About Medical Transcription

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About Medical Transcription
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What is Medical Transcription?
Medical transcription is a medical language
specialty.
In its broadest sense, medical transcription is
defined as translating from oral to written form
(electronic or paper) the record of a persons
encounter with a healthcare professional.
Those who transcribe healthcare records are
called medical transcriptionists (MTs).
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How is a Healthcare Record Generated?

• Individual visits a healthcare professional
• Healthcare professional dictates report
• Dictation goes to the transcriptionist
• Transcriptionist creates the report
• Report returned to healthcare professional
• Healthcare professional reviews and signs off
• Report goes into patients record

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For Whom do MTs Work?

• MTs may work as independent contractors or as
  employees.

• Independent contractors are self-employed. They
  withhold their own taxes, provide own insurance,
  maintain own retirement savings no paid time
  off.
• Employees work for others. They can expect
  employer to withhold taxes from paychecks some
  offer benefits like insurance, paid time off, and
  401-k plans.

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Where do MTs Work?

• MTs may work in a variety of settings.

• At home
• In medical offices, clinics, and hospitals
• In radiology and pathology departments
• In medical transcription companies
• In research centers and medical libraries
• In law offices and insurance companies
• Anywhere dictation for the purpose of healthcare
  documentation requires transcription

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What Characterizes an MT?

• Compelling interest in the medical field
• Strong English grammar
• Attention to detail
• Keen listening skills
• Superior research and resource skills
• Strong computer and keyboarding skills
• Strong hand-eye coordination
• Ability to sit for long periods of time
• A commitment to lifelong learning

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How Do I Become an MT?

• Collin College MT Certificate Program through the
  Health Information Technology (HIT) department.

• Program 18-months, 38 credit hours
• Office Skills keyboarding, proofreading
  editing, computer applications, speed accuracy
• Medical Knowledge medical terminology, anatomy
  physiology, pharmacology, pathophysiology,
  medical law ethics
• Transcription Practice 4 semesters,
  transcription of 40 hours of physician-dictated
  reports.

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How Do I Become an MT?

• Collin Colleges MT certificate curriculum is in
  line with the recommendations of the Association
  for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI).

• AHDI is the worlds largest organization working
  to advance healthcare documentation by setting
  standards for education and practice in medical
  transcription.

http//www.ahdionline.org
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What Happens After I Graduate?

• AHDI Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT)
  exam and certification

• AHDI Level I exam geared to recent graduates
• Two-parts multiple choice, practical
• Administered at Prometric Testing centers
• Valid 3 years re-exam required for
  recertification
• Optional, but recommended to its members by the
  Medical Transcription Industry Association (MTIA)
  to be weighted in hiring and compensation

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What Happens After I Graduate?

• Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) exam and
  certification

• AHDI Level II exam geared to MTs with at least 2
  years experience in acute care
• Two-parts multiple choice, practical
• Administered at Prometric Testing centers
• Valid for 3 years 30 continuing education hours
  required for recertification

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Is There a Future in Transcription?

• Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the
  profession will grow 14 (faster than the average
  of all occupations) through the year 2016
• Medical Transcription Industry Association (MTIA)
  predicts 30,000 current openings
• Aging population will put incredible pressure on
  our unprepared healthcare system

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How Will Speech Recognition Impact My Future?

• SR will not change the predicted MT job market,
  but will alter how MTs work.
• Speech Recognition will be used primarily as Back
  End System rather than Front End.

• Front End SR Physician dictates into computer,
  draft appears on screen, physician edits report.
• Back End SR Physician dictates into computer,
  draft sent to MT, MT edits draft, creates report.

(Visit http//www.youtube.com/watch?vJPYI_pqKwEw
featurerelated again.)
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How Will I Be Paid?
Medical transcriptionists may be paid in any of a
variety of ways, but chiefly by the hour, by
production, or by a combination of hourly pay
plus incentive pay for production.
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How Much Will I Be Paid?
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS www.bls.gov/oco/ocos2
71.htm Medical transcriptionists had median
hourly earnings of 14.40 in May 2006. The middle
50 percent earned between 12.17 and 17.06. The
lowest 10 percent earned less than 10.22, and
the highest 10 percent earned more than 20.15.
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How Much Will I Be Paid?
ADVANCE MAGAZINE 2007 Salary Survey
www.advanceforhim.com MTs reported an average
salary of 27,829, up from 2006's 25,408.
The number of certified medical
transcriptionists (CMTs) rose about 1 percent
from last year, and the pay for CMTs grew from
31,949 last year to 37,864 in 2007.
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What About My Individual Career Growth?

• AHDI Professional Levels 1 2 Medical language
  specialists who transcribe dictation of
  healthcare providers in order to document patient
  care.

• Professional Level 1 Likely need assistance to
  interpret unclear or inconsistent dictation, or
  to make use of professional reference materials.
• Professional Level 2 Also routinely involved in
  research of questions and in education of others
  involved with patient care documentation.

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What About My Individual Career Growth?

• AHDI Professional Level 3 Medical language
  specialist whose expert depth and breadth of
  professional experience enables him or her to
  serve as a medical language resource to
  originators, coworkers, other healthcare
  providers, and/or students on a regular basis.

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What About My Individual Career Growth?

• Quality Assurance Specialist
• Speech Recognition Editor
• Supervisor/ Manager/ Department Head
• Mentor/ Trainer
• Business Owner

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How Can I Learn More?

• For more about the profession, visit the AHDI
  website www.ahdionline.org
• For more on the Collin College MT certificate,

• Visit the Health Information Technology (HIT)
  website http//www.ccccd.edu/academics/programs/h
  ealthinfotech.html
• Or contact the HIT Program Director at
  ppierson_at_ccccd.edu or 972-548-6676