(919) 477-5152Outsourcing your medical transcription can be a hard decision to make. But it is made even harder if your practice is a behavioral health practice. This specialty is very different from other medical specialties, especially in regards to the transcription process. However, conducting medical transcription within your practice can be expensive, between recruiting, staffing, and managing productive transcriptionists. Read on to gain an understanding of the potential solutions to mental/behavioral health transcription challenges.
What makes Medical transcription for mental or behavioral health practices different?
If you run a behavioral health clinic, you have recognized these complications to the transcription process:
- Behavioral health is of a different nature than other forms of transcription. The history and current status of a patient is very important in order for a doctor to provide the best possible medical care.
- Transcription for behavioral health usually involves a longer narrative. A patient’s situation goes beyond symptoms, and involves shifting feelings over a span of days or even weeks. Every detail that a patient reports to the doctor is important to note in the narrative/dictation. Any of these details could affect the overall recommended treatment plan.
- There may be less emphasis on standard medical terms and more emphasis on slang or specialized terms. These would be difficult for non-native English speakers to understand if the transcription is outsourced to an overseas company.
- Patient’s treatments are not as standardized as other medical professions. There is a lot of grey area and a more varied amount of treatment options in behavioral health.
Why is it important to invest in a U.S. based medical transcription company?
If you are utilizing a medical transcription company for your behavioral health clinic and you value accurate and timely transcription, invest in a U.S. based company.
Again, this specialty will involve unique terminology and complicated narratives. It is worth it to make sure your transcriptionist is a native English speaker to ensure accuracy. It’s not enough to go with a U.S. based company- verify that they are 100% U.S. based. That way, you know you are getting the most competent services possible.
How can you know that you are outsourcing to experienced professionals? Ask your prospective transcription company to provide some background information on the experience of their team members. Knowing that your transcription company is familiar with the behavioral health specialty will guarantee accurate results down the road. Hiring industry veterans can be a great asset to your practice.
Another benefit of experienced, U.S. based transcriptionists is that they are likely to be up-to-date on all compliance matters. Behavioral health requires strict confidentiality, as patient symptoms are extremely private. Make sure you can mitigate risks by hiring professionals who are well-versed in the new HIPAA regulations.
What to expect from outsourcing transcription
What is the process of outsourcing for your transcription needs? At Fast Chart, we make the process as simple as possible. First, a physician will dial directly into our digital transcription system. Once the medical chart is dictated and transcribed, it is reviewed for accuracy and returned in a timely manner. We understand the time crunch when servicing patients. Patients need and deserve care as soon as possible. Our process is easy and quick to implement and train. To learn more about our medical transcription services, contact us at our Durham, NC office.