Getting Started On Your Way To A Successful
Medical Transcription Home Business

Once you've made your decision to pursue medical transcription, the very next thing to do is COMMIT YOUR DECISION TO ACTION. You need to define exactly what your future will look like and how you will go about realizing this dream. It's no coincidence that the most successful business owners are those who have taken the time to do the next few steps. Think of this process as drawing a map toward your final destination, with each stop along the way anticipated and planned for. Going through this simple process now will keep you from drifting off course and will keep you focused on your goal - and your eventual success.

First, write down your final objective, and be specific. "I want to be a medical transcriptionist" is too vague and does not really define what you want your future to look like.

"In two years from today, I will have my own medical transcription business at home that will provide me with the income I need of $_________ per year." That's specific. That's real.

Next, list the individual steps it will take to get from "here" to "there" -- every single thing you need to do to make your final objective become your new reality.

Of course you will need training -- write it down. Better yet, include the step of investigating the type of training to take.

Do you need to factor in a transition from a current job? Include that statement.

You will probably need to modify your budget to allow for the purchase of business equipment and reference books in addition to paying for your training; include each item.

Will you need to provide additional daycare for your training time? Include it.

Will you need another car when you start your business? Factor it in.

Do you need to also brush up on typing skills, or really learn the inner workings of your computer? Factor in this training also.

Will you need to do minor or major remodeling for a home office? Write it down.

You need every step written down -- and be sure to list the steps in logical order that they need to occur.

Next, assign a timeline to each step, and try to be realistic. Remember, you are not only starting your own business, you are also learning a new and difficult profession. It's a big gulp all at once!

Your training will generally take from six months to two years, depending on the course that you choose. Marketing and getting your first client may take another couple of months, and then you need to give yourself a few months to "settle in" to this new profession. Don't count on meeting your final financial goals the first year (although with luck you may do even that -- I did). I do think it's reasonable to expect to meet those financial goals within two years of starting your business.

You may not be certain of each step's timeline, but give it your best guess. None of this is written in stone and there are always circumstances that can speed up or delay your progress -- but you do want to have your map drawn as clearly as you can.

Although I give a few additional resources at the end of this article, to complete this step you may need to do additional research about the requirements of a home-based medical transcription business.

Next, for any step that will require a financial outlay, write down the TOTAL AMOUNT, and the amount you may be able to pay incrementally. Many training schools allow monthly payments and/or take charge cards. Computer and office equipment can also be paid for over time if necessary. Be thorough in this step as it can materially affect your business income and profit.

YOUR FINAL PRODUCT SHOULD BE A COMPLETE GOAL SHEET OF EXACTLY WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE YOU TO GET THERE, HOW MUCH IT WILL COST, AND, VERY IMPORTANTLY, WHAT "THERE" WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU ATTAIN IT.

When you've done all the above steps, go back through and give yourself two things: one, a break, and two, a couple of important celebrations. This is a huge commitment you are making with the promise of a new career and new way of life waiting for you at the end. Plan to take a quick break when you're halfway through your course - you'll need it. Definitely celebrate when you've completed it! And REALLY CELEBRATE when you get that first job or land your first client!

Spend some time reviewing your goal sheet, and by all means discuss it with your family members who will be affected by these changes. When you're ready, MAKE YOUR COMMITMENT to these goals. Keep the goal sheet handy to check your progress and make adjustments as necessary.

When I finished my goal sheet I also made another page that I printed with a huge font, framed and hung in front of my treadmill where I'd see it every day over the course of my transition. This sheet said:

· GOAL

· COMMITMENT

· DISCIPLINE

· SUSTAINED EFFORTS

· FOLLOW-THROUGH AND FINISH

· SUCCESS AND PAYOFF

Keeping this always (literally) in front of my face and referring to my goal sheet frequently not only kept my ultimate objective alive for me, it kept me absolutely focused on the results I was determined to achieve. I also played a mental movie of what my new life would be like on a daily basis. I tried to picture precise details of my new home business -- what a typical day would actually consist of -- and I was thrilled when it all came true exactly as I pictured it; in fact, it was almost surreal.

Whatever you can imagine, you can achieve; the clearer and more specific your goals, the sooner they will become your reality.

Medical Transcription Training Decision

There are a number of options available to those seeking medical transcription training. These include local community college or business/trade school classes; distance learning classes (home study courses) offered by several large and well-known schools; training side-by-side with another transcriptionist; and, possibly, learning it on your own. Unfortunately, the options also include training with shortcut, fly-by-night correspondence schools - let the buyer beware...

