Tales From a Medical Transcriptionist

When I was working as a clerk in a government agency six years ago, we spent the whole day encoding, posting files and other data manually, writing down data, and typing them it on a PC's word processor or database software. We took tabs of numbers, names, and even minutes of meetings. The only time the word transcription was present then, was in the courts, where stenographers write down, or transcribes the legal proceedings that they were listening to.

Fast forward to 2000. As the industrialized economics were focusing on cutting costs, and raising profits, the idea of outsourcing some aspects of daily business duties and processes to other countries, came forth. Western firms started "outsourcing", or literally transferring and moving some of their departments, to countries they prefer, especially if they offered low labor and relocation function. India became one of the earliest, and it still is the largest, recipient of BPO's, or business process outsourcing jobs. Transcription jobs followed the initial call center wave, and transcription jobs were purely medical in nature at the start. Today, the art of transcription covers just about anything that requires the need to be recorded on paper, and kept in electronic files. Transcription jobs at present range from medical and legal transcription, to events and entertainment, podcast, as well as business transcription. I spent two years working as an MT, usually working on orthopedics and plastic surgery cases, as well as doing general clinic notes. Around five years ago, there were only 2 small MT firms doing business in Davao; At present there are around 8 to 10 I guess, and more perhaps are planning of setting shop here. In becoming a good MT, one is required to possess not only a sound comprehension of medical terms and practices, but also the patience of a monk, since there are occasions when you, the MT, will find your doctor's voice to be dreadfully inaudible at times. He or she could be dictating and brushing his/her teeth at the same time, and outright tricky sometimes, but the rewards pay off for those who have the virtues of patience, perseverance and enthusiasm firmly embedded in their brains, and ears as well.

Written by: Charles Joven

Being An MT Editor

I had been an editor for just a short time; I’d say months, and it was quite an experience. I would start my day assigning voice files to my medical transcriptionist (MTs), the type of dictation, the length of the voice files, and their quantity. I would then tally them into my tally sheet, both on paper and in the MS Excel sheet. I then would sit and discuss the instructions with my MTs before they would begin transcribing.

During the day, from 9am until 1pm, I would sit with my MTs while they transcribed. Sitting with them means I would be listening with them while they are transcribing. How is this done? We have a “Y” or “jack” or “splitter” wherein 2 headsets can be plugged in so that 2 people could listen simultaneously. I would just listen with them and let them do their own stuff, i.e. their customized flagging of terms, their auto correction functions, etc. I would take down notes and later, after they’re done with their files, I would give my feedback. T At 2pm, the files would then be submitted for final editing. The process could be put this way: transcribing, editing, and proofreading. The first one is basically transcribing (encoding/typing) what had been dictated in the voice file. The second one is simply re‑listening to the voice file and correcting some misheards (terms typed differently from what were heard or terms typed wrongly). The last one is basically reading the transcribed document for correction and errors, i.e. grammar, punctuations, inconsistencies, redundancies, misspellings, etc.

At the end of the day, I would review the transcribed files with the MTs. I would also create a list for the voicefiles that came early in the morning or during the day for accountability purposes.

6th MICT Congress

6th MICT Congress

What would you want to do or suggest to improve our very own ICT? Or should I say, what do we need to do so that Davao will be known and that "Silicon Gulf" phrase would be used?

Post your Answers or Suggestions.

Want to know more of the 6th MICT? Click here.

MTCA Ad

MTC Academy Davao
E. Quirino Avenue (fronting Tower Inn), Davao City
Call us at: 222-6822 / 09062143300
Email us at: davaocity@mtcacademy.com

Up to Php 20,000.00 Assistance Offered by Government Agencies

Medical transcription continues to grow as an industry here in Davao City. Local medical transcription service organizations (MTSOs) are looking to hire MTs to grow their companies. When Manila-based operators are considering Davao as their destination of choice in expanding their operations. Local entrepreneurs are also enthused in becoming part of the rapidly expanding business process outsourcing (BPO) industry thus providing increased job opportunities to their fellow Davaoeño.

