Medical Transcription Services

Medical Transcription Service Features

If you're new to outsourced medical transcription or if it's been a while since you've shopped for a new provider, you may be missing out on recent industry advances. In the current marketplace, there are several medical transcription service features you can't live without.

The medical transcription service industry is a competitive environment.

Faced with mounting pressure from overseas outsourcing, domestic medical transcription providers have been forced to offer more features and better service than ever before.

That's good news for US-based healthcare providers. Medical transcription has traditionally been a valuable time-saving tool for physicians, practices and hospitals. But with the additional features that are available in the marketplace, medical providers can be choosy about the service they use and the features they require.

However, available features are useless unless you take the time to explore what's out there. If you haven't had time to explore the market recently, don't worry. We've got you covered with a brief fact sheet describing features that are standard in many medical transcription services.

• Fast turnaround times. Most medical professionals don't have time to waste and they expect the same efficiency from their transcription company. In response to the fast-paced demands of the medical community, the industry now offers variable turnaround times. Although you will pay a little bit more for the fastest service, you will typically have the option of 24-hour, 8-hour or 4-hour turnaround.
• High quality output. Accurate recordkeeping is an essential in a successful medical practice or hospital setting. Reliable medical transcription services employ Certified Medical Transcriptionists (CMTs) who specialize and report a 98% or higher accuracy rate. Quality assurance measures should also be in place to detect errors when they occur.
• EMR integration. In your current system, what happens to your records after you get them back from the transcription service? If you can't automatically integrate them into your Electronic Medical Record (EMR) application, then you aren't taking advantage of an important feature that is commonplace in the industry.
• HIPAA compliance. HIPAA regulations have changed the way medical records are handled and transmitted. Nearly all modern transcription services go the extra mile to maintain full HIPAA compliance, even archiving and cataloging your medical records in a secure, yet easily accessible system.
• Convenience. You shouldn't have to accept medical transcription services from a provider who can't provide optimal convenience for you and your practice. Physican e-signatures are standard operating procedure in quality transcription operations and auto-fax features send reports to your office when the transcription is complete.

Share this article

Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary