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Is Medical Transcription Obsolete? - Help!

Posted: Feb 16, 2012

I have been doing medical transcription for decades. All the doc's offices around here have switched over to EHR, the electronic health records, and they no longer require transcriptionists. The docs are all doing their own record on their computers. They say they are required to comply with this due to health care changes and Medicare changes. Have not gotten any call backs on any tests or applications I've filled out online. WHAT is the future of transcription??

Future of MT?? - JW

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm in the same boat as you are. Have filled out a lot of applications but the only ones I get call backs on are the the ones I have to spend money on for software i.e. $600 or one that has an impossible, at least for me, 1200- line requirement per day. There are still jobs but you have to look for them with a fine-toothed comb. Good Luck.

What the docs are saying - Help!

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What the docs are saying is that they are being required to do this by 2014 or they will not receive ANY Medicare payments. They supposedly have had to comply with certain deadlines. I don't know what exactly is true but anyone I know who has gone to the doctor lately has told me that their doc is on the computer typing in their note while they are sitting there! Wow, I had a couple of jobs with online services in the past, but they never charged me for their equipment. That's bad. Hope you find something too.

all lies from the EHR software companies - MTs type EHR

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The software companies who sell the point-n-click would-you-like-fries-with-that EHR are lying to hospitals. They tell them they have to have this because EHR is required. EHR is required, but all EHR is is a typed up report stored on a computer not in a paper chart. We as MTs type up EHRs every day. Most hospitals are already in compliance, but are being tricked into this software. They are killing the MT profession and probably killing patient's because this software can be absolute junk and doctors can't concentrate solely on the patient anymore.

Exactly. All point and click is EHR, but not all EHR is - point and click

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I current transcribe into an EHR system, but I also have lost a job due to EPIC.

Is EHR diminishing the need for MT? Yes. Absolutely. Is it getting rid of it completely? I choose to continue to believe no. I hope I'm not wrong.

All EHR is not EPIC. EPIC's just the most successful - at eliminating most MT

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Docs love the thing, seeing at it was developed by a group of docs. Takes one to think like one, I suppose.

Fear the EPIC. Other EHRs? Eh. Not such a big deal (from the MT jobs perspective). Pretty much everyone's utilizing some sort of EHR (or at least a hybrid thereof) these days.

EPIC is saying that 40% of all US hospitals are either - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
in the process of getting EPIC installed, are on the waiting list to get it, or already have it.

At least that's what management said when we were informed we're going to EPIC.

There's a quiet before the storm because it takes so long to get the thing installed. Huge project.

You believe what you want. - RealityCheck

[ In Reply To ..]
Why would you "believe" something erroneous just to make yourself feel better, when the all the evidence indicates otherwise? That "belief" of yours -- if retained and acted upon -- will only be detrimental to your future.

Yes, there will still be a need -- but the only actual transcribing left will be a few sentences per report, and everything else will be editing. MT pay is going DOWN, not UP! There is NO future in MT as a viable profession at a liveable wage.

Docs need to get off the computer - Help

[ In Reply To ..]
I totally agree with you about this being to the detriment of the pt. I personally was at my doc's office and he listened to me for a few minutes and the rest of the time he was entering things on the computer, my prescriptions were not correct when I left, etc. The place I am being let go from soon says that the government is forcing them to comply specifically with the EHR systems or they may be fined starting in 2014 or they at least will not be eligible to receive Medicare payments any more. I did look up a government site and I did see some of the deadlines that they were talking about so it appears they are telling me the truth. It makes you sick when you think of how many years of effort you and I as MTs have put forth to make sure that patients had excellent and accurate records.

Medicare/Medicaid payments - em

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They will take a 5% deduction in Medicare/Medicaid payments if they don't have EMR by 2014. They will not lose all reinbursement, but that 5% would add up.

With the docs sitting there typing, they're gonna have - to hire someone to actually look at the patient.

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Help, all you have to do to know "what is true" is - to do a little browsing on the web. This

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is not only very much our business, we're actually supposed to know something about the laws and deadlines affecting us. Many of us do. It's not brain surgery, after all.

