Medical transcription is the process of converting audio files of the patient-healthcare professional encounter into a typed report. Medical transcription plays a supporting role in the healthcare process by making information available in an accurate and timely manner. Records need to be created of the patient –healthcare professional encounter for the following purposes:
· For patient treatment
· As part of the permanent patient records
· Statutory requirement
· As the first step of the accounts receivable process for insurance claims
· For further references/treatments/procedures/therapy.
· As evidence in case of litigation.
The quality and timeliness of these records is dependant to a large extent on the quality of medical transcriptionists working on it. Therefore it becomes important to evaluate the caliber of transcriptionists while evaluating a service provider. The caliber of the transcriptionists would largely depend on the training method used.
However the healthcare sector is vast and has numerous specialties. The language of each specialty is different and the terminology used in each specialty is unique. The quality of patient records created would vastly improve in terms of both accuracy and turnaround time if the transcriptionists were conversant with the language of the specialty he/she is transcribing for. Therefore it is important to train medical transcriptionists in one of two specialties. This enables them to become domain experts. This results in excellent transcription work from the very start.
How does the training method used affect Accuracy? Training medical transcriptionists in one or two areas of the medicine enables them to become domain experts; this in turn ensures that the accuracy level of the finished transcript is the highest possible.
How does the training method used affect Turnaround time? Training medical transcriptionists in one or two areas ensures that they are able to produce quality transcription in a very short time. This in turn ensures that the turnaround times guaranteed are met with.
How does the training method used affect the Cost per line? The number of errors in a finished report are dramatically reduced due to the specialist based training this reduces the cost per line of transcription by bringing down the cost of quality checks required.
Moreover healthcare is a vast field where everyday there are new developments regarding ailments, treatment techniques, drugs etc. As the scribes of the healthcare sector it is important for medical transcriptionists to be updated on the latest developments. With training of specialty transcriptionists it is easier to constantly update transcriptionists on the developments in their area of expertise.
While outsourcing transcription needs it is important for healthcare facilities to consider outsourcing to service providers that can provide medical transcription for specialties. This means that the healthcare professional can rest easy on the accuracy of the finished transcripts.
In conclusion one can say that it takes a specialist to take care of specialty needs.
Author Resource:
Renee Kelly has written numerous articles on services provided by transcription companies , which has served as an amazing resource for healthcare facilities and healthcare professionals seeking online medical transcription .