Possibilities in Medical Transcription Files Delivery
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Here is a list of the seven different delivery possibilities;
Email is an option for delivery only when you are dealing with a small client and when time is not an important factor. However sending files via e-mail require 128 bit encryption so that all sensitive patient information is always kept secure and confidential.
In the modem-to-modem transfer method, files are transferred from a computer directly via phone lines into a database ata hospital/clinic. Factors to be considered while adopting the modem transfer method should include,
The TASP (Transcription Application Service Provider) provides end-to-end technology solution from the physician to the MTSO (or hospital transcription manager) to the medical transcriptionist and back, all with a high level of security and work flow automation. It invests in servers, firewalls, and software / security technologies, including T1 voice and data connectivity.
In the FTP methods, files are either "pushed" or "pulled" from one PC to the other using the Internet. Using just the local Internet connection this method helps in avoiding telephone charges. The transcription company will have installed a transcription database into which files are delivered.
Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is a USD based medical transcription company that offers highly secure and affordable outsourcing solutions in medical coding, medical billing and medical transcription.
Test
If you have outsourced your medical transcription work either domestically or to an offshore country, it is important that you receive back the finished transcripts in time. This is possible only when the system is well planned and organized. There are different technologies and methods that one can choose from. Depending on the available infrastructure and the convenience, expenses, time available and other factors, we must adopted from one of the below mentioned methods for getting back the finished transcription files.
Here is a list of the seven different delivery possibilities;
- As Paper documents
- By e-mail
- Modem transfer
- Web access method
- By fax
- TASP
- By FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
Email is an option for delivery only when you are dealing with a small client and when time is not an important factor. However sending files via e-mail require 128 bit encryption so that all sensitive patient information is always kept secure and confidential.
In the modem-to-modem transfer method, files are transferred from a computer directly via phone lines into a database ata hospital/clinic. Factors to be considered while adopting the modem transfer method should include,
- Modem speed
- Firewall /network penetration
- Phone charges
The TASP (Transcription Application Service Provider) provides end-to-end technology solution from the physician to the MTSO (or hospital transcription manager) to the medical transcriptionist and back, all with a high level of security and work flow automation. It invests in servers, firewalls, and software / security technologies, including T1 voice and data connectivity.
In the FTP methods, files are either "pushed" or "pulled" from one PC to the other using the Internet. Using just the local Internet connection this method helps in avoiding telephone charges. The transcription company will have installed a transcription database into which files are delivered.
Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is a USD based medical transcription company that offers highly secure and affordable outsourcing solutions in medical coding, medical billing and medical transcription.
Test
Labels: medical billing, medical coding, medical transcription, medical transcription files delivery, medical transcription outsourcing services
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 7:04 PM
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What is Osteopath Medical Transcription?
Thursday, February 14, 2008
There is a rising demand for preventive healthcare and a holistic approach to medicine in the world today. But, often we find that there is still confusion in understanding the difference between allopathic, osteopathic and chiropractic practices of medicine. Actually Osteopathic medicine is an American medical care system that was started in 1874 by Andrew Taylor Still, M.D., D.O. This form of healthcare has its emphasis on the role of musculoskeletal system in health and disease. Take a look at the website of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm
In the United States, an osteopath (or an osteopathic physician) must be a graduate of one of the nation's osteopathic medical schools. Each school is accredited by the AOA and has recognition by the U.S. Department of Education. Thus Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.s) are fully licensed medical physicians and surgeons and do practice all clinical specialties along with their M.D. colleagues. However, they are trained to be generalists first, and specialists second. Osteopaths being one of the fastest growing segments of healthcare professionals in the United States, it is estimated that, by 2020 at least 100,000 osteopathic physicians will be in active medical practice.No wonder more and more medical transcription professionals are specializing in the field of Osteopathy medical transcription.
Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is practiced by osteopathic physicians and involves the use of hands to diagnose illness and injury and encourages the body's natural tendency toward good health. Along with all other available medical options, Osteopathy physicians are able to offer the most comprehensive care available in medicine today.
Here is a list of all the different osteopathic associations: http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=lcl_assoc
Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is a US based medical transcription company that offers professional services in medical coding, medical billing and osteopathy medical transcription services.
In the United States, an osteopath (or an osteopathic physician) must be a graduate of one of the nation's osteopathic medical schools. Each school is accredited by the AOA and has recognition by the U.S. Department of Education. Thus Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.s) are fully licensed medical physicians and surgeons and do practice all clinical specialties along with their M.D. colleagues. However, they are trained to be generalists first, and specialists second. Osteopaths being one of the fastest growing segments of healthcare professionals in the United States, it is estimated that, by 2020 at least 100,000 osteopathic physicians will be in active medical practice.No wonder more and more medical transcription professionals are specializing in the field of Osteopathy medical transcription.
Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is practiced by osteopathic physicians and involves the use of hands to diagnose illness and injury and encourages the body's natural tendency toward good health. Along with all other available medical options, Osteopathy physicians are able to offer the most comprehensive care available in medicine today.
Here is a list of all the different osteopathic associations: http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=lcl_assoc
Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is a US based medical transcription company that offers professional services in medical coding, medical billing and osteopathy medical transcription services.
