EARNING FROM HOME IS NO MORE A DREAM !!!!

 

 CAREER IN MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION

What is Medical Transcription?

ØMedical Transcription or MT is the process of transcribing or converting recorded dictations into a written text. The dictation is by a physician or healthcare professional located in a foreign country and is regarding a patient’s Medical records. With spiraling cost of health care in countries like the US and other parts of Europe, there is an increasing trend to outsource Medical Transcription to cheaper destinations like India. This has resulted in a huge job opportunity and involves not only working from an office but from home as well. In Western countries the entire healthcare industry is based on insurance and detailed Medical records are needed for processing insurance claims. Hospitals and labs in Europe, US and West Asia find it cheaper to outsource laboratory tests and other Medical processes to India. Outsourcing, is believed to result in a cost saving of anywhere from 30% to 70%. According to NASSCOM, the MT industry will be worth Rs 40 billion by 2010 and could employ millions of young people. It estimates the size of the US MT industry, will be $ 16.8 billion by 2010. The work off shored is expected to be in the region of $ 860 million by 2010, of which India is expected to capture a whopping $ 647 million. The industry, which currently depends mostly on the health care institutions of western countries for business, could expect to secure greater business from hospitals in India, in the coming years. This is because the health insurance business that drives the growth of the MT industry is set to gain greater acceptance in India. Medical Transcription follows prescribed and established document formats and is highly dependent upon trained professional Medical Transcriptionists. India has the potential to become one of the largest Medical Transcription (MT) centers in the world due to the large number of people with health care knowledge in the country and industry maturity. Skills of a Medical Transcriptionist India provides an ideal location for conducting Medical Transcription with the large population of educated English speaking people and the comparative low cost which encourages companies abroad to outsource their work to the Indian Medical Transcription field. An ideal qualification for a Medical Transcriptionist is a graduation, with English comprehension skill. If the person has a course in Medical Transcription it is an added advantage. Further, the candidate should be a good listener, able to adjust quickly to the different accents and diction, with specialized knowledge of Medical terminologies, Medical procedures and ability to spell Medical words correctly. The person should also be able to detect Medical inconsistencies in dictation and fix poor grammar and syntax. A Medical Transcriptionist must also have a reasonable amount of patience, as the work may get monotonous and repetitive. Medical Transcriptionists benefit greatly from on-the- job experience, and especially by handing records from a wide variety of Medical specialties. A Medical Transcriptionist should have basic knowledge of computers and good typing speed would be added advantage. Medical Transcription – A Great Career Option The benefits of Medical Transcription as a career include the ability and freedom to work from home, especially for ladies who may not be able to come to office and work, especially pregnant women who may not be able to come to office and work during their maternity leave, etc. There is a good number of people currently enjoying the benefit of working from home and still earning around 25-30k average and as high as 50k to 60 k as well. The recent liberalization of Internet in terms of cost and bandwidth and other related technologies like 3G has accelerated the potential from working from home in an hassle-free environment. In light of the recent liberalization of Internet, it gives the ability to work even from remote parts of the country. A PC with decent configuration, a stereophonic headset, foot pedal (a device that controls the voice player), and other Softwares necessary for reference of Medical terms/drugs are more than that would suffice to independently work as a Medical Transcriptionist. Services being outsourced to India. The country is already witnessing a surge in outsourcing of processes like Medical Transcription Claims processing Medical billing and coding Data management for clinical trials Radiology services Salaries Medical Transcriptionists can expect a trained Medical Transcriptionist could earn up to Rs 15,000-Rs 20,000 a month and with experience it could only go higher. Some Training Institutes in Medical Transcription There are a number of companies who provide Medical Transcription training in India to meet the current demand of experienced MT professionals.