Opportunities abound as the need for highly skilled, qualified medical transcriptionists increases to meet the demands of the industry in a medical transcription training program provides a head start for those investing to join the industry. However, the financial challenge of raising yhe funds necessary to get the quality education that they yearn for.

This is where the government steps in. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo recognizes that developing the ICT and BPO industry is of prime importance as this will help the country compete with nations such as India, China and other Asian countries.

Existing government funding for education may be availed of through the following programs. First, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has the PGMA Scholarship Program where 10,000 pesos voucher maybe used to avail of Medical Transcription Training Program. Interested applicants only have to pass a TESDA-administered assessment test to qualify in the program.

Second, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administrations (OWWA) is offering a 14,500 pesos subsidy for qualified dependents of registered OWWA members. An OWWA beneficiary who wants to avail of the subsidy must submit the following requirements:

> Application Form (Forms are at the OWWA office in Monteverde)
> 1"x1" ID pictures (3 copies)
> Proof of OWWA Membership (ie. Official Receipt of OWWA contribution, E-Card, Seaman's Book, POEA-authenticated Employment Contract
> Form 137/ HS Report Card/ Transcript of Records
> Proof of relationship to the OWWA Member/ OFW
- Copy of Birth Certificate (duly certified by LCR) of applicant if child of OFW
- Copy of Birth Certificate (duly certified by LCR) of both applicant and OFW if brother or sister of OFW
- Copy of Marriage Certificate (duly certified by LCR) if spouse of OFW

Additionally, there is a 5,000 tuition discount, on top of both government subsidies offered by MTC Academy for limited time only. These subsidy programs are envisioned to increase the available pool of skilled MTs and all the Davaoeño has to do is pick up that phone and dial 222-6822 for more details about how to enjoy all their benefits.

MTC Academy Davao Joins Kadayawan

MTC Academy Davao's students & staff joined the Kadayawan 2007 floral float competition with the aim of showcasing the largest medical transcription school in the Philippines during the celebrations. The aim is to promote medical transcription as an industry and to contribute in the success of the festival.

This year's theme "Lumadnong Kagikan, Mabungahong Kinaiya­han, Gasa sa Kahitas-an", represents Davaoeños fruitful years and rewarding opportunities. This includes the development of the IT industry and the rising opportunities particularly in medical transcription.



We would like to thank all our sponsors, students, and staff who have given their support for the success of the floral float. A job well done to the students and staff who lent a hand in decorating from the night of August 18 till the early morning of August 19. And of course, a big shout out to the students & staff who were not able to sleep the night before and yet volunteered to walk with the float during the parade.

Congratulations MTC Academy students and staff for winning the 4th place!!! Not bad for a first timer.

URGENT HIRING: IT Staff

MTC Academy Davao is looking for an IT Staff.

Please click here for info.

Contract-based Medical Transcriptionist

Sounds like fun and easy but it's not a walk in the park. Being a home-based medical transcriptionist allows an MT to be his or her own boss and have a flexible working schedule. The trade-off is he or she has to do the job of a transcriptionist, an editor, and a proofreader. Others have tried doing home-based MT but they later found out that they prefer the office setting.

Doing home-based MT offers bigger rewards but it also carries greater responsibility. Regardless of which path you're going to choose always aim for that 98% to 100% accuracy.

Click on the image and it will redirect you to the site.

Garage Sale: Finders Keepers

MTC Academy Davao will be having their first Garage Sale on July 14, Saturday. We're inviting you to visit us at E. Quirino Ave., fronting Tower Inn. Clothes, accessories, books, food and a lot more will be sold at LOW LOW LOW prices.

For more info, please call 222-6822 and look for CHATTEE.

Not the Ordinary

What is medical transcription? Is it another call center?Graveyard shift? I don't know how to speak English. It's not for me, I'm not a graduate of a medical course.

There were a lot of questions and assumptions came in our minds when Davao first heard of medical transcription. Let us first define what is medical transcription. According to Wikipedia, medical transcription is the process of converting a recorded dictation of a physician into a word document.

