Saturday, December 23, 2006

Medical Transcription Salary Outlook

So how much can an MT actually make?

MT salaries can vary greatly, and your actual earnings will depend on a few different factors. For example, an MT who works from home and has her own accounts will usually make more money than an MT who works for an online service or at a traditional job setting.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor the average earnings for MTs in the year 2004 was between $11.50 and $16.32 per hour. MTs in the higher earnings range (10%) earned $19.11 per hour.

Now, keep in mind thats just a statistic. How much you actually earn can vary greatly and its really difficult to come up with a true earnings statistic.

If you work from home on your own accounts there may be months where you have extra work and months when you have less. Your earnings could also differ dramatically from another fellow MT who works from home on her own accounts.

A great advantage about having your own MT business is you can truly have control over your earnings. The more accounts you have, the more money youll make.

As your business grows you can hire subcontractors and take on even more work. There really is no limitation in how large your business can grow.

You may also choose to have a smaller and easier to handle business. You can always work a little extra to increase your earnings, or simply take on the amount of work that suits your needs.

If you have a home based MT business and you do all the work yourself, you can make anywhere between $20,000 a year to $50,000 a year. A larger transcription service, which hires subcontractors can earn between $50,000 a year to $200,000 and upwards.

Medical transcription jobs outside the home can vary just as much, depending on where you live. Earnings can be from $9.00 per hour to $22.00 per hour.

Its really difficult to say exactly how much your medical transcription salary will be. But one thing to keep in mind is the earning potential is there and there are many opportunities for you to take.

This is TRULY a business which allows you to have control over how much you earn.


Medical Transcriptionist Training Expectations

The medical transcription field continues to grow in conjunction with the demands on the health care industry. For those who are suited to this job, there are some good opportunities. But isn't it just a case of listening to the voice of a health care professional and typing up exactly what's been said? While that's the basic idea behind the medical transcriptionists' job, there are some reasons that health care professionals and facilities want to hire those trained for the job.

The terminology is one of the biggest reasons training is so vital. While you don't have to be able to name the bones in the leg, you do need to learn to recognize words like "tibia." Terminology is one of the reasons medical transcriptionists need training, and one of the points that will be taught and practiced during Medical Transcriptionist training.

But is there really a need to learn those things? After all, you can certainly stop the tape and look up any words that you don't recognize. That constant starting and stopping are the difference between an experienced transcriptionist and someone who's filling in. If you have the right training and the right real world practice provided by most medical transcription training programs, you'll find yourself able to meet the demands of the terminology.

Specialized training is one of the many options of medical transcription training, and many health care professionals who have a specialty are seeking out those people who can most accurately transcribe notes and medical details. In that case, the transcriber learns those words that apply specifically to the system, disease or other narrow focus of a particular doctor's practice. Adding those specialties make you more valuable on the marketplace.

Remember that doctors aren't the only ones who need medical transcription, and you'll find most training programs offer at least some exercises and information to prepare you for those situations. You may be called on to create exit notes for patients at a hospital. The patient is about to leave and those notes have to be legible, accurate and available now.

One point of the training is to learn to be fast and accurate in real-life situations. A busy emergency room isn't going to suddenly quiet down so that you can concentrate on transcribing a doctor's orders for a patient who is about to be released. Many medical transcription schools will put students into those noisy, busy, stressful situations with orders to transcribe. As important as it is to learn the terminology, it's also vital that you learn to listen - regardless of what's going on around you.

There are even those outside the medical field that use transcription. Though the demand for attorney transcribers isn't as big as for medical transcription, there is definitely a need in that field.

There are other points that will become part of your training. How to make use of technology, software and resources that are available to help you better accomplish your tasks as well as the best ways to handle various situations you're likely to encounter. Take a look at the courses being taught by MT schools. You may be surprised at how thoroughly you'll be prepared for a career in medical transcription.


Medical Transcription - Career, Home Business Or Both?

One of the great things about a career in medical transcription is that almost anyone can set up an office to handle the duties of a medical transcriptionist or a medical transcription service. Even the office requirements are fairly generic, meaning this has the potential for a home-based business.