ØMedical Transcription is one of the fastest growing fields in health care. Medical Transcriptionists are in demand in Western countries especially in the US where the entire healthcare industry is based on insurance and detailed Medical records are needed for processing insurance claims. Medical Transcription could be one of the speedy growing IT enabled service in India also, with the rapid change in the outlook in Indian healthcare and privatization of the insurance sector. India provides an ideal location for conducting Medical Transcription with the large population of educated English speaking people and the comparative low cost which encourages companies abroad to outsource their work to the Indian Medical Transcription field. Medical Transcription is an interesting and challenging career. It is the process whereby one accurately and swiftly transcribes Medical records dictated by doctors and others, including history and physical reports, clinic notes, office notes, operative reports, consultation notes, discharge summaries, letters, psychiatric evaluations, laboratory reports, x-ray reports and pathology reports. M.T. or Medical Transcriptionist is a person who assists physicians and specialty surgeons usually by transcribing, formatting, and proof reading their dictated Medically oriented report of a patient’s health history. This dictation covers pretty much everything that takes place between the health care provider and the patient. Usually, the information dictated by doctors is recorded either into tape or onto digital voice processing systems. The process of Medical Transcription is transferring this information using word processing. Transcription services range from small, one-person home-based businesses to sophisticated, high-tech corporations which employ transcriptionists. Some Medical Transcription services now employ both on-site and home-based Medical Transcriptionists. Medical Transcription services serve client hospitals throughout the nation and abroad. In India there was a boom in this industry couple of years back with a lot of companies and training institutes entering this field. Most companies except a few could not survive due to lack of proper training and understanding of this comparatively new concept in India. By improving the work standards and quality of service, India has a wide scope for capturing the huge clientele in the US and provides employment opportunities to the huge mass of English speaking and computer literate people in the country. The success of the surviving companies proves that Medical Transcription can hold a vital link in altering the Indian job scenario.

ØMedical Transcription is an exciting and stimulating career that you can master from your own home. Most major Medical Transcription companies now do their work through the Internet with digital communication. You can get in on this stimulating new development of technology where you can work from home or take your laptop with you and work from anywhere in the world.

ØA career in Medical Transcription offers great opportunities for a fun job with good pay. And remember that the pay increases with experience. It is one of the few careers that afford you the opportunity to work in many different settings: a doctor’s office, a hospital, or even your own home. Many Medical Transcriptionists are free to work a very flexible schedule right out of their own home, allowing them more time with their families.

Who can do Medical Transcription?

ØIt does not require specialized IT skills but it requires primary skills like good listening and language skills and knowledge of Medical terms. Fluency in English, especially understanding of American way of speech and accent is a must to be in this field. However, an ideal qualification for a Medical Transcriptionist is Graduation with English comprehension skill and undergoing a training course in MT is an added advantage. Further, the candidate should be able to quickly develop new skills and adjust with the different accents and diction. Throughout the career as a Medical Transcriptionist one would need to keep up with changes in Medical terminologies, Medical procedures etc. and have the ability to detect Medical inconsistencies in dictation and fix poor grammar and syntax. One must also have patience, as the work may get monotonous and repetitive. Regular comprehensive quality training is necessary to be successful in this field.

What is the training cost?

ØThere are companies that give you free training but require that you work for them for a couple of years to recover the training costs. In such cases, a contract of some sort would be involved. Others may charge a flat fee at the beginning of the training program, which may range anywhere from 10,000 to 30,000 Rs. This can be looked as an initial investment to get started in the field. Most successful candidates are able to recover this initial cost within 3-6 months of working. Do remember though that there are many scamsters out there, who look at training as an easy way to make money. Do check on the background of a training institute before enrolling. I would suggest that you seek out companies who already employ Medical Transcriptionists and get trained from them. That way, you can be sure that you'd have a job once the training is completed.

What is the duration of the course?

ØThe training period may range anywhere from 4 to 6 months. It is basically decided by the company involved in the training. It may be shorter than the range mentioned too. On an average, it is usually 5 months. This is compulsory since this is a specialized field and there are a lot of things that must be taught. Medical language for one, body systems and words encountered in all those body systems, drug names, lab terms, grammar and punctuation skills, etc. For those who've not done a typing program, there'd also be a typing program; this of course is an essential skill for Medical Transcriptionists. If you already have done a typing program, you have a headstart on others. Remember, in this profession, productivity is measured in terms of your typing speed. Accuracy of what is typed is the other critical criteria in assessing an MT's capability.

What is taught in this course?

ØGrammar Course: The initial instruction focuses on basic English grammar. This will include instruction on grammar; proper usage of a dictionary; discussion on the basic parts of a sentence and sentence structure; correct usage of punctuation; and guidance for proper spelling. The course will help provide you with the ability to write and speak effectively, which is a necessity in the Medical Transcription field.