Medical Transcription Process (source: Wikipedia.com)

When the patient visits a doctor, the doctor spends time with the patient discussing his medical problems, including past history and/or problems. The doctor performs a physical examination and may request various laboratory or diagnostic studies; will make a diagnosis or differential diagnoses, then decides on a plan of treatment for the patient, which is discussed and explained to the patient, with instructions provided. After the patient leaves the office, the doctor uses a voice-recording device to record the information about the patient encounter. This information may be recorded into a hand-held cassette recorder or into a regular telephone, dialed into a central server located in the hospital or transcription service office, which will 'hold' the report for the Transcriptionist. This report is then accessed by a Medical Transcriptionist, received as a voice file or cassette recording, who then listens to the dictation and transcribes it into the required format for the medical record, and of which this medical record is considered a legal document. The next time the patient visits the doctor, the doctor will call for the medical record or the patient's entire chart, which will contain all reports from previous encounters. The doctor can on occasion refill the patient's medications after seeing only the medical record, although doctors prefer to not refill prescriptions without seeing the patient to establish if anything has changed.

It is very important to have a properly formatted, edited, and reviewed medical transcription document. If a Medical Transcriptionist accidentally typed a wrong medication or the wrong diagnosis, the patient could be at risk if the Doctor (or his designee) did not review the document for accuracy. Both the Doctor and the Medical Transcriptionist play an important role to make sure the transcribed dictation is correct and accurate. The Doctor should speak slowly and concisely, especially when dictating medications or details of diseases and conditions, and the medical transcriptionist must possess hearing acuity, medical knowledge, and good reading comprehension in addition to checking references when in doubt.

Some Doctors, however, do not review their transcribed reports for accuracy, and the computer attaches an electronic signature with the disclaimer that a report is "dictated but not read". This electronic signature is readily acceptable in a legal sense. The Transcriptionist is bound to transcribe verbatim (exactly what is said) and make no changes, but has the option to flag any report inconsistencies. On some occasions, the doctors do not speak clearly, or voice files are garbled. Some doctors are, unfortunately, time-challenged and need to dictate their reports quickly (as in ER Reports). In addition, there are many regional or national accents and (mis)pronunciations of words the MT must contend with. It is imperative and a large part of the job of the Transcriptionist to look up the correct spelling of complex medical terms, medications, obvious dosage or dictation errors, and when in doubt should "flag" a report. A "flag" on a report requires the dictator (or his designee) to fill in a blank on a finished report, which has been returned to him, before it is considered complete. Transcriptionists are never, ever permitted to guess, or 'just put in anything' in a report transcription. Furthermore, medicine is constantly changing. New equipment, new medical devices, and new medications come on the market on a daily basis, and the Medical Transcriptionist needs to be creative and (at times) to tenaciously research (quickly) to find these new words. An MT needs to have access to, or keep on hand, an up-to-date library to quickly facilitate the insertion of a correctly spelled device, procedure, or medication dictated.

Medical transcription does not require one to be a graduate of medicine or medical related courses. To be able to master medical terminologies and other terms, training schools should be equipped to teach aspiring medical transcriptionist (MT) to be competent enough for a US based job. Although the work is being outsourced to the Philippines, it has recently attracted increased amounts of MT outsourcing from the United States. Due to high literacy in the English language (spoken as a second language and also used in business, education, and government), the Philippines is trying to position itself to become a world leader in this field. Historic connections with the US ensure that the average Filipino is perhaps capable of understanding idioms and slang used in Colloquialism, making them one of the few people outside the US to possibly be able to transcribe accurately.

If in call centers, you simply pick up a call and answer concerns of some client, in medical transcription, we simply commit ourselves to high quality transcription which means we can edit, proofread and listen to the recorded dictation again and again if you need clarifications.

A medical transcriptionist is constantly challenged to learn in an exciting occupation with interesting, ever-changing subject matter. There are always new medications and new procedures, previously unstudied specialties to learn, and new doctor-specific phraseology, accents, slangs and English as a Second Language (ESL) to master.

Medical transcription encompasses the MT, performing document typing and formatting functions according to an established criteria or format, transcribing the spoken word of the patient's care information into a written, easily readable form. Being an MT it requires correct spelling of all terms and words, (occasionally) correcting medical terminology or dictation errors. MTs also edit the transcribed documents, print or return the completed documents in a timely fashion. All transcription reports must comply with medico-legal concerns, policies and procedures, and laws under patient confidentiality.