If you are a person who is stimulated and challenged by the presence of other learners, if you learn best with a "live" teacher present to answer questions and give you guidance or coaching, consider a local community college or business/trade school.

If you are self-disciplined enough to follow a home-study curriculum, if you really learn best on your own and prefer to work at your own pace, if your current schedule or responsibilities would not permit you to physically attend classes or if there is not a local school available, consider a distance learning school.

When you research learning opportunities, just be sure that your course will offer ALL of the following:

• Medical Terminology;
• Acronyms, eponyms, abbreviations;
• Anatomy;
• Physiology;
• Laboratory tests and values;
• Medical procedures and equipment;
• Drugs;
• Transcription formatting;
• Ethics of medical transcription;
• Research methods and resources;
• Brush-up typing (if you need it);
• Brush-up English grammar;
• Marketing;
• MT "business" skills;
• Instructor availability, either in person or by phone;

... and LOTS of actual transcription practice (including dictation by foreign-accented providers). Each course that you investigate will be structured somewhat differently and will offer different values - one will suit you better than the others. One course may include a computer, another may include a transcriber, another may offer an apprenticeship program at the conclusion of the course, another may offer some sort of accreditation. Some courses offer employment opportunities or job-placement services. Some courses provide reference materials, others require that you purchase them in addition to the course. Ask about the details of each course and find the one that gives YOU what YOU want -- and then investigate it thoroughly.

A reputable course will EXPECT that you wish to check with its graduates for references. DO take the time and DO make the effort to call and talk with former students and be specific in your inquiries. Ask if the course material prepared them to work in the "real world" without a long period of post-study apprenticeship. Ask if foreign-accented dictation was included (there are many, many foreign doctors practicing in the U.S.). Ask how strong the research training was -- this is absolutely critical to your success as a home-based MT. Get a feel for how extensive the actual transcription practice is, and how thorough the anatomy training. Don't ask questions that will yield a one-word answer but start with "can you tell me about...." This is your time and money you are investing -- be sure that you will get value for your investment.

This is a good question to ask on the Internet or the other online services -- you will find many students and former students eager to share their experiences with you.

In my opinion, to be well prepared to work at home, you can't rush through a course. This is one area where you really don't want the "bargain basement" deal. As in everything else in life, you get what you pay for. Much of the terminology, anatomy and physiology learning is done through memorization -- and you just can't rush the process. You need time to understand what you're learning, and time to cram it into your brain. When it comes to the actual hands-on transcription, you also need time to accustom your hands and brain to work together typing words like "endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography." (You think that happens overnight??) You also need time to build up your transcription speed to the point where you can make the money you expect to make. When you are paid pennies per line, you must type a lot of lines to make the good income you hope for!

Be aware that, although some courses offer a "certificate of completion" and/or claim "accreditation" -- none offer certification in the American Association For Medical Transcription, the "CMT" that some medical transcriptionists are proud to add to their names. This certification is offered ONLY through AAMT and requires two tests. The general advice is that transcriptionists with less than three years' actual experience should wait for certification. (You are not required to obtain this certification in order to work. Many institutions will pay a slightly higher wage to certified MT's, but many other employers/clients are not aware of either AAMT or the CMT status.)

One final word: In my years of participation in MT online exchanges, I have noticed that most of us feel the way that WE prepared for this profession is the best way. Because my experience is with a formalized training, I find it difficult to imagine someone NOT taking a transcription class but instead learning the necessary skills at another MT's knee or on one's own. With the foundation of terminology, etc., that my course provided, I find it hard to understand where that particular knowledge would come from if you are trained one-on-one by another MT. Yet -- it happens, and those new MT's feel they are well prepared. (This is another area where I yield to others' experience.) It would certainly be a good way to ease into the business once you have a basic knowledge of terminology, etc.

On a personal note, I took a year to finish my home-study course, and I worked full time for most of that year. It was a demanding, exacting course, it was not cheap, but it gave me the results I wanted. You must not expect to be a top-notch medical transcriptionist the day you complete your training. You will "graduate" with entry-level skills, and hopefully this will be just the beginning of your learning experience. This is one of the reasons so many of us find this field so challenging -- the learning never stops.

TRAINING AIDS

These are a few of the methods I used to supplement my training class and enhance my learning to better prepare me to begin my business right away.