Labels: American Osteopathy Association, AOA, medical coding, medical transcription, Osteopath medical transcription, osteopathy transcription
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 7:50 PM
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Medical Transcription Tools and Equipment
Monday, February 11, 2008
Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is a US based medical transcription company that offers outsourcing solutions in medical transcription, medical billing and medical coding for clients in the US and outside.
Medical transcription has evolved over the years and has always made use of the cutting edge technologies. Many different tools/equipment get used during the medical transcription process. Here is a list of the different tools/ software and equipment that are used either during home based medical transcription or at a bigger work unit that may consist of transcriptionists, editors, Quality Assurance, leaders etc. This list of equipment and tools is not exhaustive.
- MP3 playback software
- Document processor software (like LYX)
- Version Control software
- Time markers
- Bud microphone
- Digital voice recorder
- Headphone
- Computer with Internet/PrinterDesk and comfortable chair
- AAMT Book of StyleEncryption software
- File/Documents management software
- Blue Cross/ Shield Directory
- Electronic Medical Dictionary
- Fax machine
- Document shredder
- Word processing program
- Audio playback software
- Anti virus program/
- Thesaurus/dictionary for windows
- System recovery software
- Drug/pharmaceutical reference guide
- Foot pedal
- Ad blocker
- Medical specialty books
- Google toolbar
- Spyware removal Utility
- Monthly newsletter
- Telephone line
- Editing software
- Conference recorder
- Voice recognition software
- Dictation recording equipment
- Text counting software (for home based work)
Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is a US based medical transcription company that offers outsourcing solutions in medical transcription, medical billing and medical coding for clients in the US and outside.
Labels: medical billing, medical coding, medical transcription, medical transcription equipment, medical transcription tools
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 9:12 PM
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The Medical Transcription Team
Sunday, February 10, 2008
The work is now passed on by the transcriptionist to the next level that consists of quality editors. What do the quality editors do? Well as the name suggests, the quality editors have to edit the transcript, which means, looking out for finer errors (such as spelling mistakes, incorrect words and proper formatting). The QA has to make sure that the transcript is ready for release to the client.
Call OSI (Outsource Strategies International) the Oklahoma based medical transcription company for domestic and offshore solutions in medical coding and medical transcription outsourcing.
In any average sized medical transcription unit one will come across a team of people executing the project. The common hierarchies of people who form the transcription team include,
- The Transcriptionist
- Quality Editors (QA)
- Project Administrators
The work is now passed on by the transcriptionist to the next level that consists of quality editors. What do the quality editors do? Well as the name suggests, the quality editors have to edit the transcript, which means, looking out for finer errors (such as spelling mistakes, incorrect words and proper formatting). The QA has to make sure that the transcript is ready for release to the client.
Call OSI (Outsource Strategies International) the Oklahoma based medical transcription company for domestic and offshore solutions in medical coding and medical transcription outsourcing.
Labels: medical billing, medical coding, medical transcription outsourcing, QA transcription, transcription project editors
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 11:03 PM
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Standardization of Medical Transcription and Reports
Sunday, February 3, 2008
The AAMT line was the previously advanced standard unit of measure for medical record transcription. It was a 65-character line. But the main problem with this system is the inclusion of nonprinting characters and formatting instructions that makes it difficult to validate the line count of individual documents.
AHIMA and MTIA's Joint Task Force on Standards Development had recommended a standard unit of measure for medical transcription that can be applied to all types of medical reports and various technologies. This standard will address the issue/ confusion caused due to the use of various types of medical billing methods.
The above mentioned task force has identified that VBC or "visible black character" as the only counting method that could be easily understood, verified, and replicated by all parties in the medical transcription business processes. It is said to be the only counting method that can be easily understood, verified, and replicated by all in the medical transcription business processes.
OK, so what is the current medical transcription industry heading at with regards to standardization of reports? Providers with standards-compliant electronic medical records will be the big future winners as a result of an effort to establish interoperability specifications for common types of clinical documents. The project is called "Clinical Document Architecture for Common Document Types" (CDA4CDT). It will create implementation guides for the most common types of dictated clinical documents. The guides will use the Health Level Seven (HL7) Clinical Document Architecture (CDA), the same framework used by the ASTM/HL7 Continuity of Care Document (CCD) besides other projects.
Here is a list of the forthcoming AHIMA 2008 meetings that will be very useful for those in this area of the medical transcription and medical billing industry, http://www.ahima.org/meetings . Professionals in the health information management sectors must attend these meetings.
OSI (Outsource Strategies International) is a US based medical transcription company that offers professional cost effective services in medical billing, medical coding and medical transcription services to clients in all the US States, Canada or from any global location.
Medical transcription primarily is about converting voice-recorded reports as dictated by physicians and/or other healthcare professionals into text format. With so many of different types of specialties in the healthcare sector, there are a wide range of medical reports with different formats. But how is it possible to judge so diversely different areas of specalizations? There has been a growing need for a standard unit of measurement for all the different types of medical transcription reports.
The AAMT line was the previously advanced standard unit of measure for medical record transcription. It was a 65-character line. But the main problem with this system is the inclusion of nonprinting characters and formatting instructions that makes it difficult to validate the line count of individual documents.
