Learn About a Medical Transcriptionist Job and the Benefits it Offers
A medical transcriptionist job is an excellent career choice that offers a range of employment settings and work hours, pays a decent salary and has good security. Medical transcription is set to continue to grow due to the increase in an aging population who require greater numbers of tests and treatments, which need to be recorded in standardized documents. The greatest growth in medical transcription jobs is projected to be in medical industries other than hospitals, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
What does a medical transcriptionist do?
A medical transcriptionist job description mainly involves transcribing dictated audio recordings into typed electronic scripts which can be saved to databases or printed out to form part of a patient’s medical records, as well as identifying errors and discrepancies in reports and editing accordingly. The transcribed documents are then sent to the respective healthcare professionals who dictated the original reports, for them to review and sign.
Medical transcriptionist jobs are carried out in a variety of places. About a third of medical transcriptionists work in hospitals and a quarter work in doctors’ offices. Others are employed in different parts of the medical industry such as laboratories, clinics and outpatient care centers. Some will work in transcription service offices while many telecommute from their own homes.
For many, a medical transcriptionist job will be a standard forty hour week. While others, particularly those who are self-employed, will likely work more irregular hours including part-time work. A typical routine will involve sitting for long periods listening to recordings, usually on a headset when working in an office, and using a foot pedal to pause the recordings to allow for typing into a personal computer word processing document. The medical transcriptionist will then have to edit for clarity and grammar, as well as checking for any inconsistencies. This will also involve referring to standard medical reference materials and ensuring the document is in a style suitable for its particular genre. Documents transcribed by medical transcriptionists include medical histories, consultation reports, progress notes, physical examination reports, operative reports, autopsy reports, discharge summaries and referral letters.
Some medical transcriptionist jobs, especially those in doctors’ offices, will involve other duties such as greeting patients, scheduling appointments, answering the telephone and handling correspondence.
Training for a medical transcriptionist job
To carry out a medical transcriptionist job competently, it is highly advisable for an individual to complete accredited medical transcription training and achieve medical transcriptionist certification so they are equipped with the necessary medical terminology, knowledge of anatomy and physiology, and an understanding of diagnostic procedures and treatment assessments. It is also important to be proficient in English language and grammar and to have word processing computer skills, being able to produce a good rate of accurate words per minute. Obviously, a medical transcriptionist needs to be able to hear well and have good listening skills.
Do a medical transcriptionist job at home
Advancement in technology means that online medical transcriptionist jobs from home are a viable option. The Internet has facilitated the transmission of speech recognition software documents to medical transcriptionists and also the return of transcribed documents back to the healthcare professionals. Providing these electronic databases, which offer health providers instantaneous access to patients’ files is highly beneficial in giving patients quality care as medical histories can be found almost immediately, irrespective of the medical department or area the patient is in
Concerns about a medical transcriptionist job
Many have been concerned that while technology is certainly needed in a medical transcriptionist job, it will replace the need for medical transcriptionists. Healthcare professionals often use speech recognition software to dictate reports to a computer. This electronically translates sound into text and immediately creates an electronic document. However, this medical transcription equipment cannot translate diverse modes of speech with consistent accuracy and has been slow to grasp medical terminology. Therefore, medical transcriptionists are needed to edit for mistakes and present the reports in their correct format as well as checking for medical inconsistencies to ensure the patient’s welfare.
Another issue is medical transcription outsourcing to other countries such as India, Pakistan, the Philippines and Kenya where the medical transcriptionist salary is sixty to eighty percent less. However, this is primarily to supplement the demand for domestic medical transcriptionists. Furthermore, these people often find the pronunciation of medical terminology difficult and reports usually need edited for grammatical and medical inaccuracies by professional medical transcriptionists in the United States so that they meet a required standard.
The downside of a medical transcriptionist job is the requirement to sit in the same position over a prolonged period which can lead to back and neck problems. As with all computer jobs there is the risk of repetitive motion injuries and eye strain. It is also a pressurized job as you are aiming to achieve the greatest amount of work in the shortest space of time, as well as delivering one hundred percent accuracy. Therefore, it is essential to take regular short breaks and exercise.
Advantages of a medical transcription job
However, a medical transcriptionist job is very desirable in that you can readily be a medical transcriptionist from home and medical transcription employment is set to grow to meet the increasing demand for standardized, electronic medical records. Medical industries and medical transcription companies are always desirous of transcriptionists who have completed a medical transcriptionist course, are registered or certified and have experience. Many also offer medical and vacation benefits or educational advancement which will enhance the appeal of the medical transcriptionist job.
A medical transcriptionist job can also eventually lead to supervisory positions, teaching medical transcription, owning your own medical transcription business or becoming a medical records and health information administrator.
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