üGrammar Fundamentals

üAdvanced Dictionary Usage

üSentence Structure

üCorrect Punctuation

üSpelling Guidance

ØMedical Terminology Course: This area of study will provide you with the basics of Medical terminology. This section provides you with a breakdown of basic Medical word parts and discusses prefixes, suffixes, and root words. You will learn to combine these word parts into meaningful Medical terminology. You will be instructed on the meaning of word parts and their pronunciation. The terminology is taught by body systems. This is an in-depth approach to teaching you the easiest and most accurate way to understand:

üMedical terminology

üMedical Prefixes

üMedical Suffixes

üMedical Derivatives and Root Words

üMedical Terms by Body Systems

ØThe Basics of Medical Transcription Course: This is the part that you have been waiting for. This is where you will get into the substance of Medical Transcription. This section will cover the different Medical reports used by a Medical Transcriptionist; it will offer transcription tips; teach the basics of proofreading; discuss simplified editing techniques; study basic transcription knowledge needed for different Medical specialties; and give you some of the basic transcription bloopers which you will most likely encounter in your transcription career.

üMedical Fundamentals

üPerspectives on Medical Transcription

üStyle Guides

üDermatology Transcription

üUrology Transcription

üGastroenterology Transcription

üCardiology Transcription

üPulmonary Medicine Transcription

üEndocrinology Transcription

üOrthopedics Transcription

üObstetrics and Gynecology Transcription

üOtorhinolaryngology Transcription

üOphthalmology Transcription

üNeurology Transcription

üPsychiatric Transcription

üPathology Transcription

üRadiology Transcription

ØMicrosoft Word Course: In this course of study you will be given a visual approach to learning and understanding the use of Microsoft Word. This will help you feel complete comfort with the use of the program. You will learn an in-depth approach to the different, amazing things you can do with:

üMicrosoft Word.

üModern Word Processing

üFile System

üCreating Documents

üDocument Templates

üAdvanced Features

How to Become a Medical Transcriptionist?

ØMedical Transcriptionists listen to dictated recordings from doctors and Medical professionals and transcribe them into written reports, correspondence, and other materials. They use a headset to listen to the recordings, a computer or word processor to transcribe the recordings, and a foot pedal to pause the recordings as needed. As they listen to the recordings, Medical Transcriptionists are responsible for editing grammatical errors. Medical Transcriptionists who work in doctor’s offices and clinics may also have administrative duties, like scheduling appointments, checking in patients, and answering phone calls.

Medical Transcriptionist Education Degree Requirements:

ØMedical Transcriptionists are not required to have postsecondary education, but most employers prefer to hire those who do. Vocational schools, community colleges, and online schools offer Medical Transcription training. Although Medical Transcriptionist education degree requirements vary from one employer to the next, many aspiring Medical Transcriptionists would likely benefit from completing a one-year certificate program or associate’s degree program in Medical Transcription.

ØMedical Transcriptionists must be familiar with Medical terminology in order to comprehend and accurately transcribe recordings. Students in Medical Transcription programs may be required to take classes in anatomy and physiology, Medical terminology, legal issues related to healthcare documentation, and English. Students also gain on-the-job experience under the guidance of experienced Medical Transcriptionists. It is important for Medical Transcriptionists to have good listening skills, strong grammar and writing skills, normal hearing ability, and advanced typing speed and computer proficiency.

ØVoluntary credentials for Medical Transcriptionists include the Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT) and Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) designations. The RMT credential is open to those who have graduated from Medical Transcriptionist programs and have less than two years of experience in acute care. The CMT credential is appropriate for those who have at least two years of experience in acute care using different format, dictation, and report types in various specialties. To earn either credential, a candidate must obtain a passing score on a written exam.

ØAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of Medical Transcriptionists is projected to grow slower than averages from 2010 to 2020, at a rate of 6%. The demand for Medical Transcriptionists will increase as the population continues to age, but technological advances have made transcriptionists more proficient, which will limit the overall growth in the field. Transcription work is increasingly being outsourced abroad, but there will continue to be a demand for well-trained domestic Medical Transcriptionists, because reports transcribed overseas usually require significant editing before they meet quality standards in the United States.

ØMedical Transcription is becoming a popular career choice because of the flexibility it offers. Although many Medical Transcriptionists work in doctor’s offices, some are able to work from home. Medical Transcriptionists earned median hourly wages of $16.10 in 2011. They typically work a standard 40-hour work week. Self-employed Medical Transcriptionists may work irregular hours, such as evenings or weekends. Career prospects are expected to be best for those who hold certification.

ØIf you would like to become a vital member of a healthcare team and are interested in healthcare documentation, consider becoming a Medical Transcriptionist. Medical Transcription is an ideal career path for “word nerds” who are interested in the healthcare field and want to have the freedom to work remotely.