AHIMA and MTIA's Joint Task Force on Standards Development had recommended a standard unit of measure for medical transcription that can be applied to all types of medical reports and various technologies. This standard will address the issue/ confusion caused due to the use of various types of medical billing methods.
The above mentioned task force has identified that VBC or "visible black character" as the only counting method that could be easily understood, verified, and replicated by all parties in the medical transcription business processes. It is said to be the only counting method that can be easily understood, verified, and replicated by all in the medical transcription business processes.
OK, so what is the current medical transcription industry heading at with regards to standardization of reports? Providers with standards-compliant electronic medical records will be the big future winners as a result of an effort to establish interoperability specifications for common types of clinical documents. The project is called "Clinical Document Architecture for Common Document Types" (CDA4CDT). It will create implementation guides for the most common types of dictated clinical documents. The guides will use the Health Level Seven (HL7) Clinical Document Architecture (CDA), the same framework used by the ASTM/HL7 Continuity of Care Document (CCD) besides other projects.
Here is a list of the forthcoming AHIMA 2008 meetings that will be very useful for those in this area of the medical transcription and medical billing industry, http://www.ahima.org/meetings . Professionals in the health information management sectors must attend these meetings.
OSI (Outsource Strategies International) is a US based medical transcription company that offers professional cost effective services in medical billing, medical coding and medical transcription services to clients in all the US States, Canada or from any global location.
Labels: AHIMA, CDA4CDT, HIPAA medical billing, medical coding, medical transcription, medical transcription technology
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 11:08 PM
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Geriatrics Medical Transcription
Friday, February 1, 2008
It is unfortunate that there is a shortage of geriatricians/ physicians with geriatric training in the US, even though the number of aged population is ever growing. Many a times we have come across cases where a surgery for the elderly patient was prevented by the timely intervention of a geriatric specialist. Due to this shortage, the nation's top academic geriatricians, focus on teaching the core principles of their specialty to everyone, including surgeons or discharge planners etc.
Geriatrics medical transcription is about medical transcription of documents from the geriatricians or other physicians trained in geriatrics. During geriatrics medical transcription it is always preferred to give the work to professional transcriptionists who have had previous experience in handling geriatrics cases. They will be more familiar with the drugs, problems and solutions of the elderly. Some of the common problems seen in the elderly are,
Geriatrics transcription services handle all types of medical records for the elderly that can include a wide range of documents including, physical reports, clinic notes, operative reports, consultation notes, psychiatric evaluations, laboratory reports X-ray reports, pathology reports, discharge summaries etc.
Contact OSI (Outsource Strategies International) an Oklahoma based medical transcription company that offers highly professional outsourcing solutions for your entire medical billing, medical coding and medical transcription service needs.
Geriatrics is a specialty branch of medicine that focuses on health promotion and the prevention and treatment of disease and disability in old age. Besides the regular medical attention Geriatrics also deals with the psychology, economic and social aspects of the elderly.
It is unfortunate that there is a shortage of geriatricians/ physicians with geriatric training in the US, even though the number of aged population is ever growing. Many a times we have come across cases where a surgery for the elderly patient was prevented by the timely intervention of a geriatric specialist. Due to this shortage, the nation's top academic geriatricians, focus on teaching the core principles of their specialty to everyone, including surgeons or discharge planners etc.
Geriatrics medical transcription is about medical transcription of documents from the geriatricians or other physicians trained in geriatrics. During geriatrics medical transcription it is always preferred to give the work to professional transcriptionists who have had previous experience in handling geriatrics cases. They will be more familiar with the drugs, problems and solutions of the elderly. Some of the common problems seen in the elderly are,
- Incontinence
- Immobility
- Osteoporosis
- Memory loss
- Gastrointestinal disturbances
- Instability
- Obesity
- Lung problems
- Insufficient blood supply
Geriatrics transcription services handle all types of medical records for the elderly that can include a wide range of documents including, physical reports, clinic notes, operative reports, consultation notes, psychiatric evaluations, laboratory reports X-ray reports, pathology reports, discharge summaries etc.
Contact OSI (Outsource Strategies International) an Oklahoma based medical transcription company that offers highly professional outsourcing solutions for your entire medical billing, medical coding and medical transcription service needs.
Labels: geriatrics medical transcription, HIPAA, medical billing, medical coding, medical transcription company, specialty medical transcription, transcription company
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 8:06 PM
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The Medical Transcription Industry Association
Thursday, January 31, 2008
MTIA is a not-for-profit trade association serving the needs of medical transcription companies, vendors, and health information management professionals. Its Mission is to create the environment in which the members can prosper, grow, and deliver the highest level of healthcare-documentation services.
