Medical Transcriptionists

Transcribe medical reports recorded by physicians and other healthcare practitioners using various electronic devices, covering office visits, emergency room visits, diagnostic imaging studies, operations, chart reviews, and final summaries. Transcribe dictated reports and translate abbreviations into fully understandable form. Edit as necessary and return reports in either printed or electronic form for review and signature, or correction.

Sample of reported job titles:
Clinical Medical Transcriptionist, Documentation Specialist, Medical Language Specialist, Medical Scribe, Medical Transcriber, Medical Transcriptionist, Pathology Transcriptionist, Radiology Transcriptionist, Scribe, Transcriptionist

Occupation-Specific Information

Tasks

  • Transcribe dictation for a variety of medical reports, such as patient histories, physical examinations, emergency room visits, operations, chart reviews, consultation, or discharge summaries.
  • Review and edit transcribed reports or dictated material for spelling, grammar, clarity, consistency, and proper medical terminology.
  • Distinguish between homonyms and recognize inconsistencies and mistakes in medical terms, referring to dictionaries, drug references, and other sources on anatomy, physiology, and medicine.
  • Return dictated reports in printed or electronic form for physician's review, signature, and corrections and for inclusion in patients' medical records.
  • Translate medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms to ensure the accuracy of patient and health care facility records.

Technology Skills

  • Accounting software:Patient billing software
  • Calendar and scheduling software:Calendar software
  • Data base user interface and query software:Database software
    ,
    dBASE Plus
    ,
    FileMaker Pro
    ,
    Microsoft Access
  • Desktop communications software:Sylvan Software DropChute Pro
  • Electronic mail software:Email software
    ,
    Microsoft Outlook

Occupational Requirements

Work Activities

  • Working with Computers:Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Documenting/Recording Information:Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Getting Information:Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates:Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Processing Information:Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Detailed Work Activities

  • Maintain medical records.
  • Perform clerical work in medical settings.
  • Prepare medical reports or documents.
  • Process medical billing information.
  • Record vital statistics or other health information.

Work Context

  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled:100% responded"Every day"
  • Face-to-Face Discussions:96% responded"Every day"
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate:88% responded"Extremely important"
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls:76% responded"Continually or almost continually"
  • Time Pressure:73% responded"Every day"

Worker Requirements

Skills

  • Active Listening:Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Reading Comprehension:Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Writing:Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Monitoring:Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Knowledge

  • English Language:Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Administrative:Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
  • Computers and Electronics:Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Medicine and Dentistry:Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

Education

How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:
  • 39%
    Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
  • 34%
    Some College Courses
  • 17%
    High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
  • 11%
    Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)

Worker Characteristics

Abilities

  • Oral Comprehension:The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Written Comprehension:The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Speech Recognition:The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Near Vision:The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Written Expression:The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Interests

  • Conventional:Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
  • Realistic:Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Work Values

  • Support:Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
  • Relationships:Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
  • Achievement:Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Work Styles

  • Dependability:Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
  • Attention to Detail:Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  • Integrity:Job requires being honest and ethical.
  • Independence:Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
  • Cooperation:Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
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