Medical Transcription program

Technologically Boosting the Medical Transcription Company
By Joe Miller

Medical Transcription Company

Virtually every medical service provider dictates SOAP notes into recorders for transcription and sends them off to a medical transcription company to transcribe and return a refined copy of necessary medical information.

In fact, without the medical transcription company the medical service provider would be too overburdened with transcription to pay the attention it needs to its clients. However, the medical transcription company has had to undergo technological changes in order to keep up with demand and with competition. Fast-paced medical service requires fast-paced medical transcription. So, which medical transcription company will survive? The answer is the one that takes advantage of time-saving technology.

Medical Transcription

This answer is not at all uncommon now-a-days, but it is especially challenging in the field of medical transcription. Medical transcription is just as it sounds: transcribing on paper the notes that were audio recorded. It doesn’t seem at first that much more technology is needed than a word processor and a cassette tape player.

The crux of the matter is controlling quantity. Effective records of SOAP notes, especially in the quantities supplied by medical offices, require the technological ability to not only record medical transcription but also to track it and store it.

Medical Transcription Job

The medical transcription job would be daunting at best without the help of technology. Let me review a general version of a medical transcription job check list:

1. Receive audio from medical service provider.

2. Transcribe 1st draft of SOAP notes.

3. Save transcription.

4. Continue process with entire batch.

5. Review medical transcription for errors.

6. Make changes on 1st draft of medical transcriptions.

7. Send medical transcriptions back to medical service provider.

8. Bill medical service provider.

This process most often overlaps itself due to the management of multiple batches from multiple service providers. Organizational skill is high up on the requirements list for a medical transcription specialist.

Medical Transcription Program

Due to the massive amounts of medical transcription jobs and batches continually being sent back and forth between medical service providers and the medical transcription company, the market has awakened to meet medical transcription needs. Looking for a medical transcription program is so easy, it’s hard. Just type “medical transcription program” into Google, Yahoo, or MSN and witness first hand the millions of indexed pages you might have to sift through.

In your search for a versatile medical transcription program suitable to medical service providers’ needs, there are a few things to keep in mind. A medical transcription program has the ability to work in house, without IT infrastructure overhead.

There are additional medical transcription program specs to keep an eye out for. For example, a medical transcription program which combines the secure storage of medical databases and medical transcription provides the security and accessibility a medical service provider needs.

The right medical transcription program also provides organization for tracking the editorial stages of the SOAP notes and securing them, as well as sending them back to the right medical service provider.

The medical service provider runs a race of efficiency and professionalism in order to stay in business. The right medical transcription program provides a technological boost to propel medical service providers ahead of the rest of the pack.

Joe Miller is an author of informational articles and online advertisements on business, technology, and health. Information on Medical Transcription Company is available at AdvancedMD.com.

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Secretarial Services - Prevent failure

Why does a business fail and what can you do to stop it?
by Michele Miller

I believe the number one reason why a business will fail is lack of planning. This can be due to various reasons, perhaps because the market research wasn't sufficiently carried out in the first place, or because the financial burden was higher than was planned for etc.

Sometimes business failure happens because the business owner is not very savvy at other aspects of the business, such as management, promotion, branding, advertising, public relations, leadership, bookkeeping, or customer follow-up etc. It is important to get the necessary training to ensure all aspects of your home business run efficiently, or to hire help to manage these other aspects.

Here are some other reasons to consider:

1. Inadequate accounting records
2. Disregarding or misinterpreting financial records
3. Not controlling costs
4. Fraud due to poor internal control
5. Pricing goods or services too low as a way of getting customers or clients
6. Lack of marketing/selling skills
7. Not carrying adequate and appropriate insurance
8. Failing to adequately train and develop employees
9. Lack of goal and business advancement planning
10.Not seeking advice or professional help when necessary.

If you know that most businesses fail because they don't bother to plan properly, what can you do to ensure this won't happen to your business?

Have your own business and marketing plan and use it every day! Review your goals on a daily basis.

Use that to-do list every day, making sure to cross off your accomplishments. Then make a fresh list every morning of what is left to do, and what other things need to be accomplished in your business/work day.

Be ready to talk about your business in every encounter you have during the day. Practice a 30 second speech about your business so you are always ready to share it with people, and make sure you ALWAYS carry business cards with you. It looks professional too.

Hire people to do the work that you are not good at, so your business doesn't fail due to your weaker points.

