Medical transcription outsourcing: Quality at low costs

There is a saying that goes something like this “You get what you pay for”. It implies that one can get quality products/services only if the price is high. But this is not the case with medical transcription; it is possible to get great quality at very low rates.  Sounds counterintuitive but it is true.

These are times when healthcare facilities are tightening their belts as much as possible, it makes business sense to keep the organizational structure lean and avail of outsourcing services for non-core activities.

Medical transcription plays an important role in the delivery of quality healthcare. To this end it is important to source a medical transcription service provider, which can deliver both quality and reasonable prices.

What is quality of medical transcription?

Quality/ accuracy in medical transcription refers to the accuracy of the final transcript viz. a viz. the audio file.

How to evaluate methods used for ensuring quality?

·       Careful selection of medical transcriptionists: Since medical transcription is a manpower-based process, the quality of medical transcriptionists has a direct impact on the accuracy of reports. It is important to focus on a company that selects its employees through a stringent screening process.

·       Training methods used: Training plays an important role in preparing the medical transcriptionists to produce transcripts of the highest accuracy.  A company, which focuses on training their medical transcriptionist in one or two specialties of medicine rather than generic training, would be preferable. This would ensure that the quality of transcripts produced would be high from the very beginning.

·       Quality control process: Check the method used by the service provider to provide accurate transcripts. An intense process involving checks at every level would ensure that errors are minimized.

·       In house medical transcription: To ensure that quality transcripts are delivered, it is vital to ensure that the service provider executes the work in-house not through vendors. This would ensure that the service provider has total control over the quality control process. 

 What is low cost?

Low cost of transcription means that the cost per line of transcription should be lower than the current cost. Cost per line should be defined clearly with no additional or hidden costs  

How can low cost be ensured?

·       Fair billing method: The billing method used by the service provider can have a direct impact on the cost per line. The definition of cost should be verifiable, definable, measurable, consistent, fair and honest.

·       Economies of scale: The service provider being specialist in medical transcription can pass on the benefits of economies of scale, which the healthcare facility may not have doing the medical transcription in-house.

·       Use of technology: The use of advanced technology by the service provider can cut down logistics cost making it possible for them to deliver excellent service at low costs.

TransDyne is a medical transcription company, which believes in ensuring quality by recruiting the best talent through rigorous screening, training them to be domain specialists, applying a four level quality check process and executing all the medical transcription work in-house.

TransDyne offers quality medical transcription at reasonable prices, executed by experienced and qualified medical transcriptionists with a very quick turnaround time executed through secure HIPAA and HITECH compliant channels, with very high levels of accuracy and all this with technology that is advanced but easy to use!  

To avail complete and reliable medical transcription services from TransDyne, click here.

Medical transcription: Pick a company that thinks like their customers

What gives TransDyne the edge over others in the field of medical transcription?

TransDyne is the new standard in medical transcription that provides excellent services by using their extensive background in software to develop systems which provide advanced technology with ease of use

Beyond that what sets TransDyne apart is the mindset of the company towards its’ customers. TransDyne has actually put itself into the shoes of their customers i.e. healthcare facilities to anticipate any questions, doubts or issues they may have with the outsourcing decision and addressed them all.

Typically the decision to outsource lies in the hands of the individual/team who looks after the administration of the healthcare facility. They would be responsible for the business end of the healthcare facility including medical transcription and record keeping among their many other responsibilities.

What questions/ doubts / issues would healthcare facility administrator/s have regarding medical transcription?

·       How important is medical transcription to the running of the healthcare facility?

Medical transcription is vital for the smooth running of a healthcare facility. The finished transcripts are used for:

1. Patient treatment
2. Permanent Patient records
3. Referrals to other doctors
4. Evidence in case of malpractice suits
5. Coding, billing and insurance claims
6. Satisfaction of regulatory norms

TransDyne offers Quality Transcription with accuracy of 99% or above by applying four level quality checks

·       How much is the cost per line of medical transcription currently?
Depending on whether an in-house employee or an independent contractor is doing the medical transcription work, it could cost anywhere between 18-35 cents.

