1. Local Regulations

The local regulations must be followed in order for the software to be a good choice. It must obey all of the local laws and regulations as it integrates that information into the program in a way that is easy to understand. This is for the patient’s protection. Health records are very important and the program must maintain a level of integrity that goes beyond the basic requirements of most software.

2. Privacy

According to the Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act, patients must have their private health information guarded with the highest level of security. Any software used by a transcription worker must adhere to that exactly. It must offer the highest level of accuracy as well in order to maintain the privacy. Every aspect of the software must interact securely to ensure that the health information is well guarded.

3. Accuracy

The accuracy is important for security, but it is also imperative for proper healthcare. When patients have interaction issues with medications and prior health problems, that information must be carefully watched. That means that the only way that anyone can be certain that the healthcare is accurate is if the software is accurate in its calculations and documentation.

4. Cool Features

There are cool features that many transcription workers look for as well in medical transcription software. One of those is word expander. It helps you type faster by guessing what you are about to type through examination of the first few keystrokes. Major search engines use this one today. Other locations do as well.

5. Sound Options

Capturing sound is another issue that is important to the software. Digital files must be attached to many medical files today. That means that the medical transcription software must also allow that. Voice messaging is another feature that makes the work easier. That allows the user to speak into the program and get the speech in text. Users report that all of these programs must include voice messaging as a feature. It certainly makes the work easier to accomplish.

6. Easy Training

Most software programs require a training process prior to use. This ensures that the user knows how to best use the software and feel confident while using it. Here are some ways that these programs can help.

• Quick Tutorials
• Tests
• Questions Page
• Help Section

These really help the program when they are part of the software. Quick tutorials allow the worker to get done faster and begin using the software. Tests ensure that the user is prepared to use the software efficiently. These tests should be easy to move around in order to be efficient tests that re-teach the core concepts of the software use.

The questions page should always be included in any software. This helps the user search for the answers to their questions faster and get questions answered. The help section further enhances this feature. No matter what happens, the user will be prepared for anything. They will be able to begin using the software and be accurate and efficient. In fact, with the other cool features that come with of these medical transcription software packages today, they might even have some fun while they work.

The post What to Consider While Choosing a Medical Transcription Software appeared first on GOGTR.com.

Medical transcription tools

Examples of tools and software currently being used to meet the transcription needs of medical transcription include MP3 playback software, digital voice recorders, electronic medical dictionary, time markers, medical specialty books, and pharmaceutical and drug reference guide among others. These high tech tools and software are mainly aimed at making medical transcription, billing and coding much easier, faster and more effective to both the staff and the patients.

How to improve medical billing process?

For enhanced efficiency in medical billing, whether for a business, a medical center or personal use, the use of the above mentioned tools and software is of significant importance. This is to ensure that the results achieved are of the highest quality.

Examples of alternative ways by which one can get to improve their transcription and medical billing include the following:

Embracing technology and using it for your own advantage

By embracing the latest technology, businesses can find beforehand whether the claims being made will be accepted, or if they will be dismissed. This is because such software can detect beforehand any changes in the system, since there is ever a constant change in the Medicare system as well as the insurance plans.

Companies should therefore invest in the best software in the industry that has the capability of updating itself automatically as well as preparing its users on any forth-coming trends in the respective industries.

Identify areas that ought to be improved

Medical billing will require constant data mining for an improved mechanism of collecting and servicing the data. The perfect tool for this is the medical billing and innovation software. This software enhances running of report that is later used in major decision-making processes driven towards implementing new developments and improvements in the system.

Companies may as well create custom reports and after they have been completed, they can be used in the management of the medical billing documents. This may involve things like making any adjustments with the medical billing system as well as requirements and productivity of the members.

Development and utilization of medical service contract

To ensure that there is professionalism in your medical billing, it’s important to utilize the use of these tools. This will however require that all of the participating parties come in together during the signing of the contract. These include both the billing agency and the medical facility. Through this, a business can easily be able to delegate different tasks as well as the payments methods and the terms that eventually bring to the termination of the contract.

Collection of information

With the right use of software and tools, a billing agency can easily ensure that each of their patients’ information is 100% complete and correct. Some of the crucial information that ought to be highly analyzed includes the patient’s full name, address, personal contacts and their work information.

In case of misunderstandings or failed payments, then the patient’s data would be retrieved very easily. Moreover, at times, the patient’s social security numbers may be asked for future billing reference and usage.

