Arlington Center Medical Texas

Arlington Center Medical Texas

Arlington Center Medical Texas

According to the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI), "Medical Transcription: A Career in Healthcare Documentation," accessed November 1, 2010, “…medical transcription is the act of translating from oral to written form (on paper or electronically) the record of a person’s encounter with a healthcare professional.”[1]

Medical transcriptionists (MTs) are an important facet to a patient’s health and wellbeing. MTs are responsible for accurately interpreting dictated audio for patient or insurance correspondence, simultaneously correcting minor errors and flagging discrepancies; therefore, a good ear and a strong educational background in the medical field is crucial for recognizing such inaccuracies. Ultimately, the provider is in charge of signing off each transcribed report; however, the patient’s life is at-risk in the event erroneous mistakes are overlooked and the report is placed within his or her file.

Typical Medical Transcriptionist Job Duties

Essentially, MTs conduct research, download dictated audio, and proofread, edit and type reports. MTs are not limited to transcribing audio, however. They may work as editors, MT managers or owners, healthcare writers, MT educators, or quality assurance specialists.[2]

Medical accounts vary from one employer to the next; MTs may type reports in a vast array of medical fields, including but not limited to the following health fields:

  • Cardiology
  • Dermatology
  • Ears, Nose and Throat (ENT)
  • Emergency Room (ER)
  • General Medicine
  • Hematology
  • Laboratory Data
  • Neurology
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN)
  • Oncology
  • Pediatrics
  • Plastic Surgery
  • Psychiatric
  • Radiology
  • Substance Abuse
  • Urgent Care

Medical Transcription Skills and Education Required for Success

MTs are responsible for accurately interpreting dictated audio for patient or insurance correspondence, simultaneously correcting minor errors and flagging discrepancies; therefore, a good ear and a strong educational background in the medical field is crucial for recognizing such inaccuracies.

As indicated in a preceding paragraph, MTs must be competent in medical terminology and relatively fluent in the medical language since they must recognize mistakes and oversights on a consistent basis.