What is the job Prospects and career Options?

ØIn India, lot of companies in the metros and major cities have ventured into the field. Since the job requires experience, these companies are expected to recruit a lot of people as trainees and then develop their skills so that they become experts in this field. There are lots of options available in the field abroad. One may choose to work from home for yourself. Another option would be to work outside your home in a hospital or for a Medical Transcription service. Other options include working in a doctor’s office, insurance company, attorney’s office, or a company marketing Medical products or a Medical book publishing company.

What is the history of Medical Transcription?

ØEvolution of transcription dates back to the 1960s. The method was designed to assist in the manufacturing process. The first transcription that was developed in this process was MRP, which is the acronym for Manufacturing Resource Planning, in 1975. This was followed by another advanced version namely MRP2. But none of them yielded the benefit of Medical Transcription.

ØHowever, transcription equipment has changed from manual typewriters to electric typewriters to word processors to computers and from plastic disks and magnetic belts to cassettes and endless loops and digital recordings. Today, speech recognition (SR), also known as continuous speech recognition (CSR), is increasingly being used, with Medical Transcriptionists and or "editors" providing supplemental editorial services, although there are occasional instances where SR fully replaces the MT. Natural-language processing takes "automatic" transcription a step further, providing an interpretive function that speech recognition alone does not provide (although MTs do).

ØIn the past, these Medical reports consisted of very abbreviated handwritten notes that were added in the patient's file for interpretation by the primary physician responsible for the treatment. Ultimately, this mess of handwritten notes and typed reports were consolidated into a single patient file and physically stored along with thousands of other patient records in a wall of filing cabinets in the Medical records department. Whenever the need arose to review the records of a specific patient, the patient's file would be retrieved from the filing cabinet and delivered to the requesting physician. To enhance this manual process, many Medical record documents were produced in duplicate or triplicate by means of carbon copy.

ØIn recent years, Medical records have changed considerably. Although many physicians and hospitals still maintain paper records, there is a drive for electronic records. Filing cabinets are giving way to desktop computers connected to powerful servers, where patient records are processed and archived digitally. This digital format allows for immediate remote access by any physician who is authorized to review the patient information. Reports are stored electronically and printed selectively as the need arises. Many MTs now utilize personal computers with electronic references and use the Internet not only for web resources but also as a working platform. Technology has gotten so sophisticated that MT services and MT departments work closely with programmers and information systems (IS) staff to stream in voice and accomplish seamless data transfers through network interfaces. In fact, many healthcare providers today are enjoying the benefits of handheld PCs or personal data assistants (PDAs) and are now utilizing software on them for dictation.

Overview:

ØPertinent up-to-date, confidential patient information is converted to a written text document by a Medical Transcriptionist (MT). This text may be printed and placed in the patient's record and/or retained only in its electronic format. Medical Transcription can be performed by MTs who are employees in a hospital or who work at home as telecommuting employees for the hospital; by MTs working as telecommuting employees or independent contractors for an outsourced service that performs the work offsite under contract to a hospital, clinic, physician group or other healthcare provider; or by MTs working directly for the providers of service (doctors or their group practices) either onsite or telecommuting as employees or contractors. Hospital facilities often prefer electronic storage of Medical records due to the sheer volume of hospital patients and the accompanying paperwork. The electronic storage in their database gives immediate access to subsequent departments or providers regarding the patient's care to date, notation of previous or present medications, notification of allergies, and establishes a history on the patient to facilitate healthcare delivery regardless of geographical distance or location.

ØThe term transcript or "report" as it is more commonly called is used as the name of the document (electronic or physical hard copy) which results from the Medical Transcription process, normally in reference to the healthcare professional's specific encounter with a patient on a specific date of service. This report is referred to by many as a "Medical record". Each specific transcribed record or report, with its own specific date of service, is then merged and becomes part of the larger patient record commonly known as the patient's Medical history. This record is often called the patient's chart in a hospital setting.

