This article intends to present the reader with an overview of the Medical Transcription (MT) profession. This article is a primer or rather a “101” for those readers who may not realize the role healthcare providers and transcriptionists play in the medical transcription process. Think of this as a starting point. Future articles will delve deeper into relevant issues that affect your office or facility.
The business of Medical Transcription as we currently know it dates to the very beginning of the twentieth century. With the need for records and data becoming vital to healthcare and research, standardizations arose alongside new concepts like asynchronous tasking, which helped “mechanize” increases in production for the time from dictation to transcription, regardless of location. Other innovations in technology like data processing and the advancement of tools such as telephones, recorders, and personal computers provide a company with the ability to take advantage of these advances by having a large and diverse talent pool.
Medical transcription is the manual task by which voice reports dictated by physicians and other healthcare professionals are translated from vocal recordings into a text format by trained professionals who understand the healthcare industry’s terminology and language.
The documentation created by the transcriptionist and then uploaded is compliant with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services guidance under Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA). The ever-changing landscape of federal and local laws changes rapidly. As a result, our understanding of data security and personnel rights increases with time, and compliance with Electronic Health Record (EHR) initiatives is crucial to a patient’s well-being.
HOW EXACTLY DOES MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION WORK?
-
Healthcare professional dictates patient notes – Medical Transcription begins when the medical professional records patient-related information into a recording device. These devices can be handheld recorders or smartphones. To further assist that the documentation is of the highest quality, you should utilize the most current forms of technology to take advantage of ongoing innovation in voice recognition and text capabilities.
-
Healthcare provider uploads voice files – After recording, the audio files are then uploaded via a Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) to secure enterprise-level cloud servers. Upon passing our redundant encryption chain security feature, the medical transcriptionist securely downloads them to begin the transcription process.
-
Medical transcriptionist goes to work – With the appropriate source data securely in hand, our transcriptionists will listen carefully to the voice files while using special devices like a foot-pedal to navigate the audio file. A Mercedes transcriptionist will type what they carefully listen to, considering shorthand and specific terminologies, using specific tools, they can navigate throughout the uploaded audio file in a non-linear fashion. These newly created transcription text files are then securely re-uploaded to our servers for quality control.
-
Quality assurance – At Mercedes, our senior-level transcriptionist’s job is to provide quality assurance for all our products. If a voice file is unclear or incomplete, our team will contact the health provider to clarify. We pride ourselves on an accuracy rate of 99.9% for all TATs provided to our customers. Our team of dedicated transcriptionists ensures our clients can expect precision accuracy that all of our transcribed products are correctly structured, encoded, and 100% HIPPA compliant.
-
Upload transcribed files – The last step of the medical transcription process involves securely transmitting using standard methods such as those used in the earlier parts of the process. Time is usually of the essence to update the patients’ Electronic Medical records. In cases where transcription deadlines are within hours. Mercedes provides a 24-hour turnaround and STATS within several to a couple of hours when needed. As a concierge medical transcription company, the sales staff at Mercedes would like to discuss with you your turnaround needs.
STRETCHING YOUR RESOURCES TOO THIN
Chances are your “front office” is quite busy and that your staff lacks the proper training required for medical transcription. Ensuring that a patients’ Electronic Health Record (EHR) is accurate, has undergone quality control, and is compliant may be asking a bit much of any office staff in light of their existing daily duties. These issues compound when you consider the need to maintain Turn Around Time (TAT). We understand that your TATs are vital to your practice and are second only to accuracy by way of importance. Adhering to your deadlines affects all aspects of the patient’s care to follow. Your patient records must remain up to date.
Seeking a dedicated medical transcription service like Mercedes Transcription allows your facility’s productivity to continue as you provide cost-effective measures for your practice. Mercedes transcriptionists and our quality control team are experienced and highly trained professionals whose sole task is to ensure your records ARE accurate, that they DO arrive on time and that they ARE compliant.
Mercedes offers U.S.-based medical transcription with the most flexible solutions that deliver the highest quality transcriptions and quickest TATs for your office or facility. In addition, the customized concierge service that Mercedes provides focuses on providing all of your transcriptions needs to allow you to shift your daily focus to where your patients need it most.
We can scale a service package to work for your office or facility. Mercedes offers standard twenty-four-hour TATs and can accommodate STATs in several hours or less. With a 99.9% accuracy rate and high customer satisfaction, our commitment to service has been a cornerstone of Mercedes’ (Formerly Oracle Transcription) work ethic. It has served the medical community since the early nineteen-eighties.
THE HIGH COST OF ACCURACY
There is a negative side to the consolidation and globalization of the medical transcription industry. 2020 was a record-breaking year for Litigation payouts of $13,554,900 for settlements from the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) for civil rights violations. These violations affect the entire industry. One case getting the notoriety of the second largest settlement in the history of the OCR since its establishment in 1979. Offshore transcription language barriers and distance are two of the most significant factors not seeming to go away year after year and are a persistent reminder of the fidelity that is accustomed to transcription services based within the U.S. Although these offshore services appear to come at a low cost, the final price may be higher than you think.
Patient care awareness is at an all-time high, so there is a need for guaranteed accurate medical transcription. Your facility can take advantage of a service that will communicate with you with clarity and transparency. Mercedes Transcription and its resources will be there to assist you in your prosperity for years to come. Be secure in knowing that a company is delivering the results that you expect when you expect them.
VISION FOR THE FUTURE
Consolidation of companies and shifting demographics are leading indicators for our perception of the Medical Transcription industry today. It is essential to understand these elements that catalyze.
According to the 2020 U.S. Population Census, changes in population data reflect a trend in people and families moving away from the previously desirable northeast and central urban hubs to shift southward. These changes will most certainly affect medical funding for care, reversing a generations-long trend in distribution.
The need for accurate medical documentation to meet population density and distribution growth could not be any more critical. Advancements in technologies like AI, speech recognition, and device capabilities are the foundation of our chosen business. Our investments in a highly-skilled domestic workforce, infrastructure, AI, and cloud technologies fortify our promise to deliver to you the highest quality accurate transcriptions in the shortest time possible.
According to the bureau of labor statistics, as of 2019, there were approximately fifty-nine thousand employed medical transcriptionists. This number is up from forecasts going back to 2016 when projected growth declines slightly higher. To gauge the impact of data like this on the transcription business as a whole is incorrect. Global consolidation across the field favors labor pools from countries like India, Asia, and the Philippines. To offset this downward trend for the American labor market, Mercedes employs their staff and transcriptionists from within the United States only. We believe firmly in opportunity for our fellow citizens and their right to pursue their prosperity.
– – –
Mercedes Transcription provides the best expert medical transcription and dictation services available within the United States. Mercedes’ management, staff, and data are all based within the continental U.S. When choosing a medical transcription company, Mercedes Transcription provides custom-tailored concierge support and service for your office or facility that is unparalleled in today’s business climate. Call us today at (301) 882-3200 or Toll-Free (866) 600-3230. You can also reach our sales department via email, here We are open twenty-four hours a day, and a live person will always meet you to discuss your medical transcription needs.