, the right technology and process to be able to meet the criteria of being accurate, timely, secure and cost effective.
2. How much is it costing currently? Having this activity in-house could be costing the healthcare facility more than what they originally would have estimated. While calculating cost of in-house transcription factors like these should be taken into consideration:
* Overheads
* Allocation of management & administration staff for managing in house creation of patient transcripts
* Wastage of resources during slack times
* Overtime pay during excess inflow of work
* Extra pay for weekend and holiday transcription
3. What are the other resources being used? In-house medical transcription could also involve usage of resources like secretaries, Information Technology staff, capital equipment etc.
4. What are the accuracy levels and turnaround time of transcripts? In-house creation of patient medical records could result in varied levels of accuracy due to the varying volumes of transcription. The accuracy levels could be high when volumes are low and low when volumes are high. The turnaround time could also similarly vary depending on the volume of transcription. The turnaround time being shorter during slack periods and vice versa during periods with high volumes.
5. Is it important to retain this activity in-house? There are certain factors like concerns for security of the data that could be a hurdle to the outsourcing decision. Choosing a service provider with measures in place to secure people, processes and technology can eliminate security concerns and remove any hurdles to the outsourcing process.
6. What are the alternate options available? Healthcare facilities have the option of outsourcing their overflow transcription needs to a combination of independent contractors or professional transcription vendors. This could however result in the healthcare facility having to put in more efforts to coordinate this function from various resources. The easy fix to ensure that transcripts are created in a timely, accurate, secure and cost effective manner is to outsource the whole activity on a turnkey basis to a professional service provider
7. What is the cost of outsourcing? Outsourcing ensures that the cost of transcription is restricted to the cost per line of transcription. Initially the healthcare facility may have to have a minimum outlay towards finalizing the service provider and adapting to the technology used by the service provider.
8. What are pitfalls of outsourcing medical transcription? The common pitfalls while outsourcing a function as vital as this is the fear of poor quality and security concerns. Another major concern is that the price quoted by the service provider may have hidden costs. Both these concerns can be overcome by choosing a service provider who has the right team in place to meet quality concerns, has adequate measures in place to ensure total security and uses a billing method that is measurable, verifiable, definable, consistent and fair& honest.
9. What is the value addition in outsourcing? Outsourcing medical transcription provides the healthcare facility with many value added services like technology that offers multiple benefits like different modes of document delivery, archives making it easy to trace transcripts in different stages, specialty medical transcription etc.
10. What about the transition to outsourced services? Transition from in-house transcription to outsourced services can be eased when the service provider has open channels for customer service. This would enable the service provider to solve minor issues as and when they crop up.
11. What about existing investments in EMR? Existing investments is EMR/EHR can be protected if the medical transcription service provider has the capability for HL7 interface enabling data to be transmitted to the EMR/EHR system.
12. What are the options available to capture dictation? This is a main concern for time starved healthcare professionals, this concern can be overcome by choosing a service provider who allows the healthcare professionals to retain their familiar modes for capturing dictation.
The process of outsourcing medical transcription can become easier by choosing a service provider who alleviates these fears/doubts that may rise during the outsourcing process.
Read more..
1. Is this activity part of the core business of the healthcare facility? Creating patient medical records is not part of the core business of a healthcare facility though it does play an important role in the operational and commercial aspects of a healthcare facility. It is a specialized skill requiring a combination of the right team, the right technology and process to be able to meet the criteria of being accurate, timely, secure and cost effective.
2. How much is it costing currently? Having this activity in-house could be costing the healthcare facility more than what they originally would have estimated. While calculating cost of in-house transcription factors like these should be taken into consideration:
* Overheads
* Allocation of management & administration staff for managing in house creation of patient transcripts
* Wastage of resources during slack times
* Overtime pay during excess inflow of work
* Extra pay for weekend and holiday transcription
3. What are the other resources being used? In-house medical transcription could also involve usage of resources like secretaries, Information Technology staff, capital equipment etc.
4. What are the accuracy levels and turnaround time of transcripts? In-house creation of patient medical records could result in varied levels of accuracy due to the varying volumes of transcription. The accuracy levels could be high when volumes are low and low when volumes are high. The turnaround time could also similarly vary depending on the volume of transcription. The turnaround time being shorter during slack periods and vice versa during periods with high volumes.
