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Medical transcription services

Ever try and read a doctor’s prescription? Looks like chicken scratch, doesn’t it? A doctor doesn’t have a lot of time to sit at a computer to enter notes about patients or consults so they must scribble notes down quickly and often sloppily. But how do you turn those poorly written notes into usable electronic documents?

A medical transcription service may provide the answer. Medical transcription allows physicians to easily convert their patient notes and diagnosis information into electronic documents from anywhere.

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Then you can choose to speak with one of our Purchasing Advisors who can walk you through the process and handle any issues or questions that arise. Our Advisors provide these services and more:

How medical transcription works
The physician dictates notes by speaking into a battery-operated digital recorder or by calling a toll-free phone line. With a recorder, the files can be converted into MP3 format and sent over the Internet using file transfer protocol (FTP) or through encrypted email. Otherwise, the medical transcription service can retrieve recordings made over the phone.

Once you record your notes, you can send them over to transcription service that will assign a Medical Transcriptionist (MT) to your practice. MTs don’t just transfer spoken words into electronic format – they are skilled professionals that fully understand medical terminology so they accurately enter the correct information into a file. They also know the importance of keeping all patient information confidential.

Most transcribed notes are put into a Word document but you may request another suitable format. Once completed, the MT will have it reviewed for quality assurance and then send them back to you through a secured method of transmission.

In addition to the actual transcription, an MT may also assist with electronic file storage, organization, and file tracking. These additional services are a bit pricier than straight transcription, but it’s a worthy expense for practices that need that level of reporting.

What you should know about medical transcription
Keep three things in mind when seeking out a medical transcription service:

  1. How quickly the service turns around a project
  2. How precise the transcription is
  3. What level of security the service offers

Let’s explore these three attributes a little closer.

  1. Turnaround: MTs typically complete the job within 24 to 48 hours. You can even get quicker turnaround times for a slightly higher cost. Each vendor will provide different rules for when a transcription request was received (if it’s late on a Friday, turnaround may take longer.) They also need to disclose what happens if they can’t get the information to you within a guaranteed time period (do they discount the service or pay penalties to you?)
  2. Accuracy: You can’t be too careful when you’re working with confidential patient data. It’s essential to be as close to perfect as possible since the health and well-being of your patients could be at risk if something doesn’t transcribe properly. To enhance accuracy, MTs work with Quality Assurance professionals to review the transcription and make sure it’s true to the audio.
  3. Security: All medical software must strictly adhere to HIPAA regulations to uphold patient confidentiality. This typically involves using 128-bit Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology to protect the data that is sent over the Internet. In addition to online security, MTs should take special care of hard copies of the notes so they don’t fall into the wrong hands.

Another important medical transcription element to consider is whether or not to use an offshore transcription service. As with other businesses, offshore medical transcription is considerably cheaper. However, it’s potentially risky because of the language barrier. You could also take advantage of the time difference if you need immediately transcription services during off-peak hours in the U.S.