Top 7 Qualities and Skills Medical Transcriptionist Should Have

Medical transcription plays a pivotal role in the medical profession and is proving to be indispensable even in this EHR age. Medical transcriptionists have the responsibility of transcribing recorded dictations into formal reports or documents. The need for medical transcription has increased rapidly in the present digital world which has led to a higher demand for transcriptionists. A good medical transcriptionist should acquire a specific set of skills to ensure high quality, accurate transcripts. Following are some important qualities that every medical transcriptionist should have.

• Good typing skills: Speedy typing with utmost accuracy is one of the main qualities a transcriptionist should have. The transcriptionist should be able to type fast and ensure that they meet the targeted turnaround time.
• Ability to multitask: Transcriptionists should be able to multi task i.e., the ability to listen and type at the same time. They should co-ordinate their vision, typing and listening skills to produce error-free medical records.
• Stay focused: The task of transcription in the medical industry is not easy; the transcriptionist has to transcribe and also edit the physician’s notes from the recording equipment. Therefore they should stay focused to ensure accurate patient and treatment details, and thereby top notch patient care.
• Computer literacy: The technology and software in the healthcare industry are in a constant state of change and it is necessary that the transcriptionist feels comfortable using the computer and other word processing programs.
• Commitment to the profession: This is one of the major qualities of a medical transcriptionist. They should know about the constant changes in the healthcare industry and also update themselves with information regarding new drugs, treatments and other innovative procedures that are available in the market.
• Critical thinking: With growing experience, the transcriptionist would become increasingly aware of any inconsistent information in the medical chart. A conscientious medical transcriptionist would always be watchful for wrong information or confusing details.
• Self-assessment: Medical transcriptionists should always assess and scrutinize themselves in order to improve their performance and produce quality transcripts in a timely manner. They should also be able to work under pressure without making any errors.

A good medical transcriptionist needs to be knowledgeable in medical terminology, human anatomy and physiology, disease processes, lab values; and have outstanding analytical skills.

Physicians looking for accurate and streamlined documentation can consider outsourcing to a reliable medical transcription company. A reliable company employs trained and experienced transcriptionists who are kept updated regarding industry developments. With such a good service provider, healthcare providers are saved the hassle and expense of recruiting in-house staff for medical transcription.