Medical transcription is an integral aspect of a physician’s practice, which involves processing a physician’s dictations into written documents. These transcripts ought to adhere to a number of regulations and laws set by the HIPPA Act, thus resulting in a degree of uniformity across practices. Medical transcriptions have hence improved a lot since their inception, and have become an integral part of both small sized and large practices across the county.
Outsourcing
It is not always possible for the physician’s staff to handle the requirements of transcription. One of the main reasons for this is due to the lack of understanding and adherence to strict codes and document structure. Writing out transcription is a full time job in itself and requires due diligence and unwavering focus when converting speech to text. This is why it is recommended that you outsource your medical transcription services to an external source, who will deliver quality results consistently.
When outsourcing a medical transcription services, you ought to look into where your services are coming from. Choosing a domestic transcription service might cost you more than offshore services, but it will maintain a higher quality and a better degree of accuracy. However, off shore reports are usually delivered at a faster rate. Most transcription services explicitly state the ratio of domestic services and offshore services they will be providing before you sign a contract with them.
Modern software
Most modern medical transcription services do no rely on human effort alone. They make use of advanced speech to text software in order to convert spoken words into text. However, most of these are not advanced enough to understand the nuances of speech, based on context and requires human intervention to proofread, edit and structure the document in a prescribed format.
Turnaround time
Adhering to time constraints is the mark of a good medical transcription company. Typically the turn-around time should be about 24 hours; however, specialized practices such as radiology and pathology need a quicker turn around. Transcription services today are achieving faster turnaround rates, some are even as fast as 12 hours, thanks to the advancements in the speech to text software.
Check for quality assurance
A good transcription company will offer multiple layers of quality check, i.e. more than two people will go through the draft and check for inconsistencies in language, format, spelling, grammar etc. This process will help weed out any inconsistencies in the drafts, thus ensuring that a clean, error free draft is sent to your approval.
Experience matters
When hiring a medical transcription company, make sure to check the company’s credibility and their experience. Check for references in your practice in order to ascertain their proficiency and if they are recommended by your peers. Alternatively you could ask the company for a list of their clientele, and check with them as well. Your choice in a medical transcription service will also depend on your work flow, and how it will benefit your practice.
Why MedConverge
At MedConverge, we offer some of the best medical documentation services. For more information about our full range of services, do write to us at info@medconverge.com or call us on (800) 811-2103 x11.
References
- Brown, C. (2014, January 22). TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION PROVIDER FOR YOUR PRACTICE. Retrieved January 27, 2017, from www.medicaltranscriptionsservice.com: http://www.medicaltranscriptionsservice.com/blog/medical-transcription-provider/
- Carlson, T. (2017). Five Things to Look for in a Medical Transcription Service. Retrieved January 27, 2017, from www.toptenreviews.com: http://www.toptenreviews.com/business/articles/five-things-to-look-for-in-a-medical-transcription-service/
- Uzialko, A. C. (2016, March 14). Medical Transcription Services: How to Choose and Negotiate. Retrieved January 27, 2017, from www.businessnewsdaily.com: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8847-best-medical-transcription-services.html
