What is Medical Transcription?
Medical Transcription is the keyboarding (into a typewriter or computer) of reports from dictation recorded by a doctor or health professional pertaining to medical information. History and physicals, admission notes, office visit notes, operations, hospital discharge reports and consultations are just a few of the (work) types of reports that are created by the medical transcriptionist. Dictation is performed in a number of ways, including audiocassette, phone-in recording to an analog system, or recording into a digital system that enables one to send a sound file just as one would send any other type of computer file.
Medical Transcriptionists work in hospitals, doctors offices and other medical facilities, and many work from home. They are hired by the physician or a transcription company, but many who work from home do so as independent contractors, setting their own rates of pay, hours and operating procedures, and hiring on additional help as their work load expands.
Is Medical Transcription for Me?
Maybe, maybe not. Medical transcription is not easy. It takes time to become a medical transcriptionist, but it also takes dedication to excellence and a thirst to learn new medical terminology as it emerges. As with any job, you are not finished until you are finished, and for those who work at home this can create conflicts with others who think you are staying home "for them". Did you pay attention in high school English? If your grammar skills aren't up to par you'd better sharpen them, because no doctor likes a report that states "His' illness effected there business"... a poorly written report reflects poorly on the physician who signs it, and the transcriptionist who typed it will not be employed for long.
Acquire the Skill
Almost no one is able to "jump" into medical transcription unless they are already deeply involved in the medical profession, and even those whose terminology skills are excellent are often surprised to find transcription very difficult. One must acquire the skill, either through practice or training. If you already know medical terminology and have good grammar skills, you are more than halfway there. Sometimes we recommend to these people obtaining practice tapes to measure their skill, and some are pleased to find that after a while they are moving along just fine. Others find that they did not know as much terminology as they thought, and for them we recommend taking a course either at a community college or via home study. Course listings are located on our education page. It is our belief that once one has acquired the basic skills and is ready for entry level, the best route is to work within a medical practice or facility for at least 6 to 12 months more to acquire not only additional skills, but the confidence to "take it home". There is of course the added plus of being paid.
In addition to training one should have an extensive library of reference books such as medical dictionaries and word books. The training never actually stops, but continues throughout one's career.
Acquire the Technology
Anyone considering opening up shop as a home based medical transcription service had better do their homework in terms of the services they will offer and the equipment required to do so. See Dictation Methods and Delivery Methods for more details. Tapes? They're OK, if you live near your clients and don't mind committing to pickup and delivery of tapes, regardless of personal difficulties that may arise. Your physician client will expect reliability, and you should expect to deliver. An analog phone-in system is the next step up in terms of dictation, however unless you are the one doing the transcription directly from the recording device, there are re-recording times to consider (if you or another transcriptionist is accessing the system from a remote location). Digital is by far the best way to go, as the files can be transported like most other computer files. Visit our front page sponsors to see the latest in transcription technology. Visit our medical transcription Technology Board for discussion of new technologies and how to make them work for you. These technologies emerge on an almost daily basis and one needs to put together a reliable system of dictation capture and delivery before soliciting work. When you approach a medical practice seeking a transcription contract, you will be expected to know your methods and should be able to recommend them to the practice.
Acquire the Client
For many, this is nothing more than taking your work home and working as an independent contractor. For others this requires advertising, marketing, and selling yourself. As mentioned above, having your technology ducks in a row is essential. But you also need to convey the message that you are a skilled professional, dedicated to delivering top quality service at all times. Visit our medical transcription Marketing Methods discussion board for tips and ideas for advertising and marketing your service, and Line Count Methods to help determine your billing practices. And of course, listing your service on MedicalTranscription.com is by far the most inexpensive way to put yourself in front of physicians who are actively seeking medical transcription. (Get Listed)
Finding the potential client is the first step. You must then convince your potential client that you are the professional they are seeking. By knowing your technology, knowing your client's needs, knowing your specialty, knowing your rates and more, you are able to provide a sales proposal encompassing all the elements necessary to instill confidence that you know what you are doing, and will provide consistently good service. Visit our medical transcription Professional Guidance page for sample contracts and formats. Subscribe to MT Newsletter for valuable information, such as "Creating an Effective Sales Proposal", delivered directly to you.
Keep the Client
Aren't we all inherently lazy? Ah, got the home business, got the client, now I can relax. No, you can't. Now you have to deliver what you promised, regardless of life's little interruptions such as dance recitals, sick kids, and family vacations. Yes, family vacations. The doctor will take vacations without prior notification and you will be poised and ready for work that doesn't come in. But you'd better have a backup plan when you want to take a vacation, or you will lose your client. Some home based transcriptionists use a laptop to access voice files phoned in to their digital system, some have backup transcriptionists or partners who take over. We have a medical transcription service job posting board for such occasions. Some home based transcriptionists don't go on vacation. Most other family issues must be worked around. Chaperoning your son's all day class trip doesn't mean you'll do your work the next day. It means you'll either do it in the early morning hours before the trip, or late at night afterwards, in order to deliver it on time. Your doctor client does not want to hear about your daughter's wart removal appointment as your reason for failing to deliver. You are a professional, and you need to act like one.
Expand the Business
Over time, experience will show you that working more efficiently can allow you to expand your business, acquiring more clients and hiring on additional help that also fills in for backup. Go to our Word & Grammar board for occasional help with terms and their use. Use the tools mentioned above and Get Listed on MedicalTranscription.com to reach medical groups and physicians that are actively seeking medical transcription services. We have leveled the playing field to allow the local independent medical transcription service gain market savvy and boost the level of professionalism, earning power and respectability of the medical transcription profession. Top
Job Description U.S. Dept. of Labor Info on MT
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