Medical transcription has come a long way with advancements in technology that have made the process faster and more convenient and productive. To earn the epithet of ‘technologically advanced’, medical transcription service company would need to be one that uses high-tech tools to receive physician dictation, produce accurate medical reports, and deliver them securely in fast turnaround time.
A medical transcription company that keeps pace with the advancements in the field will continue to invest in technology that is both intuitive, easy to set up, and serves client needs better. This means having the latest dictation and transcription technology that is fully web-based and seamlessly interfaces with any health care provider’s information system. The following features would distinguish a technologically advanced medical transcription company:
- Flexible dictation options: Receiving physician dictation is the first step in the medical record creation process. Professional companies offer physicians a variety of options such as toll-free telephone, digital recorder and also mobile phone dictation. They accept files in any format and can deliver them is client-specific modes. Mobile apps allow physicians to dictate audio files and also review/edit/sign/fax completed reports. Digital dictation software greatly enhances the overall quality of the dictation process.
- Speech recognition: Back-end speech recognition has gained traction in clinical documentation. Many busy physicians dictate using speech recognition software and send the files to a medical transcription company for editing. This saves time. A reliable service provider would have medical transcription editors who can correct speech-recognized drafted reports.
- Advanced software and hardware: Modern software systems enhance transcription accuracy and timeliness. All documents can be scanned for accuracy using electronic medical dictionaries. With speedtyping software the number of keystrokes is significantly reduced, thereby saving transcription time and improving productivity. Such software can correct spelling and capitalize where necessary. With a built-in vocabulary of the words that are used in medical reports, the technology makes it easier to type words that occur most frequently. The computer systems that professional companies use would also ensure adherence to medical specialty-specific standards and templates and enable electronic signatures.
- EHR/EMR interfacing: With healthcare facilities transitioning EHR and EMR, a reliable medical transcription company would be equipped to complement and interface with these technologies.
- High speed Internet: High speed Internet through different gateways is crucial to ensure 100% connectivity for fast transfer of files. In many companies, these connections are backed up with a separate ISDN connection.
- Secure, automated document transfer: The options for safe, HIPAA-compliant document delivery would include browser-based drop box, secure FTP, and EMR interface. These companies would ensure HL7 adherence for clinical document transfer.
- Advanced workflow management: Advanced technological capabilities would also be reflected in workflow management with many gains for physicians such as audio and document file archiving, reports showing progress on work, facility to edit dictation/reports online, and a searchable database.
- HIPAA compliance: Measures to safeguard Protected Health Information (PHI) in a technologically advanced transcription company would include: physical and technical safeguards, password protected systems, online backups, secure file transfer, and security awareness and training for staff.
It’s obvious that technology plays a key role in a professional medical transcription service provider’s workflow process as well as security aspects. New requirements for HIPAA compliance and electronic medical record keeping have changed the way these companies operate. Nevertheless, even the most innovative technology would be meaningless without a qualified and experienced team of medical transcriptionists. That’s why it’s crucial for physicians to choose a service provider with a successful track record and one that also makes use of the latest software and other advanced technologies.