Have a Plan-B! Put money by for a rainy day.

Find a mentor, someone in your field that can help and encourage you with your business.

Join a small business association where you can network with others in your field of business.

Work hard and stay motivated.

You can make your business a success with the proper planning!

Michele Miller is a home-based business owner and medical transcriptionist. She is also the author of an ebook about starting a successful transcription business from home. http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com/medical-transcription.html

Secretarial Services - Setting up your office

The article below gives a good overview of the supplies you need to start your secretarial business or any other business. Leva.

Setting up Your Office

New Office or Home Office

Calculator
Correction Fluid
Desk Calendar
Dictionary/Thesaurus/Software Manuals
In/Out Bins
Copy Paper
Paper Clips, Binder Clips, Paper Clip Holder
Pens
Pencils, Pencil Cup/Tray, Pencil Sharpener
Scissors
Stapler, staple remover
Tape Dispenser

New Office Only

If you don’t find all of the above at your desk, when time permits, find out how to obtain them or who can supply you with them. Also inquire about location of supply closet, heavy duty staplers, paper cutters, company letterhead and envelopes, postage machine(s), copy machine(s), fax machine(s), scanner(s), company telephone extension and email list (if one exists), who to contact for phone/computer problems and supply ordering and which network drives files are saved in.

Write down company fax number, your direct line/extension (and any other important extensions), switchboard numbers, company website address as well as your new email address. Post all nearby and keep a copy with you.

If company has an Organization Chart, get a copy and fill in extensions plus any other pertinent information regarding your department. Put in an easily accessible place.

Request company Policies and Procedures manual. Be sure to read it through in your spare time, along with your health insurance package, if you will be getting health benefits.

This list of essentials may seem obvious, but it will save you a lot of time and frustration, especially when you’re rushing to get that first project completed by yesterday.

Good Luck!

Copyright © 2006 Ella D. McGhee - This article may be reprinted with proper reference to author. Ella D. McGhee has worked in the administration field for more than twenty years. Two years ago, she launched EDM Enterprises, an online business which provides web design, transcription and secretarial services to businesses, churches and individuals. http://www.edmenterprises.org

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Secretarial Services - Transcription

Professional Transcription and Your Business

Note from Leva: Transcription is a great profit center for secretarial services. This article explains why businesses need transcription services and what they expect from a transcriptionist. Today, most transcription is digital and few tapes are used. Transcription software is used instead of the traditional desktop transcription machine. The other information in this article is still accurate today. Find out more about doing digital transcription at http://www.generaltranscriptionworkfromhome.com.

Got stacks of audio tapes that need to be converted to a more user-friendly format? Professional transcription services may be the answer.

Professional transcriptionists can take standard or micro cassette tapes and produce a typed version of the text in a format that's clear, consistent and correct. They can create transcripts of taped meetings, training sessions, seminars and conventions, as well as dictated letters, reports and manuscripts. Once the information is transcribed, you can easily email, fax or post it to a Website.

Accuracy Is Essential

Transcribing actually covers a variety of services. It can include whatever editing is necessary to make a report or letter 'flow'. It can also include the tweaking sentence syntax, adjusting paragraphs, removing redundancies, and repairing general grammatical errors.

For some professions, a high degree of accuracy in transcripts is crucial. For example, medical transcriptionists must carefully listen to dictated recordings made by physicians and other healthcare professionals and accurately transcribe them into reports, correspondence and other administrative materials that eventually become part of patients' permanent files. Their ability to understand and correctly transcribe patient assessments and treatments reduces the chance of patients receiving ineffective or even harmful treatments and ultimately ensures high quality patient care.

Accuracy in transcripts is equally as important in other fields. In legal matters, it's essential because all testimony must be rendered exactly as it's spoken. Likewise, police detectives require precise transcripts of statements by suspects and witnesses. In the corporate arena, letters, meetings and training sessions must be properly transcribed for the sake of effective education and communication.

Requirements For A Good Transcriptionist

Whether you need medical, legal or general transcribing for your business, accurate transcribing requires a unique set of skills. But if your staff lacks the expertise or time to transcribe materials in house, an outside company can easily fill the void.

