Medical Transcription FAQ

Medical transcription is the process whereby one accurately and swiftly transcribes medical records dictated by doctors and others, including history and physical reports, clinic notes, office notes, operative reports, consultation notes, discharge summaries, letters, psychiatric evaluations, laboratory reports, x-ray reports and pathology reports.

It involves receiving dictation by tape, digital system or voice file, and using ear phones, a foot pedal for start-stop control and a word processing program. It sometimes includes the use of a printer and sometimes a modem. A variety of word-processing systems are used. It requires good listening and language skills, computer skills and knowledge of medical terms.

Several dictionaries are necessary: Medical definitions, medications, medical terms by specialty, laboratory terms, surgical terms and abbreviations. Specialized word lists are also helpful, and journals and computer networking are helpful for current information about new medications and terms. Transcription is done more efficiently with the use of a medical spellchecker and an abbreviation system such as PRD or Smartype.

As an employee in an office or hospital, transcriptionists may be paid by the hour. In the year 2000 in the United States, a starting transcriptionist in an office may make the equivalent of $8-12 per hour. After two years of experience, one can expect to make the equivalent of $12-20 per hour in an office. National transcription companies usually require 1-5 years of hospital experience.

Statutory employee status is the same as independent contractor except that the company pays half of the FICA tax (about 7.5%) and withholds the other half. Independent contractors pay the 15% as self-employment tax. Self-employed transcriptionists provide their own benefits. They may start at the equivalent of $10-15 per hour (6-14c per line), and within several years can expect to earn $15-40 per hour, depending upon the type of work and equipment used. Quarterly payments on taxes and self-employment taxes are required. Equipment expenses are tax deductible, including a percentage of home expenses if working at home.

Occupational Outlook Handbook on MT, http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos271.htm

Chart comparing IC and employee salaries, http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/line/chart.html

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For an experienced word processor, it is possible to learn medical transcription while working in an entry-level position, but it is rare because of the need to learn medical vocabulary and formats. Some colleges and hospitals offer classes, and there are several home-study courses available.

MTs work in doctors' offices, clinics, hospitals and transcription services. They also work from home, usually after 2-3 years of experience in an office or hospital. With more experience, MTs go on to teach, supervise, consult, edit and write in the field.

How to Become a Medical Transcriptionist, book by George Morton, CMT, www.workingfrom.homestead.com, 609-924-4748, georgecmt@aol.com, Interview, 11/98

Step-by-Step Guide to Medical Transcription at Home, book by Michele Miller, http://www.medical-transcription-at-home.com/

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Local: Junior college and trade school classes are available locally. On-Line and Correspondence Courses:

On-line MTs are researching and networking through email, newsletters, state boards, forums and web sites without any formal organization.

Meditech offers an on-line skills test at http://www.meditec.com/spell.html.

AAMT, The American Association for Medical Transcription, http://www.aamt.org was founded in 1978. aamt@sna.com, P.O. Box 576187, Modesto, CA 95357-6187; 800, 982-2182. Fax: 209, 551-9317. Members receive the bimonthly Journal of the Association for American Medical Transcription; access to AAMT's professional staff; discounts on products and services; educational conferences; the names of local AAMT Chapter Presidents; an examination to become a Certified Medical Transcriptionist; and opportunities to serve in local and national leadership.

MTIA, Medical Transcription Industry Alliance, for MT Services: http://www.mtia.com, Molly Malone, 800-543-MTIA, mtiamalone@aol.com, Conference in April, Interview 11/98.

HPI, Health Professions Institute, http://www.hpisum.com offers publications and seminars. Box 801, Modesto, CA 95353, 209, 551-2112, hpi@ainet.com.

AHIMA, American Health Information Management Association, http://www.ahima.org/, 919 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60611, 312, 787-3672, info@ahima.org.

HIMSS, The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, http://www.himss.org, 230 East Ohio, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60611-3269, 312/664-HIMS, Fax 312/664-6143, himss@himss.org.

Health Information Management Supersite, http://www.himinfo.com, OPUSCOMM Online, 200 Hoods Lane, Marblehead, MA 01945 USA, Phone: 800/650-6787, Fax: 800/639-8511.