Take a look at its board of directors at http://www.mtia.com/bod.cfm and MTIA Code of Ethics at http://www.mtia.com/CodeOfEthics.cfm
See details of the different types of memberships at https://www.mtia.com/MembershipCategories.cfm
MTIA membership application is available at https://www.mtia.com/MTIAMembershipApp.cfm
MTIA's Annual Conference for this year is scheduled for April 23-26, 2008 at Long Beach, California. Here is the schedule of events at the conference, https://www.mtia.com/downloads/MTIA%202008%20Schedule%20at%20A%20Glance.pdf
For outsourcing solutions in medical coding, medical billing and medical transcription services, do call the Oklahoma based medical transcription company OSI (Outsource Strategies International)
Way back in 1989, Health Professions Institute sponsored and started a forum that was needed for the medical transcription managers and owners to interact and discuss the medical transcription business, its technology etc. Even though the AAMT (American Association of Medical Transcription) was already a very good source of related industry information, there was an unfulfilled need for forming an association that solely represented the interests of the MT business people. Thus gradually in October 1993, MTIA (Medical Transcription Industry Association) officially came into being. Its website is,http://www.mtia.com/index.cfm
MTIA is a not-for-profit trade association serving the needs of medical transcription companies, vendors, and health information management professionals. Its Mission is to create the environment in which the members can prosper, grow, and deliver the highest level of healthcare-documentation services.
Take a look at its board of directors at http://www.mtia.com/bod.cfm and MTIA Code of Ethics at http://www.mtia.com/CodeOfEthics.cfm
See details of the different types of memberships at https://www.mtia.com/MembershipCategories.cfm
MTIA membership application is available at https://www.mtia.com/MTIAMembershipApp.cfm
MTIA's Annual Conference for this year is scheduled for April 23-26, 2008 at Long Beach, California. Here is the schedule of events at the conference, https://www.mtia.com/downloads/MTIA%202008%20Schedule%20at%20A%20Glance.pdf
For outsourcing solutions in medical coding, medical billing and medical transcription services, do call the Oklahoma based medical transcription company OSI (Outsource Strategies International)
Labels: medical billing, medical coding, medical transcription association, medical transcription industry association, MTIA
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 9:08 PM
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Tips for Medical Transcription Dictation
Monday, January 28, 2008
Today it is not bad handwriting but bad dictation. It indeed makes the medical transcriptionist's job more difficult and highly prone to mistakes. Further it causes waste of valuable time. So what can be the solution to this problem? Is it possible to have an exclusive transcription professional for each doctor so that he gets know the physician like the back of his hand?
Well here is a guide with tips to proper dictation that will be very useful for the physician to give good dictations and get error free transcripts. I recently came across a group of medical transcription from different specialty groups who all had similar types of requests/appeal for the dictating physicians /doctors.
Outsource Strategies International(OSI) is a US based medical transcription company that offers outsourcing solutions in medical billing, medical coding and medical transcription service for clients globally.
Years back when I was in India, I knew a pharmacist who was the only one who could decipher everything our hospital's only physician scribbled /prescribed on his pad. (Many rural Indian hospitals still follow the system). Believe it or not, whenever the pharmacist took a day off or was on leave, the pharmacy would give out wrong medications that turned up to be tragic. We later solved the problem by getting a mobile phone for our pharmacist friend whom we called up even on his "off days" and clarified what the physician prescribed. Surprisingly he could solve the problem even over the telephone.
Today it is not bad handwriting but bad dictation. It indeed makes the medical transcriptionist's job more difficult and highly prone to mistakes. Further it causes waste of valuable time. So what can be the solution to this problem? Is it possible to have an exclusive transcription professional for each doctor so that he gets know the physician like the back of his hand?
Well here is a guide with tips to proper dictation that will be very useful for the physician to give good dictations and get error free transcripts. I recently came across a group of medical transcription from different specialty groups who all had similar types of requests/appeal for the dictating physicians /doctors.
- While dictating a difficult medical term it would be greatly appreciated if care is taken to see that the term gets well recorded via the microphone.
- Please start the dictation mentioning about the type/title of document that is been dictated instead of keeping the transcriptionist guessing about it till the end.
- Please avoid the tendency to summarize every thing/procedure and include everything in few long sentences. It would be ideal to present the facts in shorter and more communicative sentences if possible.
- Would appreciate if uncommon abbreviations are expanded and dictated when possible.
- Please move your face away for a moment from the microphone to sneeze/cough.
- Please finish your snack before beginning the dictation or keep it for afterwards.
- Never forget to mention the basic information like date/name/ summary etc
- Try and avoid talking fast/ yawns /hiccups while dictating.
Outsource Strategies International(OSI) is a US based medical transcription company that offers outsourcing solutions in medical billing, medical coding and medical transcription service for clients globally.
Labels: medical coding, medical transcription, medical transcription dictation tips, tips for dictation, tips for transcribing physicians, transcription company
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 10:24 PM
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Surgery Medical Transcription
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Some of the different types of surgery transcription areas include,
In any allopathic medical practice, surgery is an important aspect. Surgery transcription involves converting all the surgeon's voice tapes about a surgical procedure into neatly typed documents. And thus surgery transcription is an important specialty in medical transcription. Surgery transcriptions are used for settlement of insurance claims and legal matters.
Some of the different types of surgery transcription areas include,
- Dental surgery
- General Surgery
- Cardiovascular/thoracic surgery
- Abdominal/ gastrointestinal surgery
- Orthopedic surgery
- Obstetric and Gynecology surgery
- Neurosurgery
- Plastic surgery
- Surgical instruments (Scissors / scalpels etc)
- Surgical Diathermy
- Endoscopic instruments
- Suction apparatus
- Anesthesia machine
- Pulseoximeter
- Plethysmographs
- Multi parameter patient monitors
- Defibrillators
- Autoclaves
- Infusion pumps
- Autoclaves
Labels: medical billing, medical coding, medical transcription, surgery medical transcription, surgery transcription
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 11:00 PM
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Medical Transcription Errors Can be Costly
Thursday, January 24, 2008
According to a very recent study conducted by the New York based health issues researching group Commonwealth Fund one-fifth of working-age adults who seek insurance coverage are turned down. They get charged higher because of pre-existing conditions or are offered plans that exclude some types of health issues.
What are the types/causes of errors during transcription? These include,
Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is an Oklahoma based company that offers professional services in medical transcription, medical billing and medical coding.
Errors in our medical records can become an expensive mistake. Experts warn that medical transcription errors along with outdated information and inadvertent omissions can put to risk our ability to secure individual health, life or disability insurance. Even if we do get insurance coverage, inaccurate data can also become the reason for us to pay much more than we should.
According to a very recent study conducted by the New York based health issues researching group Commonwealth Fund one-fifth of working-age adults who seek insurance coverage are turned down. They get charged higher because of pre-existing conditions or are offered plans that exclude some types of health issues.
What are the types/causes of errors during transcription? These include,
- Difficult voice recordings
- Lack of judgment of transcriptionist
- Not clear audio
- Speed of dictation
- Dictation accent
- Omission of process step
- Knowledge errors
Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is an Oklahoma based company that offers professional services in medical transcription, medical billing and medical coding.
Labels: HIPAA medical billing, medical coding, medical transcription errors, Medical Transcriptionist, transcription and insurance
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 7:34 PM
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HIPAA Compliant Medical Transcription
Monday, January 21, 2008
Thus HIPAA compliant medical transcription service providers must,
Take a look at the full text of HIPAA at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HIPAAGenInfo/Downloads/HIPAALaw.pdf
Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is a US based BPO company that offers professional yet affordable services in medical transcription, medical billing and medical coding.
What is HIPAA? It stands for The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. It is the standard for electronic exchange of sensitive patient data and protects patients from disclosure of their medical data without authorization. HIPAA has many regulations for electronic transmission of sensitive patient data that define internal procedures that have to be followed for privacy and security. It has become mandatory for all medical transcription service providers to comply with all HIPAA requirements.
Thus HIPAA compliant medical transcription service providers must,
- Ensure security of PHI (Patient Health Information)
- Maintain record of all those who access patient information
- Implement new technology/processes
- Provide physical security requiring password protection.
Take a look at the full text of HIPAA at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HIPAAGenInfo/Downloads/HIPAALaw.pdf
Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is a US based BPO company that offers professional yet affordable services in medical transcription, medical billing and medical coding.
Labels: health insurance, HIPAA act, medical billing, medical coding, medical transcription
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 7:00 PM
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Medical Transcription Professional: See Where He Comes In!
Friday, January 18, 2008
Anyway, after you have explained your problems and also answered all the queries of the doctor, he will physically examine you and also prescribed for various laboratory tests before he is able to make a diagnosis/differential diagnosis. Only after diagnosis does the doctor comes up with the plan of treatment which he explains and gives you / your family members the required instructions/prescriptions that must be followed. Finally as you come out of the doctor's office, you see the other people waiting for their turn to get in and talk to the doctor. But before someone else walks into the doctor's cabin there is something the doctor does after you have left. Well it's just that the entire encounter he had with you is quickly recorded into a voice recording device (either a cassette recorder, telephone or some other device).
In a few minutes the doctor is on to another patient, another issue and thus the voice recordings continue. By the end of the day/session the doctor has seen many patients requiring various types of treatments. Now where is all that critical patients' data? Can we expect the doctor to remember some of the details? Certainly not! Well as of now, most of the information is on tape and tomorrow the doctor or someone else (like say the insurance people) may need to know exactly what happened with say, patient number 6 who came in last Monday?. Should they be given access to those voice recordings? Can they follow the doctor's rumblings? No indeed, everything has to be neat, and in paper. But then the doctor can't type nor does he have the time for paper work. So who does all that work of converting that technical "doctor talk" into a typed document? You guessed it!
OSI (Outsource Strategies International) is an Oklahoma based domestic and offshore outsourcing solutions provider, for medical transcription, medical billing and coding.
You are not well and have decided to see a specialist about that nagging pain. You go and start talking about the problem to the doctor. Now you may need to talk about the past history of the problem which you will have to remember and maybe rack your brains to remember everything just as it happened. (Ideally you must have some past papers and also made specific notes about the problem).
Anyway, after you have explained your problems and also answered all the queries of the doctor, he will physically examine you and also prescribed for various laboratory tests before he is able to make a diagnosis/differential diagnosis. Only after diagnosis does the doctor comes up with the plan of treatment which he explains and gives you / your family members the required instructions/prescriptions that must be followed. Finally as you come out of the doctor's office, you see the other people waiting for their turn to get in and talk to the doctor. But before someone else walks into the doctor's cabin there is something the doctor does after you have left. Well it's just that the entire encounter he had with you is quickly recorded into a voice recording device (either a cassette recorder, telephone or some other device).