TransDyne offers prices as low as 10 cents for a 65-character line that is subject to verification from both ends through a transparent billing method.

·       Is medical transcription a part of the healthcare facility’s core business?

Medical transcription is not part of the core business but does play an important role in providing quality healthcare and improving the bottom line of the healthcare facility.

TransDyne is a professional company whose core business is medical transcription

·       What are the opportunity costs of medical transcription activity in-house?

Apart from the direct costs involved in medical transcription in-house there are numerous opportunity costs lost like management resources, space allocated for medical transcription, information technology investment etc.

    

By outsourcing the medical transcription needs of a healthcare facility to TransDyne one can not only save on cost per line of transcription but also save on opportunity costs like management, human resource development, space management etc.

·       Are volume fluctuations in medical transcription due to holidays/staff shortage/weekends being met?

Normally it is difficult to anticipate the fluctuations in the volumes of transcription and staffing fluctuations and thereby it is very difficult to plan medical transcription volumes accordingly.

TransDyne can provide medical transcription according to the volume fluctuations and any holiday/weekend needs due to the availability of a

large pool of trained medical transcriptionists.  

·       What are the concerns with regard to outsourcing medical transcription?

The concerns for outsourcing are mainly the accuracy, turnaround time hidden costs and data security.

TransDyne offers medical transcription with an accuracy of above 99%, turnaround time of 24 hours, with a 4-12 hours turnaround time for stat reports, with a fair and simple billing method and data transmission through secure channels to ensure HIPAA compliancy.

·       Is further investment in technology required to make the transition to outsourcing?

No! There are no investments to be made in technology or software for outsourcing medical transcription to TransDyne

·       Is the transition difficult for doctors in terms of dictation methods and equipments?

The transition to outsourced medical transcription can be made simple by using the existing modes of dictation.

TransDyne believe that the doctors’ time is precious that is why we offer flexible modes of dictation. Doctors can dictate using their existing dictation devices, use digital reorders or even use mobile phones to record their dictation into our toll free number.

Will the medical transcription company be available at all times in case of doubts and clarifications?

TransDyne believes in being available to the customer 24/7 so that any doubts/clarifications are sorted out at the earliest.

·       What are the advantages of outsourcing medical transcription to TransDyne?

Pricing: TransDyne offer fair and verifiable pricing for the services rendered.

Zero investment: Medical transcription with TransDyne requires no investment.

No opportunity costs lost: TransDyne offers total solutions for the medical transcription process thereby no opportunity costs are lost.

Focus on core business: Once a professional company like TransDyne meets the medical transcription needs, it leaves the administrator of the healthcare facility free to focus on the core business of health care.

Turnaround time: TransDyne guarantees a turnaround time of 24 hours and 4-12 hours for STAT reports, hence the quality of care improves and the receivables cycle is reduced.

Fluctuation in volumes managed: TransDyne is geared to take on the fluctuating volumes of medical transcription needs by having huge pool of trained transcriptionists available at all times.

These are just a few advantages of outsourcing to a professional medical transcription company like TransDyne, to know more click here.

Types of medical transcription reports

What are the types of reports that need to be transcribed?

A patient-provider interaction typically happens when a patient visits a doctor or healthcare provider for:

• Regular health checks
• Specific health issue
• Emergency care
• Specialist referral
• Procedure
• Surgery/ Diagnostic test 

Once the patient-doctor encounter ends detailed records need to be created of the whole process. This is not only a statutory requirement, but also aids the doctor in the treatment process, checking on the progress of the patient, providing proof in case of litigation and also used further for billing and reimbursement. Medical transcription plays an important part in the process of record creation. 

The types of reports that are created by medical transcriptionists are as follows

Patient History and physical examination report: This contains a brief about the patient name, age, gender, occupation, family health history, habits like smoking etc. and the details of the physical examination.