A computer and Internet connection are probably your biggest needs for medical transcription, though technology has truly come a long way in this field. More than ever, there are products that can help you along this path, making your work easier and aiding in your speed and accuracy.

If you know little about medical transcriptions, you may have the idea that a doctor or other health care professional records information on a tape recorder and the medical transcriptionist simply writes whatever is recorded. Digital recordings have greatly aided the medical transcription industry. No longer is there a need to deal with scratchy tapes and poor sound quality.

The industry is also making it easy to make dictation easy for your clients. You don't even have to have the physical recording device used by the health care professionals in your hand. There are several options for telephone recording. You can set up a recorder especially designed for medical transcription on your own telephone line and have your clients call in their dictations. These systems are secure and easy to use for both you and the client. And once you have the dictations onto your personal recording machine, you can choose what to do with the information. You can route it to another destination (your computer dictation software, for example) or transcribe directly from the recorder.

Many of the recorders come with easy controls so that you can start, stop, pause, fast forward or replay segments of the recording using your feet or voice. This leaves your hands free to do their typing.

There are also several types of software available that will help you do your job more efficiently. It won't take long to figure out that Microsoft and other typing programs aren't ideal for medical transcription. The terms and proper names - including drug names - are not likely to be recognized. Mistakes are also likely to fall through the failings of those systems. Using the programs especially designed for the medical transcription industry will allow you to more accurately evaluate your work.

With the technology and training available, you can see that it's a fairly simple matter to become involved in this industry. Many people even do so from the comfort of their own homes. However, this isn't the home business for the busy parent who wants to work a few hours during their toddler's daily naptime. Most deadlines associated with medical transcription are fairly tight and there's no room for error.

There's no doubt that medical transcription isn't for everyone, but it is an important part of the health care industry and one that provides a good living for those who choose to pursue this particular aspect.


Friday, December 22, 2006

Medical Transcription - An Emerging Profession

Medical Transcription is the process of interpreting and transcribing the dictation made by doctors or other health care professionals regarding patient status, treatment procedures, diagnoses, prognoses, etc. With medical transcription of dictated data from physicians, the medical transcriptionist may also edit the text that is produced by voice recognition software. Medical Transcription is the translating of dictations made by a doctor. As a result, it requires an extensive knowledge of medical, pharmacological and anatomical terms.

In the past medical transcriptionists would listen to dictations and type it themselves, but with the dawn of technology and voice recognition software, this has become unnecessary and today, for the most part, the medical transcriptionist merely edits the output of the software. However, the editing process can range from a few corrections to major changes because voice recognition software still hasn't been perfected and probably never will be due to the wide variety of speech variations and dictating habits of health care professionals.

Aside from medical knowledge, a quality transcription requires a transcriptionist to have excellent listening skills because they must be able to simultaneously interpret dictation while typing, they must also have an exquisite knowledge of English and grammar, proofreading and editing skills, a high state of analytical skills in order to analyze and convert spoken words into meaningful writing, as well being adept in the use of transcription equipment and computers.

Medical Transcription has been seen as writing in ancient caves and in documents of lost civilizations, but still the purpose of medical transcription and the medical transcriptionist remains the same and that is to keep a record of a patient's medical status and treatment.

However, it wasn't until the late 20th century that Medical transcription was recognized as a profession. Initially, those who did medical transcription were labeled as typists, word processors, medical secretaries or dictating machine operators. This was and still is a highly unjustified job title for those who practice medical transcription because the profession requires a wide knowledge of medical terms. Thus, in 1999, Medical Transcription was assigned its own job classification and those practicing it were officially called medical transcriptionists.

Medical Transcription as a profession is very underground and most people might not have heard about it. However, medical transcription is an essential profession in the every growing health care industry... especially to health care staff that does not have the time to put into writing every single bit of information that they gather from patients. As a result, the demand for qualified medical transcriptionist professionals is continually growing and because the number of new procedures coming into the market doctors don't have the time to transcribe all their findings.

Medical Transcription as a profession is very versatile as well. Medical transcriptionists, can acquire after a few years of education, work from medical transcription firms. Medical Transcription firms receive dictations made by doctors and in turn, these orders are turned over to medical transcriptionists to be transcribed.