ØMedical Transcription encompasses the MT, performing document typing and formatting functions according to an established criteria or format, transcribing the spoken word of the patient's care information into a written, easily readable form. MT requires correct spelling of all terms and words, (occasionally) correcting Medical terminology or dictation errors. MTs also edit the transcribed documents, print or return the completed documents in a timely fashion. All transcription reports must comply with medico-legal concerns, policies and procedures, and laws under patient confidentiality

ØIn transcribing directly for a doctor or a group of physicians, there are specific formats and report types used, dependent on that doctor's specialty of practice, although history and physical exams or consults are mainly utilized. In most of the off-hospital sites, independent Medical practices perform consultations as a second opinion, pre-surgical exams, and as IMEs (Independent Medical Examinations) for liability insurance or disability claims. Some private practice family doctors choose not to utilize a Medical Transcriptionist, preferring to keep their patient's records in a handwritten format, although this is not true of all family practitioners.

ØCurrently, a growing number of Medical providers send their dictation by digital voice files, utilizing a method of transcription called speech or voice recognition. Speech recognition is still a nascent technology that loses much in translation. For dictators to utilize the software, they must first train the program to recognize their spoken words. Dictation is read into the database and the program continuously "learns" the spoken words and phrases.

ØPoor speech habits and other problems such as heavy foreign accents and mumbling complicate the process for both the MT and the recognition software. An MT can "flag" such a report as unintelligible, but the recognition software will transcribe the unintelligible word(s) from the existing database of "learned" language. The result is often a "word salad" or missing text. Thresholds can be set to reject a bad report and return it for standard dictation, but these settings are arbitrary. Below a set percentage rate, the word salad passes for actual dictation. The MT simultaneously listens, reads and "edits" the correct version. Every word must be confirmed in this process. The downside of the technology is when the time spent in this process cancels out the benefits. The quality of recognition can range from excellent to poor, with whole words and sentences missing from the report. Not infrequently, negative contractions and the word "not" is dropped all together. These flaws trigger concerns that the present technology could have adverse effects on patient care. Control over quality can also be reduced when providers choose a server-based program from a vendor Application Service Provider (ASP).

ØDownward adjustments in MT pay rates for voice recognition are controversial. Understandably, a client will seek optimum savings to offset any net costs. Yet vendors that overstate the gains in productivity do harm to MTs paid by the line. Despite the new editing skills required of MTs, significant reductions in compensation for voice recognition have been reported. Reputable industry sources put the field average for increased productivity in the range of 30%-50%; yet this is still dependent on several other factors involved in the methodology. Metrics supplied by vendors that can be "used" in compensation decisions should be scientifically supported.

ØOperationally, speech recognition technology (SRT) is an interdependent, collaborative effort. It is a mistake to treat it as compatible with the same organizational paradigm as standard dictation, a largely "stand-alone" system. The new software supplants an MT's former ability to realize immediate time-savings from programming tools such as macros and other word/format expanders. Requests for client/vendor format corrections delay those savings. If remote MTs cancel each other out with disparate style choices, they and the recognition engine may be trapped in a seesaw battle over control. Voice recognition managers should take care to ensure that the impositions on MT autonomy are not so onerous as to outweigh its benefits.

ØMedical Transcription is still the primary mechanism for a physician to clearly communicate with other healthcare providers who access the patient record, to advise them on the state of the patient's health and past/current treatment, and to assure continuity of care. More recently, following Federal and State Disability Act changes, a written report (IME) became a requirement for documentation of a Medical bill or an application for Workers' Compensation (or continuation thereof) insurance benefits based on requirements of Federal and State agencies.

ØA typical Medical Transcriptionist or a Medical language specialist

ØAn individual who performs Medical Transcription is known as a Medical Transcriptionist (MT) or a Medical Language Specialist (MLS). The equipment used is called a Medical transcriber, e.g., a cassette player with foot controls operated by the MT for report playback and transcription.

ØEducation and training can be obtained through certificate or diploma programs, distance learning, and/or on-the-job training offered in some hospitals, although there are countries currently employing transcriptionists that require 18 months to 2 years of specialized MT training. Working in Medical Transcription leads to a mastery in Medical terminology and editing, ability to listen and type simultaneously, utilization of playback controls on the transcriber (machine), and use of foot pedal to play and adjust dictations - all while maintaining a steady rhythm of execution.

ØWhile Medical Transcription does not mandate registration or certification, individual MTs may seek out registration/certification for personal or professional reasons. Obtaining a certificate from a Medical Transcription training program does not entitle an MT to use the title of Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT). The CMT credential is earned by passing a certification examination conducted solely by the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI), formerly the American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT), as the credentialing designation they created. AHDI also offers the credential of Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT). According to AHDI, the RMT is an entry-level credential while the CMT is an advanced level. AHDI maintains a list of approved Medical Transcription schools.