Consultation report: This contains the details of the findings by the consultant to whom the patient has been referred to for further treatment or diagnosis depending on the symptoms

Operative report: This contains the details of the operation/surgery that a patient has undergone including details of the procedure, duration, the anesthesia given etc. This may also contains some postoperative details.

Radiology report: This contains details of the radiologists’ findings on the X-rays, MRI scan, Ct scan, nuclear medicine, fluoroscopic studies etc along with the reports.

Pathology report: This contains the findings of a pathologist of the tissue sample.

Laboratory report: This contains the laboratory findings on body fluids

Emergency report: This is a summary of the patient’s visit to the emergency room for emergency care.

SOAP note report: This contains

• Subjective: This section contains patient’s current condition like age, gender, and pertinent symptoms etc.
• Objective: This section contains vital signs, findings from physical exams. Lab test results, co morbidity etc.
• Assessment: This contains quick summary of symptoms and diagnosis etc.
• Plan: This contains treatment plans, document goals for the patient with reasonable time lines etc.  

Progress note report: This contains progress of the patient after treatment/ operation/ procedure etc.

Therapy report: This contains details of the therapy given to the patient

Discharge summary: This contains all the details, which are generated when the patient is discharged including the treatment given, the progress of the patient, any reports and findings etc.

In light of the vital information that comes out of each patient encounter with a healthcare facility, medical transcription is an important component in the healthcare delivery cycle.

One needs to focus on a medical transcription company not just for creation of physical records but based on the following criteria:

• Accurate transcription with accuracy of above 99%
• Speedy transcription with turnaround time of 24 hours
• Reasonably priced transcription services
• Secure channels for data transmission throughout the process of transcription  

TransDyne offers quality medical transcription at reasonable prices, done by expert Medical Transcriptionists with a very quick turnaround time and executed through secure HIPAA compliant channels, with very high levels of accuracy and all this with technology that is advanced but easy to use!

TransDyne's medical transcription service is proven and our team has vast experience in:

• Family Practice transcription
• Internal Medicine transcription
• Orthopedics transcription
• Cardiology transcription
• Neurology transcription
• Psychiatry transcription
• Radiology transcription
• Rehab Medicine transcription
• Pediatrics transcription
• Podiatry transcription
• Physical Therapy transcription
• Ophthalmology transcription
• Hematology & Oncology transcription
• ENT transcription
• Plastic Surgery transcription
• ER transcription
• Ob/Gyn transcription
• Nephrology transcription
• Urology transcription
• Gastroenterology transcription
• General Surgery transcription

To know more about TransDyne’s expert medical transcription services, click here.

A Guide to medical transcription outsourcing

What are the factors that should guide an outsourcing decision?

There are many factors that guide the outsourcing decision, profits being one of the main factors. That apart there are a few other factors that make the outsourcing decision making process easier and faster. Listed here are few of the important factors:

• Skill level of the medical transcriptionists: Quality of medical transcription is a function that totally depends on the skill set of the medical transcriptionists. While outsourcing it is important to assess the medical transcription company on the training methods used to train their workforce. Well-trained medical transcriptionists would mean that the accuracy of the transcripts would be very high. 

TransDyne recruits the best candidates through a detailed screening process to ensure that the best talent is recruited. They are then provided with extensive training in all the skills required.

The training process is taken further as TransDyne believes that it takes a specialist to take care of special transcription needs. That is why their Medical Transcriptionists are trained in one or two areas of medicine so that they become Domain specialists in that area of medicine. Specialty training assures that accuracy levels are high from the very beginning.

• Ensure that security measures taken by the medical transcription service provider are adequate: While outsourcing medical transcription it is imperative to choose a service provider, which understands the significance of maintaining confidentiality of patient data by taking appropriated security measures. 