A medical transcriptionist can also work full or part-time at home. Currently, the American Association for Medical Transcription is governing body in the United states that certifies Medical transcriptionists, although you won't need a certification to be able to work as one, a certification form the AAMT, will surely increase you're "market value" and credibility.

Medical transcription is no longer merely listening and transcribing the words dictated by a doctor. Medical Transcription is evolving and now requires specific education centering on medical language, knowledge of Greek and Latin prefixes and suffixes, anatomy, physiology, disease processes, medical science and procedures, medical instruments, pharmacology, laboratory instruments, laboratory test results, medical reference material techniques and many more.


Medical Transcription - An Evolving Profession

Medical Transcription is the process of interpreting and transcribing the dictation made by doctors or other health care professionals regarding patient status, treatment procedures, diagnoses, prognoses, etc. With medical transcription of dictated data from physicians, the medical transcriptionist may also edit the text that is produced by voice recognition software. Medical Transcription is the translating of dictations made by a doctor. As a result, it requires an extensive knowledge of medical, pharmacological and anatomical terms.

In the past medical transcriptionists would listen to dictations and type it themselves, but with the dawn of technology and voice recognition software, this has become unnecessary and today, for the most part, the medical transcriptionist merely edits the output of the software. However, the editing process can range from a few corrections to major changes because voice recognition software still hasn't been perfected and probably never will be due to the wide variety of speech variations and dictating habits of health care professionals.

Aside from medical knowledge, a quality transcription requires a transcriptionist to have excellent listening skills because they must be able to simultaneously interpret dictation while typing, they must also have an exquisite knowledge of English and grammar, proofreading and editing skills, a high state of analytical skills in order to analyze and convert spoken words into meaningful writing, as well being adept in the use of transcription equipment and computers.

Medical Transcription has been seen as writing in ancient caves and in documents of lost civilizations, but still the purpose of medical transcription and the medical transcriptionist remains the same and that is to keep a record of a patient's medical status and treatment.

However, it wasn't until the late 20th century that Medical transcription was recognized as a profession. Initially, those who did medical transcription were labeled as typists, word processors, medical secretaries or dictating machine operators. This was and still is a highly unjustified job title for those who practice medical transcription because the profession requires a wide knowledge of medical terms. Thus, in 1999, Medical Transcription was assigned its own job classification and those practicing it were officially called medical transcriptionists.

Medical Transcription as a profession is very underground and most people might not have heard about it. However, medical transcription is an essential profession in the every growing health care industry... especially to health care staff that does not have the time to put into writing every single bit of information that they gather from patients. As a result, the demand for qualified medical transcriptionist professionals is continually growing and because the number of new procedures coming into the market doctors don't have the time to transcribe all their findings.

Medical Transcription as a profession is very versatile as well. Medical transcriptionists, can acquire after a few years of education, work from medical transcription firms. Medical Transcription firms receive dictations made by doctors and in turn, these orders are turned over to medical transcriptionists to be transcribed.

A medical transcriptionist can also work full or part-time at home. Currently, the American Association for Medical Transcription is governing body in the United states that certifies Medical transcriptionists, although you won't need a certification to be able to work as one, a certification form the AAMT, will surely increase you're "market value" and credibility.

Medical transcription is no longer merely listening and transcribing the words dictated by a doctor. Medical Transcription is evolving and now requires specific education centering on medical language, knowledge of Greek and Latin prefixes and suffixes, anatomy, physiology, disease processes, medical science and procedures, medical instruments, pharmacology, laboratory instruments, laboratory test results, medical reference material techniques and many more.


Thursday, December 21, 2006

How To Choose A Medical Billing Specialist

When considering how to choose a medical billing specialist, you must consider the skills and abilities of a good one. If you know what you are looking for, making the right decision as to which billing specialist to use becomes fairly obvious. Take a look at what a medical billing specialist should be familiar with and what they have to do so that you can choose the right medical transcriptions

First of all when considering how to choose a medical billing specialist, you should make sure you find one that understands medical transcription. Medical transcription is the transferring of medical information from audio recordings to either paper or electronic format. Your billing specialist should be aware of this because of the information contained in the transcripts. The transferred data becomes an electronic medical record, which just shows how much everything the billing specialist works with is interconnected.

