Effective Ways to Avoid Medical Transcription Errors

Online medical transcription is a challenging job. With no room for error, it demands exceptional skills to ensure 100 percent accuracy. Additionally, not only is it significant from the regulatory perspective, but is also pivotal for the well-being of patients and the community at large.

While medical transcription has become a standard, it is still in its developing stages. It is due to this reason that 30 percent medical records are still found to be erroneous which result in millions of dollar litigations and fines annually.

As the stakes in medical transcription are quite high, it is important for both practitioners and transcribers to know how medical transcription errors can be avoided. Here is a look at some effective ways to avoid medical transcription issues.

For Practitioners

Ensure Clear Recording

Accurate medical transcription starts with a good dictation. As a physician, you need to make sure that transcribers are provided with highly accurate and meaningful dictation to transcribe the records accurately.

Ensure that you dictate in a conversational tone at a normal pace. Use a high quality microphone or digital recorder placed at a reasonable distance. Besides this, be sure that the environment is free of noise and distractions. Dictating in a quiet and uninterrupted environment can significantly improve the quality and integrity of your medical records.

Take Care with Complex Terms

Medical terms and unusual drug names may be confusing for the transcriber to decipher. When there is a chance of confusion, provide context or spell out the term to leave no room for errors. Although medical transcriptionists almost always double-check terms using reference resources, it is best not to leave them guessing about the intended meaning.

Provide Description, where Necessary

The more information you provide, the lesser are the chances of confusion and erroneous reporting. Considering this, be sure to provide supplementary information, whenever needed. Clearly state dosage units; such as milligrams, micrograms, to avoid misunderstandings and errors; potentially leading to harm for the patients.

For Transcribers

Develop Medical Transcription Skills

To avoid misreporting of medical terms, develop an understanding of key medical terms along with their usage. It is best to organize your work by physician and specialty to deliver the work according to their style and preferences. Also, keep a list of words for the specialty within easy reach to get a quick reference whenever there is any confusion.

Refine Your Proofreading Skills

Misspellings and reporting errors can be avoided effectively by proofreading. Once you are done with transcribing the entire file, read the document through from beginning to end, to ensure that it is accurate and error-free.

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