5. Is it important to retain this activity in-house? There are certain factors like concerns for security of the data that could be a hurdle to the outsourcing decision. Choosing a service provider with measures in place to secure people, processes and technology can eliminate security concerns and remove any hurdles to the outsourcing process.
6. What are the alternate options available? Healthcare facilities have the option of outsourcing their overflow transcription needs to a combination of independent contractors or professional transcription vendors. This could however result in the healthcare facility having to put in more efforts to coordinate this function from various resources. The easy fix to ensure that transcripts are created in a timely, accurate, secure and cost effective manner is to outsource the whole activity on a turnkey basis to a professional service provider
7. What is the cost of outsourcing? Outsourcing ensures that the cost of transcription is restricted to the cost per line of transcription. Initially the healthcare facility may have to have a minimum outlay towards finalizing the service provider and adapting to the technology used by the service provider.
8. What are pitfalls of outsourcing medical transcription? The common pitfalls while outsourcing a function as vital as this is the fear of poor quality and security concerns. Another major concern is that the price quoted by the service provider may have hidden costs. Both these concerns can be overcome by choosing a service provider who has the right team in place to meet quality concerns, has adequate measures in place to ensure total security and uses a billing method that is measurable, verifiable, definable, consistent and fair& honest.
9. What is the value addition in outsourcing? Outsourcing medical transcription provides the healthcare facility with many value added services like technology that offers multiple benefits like different modes of document delivery, archives making it easy to trace transcripts in different stages, specialty medical transcription etc.
10. What about the transition to outsourced services? Transition from in-house transcription to outsourced services can be eased when the service provider has open channels for customer service. This would enable the service provider to solve minor issues as and when they crop up.
11. What about existing investments in EMR? Existing investments is EMR/EHR can be protected if the medical transcription service provider has the capability for HL7 interface enabling data to be transmitted to the EMR/EHR system.
12. What are the options available to capture dictation? This is a main concern for time starved healthcare professionals, this concern can be overcome by choosing a service provider who allows the healthcare professionals to retain their familiar modes for capturing dictation.
The process of outsourcing medical transcription can become easier by choosing a service provider who alleviates these fears/doubts that may rise during the outsourcing process.
Read more..
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Performing Medical Transcription From Home - Legit Opportunity?
More often than not, most work-from-home opportunities are scams on one or more levels and they come in all shapes and sizes. The sole focus of this article is to share one such legitimate opportunity with you.
Forget about "stuffing envelopes;" most "data entry opportunities," "assembling products from home," and by all means, ignore all of the headlines you see everywhere about how you can make $30,000 per month by only working 30-minutes per week, as well as other outrageous claims.
In the same breath, don't be fooled by the majority of "Christian work-from-home" business opportunities, as most of them are scams as well. There are many unscrupulous individuals who use the word "Christian" as a preface to hopefully earn your trust and suck you in, and it happens day-in and day-out!
Admittedly, some of the scams out there are very well hidden, while others are just blatantly obvious to the everyday normal and prudent person, or they at least should be. But, if you're one of those everyday normal and prudent people who fell for what should have been a "too good to be true" business opportunity, don't beat yourself up too badly because millions upon millions of other educated and intelligent people just like you have been duped as well.
After all, it's human nature to want to make the most amount of money that we can by doing the least amount of work possible, isn't it?
If you're sick and tired of all of the scams and the hype, and you truly believe in working for a living, then welcome to the legitimate world of medical transcription!
Medical transcription is a highly specialized field, and it's certainly not for people who don't want to learn, nor is it for people who don't truly want to work for a living. The work is incredibly challenging; often-times tedious, and you need to achieve an accuracy rate of at least 98% in your transcriptions or you won't last too long in this business.
Another name for a medical transcriptionist is that of a "medical language specialist."
On the flip-side however, medical transcription can be one of the most interesting and educational fields you'll ever work in, especially if you have a real interest in medicine!
Medical transcription is one of the few jobs/careers where you can actually work from the comfort of your own home and make a reasonable living, if that's the route you'd like to go.
Maybe you've run across ads in the past, touting that you can make $30,000 -$45,000 or more per year working as a medical transcriptionist from the comfort of your own home? Those ads are legitimate and the earning potential is extremely accurate.
