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Medical Transcription

Written by  Rachit Agrawal, MBA

Published on Tue, February 11, 2020 4:57 AM   Updated on Tue, July 7, 2020 11:55 AM   13 mins read

Medical Transcription (MT) is the manual handling of voice reports directed by doctors and other social insurance experts into the content arrangement. 

Specialists, nurture professionals, specialists, and other social insurance suppliers have significant, upsetting occupations. They’re on their feet throughout the day, doing all that they can to help the patients in their consideration.

A ton can impede them, be that as it may, and numerous as often as possible express disappointment in getting so hindered with administrative work that it restrains their time with their patients. 

The main errand that can suck up a lot of time from human services suppliers is interpreting notes. These notes can incorporate everything from clinical rundowns to medical procedure notes.

Taking a sound chronicle and transforming it into a setup report that is required for their accounts, protection cases, and patient’s restorative outlines can take a few suppliers a couple of hours out of each day. 

Numerous human services suppliers wind up going through an hour or more toward the finish of consistently deciphering their notes, or they enlist a costly in-office therapeutic aide to help and still find that occasionally the records are taking too long to even think about doing. They’re also expensive to even think about doing now, or errors are showing up because they are utilizing undeveloped individuals. 

A medicinal transcription administration organization is the best arrangement here. You can re-appropriate all transcription work to an organization like our own here at Transcription Outsourcing, where we have transcriptionists prepared in making and interpreting may various types of therapeutic archives. We should investigate what makes medical transcription unique, and how it can profit you, your training, and your patients.

What Is Outsourcing Medical Transcription

Medicinal transcription benefits frequently incorporate the demonstration of interpreting therapeutic reports that are directed by doctors, nurture specialists, and other social insurance professionals. 

Suppliers, some of the time, utilize handheld computerized recorders. Which are voice recorders that spare documents in the wake of being recorded onto the gadget, since they’re quick, simple to use, and helpful?

It permits them to accelerate the procedure for the time being. However, at that point, it takes up an enormous measure of time when they need to interpret the transcriptions later for themselves. 

With the present innovation, various electronic gadgets are utilized to record sound documents. These incorporate computerized handheld recorders, various diverse cell phone applications (counting Voice Memos, which is introduced as a matter of course on all Apple gadgets), or even a cost-free bring in voice server.

It’s a lot quicker for somebody to look at a clinical outline to survey a determination or treatment choices as opposed to tuning in to a three-minute-long sound document that could be contaminated after some time.

How To Choose Medical Transcription Service

There are a lot of transcription organizations out there, and a huge lump offers medical transcription administrations. It very well may be hard to tell who to pick; however, their various characteristics you should search for in any organization you employ.

  1. American-based organizations, with permits to operate, locations, and financial balances 
  2. Government enlistments and confirmations if fitting 
  3. Clear pivot times accessible, and forms set up to ensure exactness and quality 
  4. Acknowledges whatever sort of sound records your EMR produces HIPPA and HITECH agreeable 
  5. Experienced with specific therapeutic interpretation administrations 
  6. High assurances of precision 
  7. Suitable protection approaches, for example, general obligation and digital risk.

The last thing to search for is somewhere in the range of an unmistakable procedure that the office has set up to convey the function admirably and on schedule.

Most organizations will have forms that incorporate accommodation of the file(s), translation, quality confirmation, report conveyance, and document stockpiling.

The office ought to have the option to characterize clear pivot times, which regularly differ from 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, or 48 hours after accommodation in medicinal interpretation administrations.

Verify whether the organization offers STAT conveyance times, which can guarantee surge conveyance when required (however frequently at a rate increment).

Medical Transcription- Introduction

Doctors, nurses, surgeons and other health care providers have important, stressful jobs. They’ve been on their feet all day, doing whatever they can to support the people in their care. There’s a lot that can get in their way, though, and many also show disappointment at being bogged down in paperwork that restricts their time with their patients.

The number one job that can take so long from healthcare providers is transcribing notes. Such reports can cover anything from clinical summaries to surgery reports. Medical reports can be voice files, notes taken during a lecture, or other spoken material. These are dictated over the phone or uploaded digitally via the Internet or through smartphone apps.

What is Medical Transcription?

Medical transcription (MT) is manual processing of voice records provided by doctors and other health professionals in text format.

Voice-recording service providers and transcribers convert speech recordings to text, usually in digital format. Electronic data is constantly required to comply with Health IT and electronic health record (EHR) initiatives. Voice streaming is often used to allow voice files to enter the MT department for immediate transcription.

The medical professionals’ reports need to be accurate. They explain the specifics of their office visits and examinations, as well as their hospital and emergency department visits. The findings of any blood tests, samples, laboratories, or radiographs are summarized. These also report vital signs and provide specifics of the patient’s hospital chart. Whether they have conducted or performed some outpatient procedures, such as biopsy or endoscopy, they shall identify their methods and findings. Such records are required to provide medical treatment, to support billing claims, and to protect against malpractice.

