Article Manager posted on April 17, 2010 09:50
Doctors are either good dictators' or just plain tolerable. Most of them really don't want to dictate their notes, but they don't have much of a choice. That's why the medical transcriptionist is such a high-demand position. Without you to handle the necessary dictation for doctors who can't read their own notes, most physicians' would be unable to collect insurance payments.
There are several ways that doctors dictate their notes for transcription services:
- Into a tape recorder
- By their penciled or handwritten notes
- Through a journal or ledger
- By oral communication through an assistant or secretary
- Or a combination of the above
If your doctor uses a tape recorder then you'll have an audio file from which to transcribe a medical document. This can be an asset, but it can also often be an obstacle. If you have a doctor with a thick foreign accent then it can be difficult to understand him or her. A soft-spoken doctor can also make communication difficult and transcription harder.
Penciled or handwritten notes can be hard to read. That could be an obstacle as well.
If your doctor uses a journal or ledger then there is a high chance that some of your notes will be from a secretary, receptionist or assistant. That doesn't mean there won't be challenges, but at least the ledger could keep some of the notes cleaner and easier to read.
If your doctor dictates to an assistant and the assistant types the dictation or hand writes it then that will make your job easier. But that doesn't happen very often so when it does, count it as a blessing.
As you can see, medical transcription has its challenges. That's why medical transcriptionists are paid so well. You are a valued professional. When you understand that then you'll be able to price your services accordingly.