Medical Transcription - Research Paper Example

? Medical Transcription HERE YOUR SCHOOL INFO HERE HERE Medical Transcription Introduction Medical transcription is a lucrative careerposition that provides considerable flexibility to the transcriptionist. Further, it is field with very high growth and opportunity as a variety of health care organizations are already experiencing shortages of competent and qualified help in transcription to facilitate more effective health care services and documentation. Based on the research findings, medical transcription should be considered a largely viable and attractive career goal and also a career position that can lead to better opportunities associated with long-term career goals in the health care system. Medical transcription allows the individual to network with patients, physicians and other health care professionals. Overview of Profession Medical transcription is the process of transcribing data, the process of writing out and recording, of clinical information provided by physicians and other relevant health care workers from various voice recordings (AHDI, 2008). Current and confidential patient-related information is recorded by the practicing nurses and physicians, commonly recorded through digital voice services or traditional tape recorders. The transcriptionist maintains the responsibility of translating this information into written format so that adequate documentation can be stored in databases or patient files based on what was provided by the physician or other health care professional. There are two main reasons for using medical transcriptionists. The first is due to language disparities with physicians, which is common in this diverse field, allowing for physician assessment and practice to be translated more effectively without language barrier issues. The second is to ensure liability reduction by maintaining adequate patient records and improve knowledge transfer. Growth rate in this field is estimated at 15 percent annually, representing a 10 to 25 billion dollar industry (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012). Educational Credential Required Medical transcriptionists must have specific academic credentials in order to advance in this field. The field mandates successful achievement of the Registered Medical Transcriptionist Credential (RMT), which is a benchmark for entry level job attainment in this field (AHDI, 2008). Further advancement, and better salary adjustment, requires achievement of the Certified Medical Transcriptionist credential, which is offered to individuals with two years of experience in an acute care environment. Upon completion of this CMT, one is considered in the industry to be an expert transcriptionist (Future MT, 2010). Attainment of these credentials indicates that medical transcriptionist positions require significant training and conscientiousness to attain a worthy and lucrative position. Current Issues Relevant to Medical Transcription Though there is much growth in this career, there is a risk to stability in the long-term due to the incentives that outsourcing to foreign transcriptionist laborers provides to health care businesses. Kshetri & Dholakia (2011) identify that there are significant cost-savings potentials for outsourcing to nations where labor costs are lower. This is due to the fact that many transcriptionists in the United States can make approximately $26 per hour for these services, or salaries exceeding $70,000 annually due to its high demand (Payscale.com, 2012; Miller, 2006). Growth in outsourcing represents a risk to career sustainability that must be considered when seeking a career in medical transcription. There are also benefits of choosing this career related to technology improvements. Many operating systems on computers now have voice recognition software which facilitates a faster and more efficient transcription process. Improvements, also, in the functionality of software such as Microsoft Office improves the ability of transcriptionists to work from home without reliance on a bricks-and-mortar environment to facilitate career. This provides much more flexibility to the career professional than other careers in the health industry. Summary of Career Goals It is the goal of the student to attain the appropriate certifications and training to attain a short-term career position in medical transcription. This is based on the high salary potential for the field and the ability to work within a flexible and high-demand environment. This will serve as the appropriate stepping stone, with a quality base salary, that will facilitate better educational credentials long-term and also lifestyle required for family and self-development. Medical transcription and its high salary and linkage to the proper environment for long-term career expectations (e.g. the health systems) are vital to attaining future career goals. Attainment of the RMT and CMT should occur over the next two to four years. The experience attained through medical transcription will enhance and expand my knowledge of the health care environment and learn about the political and socio-economic aspects of the health care field. Ultimately, I hope to sustain my own children’s clinic that will specialize in effective Pediatric care. Future Career Projections Five years from now, I expect to be working in a hospital as a physician assistant with a specialization in Pediatrics. I gain a great deal of self-satisfaction working with children and this is a quality fit for my personality and lifestyle goals. Through thoughtful and honest self-evaluation, I realized that helping children fits my emotional needs and will provide the best self-actualization that will build a more positive self-concept and task significance. The experience gained through being a physician assistant will improve my operational knowledge of clinic and hospital systems to be able to manage my own children’s clinic years into the future. I believe that medical transcription experience is one of the most practical and realistic methods toward attainment of long-term career goals, taking into consideration the volume of knowledge required to be a successful physician assistant and business manager in a dynamic health environment with a great deal of economic, technological and social change. Conclusion As identified by the research, medical transcription is a quality career position that provides a great deal of opportunity for one willing to gain the credentials required. High salary potential, flexibility, and as a stepping stone for more advanced health care service are significant motivators for pursuing this career option. If one is able to circumvent the potential risks of growth in outsourcing to foreign labor in this field, they are likely to sustain their careers with a quality health care environment due to the high level of demand that this field maintains. Through the receipt of credentials and through experience, this will provide a platform by which to attain short- and long-term goals toward self-governance of a children’s clinic. It will provide advanced knowledge of systems interdependencies in the health care system that will be critical to sustaining goals five to ten years forward. References AHDI. (2008). Medical Transcription: A Career in Healthcare Documentation, Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity, Retrieved September 14, 2012 from http://ahdionline.org/Portals/0/Downloads/AboutMTflyer.pdf Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2012). Occupational Outlook Handbook – Medical Transcriptionists Retrieved September 14, 2012 from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-transcriptionists.htm Future MT. (2012). What Professional Credentials are Required of Medical Transcriptionists?. Retrieved September 13, 2012 from http://www.futuremt.com/Home/MedicalTranscriptionIndustryNews/tabid/269/ID/186/What-Professional-Credentials-Are-Required-Of-Medical-Transcriptionists.aspx Kshetri, N. & Dholakia, N. (2011). Offshoring of Health Care Services: The Case of U.S.-India Trade in Medical Transcription Services, Journal of Health Organization and Management, 25(1), pp.94-106. Miller, Michelle. (2006). Is Medical Transcription for You?, Retrieved September 13, 2012 from http://www.medical-transcription-at-home.com/hb/free-med.pdf Payscale.com. (2012). Medical Transcriptionist Salary, Retrieved September 13, 2012 from http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Medical_Transcriptionist/Salary Read More