The job of medical transcription is usually outsourced to a third party company or done through the use of medical transcription software. Each part of the process, though, must be overseen by someone with training to do the transcription so as to catch all potential errors.

Secondly, you want your medical billing specialist to be familiar with the various medical codes. Additionally, he or she should know about governing record keeping, billing, and certification. This allows the billing specialist to be familiar with the important standards that control how a medical billing specialist actually performs his or her job. Knowing how the codes function and what they say is crucial to being a good and an effective medical billing specialist.

When you look at how to choose a medical billing specialist, you should also make sure he or she is familiar with electronic medical records (EMR). The information in such records is coded and means that a billing specialist must be able to decipher the information in order to make sure billing is done correctly. Additionally, the specialist must be trained due to the fact that all EMRs must be managed, backed up, and stored with great care so that everything is kept secure. The information is very sensitive.

In an age of software and computers, it is vital that your medical billing specialist knows how to use medical practice software. The software is made to allow a database of EMRs to go along with access to medical codes with which your billing specialist should also be familiar. The software helps practices to cut their IT expenses by only forcing them to pay monthly secure hosting for the system. Medical billing specialists are some of the people authorized to use the programs to get information via computers or PDAs off the server.

Deciding how to choose a medical billing specialist is not easy. You must have an understanding of what all a good billing specialist knows and understands. The information above helps you get a feel for what you should look for when choosing your medical billing specialist.


Future Outlook For Medical Transcription

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the future outlook for medical transcription looks good. This is a lucrative, in demand-career with great growth opportunities.

If youre considering a medical transcription course or are already taking one, this is good news. It means you will have plenty of employment as well as financial opportunities.

Although, medical transcription is predicted to grow and remain stable, there are a few common concerns among the MT community.

These are the most common.

Will voice recognition replace transcriptionists?

There has been talk for a long time about voice recognition and new software which will replace the jobs of MTs. This will not affect you any time soon. There are a number of growing issues and concerns with this software. It is not being used in a large setting and has not yet replaced the need for medical transcription on the whole.

Medical terminology is complex and the regulations for patient records are stricter than ever. At present, the most accurate way to transcribe these records is by trained MTs.
According to the Medical Records Institute, which actually promotes the use of computerized medical records, current research shows use of speech recognition in the medical fields is less than 1%.
What about offshore transcription companies?
Some companies are using offshore transcription companies to save money. However, while outsourcing medical transcription to offshore companies can save money, many companies are not following this route.

There are various concerns and issues with outsourcing to offshore companies. Offshore MT companies are not required to comply with HIPPA regulations. This means they dont follow the HIPPA security and privacy guidelines to safeguard medical records.

In some cases it can be done, but mandatory agreements required by HIPPA guidelines must be signed. And precautions must be taken so that data isnt sent overseas. The overseas vendors must log on to U.S. database to do their work, which means extra systems and measures must be put in place. This can be expensive and time consuming.

Although, some companies may find the need for saving money is worth these risks, most wont.

I agree with the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics and believe the future of medical transcription looks good and there are many opportunities out there for the taking.

However, although the future of MT looks promising, times HAVE changed. MTs of today should start adapting to the ever changing business technology around them.

The technology is there and available for us to take our businesses to the next level. With a few clicks of a mouse we can build our own MT website, set up an online diary or download files for transcribing.

Be smart in your business, keep up with the times, adapt to technology and your future outlook will look better than ever.


Is A Career In Medical Transcription For You?

If you have an interest in the medical field and enjoy office work, you should consider a career in medical transcription. Demand in this field continues to grow and each year there are more job opportunities.

Medical transcription clerks quickly and accurately transcribe medical records that are dictated by doctors and other medical professionals. You will be working with clinic notes, physical reports, office notes, consultation reports, operative reports, psychiatric evaluations, laboratory results, pathology reports, and x-ray results to name just some of the record types.

The clerk receives the information on a dictation tape which is then listened to using a Dictaphone machine and transcribed into a word processing program. Different doctors use different word processing software but all have medical dictionaries. There are several that are required including medications, medical definitions, and abbreviations.