Naturally, some medical transcriptionists make considerably less, while others make considerably more; it depends on your experience, geographical location in some instances, how fast you can accurately transcribe a dictation, and also who you work for! Becoming a Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) may also play a part in increasing your income by 15% - 20% as well, but certification in this field is not really required like it now is for medical coding!
Education Requirements
You can realistically have a second grade education, or you can have a graduate degree for all that it really matters, though it helps tremendously to have at least a high school diploma or a GED certificate.
Training Requirements
Some doctors offices or even some very small clinics might take you on as an apprentice, but that really depends on your geographical location for the most part and how great the need is for a transcriptionist. Again, this is a highly specialized field, so this would be a rare opportunity if it did present itself, as there is an awful lot of knowledge to be learned prior to going to work as a transcriptionist.
You should expect in-depth training in everything from medical terminology, anatomy & physiology, disease processes, the very basics of chemistry, to an overview of pharmacology, so that you can be in a better position to decipher and transcribe lab results and prescribed medications, and the list goes on and on. When you finally start doing medical transcriptions, you'll soon come to appreciate why you spent so many hours learning everything that you were required to learn to do this job.
Fortunately though, there are special software programs geared specifically to this industry, and they are well-worth the investment.
There are numerous private schools (both online and classroom) which teach medical transcription, as well as many community colleges and adult education centers, and they all have their own curriculum and methods of teaching. Some of these schools are fully accredited and some are not, so you'll need to do your homework, as some schools are far better and more intense than others. The best medical transcription schools will probably take up upwards of 12-months to complete, but they're worth it in the long-term.
A viable starting point would be to contact "The American Association for Medical Transcription," and they'll be happy to point you in the right direction based on your wants, needs and circumstances, as well as answer any questions which you may have about this career field. The AAMT is an independent association and not affiliated with any schools or medical transcription companies, so you know you'll be receiving some highly objective advice.
And when you're doing your due diligence, don't be afraid to contact a variety of actual medical Transcription companies and find out what schools they recommend as well for those who are trying to break into the medical transcription field. Many of these companies prefer to hire graduates from certain learning institutions over other schools because of the schools' reputation for putting-out knowledgeable and experienced graduates.
Compensation
First and foremost, it depends on where you choose to work as an MT and in some instances, what your geographical location is.
There are two primary ways of being compensated in this industry: either being paid by the hour or by the number of 65-character lines you produce, and many (online) transcription companies will require a minimum of x-number of lines per hour or per shift, unless you act as a freelance medical transcriptionist, though even as a freelancer, you may be tasked with a quota as well.
Starting out, you may only be paid 4 cents - 6 cents per line, and that's because a transcription company doesn't want to invest too much money in you until they see how productive and accurate you are. You'll also receive a lot of invaluable advice and some help along the way through these online MT companies as well. Listen to what these people have to tell you, because they've usually been in the business for years and years, and they started-out just like you did.
So after you've slaved away for a year or so and received some solid training and experience, how much can you realistically make? Again...depending on your geographical location and a few other factors, you can expect to make $30,000 - $45,000 per year and even more in some cases, but you need to explore your many options.
And yes...there are even quite a number of highly experienced medical transcriptionists out there who specialize in certain medical specialties and make $75,000 - $100,000+ per year, but they all have a good 10 -15+ years of experience, and they're the best at what they do! Generally speaking, these are not classified as typical earnings.
It should also be noted that if you want to work from home for a medical transcription company, that many of the larger companies do provide an assortment of benefits, such as medical and dental coverage, paid vacations, etc.
Do not be intimidated by the thought of losing your MT job due to the voice recognition software which is currently on the market, as MT companies and hospitals have found that this software has proven time and time again to be more trouble than it's worth and has not saved them any money at all. Another great aspect of this business, is that the work load is not dictated by how the economy is doing.
Another solid point about medical transcription, is that men have just as many opportunities as women in this field, and similar to that of the nursing field...if you're not working in your chosen field, it's because you're choosing not to work. There will always be a gross shortage of good and highly-trained transcriptionists, so the career outlook in this field is quite stable for generations to come.
Read more..
Forget about "stuffing envelopes;" most "data entry opportunities," "assembling products from home," and by all means, ignore all of the headlines you see everywhere about how you can make $30,000 per month by only working 30-minutes per week, as well as other outrageous claims.