TransDyne ensures Data security by incorporating security measures like 128-bit data encryption, multi-tiered application architecture, design level security, safeguards, firewall protected networks, sterilized e-mail servers, denial of access procedure and multi modal alerts.

TransDyne further ensures data security by ensuring that data doesn’t leave it’s premises physically. To ensure secure Medical Transcription all the transcription is done in TransDyne’s premises and the premises are secured through appropriate security measures. TransDyne meets all the HIPAA regulations.

 

·       Check on the methods and guidelines used for assuring accuracy level: Accuracy or quality of the documents transcribed is of utmost importance given the criticality of the data. Assessing the medical transcription service provider on the basis of methods used for producing accurate transcripts will show their commitment to quality.

TransDyne offers Quality Transcription with accuracy of 99% or above, while still maintaining turnaround time commitments. TransDyne ensures quality by adopting a four level quality check of Medical Transcriptionist, language proofreader, unit in charge and finally by the quality assurance team which tries to minimize errors before returning the finished reports.

• Check for success stories: Nothing gives more comfort to a healthcare facility than knowing that others have benefited by services offered by the medical transcription company that they have chosen for their outsourcing needs. 

TransDyne’s website has the testimonials of the success stories of some of the healthcare leaders on the website.

• Look at the contract closely: While outsourcing the medical transcription needs of a healthcare facility one of the main risks is that the medical transcription service provider may get the work executed by hiring sub-contractors. This will not only compromise the data confidentiality but also affect the quality and turnaround time of the finished transcripts. Provisions have to be added to the contract after careful study to ensure that this does not happen. 

TransDyne believes that they can service their clients in the best possible way by having the work executed by their own team of trained and trusted transcriptionists. TransDyne believes that sub-contractors would consider the work as just another job and not apply stringent quality measures to ensure accuracy. Therefore TransDyne takes great pride in executing all the Medical Transcription work through its’ in house team of specialist Medical Transcriptionists.

• Check whether current dictation modes can be used: Choosing a medical transcription company, who does not necessitate change in dictation modes would mean a huge saving of time for doctors and also save on further capital investment for new dictation devices. 

TransDyne believes that the doctors’ time is precious and that is why flexible modes of dictation are offered. Doctors can dictate using their existing dictation devices, use digital reorders or even use mobile phones to record their dictation into the toll free numbers provided for this purpose.

Whether it is accuracy of transcripts or maintaining turnaround time or security of data or fair pricing methods or the technology used, one can be assured that TransDyne satisfies their clients on all counts.

To know more about the advantages of outsourcing to TransDyne, click here

Medical transcription: Why is dictation an important part in medical record creation?

Why document the patient-doctor encounter?

The documentation of the patient-doctor encounter takes place for a number of reasons, some of which are given below:

1. Records provide the medical history of the patient enabling healthcare professionals to administer the best care possible.
2. It is legally mandatory to maintain patient records.
3. Patient records provide the basis for referrals
4. Patient records are the basis on which insurance claims are made
5. Patient records provide evidence in case of malpractice suits. 

Having looked at the importance of having to create medical records, now the focus is on the process of record creation. Medical transcription plays an important part in the speedy and accurate creation of medical records. The medical transcription process starts when the doctor dictates notes of the patient encounter into a recording device.

Many people have questioned the necessity of the doctors dictating notes rather than directly typing out the reports. Let us examine why dictation is necessary:

Time: Time is a scarce commodity for healthcare professionals and dictating free style could be squeezed in at any time of the day, and would not require any equipment other than their phone.  Dictating notes would also take less time than actually typing as it has been proven than people can talk faster than they can type.

Expertise: The skill set of a doctor may not necessarily include typing speedily and accurately.

Speed: A medical transcriptionist could have better typing speed than a doctor. Moreover the creation of patient records would be speedier by medical transcriptionists as this is their only work; therefore the focus is totally on this.

Ease of use: It is easier for the doctor to dictate into his recording device while doing other things than to sit and type out the report.