In order to do this job you must have good computer and language skills. You must also be well versed in medical terminology, laboratory terms, surgical terms, procedures, and abbreviations. Medical transcription clerks must be accurate as they are responsible for correctly transcribing patient medical records.

You can complete a Medical Transcription certification program online. The length of programs varies depending on the level of training you undertake, but on average they take anywhere from 6 months to 9 months to complete.

You will then be qualified to work in a hospital or medical office as a transcriptionist. There are also job opportunities in the field becoming available online. In the United States you can expect to earn around $10.00 per hour to start, and with just a few years experience this can jump to $20.00 per hour or more. National transcription companies require 2-5 years of hospital experience, but they pay substantially better! Online, in a self employed environment, you can earn up to $40.00 per hour.

Although membership in a professional association is not required, it is recommended. The AAMT, The American Association for Medical Transcription, was founded in 1978 and provides you with the bimonthly Journal of the Association for American Medical Transcription, discounts on professional services and products, access to educational conferences and seminars, access to AAMT professional staff, and the opportunity to become a Certified Medical Transcriptionist.

If a career in medical transcription is for you, check with the many online universities about their program requirements.


Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Outsourcing Transcription To Save Costs

Looking for ways to cut costs has become a way of life in most medical offices and institutions. One very efficient way to reduce expenditures has been found to be the outsourcing of medical transcription services.

In the past medical and business transcription was performed by in house based employees. This means that the institution not only had to pay salaries, health care benefits, vacation and sick pay for their employees, they also had the expense of the physical space and equipment needs. Hospitals and other institutions have found that outsourcing of their transcription needs eliminates some of these internal management responsibilities and costs.

Most institutions pay on an average 28 to 36 percent more for their in house transcription then they would pay for the same if it was outsourced. Studies done in the past have found that a production based transcriptionist working in her or his home has a cost of nearly 37 percent less per character than an in house transcriptionist.

Another consideration of outsourcing transcription is accuracy of work and turn around time. Even with on site transcriptionists many hospitals have physician complaints regarding the quality and accuracy of the transcription and the turn around time of their dictations. Turn around time is directly related to the productivity of the worker. It was found that on site transcriptionists have many more disruptions and a much lower production rate when compared to outsourced transcriptionists. The on site transcription production rate is around 39 percent less than production based and home based transcription production rates.

At the completion of a nearly two year study it was found that hospitals and other institutions could save as much as 33 - 38 percent a year utilizing outsourced transcriptions services.


Choosing Medical Transcription as a Career

Medical transcription is one of those careers where you either hate it or love it. I have been a medical transcriptionist for a long time and still love what I do. I enjoy the continuous learning, take pride in my work and think its absolutely fantastic.

But, what will it be like for you?

If youre thinking about a career in medical transcription here are a few things to consider:

Do you enjoy working on your own?

Whether you work outside the home or from home, this is one career where you will have to be self disciplined. You are left to produce your own work and will not have someone looking over your shoulder.

Do you have a good grasp of the English language?

You will need to have a good understanding of English and grammar. Grammar you could learn through a class, but if you have trouble understanding spoken English then perhaps you could take a class to improve your language skills before starting your MT course.

Will I be able to sit in front of a computer for extended periods of time?

Medical transcription is all about typing. You will sit in front of a computer for hours at a time transcribing documents.

Do I need a social career?

Medical transcription isnt the most social career out there. You will network and meet other MTs but while youre working you will be on your own concentrating on your work, and you cant have a conversation while transcribing.

So whether you work from home or in an office, you really wont spend a lot of time involved with others while working.

Am I good researcher or willing to learn?

As an MT, you will really develop your researching skills and will become very resourceful! You will need to look up medications and terms you dont understand or cant clearly make out. This will take some thinking and resourcefulness on your part.

Will I be able to apply common sense?

You will find yourself in many situations as an MT where you really need to think outside the box. You will find yourself applying common sense on a daily basis. There is no precise 100% formula in medical transcription. Good common sense will really help you.


Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Medical Transcription Practice Tapes: Ways to Achieve Proficiency in Medical Transcription

A keen sense of hearing is an ace in the game of medical transcription. A typical hearing acuity alone will not assure a 100% accuracy in the medical transcripts you produce. If you wish to master the art of medical transcription, you need to achieve a well-developed if not possess an excellent sense of hearing. In this field, you cant afford to make mistakes when youre typing what the doctor says. This is because there is a very thin line between each words pronunciation as with the terms a rock and Iraq. And, in a case like this, slight misheards could mean a difference between life and death especially when youre dealing with the patients medicines.

We all know that its hard to find a medical transcriptionist who is born with an excellent sense of hearing. But wait, dont get the wrong end of the stick. If youre just an average medical transcriptionist or just starting, hold on to your spirit and dont give up yet. You have a lot of potential to achieve good listening skills. As we always say practice makes perfect. You can start training your ears by watching English TV shows or by talking to different kinds of people and study their voice patterns and pronunciations. Also, you can start listening to the varying accents in English of American, Australian, British, Mexican, or Indian doctors. Really, its your choice. Although, the best approach is exposure to real physician dictations, you can also enhance yourself through the use of medical transcription practice tapes.

But what are medical transcription practice tapes? Actually, medical transcription practice tapes are recording and storage devices used by doctors for their dictations, which are converted as wav or voice files in the computer just like that of an mp3. But, there are also those medical transcription practice tapes being used by students in some medical transcription schools, which may be bought online. They are not really that different from those used by physicians except for the fact that they are utilized for a specific purpose. Medical transcription practice tapes as the name implies are only used for practice and not for actual transcription. They either contain simulated or real physician dictations. Medical transcription practice tapes are for the use of beginners who have no exposure to real physician dictations as well as for already established medical transcriptionists who just want to attain a higher level of competency in the field.

Although medical transcription practice tapes may be rented, the best option for beginners is perhaps to have a copy of their own. These days, you need not go to a specific store to purchase medical transcription practice tapes. They are available online from several websites that specialize in medical transcription. They usually come in two sizes, that is standard-sized medical transcription practice tapes and micro-sized medical transcription practice tapes.

The duration of dictation for these medical transcription practice tapes and the level of the terms difficulty vary as well. As an added feature, answer keys are provided to compare your work with.

Whoever said you cant learn on your own must be bluffing. Medical transcription practice tapes can truly make a difference in your performance. In fact, for beginners, early exposure to actual dictations could give you the edge you need, and for seasoned transcriptionists, or people going back into the field of medical transcription, the extra practice will definitely improve the skills necessary to become a true medical language specialist.


Transcription: An Opportunity For You

For many, transcription work is a life saver. It is good work. It is a job that is likely to be needed for a long time. And, it provides you with the flexibility that you need. Sometimes, transcription can be done from home. Other times, it can only be done through the use of specific computers at a location. Nonetheless, there are some things that you will need to do in order to get a job in transcription.

While many places on the web would like you to think that there are endless opportunities for individuals looking for transcription work, the fact is that there are only a few and those that are out there want skilled individuals. There are some opportunities available to those who want to do transcription from their homes, but again, these companies want individuals who are trained. You may find that many companies offer the work to you to do at home if you have the necessary equipment as well as the necessary skills.

So, how do you get the skills that you need for transcription? You can get them on the web or in a traditional school setting. On the web, you can learn how to transcribe at various online schools. Many universities carry this field and help you to get job placement as well. If you really would like to get into transcription, you can do so simply by getting into the right schools to start with.

But, remember that there are no guarantees in transcription either. Many companies may have openings now, but that does not mean that they will down the line. In many cases, you are likely to find companies that offer only a small amount of work to you. Although there are jobs available in transcription, you will need to be high quality, skilled and willing to work hard to get and keep them.


Medical Transcription School - How long will it take?

Facing the unknown can often be disconcerting, especially when you want very much to find a great home-based career, like medical transcription. "How long will it take to get through the school?" And, "How long until I get my first paycheck?" are common concerns asked by people considering a career in medical transcription. Here we'll address both these issues.