In the same breath, don't be fooled by the majority of "Christian work-from-home" business opportunities, as most of them are scams as well. There are many unscrupulous individuals who use the word "Christian" as a preface to hopefully earn your trust and suck you in, and it happens day-in and day-out!
Admittedly, some of the scams out there are very well hidden, while others are just blatantly obvious to the everyday normal and prudent person, or they at least should be. But, if you're one of those everyday normal and prudent people who fell for what should have been a "too good to be true" business opportunity, don't beat yourself up too badly because millions upon millions of other educated and intelligent people just like you have been duped as well.
After all, it's human nature to want to make the most amount of money that we can by doing the least amount of work possible, isn't it?
If you're sick and tired of all of the scams and the hype, and you truly believe in working for a living, then welcome to the legitimate world of medical transcription!
Medical transcription is a highly specialized field, and it's certainly not for people who don't want to learn, nor is it for people who don't truly want to work for a living. The work is incredibly challenging; often-times tedious, and you need to achieve an accuracy rate of at least 98% in your transcriptions or you won't last too long in this business.
Another name for a medical transcriptionist is that of a "medical language specialist."
On the flip-side however, medical transcription can be one of the most interesting and educational fields you'll ever work in, especially if you have a real interest in medicine!
Medical transcription is one of the few jobs/careers where you can actually work from the comfort of your own home and make a reasonable living, if that's the route you'd like to go.
Maybe you've run across ads in the past, touting that you can make $30,000 -$45,000 or more per year working as a medical transcriptionist from the comfort of your own home? Those ads are legitimate and the earning potential is extremely accurate.
Naturally, some medical transcriptionists make considerably less, while others make considerably more; it depends on your experience, geographical location in some instances, how fast you can accurately transcribe a dictation, and also who you work for! Becoming a Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) may also play a part in increasing your income by 15% - 20% as well, but certification in this field is not really required like it now is for medical coding!
Education Requirements
You can realistically have a second grade education, or you can have a graduate degree for all that it really matters, though it helps tremendously to have at least a high school diploma or a GED certificate.
Training Requirements
Some doctors offices or even some very small clinics might take you on as an apprentice, but that really depends on your geographical location for the most part and how great the need is for a transcriptionist. Again, this is a highly specialized field, so this would be a rare opportunity if it did present itself, as there is an awful lot of knowledge to be learned prior to going to work as a transcriptionist.
You should expect in-depth training in everything from medical terminology, anatomy & physiology, disease processes, the very basics of chemistry, to an overview of pharmacology, so that you can be in a better position to decipher and transcribe lab results and prescribed medications, and the list goes on and on. When you finally start doing medical transcriptions, you'll soon come to appreciate why you spent so many hours learning everything that you were required to learn to do this job.
Fortunately though, there are special software programs geared specifically to this industry, and they are well-worth the investment.
There are numerous private schools (both online and classroom) which teach medical transcription, as well as many community colleges and adult education centers, and they all have their own curriculum and methods of teaching. Some of these schools are fully accredited and some are not, so you'll need to do your homework, as some schools are far better and more intense than others. The best medical transcription schools will probably take up upwards of 12-months to complete, but they're worth it in the long-term.
A viable starting point would be to contact "The American Association for Medical Transcription," and they'll be happy to point you in the right direction based on your wants, needs and circumstances, as well as answer any questions which you may have about this career field. The AAMT is an independent association and not affiliated with any schools or medical transcription companies, so you know you'll be receiving some highly objective advice.
And when you're doing your due diligence, don't be afraid to contact a variety of actual medical Transcription companies and find out what schools they recommend as well for those who are trying to break into the medical transcription field. Many of these companies prefer to hire graduates from certain learning institutions over other schools because of the schools' reputation for putting-out knowledgeable and experienced graduates.
Compensation
First and foremost, it depends on where you choose to work as an MT and in some instances, what your geographical location is.
There are two primary ways of being compensated in this industry: either being paid by the hour or by the number of 65-character lines you produce, and many (online) transcription companies will require a minimum of x-number of lines per hour or per shift, unless you act as a freelance medical transcriptionist, though even as a freelancer, you may be tasked with a quota as well.
