Medical Transcription Accuracy – Know More

To the layman who doesn’t know much about the medical profession, medical transcription accuracy would probably mean no more than accurately documenting a physician’s dictations. However in reality, accuracy also very often means transcribing what the physician actually wanted to say and not what he dictated. It also means trying to make sense out of the physician’s fast or slow paced speech, his accent or mumblings.

Requirements of a Medical Transcription Outsourcing Company

The requisites for accuracy on the part of a medical transcription service provider are much more than just proficiency in medical terminology. Other essential requirements are:

  • Extensive understanding of disease processes, laboratory values, medications, anatomy and physiology and signs and symptoms.
  • Superior judgement skills and refined intuition
  • Expertise in English usage, style, grammar and punctuation
  • Focus and organization
  • Wonderful research skills to do things like look up drug names or medical terms

Why Accuracy is Essential

The importance of precision in the medical transcription process can never be underestimated. Even the slightest transcription error can put the healthcare provider or patient or both, at risk. Whether the error is grammatical or pertains to the use of medical terms, it is sufficient for a plaintiff attorney to use as threatened or real legal action against healthcare providers or centers. Serious errors such as lab value mistakes, dictated right/left inconsistency, patient demographics and errors in the name of drug and drug dosage have been reported in the past. Regular and effective monitoring is thus the need of the hour to ensure improved if not cent percent accuracy.

So when you decide to outsource medical transcription, devote adequate time to making the right choice of a company. HIPAA compliance and a stringent quality protocol are factors you surely wouldn’t want to leave out. Once you’ve made your choice, provide all measurements, benchmarks and standards to them. It would really help the company do their task well. Keep in mind, a medical transcription company that is always eager to get feedback from you will definitely stand you in good stead.

Julie Clements

About Julie Clements

Joined the MOS team in March of 2008. Julie Clements has background in the healthcare staffing arena; as well as 6 years as Director of Sales and Marketing at a 4 star resort. Julie was instrumental in the creation of the medical record review division (and new web site); and has especially grown this division along with data conversion of all kinds.
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