A Brief Overview of Medical Transcription

Using word processing equipment and software, medical transcription is the process of transforming voice dictation (in digital format) into a permanent written record.

Thousands of patients are admitted and discharged each day in hospitals across the nation. Examinations are performed, procedures are carried out, and recommendations are provided. Multiple physicians are frequently involved in a simple procedure for a single patient. A multitude of medical specialists, including radiologists, pathologists, anesthesiologists, and surgeons, must coordinate their efforts to ensure that patients receive adequate and appropriate care.

All of these activities are supported by a complex network of medical and patient information. Each patient-related procedure and activity must be meticulously documented and added to the patient's permanent record. Physicians and medical record administrators must take extreme precautions to ensure that detailed patient identification information is included with each procedure and examination report in order to avoid potentially catastrophic errors. All of this information accumulates over time in a central repository for medical records, where it serves as a vital resource for patient care, facilitating accurate diagnoses and appropriate treatments. Indeed, timely patient care frequently depends on the ability of Radiology, Pathology, and other specialty departments to conduct and report their examinations and findings promptly.

History and Development of Medical Transcription

In the past, patient medical charts comprised of brief handwritten notes that were put into the patient's file for interpretation by the main physician responsible for diagnosing diseases and recommending therapy. This mishmash of handwritten notes and typed reports was ultimately compiled into a single patient file and housed with thousands of other patient data in a wall of filing cabinets in the medical records department.

The patient's file would be collected from the filing cabinet and provided to the asking physician whenever the need arose to study the patient's medical information. To improve this manual procedure, several medical record records were duplicated or triplicated using carbon copies.

In recent years, significant changes have occurred. Digital patient records are now produced and preserved on desktop computers linked to sophisticated mainframe systems, which have replaced walls of file cabinets. This digital format allows for immediate remote retrieval by any physician who is authorized to review the patient information. Reports are saved electronically and printed selectively when the need arises.

While the move from a paper-based to an electronic format may take years to complete, tremendous progress has been achieved. Handwritten reports are largely a thing of the past. Verbal dictation is currently by far the most prevalent technique for recording and reporting the outcomes of tests and treatments. Typically, physicians record their results using a digital voice dictation system. Not only does voice dictation enable doctors to be more complete in their reporting, but it also saves them a substantial amount of time. The Wall Street Journal recently highlighted the findings of an Association of Legal Administrators research indicating that spoken dictation is the quickest method to prepare a document. According to the research, it takes 9.34 minutes to write a 245-word document using an electronic dictaphone, compared to 16.46 minutes on a personal computer and 16.49 minutes by hand. (WSJ, October 22, 1996, Tuesday, page A1, column 5) Given the salaries of the majority of doctors, the cumulative productivity gains resulting from these technological advancements are substantial.

Transcription is the process of transferring oral dictation to a typewritten format. Medical records have traditionally been transcribed by a team of qualified medical transcriptionists working in the hospital's department of medical records. In the early years of medical transcription, it was not unusual for extremely big hospitals to employ 40 or 50 medical transcriptionists throughout many shifts. Typically, a transcription supervisor, who reported to the Medical Records Director, supervised these transcribers.

The Development of Medical Transcription Outsourcing

Traditional hospitals are under increasing competition from more efficient managed care groups. In order to stay competitive, several hospitals have resorted to outsourcing to save expenses. Many of the formerly internal procedures are now outsourced to outside parties. The transcription of medical records is not an exception. Relieving hospitals of the administrative problems and overhead expenses associated with internal production, outsourcing transcription, and other tasks enable them to concentrate on enhancing service and reducing costs.

This new competitive environment has forced numerous hospitals to close their doors. Those businesses that have survived have done so by becoming more cost-conscious and efficient. There is substantial evidence that outsourcing medical transcribing is a much less expensive option than creating reports in-house. The majority of competent healthcare practitioners today recognize this and are reacting accordingly. Significant cost-cutting demands that continue to push the healthcare sector toward consolidation, managed care, and capitation almost ensures that the outsourcing trend will not only continue but intensify in the future years.

This expansion of outsourcing agreements has generated a new generation of tiny medical transcription firms determined to carve out a portion of the market. Despite its fast expansion, the medical transcription business is still regarded as a cottage industry. Despite the presence of a few really national businesses, the market is nevertheless dominated by hundreds of tiny local transcription companies situated wherever hospitals are present.

Possibilities Regarding Medical Transcription

The employment prognosis for competent medical transcriptionists has never been brighter. Opportunities abound at hospitals, clinics, HMOs, and the tens of thousands of Medical Transcription contracting firms found around the nation.

This is an ideal time for anybody interested in joining this profitable and fascinating career. Success will need patience and persistence, as with any career move, but the chance to join the medical transcribing industry has never been bigger than it is now.

Advantages of a Medical Transcription Profession

A high need exists for Medical Transcriptionists. Currently, there is a scarcity of skilled Medical Transcriptionists, and demographic trends indicate that the prognosis will remain good for some time. Good Medical Transcriptionists often have little difficulty securing and retaining work. Consider the following advantages of pursuing a career as a Medical Transcriptionist:

  • In-Demand Occupation
  • Excellent Income Potential Flexible Hours
  • Industry Exciting Home-Based Profession Opportunities
  • Possibility of acquiring your own clients and establishing a lucrative business.

Essential Qualifications for a Medical Transcription Career

Medical Transcription is a career requiring exceptional competence. It demands meticulousness and the ability to identify and comprehend technical terms. Good typing abilities are a requirement. For the majority of occupations, a typing speed of 50 to 70 words per minute is required. Since most compensation is based on productivity, it is obvious that the quicker you write, the more money you may earn.

Spelling and grammatical abilities are also critically crucial. Online dictionaries and spell checkers are always there to aid you, but you should not rely only on them. Before deciding to pursue this sector, you should feel pretty comfortable with spelling and grammar.

The majority of the skills you will gain as a transcriptionist will develop with experience. Experience is the primary educator. Before acquiring hands-on experience, it is often preferable to complete a formal course in order to acquire a foundation of knowledge and practical experience.

Introduction to Medical Transcription

Medical Transcription is a highly specialized profession that demands substantial training. However, once trained, the demand is quite high. Obtaining the necessary training is one of the most challenging aspects of entering this profitable field. Your skill level will often define your earning potential. And skill level will be determined by education and experience. Unfortunately, the majority of organizations are unwilling to recruit inexperienced candidates. It will be difficult to find an employer prepared to spend the time and money required to teach a person due to the steepness of the learning curve.

There are several chances to get the in-depth training required to become an accomplished Medical Transcriptionist. Many Technical Schools provide full-time programs meant to impart a fundamental degree of skill. The disadvantages of these programs include that they are often costly and demand a full-time commitment, which necessitates abandoning a career and forgoing money throughout the duration of the study.

The online Home Study Course provides an alternative to these full-time classroom programs. Home study demands more self-discipline, but the cost/benefit ratio and the option to work at your own speed and in your own home are tempting. With an online Home Study Course, there is no need to leave your current employment until you have acquired the necessary skills and are prepared to embark on a new profession.

After completing the home study course, it is typically feasible to begin your first Medical Transcription work on a part-time basis in the evenings while continuing your current position. This "earn-while-you-learn" technique is a great way to acquire extra skills while maintaining a full-time job.