Starting out, you may only be paid 4 cents - 6 cents per line, and that's because a transcription company doesn't want to invest too much money in you until they see how productive and accurate you are. You'll also receive a lot of invaluable advice and some help along the way through these online MT companies as well. Listen to what these people have to tell you, because they've usually been in the business for years and years, and they started-out just like you did.
So after you've slaved away for a year or so and received some solid training and experience, how much can you realistically make? Again...depending on your geographical location and a few other factors, you can expect to make $30,000 - $45,000 per year and even more in some cases, but you need to explore your many options.
And yes...there are even quite a number of highly experienced medical transcriptionists out there who specialize in certain medical specialties and make $75,000 - $100,000+ per year, but they all have a good 10 -15+ years of experience, and they're the best at what they do! Generally speaking, these are not classified as typical earnings.
It should also be noted that if you want to work from home for a medical transcription company, that many of the larger companies do provide an assortment of benefits, such as medical and dental coverage, paid vacations, etc.
Do not be intimidated by the thought of losing your MT job due to the voice recognition software which is currently on the market, as MT companies and hospitals have found that this software has proven time and time again to be more trouble than it's worth and has not saved them any money at all. Another great aspect of this business, is that the work load is not dictated by how the economy is doing.
Another solid point about medical transcription, is that men have just as many opportunities as women in this field, and similar to that of the nursing field...if you're not working in your chosen field, it's because you're choosing not to work. There will always be a gross shortage of good and highly-trained transcriptionists, so the career outlook in this field is quite stable for generations to come.
Read more..
Medical Transcription - Its Past, Present, and Future
Medical Transcription has become a common term today and is about human beings listening and typing out physician dictations. Technological advances have always defined the medical transcription process. It will continue to be so and one wonders what the future could bring for the medical transcription professional.
Looking back into the past history of medical transcription one has to mention about the clumsy medical record keeping methods of yesteryears. All early records were hand written medical records that were highly abbreviated because it was quickly written /scribbled by the physician who was also actually treating the patient.
Files kept in wooden filing cabinets, that consisted of collections of handwritten notes/scribbles along with typed documents had to be physically retrieved from shelves every time the physician wanted to have a second look at them. Further development for years just involved the duplication of medical records /documents using carbon paper. (I remember doing it myself)
Medical transcription need not actually only be associated with insurance claiming. Storage of medical records by transcription must have begun ever since computers came into use. It was the equivalent of stenography and writing in shorthand the dictations of business.
We know various automation systems had started evolving right from the year 1960. Computer systems were not useful enough for years to be used in transcribing records in the medical / health sector. Only much later in the early 90s did actual medical transcription come into existence.
Today when we talk of medical transcription it automatically encompasses infrastructure, the desktop computer, the Internet, digital transmission, information systems, PDAs, dictation systems, foot pedals, headphones and more.
The evolution toward the electronic patient record and HIPAA compliance is forcing everyone to catch up with technology and there is no looking back. Globalization has enabled the medical transcription professional to even sit at home and work for clients who may be located anywhere else on the globe or beyond.
The current developments in VRS (voice recognition software) and its evolution may some day totally automate and even remove the human element in the medical transcription process. Medical transcriptionist (MT) is already happy enough to just edit the documents produced by the VRS.
Future, technology may grow to replace the human element and medical transcription can mean just another chip on a board. (I don't mean to be sarcastic). But then we still value art don't we? Like a hand printed dress or antique furniture, manual medical transcription work will have its value and may become more precious. Won't it?
Read more..
Looking back into the past history of medical transcription one has to mention about the clumsy medical record keeping methods of yesteryears. All early records were hand written medical records that were highly abbreviated because it was quickly written /scribbled by the physician who was also actually treating the patient.
Files kept in wooden filing cabinets, that consisted of collections of handwritten notes/scribbles along with typed documents had to be physically retrieved from shelves every time the physician wanted to have a second look at them. Further development for years just involved the duplication of medical records /documents using carbon paper. (I remember doing it myself)
Medical transcription need not actually only be associated with insurance claiming. Storage of medical records by transcription must have begun ever since computers came into use. It was the equivalent of stenography and writing in shorthand the dictations of business.
We know various automation systems had started evolving right from the year 1960. Computer systems were not useful enough for years to be used in transcribing records in the medical / health sector. Only much later in the early 90s did actual medical transcription come into existence.