In addition, there is an increasing appetite for patients to access their medical records and the details and guidance must be transparent and straightforward so that they can understand and comply with care guidelines in order to achieve successful results.

Medical Transcriptionist

Medical transcriptionists draw up reports and other administrative documents from medical records. In addition to transcription, you will edit information on grammatical errors and the proper use of medical terms in the patient’s records.

You will need an in-depth knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, medical procedures and therapies, and pharmacology — as well as a high degree of attention to detail. Medical transcriptionists must also be aware of the ethical norms and standards that apply to health records.

  • What They Do: Medical transcriptionists listen to voice recordings that physicians and other healthcare workers make and convert them into written reports.
  • Work Environment: Most medical transcriptionists work for hospitals, physicians’ offices, and third-party transcription service companies that provide transcription services to healthcare establishments. Others are self-employed.
  • How to Become One: Medical transcriptionists typically need postsecondary education. Prospective medical transcriptionists must have an understanding of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, grammar, and word-processing software.

Jobs of Medical Transcriptionist

Medical transcription is the way a physician communicates directly to all health care professionals, advises them about the state of health and treatment of the patient, and maintains the quality of care. After a medical practitioner conducts a treatment on a patient, a voice recording system may be used to collect details about a patient’s experience. Many physicians use speech recognition tools. We ‘train’ the program to understand their speech pattern; the program constantly ‘learns’ their spoken words and phrases.

This confidential patient information will then be transcribed by the medical transcriptionist using specific formats depending on the specialty of the physician. A medical transcriber is used, which is basically a foot monitor cassette player controlled by a medical transcriptionist for playback and transcription. The dictation is either translated into a typed text or into an electronic format. Reports may be kept in electronic format or printed and placed in the patient’s file.

Due to the sheer volume of patients and paperwork, hospitals often prefer electronic storage of their medical records. This gives other departments or providers immediate access to the patient’s care and shows certain details, such as past or present medications and any allergy alerts. Establishing patient history facilitates healthcare performance, and medical transcriptionists play a big part in this process. Important to note is that a written report has now become a requirement for documentation of a medical bill or an application for Workers’ Compensation insurance benefits.

Duties and responsibilities of a medical transcriptionist:

  • Accurately transcribes the patient-identifying information such as name and Medical Record or Social Security Number.
  • Transcribes accurately, utilizing correct punctuation, grammar, and spelling, and edits for inconsistencies.
  • Maintains/consults references for medical procedures and terminology.
  • Keeps a transcription log.
  • In some countries, MTs may sort, copy, prepare, assemble, and file records and charts (though in the United States (US) the filing of charts and records are most often assigned to Medical Records Techs in Hospitals or Secretaries in Doctor Offices).
  • Distributes transcribed reports and collects dictation tapes.
  • Follows up on physicians’ missing and/or late dictation, returns printed or electronic reports in a timely fashion (in US Hospital, MT Supervisor performs).
  • Performs a quality assurance check.
  • May maintain a disk and disk backup system (in US Hospital, MT Supervisor performs).
  • May order supplies and report equipment operational problems (In the US, this task is most often done by Unit Secretaries, Office Secretaries, or Tech Support personnel).
  • May collect, tabulate, and generate reports on statistical data, as appropriate (in the US, generally performed by MT Supervisor).

Becoming a work-from-home medical transcriptionist can be a good option for people with excellent typing skills and some medical knowledge. Companies hiring for these positions usually require experience, but some also consider candidates who have recently completed a certification program.

Medical transcriptionists listen to voice recordings from doctors, nurses, or other medical practitioners and transcribe the recordings into notes or other documents for patients’ medical files. They may also work with insurance companies completing medical reports.

Required Training

Medical transcriptionists usually need to have postsecondary training, which would be either a one-year certificate program or a two-year associate degree. The types of courses required in these programs include anatomy, medical terminology, medical-legal issues, and grammar and punctuation.

There are two types of certifications: registered medical transcriptionist (RMT) and certified medical transcriptionist (CMT). Certifications require an initial exam, and then periodic retesting or continuing education.

Other Skills Needed 

To become a medical transcriptionist you will need to be a detail-oriented person with fast and accurate typing skills. You will also need an excellent understanding of grammar, punctuation, and style. As a remote worker, you need to be able to work independently and under the pressure of close timeframes. Since you will be listening to recorded information, you need excellent hearing and listening skills.

Equipment Needed

When working as an at-home or remote medical transcriptionist, you’ll usually need the same basic equipment that a general transcriber uses. That includes a computer with reliable, high-speed internet access, a headset, a foot pedal, and sometimes specialized transcription software. In many cases, the company that hires you will provide the software and equipment. 

Companies That Hire Medical Transcriptionists 

There are several companies that will hire medical transcriptionists to remote work positions. Availability will vary by company and their hiring policies may change without notice. 