Effective communication with the patients

Once the medical billing professionals collect the right tools for use in carrying out their tasks, then, payments can be processed easily and without any errors. In case of any misunderstandings or confusion, then the billing company can easily get in touch with its patients and seek clarification. Key information that ought to be checked and included in the patient’s files includes their insurances’, billing procedures and also their payments history.

The post How to Determine the Right Tools for Your Transcription Needs? appeared first on GOGTR.com.

The argument for hiring a MT today is linked to a growing worldwide medical transcription business that the AHDI states is estimated at more than $25 billion annually with MT’s employed at all major hospitals, physician groups and other healthcare providers. Also, MTs usually work on site but more and more of these healthcare professionals are telecommuting.

In general, an MT performs transcription into text format of voice-recorded reports that are dictated by doctors and other healthcare workers.

Medical transcription viewed as healthy in the U.S.

Because the MT must deal with highly confidential patient information and medical records, there is a view that either in house medical transcriptionists or independent contractors who perform MT tasks must be highly trained and vetted so that there are no doubts that the text products they produce are exact and efficient.

At the same time, President Barack Obama has stated numerous times – during the recent health care debate – that the electronic storage of medical records for all people in the U.S. will be a true cost saving measure.

In turn, the so-called “Obama Care” law now requires all hospitals and medical establishments nationwide to adopt a new paperless initiative due to the high volume of paper medical records that is viewed as not practical in this day and age of digital computer communications.

Medical records move to electronic storage

The electronic storage of MT produced records is aimed at creating a nationwide database of patient medical records. This allows for immediate access by doctors and other health care experts regarding a patient’s care and health issues to date.

For example, an MT commented online about how the hospital he works is now taking the plunge and setting a goal to have all patient records online as soon as possible.

Thus, this MT said his work never seems to end with patient medical files swamping his work area while and other MTs do the hard work of transcribing each and every notation about such things as a patient’s current medications, allergies, medical history and other pertinent details.

MT job opportunities growing fast nationwide

There are numerous online web sites offering MT training in the wake of the “Obama Care” goal of making all medical patient records paperless in the coming years.

At the same time, there are many online MT service agencies that offer high-quality and guaranteed transcription services for those medical clinics or doctors who need a quick turn-around for the transcription of a patients records. Some MT contractors even feature deliver of MT produced records within 24 hours.

In turn, there are more MTs now working either as telecommuting hospital employees or as independent contractors for an outsourced medical agency that performs MT services at either the clinic, hospital or physician group facility or offsite.

MTs help streamline medical records

The goal of any MT service for medical records transcription is to help cut down on the amount of traditional paper records with new electronic digital storage methods that gives doctors and others immediate access to the patient’s records during a typical appointment or during an emergency situation.

Overall, the MT provides high-quality transcription services for medical experts who want to serve patients more effectively and efficiently. In addition, many MTs now use special software that automates the traditional paper record file transfer process so the medical records can now be quickly downloaded to a doctor’s office when needed.

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Until fairly recently, medicine was more art than science. There was a lot of superstition attached to the cause of disease, and treatment ran the gamut from chanting to bleeding.

Surgery, such as it was, was extremely barbaric, with the poor victim being held down while the “surgeon” hacked off his leg. The advent of ether meant that surgery could now be performed more easily, with much less stress to the patient and the doctor.

Since the days of Hippocrates, medicine has undergone tremendous changes: from bleeding and leeches, to robotic surgery and even telemedicine. Each such change in medical understanding and delivery has also required vast changes in the way medical professionals practice their craft.

The New Professionals

They include doctors, doctors’ assistants, nurse practitioners and attendant personnel. Each has his or her particular functions in the care of a patient. Sometimes those functions can overlap, or even be substituted by one or another of the medical professionals.

Role of Medical Transcription

There is one function that unites all medical professionals to a certain extend. Medical transcription has been the law of the land in the past 40 years or so. Medical transcription refers to rendering recorded transcripts into a written report, primarily to satisfy various insurance requirements and other information.

Transcription is a skill that requires quite a bit of concerted study and practice. The medical professional typically dictates his or her report of an exam or procedure into a device that records the words. It is the task of the medical transcriptionist to transcribe those words.