Today when we talk of medical transcription it automatically encompasses infrastructure, the desktop computer, the Internet, digital transmission, information systems, PDAs, dictation systems, foot pedals, headphones and more.
The evolution toward the electronic patient record and HIPAA compliance is forcing everyone to catch up with technology and there is no looking back. Globalization has enabled the medical transcription professional to even sit at home and work for clients who may be located anywhere else on the globe or beyond.
The current developments in VRS (voice recognition software) and its evolution may some day totally automate and even remove the human element in the medical transcription process. Medical transcriptionist (MT) is already happy enough to just edit the documents produced by the VRS.
Future, technology may grow to replace the human element and medical transcription can mean just another chip on a board. (I don't mean to be sarcastic). But then we still value art don't we? Like a hand printed dress or antique furniture, manual medical transcription work will have its value and may become more precious. Won't it?
Read more..
Monday, September 13, 2010
Medical Transcription - A Glamorous Lucrative Career
What is medical transcription?
The process of transcribing doctor-dictated dictations for the purposes of documentation as a medical record is simply termed as medical transcription. The person who transcribes the dictations into a document is a medical transcriptionist or a medical transcription professional.
The process originated in the West. The person who did this job used to be called as a medical assistant who used to be with the doctor at the hospital writing down notes instructed by him. Advancement of this process is electronic conversion of the dictations.
Why and who?
For insurance purposes and maintenance of medical records. The major player outsourcing medical transcription work is USA. Canada, UK, and Australia have some. The outsourced countries include India, Philippines, Indonesia to name a few among others.
The medical transcription professional needs a wide knowledge of medical terminology, American English, and critical thinking skills that may help him/her to interpret what is dictated to produce accurate documents. The dictator speaks over a hand-held device called a Dictaphone or a electronic recorder or a device which has a 1-button solution to upload his voice into the server. The transcriber downloads them at his location through a server that is provided to him by the organization he works for. He then transcribes the dictations into medico legal document.
Why outsourcing?
Medical transcription happens to be one of the earliest BPO jobs outsourced to India. Indians have strong English communicating skills due to the curriculum followed from the days pre-independence. The time difference of 12 hours between India and USA makes it easier for the doctors/clinics to have their reports on their table at their next visit to the clinic. Furthermore, cost of labor is much cheaper for the outsourcer.
Potential?
Medical transcription has a strong employment in both India and the United States. One can work for a company that serves for the Healthcare Industry. The model also involves working at home as independent contractors. In India, the independent home transcriptionist model is growing to gain much popularity.
It is said, still a larger portion of the work is still to be outsourced from US. Both NASSCOM in India and the US Department of Labor have identified this career as having a higher growth potential year by year.
Earnings potential?
As far as the money making is concerned, the fresher in medical transcription earns a starting salary approximately around Rs. 5000 and after 2 years of experience, his money making capability goes to around Rs. 15,000. Careers advancement can lead him to become an Editor or a Leader of a team in a company which could fetch him around Rs.20,000 or more. In these days of growing population and a means to earn money, this is quite decent for an Indian standard.
Allied careers?
Medical coding and billing are showing up as allied careers related to medical transcription.
Read more..
The process of transcribing doctor-dictated dictations for the purposes of documentation as a medical record is simply termed as medical transcription. The person who transcribes the dictations into a document is a medical transcriptionist or a medical transcription professional.
The process originated in the West. The person who did this job used to be called as a medical assistant who used to be with the doctor at the hospital writing down notes instructed by him. Advancement of this process is electronic conversion of the dictations.
Why and who?
For insurance purposes and maintenance of medical records. The major player outsourcing medical transcription work is USA. Canada, UK, and Australia have some. The outsourced countries include India, Philippines, Indonesia to name a few among others.
The medical transcription professional needs a wide knowledge of medical terminology, American English, and critical thinking skills that may help him/her to interpret what is dictated to produce accurate documents. The dictator speaks over a hand-held device called a Dictaphone or a electronic recorder or a device which has a 1-button solution to upload his voice into the server. The transcriber downloads them at his location through a server that is provided to him by the organization he works for. He then transcribes the dictations into medico legal document.
Why outsourcing?
