Medical Transcription in India- Booming allied health industry

Medical transcripts essentially involve converting the digitally recorded message of a registered medical practitioner in a text format. During the yesteryears, doctors had to attend to fewer patients so that they could devote more time to each one. However, times have changed today and doctors usually handle more than fifty to hundred patients in a day. Medical transcription software has been invented so as to increase the efficiency and also to cut costs and save time. The various devices that are used in medical transcription include computers, cassette recorders, typewriters and digital recorders. The whole process of medical transcription begins when the patient first visits the doctor. The doctor enquires about the illness, history and accordingly, the doctor has to select a suitable medical treatment for the patient and inform him about the treatment to be followed. Once the patient leaves, the doctor has to record each and every detail of his appointment with the patient. This recorded report is then handed over to the medical transcriptionist. The medical transcriptionist is a skilled person who converts the recorded report into a written or typed medical record. This text format medical record is made available to the doctor when he requires it on the next visit by the patient. Though many doctors avoid it, some of them extend the treatment after going through the transcript.

All hospitals are required to maintain a detailed record of every patient that visits them.  Some skilled medical practitioners pen down the information while others record it digitally on a voice recorder or a Dictaphone. These recorded messages are converted into text form which are stored for future use either electronically or physically and sometimes in both ways. Most hospitals find it hassle-free to store the medical records electronically as it is easier to locate and hand it over to the doctor when required. Today, you can find many companies that offer medical transcription services to physicians and hospitals. These medical transcript services have a team of well-educated and highly skilled medical transcriptionists that are well trained to provide all the essential duties. Many of these firms also provide the transcription services online and deliver the reports electronically. Medical transcription as a full-fledged industry in India is still at a nascent stage. Before the reports are delivered online, there is an in-depth check carried out on each report to look out for any discrepancies and to ensure the report delivered contains precise information. The payment options available are quite flexible. Physicians can pay for medical transcriptions according to number of reports delivered or also as per the time consumed in preparing the report by the transcriptionist. Thus, the doctor is not required to pay unnecessarily to the full time employed transcriptionist even if there have been few idle hours in a day or week.

Medical transcription services provide specialized and highly advanced services to the required professionals. They employ skilled people who can prepare accurate medical transcriptions. Medical Transcription in India surely has a long way to go before it becomes a part and parcel of the booming health care industry across cities, small towns and villages.