Medical Transcription Trends

It would hard to just start working in any field without proper training or skill set. This is also true for medical transcription. Online medical transcription courses are the best way to get prepared for a career in this field.  Even those with a medical background can have a hard time without proper training because of the thorough knowledge of terminology that transcription requires. One must acquire and perfect the skill, through practice and training.  If you already know medical terminology well and have high grammar skills, you are almost there.  It is recommended that you get practice tapes to define the skill, and some find that after just a little while they are moving along just fine. 

Training courses online for medical transcription are efficient in cost and education. Once one has acquired the basic skills and is ready for entry level work, the best way to become successful is to work in a medical practice or facility for at least 6 to 12 months or more to acquire not only additional skills, but the confidence to work from home. Of course, by then it is a job you will be paid for. Training courses give real dictations for practice which will help immensely.

In addition to training, one should have an extensive library of reference books such as medical dictionaries, specialty books and word books.  The training never actually ends, but you continue to learn throughout your entire career.

Medical transcriptionists should be familiar with certain medical terms in order to produce high quality medical documents on time. If you enroll in an accredited medical transcription course that is highly recognized and respected by members of the profession, then you’ll learn medical terms as a matter of course.

Your medical transcription course textbook will introduce you to several medical specialties that you will likely work with in the course of your work. Those specialties include:

• Dermatology
• Otorhinolaryngology
• Ophthalmology
• Pulmonary medicine
• Cardiology
• Hematology
• Gastroenterology
• Endocrinology
• Urology
• Nephrology
• Obstetrics & Gynecology
• Orthopedics
• Neurology
• Psychiatry
• Pathology
• Radiology

You should be familiar with the basic medical terms of these specialties. You are likely, after all, to produce medical documents for them at one time or another in your career. By familiarizing yourself with medical terms before you need them, you ensure that your research time is cut short when producing medical documents and that will lead to greater job satisfaction and higher pay.

Medical transcriptionists are typically paid by the line unit. Your salary could be anywhere from 7 cents to 13 cents per line. Medical transcriptionists who command the highest rates are those who are faster, more accurate, and easier to work with. Knowing the medical terms for the specialties you are more likely to work with will increase your prospects for greater pay and satisfaction.

Physicians and most medical facilities require medical transcription services to produce typed documents and reports dictated by medical professionals regarding patients in their care. These records produced by the professional medical transcription service are used by doctors to review patient records or to submit to insurance companies to show services provided to patients and facilitate payment. Most insurance companies will not compensate the medical professional unless they submit a complete report to show the services they provided to the patient.

Today, most medical transcription services are run by people working from home. Basic duties for home-based MT’s include:

• Listen to dictated messages by physicians and medical workers and transcribe properly.
• Use a computer to prepare and type patient reports.
• Use a computer to prepare patient records for evaluation by doctors.
• Prepare specialized documents to submit to insurance companies for review.
• Prepare specialized documents to process insurance claims.

Basic office skills are essential. Here is a list of the minimum skills to enter into this field.

• Computer skills
• Word processing skills
• Know general medical terminology
• Familiar with specialized medical terminology
• Courses in medical transcription procedures
• Advanced training in vocational or community college
• Understand basic physiology and anatomy
• Know how to transcribe dictated patient reports

Medical Transcription Equipment Includes:

• Complete computer setup
• Word processing software
• Medical spelling software
• Medical dictionaries
• Medical transcriber unit

Startup cost is lower than many other home-based professions in this industry. Of course, this varies widely and depends on the equipment already owned. Plus the advertising methods used to attract clients.

Income potential varies according to the region and local competition. Income also varies according to the business owner’s experience. And one must factor in their billing method. Many medical transcription services charge per hour while others charge per line transcribed. This has a great impact on potential income. For example, a fast typist will certainly make more money per hour if they charge per transcribed line than one who types at a slower pace and also charges per transcribed line. Keep this in mind when seeking clients.

So, you want to be a Medical Transcriptionist (or as often referred to today, an MT). To be an MT, you will need more than just a training course (though of course that is very helpful). Below are ten of the most common skills required of a medical transcriptionist.