EHR/EMR and transcription - justme

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I transcribe for numerous facilities that have gone EMR but still need some transcription done or have decided it was too much trouble, and they could be making more money performing procedures than typing. I have also received a lot of calls from physicians stating this and looking for a transcriptionist, so no I do not think we will be obsolete. Make yourself invaluable.

EMR - Peggy

[ In Reply To ..]
I have been asked to transcribe for my doctors within the EMR software. They have not bought anything and wanted my input. I dont know anything about EMR. Can you tell me which EMR does your clients use? Anyone have experience with Practice Fusion? Thanks in advance!

Medical Transcription Obsolete? - Help! - LeeLee

[ In Reply To ..]
Thought you might enjoy something on a lighter note. Had reports recently I had to "redo" as straight dictation because the EHR compueter system for the hospital lost the MDs reports. Another MD had to redo his work, because the computer "lost" significant portions of his patients charts and no one could locate them in the system, then the system crashed. Just keeps getting better :) This is becoming more and more regular.....they do need us after all...LOL

That's great to hear! - Help

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I'm glad to hear some docs are concerned about it!

How about in a major disaster, when power is out, - or sketchy at best? "Back in the day", -sm

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a med. record clerk could still find a hard copy chart with a flashlight, and still get it to the patient's doctor in time for a visit/procedure/etc.

Now, any high school kid with a penchant for mayhem and a knack for code can hack into the system and crash it.

Back in the day - LeeLee

[ In Reply To ..]
To add to to lighter note, more and more of the docs I work on, I can hear swearing (vehemently...LOL) because they cannot navigate the EHR, they cannot records, the computer crashed, information was not D/L into the system. Unfortunately, the saddest of all of this is the patient has no idea what is missing or how their health is jeopardized because of "lost" records or data not properly entered (by someone no doubt that was clueless from a medical standpoint).

let us all send Negative EPIC Energy thru the air. - n/m

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Neg EPIC energy - LeeLee

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Love the idea..LOLOLOL. Got a baby doll here with EPIC written all over it and pushing in the pins as we "speak".

hehe, nice - n/m

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

They are not required to do the - allie

[ In Reply To ..]
transcription of patient records themselves. They can still utilize a transcriptionist or an MTSO; they just don't want to pay. This is exactly what my MD told me when I asked him how he likes typing during my consultation. He hates it "but it saves the practice $25k (which was a pretty low salary if the MT was typing for the entire practice of 8 doctors).

It's all about the money - Help

[ In Reply To ..]
Sadly to say, I have recently lost a LOT of respect for doctors in general. I payed over $100 for a visit to my doc and he was more interested in the computer attached to the desk, then printed out the wrong prescription. I don't think he even heard the side effects of the last med he gave me. He didn't answer, grunt, or nod. I would like to ask the doc you speak about if $25k is going to mean much if he gives a pt the wrong care or wrong prescription and harms someone. A malpractice suit may cost them a heck of a lot more than $25k. I double check my work, make sure the meds match up with the pt diagnosis, etc. I'm sure we ALL can generate a better report than a hurried doctor.

Hope...here is what happened on my accounts. - sm

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When the facility we type for went to EHR most of the transcription went with it...but then it happened.

The doctors hated using Epic. They demanded the facility bring back the MTs as they preferred us. The facility obliged.

So the accounts are still alive and going strong.

EPIC/EHR - LeeLee

[ In Reply To ..]
Thanks for all the input from everyone. This really helps since some of us can be isolated. These posts really help to put things in perspective and make better decisions based on having so much input from so many...KUDOS to you all! Have a great weekend!

Had 2 accounts do the same thing - nm

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x

Anecdotal is NOT statistical. - Analyst

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That is fantastic! Good for you.

Unfortunately, your personal experience is a rare and unusual one. Most facilities DO NOT switch back after going to EPIC. In addition, your story is anecdotal therefore statistically moot.

Study "meaningful use" - hickory

[ In Reply To ..]
"Meaningful use" is a key component to the implementation of EHR. Also certain standards were lowered from the original rules. I don't claim to understand this fully, but I don't think ALL work has to become EHR, and also, like others here have said, some EHR can be done with transcriptionists--many of us do it already.

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