Contrary to popular opinion, medical transcription is not dead. Yes, speech recognition and electronic medical records threatened the careers of medical transcriptionists, but the healthcare sector still needs transcripts to date. Medical transcription is not anywhere near its deathbed as it is expected to grow to a $96.5 billion industry by 2027. Several successful medical transcription companies are proof of this.
What Is Medical Transcription?
Medical transcription (MT) is the processing of audio reports dictated by doctors and other medical professionals into text format. Hospital MT teams typically process audio files containing dictations from healthcare personnel. Transcribed medical reports generally are created digitally and sent to the hospital’s electronic health record (EHR) or electronic medical record (EMR) system.
Today, the medical field transcribes with speech recognition software and medical transcription software (MTS). However, many instances still require human transcription. In fact, transcription services are required for many businesses. There are sites that allow transcribe free for the users to try their services.
Speech Recognition Software Versus Medical Transcription Services
Clinics have several options when it comes to converting medical and voice recordings to text files. They can either choose speech recognition software or use a third-party human-driven medical transcription service.
The main difference between speech recognition software and manual medical transcription services is the type of transcription. The former uses artificial intelligence to convert speech to text automatically and is almost instantaneous in its conversion. Although this technology makes it possible to transcribe speech to text instantly, the transcript is not complete at this point. It will still require correcting and reviewing by the medical professional. Depending on the length of the content, it can take a long time to examine properly. The process gets longer if the audio is unclear, leading to an inaccurate transcription.
On the other hand, medical transcription services hire human transcribers who manually transcribe speech to text. Because humans perform the data conversion, there are fewer errors and unintelligible parts. Additionally, human transcribers can add pauses, periods, and corrections based on context. Ultimately, the transcribed text will not require a double check by the medical officer. Clinics and healthcare providers can ultimately save time and money by using a medical transcription service rather than relying on speech recognition software.
Importance of Medical Transcription
Health records help create a patient’s medical history. This forms the basis for future doctor visits and serves as a reference for physicians. In addition, it allows them to assess the patient’s current physical condition, formulate an appropriate treatment plan, and take prompt follow-up measures. Here are a few benefits of transcription to the medical sector:
- Better mental health for physicians
Physician burnout is a real problem that negatively impacts healthcare professionals every day. It is the result of excessive stress and relates to a cycle of negative emotions, paralysis, and withdrawal. Cumbersome paperwork prevents doctors from devoting time and care to their patients. Hiring a medical transcription service gives practitioners time to pay close attention to their patients while reducing their workload.
- Resource savings
Doctors are always out of time. So when a team of medical transcriptionists does the paperwork, doctors get their precious moments back. Giving time to doctors and medical professionals creates a more robust and efficient work environment. Moreover, medical facilities can save on bills by hiring a medical transcription service. By spending less money on HR, training, and administrative tasks, hospitals can increase their budget for patient care.
- Accurate and consistent records
Using a medical transcription service also gives institutions a consistent EHR. If doctors are constantly creating and editing documents, some information may get lost in the process. However, transcriptionists produce clear and understandable documents regardless of which team member is reading them.
Restore Patient Comfort and Hire a Human Transcription Service
We already know that hospitals will not be able to run efficiently without having dictations transcribed. Medical transcription is big business with a lot of moving parts, and anything lower than 99% accuracy might bring detrimental consequences.
When it comes to medical jargon and medication and patient names, you want accuracy. Otherwise, you’ll face scrutiny from insurance companies, patients, and regulatory agencies. Therefore, it only makes sense that you’ll want to skip any tool that advertises artificial intelligence or machine learning technology to deliver transcripts. Professional transcribers are the answer. Check out this medical transcription website for budget-friendly solutions.
Barry Lachey is a Professional Editor at Zobuz. Previously He has also worked for Moxly Sports and Network Resources “Joe Joe.” He is a graduate of the Kings College at the University of Thames Valley London. You can reach Barry via email or by phone.