First things first - How long will it take? On average you can expect to get through a good medical transcription school in about nine to twelve months. This assumes that you work on it consistently and part-time. All together, it will take about 600-700 hours. Say you work at it three hours a day, five days a week - that's 15 hours a week. Divide that into 600, and you get 40 weeks -- which is about nine and a half months. If you consistently work at it just a half hour longer each day, it'll shave more than a month off that.

Obviously, that's a great deal of time away from home -- usually the very thing people searching for a new career often don't want to leave behind. Fortunately, the best medical transcription schools allow you to work at home at your own pace.

So, when can I get my first check? The thing to remember is that the more time you are willing to dedicate to your studies, the sooner you will be able to start working from home and get that first check! After all, that is really what it is all about, isn't it?

Regardless of your current situation, you should be able to get through a quality medical transcription school working a few hours a day, and as many days per week that you are able dedicate to the program. A good medical transcription school will guide you through the process systematically - step by step. With a moderate amount of effort and dedication you will quickly gain the confidence you need to complete the program. So, find the best medical transcription school you can, and launch your future career today!


Medical Transcription as a Home Business

The medical transcription industry continues to grow. As the need for individuals in this field keeps growing, the options for working at home also grow.

Starting a medical transcription home business is a good area to start in if you would like to work at home and receive the same pay you would if you were in the office. There are a couple of ways to work in your home-based MT business. One way is to find a traditional employer who gives you all the benefits of working in-house, but who allows you to do this from home. This is more likely to happen if you have worked for this employer in an office already. Another way to set up a medical transcription business is to accept clients through advertising. This would be a freelance MT business.

If you are going to start your own business, remember that it might take some time getting clients. Don't forget that you are not limited in location. You may be able to find clients for your medical transcription business through the internet. As demand increases, the needs for your services will increase.

Though you want to charge the going rate for medical transcription, working from home allows you to be flexible with fees. You can charge somewhat higher than somebody working in an office because your client does not have to pay for insurance or a pension for you. Working in your own home business also allows you to set your own hours. If you want to work full time, you can. If you want part-time hours, this is not a problem. If you want vacation time, just be sure you don't accept work that will not get done before you go.

If you like to be there to take your children to school and pick them up afterwards, a medical transcription business is a good option. It will pay more than most work-at-home jobs but offer all the benefits of being at home. You don't have to worry about the commute or the parking. With a medical transcription business, you can work in the morning or, if you are a night owl, work in the evening.

Many people prefer to work from home. Few can actually make a living this way. Medical transcriptionists are among these few, and opportunities are expected to grow in the coming years.

If you are interested in a job that allows you the flexibility to stay home, consider a medical transcription business. It is one of your best options for working from home.


Monday, December 18, 2006

Job Opportunities for Medical Transcription

Job opportunities for MTs are expected to grow faster than average for the next several years. Health care facilities continue to expand, and employment opportunities should expand with them.

Settings for work in this field are varied. Medical transcription job opportunities include working in hospitals or physician's offices. Government medical facilities provide another option for job seekers. Individuals looking for work in this field can also look in diagnostic laboratories, business support services, and transcription service offices. MT job opportunities can be found anywhere there is medical need.

Medical transcription employment is not restricted to offices. Many transcriptionists work from home. Some work as contracted freelancers and have varied hours. Others work as employees of hospitals or clinics who allow their transcriptionists to telecommute. The internet can be used to receive and send transcription, making it possible to work from any location.

An aging population requires more health care. More health care services coupled with the need for electronic documentation insures continued medical transcription job opportunities.

Pay for medical transcription jobs ranges from approximately $10.00 an hour to about $20.00 per hour. Pay can be based on an hourly rate or a production rate. Some medical transcription jobs are paid an hourly rate with bonuses for high production.

Medical transcription opportunities include the chance for advancement. After gaining experience, transcriptionists can move into editing or consulting. They can also teach.

If you are looking for a career in a growing field that offers the ability to advance or to work from home, consider medical transcription. It's difficult in this day to find careers that are not threatened by layoffs, but the future looks bright with medical transcription. Outsourcing to other countries is expected to be limited in this field, and increasing medical demands will only make these jobs more secure.


Medical Transcription Home Study Courses

If you are interested in medical transcription training but have a busy schedule, there are options to brick-and-mortar vocational schools. You might want to consider medical transcription training at home.

