Medical Transcription is the most recent and fastest growing IT-enabled service in India. In hospitals across the US, doctors fail to fill up the medical records of their patients due to lack of time. These medical records, however, are very important as they form the basis of retrieving money through processing of insurance claims.

In Western countries especially in the US, the entire healthcare industry is based on insurance and the detailed medical records form the very basis of processing insurance claims. Medical practice is also bound by a very strict code of ethics and statutes. These statutes have to be adhered to very strictly since any mistake can lead to a multi million dollar lawsuit. Therefore extensive documentation is carried out at every stage;and this consumes up to 50% of the Doctor's time.

Since Doctors are very highly paid and are busy professionals with very little time to spare, they usually dictate the medical reports into computers or other voice-recording devices. These dictated reports are heard and converted into soft copy format by entering them on to a computer.

The process of conversion of dictated medical report into softcopy format by entering the dictated data into a computer using a word processing program is known as medical transcription. A Medical Transcriptionist, or "MT" is a person who assists physicians and surgeons by transcribing, formatting, and proof reading their dictated medical reports. Most commonly, MTs transcribe physicians' dictation that outlines a patient's health.

The nature of work

The voice recordings of the physicians and surgeons are sent to India in a compressed form over data communication lines. These voice recordings are decompressed at the Indian side. The medical transcriptionists in India listen to these voice recordings using special playback equipment that allows precise control over the playback of the voice and key in the data using word processing software. This data is then proof read for errors and is sent back to the US company or hospital using data communication links.

This process thus takes advantage of the time difference between India and US. Recorded messages generated in the US during the day can be transcribed within 24 hours and sent back to the doctors by the next morning. Since labour in India is cheap, it becomes a preferred location for outsourcing of jobs.

Requirements

It does not require specialized IT or software development skills but good listening and language skills, computer skills and knowledge of medical terms are all that is required. However, an ideal qualification to look for in a medical transcriptionist is graduation with above average listening and English comprehension skills. Further, the candidates should be able to quickly develop new skills and adjust to various accents and dictations. Keyboarding and transcription should not be confused. The primary skills necessary for performance of quality medical transcription are extensive medical knowledge, understanding, sound judgement, deductive reasoning and the ability to detect medical inconsistencies in dictation.

Fluency in English is a must and you should also be adept at fixing poor grammar and syntax "on the fly," as the ability of those who dictate medical and health related correspondence, reports etc., can vary greatly. You must also have the patience as the work may get monotonous and repetitive. Several private training institutes have sprung up all over the country offering courses in Medical Transcription. The fees range between Rs.15, 000 - 20.000 for a four-month course.

The Money Factor

Apart from having convenient timings, medical transcription jobs are rather well paid. At entry level, medical transcriptionists are paid around Rs. 5,000 per month, which can in fact go up to Rs. 20,000 per month within two years.

There are also additional carrots dangled by some companies in the form of perks and performance-based incentives. You can move on to become a supervisor, editor, trainer or manager of a medical transcription unit based on your abilities. Experienced MTs may become teachers working in schools and colleges and can train future medical transcriptionists.

The Indian Scenario

India, given the high English literacy levels, and the weak Indian rupee, provides the ideal location for conducting these transcriptions. With the rapid change of outlook in Indian healthcare and the privatization of the insurance sector, documentation of all patient records will become mandatory in the near future. Thus medical transcription will hold a vital link in altering the Indian job scenario.

Thanks to the recent advances in telecommunication both in terms of facilities and cost, MT in India has a potential of creating jobs for about 2,00,000 persons. Support of the Government of India for all IT-led industries will only increase the prospectus of this industry in the near future. A huge pool of English-speaking and computer-literate graduate manpower to cater to the growing demand is also an added advantage in the Indian perspective. Cost advantage is the main factor, that prompts the US companies to cast their eyes on the Indian M.T field.

MT, Not a Hit in India

A couple of years back, there was a spurt of companies and training institutes in the area of medical transcription (MT). More than 300 companies in the country entered the MT industry two years ago; but hardly 25 companies have sustained today. A large number of MT companies and training centres have downed their shutters and vanished.

Most MT companies could not sustain their operations because they were new to the transcription field and could not understand the concept and overcome the practical problems. It is essential to first identify the customers and understand the American accent and get acquainted with the talking styles of doctors in the US. Every month thousands of words get added to medical terminology. Above all, work standards and quality of service matter a lot to the clients in the US. Achieving accuracy of at least 98 percent in MT is of utmost importance and most companies in India have failed to come up to the expectations.

A survey done by the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) show that medical transcription service in India generated 3800 jobs and a turnover of Rs.140 crore in 1998. For 2008, it has been projected that the employment potential would be of the order of 1,60,000 jobs and a revenue generation of Rs. 11,000 crore. The medical industry is immune to recession; the demand for medical services is extended throughout the year and hence a demand for medical trascription service will never decline. The future looks bright for Medical Transcription as the medical practitioners' profession continues to grow and offer opportunities for growth.

The key to becoming a successful medical transcriptionist is the comprehensive quality of training that one has undergone. By taking a specialized training program that enables future transcriptionists to interpret and transcribe dictations accurately, One can guarantee sure success for oneself. Going by the potential in store for this business, Medical Transcription seems to emerge as a major money-spinner for the Indian healthcare industry.

Courtesy : Career Deepika