Expense: It is cheaper for a medical transcriptionist to transcribe the report rather than the doctor waste his expertise and productivity on this task.

It is therefore better for doctors to focus on their business; providing quality healthcare and for the medical transcription service provider to focus on their business; Expert medical transcription and medical record creation. 

How to improve dictation quality?

We have looked at the advantages of dictating vis-à-vis typing, now let us focus on how dictation can be improved to improve the accuracy of the transcribed reports: 

Given below are a few dictation tips towards accurate medical transcription:

• Allot time for dictation: This will help the doctors to complete documenting the patient encounter when their memory is still fresh and capture all the details.

• Allot space: Allotting a convenient space for dictation will ensure that factors like noise, distractions do not affect the quality of recording.

• Collect papers: Collecting all the documents/reports required will help the doctor finish dictating accurately in less time.

• Speak at a steady pace: Speaking a steady pace will ensure that words are not garbled and help the medical transcriptionist focus.

• Spell difficult terms: Spelling difficult terms will ensure that the data captured is accurate.

• Rewind and listen: Sometimes rewinding oneself and listening to the dictation will help clarity by highlighting the areas for improvement.

• Know the equipment: Knowing the equipment being used for dictation will help the doctor to modulate his dictation, mike distance, stop/start features etc.

• Relax while dictating: Treat the time spent dictating, as time for a break and this will help the doctor relax and capture all details.

• Pause during interruptions: In case of any interruptions, it is better to use the pause button so that extraneous data is not captured. 

Following these simple instructions will go a long way to help create accurate transcripts at an optimum turnaround time

TransDyne offers quality medical transcription at reasonable prices, done by expert medical transcriptionists with a very quick turnaround time executed through secure HIPAA & HITECH compliant channels, with very high levels of accuracy and all this with technology that is advanced but easy to use!

For more details about how to use TransDyne’s superior outsourced medical transcription services, click here.

Medical transcription outsourcing & Data security

Is outsourcing of patient records really unsafe?

There have been serious doubts about data security while outsourcing medical transcription. The case of Lubna Baloch from Pakistan who threatened to expose confidential data over the Internet for non-payment for services rendered has been used as an argument against outsourcing.

It is understandable that situations like this are worrisome and very traumatic for all parties concerned. But can this be cited as a case against outsourcing? To answer that question one needs to look at the case in question in great detail.

Let us examine the chain of events that led to the event in question: 

UCSF medical Center outsourced it medical transcription work to

¯

Sausalito’s Transcription Stat who outsourced it to

¯

15 contractors throughout the country

¯

One of the 15 contractors named Sonya Newburn further subcontracted the work to

¯

Tom Spires who subcontracted to

¯

Lubna Baloch

It can clearly be seen that the healthcare facility originally outsourcing its’ medical transcription needs had no idea as to who is actually doing their work. Even the medical transcription service provider who was under contract with them had no control over the end transcriber.

The lesson to be learnt from this situation is that while outsourcing the medical transcription needs of a healthcare facility, care should be taken to ensure to choose a medical transcription service provider that does not use sub contractors for executing the work. Due diligence on the working methods of the medical transcription service provider should be carried out; care should be taken at the time of drafting the contract to ensure that the “no sub contractor clause” is included. 

TransDyne is one company, which believes it is their privilege to be serving their customers’ needs in the best way possible. So any work outsourced to TransDyne, is executed by their own team of trained Medical Transcriptionists, than by the use of subcontractors or home transcriptionists.

Apart from ensuring that the data never leaves the premises physically, TransDyne ensures security during the medical transcription process by incorporating security measures like 128-bit data encryption, multi-tiered application architecture, design level security, safeguards, firewall protected networks, sterilized e-mail servers, denial of access procedure and multi modal alerts.

Further security is ensured by manned security at entry and exit points, surveillance cameras, disallowance of any removable storage devices and limited access of systems and information on a need to know basis. The people working on the transcription have also been educated on the importance of being HIPAA and HITECH compliant.  Undertakings have been taken from the personnel to further ensure confidentiality.

