| In recent years the medical field has been going | | | | transcriptionist must be even more meticulous in |
| to great lengths to provide ways for doctors to | | | | the writings and is encouraged to voice any |
| spend more quality time with their patients and | | | | concerns about the original dictation. Due to the |
| less time doing paperwork and updating files. To | | | | ever-present time crunch in medical offices and |
| hone in on this problem the medical transcription | | | | hospitals, these types of errors are not |
| profession was created. | | | | uncommon, making correct transcription that |
| Medical transcriptionists, MTs, originally served as | | | | much more vital. |
| secretaries to medical professionals who dictated | | | | Approximately seven out of ten MTs work in |
| detailed patient information. The MTs in turn spent | | | | medical offices or hospitals where they serve as |
| hours retyping the dictation on typewriters in | | | | administrative assistants in addition to their MT |
| order to document it in the patients' permanent | | | | duties. However, there are a large number of |
| files. Over the years, however, there has been an | | | | individuals who do their transcribing from home |
| abundance of modern technology created to | | | | offices due to the ease and comfort of an at |
| make the MT's job easier and more accurate. | | | | home job. Often times, health care providers will |
| Typewriters have been replaced with high-tech | | | | e-mail their recordings so the MTs are able to |
| analog recorders and phone diction systems that | | | | create files quickly. MTs are also taking advantage |
| allow medical professionals to dictate what they | | | | of advancements in speech recognition |
| want included in the records. | | | | technology, which translates a recorded voice into |
| According to the U.S. Department of Labor, | | | | written text. In these cases, the MTs sole |
| doctors can dictate patient histories, operation | | | | responsibility is to revise the documents for any |
| reports, autopsy reports, progress notes, referral | | | | grammatical mistakes and inconsistencies in |
| letters, and other documents for MTs to | | | | diagnosis or prescriptions. It is extremely beneficial |
| transcribe. After the dictation process is complete, | | | | for MTs to always have a well-stocked medical |
| the medical transcriptionists listen to the | | | | library on hand so that they are be able to double |
| information and write everything in a clear and | | | | check facts before submitting the final document. |
| grammatically correct fashion, making the files | | | | If the process is done correctly the benefits are |
| easier to read and understand. The MTs then | | | | endless for both medical professionals and their |
| send the document back to the professional who | | | | workplaces. The work that MTs do allows for |
| dictated it to review and revise the document | | | | medical offices to run with increased ease due to |
| before signing off for its completion. After this | | | | the accurate and accessible records created |
| process is complete, the final revised copy will | | | | according to each individual office's requirements. |
| become part of the patient's permanent record. | | | | Today, the medical transcription field is becoming |
| If the process is done correctly the files will be | | | | one of the fastest growing businesses in the U.S., |
| more easily accessible and accurate and will, in | | | | providing over 100,000 jobs. MTs are paid an |
| turn, help medical offices and hospitals run more | | | | average of $11 an hour with the highest pay rising |
| smoothly. It is important that doctors and medical | | | | to around $14 an hour. Individuals who work for |
| transcriptionists establish a strong working | | | | independent contractors generally earn more than |
| relationship and have constant communication for | | | | professionals in an established setting. The |
| the process to be successful. The doctors must | | | | American Association for Medical Transcription |
| be meticulous in their recordings, making sure to | | | | (AAMT) has been a popular meeting place for |
| speak clearly and include every piece of | | | | MTs since its creation in 1978 and is currently the |
| information needed for the patient's file. If there | | | | largest association for medical transcriptionists in |
| are any errors, not only will the physician's and | | | | the world. Professional MTs can join the AAMT |
| transcriptionist's jobs be in danger, but the patient | | | | for a fee and have access to jobs, seminars, or |
| may receive the wrong medication or diagnosis. | | | | opportunities to obtain additional credentials and |
| Unfortunately, there are many physicians who | | | | designations to ensure they have the most |
| simply choose not to review their dictations | | | | up-to-date education. In 1999, medical |
| before handing them over to a transcriptionist and | | | | transcriptionists were given a job classification by |
| will instead sign off on the recording via an | | | | the U.S. Department of Labor, solidifying their |
| electronic signature. When this occurs, the | | | | prevalence in the work field. |