Medical transcription happens to be one of the earliest BPO jobs outsourced to India. Indians have strong English communicating skills due to the curriculum followed from the days pre-independence. The time difference of 12 hours between India and USA makes it easier for the doctors/clinics to have their reports on their table at their next visit to the clinic. Furthermore, cost of labor is much cheaper for the outsourcer.
Potential?
Medical transcription has a strong employment in both India and the United States. One can work for a company that serves for the Healthcare Industry. The model also involves working at home as independent contractors. In India, the independent home transcriptionist model is growing to gain much popularity.
It is said, still a larger portion of the work is still to be outsourced from US. Both NASSCOM in India and the US Department of Labor have identified this career as having a higher growth potential year by year.
Earnings potential?
As far as the money making is concerned, the fresher in medical transcription earns a starting salary approximately around Rs. 5000 and after 2 years of experience, his money making capability goes to around Rs. 15,000. Careers advancement can lead him to become an Editor or a Leader of a team in a company which could fetch him around Rs.20,000 or more. In these days of growing population and a means to earn money, this is quite decent for an Indian standard.
Allied careers?
Medical coding and billing are showing up as allied careers related to medical transcription.
Read more..
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Medical Transcription Service - Tools For Cost Comparison
A quality medical transcription service company can help you reduce operating costs, increase productivity and improve patient care. While there are many things to consider when choosing a transcription provider, this article will discuss how costs are calculated and provide you with tools for cost comparison.
When it comes to choosing a medical transcription service company, give preference to those who will take the time to fully explain how they charge for medical transcription so that you can compare "apples to apples" when evaluating your choices. Most physician practices are surprised to learn there are many ways a medical transcription service charges per line.
How does a Service Provider Calculate Costs?
Medical transcription service can be billed many different ways. Medical transcription providers have been known to calculate rates based on the page, report, minute, word, gross line, character, keystroke and other metrics. All of these methods are highly variable and can dramatically affect the per line rate. It is important that you understand exactly how you will be billed.
Some of the most popular methods of billing include:
- ASCII Line
- ASCII Line 65-Character
- 65-Character Line
- Gross Line
- Gross Page
- Per Minute
- Visible Black Character
-...and many others
How Can I Compare Transcription Service Costs and Choose the Right Company for my Practice?
Over the years, providers have used a variety of methods to calculate lines of transcription and some have become very creative. Unfortunately that leaves you to determine if you're actually getting the best price for your transcription services. Most medical transcription service companies charge per line of text. Some may define lines with fewer characters or count each hard line break as a new line, so be sure to get all of the details.
One of the best ways to compare transcription costs is to provide each of the companies in consideration with a sample document. Have them price it out for you so that you can see how they distribute their rates. Remember, though, that because of varying per line rates and counting methods, the lower price won't always be the better choice.
Find out what other services are included in the rate. For example, some medical transcription service companies will charge for headers, font changes or hard returns, while others will include these services at no additional cost.
Read more..
When it comes to choosing a medical transcription service company, give preference to those who will take the time to fully explain how they charge for medical transcription so that you can compare "apples to apples" when evaluating your choices. Most physician practices are surprised to learn there are many ways a medical transcription service charges per line.
How does a Service Provider Calculate Costs?
Medical transcription service can be billed many different ways. Medical transcription providers have been known to calculate rates based on the page, report, minute, word, gross line, character, keystroke and other metrics. All of these methods are highly variable and can dramatically affect the per line rate. It is important that you understand exactly how you will be billed.
Some of the most popular methods of billing include:
- ASCII Line
- ASCII Line 65-Character
- 65-Character Line
- Gross Line
- Gross Page
- Per Minute
- Visible Black Character
-...and many others
How Can I Compare Transcription Service Costs and Choose the Right Company for my Practice?
Over the years, providers have used a variety of methods to calculate lines of transcription and some have become very creative. Unfortunately that leaves you to determine if you're actually getting the best price for your transcription services. Most medical transcription service companies charge per line of text. Some may define lines with fewer characters or count each hard line break as a new line, so be sure to get all of the details.
One of the best ways to compare transcription costs is to provide each of the companies in consideration with a sample document. Have them price it out for you so that you can see how they distribute their rates. Remember, though, that because of varying per line rates and counting methods, the lower price won't always be the better choice.
Find out what other services are included in the rate. For example, some medical transcription service companies will charge for headers, font changes or hard returns, while others will include these services at no additional cost.
Read more..
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