Many physicians still prefer to dictate their notes even in this EHR age because that is what they are used to doing. To ensure streamlined medical documentation, it is important that these dictations are transcribed accurately in a timely manner. This can be made possible with the support of a medical transcription company. Partnering with a good provider removes the hassle of medical documentation for physicians and lets them focus more on providing efficient patient care. At present, EHR-integrated medical transcription services are provided wherein the transcription provider interfaces with the physician’s EMR/EHR system and posts the transcripts onto the EMR.
A discussion about healthcare reform and improving the quality of care was held during the American College of Physicians (ACP) Internal Medicine meeting in San Diego this March. Patrick Alguire, MD, vice president of membership and internal program at the ACP said that the doctors see a change in the healthcare industry and they wish to know what it all means. Among the liveliest discussions were the ones on record keeping and health policy in the light of the health reforms introduced by the new administration. This year, presentations on health policy and medical regulation were integrated into the meeting’s scientific program. The physicians were also concerned about patients who might lose their insurance and access to care. Around 54 million people are covered by Obamacare but there are huge changes in the offing.
Nowadays, in meetings such as the above a lot of discussion centres on health records and the collection of data. Physicians would prefer to put patients before paperwork, but that doesn’t always happen when the demand for documentation becomes overpowering. In fact, surveys point out that physician burnout and paperwork are very likely linked. A remedy to this problem is continuing the dictation – transcription model and outsourcing medical transcription, which can minimize the burden of administrative work in a hospital or medical practice and quicken the process of medical documentation.
While it is a fact that the arrival of EHR has reduced the use of medical transcription, medical transcription companies have risen to the occasion with EHR-integrated medical transcription. In this integrated method, physician dictation can be captured using different modalities like toll free phone-in, digital recorder or mobile phone. The recorded dictations are sent to the transcription provider, where they are transcribed accurately and then posted in the physician’s EMR system. In such a system, there is no delay in documentation and patient care. Since the documentation is accurately done, providers do not usually have issues with obtaining appropriate reimbursement. Most importantly, providers are not tied down by documentation requirements; instead they have quality time on their hands to care for their patients.