** I switched from my familiar but inadequate word processor to WordPerfect 5.1. Although many transcriptionists use newer versions of WP and many others use Word (or other word processor programs), a huge percentage of MT's use good old WP51+ (the + gives you fax capability). This version is still available for sale new, with manuals. It may not have the graphics and the enhancements that newer word processors have, but it will certainly (with speed and excellence) do the day-to-day production work required. One advantage also is that it runs on smaller, less expensive computers. Currently, (Christmas, 1997), the productivity tools (add-in or related software programs) you need to work at home are available for WP51+ -- HOWEVER -- they may not always be available. This may be a consideration in your decision as some updated versions of this type of software are not being enhanced for the MS-DOS operating system. The computer world is definitely edging toward the WIN95 operating system environment and those of us wedded to WP51+ will eventually have to upgrade. (I plan to be the last of the last!)

** I studied as much as I could by TYPING THE TERMINOLOGY. While learning medical terminology, I typed each word and its definition into documents and then manipulated the text so I was able to "test" myself constantly by bringing up either the word (and then typing the missing definition from memory) or by bringing up the definition (and typing the missing word). I also made my own voice recordings of both words and definitions and used them in learning to type the missing elements. Both of these methods accustomed my fingers and brains to work together long before I was required to try actual transcription. It's a little like learning to play the piano or other musical instrument -- your brain is not the only organ being challenged, and the more practice you get, the better off you are with transcription.

** I used my re-recordings of terminology and definitions while on the treadmill, in my car, while my husband watched racing on TV -- or any spare minute that I had around the house. I truly immersed myself in the course work as much as possible and feel I gained a good foundation of basic knowledge this way.

** I supplemented the course anatomy and physiology text with that from a local community college MT course, plus another text my son had used for his paramedic training. While learning each anatomical system, what may not have been covered by one text was certainly taught by one of the others.

** I learned many of the features of WP51 while studying MT so that when I was finished with the course I was also fairly expert with the word processor. This proved to be beneficial when clients asked for "fancy secretarial stuff" in addition to MT work. It's much harder to learn how to produce tables, lines, text enhancements, etc., when you're working against a deadline. It's also very much to your advantage to know how to REALLY use macros -- even the advanced programming macro language features. They truly enhance your productivity (and they take awhile to learn). The backbone of my business income is based on a workers' compensation form I developed for a client that is driven entirely with macros -- well worth the time it took me to learn this particular feature of WP51.

** From my former job, I was already a database program user -- and I highly recommend knowing how to use a simple database program. You can use it in future marketing and in your daily work, and you can also use it to supplement your MT study program.

** I purchased a medical online speller utility (Stedman's) while I was still doing the course work. I still learned how to spell all the terminology by using my learning methods as above, but I also produced quality work to send in for grading. You will be using the speller as you work for clients and I felt like I wanted my first "work" to be as professional as it would be later on.

Medical Transcription - Procedure

Medical transcription service involves numerous medical transcription techniques and procedures.

Now-a-days, a variety of healthcare settings such as hospitals, clinics, individual doctors and physician groups are looking for ways to simplify their office routines. Medical transcription service, which involves a number of medical transcription techniques and procedures, has become a lucrative option to save your time and money. In the medical transcription industry, medical transcriptionists play a crucial role in delivering high quality, accurate transcription service.

Medical Transcription Process

Transcription experts work with great care in turning medical records dictated by physicians including medical charts, history and physical exams, surgical notes, x-ray reports, pathology reports and other reports into written transcripts. For accurate interpretation of the dictations, 3 levels of quality assurance procedures are carried out.

The transcription task involves two steps – transcript creation and editing. An audio equipment and foot control equipment for playback are utilized to convert the audio format into text format. The editing process involves skilled visual proofreading, grammar corrections (including detailed coverage of grammar, spell-check and punctuation) and formatting. Thus transcribed files are sent back to the physicians via FTP and browser based 256 bit AES encryption protocol.

Produce High Quality Reports Demanded by Healthcare Facilities

Medical transcription companies utilize state-of-the-art infrastructure, advanced dictation technology and high end software technologies to ensure quality and accurate medical transcription service. The benefits that can be gained by employing innovative medical transcription techniques and procedures include:

-HIPAA compliant transcription service
-High data accuracy
-Maximize accessibility, reliability and exchangeability of vital patient records
-Increase efficiency
-Pragmatic and flexible approach
-Quick turnaround time
-Competitive pricing
-High data security

Try to Select the Quality Provider

Numerous medical transcription service providers are available in today’s transcription industry. So to get the highest quality service, find the best provider by conducting a comparative study.

