What is medical transcription? |
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Medical Transcription is the process of converting into written
form the dictated reports, procedures and notes of physicians
and other healthcare professionals to document patient care
and facilitate healthcare services. These files represent the
patient's treatment history, including assessment, workup, therapeutic
procedures, clinical course, diagnosis, prognosis, etc. |
What does a medical transcriptionist do? |
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Medical Transcriptionists are specialists in medical
language and healthcare documentation who transcribe patients'
healthcare reports, including histories and physical examinations,
discharge summaries, operative reports, etc. Using transcription
equipment and a computer, they edit dictated material for grammar
and clarity. |
What are the qualities of a good medical
transcriptionist? |
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Medical Transcriptionists need to have an extensive knowledge
of medical terminology to be able to produce documents that
are accurate and complete. They need to have excellent English
writing skills including grammar, structure, style, and spelling.
They should have in-depth knowledge of medical transcription
practices, and skills in word processing, spelling, and proofreading.
They should possess good hearing acuity and listening ability,
with the patience of a saint. They should have strong research
and analytical skills, and working knowledge of the Internet
is a plus. |
Where do Medical Transcriptionists work? |
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Medical Transcriptionists work primarily in medical centers,
hospitals, doctors' offices, and clinics. They also work for
private transcription companies called Medical Transcription
Service Organizations (MTSOs). Other institutions include insurance
companies, healthcare companies, and even government facilities.
Medical Transcriptionists can also work as
independent contractors with their own doctor clients. They
can work as sub-contractors for MTSOs, opting for part-time
and flexible work schedules without affiliating themselves with
one company. Independents can work from their homes, transmitting
their work electronically. |
Why is Medical Transcription an attractive
career choice? |
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Medical Transcriptionists have unlimited growth in a multi-billion
dollar growth industry!
Medical Transcriptionists earn a good living (part time or
full time)!
Medical Transcriptionists can work in an office setting or
from the comforts of their home – ANYWHERE AROUND THE
WORLD!
Medical Transcriptionists may even expand their home business
to a full blown entrepreneurial venture!
THE GOOD NEWS IS ANYONE CAN BE AN MT! You just need the dedication
to be one. |
What is the future of the medical transcription
industry? How will speech recognition
technology affect it? |
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The
American Association for Medical Transcription provides the
following information:
"In
spite of the advances in this technology, it has been difficult
for the software to grasp and analyze the human voice and the
English language with all its diversity. There will continue
to be a need for skilled medical language specialists who expand
their education and have the knowledge to identify and appropriately
edit the inevitable errors created by speech recognition systems
and who have enough understanding of the health record to create
a final document. Medical transcriptionists continue to be the
best qualified to discern the nuances of human speech - indeed,
the ultimate speech processors."
In
short, the demand for MTs will continue into the foreseeable
future. There are things that humans can do which machines cannot.
Only human beings can exercise their judgment in separating
actual dictation from the mumbo-jumbo. Only human beings can
adjust to changes in accent (particularly for ESL doctors),
pronunciation, and syntax. As new medical procedures develop
and new terminologies are introduced, human beings can make
the adjustments much faster than machines can. |
How much money will I earn as a medical
transcriptionist? |
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The
American Association for Medical Transcription provides the
following information:
"Earnings vary considerably…A 1999 study conducted
by Hay Management Consultants revealed entry-level (level 1)
medical transcriptionist wages ranging from $10 to $16 per hour.
Level 2 MTs, who are more experienced and work at a more advanced
level, tend to earn $1 to $2 per hour more than that, and level
3 MTs, an additional $1 to $2."
Lets take a look at what Medical Transcriptionists make on the
average after 18 months on the job.
These
estimates only serve as an approximation of what an MT may make
if he or she works full time as an MT. It by no means implies
or states a guaranteed income. Income levels will change depending
on the MT's accuracy level and typing speed. |
How long does it take to become a medical
transcriptionist? |
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Anywhere from 3 months to a year, depending on where you're
starting from and how many hours you're willing to devote to
your education. If you have medical background or study full-time,
the process is shorter. If you devote 6 -8 hours a day, 5 days
a week you'll be able to finish the basic course in 4 - 5 months.
On the average, however, the basic course will take you 9 months
if you devote 3 - 4 hours a day to it. |
Do I need certification? |
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The American Association for Medical Transcription conducts
certification examinations to become a Certified Medical Transcriptionist
(CMT. You obtain this by completing an exam after 2 years of
MT experience. Certification is rarely required by employers
and it is not necessary to be a CMT to work as a medical transcriptionist. |
Do I need to be a good typist to be a medical
transcriptionist? |
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Yes you do. Vital to the success of a medical transcriptionist
is speed, as well as accuracy. These are minimum requirements!
However, it's important to know that medical transcription requires
a great deal more than fast typing. Quality is always number
one – 98.9% to be exact! |
Is typing included In your Medical Transcription
Course? |
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Although typing speed is not our main focus throughout the course
you will find that your typing skills gradually and steadily
improve throughout the course of the program. Practice makes
perfect! Constant keyboarding will increase your speed and accuracy
even if you don't go through a typing class. We do include,
however, lessons regarding the use of the keyboard and MT software. |
How do I find work after I've finished
the course? |
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The profiles of all our students automatically go into our database
at this website which our corporate partners can access when
they have requirements. We do not guarantee employment, as a
person's employability is variable based on their performance
and the employers preference. Needless to say, we actively market
all our graduates fee of charge through our online profiling
system. |
Can I start my own business after I finish
the course? Can I work out of my home? |
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Yes you can start your own business and yes you can work out
of your home! Advances in technology and the power of the Internet
have enabled individuals outside of the medical facility to
provide transcription services from virtually anywhere around
the world, including the comforts of their homes. The latest
technology simply allows a transcriptionist to receive dictations,
transcribe the dictations and send back to the doctor the transcribed
file through the internet. |
What equipment do I need? |
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To complete any of our courses, you will not require any special
hardware. However, if you intend to work from your home, you
will have to invest in equipment but the expense is minimal.
You may view our resources link to view the kind of software,
hardware and services you will need in order to expand your
medical transcription service. |
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