Working with an outside vendor offers a variety of cost-saving benefits, including:

- No cost of special equipment.
- No hourly employee downtime. You pay only for production.
- No Social Security, payroll or unemployment taxes.
- No medical insurance benefits, paid vacations and sick leave

But before you run out and hire the first transcription company available, make sure it has the skills to meet your needs. The outsourcer you choose should be:

- Well-versed in the English language
- Knowledgeable of the rules of grammar
- Familiar with your industry
- Easily accessible for questions

For more information about professional transcription services, contact Kate Smalley, Connecticut Secretary, at 203-641-3739 or mailto:kms@connecticutsecretary.com - Copyright 2004, Kate Smalley
Connecticut Secretary - Freelance Secretarial and Transcription Services - http://www.connecticutsecretary.com - 203.641.3739 mailto:kms@connecticutsecretary.com

Find out more about doing digital transcription and general transcription at http://www.generaltranscriptionworkfromhome.com.

Secretarial Business- Transcription labels

"Where can I find sticky transcription labels?

From MT Daily - medical transcription, work at home.:

Forms and Filing Systems, Dennis Corbin, ffs@formsandfilingsystems.com, 800, 472-0171, fax 706, 802-1880, http://www.mdfile.net

Handeze Gloves, http://www.handeze.com, 800-686-1722, Fax 203-269-5307.

March and Green, P. O. Box 155, Wayne, IL 60184, marchgren@aol.com, 800, 447-6004.

Medical Arts Press, Office Management Supplies, 8500 Wyoming Avenue N., Minneapolis, MN 55445, 800-826-6706, Fax 800-328-0023.

Pat Systems, http://www.transpaper.com/, 3929 Parkside Place, Flower Mound, TX75022-4792, 800, 543-1911, info@transpaper.com. Sticky Paper and Softflex Computer Gloves.

Quill Corp., http://www.quillcorp.com/CATALOG/ICS/CATgetPGroup.cfm/11/243/A, info@quillcorp.com."

Secretarial Services - va-secretarial

VA or Personal Assistant or Concierge?
By Alyson Mead

Many people ask me what the difference between a virtual assistant and a personal assistant is, or between a virtual assistant and a concierge, for that matter. These are important distinctions to make before deciding to set up your new business, because each one suggests a very different set of responsibilities to your potential client.

Virtual assistants are much like administrative assistants. They mostly work from home by themselves, or from a centralized office with a few others, as we do. Their tasks are generally limited to the administrative, too, such as transcription and typing, correspondence, and mass mailings. Speaking of mailing, we find Stamps.com really helpful in that regard. We hate going to the post office and waiting in long lines, even if it is for our beloved clients! With Stamps.com, we don't have to. For $80, we got a 4-week free trial, free postage, and a postage scale, which you'd have to admit is quite a deal. With support for most address book software, mass mailings can actually be easy!

In contrast, a personal assistant can be asked to do some of the administrative stuff, but the emphasis of the position isn't usually concentrated there. We have found, in our storied careers, that personal assistants are generally asked to do more, well, personal things, like picking up dry cleaning, making vacation plans, picking up children from school, etc. This position is great for people who love to be on the go, and hate staring at a computer screen all day. And in order to do it, you're going to need a great cell phone with Blackberry capability, so you can stay in touch with your client, his or her spouse, and any kiddies. Cingular has a great Blackberry phone that's less than $150 when purchased with a new service plan. Great coverage and the ability to text and email from your car? Bring it on!

The concierge may be the most misunderstood of all three fields. Many people assume that concierges work solely from hotels, providing guests with extra services, such as booking transportation to and from the airport, helping with theater or concert tickets, and arranging for secretarial services while in a certain city. But you can start your own concierge business, whether or not you are affiliated with a hotel. If you decide to do this, your target clients will most likely be those who are new to the city, such as temporary workers, new arrivals, or people who are in your city for purely business reasons. Helping these people find the level of service they're seeking can be very lucrative, as well, since many have expense accounts for business and can be a bit freer with cash and tips (we all love that!). Reading up a bit on concierge businesses is important before taking that crucial first step. The Concierge Manual takes you on a step-by-step journey to creating your business, designing a brochure, and even potential legal issues. Don't be without it!

But just because these three are related but different fields doesn't mean you can't mix and match. We include concierge services in our service package for AssistantGirls.com, because we are located in Los Angeles, a large American city that experiences an enormous amount of business travel. One resource we couldn't live without is our Zagat Guides. Whether we need the number of the hottest new restaurant in Beverly Hills, or have to make a suggestion for hotels in Baltimore, or nightlife in New York, these kick-butt little guides make all the difference. And isn't that why they hired you in the first place?