The skill is in deciphering medical jargon that is replete with long compound Latin words, or French surgical instruments, or other foreign-sounding maneuvers and tests. Indeed, the entire medical lexicon might be considered a foreign language! Add to that the increasingly global medical delivery system, and we find that the dictators themselves often have heavy accents, which only compounds the problem of understanding what is being said and transcribing correctly.

The Critical Nature of Transcription

The precise transcription of recorded medical reports is of utmost importance. Here is where mistakes can lead to dire consequences. The difference between hypertension and hypotension is critical, yet, when a medical professional dictates, he or she rarely stops to clarify those distinctions.

Moreover, the dictator frequently speaks quite rapidly, so a medical transcriptionist who is not experienced may not recognize where one word begins and another stops! Imagine hearing “patientwassenttoicuforlymphoproliferativedisorder.” There is something to be said for proper enunciation, but that sadly is sometimes lacking.

Talent and Skill

The talent of the medical transcriptionist lies in her being skilled enough to know the jargon; experienced enough to know medication names, generics, and usual dosages; and certainly astute enough to have plenty of reference materials that she refers to on a regular basis.

Current Legalities

Critical in today’s medical landscape is adherence to current law, such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). This is the law that has been created to ensure patients’ privacy, and the medical professionals, lawyers, insurance companies, and transcriptionists must comply with multiple regulations, or face stiff fines.

Again, here is where the skilled and experienced transcriptionist stands out. They are charged with transcribing precisely what the medical professional dictates, asking appropriate questions where needed, and producing a quality product that adheres to all the formatting and turnaround requirements of the medical professional. It is a demanding job, but one which is essential in today’s medical milieu.

Today’s medical landscape is replete with technological innovations, new rules and regulations, and congressional edicts. Correct patient information is a critical component that underpins all these efforts, and requires the very best in a medical transcription company that covers all the bases.

The post Negotiating the New Medical Landscape appeared first on GOGTR.com.

With as busy as most medical practices are these days, how does an office determine how to decide on which EHR transcription service to choose to do the work?

5 Things to Consider While Hiring HER Transcription Service

#1: Compliance with HIPAA

Whichever transcription service is utilized, it must be fully compliant with all sections of HIPAA regulations that apply to the transcription of electronic health records. The way to do this is examine prospective transcription service’s HIPAA compliance statement, which they should proudly have presented you, to find out under which part, which rules of HIPAA the transcription service is compliant. You especially need to make sure they are compliant with the privacy rule.

#2: Require and Thoroughly Check References

A transcription service that is qualified to do a good job will have an excellent listing of customers, who are satisfied and have agreed to be contacted as a reference. You need more than a list of names, you need to take the time, or task a trusted staff member, to check out the references.

#3: Test Transcription Examination

It is an excellent idea to have a sample EHR be given to each prospective transcription service so you can check how well they can do the job that you require. By giving the same EHR to each service, you can make a side-by-side comparison. You also need to have a checklist of things you are going to expect from any transcription service, such as online access, secure procedures to protect the data provided for transcription, and so on.

#4: Cost Effectiveness

You may be required to have EHR transcribed but you are not required to overpay for any level of service. Part of your checking of supplied references should include questions about the transcription service’s billing practices and if there have been any problems.

There is a wide range of ways by which various transcription services charge. You need to make sure that you fully understand the method and manner of future billings. This is one of the most important areas to consider when choosing a transcription service, but also one of the most difficult to compare in an item to like item basis. This is also another reason for providing each prospective transcription service with a sample EHR to process, including a complete billing. It can separate the service that can do the best job for you from those that you may not want to deal with.

#5: Review Hiring Qualifications of Transcription Service Staff

Your office has the right to know the qualifications required for hiring staff of any transcription service you are considering to place under contract for transcription services. It is your right to expect the medical transcriptionist that works on the records of your patients to be certified by the AHDI. This means the medical transcriptionists working under your contract will be certified as either a Certified or Registered Medical Transcriptionist. This will ensure that the staff performing medical transcription for your office has the following skills and abilities.

• Thorough knowledge of terminology applicable to EHR
• Excellent writing, grammar, memory and communication skills
• Computer literate, especially for word processing and spreadsheet functions
• Ability to be accurate, even when working under time constraints
• Is able to properly follow instructions
• Is able to check with the appropriate references on questions of terminology
• Exhibits no dyslexic tendencies and can correctly maintain and record numbers and figures

These are the things your office must seriously consider when choosing a medical transcription service to place under contract with your medical office.

