Medical transcription outsourcing: The importance of turnaround time

Medical transcription has been a part of the healthcare process providing valuable support to healthcare professionals and support staff by creating quality patient records.   Apart from the accuracy of the data captured in a patient record one of the other most important factor that defines the quality of medical transcription is turnaround time. Turnaround time is the period of time between the completion of dictation to the delivery of transcripts to the healthcare professionals/ healthcare facilities.

 Turnaround time has an impact on the following:

• Clinical decision making and the quality of patient care
• Completing the documentation process as part of risk management
• Starting the reimbursement process

 The factors that affect turnaround time are:

1. The volume of work
2. Staff
3. Changes in transcription needs
4. Implementing new technology/ method of working
5. Varied turnaround time expectations

To meet the turnaround time requirements of healthcare professionals and healthcare facilities needs, a dedicated team, equipment and process are required. And more over it is not possible to predict the volume of transcription required at any given time as the transcription requirements depend on the patient inflow, which is impossible to predict.

Given that it is not possible to predict the medical transcription requirements at any given time and the fact that medical transcription is not part of the core business of the healthcare facility, the best option available to healthcare facilities is to outsource medical transcription. Outsourcing medical transcription ensures that the patient records are made available to healthcare facilities and healthcare professionals within the specified turnaround times.

How do outsourced medical transcription services ensure prompt turnaround time?

Medical transcription is the core business of the service provider and the medical transcription service provider ensures prompt turnaround time by addressing all the issues that affect turnaround time like:

• Well-trained staff: The medical transcription service provider would have a process in place by which they would recruit and train the best talent ensuring that there is adequate manpower to cope with varied volumes of transcription work while still maintaining accuracy.

• Technology: Technology used by the medical transcription service provider would have an impact on the turnaround time. Some of the software and tools that positively impact the turnaround time are:

1.     Portable dictation devices: This enables the healthcare professionals to narrate the patient- healthcare professional encounter on the move ensuring that audio files are available for transcription promptly

2.     Automatic upload of audio files: Medical transcription service providers would have options in the dictation system to check for dictation files at preset intervals for automatic and prompt upload of audio files to the server at the service provider's end for prompt transcription.

3.     Multiples modes of document delivery: The medical transcription service provider would use the right technology to ensure that transcripts are delivered speedily and securely to healthcare professionals in the modes specified by them.

4.     Easy access to audio and text files: Technology used by the service provider enables easy access to audio files for medical transcriptionists and support staff and text files to healthcare professionals and support staff.

• Process: Outsourced medical transcription service providers would have a process for medical transcription typically involving transcription, proof reading and editing that transcripts are accurate and prompt.

Prompt delivery of transcripts is vital as they impact both the operational as well as commercial aspects of healthcare facilities and outsourcing medical transcription provides the right solution for meeting the turnaround time requirements of healthcare professionals and healthcare facilities.

TransDyne, a leader in the outsourced medical transcription industry, has used their extensive background in information technology to develop software and tools for medical transcription that save on time, efforts and money.

TransDyne offers quality medical transcription at reasonable prices, executed by experienced and qualified medical transcriptionists with a very quick turnaround time executed through secure HIPAA and HITECH compliant channels, with very high levels of accuracy and all this with technology that is advanced but easy to use!               

To avail prompt and speedy medical transcription services from TransDyne, click here.