Medical Records Institute, http://www.medrecinst.com, Medical Records Institute, 567 Walnut Street, P.O. Box 600770, Newton, MA 02460, 617, 964-3923, Fax 617, 964-3926, jasong@medrecinst.com.

ASMART, Association for the Sensible Method of Acquiring Rates for Transcription, http://www.transcribing.com/asmart/, Jeremy Wells, asmart@transcribing.com.

Online MT Style Guide by GMT: http://www.mtdaily.com/style.html

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MT Monthly, http://www.mtmonthly.com, Jennifer Martin, 809 Regency Drive, Kearney, MO 64060. 1-800-951-5559 or 816-628-3013. FAX: 816-628-3661. jennifer@mtmonthly.com

Perspectives on the Medical Transcription Profession, http://www.hpisum.com/enterhpi.html, quarterly, Health Professions Institute, Box 801, Modesto, CA 95353, 209, 551-2112.

Monthly Prescribing Reference, http://www.prescribingreference.com, 800-436-9262, Prescribing Reference, Inc., 53 Park Place, Suite 1010, New York, NY 10007 USA, Attn: Circulation Dept.--Code HS.

Advance for Health Information Professionals, a free biweekly to health information professionals: http://www.advanceforhim.com/, Advance@Merion.com, Merion Publications, Inc. 800, 355-5627

Newsletters of local and state MT groups and MT companies.

For The Record, a weekly for health information professionals: http://www.gvpub.com/frompub/forrec/ftrhome.htm, Great Valley Publishing Company, 1288 Valley Forge Rd., P.O. Box 2224, Valley Forge, PA 19482.

Journal of the American Health Information Management Association, Journal of AHIMA, http://www.ahima.org/products/subscription.html.

HIMSS News, http://www.himss.org/about/index.htm#c.

MT Daily Rounds, http://www.mtdaily.com/rounds, a Friday E-mail newsletter with highlights from MT Daily and links of interest.

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See the Books Direct for all your reference book needs at the lowest prices.

Both the MTDaily.com Classifieds and the MTDaily.com Bargain page have used books at reasonable prices.

Paul Norton sells and buys used MT books, pnorton1@twcny.rr.com, 800, 628-8477.

American Association for Medical Transcription, http://www.aamt.org 800, 982-2182, Book of Style and word books.

Facts and Comparisons, Quarterly Drug Index. (American Drug Index now sold through Setdman's) 800-223-0554, 800-436-9269

Health Professions Institute, http://www.hpisum.com/enterhpi.html, Box 801, Modesto, CA 95353, 209, 551-2112, hpi@ainet.com, word books and more.

Instant Drug IndexBlackwell Science, Inc., http://www.blacksci.co.uk/~cgilib/bookpage.bin?File=5020, Book Fulfillment Department, 238 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, phone 800-215-1000, fax 617-492-5263.

Prentice Hall, http://www.prenhall.com, Saddle River, NJ 07458, 800-811-0912, Fax 515-284-2607

Rayve Productions, http://www.spannet.org/rayve, P.O. Box 726, Windsor, CA 95492, 707-838-6200, Fax: 707-838-2220, rayve@SPANnet.org, Orders Anytime: 1-800-852-4890.

W. B. Saunders,http://www.wbsaunders.com, P.O. Box 628239, Orlando, Florida 32862-8239, 800-545-2522, wbsbcs@harcourtbrace.com, word books and Dorland's.

Stedman's of Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, http://www.wwilkins.com, 800-638-3030, 301-714-2300, Fax: 301-824-7390, P.O. Box 1600, Hagerstown, MD 21741, word books and dictionary.

Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia, Tarascon Publishing, http://www.tarascon.com/, 800-929-9926, PO Box 1159, Loma Linda, CA 92354

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For WP5.1, books, and used equipment, see used sales at http://www.mtdaily.com/ .html. Also see http://www.recycledsoftware.com, and http://www.ebay.com.

The Abacus: http://www.sorcerersoftware.com/abacus.htm

MedPen and MedPad, automated formats, line counter, and more http://www.medpen.net, 800-579-4300, Fax 727-579-4300, Joe Vann, medpen@ibm.net, 3131 Emmaus Way, Cosby, TN 37722.