Choosing a professional and committed medical transcription service provider like TransDyne would ensure that the healthcare facility would enjoy not only the cost saving benefits of outsourcing and the knowledge that patient data confidentiality is maintained but also the other benefits of outsourcing like:

1.     Reducing capital investment with regards to medical transcription

2.     Managing fluctuating transcription report volumes and staffing issues for holidays and weekends.

3.     Reducing management expenses towards medical transcription

4.     Reduce human resources expenses connected to medical transcription

5.     Reduce direct labor cost

6.     Reduce It expenses

7.     Reduce real estate cost pertaining to medical transcription

8.     Improve information access

9.     Improve turnaround time

10. Shorten the receivables cycle

11. Concentrate on core business

12. Take advantage of a single source solution

TransDyne offers quality medical transcription at reasonable prices, executed by experienced and qualified medical transcriptionists with a very quick turnaround time executed through secure HIPAA and HITECH compliant channels, with very high levels of accuracy and all this with technology that is advanced but easy to use!            

To avail secure medical transcription services from TransDyne, click here.

Medical transcription: Smart Delivery system for EMR adoption

ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) or Economic Stimulus bill was introduced in February 2009, aimed at spurring economic growth across multiple industries through Government spending. Out of this $ 19 billion was aimed at the healthcare Industry by way of incentives for meaningful adoption and implementation of EHR (Electronic Health Record) also known as EMR (Electronic Medical Record).

What is EMR/EHR?

Given below are the definitions of EMR and EHR

EMR: Is the electronic record of health related information on an individual that is created, gathered, managed and consulted by licensed clinicians and staff from a single organization involved in the individual’s health and care.

EHR: is the aggregate electronic health related information on an individual that is created and gathered cumulatively across more than one health care organization and is managed and consulted by licensed clinicians and staff involved in the individual’s health and care

Implementation of EMR/EHR has several benefits apart from that of the financial stimulus offered. These benefits include customizable templates according to doctor requirements, consistent & accurate data, easy retrieval and data input by pointing and clicking.

Having said that one needs to look at the down side of Direct Data Entry by doctors into the EMR/EHR system:

·       Lack the convenience of free form of dictation that allowed the doctors flexibility of time while allowing them to avail the benefits of comprehensively capturing data.

·       More time spent on data entry rather than on patient care that could lead to loss of productivity of doctors causing them to treat lesser number of patients.

·       Lack of eye contact while entering data with patients could lead to dilution of the “Bedside Manner” which forms an integral part of the personal care that patients expect.

·       Only tech-savvy doctors can adapt to this method.

·       Patient information would be in identical formats without the inclusion of personalized data that is an important part of healthcare.

·       Affect the bottom line of the healthcare facility in a negative way due to loss of productivity.

Having seen the benefits and the downside of EMR/EHR adoption one can see that the adoption of EMR/EHR through direct data entry by doctors can have a learning curve and lead to a loss of productivity. This may seriously hinder the transition and delay the adoption process. To solve this one needs to look at the possibility of adopting EMR/EHR while still retaining the traditional medical transcription method for creating records.

This could help overcome issues like loss of productivity leading to erosion of bottom line, personal care for patients etc. One needs to look for a medical transcription company that has the capabilities to import patient information to the EMR system while at the same time able to maintain accuracy, turnaround time and offer reasonable rates.

TransDyne is a leading medical transcription company has a smart delivery system, which has features like User defined folder paths to enable easy imports to EMR systems. The Smart Delivery system is the suggested mode of document delivery where pre-defined file saving would help import documents to EMR systems.

Not only that TransDyne offers quality medical transcription at reasonable prices, done by expert Medical Transcriptionists with a very quick turnaround time executed through secure HIPAA compliant channels, with very high levels of accuracy and all this with technology that is advanced but easy to use!

To avail smart medical transcription services from TransDyne, click here.