MT home study courses work well for students who are independent. Self-discipline is essential for successful medical transcription training at home. It's a good option for students who do not have a vocational school nearby or who cannot physically attend classes for a variety of reasons. At home training can be the option of choice for those who learn best on their own.

Medical transcription training at home offers several advantages. One of these, of course, is the ability to work at your own pace. You can take the time you need in more difficult areas, but move quickly through coursework that you find easier. You don't have to pace yourself with your teacher and classmates. Another advantage is the ability to schedule coursework around other commitments, such as your job. You don't have to worry about following the class schedule.

Of course, the most obvious advantage of MT training at home is the ability to work in comfort. You don't have to commute. You don't have to look for parking. If you have a hectic schedule, you don't have to worry about showing up late for class. Homework gets done when you have time, and you can take tests when you feel you are ready for them instead of cramming to meet the teacher's deadline.

Some medical transcription schools offer video instructional videos. This gives you the opportunity to hear the terminology, an important part of medical transcription training. The ability to replay the videos as often as necessary to understand the terminology is another advantage to medical transcription training at home.

Medical transcription training at home is not for everyone. For those who are disciplined and don't need supervision, though, a home study course can be rewarding.


Online Courses in Medical Transcription

If you're thinking about enrolling in a medical transcription school but can't fit classes into your schedule, you might want to consider learning from an online school. To do this you need to know how to find a legitimate online medical transcription school.

A good online medical transcription school will offer the same type of classes as a brick-and-mortar school. For example, courses in medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, and ethics. Other courses a legitimate online medical transcription school will offer will include laboratory tests, medical procedures, and transcription formatting.

You will find some online schools in any field that will give a diploma or certificate for very little effort. Medical transcription takes a lot of memorization, which takes time. You must also get used to medical terminology. A respected online medical transcription school will not make false claims as to how quickly you will be ready to work. It will focus on teaching you the job well.

A legitimate online medical school will allow you to talk to graduates for references. Make sure you don't skip this step. Medical transcription training requires extensive transcription practice, and graduates can tell you if this is really what happened.

Don't choose to learn online because you think it will be easier than learning at a traditional school. A legitimate online medical school will be just as tough as any other school. The goal is to learn how to do your job right. A legitimate online course has to teach you what any other school teaches to prepare you for a job.

It is easier than ever to learn medical transcription through online courses. Just make sure you pick a school that offers the courses you need, and follow through with references. If you are certain that the coursework is comprehensive and the course will last at least a year, you are probably looking at a legitimate online medical school. Though the work will be tough, you will probably be glad you learned this way and be well on your way to a rewarding medical transcription career.


Sunday, December 17, 2006

What Education Does a Medical Transcriptionist Need?

If you are looking for a job in medical transcription, you will need some sort of formal MT training beyond high school. Fortunately, medical transcription education doesn't require the time and cost of a four-year degree.

A good MT education prepares you to transcribe medical reports. To do this, you need to be able to listen to recordings and understand medical terminology. Having the right education helps you do this.

A comprehensive medical transcription course will teach you medical terminology. It is essential for medical transcriptionists to understand medical jargon and identify proper terms to use. A good MT course program will teach you to use appropriate medical reference materials to make sure you get it right. With a good medical transcription education, you will be able to spot errors and edit to make the report clear and to correct grammar. You will learn the standards that must by used for medical records. Medical transcription education is also essential for learning legal and ethical requirements of medical records.

You also need strong computer skills and good grammar and punctuation skills. Pre-employment tests are often necessary, and you won't pass these without medical transcription education. Many medical transcription programs offer on-the-job experience, which will give you confidence when you look for your first job.

Medical transcription education can be attained in a variety of ways. There are certificate programs that last a year. If you want to advance your education, two-year programs are offered at vocational schools. Distance learning works well for medical transcription, so you may not even have to leave your home to learn.

As you can see, medical transcription education is essential to doing the job right. There is no other way to learn the terminology and technology necessary for work in this field. Fortunately, it is easy to find schools offering medical transcription education. You can even learn from home. Whatever your needs are, there is an opportunity for finding the right medical transcription education that will work for you.


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