Have you ever wondered why some dictation is so scratchy, distorted, muffled, choppy, fades in and out, has an annoying hum, or the line has static? What's with all of the bad hospital phone lines all over the country? Is everyone dictating via cell phones? The answer is simple: Wireless, cordless, portable, dictation headsets. These telecommunication electronic wonders have appeared in hospitals and outpatient facilities during the last several years and doctors love them! The premise is simple for the physician: Dial up the assigned dictation line on the regular phone, punch in the patient MR#, then walk away, and start dictating into the wireless headset, freeing hands and body to do other things---such as dictating the last procedure completed while gowning up for the next. The physician has gained mobility and freedom. He is saving valuable time. And the cordless concept is catching on like wildfire. Great. Now, in addition to occasional stammering, stuttering, changes, irregular sentence structure, bad grammar, ESLs, and occasional goofs, there is a new challenge. Another hurdle. Another source to create possible blanks in reports.

Soooo, what's a Medical Transcriptionist to do?

Obviously, doctors are not going to throw this new-found mobility away and revert to the old way of doing things. We can hope that technology will continue to improve until there is such a thing as a wireless, cordless, dictation headset that doesn't pick up static, interference from fluorescent lights, other electronic hospital equipment, cell phones, etc. In the meantime, no self-respecting MT wants to end up with a report full of holes looking like Swiss cheese---that makes the MT look incompetent besides being a disservice to the facility and the patient.

Until technology catches up with our end of the dictation, here are a few suggestions:

1. Master the terminology. By this, I mean, really get a grip on the terminology for all different specialties. Say, for instance, you are transcribing an echocardiogram. If you know the names of the four heart valves (mitral, tricuspid, aortic, pulmonic or sometimes called pulmonary), when the dictation is choppy or part of a syllable is cut off from words, you'll know what the rest of the word is supposed to be. Say you hear "onic valve" - you'll know that's supposed to be pulmonic valve. Or, "uspid" regurgitation - you'll know that's supposed to be "tricuspid" regurgitation. Folks, this isn't guessing - it is mastering knowledge. There are four heart valves and they have specific names. If you know those names, there is no need for blanks. If you don't KNOW, however, don't guess! Use common sense, too - pay attention to what is being dictated and get a sense of understanding of what is trying to be conveyed by the dictator. It does require self-discipline and a thirst for knowledge to master medical terminology. The more hands-on experience you gain as an MT, the greater your fund of medical knowledge will grow. It takes sheer strong-willed determination to master your craft, but in the end, you'll be able to transcribe anything that is thrown your way. :)

2. Learn all you can about diagnostic procedures, laboratory tests, operations, drugs, and new developments. Again, it takes determination and dedication to learn your craft.

3. Develop standards. This is especially helpful for transcribing Operative Reports and Procedure Notes. Doctors, like most of us, are creatures of habit. After performing the same procedures over and over every day, they tend to dictate the same phrases and techniques nearly verbatim for nearly all patients, with minor adjustments for each individual case. So, you can make a standard for each and every physician and procedure dictated by that doctor and include that in your word expansion program or create a handy cut-and-paste computer desktop file. When you get the same type of report next time from the same dictator, it is simple to pull up your "standard" to copy and paste into your report, then follow along to make the necessary adjustments and changes. This little trick will help to maximize your line count - a crucial factor when you are paid by production. Caution: Be sure you listen to each dictation to make the necessary adjustments and tweaks in each report - otherwise, your MT employment might end up being temporary!!

Please feel free to print and distribute any of the reports from this web site. My only requirement is that you give credit to this web site by placing the referral note below back to this site:

Copyright 2005-2008, Copied with Permission from the web site,
"Patients and Medical Transcription" at http://www.mt-stuff.com

If you do use these sample reports for students or classes, please let me know. My goal for this web site is to mentor future MTs to carry on our professional craft and legacy; I would like to know I helped in some small way to achieve that goal.
Thank you and May God Bless You,
Rosemarie