Copyright 2006 AssistantGirls.com

For more stories like this, visit http://www.AssistantGirls.com

Alyson Mead is founder of http://www.AssistantGirls.com She spent eight years as a book editor in New York, working for companies such as Scholastic, Macmillan, McGraw-Hill, Glencoe, Steck-Vaughn, Silver Burdett & Ginn, Prentice-Hall and others. She has published hundreds of freelance articles in journals such as Salon.com, ChickClick, MSN.com, In These Times and many more, and ghostwritten several book projects.

Secretarial Services - Typing letters

If you're operating a secretarial service, you'll need to know how to format a business letter. The article below explains how.

Anatomy of a Business Letter
by Linda Elizabeth Alexander

Business letters have many purposes and recipients. Despite variations in tone and style, the basic parts of a business letter remain standard throughout most business correspondence. This article outlines the elements found in standard business letters today, in order, as well as their modern format.

1. Heading

Assuming you are using company letterhead, your full address will already be on the page. Add the date two spaces below the last line of printed copy. If you are using blank paper, add your full address and the date in the heading. Align the heading, and all paragraphs, with the left margin(which should be at least one inch wide).

Example:
21 Carson Parkway
Boulder, CO 80111
December 3, 2006

2. Inside address

Include the recipient's full name, title, and address two spaces below the date. Align it with the left margin.

Example:
Conner T. Walker
2345 Sunrise Avenue
Denver, CO 80555

3. Salutation

Two spaces below the inside address, and also aligned with the left margin, place your salutation, or greeting. If you are on a first name basis with the recipient, use her/his first name followed by a colon. If you are writing a more formal letter, use a personal title (Ms., Mr., or Dr.) followed by the person's last name and a colon. Use Mr. for men, and Ms. for women. Never use Mrs. or Miss unless a woman has specifically expressed a preference. If you are not sure if the recipient is male or female, use a salutation that is appropriate to the letter context.

Examples:
Mr. Yates:
Ms. Dickinson:
Dear Customer:
Dear Publishing Manager:

4. Body

The body of the letter should begin two spaces below the salutation; all paragraphs should be aligned to the left margin. Single space within paragraphs and double space between them.

If your letter continues onto a second (or higher) page, leave at least two lines of text on the next page before the closing. Do not go onto another page just for the closing; this is bad form. If necessary, change the font size or margin width to make it fit onto one page.

5. Closing

Place the closing two spaces below the last line of the body. Use a standard closing such as Sincerely or Best regards. Capitalize only the first word, and follow the closing with a comma. Four spaces below, type your full name, also aligned with the closing at the left margin. Finally, sign your name in the space between the closing expression and your typed name.

6. Additional Information

Sometimes a business letter requires you to add the typist's initials, an enclosure notification, or a note that other people are receiving the same letter. Any of this information goes two spaces below the last line of the closing in a long letter, four spaces below in a very short letter.

The typist's initials follow the writer's initials, separated by a slash. The writer's initials go in capital letters, while the typist's are lowercase.

Example: LEA/lak or LEA/ald

If the writer and the typist are the same person, no initials are needed.

If you are sending material along with the letter, such as an invoice or report, indicate this with an enclosure notification. When you use this, you must refer to the enclosures in your letter. Abbreviate or describe the enclosure(s).

Examples:
Enc.
Encs.
Enclosure: Report findings

Lastly, if you are sending the same letter to more than one person, notify your recipients with a copy notation. This is abbreviated "cc:" and followed by the recipients' names.

Example:
cc: Linda Alexander
Janna Bree Smith
Emily Lane

7. Formatting

Finally, format your letter so it is easy to scan. Center the letter on the page both vertically and horizontally so that plenty of white space surrounds your text. When using your company's letterhead, remember to format your margins inside the printed material.

If a letter is very short, consider double spacing the entire letter. Also, you may add spaces between paragraphs, the salutation, etc., if it provides for a fuller appearance and enhances the overall "look" of the letter.

© 2002 By Linda Elizabeth Alexander. Linda Elizabeth Alexander writes marketing copy for nonprofits and other businesses. Contact her today to get your free consultation! http://www.write2thepointcom.com
lalexander@write2thepointcom.com

In addition to knowing how to type, you'll need to market your secretarial services. The Secretarial Business in a Box tells you everything you need to know to start, operate, and market a secretarial service. Find out how to start a secretarial service at http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com.