Transcription work in a healthcare organization fluctuates throughout the year. Despite a transcription manager’s best efforts, overflow occurs. Managing transcription overflow is challenging but can be efficiently managed with some sensible planning. The main cause of overflow is the lack of coverage in the transcription department. The best way to handle overflow is by having support in the form of medical transcription services from an outsourcing organization. Even in this EHR age, many providers continue to use the traditional dictation-transcription method to manage their documentation. This is done with the help of a medical transcription company. Before considering how this is achieved, let us briefly consider the transcription overflow problem in a healthcare facility.
Transcription managers must collect and utilize data to calculate and manage the fluctuation in the transcription workload. Take the case of a large hospital, where officials have to work overtime and typically experience tremendous pressure associated with handling huge volumes of patient data. The hospital will have to decide whether they should train additional staff or outsource the transcription requirements. In either case, the most important thing is to identify what their actual transcription volumes are so that effective planning can be done.
Without a proper plan, overflow problem can have a negative impact across departments including coding and billing. It can have a disastrous effect on the revenue cycle of the hospitals, especially for expensive procedures. The main reason why healthcare facilities should avoid transcription overflow is the negative effect it will have on the quality of care provided. When there is a backlog, important decisions on patient care can be delayed.
When collecting and analyzing data regarding the transcription status, it is important to consider issues such as turnaround time, how and why data loss occurs, and whether physicians have a role to play with regard to failure in meeting a set turnaround time. When putting a plan in place, consider past, current and future transcription volumes.
Many hospitals have experienced the advantage of outsourcing when it comes to managing voluminous transcription needs. However, the outsourcing partner should ideally be one that can work as a virtual extension to the hospital. A good outsourcing relationship will bring about quality results. Therefore, finding a reliable medical transcription company is as important as collecting data regarding transcription overflow.
Now, let us move on to how a medical transcription firm assists provides in this fast-paced EHR driven healthcare scenario.
- A good transcription service provider offers programs that provide single facility, multiple facility, department and overflow coverage with customized turnaround times.
- They handle web-based dictation, mobile and call-in dictations, document editing and automated document distribution with proficiency.
- For streamlined, affordable management of all aspects of transcription production, a transcription company would use state-of-the-art web-based technology.
- The web interface is user friendly and HL7 compatible to facilitate ADT and EMR integration.
- Healthcare providers need not invest in software or hardware but need pay only for what they use. They benefit from innovative, secure transcription and superior electronic medical records technology.
Physicians can dictate their notes and upload the voice files when ready. The files are transcribed, and all details are entered into the hospital/practice EHR system in a timely manner so that there is no backlog.
To prevent overflow, healthcare organizations must carefully analyze their transcription demands and make future projections as well to efficiently meet any overflow challenge. To ensure a balanced performance, they must monitor transcription on a daily basis and conduct regular quality and performance measurements.
