The future of medical transcription
The future of medical transcription
The future of medical transcription Many training for the field of medical transcription are in fear of choosing a career that may no longer hold value in the healthcare industry. Due to the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, the United States health care system is making an industry-wide movement towards an electronic environment for health information management (Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, n.d.). This has been the driving force behind increased adoption of Electronic Health Records and Speech Recognition Technology; two tools that threaten to replace medical transcription. While this fundamental transformation is reshaping the industry’s future, it has also created an opportunity for the growth of the field of healthcare documentation. It will involve a makeover of the profession in general but this may be just what transcriptionists need. Despite the ever-evolving state of the healthcare industry, medical transcriptionists can ensure their future relevance in the new technological world by embracing a new role, adapting to new technology and learning new skills.
Embracing a new role is one way that medical transcriptionists can secure their future in the new world of technology. The use of speech recognition technology (SRT) in physicians’ offices and hospitals is becoming more and more prevalent. The use of backend SRT in a medical setting replaces the task of manual transcription. However, transcribed reports generated by this technology still need editing. This resulted in the creation of speech recognition medical transcription editors’ as a new job category within the healthcare documentation field. While vendors have pushed this technology with the promise to eliminate transcription costs, MT’s have used it to improve their productivity and efficiency (Hurly, 2006). In an effort to embrace new redefined roles, the
The future of medical transcription Many training for the field of medical transcription are in fear of choosing a career that may no longer hold value in the healthcare industry. Due to the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, the United States health care system is making an industry-wide movement towards an electronic environment for health information management (Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, n.d.). This has been the driving force behind increased adoption of Electronic Health Records and Speech Recognition Technology; two tools that threaten to replace medical transcription. While this fundamental transformation is reshaping the industry’s future, it has also created an opportunity for the growth of the field of healthcare documentation. It will involve a makeover of the profession in general but this may be just what transcriptionists need. Despite the ever-evolving state of the healthcare industry, medical transcriptionists can ensure their future relevance in the new technological world by embracing a new role, adapting to new technology and learning new skills.
Embracing a new role is one way that medical transcriptionists can secure their future in the new world of technology. The use of speech recognition technology (SRT) in physicians’ offices and hospitals is becoming more and more prevalent. The use of backend SRT in a medical setting replaces the task of manual transcription. However, transcribed reports generated by this technology still need editing. This resulted in the creation of speech recognition medical transcription editors’ as a new job category within the healthcare documentation field. While vendors have pushed this technology with the promise to eliminate transcription costs, MT’s have used it to improve their productivity and efficiency (Hurly, 2006). In an effort to embrace new redefined roles, the
References: Association for health documentation integrity. (2012). AHDI introduces healthcare documentation specialist title. Retrieved from http://ahdionline.org/AdvocacyPublicPolicy/PressRoom/PressReleases/tabid/178/Default.aspx David, G.C., Garcia, A.C., Rawls, A.W., Chand, D. (2009). Listening to what is said – transcribing what is heard: the impact of speech recognition technology (SRT) on the practice of medical transcription (MT). Sociology of health & illness, 31(6), 924-938. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9566.2009.01186.x Department of Health & Human Services. (2013). Doctors and hospitals’ use of health IT more than doubles since 2012 [Press release]. Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2013pres/05/20130522a.html Hurly, B.J. (2006) Speech Recognition Technology - The New Efficiency Tool for MTs?. Retrieved from http://ahdionline.org/ProfessionalPractices/IndustryNewsTrends/SpeechRecognitionTechnology/tabid/268/Default.aspx Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (n.d.). The benefits of electronic health records (EHRs). Retrieved from http://www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/benefits-electronic-health-records-ehrs