The post How to Choose an Electronic Health Records (EHR) Transcription Service? appeared first on GOGTR.com.

You are not alone. Health professionals are constantly being reminded about the need to document and for good reason. Document, document, document seems to be the overriding message in managing your practice’s risk. The good news, documenting does not have to be expensive. It can be as simple as dictating what needs to be documented and letting us take care of the rest.

 One of our dental clients had this to say regarding managing risk in his practice;

“It gives me such peace of mind knowing that I am documenting everything I do, especially new patient exams and high risk surgeries. You guys make it so easy and cost effective. All I have to do is dictate into a small digital recorder or my iPhone and you return it within 24 hours in a Word document exactly as I said it.

If legal action is ever taken against my practice, I have confidence knowing all of my documentation was transcribed by a third party professional. Every dentist or oral specialists should make having good documentation a necessary step in dealing with possible risk. It all comes down to risk in today’s healthcare profession.”

- Jonathan Coombs, DMD, FAGD, Scottsdale Smile, Scottsdale Arizona

You Dictate, We Reduce Risk

Our oral surgeon and dental clients dictate everything – from new patient exams and evaluations to complex surgeries – into a digital recorder, 1-800 number, iPhone or any other voice capture device and send it electronically to Global Transcription Resources’ dental transcription team. Within 24 hours clients receive a highly accurate, detailed document containing verbatim what was dictated. This is possible because our staff is trained professionals in medical terminology.

Easy to store, access and read, these electronic transcription files are then a tremendous resource to the entire dental office team.

Capture More Detail; Don’t Leave Out What’s Important

It can be tempting to take shortcuts when it comes to having detailed documentation – especially for a busy healthcare professional that has limited time or an office person with many other responsibilities. Let us take care of this for you. You don’t have to cut down on the details to save time our money. With our cost effective transcription service, we can literally save you hundreds of dollars doing your transcription as opposed to an hourly office person.
Previously some clients or their office staff would type up notes during or right after appointments. To save time dentists or staff would often include the highlights of conversations or directions, or they would keep conversations and instructions short to eliminate the need for detailed notes.

Now you can dictate on a digital voice recorder, call into a 1-800 number or use your iPhone. This makes it so easy to capture important details that need to be documented. Now that clients know they won’t have to spend time typing up everything said, they feel free to provide more detailed interactions with patients and more thorough conversations. Increased detail and accuracy also helps dentists and oral surgeons dramatically decrease health insurance costs.

Mitigate Risk in 24-hours

Global Transcription Resources guarantees 24-hour turnaround for all dental transcription services and our team is available for questions about specific dental or oral health transcription concerns. Your practice could be mitigating risk within 24 hours by collaborating with our team. Contact us today to learn more. Our dental transcriptionists are knowledgeable, precise and ready to save you time and money.

The post Reduce Dental Malpractice and Risk Through Proper Documentation appeared first on GOGTR.com.

Customized for Insurance Providers and Attorneys

Often insurance providers and attorneys are the ones that will require an Independent Medial Exam. Each has specific formats and requirements they will need to fulfill their legal documentation. Global Transcription Resources can customize every aspect of your exam transcription report and can show you samples of reports to help with your personalized format. Our experience also guarantees your report accurately conveys your independent opinion of the individual’s clinical status.

24-Hour IME Transcription

Global Transcription Resources guarantees 24-hour turnaround for all transcription services and our team is available for questions about your Independent Medical Exam transcription. We are ready to quickly guide you through the IME process. Contact us today to learn more.

The post Independent Medical Exam Transcription appeared first on GOGTR.com.

Customized for Your Requirements

Global Transcription Resources understands each state has specific disclaimers and you will need to customize your report correctly for the affidavit. Our experience allows us to take your state’s disclaimer or required format and customize it quickly for your report.

Additionally, we can customize every other aspect of your report. Our experience also guarantees your report will successfully meet the needs of the affidavit.

24-Hour Turnaround

When you are on a court deadline, or trying to finish reports as an alternate revenue source for your practice, time is of the essence. We guarantee 24-hour turnaround and are available for questions about your Independent Medical Exam transcription or Workman’s Comp Claim report.

Whether this is your first or 500th IME or Workman’s Comp Claim Report – our professional transcription team will provide technically accurate, customized documents that you can confidently submit.

Contact us today to learn more.