Stedman's of Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, http://www.wwilkins.com, 800-638-3030, 301-714-2300, Fax: 301-824-7390, P.O. Box 1600, Hagerstown, MD 21741.

W. B. Saunders, http://www.wbsaunders.com, P.O. Box 628239, Orlando, Florida 32862-8239, 800-545-2522, wbsbcs@harcourtbrace.com

Stedman's Spellchecker for $56-60, http://www.insight.com

Spellex, spellchecker and online spellchecker, http://www.spellex.com 800, 442-9673, 813, 885-1968, Fax 813, 855-2581, custsvce@spellex.com, 8313 W. Hillsborough Ave Suite 430, Tampa, FL 33615

Sylcount and spellchecker, Sylvan Software, http://www.sylvansoft.com, 5144 N. Academy Blvd., #531, Colorado Springs, CO 80918, 800, 235-9455, fax 719, 495-8119, sales@sylvansoft.com

PractiCount line counter, http://www.practiline.com, Practiline Software, P.O. Box 34069 #381, Seattle, WA 98124-1069, USA, FAX: 206-984-3919, info@practiline.com

DocuCount, ATS Software, http://www.flash.net/~actrsrv/, ken@ATSSoftware.co

PC Anywhere, http://www.symantec.com/pcanywhere/ 9 Golden Hill St. Bethel, CT 06801

DataHand Ergonomic Keyboards, http://www.datahand.com, 3032 North 33rd Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85017-5247, 602-233-6000; 800-875-7171; FAX: 602-233-3434, scotts@datahand.com.

Interfaces by Cramer, http://www.ergointerfaces.com, ergonomic equipment, 5657 Memorial Avenue North, Stillwater, MN 55082, 888-881-7592, Linda Knothe, Cathy O'Brien, information@ergointerfaces.com.

Keyboard Alternatives and Vision Solutions, hydralic sit-stand tables and other ergonomic equipment, http://www.keyalt.com/furniture/elecsitstand.htm, 537 College Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95404, 800-9530-9262, 707-544-8000, Fax 707-522-1343, keyalt@keyalt.com.

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A C-phone is a digital receiver transcriber/phone that accesses digital dictation from another location over the phone.

Rerecording involves using a tape recorder or transcriber with recording capabilities, a speaker telephone, and an inexpensive phone coupler (such as those made by Radio Shack, http://www.radioshack.comOne method of re-recording involves using the telephone to dial into a hospital's digital dictation system and playing the doctors' dictations while recording them for transcription at a later time. Also see http://www.mtdaily.com/mt1/recording.html page.

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13,000 abbreviations available here at http://www.mtdaily.com/abbvs.txt

Abbreviate! http://shop.store.yahoo.com/fos/abbreviate.html

ABCZ Speed Typing http://home.earthlink.net/~agjon/, Jonathan Knowles.

Smartype, http://www.narratek.com, Joe Weber, 617, 566-1066, http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/leaders/weber.html, Interview, 11/98, http://www.theprogrammers.com, Click on "Smartype".

Instant Text, http://www.textware.com, 58 Lexington Street, Burlington, MA 01803-4005, Jean Ichbiah, ITSupport@textware.com, 800, 355-5251, Public Forum for Instant Text Users, http://textware.com/board/itmainforum/index.html, Interview, 12/98.

Quikscripts, http://www.metadigm.com/pub/quikscripts.html

Shorthand, http://www.pcshorthand.com, OfficeSoft LLC, 517 Cobb Court, La Puente, CA 91746, USA sales@pcshorthand.com.

Bytescribe Development Company's Abbreviation Expander, http://www.bytescribe.com,1832 Russet Woods Lane, Birmingham, AL 35244, 205, 425-1981, postmaster@bytescribe.com

TypeIt4Me for MacIntosh, http://www.hebel.net/~rettore/.

WP Expand for WP5.0, 5.1, & 6.0; Productive Performance, http://www.foxcomm.net/productive/WPEXPAND.htm, 425, 788-8300, 31820 NE 103rd Street, Carnation, WA 98014-9710, 206-788-8300, productive@foxcomm.net

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