ØThere is a great degree of internal debate about which training program best prepares an MT for industry work. Yet, whether one has learned Medical Transcription from an online course, community college, high school night course, or on-the-job training in a doctor's office or hospital, a knowledgeable MT is highly valued. In lieu of these AHDI certification credentials, MTs who can consistently and accurately transcribe multiple document work-types and return reports within a reasonable turnaround-time (TAT) are sought after. TATs set by the service provider or agreed to by the transcriptionist should be reasonable but consistent with the need to return the document to the patient's record in a timely manner.

ØWhile most Medical Transcription agencies prefer candidates with a minimum of one year experience, formal instruction is not a requirement, and there is no mandatory test. Some hospitals require nothing more than a diploma for employment as a Medical Transcriptionist. The average pay range for an in-house MT in a hospital setting is $8/hr.

What is the need for Medical Transcription?

Ø When the patient visits a doctor, the latter spends time with the former discussing his Medical problems, including history and/or problems. The doctor performs a physical examination and may request various laboratory or diagnostic studies; will make a diagnosis or differential diagnoses, and then decides on a plan of treatment for the patient, which is discussed and explained to the patient, with instructions provided. After the patient leaves the office, the doctor uses a voice-recording device to record the information about the patient encounter. This information may be recorded into a hand-held cassette recorder or into a regular telephone, dialed into a central server located in the hospital or transcription service office, which will 'hold' the report for the transcriptionist. This report is then accessed by a Medical Transcriptionist, it is clearly received as a voice file or cassette recording, who then listens to the dictation and transcribes it into the required format for the Medical record, and of which this Medical record is considered a legal document. The next time the patient visits the doctor, the doctor will call for the Medical record or the patient's entire chart, which will contain all reports from previous encounters. The doctor can on occasion refill the patient's medications after seeing only the Medical record, although doctors prefer to not refill prescriptions without seeing the patient to establish if anything has changed.

ØIt is very important to have a properly formatted, edited, and reviewed Medical Transcription document. If a Medical Transcriptionist accidentally typed a wrong medication or the wrong diagnosis, the patient could be at risk if the doctor (or his designee) did not review the document for accuracy. Both the doctor and the Medical Transcriptionist play an important role to make sure the transcribed dictation is correct and accurate. The doctor should speak slowly and concisely, especially when dictating medications or details of diseases and conditions. The Medical Transcriptionist must possess hearing acuity, Medical knowledge, and good reading comprehension in addition to checking references when in doubt.

ØHowever, some doctors do not review their transcribed reports for accuracy, and the computer attaches an electronic signature with the disclaimer that a report is "dictated but not read". This electronic signature is readily acceptable in a legal sense. The transcriptionist is bound to transcribe verbatim (exactly what is said) and make no changes, but has the option to flag any report inconsistencies. On some occasions, the doctors do not speak clearly, or voice files are garbled. Some doctors are, unfortunately, time-challenged and need to dictate their reports quickly (as in ER Reports). In addition, there are many regional or national accents and mispronunciations of words the MT must contend with. It is imperative and a large part of the job of the Transcriptionist to look up the correct spelling of complex Medical terms, medications, obvious dosage or dictation errors, and when in doubt should "flag" a report. A "flag" on a report requires the dictator (or his designee) to fill in a blank on a finished report, which has been returned to him, before it is considered complete. Transcriptionists are never, ever permitted to guess, or 'just put in anything' in a report transcription. Furthermore, medicine is constantly changing. New equipment, new Medical devices, and new medications come on the market on a daily basis, and the Medical Transcriptionist needs to be creative and to tenaciously research (quickly) to find these new words. An MT needs to have access to, or keep on memory, an up-to-date library to quickly facilitate the insertion of a correctly spelled device,

ØOutsourcing of Medical Transcription: Due to the increasing demand to document Medical records, countries have started to outsource the services of Medical Transcription. In the United States, the Medical Transcription business is estimated to be worth US$10 to $25 billion annually and growing 15 percent each year. The main reason for outsourcing is stated to be the cost advantage due to cheap labor in developing countries, and their currency rates as compared to the U.S. dollar. Drivers that Influence Outsourcing to Medical Transcription Partners. There is a volatile controversy on whether Medical Transcription work should be outsourced, mainly due to three reasons:

üThe greater majority of MTs presently work from home offices rather than in hospitals, working off-site for "national" transcription services. It is predominantly those nationals located in the United States who are striving to outsource work to other-than-US-based transcriptionists. In outsourcing work to sometimes lesser-qualified and lower-paid non-US MTs, the nationals unfortunately can force US transcriptionists to accept lower rates, at the risk of losing business altogether to the cheaper outsourcing providers. In addition to the low line rates forced on US transcriptionists, US MTs are often paid as ICs (independent contractors); thus, the nationals save on employee insurance and benefits offered, etc. Unfortunately for the state of healthcare-related administrative costs in the United States, in outsourcing, the nationals still charge the hospitals the same rate as they did in the past for highly qualified US transcriptionists but subcontract the work to non-US MTs, keeping the difference as profit.

üThere are concerns about patient privacy, with confidential reports going from the country where the patient is located (i.e. the US) to a country where the laws about privacy and patient confidentiality may not even exist, which was overcome as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) became mandatory for all the providers from the outsourced countries. Some of the countries that now outsource transcription work are the United States and Britain, with work outsourced to Philippines, India, SriLanka, Canada, Australia, Pakistan and Barbados.

üThe quality of the finished transcriptions is a concern. Many outsourced transcriptionists simply do not have the requisite basic education to do the job with reasonable accuracy, as well as additional, occupation-specific training in Medical Transcription. Many foreign MTs who can speak English are not familiar with American expressions and/or the slang doctors often use, and can be unfamiliar with American names and places. An MT editor, certainly, is then responsible for all work transcribed from these countries and under these conditions. These outsourced transcriptionists often work for a fraction of what transcriptionists are paid in the United States, even with the US MTs daily accepting lower and lower rates. However, some firms choose to employ American transcriptionists as they believe the quality of work is better.

Is Medical Transcription really A Recession Proof Industry:

ØYes, it is.Recession, pay cuts, layoffs = these are some of the common phrases that one is given to hear lately. While the recession has taken toll in the global financial spectrum leading to job cuts, layoffs, etc., in Software, Financial institutions, manufacturing, etc., healthcare field is still forging ahead through the trying times. From an outsourcing perspective from US, the recession has not affected the field of Medical Transcription in any meaningful way and is, in fact, burgeoning with more and more career opportunities.

ØMedical Transcription which is also known as MT is the process of transcribing or converting recorded dictations by physicians and/or other healthcare professionals usually located in US regarding a patient’s Medical record into a written text. Medical Transcription follows prescribed and established document formats and is highly dependent upon trained professional, known as Medical Transcriptionists. Specialized knowledge for Medical Transcription includes the ability to correctly spell often difficult Medical words, as well as a working knowledge of general Medical terminology.

ØMedical Transcription is a highly specialized skill, which requires a high degree of training and dedication and proficiency in English language. Medical Transcriptionists benefit greatly from on-the-job experience, and especially by handing records from a wide variety of Medical specialties.

ØRecession-proof, Medical Transcription is one of the fastest growing fields in healthcare industry. Medical Transcriptionists are in demand in Western countries especially in the US where the entire healthcare industry is based on insurance and detailed Medical records are needed for processing insurance claims. Medical Transcription is one of the fast growing IT-enabled services in India as well, with the rapid change in Indian healthcare and privatization of the insurance sector. India provides an ideal location for conducting Medical Transcription with the large population of educated English speaking people and the comparative low cost which encourages companies abroad to outsource their work to the Indian Medical Transcription field. There are a few companies who provide Medical Transcription training in India to meet the current demand of experienced MT professionals.

ØIn India, there was a boom in this industry couple of years back with a lot of companies and training institutes entering this field. Most companies except a few could not survive due to lack of proper training and understanding of this comparatively new concept in India. By improving the work standards and quality of service, India has a wide scope for capturing the huge clientele in the US and provide employment opportunities to the huge mass of English speaking and computer literate people in the country. The success of the surviving companies proves that Medical Transcription can hold a vital link in altering the Indian job scenario.

ØDespite the global economic downtrend, the Medical Transcription industry is looking for a further growth buoyed by a report of the NASSCOM stating that recession has not hit the healthcare industry. Reverse is the trend in Medical Transcription outsourcing in US, which is going through attrition in large scale in IT, financial, manufacturing and other sectors.

ØAs per a NASSCOM report, the MT industry will be worth Rs 40 billion by 2010 and could employ as many as 50,000 people.