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Heather Austin
Public Relations for Global Transcription Resources
P: 602-738-9252
Heather.Austin@gmx.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GLOBAL TRANSCRIPTION RESOURCES EXPANDS ACCESS WITH IPAD AND IPHONE
Transcription Even Simpler for Medical Clients Across the Nation

PHOENIX – July 1, 2011 – Global Transcription Resources (GTR), a Arizona-based leader in medical transcription, is pleased to announce that clients can now utilize IPhones and IPads during the medical transcription process to increase timeliness, accuracy and ease of critical transcription projects. GTR’s expanded service capabilities will be a welcome relief to technologically minded clients who prefer the IPhone or IPad to traditional dictation resources.

“The opportunity to improve the transcription process for clients is an exhilarating development, explains Christian Burris, Global Transcription Resources CEO. “It is our goal as an industry leader to continue harnessing new technology for the benefit of physicians, hospitals and medical groups everywhere.”

Previously clients utilized a digital recorder or phone for recordings. Now, clients can rely on their Apple devices as the first step in the transcription process for dictation capture. Then they transfer the files to GTR for the finalized transcription documents. This allows physicians to consolidate devices and save money. Instead of buying a $300* digital recorder and toting it around, the client’s recording needs are fulfilled with their IPhone or IPad.

GTR recommends clients utilize the Dictamus app to move the audio file dictations to the GTR system. Dictamus can be found at http://www.jotomi.com/dictamus. Users may try the app for free and then purchase for just $11.99 if they are happy with usability. The GTR service team is ready to field client questions and help with implementation. The expanded services through IPads and IPhones will also allow for continued HIPPA compliance, complete patient confidentiality and uninterrupted process for clients making the switch.

*Average cost of a digital recorder

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• e-Signature
• Auto Faxing/Printing
• Easily search and find reports
• Audit Trail of Document Use
• EMR/EHR integration

E-Signature: The e-Signature batch process will save countless hours in time and money. Once dictation comes back in a word document each provider will go in to their own inbox to review and sign their transcription. The e-Signature process takes seconds to accomplish. Medical Providers can even e-Sign multiple documents at once. Just highlight all the documents you want to e-Sign and then just click on sign. No more having to go into each document to e-Sign reports.

Auto Faxing/Printing: When transcription is returned into WebChartMD, it goes to the inbox of the medical provider it belongs to. At that point the medical provider can e-Sign his reports one by one after being reviewed or they can just e-sign the whole batch. WebChartMD then offers several options after a the transcription has been e-Signed. The transcribed reports can be auto printed to any printer you specify without having to go into each report to print it and/or the transcribed reports can be auto faxed to any referring physician you want. No more spending countless hours printing and stuffing envelopes or having to manually fax over transcribed reports to referring physician offices.

Searchable database: Dictated audio files are uploaded into WebChartMD with a date/time stamp and provider ID. Once the audio files are uploaded into the system, they are put into the medical provider’s pending folder until transcribed. Once audio file are transcribed, they are returned along with the report. So each transcribed report now has the corresponding audio file that goes along with it. So if the medical provider or office staff ever need to go back and listen to the audio file or need to make any kind of corrections, both are there in one simple record. If you ever have to recall any transcribed report, WebChartMD provides numerous searches you can perform to easily find historical reports on any patient. You can also click on any patient and see all the documents that were transcribed for a particular patient. No more spending countless hours hunting down historical transcribed documents. WebChartMD makes it amazingly simple to find any report dictated by any medical provider for any patient in the system.

Audit Trail of Document Use: WebChartMD has an advanced audit trail system. Every person that touches the document is recorded in a log. Once files have been e-signed by the medical provider, they are locked forever. The only person who can go in and make any kind of changes at that point is the medical provider who e-signed the document. With WebChartMD’s advanced audit trail process, you never have to worry about charts being changed after they have been e-signed. This feature will reduce the potential liability that is associated with transcribed reports being changed without know who did it.

EMR/EHR integration: WebChartMD supports HL7 interface capability. For many offices, this is their first step towards EMR/EHR. With WebChartMD you no longer are limited to using dragon naturally speaking which is voice recognitionto do your dictating. WebChartMD allows data that has been dictated and transcribed to be sent to your EMR system via a HL7 interface. WebChartMD takes full advantage of meaningful use data.

These are just a few reasons to start using WebChartMD today.

Let us give you a 20 minute demo. Call us today to take advantage of our premium package of having our transcription service bundled with WebChartMD. 1 (888) 818-4848

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