Medical transcription outsourcing: Helping improve quality of care

Healthcare and information technology are inextricably linked together, in the sense that information technology helps the process of healthcare become more efficient, safer and cost effective. It is important to acknowledge the role of information in the process of healthcare and the role information technology plays to make this information more user- friendly. As healthcare professionals are essentially time starved it is important that the process for creating patient records should be integrated seamlessly into their working lives.

After each patient – healthcare professional encounter it is important to document the encounter in detail. This provides healthcare professionals a valuable source of information facilitating the following:

• Patient medical history
• Findings from the physical examination
• Demographics regarding the patient which can provide valuable clues for diagnosis
• Information regarding allergies, drug interactions etc.

Moreover information from patient records is an essential input for the coding and billing process and an important component of risk management. Medical transcription is the process of creating patient medical records converting the dictation of the patient- healthcare professional encounter into text format. Healthcare facilities and healthcare professionals have various options available to them for the creation of patient medical records.

However while considering the various options available to healthcare professionals and healthcare facilities for medical transcription it is important to consider an option that will seamlessly integrate into the current working style of healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals have shown a preference for the traditional method of dictation to transcription as this helps them in the process of providing healthcare.

How does the traditional method of dictation to transcription aid in the process of providing quality healthcare?

The process of providing quality healthcare depends on:

• Accurate diagnosis, which depends on:

1.     Collecting detailed information regarding the patient's history

2.     Findings from the physical examination

• Succinct documenting leading to:

1.      Crafting thoughtful diagnosis

2.      Make a note of questions that have not been adequately answered

• Continuously refining and updating information regarding the patient and the progress made
• Managing problems and conflicting medication
• Ordering tests and tracking results

Medical transcription is the process by which healthcare professionals can conveniently capture all these details, while allowing for healthcare professionals to use the preferred method of dictating the details on the patient- healthcare professional encounter using the mode of dictation preferred by them. As medical transcription is a specialized service requiring inputs in the form of the right team, the right process and the right technology, outsourcing medical transcription has been found to be an efficient and effective method of creating patient records.

Moreover outsourcing medical transcription provides the healthcare facilities with the following benefits:

• Options for using familiar modes of dictation
• An efficient system for medical transcription enabling upload of audio files and delivery of transcripts through preferred modes or delivery
• A system for tracking dictation, work in progress and older transcripts
• Specialty medical transcription service based on the specialty of the healthcare professional
• Substantial savings on costs
• Customized turnaround time
• Adoption of EMR/ EHR using HL7 interface
• Editing and proof reading services for speech recognition software transcription
• Transmission of data through HIPAA and HITECH compliant channels

TransDyne, a leader in the outsourced medical transcription industry has used their extensive background in information technology to provide medical transcription solutions that provide healthcare facilities with maximum benefits while saving on time, money and efforts. 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 outsourced medical transcription services from TransDyne, click here.