ØIt estimated the size of the US MT industry, which is in the range of around $ 12 million in 2005, would reach $ 16.8 billion by 2010. The work offshored was expected to be in the region of $ 860 million in 2010, of which India is expected to capture $ 647 million. India remained a preferred offshore destination primarily due to availability of manpower and industry maturity.

ØWhile it does not require any specialized IT skills, it requires primary skills like good listening and English language skills in terms of language proficiency –not necessarily fluency to talk – knowledge of Medical terms in addition to the basic knowledge to handle computer. Good typing speed would be added advantage.

ØFor an experienced Medical Transcriptionist, the current economic downturn could be reminiscent of the dot com bust that happened almost 10 years ago. The mood was quite grim at the time like it is now. As discussed above, the current meltdown, however, did not affect Medical Transcription in any way and most Medical Transcriptionists had jobs or work as usual.

ØUntil a couple of months ago, pre-recession, MT had to witness many MT professionals changing their career thereby preferring Software and other BPO sectors to earn more. However, with the unforeseen recession hitting at he above sectors, MT also witnessed many people who chose to quit coming back and joining back in MT.

ØThe benefits of Medical Transcription as a career include the ability and freedom to work from home, especially for ladies who may not be able to come to office and work, especially pregnant women who may not be able to come to office and work during their maternity leave, etc. There is a good number of people currently enjoying the benefit of working from home and still earning around 25-30k average and as high as 50k to 60 k as well. The recent liberalization of Internet in terms of cost and bandwidth and other related technologies like 3G has accelerated the potential from working from home in an hassle-free environment. In light of the recent liberalization of Internet, it gives the ability to work even from remote parts of the country. A PC with decent configuration, a stereophonic headset, foot pedal (a device that controls the voice player), and other Softwares necessary for reference of Medical terms/drugs are more than that would suffice to independently work as a Medical Transcriptionist.

What is the future of Medical Transcription in India?

ØAs stated above, Medical Transcription is now well established in India. India continues to be the preferred destination for outsourcing Medical Transcription work. India enjoys unique advantages over other competing countries and hence has retained its edge in the face of emerging alternatives like the Philippines.

ØThere is a big Medical Transcription community in India comprising both home-based and office-based Medical Transcriptionists. Typing "Medical Transcription" in the search box on Orkut would show you a glimpse of the number of Medical Transcriptionists working in India.

ØThe future of Medical Transcription in India looks promising. Companies continue to train people and hire people, so obviously there is a need for new manpower to fill in positions. On the negatives, there are concerns over off shoring expressed by the American MTs in particular. However, cost concerns are real for American companies and not outsourcing or off shoring would adversely impact their balance sheets. So, I don't see a scenario where they would stop outsourcing. Especially, since many American companies continue to profit from businesses in India and create jobs back in America because of the demand for those American products in India. So, protectionist tendencies tend to cut both ways.

ØI believe this is a very good career option for most young graduates in India who are unable to find jobs. I know how the job environment is and how tough the competition is. So, folks why not give this a try? Those of you who are very good in English written skills and can understand foreign accents, pick up new things without much effort - this may be a career option you may want to consider.

What is the growth prospectus?

ØAs stated above, you can graduate from a Medical Transcriptionist (who does the typing) to a Proof Reader or Editor who edits the lines typed by a Medical Transcriptionist. The Editor or Proof Reader is the person who checks for quality. It goes without saying that you need to be good at it, only then you get selected to do it.

ØThe salary (as stated above) is very attractive for those who make the cut to the editor level. Anywhere from 15,000 p.m. to any amount (depending on the editor's productivity) - an average of approx 25,000-30,000 p.m.

ØYou can also grow further to the level of a Team Leader or Production Manager.

ØAt a later stage in your career (maybe with 1 or 2 years' experience), you can hope to work from home. This is of course an attractive option for many, as it offers them flexibility and independence. This is especially an attractive option for housewives or folks who can't work 8 hours at a stretch. You'd have to speak to the company you work for, to let you work from home. The requirements for home transcription are as follows:

üA good PC: Configuration and specifications will be given by the company you work for. A normal PC would suffice in most scenarios.

üYou would of course need a decent broadband connection for data transfer -uploading and downloading voice and text files.

üYou would need a foot pedal to pause/play/rewind/forward the audio dictation.

üA good headset to hear the dictation.

üSoftwares like Medical dictionaries and English dictionaries are usually provided by the company your work for. A fee may be charged for providing these Softwares.