In a few minutes the doctor is on to another patient, another issue and thus the voice recordings continue. By the end of the day/session the doctor has seen many patients requiring various types of treatments. Now where is all that critical patients' data? Can we expect the doctor to remember some of the details? Certainly not! Well as of now, most of the information is on tape and tomorrow the doctor or someone else (like say the insurance people) may need to know exactly what happened with say, patient number 6 who came in last Monday?. Should they be given access to those voice recordings? Can they follow the doctor's rumblings? No indeed, everything has to be neat, and in paper. But then the doctor can't type nor does he have the time for paper work. So who does all that work of converting that technical "doctor talk" into a typed document? You guessed it!
OSI (Outsource Strategies International) is an Oklahoma based domestic and offshore outsourcing solutions provider, for medical transcription, medical billing and coding.
Labels: medical billing, medical coding, medical transcription, medical transcription professional, transcription company
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 10:15 PM
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MTIAPI and Medical Transcription in The Philippines
The Philippines is the preferred offshore location after India when it comes to outsourcing medical transcription work to Asia. MTIAPI or The Medical Transcription Industry Association of the Philippines, Inc. is a non-stock, non-profit industry organization recognized by the Philippines government and its BPO industry, with the following objectives.
- Promote the outsourcing of medical transcription services.
- Promote the development and education of individuals and corporations with respect to healthcare information and management.
- Organize any lawful activities within the purposes for which a corporation may be organized under the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Here is a list of the MTIAPI members:http://www.mtiapi.com/memlist.html
Take a look at the new set of the MTIAPI board of trustees for 2008 at http://www.mtiapi.com/trustees.html and its new contact /address at http://www.mtiapi.com/Announcement/Announcement.html
The Philippines has the distinct advantage of having a vast pool of English speaking people. It is actually the third largest English speaking country in the world and also the second largest American English speaking country in the world with a literacy rate of almost 94%. It also has the advantage of having the much preferred 12 hour time difference with the United States. The Philippine government had recently announced that Philippines medical transcription companies have won medical transcription and medical coding contracts worth $1.4 million with American clients.
The Philippines also has registered medical transcription training program institutes like The MTC Academy (MTCA) that provides the latest medical transcription training software and reference materials that are currently being used as industry standards within the United States.
Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is a US based BPO service provider offering professional solutions in domestic as well as offshore medical transcription (from both India and The Philippines), medical coding and medical billing.
Labels: medical billing, medical coding, medical transcription, MTIAPI, outsourcing transcription, Philippines
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 7:40 PM
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Medical Coding Classifications
Thursday, January 17, 2008
The different types of WHO FIC classifications are
Reference Classification
Medical Coding classifications are useful for many different applications in the medical and medical informatics field. ISO 17115 defines a classification as 'an exhaustive set of mutually exclusive categories to aggregate data at a pre-prescribed level of specialization for a specific purpose'. Thus the different medical diagnosis and procedures are given universal code numbers. This makes it easy to track diseases. Medical codes are particularly very useful during the insurance claim process. These are the different types of medical codes.
- The diagnostic codes group the different types of diseases/ symptoms/ disorders /signs /
- The procedural codes are numbers or alphanumeric codes used to identify specific health interventions taken by medical professionals.
- Pharmaceutical codes are used in medical classification to uniquely identify medication.
- Topography codes indicate a specific location in the body.
The different types of WHO FIC classifications are
Reference Classification
- International Classification of Diseases (ICD)
- International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)
- International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI)
- International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, Third Edition (ICD-O-3)
- ICD-10 for Mental and Behavioural Disorders
- Application of the International Classification of Diseases to Dentistry and Stomatology, 3rd edition (ICD-DA)
- Application of the International Classification of Diseases to Neurology (ICD-10-NA)
- International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Children and Youth (ICF-CY)
- International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC-2)
- International Classification of External Causes of Injury (ICECI)
- Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System (ATC/DDD)
- Technical aids for persons with disabilities: Classification and terminology (ISO9999)
Labels: ICD, ICF, medical coding, mediical classification, reference classification, WHO FIC
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 6:10 PM
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The Evolving Medical Transcription
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
In the distant future one can be sure that the voice recognition software will greatly improve and may slowly even replace manual transcription. Adopted technologies such as speech recognition software and application service providers (ASPs) can keep up with the demands of regulations, standards, and cutting-edge demands in this sector. One can also expect that unlike today, medical coding may become embedded within documentation thereby not requiring a separate process and reduce the overall cost of medical transcription.
There is also the growing need for medical transcription to comply with basic Principles of documentation that has been developed by the Consensus Workgroup on Healthcare Documentation & Report Generation. It will look into the following aspects of transcription.
Medical Transcription is a fast growing and evolving sector that has been influenced by many factors over the years. As preferences and standards have changed, one of the significant aspects of medical transcription has been the shift to electronic patient record. What are the basic factors for this evolution? They include,
- Advancement in technology
- Practice workflow
- Regulations
In the distant future one can be sure that the voice recognition software will greatly improve and may slowly even replace manual transcription. Adopted technologies such as speech recognition software and application service providers (ASPs) can keep up with the demands of regulations, standards, and cutting-edge demands in this sector. One can also expect that unlike today, medical coding may become embedded within documentation thereby not requiring a separate process and reduce the overall cost of medical transcription.
There is also the growing need for medical transcription to comply with basic Principles of documentation that has been developed by the Consensus Workgroup on Healthcare Documentation & Report Generation. It will look into the following aspects of transcription.
- Patient details
- Accuracy of document
- Completeness
- Timeliness
- Interoperability
- Retrievability
- Authentication
- Accountability
- Auditability
- Confidentiality
- Security
Labels: medical billing, medical coding, medical technology, medical transcription
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 10:15 PM
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Medical Billing for the Urgent Care
Medical billing for the urgent care is a different and unique way of medical billing. Let me explain. First what is urgent care? By definition urgent care is the delivery of ambulatory medical care outside of a hospital emergency department on a walk-in basis without a scheduled appointment. In the US, there are more than 9000 urgent care centers and these mainly function after the regular office hours when patients need immediate attention without the need to go to the emergency department of a hospital.
The Urgent Care Association of America (UCAOA) represents these many urgent care centers that provide appropriate and timely alternatives to the more costly and inconvenient hospital emergency departments. Take a look at the accredited urgent care centers http://www.ucaoa.org/accreditation/sites.html
Medical billing is the process of submitting and following up on claims to insurance companies in order to receive payment for services rendered. Medical billers working in the urgent care sector must have specialized knowledge in urgent care billing and also in the specific area medical coding. It is essential for medical billing services to do highly accurate billing at the same time keep the client's outstanding accounts receivable as low as possible. What are these urgent care situations for medical billing? These include,
- Services in the evening/weekend/ holidays
- Compensation for workers
- Services requiring urgent care/emergency services
- Removing foreign body from eyes
- Drug screening
- Breath testing for alcohol
- Injury in workplace/factories etc
Labels: medical billing, medical coding, urgent care, urgent care billing, urgent medical care
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 8:57 PM
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The Medical Transcription Profession
A Medical transcription professional is often referred to as a medical transcriber or just as an MT. Earlier in the late 1990s, medical transcription professionals were also called as Medical language specialists or Health Information Management professionals.
What is the work done by an MT? Well it is an MT's responsibility to convert the medical records of patients into type written formats. An MT professional has to do the transcription with the help of transcription equipment that may include tape recorders PCs foot pedals etc. They use the tape to playback the recording for listening in and transcribing the dictations that have been recorded by the doctors.
A good medical transcription should ideally have skills in the following areas.
- Good knowledge of medical terms
- Superior typing skills
- Communication skills
- Office automation skills
- Accuracy in sorting/counting and number verification
- Knowledge of Grammar/punctuation
- Experience with multiple medical specialties
Medical transcription professionals can gain the title of a Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) by passing a certification examination that is conducted only by the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI). The AHDI was formerly in the name of American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT).
For outsourced solutions in medical transcription, medical coding and medical billing please do contact OSI (Outsourced Strategies International) the Oklahoma based BPO pioneer.
Labels: Certified Medical Transcriptionist, medical billing, medical coding, medical transcription, MT, MT professional
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 7:23 PM
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Skills and Duties of a Medical Transcription Professional
Sunday, December 23, 2007
What are the basic requirements to become a good medical transcription professional? They include,
A good medical transcriptionist has to learn and have a good knowledge of basic to advanced medical terminology. The proper application of grammar and the ability to use correct punctuation are also essential to be successful as a transcriptionist.
Among the various duties of a medical transcription are,
Medical Transcription Supervisors are seniors who do all the follow ups on the physicians, take care of all the missing and /or late dictations and are responsible for the timely delivery of reports. Other duties include doing quality assurance checking, maintaining backups, ordering supplies, reports generation and reporting of problems in the infrastructure/ machinery etc.
Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is a US based medical transcription company that offers services in medical billing, medical coding and medical transcription from both domestic as well as offshore work groups.
Becoming a professional medical transcriptionist is today worth considering as a career especially because it is predicted that the MT profession will be in high demand for some time to come. This is chiefly because the rise in the total number of the aging population will cause the entire health care sector to experience a boom for the next ten years at least as predicted by the US Department of Labor. So as the years go by, one can expect that there will be more and more hospitals /doctors/ nurses and other health care technicians including Medical transcriptionists.
What are the basic requirements to become a good medical transcription professional? They include,
- High school level education
- Good communication skill
- Above average in spelling
- Should be good at sorting, checking verifying numerical data
- Ability to follow written instruction
- Records maintenance ability
- Good typing speed/skill
- Skill in use of computer/automation
- Good eye / hand / foot coordination
A good medical transcriptionist has to learn and have a good knowledge of basic to advanced medical terminology. The proper application of grammar and the ability to use correct punctuation are also essential to be successful as a transcriptionist.
Among the various duties of a medical transcription are,
- Transcribing patient information like Social security number/Medical record
- Maintaining references for medical terminology/ procedures
- Maintaining a transcription log book
- Collecting dictation tapes
- Distributing finished transcripts/ reports
Medical Transcription Supervisors are seniors who do all the follow ups on the physicians, take care of all the missing and /or late dictations and are responsible for the timely delivery of reports. Other duties include doing quality assurance checking, maintaining backups, ordering supplies, reports generation and reporting of problems in the infrastructure/ machinery etc.
Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is a US based medical transcription company that offers services in medical billing, medical coding and medical transcription from both domestic as well as offshore work groups.