  1. Ascend Healthcare Systems- ascend Healthcare Systems has opportunities for medical transcriptionists and quality assurance specialists with a minimum of three years of experience. Candidates must pass a background check and agree to a 90-day probation period. 
  2. Eight Crossing- eight Crossing recruits often for medical transcription jobs based in its Sacramento office, as well as home-based positions. The company prefers candidates with at least two years of medical transcription experience but will also consider applicants who have graduated from approved training programs.  
  3. FastChart- to work as an independent contractor medical transcriptionist for FastChart, applicants must first fill out an online prequalification form and submit a resume. If approved, applicants then need to pass a medical language and terminology test, as well as a typing test.
  4. iMedX- iMedX is a provider of health information and clinical documentation. The company offers full-time and part-time medical transcription jobs for various work-from-home shifts throughout the day and night. Applicants must have some medical transcription experience and pass a test that is specific to the medical specialty area(s) of the position. 
  5. M*Modal- M*Modal calls its work-from-home transcriptionists “clinical documentation specialists.” To qualify for a position, candidates must have one year of recent work experience as a medical transcriptionist or be a recent graduate of a certified transcription program.
  6. Nuance Transcription Service- Nuance Transcription Services hires medical transcriptionists for full-time and part-time (at least 20 hours) work. To be considered, candidates must have at least one year of acute-care transcription experience in a wide range of specialties and be willing to transcribe recordings made by people whose first language is not English.  
  7. Other Work-From-Home Medical Jobs- medical transcription is just one type of work-from-home medical job. If you don’t think it’s a good fit for you, then consider other positions, such as a customer care representative, medical billing or coding specialist, writer, or illustrator. You may also want to consider nonmedical transcription jobs as well. 

Top 20 Colleges/Institutes for Medical Transcription Courses

Medical transcription schools offer certificate courses in transcription. Fees for short term (3-6 months) courses range from Rs. 20,000 – 30,000. In-house training programs are also offered by transcription firms that hire freshers. In India, there are few training institutes offering courses in medical transcription.

The following are some of the institutes offering short term courses on medical transcription.

No.College/InstituteCity
1Academy of Medical TranscriptionNew Delhi
2Alliance Commet Ltd.New Delhi
3American Academy of Medical TranscriptionNew Delhi
4Apex Network Ltd.New Delhi
5Atari Institute of Medical TranscriptionNew Delhi
6Burr-Brown (India) Ltd.New Delhi
7DIMTSouth Delhi
8Heartlandindia, Heartlineindia Training DivisionNew Delhi
9Indian Institute of Medical TranscriptionNew Delhi
10Indo-American Academy of Medical TranscriptionNew Delhi
11Indo-American Academy of Medical TranscriptionNew Delhi
12ITES, Medical Transcription Knowledge CenterNew Delhi
13KITCONew Delhi
14Medical Transcription Education CenterNew Delhi
15Pan-America institute of Medical TranscriptionNew Delhi
16Wintel institute of Medical Transcription(WIMT)New Delhi
17Zero Error Med- Transcription (ZEMT)Noida
18Dr. Zakir Hussain Institute of Medical TranscriptionMeerut
19Ancient Global Solutions Pvt. Ltd.Chandigarh
20Armed Forces Medical CollegePune

The average salary for a medical transcriptionist in the United States is around $34,770 per year.

There are basically 2 Methods for salaries Calculate:

  1. A number of lines transcribed.
  2. Hour Based or Per-hour basic pay with bonuses for additional production.

Salary of an On the Job Trainee is Low as INR 24,000 per year after the experience of 4 to 5 years medical transcriptionist salary can go up to 2 Lakh 40 thousand annually. Average Salary of Quality Analyst 3 Lakh 60 thousand Per annum, whereas Home transcriptionists earn more than that if the work comes on a regular basis but there are expenses also.

Average Salaries for Medical Transcription

Approximate Figures: 

PostSalary Structure
Production ManagerRs.35,000 – Rs.50,000/-
QA2 ( Proof Reader )Rs.30,000 – Rs.35,000/-
QA1Rs.25,000 – Rs.30,000/-
MT/QARs.20,000 – Rs.25,000/-
MTRs.15,000 – Rs.20,000/-
JMT ( Junior MT)Rs.10,000 – Rs.15,000/-
OJT ( On The Job Trainee )Rs. 6,000 –   Rs.10,000/-

About the Author & Expert

Avatar

Rachit Agrawal

Author • MBA • 20 Years

Rachit believes in the power of education and has studied from the top institutes of IIIT Allahabad, IIM Calcutta, and Francois Rabelias in France. He has worked as Software Developer with Microsoft and Adobe. Post his MBA, he worked with the world's # 1 consulting firm, The Boston Consulting Group across multiple geographies US, South-East Asia and Europe.

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