Medical Transcription Service Company

Medical transcription companies help reduce the documentation workload of healthcare providers. Professional medical transcriptionists are trained to handle the transcription of the various types of reports generated in a healthcare facility. They produce accurate transcripts of history and physical reports, clinic notes, ER reports, consultation reports, procedures, follow-up notes, and health reports. Their timely and efficient assistance helps physicians save time and money and there is little wonder that medical transcriptionists play a significant role in the current healthcare arena.

Medical Transcription – the Process

Physicians can record their dictation on digital recorders for upload on secure FTP sites or transfer via encrypted browsers. They can also use a toll-free telephone number for dictation. Medical transcriptionists have to download these files, listen to the dictated recordings and transcribe them into precise and well-formatted medical reports.

The transcribed reports are checked by the transcriptionist to ensure quality. A professional medical transcription company would have a stringent quality control process where the transcripts are checked at three levels before delivery to the client. A reliable service provider can offer accuracy levels as high as 99% in the final transcript.

Medical Transcriptionists in Professional Medical Transcription Outsourcing Companies

A professional medical transcription company would have a trained and qualified workforce. These skilled medical transcriptionists would have specific skills which allow them to offer quality output.

• Transcription involves multi-tasking as the transcriptionist has to listen to the physician’s dictation and type simultaneously. Hence the ability to multi-task is an important skill for a medical transcriptionist. Good listening skills are a must. They use a headset to listen to the dictation and foot pedals to pause the recordings whenever clarification is needed. Using word processing software and electronic medical dictionaries to edit grammar and medical terms, they produce accurate reports.

• To produce error-free transcripts, the medical transcriptionist must have an in-depth knowledge of medical terminology in various specialties including Cardiology, Physical Therapy, Gastroenterology, and more. They must also be familiar with laboratory and diagnostic tests, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, and more. This knowledge enables them to produce accurate transcripts from physician dictation.

• A medical transcriptionist should be well-versed in English language especially in grammar, punctuation and other usages. They must also be able to understand different accents.

• Medical transcription work is computerized, right from the downloading of dictated data, creation of reports, uploading of completed files to using the internet for looking up difficult terms, and more. So the medical transcriptionist has to be computer and internet savvy to succeed. Medical transcriptionists should have excellent typing skills to produce error-free reports within the specified turnaround time. 

Finally, it is of utmost importance that the medical transcriptionist is well-versed in the security guidelines pertaining to patient information. They should strictly adhere to these guidelines when handle all the work they are entrusted with. HIPAA compliant medical transcription services will ensure this.   

 

As the need for medical transcription is increasing, there are lots of companies in the U.S. engaged in the business of medical transcription. Ensuring the confidentiality and security of patient information is of utmost importance while outsourcing. The HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1996 to protect patient identities and their health information. However, it cannot be said that all medical transcription companies in US are HIPAA- compliant. So healthcare facilities and physician practices need to be wary of such companies and outsource their transcription to only a reliable and experienced HIPAA-compliant service provider. HIPAA medical transcription helps healthcare professionals to safeguard all patient health records and information in accordance with law and avoid the legal issues and litigation associated with disclosure.

Steps Taken to Ensure HIPAA Compliance

A professional medical transcription company would have several measures in place to protect the confidentiality of the patient health information (PHI) that it handles and ensure compliance with HIPAA norms. These measures include the following:  

• All staff in the transcription firm are trained and monitored on adherence to HIPAA rules to prevent possibility of violation

• Safe file transfer is ensured between client and service provider with measures such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP), browser-based secure 256 bit AES encryption and secure uploading and downloading

• Regular software updates and use of quality antivirus software

• Firewall-protected networks and password protected computers

• No home-based medical transcription

• Once the transcription is over, hard copies of documents containing sensitive patient information are shredded on site.

• Measures are taken to see that no information leaves the transcription department

• Continuing technical evaluation of safety measures and requirements

Benefits of HIPAA Compliant Medical Transcription Outsourcing

• Assures security in medical information outflow: Outsourcing to a HIPAA-compliant firm in the U.S. assures that healthcare entities do not have to worry about the insecure outflow of patient information to a third party. These transcription firms ensure that no data will be accessed or misused by an unauthorized person.

• Protects from safeguard issues: Strict compliance with HIPAA guidelines helps healthcare organizations and physicians protect their reputation and safeguard against issues such as loss of credibility and litigation.

• Minimizes chances of data manipulation: A reliable HIPAA-compliant rules reduces the odds of data manipulation and the misuse of crucial medical reports.

Find a HIPAA Complaint US Medical Transcription Company

It is important to contract with a reliable HIPAA medical transcription firm in US. Browse the web, list HIPAA-complaint medical transcription companies, and choose one that can provide accurate documentation in customized turnaround time. A professional firm can provide medical transcription services for the documentation of patient history and physical examination reports, consultation notes, procedure notes, progress notes, operative notes, laboratory and scan reports, and discharge summaries for all specialties

Nowadays, most medical entities and healthcare organizations depend on medical transcription services. Medical transcription has become a requisite for facilities that are struggling with patient care and back office work. Outsourcing the work helps them to focus better on patient care and other important tasks. The increase in demand for medical transcription services has led to a significant growth in the number of service providers. So when choosing a medical transcription company, it’s important to go by some tips.

Factors to consider in choosing a medical transcription company

If you are looking to outsource medical transcription tasks, consider the following points to choose the right company.

• Experience: One of the important factors to consider is the experience of the firm. A company with several years of experience and a satisfied clientele is the best choice.

• Quality of service: Even a single mistake in medical transcript can cost a life. So accuracy is a very important factor in medical documentation. Reliable firms have highly skilled medical transcriptionists who are well versed in medical terminology and different accents to provide accurate transcripts for various medical specialties. Stringent quality checks also help to ensure 99 percent accuracy in transcribed documents. They would also use advanced technology and software to ensure quality transcripts.

• Confidentiality of records: Another major thing to worry is whether the medical records are kept in highly confidential and secure manner. Medical documents and records are of sensitive nature and meant for viewing only by the patient and the doctor. Disclosing these records to a third party may lead to misuse of these records. So it is necessary to partner with a service provider that adheres to HIPAA guidelines. That is the best way to make sure your files are handled in a secure and confidential manner.

• Cost-effective: Another factor you have to be concerned about is pricing. Outsourcing must save you money. Reliable service providers offer services that can help you to save 30 to 40 percent on your costs.

• Minimum turnaround time: Timely and accurate documentation is necessary for efficient treatment and prompt reimbursement. A competent medical transcription company can provide services in minimum or custom turnaround time.

Some of the important benefits gained by partnering with a reliable service provider are:

• 99 percent accuracy
• Confidentiality of medical records
• Flexible dictation methods - digital dictation and toll-free numbers
• Document management flow system
• Secure web-based file transfer
• Customized EMR solutions

Having all these points in mind can help you choose the right medical transcription company.