An MT job is not the ordinary job. You work like a doctor, even if you are not actually giving any contact with the patient. You just need to make the transcription accurately or else the patient will die. It is not ordinary because it does not require age to do the job, it does not require a college diploma to do the job.

Be a medical transcriptionist.

The Use of Punctuation on Transcriptions

We've read an article made by Blogie, "Do the dots", that talk about the reasons why punctuations are important.

Most people get away with using just 3 kinds: the period, the comma and the question mark. But if you’re serious about writing, knowing how to use more of these written symbols will help you get your message across much more clearly.

Punctuation marks are used to help you organize your thoughts, so that you can convey them in the way that you intend. Conversely, misuse — and especially abuse — of punctuation can result in misunderstanding, in your failure to communicate properly. Or worse: your inability to properly use colons, apostrophes, dashes, etc. could make you look, well, rather lacking in intellectual acuity.

Is this true? Yes, it is.

Another weakness is the semicolon. It’s hardly ever used in most blogs I’ve seen, and is used improperly in some cases. The basic idea behind this colon-and-comma hybrid is that, there is a strong relationship between the two parts of the sentence being separated by the semicolon, so much so that using a period might cancel such relationship. A good example would be a sentence containing statements of cause and effect.

Another use of the semicolon is as a list delimiter. In this case, the list items contain internal punctuation, so that using a comma to separate the items might cause confusion.

Aw! We're guilty. Thanks! Blogie. We've learned some tips there.

Medical Transcription "CAREER AND JOB FAIR"

The first Medical Transcription "Career and Job Fair" event will happen on June 16, 2007, Saturday. All experienced and graduates of medical transcription are invited to come and join the said affair. The good thing about the affair is that even a NON-MT (not a medical transcriptionist) can apply. Medical Transcription is not only for those who have medical backgrounds but also to those who has no medical background but would like to become a MT.

On the said affair, the owner and HR Manager of Transkripsyo, Inc., a Manila-based medical transcription company, will be here to talk about how it started in Manila and the demand in medical transcription.

TRANSKRIPSYO is a well-established, pioneering and leading transcription provider in the Philippines. Our strong commitment and dedication in providing the most cost effective and highest level of transcription service to the most discriminating medical, commercial and corporate clients has enabled us to deliver superior value, reliability and innovation that has become synonymous to our name and our clients worldwide.

TRANSKRIPSYO has built its credibility as the premier transcription provider in the country through years of delivering excellent quality work and swift turn around time to our clients. Situated in the country’s business district, the company utilizes state of the art equipment and technology, and employs only the most qualified Transcriptionists and Editors that are available in the industry.

TRANSKRIPSYO, as one of the pioneers in the industry, co-founded the Medical Transcription Industry Association of the Philippines, Inc. (MTIAPI) and is an incumbent director and officer of the Association.

Join the said affair and witness the unveiling of the new industry in Davao.
Medical Transcription "CAREER AND JOB FAIR", June 16, 2007, Saturday at MTC Academy Davao, E. Quirino St., Davao City. Call 222-6822 and look for Hunee or Michelle for more details.

SM Davao mulls opening its own IT Park

There has been a steady increase in the interest in Davao from information and communications technology (ICT) investor. Sunstar Davao reports that in an interview with Councilor Peter Laviña, chair of the city council's trade, commerce and industry committee, several investors have been eyeing Davao but had a hard time finding a location for their business. Councilor Laviña said he introduced a resolution to the city council for the support and approval of the SM City IT park. The development of this IT park along with that of NCCC Mall and Damosa will spur the growth in the city's ICT industry which will provide more opportunities and more jobs for the people of Davao. Initiative from companies like SM, NCCC and Damosa will help Davao attain IT hub status for Mindanao of which Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga are also vying for.

Read more here.

Davao strengthens push into IT with new transcription alliance group.

The formation of the Transcription Alliance of Davao, Inc. or TADI is seen as Davao's commitment to the growth of the information and communications (ICT) industry. TADI was established to spur the growth of ICT especially the operation of transcription services. Lizabel "Wit" Holganza, school administrator of the MTC Academy - Davao, largest TESDA-accredited medical transcription school in the Philippines, is TADI's first president while Fred Nadela comes in as vice-president.