Medical Transcription Techniques and Procedure

Outsource Strategies International is a pioneer in the medical transcription industry. We provide a variety of quality and accurate transcription services to hospitals, clinics, individual doctors and physicians’ groups. The best transcription services are those that follow some transcription techniques and procedures. At OSI, we have fixed rules and regulations of transcription and follow all the standard techniques and procedures. Transcription techniques increase our transcription skill and the various procedures we follow improve the quality of the work. We strictly follow the guidelines of medical agencies and other international agencies. Other highlights of OSI are the most modern infrastructure facilities and excellent transcription software.

Our employees are given regular training processes and instructed on technical guidelines about medical transcription. Our facilities include multiple dictation services such as digital recorder, computer dictation and toll free lines; we also give you online transcription services. All the processed files are transferred through FTP and our secure web servers. We also observe HIPAA regulations. We have a number of techniques for quality assurance, and utilize digital systems and electronic medical dictionary for accuracy of output. We make use of the latest software and Microsoft technologies such as Windows, DVIPS, Win Amp, MSV, ICS, DVF, DSS and PC Dart Play.

Our transcription services involve a number of procedures that ensure adequate and quality product. Our transcription works are in keeping with the general medical standards. We avail of medical expert’s service and quality checking by an international medical agency. No language errors occur in our transcription because we utilize the services of language experts, technical editors and proofreaders. Our transcription procedures involve 3-tier checking programs for 100% accuracy.

The better management processes we use enable us to give you cost effective and faster output. At OSI, we maintain excellent customer relationship and provide the facility for online checking of the work in progress. Our techniques vary according to our clients. We have individual departments for handling each branch of medical transcription such as cardiology transcription, immunology transcription, microbiology transcription and so on.

OSI services are available for 24-hours, 7 days, 365 days a year. At OSI, we store your data safely and have secure web services and digital systems for this purpose. Our additional services include medical coding and billing.

Home Based Medical Transcription

Ads in the classified section of many magazines promise great salaries for medical transcribers working from home. However, proceed with caution - these ads may make promises they can't deliver on.

The Reality of At-Home Medical Transcription

While there are likely some people who are making good money in medical transcription from home, others who train for it may never find work. What ads don't mention is that while you may get trained in medical transcription, it is up to you find the work.

Further, many medical establishments don’t allow new MT's to work from home. Some require 6 months or more onsite work. And lastly, companies that do hire home based medical transcriptionists often require 2 years or more of transcription experience.

Knowing the reality that that home based medical transcription requires training and experience; it is still a viable choice for a work-at-home job. There are many terrific resources for getting certified and finding work.

How to Get Started in Medical Transcription

Before pursuing a career in medical transcription, get more information. Visit the sites below to learn what is required, and visit the message boards to see what other MT’s are saying about the work.

Contact doctors and the medical establishments in your area and find out if they outsource their MT needs. If not, ask if their MT’s work in the office or at home. If they can work at home, find out what the requirements are in terms of experience and training.

Once you have training, be prepared to sell yourself. The links below may help but don’t ignore your community for jobs that will get you experience - which you need to get other home based MT jobs offered online.

Websites that offer information about medical transcription:

• MedWord.com has information on careers and certification in medical transcription.
• Medical Transcription Daily covers pretty much everything on medical transcription; education, resources, etc.
  
• MTJobs provides MT services to the Department of Veteran Affairs. Uses home based MTs but you must have experience.

Before you spend money on courses, workshops, or software, research to make sure you are getting what you will need to be an employable MT. The resources listed here should help steer you in the right direction. But ask for references, talk to medical personnel, and check with consumer safety sites such as the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission to help avoid being scammed.

Samples Files of MT

Patient Name:_______ Chart#: ______

FU: The patient is here for follow-up of her right shoulder and both knees. The right shoulder is improved a little bit with physical therapy.

PE: Range of motion is full. There is still some pain with extremes. There is some pain with resisted abduction but no weakness. Her knees are not improved at all.

XR: X-rays done last time shows “bone-on-bone” on the medial side.

PLAN: She is ambulating with a cane. She is using Tylenol Arthritis and Motrin. She would like to proceed with knee replacement surgery, probably bilaterally. We will set her up probably at the end of January. She and her son will come back and see us in about a month and we will review the procedure and come up with a definitive date at that time.

Doctors Sign