1. Excellent, grammar, spelling and punctuation! Too many people today graduate high school with barely the basic knowledge of spelling, have poor grammar and bad punctuation skills. But, as an MT, these are areas where you want to excel. A dictionary is a must; however, if you have to stop frequently to look up words then you won’t make much money since chances are you will only be getting paid for the amount you type.
2. You have to be able to sit still and concentrate for long periods of time. A medical transcriptionist must sit in front of a computer for long periods of time. Good focus is imperative, as making mistakes on a patient’s medical report could very well endanger the patient’s life.
3. Pay close attention to detail. It is not only the job of a medical transcriptionist to type reports, but you must also pay very close attention to what the doctor is saying. In the event the doctor makes a mistake in a medication dosage or says “right arm” instead of “left arm” or mistakenly says the patient does have cancer instead of saying she does not have cancer, you need to catch that and transcribe it correctly.
4. Understanding accents and speech. With today’s internet technology, chances are a medical transcriptionist will be typing for doctors in different regions and with different accents. The more familiar you are with a range of accents, the more employable you will be as a medical transcriptionist.
5. Good typing skills. Typos are not acceptable for a medical transcriptionist. You must be able to accurately type at a fast speed because a slow medical transcriptionist will be a hungry medical transcriptionist.
6. Understand new technology quickly. There are many different software options in the MT field, and it seems that each hospital uses a different one, so you must be familiar with a number of them.
7. Good memorization skills. A good memory is a must for a medical transcriptionist. You simply cannot stop every few minutes to look something up, yet it must be accurate; therefore, you must depend on your good memory.
8. Work unsupervised, keep up motivation. If you work from home, you absolutely cannot let distractions such as kids, pets, doorbell or phone get in your way. You must stay motivated.

Good quality transcriptions require good input from the Medical Transcriptionist as well as good outcomes through the management of various aspects.  It is essential to get the better quality in order to get the best results as per the client’s needs.

Once you get the record you are to work on, check the quality of all the files needed to be transcribed. If you identify a file that has been corrupted, you need to inform your clients to replace the file, if possible. If you are working online with the client, your voice transfer quality must be good and understandable. Be sure to check all your instruments properly. You also need to make separate data sheets for the records.

In medical transcription, the office environment should be kept temperate and quiet as a main priority. If your office environment is comfortable then your performance may increase in quality and speed. It is essential to keep up according to your clients’ and the HIPPA compliance guidelines.

Listen carefully to the voice on the recorder and try to get the best transcription possible. However, do not type the wrong word as this can get you into trouble. Understanding the pronunciation of the physician is very important, and often working with the same clients repeatedly will offer you experience in this area. If you are not able to identify certain medical terms, try using a medical dictionary or search medical words online. Call whomever did the dictation if you have to and, as a last resort, leave the item blank and flag the document. Don’t ever guess.

With some careful consideration, getting good quality transcripts is not all that difficult and can get you more money in the long run.

If you want to succeed in any job then you’ve got to have the right tools. Medical transcriptionists also use tools of the trade and if you want to succeed in the profession then you should have the following minimum tools.

• A computer – You will need to work on a computer with a word processor in order to complete your work on time. Modern technology is an aid to the medical transcriptionist.
• Word Processor – You’ll need access to a word processor that can spell check, at a minimum.
• E-mail Address – E-mail is the most efficient way to communicate today and you’ll need a way to communicate back and forth with your clients. E-mail, IM client and your telephone will suffice to meet this need.
• Telephone – While communicating by e-mail is efficient, communicating by telephone is more immediate.
• Voice Recognition Software – Medical transcriptionists today use voice recognition software to improve the medical documents they create.
• Dictionary – A dictionary is an essential tool for medical transcriptionists who want to spell correctly and use the right word.
• Thesaurus – A thesaurus is helpful too.
• Medical Transcription Textbook – The textbook for your medical transcription course is an essential tool as well to keep you on the right track with knowledge and familiarity of medical terms.

If you want to succeed as a medical transcriptionist then these tools are essential at a minimum.