ICT in Davao had an investment of 198 million pesos on 2005 and is targeted to grow to up to 1 billion pesos by 2010.

Read more in Sunstar Davao.

President Arroyo approves Damosa's IT Park Status

Sunstar Davao reports on April 5 that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has declared that a portion of Davao Motor Sales or Damosa land to ba an IT Park. This declaration is covered in Presidential Proclamation No. 1231 which partially states:

"creating and designating certain parcel of land located at J. P. Laurel Avenue corner Angliongto Street, Lanang, Davao City, as an IT park pursuant to Republic Act No. 7916 as amended by Republic Act 8748."

The IT Park at Damosa is seen as a boost to Davao's efforts in becoming a major player in the IT industry particularly in business process outsourcing.

The blog Davao Technopreneurship also mentions that Davao City Councilor Peter Laviña, chair of the committee on trade, commerce, and industry, believes that the IT park will boost the chances of this city's college graduates job opportunities.

Damosa's senior vice-president Ricardo Floirendo mentioned that they will initially invest 20,000,000 pesos on the first phase of the IT building.

IT Talks blog features MTC Academy's launching of the high school program.

Blogger Oliver "Blogie" Robillo features MTC Academy - Davao in his blog IT Talks. He attended last February's launching of the launching of MTC Academy - Davao's High School Program. Blogie Robillo considers the program as a:

"...sound undertaking by MTC Academy. It could provide early employment opportunities especially to the underprivileged, and it could also spur on the drive towards technopreneurship among their trainees who turn out to have a head for business. And ultimately, contribute to Davao’s near-future BPO industry."

He mentions in his blog that he has known about the medical transcription industry for some time since he has helped promote it. It was, however, only during the launching that he got a first hand experience in doing a transcriptionist's job.

Read more in IT Talks.

Medical Transcription, A Nurse's Way to Success

When America’s huge baby boomer population hits retirement age a
few years from now, their healthcare requirements will skyrocket,
creating an unprecedented need for highly skilled care providers,
including nurses. What’s more, with an average age of 46.8 years
(up from 42.3 in 1996), the nursing workforce is aging too. Over the
next 20 years, a whole generation of RNs will be retiring from the
profession, putting an even tighter squeeze on an already urgent
need for more nurses. In fact, the Health Resources and Services
Adminstration (HRSA) projects that demand for nurses will increase
to 41% between the years 2000 and 2020.

Some of the challenges faced by immigrant nurses from the
Philippines are the same now as they were 20 or even 50 years ago
and continue to become more complex. Today’s new arrivals
encounter a more complex work environment than that of a generation
ago, including new high-tech equipment, paperless records, increased
regulation, utilization review guidelines and new disease management
concepts, to name just a few. Language difference is another source
of culture shock. Even though nurses trained in the Philippines speak
English, they often have trouble deciphering the varied American
accents and idiomatic expressions.

The fast-paced, high-tech world of nursing profession in the United
States is not for a newbie graduate of nursing course here in the
Philippines. If you are someone who thrives on challenges and are
waiting for your papers to be processed, Medical Transcription gives
you a better chance to prepare and transition faster to your life in the
US.

Medical transcriptionists are trained to listen to different accents and
slang expressions of foreign doctors. It improves language and
communication skills as they listen to US doctors’ medical dictation.
It gives them familiarity to current medical treatment practices in the
US healthcare industry. Following the paperless law of the United
States, medical transcriptionists are in demand, even employers in
some hospitals prefer those transcriptionist with a nursing background
or any allied health related courses.

Medical transcription is a profession which demands a very good
coordination among the mind, ears, eyes, hands and the feet. It
requires a lot of accuracy in terms of listening to and understanding
the dictation being given in an American way of speech and then
typing it at a fast pace with correct grammar and spelling. One needs
to be kept updated on the medical technology and new terms in the
diagnosis and disease frontline. The job requires a lot of hard work,
dedication and commitment to deliver the best, the same attitude a
US practicing nurse needs.