Labels: medical billing, medical coding, medical transcription, medical transcription company
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 7:23 PM
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Medical Coding and Billing Certifications
Sunday, December 16, 2007
What do the medical billers and coders do? They are responsible for the collection, maintenance and analysis of all patient data which is required by the doctors and nurses etc for treatment and cure of the patient. Medical coding and billing certification certificate programs are offered online by different colleges and Universities and is targeted at those who plan to start a new career in medical coding and medical billing. There are courses also for those who are already working as medical coders but want to take the certification exam.
Some of the major curriculum inclusions are the coding principals for inpatient and outpatient hospitals and a study of the three main coding manuals: CPT, ICD-9-CM, and HCPCS.
What are the different government certifications exams that can be taken and what are the certificates? They are,
Official site for CMRS is http://www.ambanet.net/cmrs.htm.
CPC site is http://www.aapc.com/certification/cpc.aspx
CCS (Certified Coding Specialist) is at http://www.ahima.org/certification/ccs.asp
Completion of the online medical billing and coding program can not only help students in getting the university's certificate and help in the preparation for the certification exams in medical billing and coding but also earn them semester credits. Government aid programs are usually available for the students pursuing degrees and taking credits per term.
Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is a US based medical transcription company that offers services in medical billing, medical coding, and medical transcription.
Professional Medical coding and billing is an important part of the healthcare industry. This is because all data details of a patient are very essential especially because it helps to keep clear of possible legal issues and also to immediately provide complete reimbursement for all the medical expenses of a patient.
What do the medical billers and coders do? They are responsible for the collection, maintenance and analysis of all patient data which is required by the doctors and nurses etc for treatment and cure of the patient. Medical coding and billing certification certificate programs are offered online by different colleges and Universities and is targeted at those who plan to start a new career in medical coding and medical billing. There are courses also for those who are already working as medical coders but want to take the certification exam.
Some of the major curriculum inclusions are the coding principals for inpatient and outpatient hospitals and a study of the three main coding manuals: CPT, ICD-9-CM, and HCPCS.
What are the different government certifications exams that can be taken and what are the certificates? They are,
- American Medical Billing Association (AMBA) CMRS Exam to become a Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist (CMRS).
- American Academy of Professional Coder's (AAPC) Exam and become a Certified Professional coder (CPC )
- American Health Information Management Association's (CCS or CCS-P) board exam.
Official site for CMRS is http://www.ambanet.net/cmrs.htm.
CPC site is http://www.aapc.com/certification/cpc.aspx
CCS (Certified Coding Specialist) is at http://www.ahima.org/certification/ccs.asp
Completion of the online medical billing and coding program can not only help students in getting the university's certificate and help in the preparation for the certification exams in medical billing and coding but also earn them semester credits. Government aid programs are usually available for the students pursuing degrees and taking credits per term.
Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is a US based medical transcription company that offers services in medical billing, medical coding, and medical transcription.
Labels: CMRS, Coding certification, CPC, CSS, medical billing certification, medical coding
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 7:46 PM
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Medical Transcription Standard Recommended
Friday, December 14, 2007
Should there be a Standard for all the finished medical transcription reports and documents? This was a question that did run into some controversies as some MT professionals felt they will lose valuable domain knowledge. The MTIA (Medical Transcription Industry Association) was formed to give leadership to such transcription industry issues. MTIA along with AHIMA (American Health Information Management Association) have recommended a standard unit of measure for medical transcription of patient medical records.
What was the need for such a standard? The goal of the project was to implement a standard for content measurement that health information management (HIM) practitioners can use to evaluate in-house transcription staff and external transcription service suppliers. The 65-character line standard (also called the AAMT line) had been a standard industry wide unit of measure for content measurement that includes space bar, shift key, bold, underscore, and other keystrokes. With this system the cost for the line/character goes beyond just labor as the cost of the technology is bundled along with domain knowledge and human resources. Thus it became mandatory to develop/choose the best possible Industry standard. What are the benefits of having a standard? They are,
- Better business relationships between healthcare organizations and medical transcription service organizations (MTSOs): Hospitals, physician practices, and clinics commonly outsource their transcription to MTSOs, which typically charge for services on a per-unit basis.
- Support of HIM departments in establishing and maintaining service level agreements; patient medical record transcription may be managed in-house by facility HIM staff or by an outside service supplier.
- Improved tools for evaluating and selecting transcription service providers: many suppliers have adopted unique line-counting or character counting definitions in order to differentiate them and stand out in a crowded field.
It has been recommended by the MTIA /AHIMA task force that among all the existing counting methods like ASCII line, the 65-character line, gross line, gross page, per minute pricing, and visible black character (VBC) measurement standards, VBC is the only counting method that can be easily understood, verified, and replicated by all parties in the medical transcription business processes.
Refer the MTIA whitepaper at http://www.mtia.com/downloads/StandardUnitOfMeasure.pdf
Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is a US based medical transcription company that offers professional yet affordable outsourced services (both domestic and offshore) in medical billing, medical coding and medical transcription.
Labels: AHIMA, medical billing, medical coding, medical transcription, MTIA, standards
posted by Outsource Strategies International @ 11:07 PM
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