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As technology advances, so do clinical documentation solutions. Medical dictation technology, system integration, computer-assisted coding, and cloud-based computing can all make your practice more efficient. However, keeping transcriptionists who are well-versed in these areas can be difficult and costly. Outsourcing clinical documentation to a company that also provides technology solutions can save you time and money. But given the ever-changing landscape of healthcare, what factors are most important in choosing medical transcription services today?
Services that Suit Your Needs
Right out of the gate, you need to make sure any medical transcription services you are considering offer the right services to fit your practice. Are you going to have to pay for things that you’ll never use or will the company work with you to provide only the services your practice needs? Conversely, do they offer all the services or technology that you need? Solutions that you might prioritize include:
- A cloud-based system
- Integration with your current PM or EHR systems
- Computer-assisted coding
- Automated transcription
- Intelligent imaging
Reliability & Accuracy
You want reliability and accuracy from in-house employees, and it shouldn’t be any different for the company you use for medical transcription. Clinical documentation providers should be transparent about the accuracy of their transcriptions, how reliable the workflow is in regards to turnaround times, and the reliability of their technology solutions. Accuracy rates should be high, turnaround times should be efficient, and system uptime should be as close to 100% as possible.
Technology
Be sure that you choose a company with technology that is up-to-date with the changing landscape of healthcare. Electronic health records are now the standard for healthcare providers, so you need software and platforms that allow you to safely and easily record patient information. Cloud-based systems have many benefits including convenience and security. HIPAA compliance is obviously essential, but so is ensuring your existing PM and EHR systems. Being able to share records across platforms is invaluable, so talk to any medical transcription services you’re considering about their technology offerings.
Compliance
By now, everyone knows how crucial HIPAA compliance is for every facet of documentation. It may go without saying, but as a reminder, any service you use needs to be HIPAA compliant. That means any computing systems they use need to be secure and adhere to the most current legal guidelines relating to EHR/EMR or other clinical documentation.
Experience
Experience is one of the top factors you look for when hiring someone to work at your practice, so it makes sense that you want experience within any company you’re outsourcing work to. How many years has the company been operating? Or, how much experience does their management team have in the industry? How experienced are the transcriptionists they employ? These are the questions you need to ask potential service providers. Ask around about their reputations within the industry. Get opinions from other practices or organizations that have outsourced their documentation services and take their feedback into account when making a decision.
Communication
When you outsource a service, communication is key. Find out how accessible the company is. They should have support available at convenient times for your practice or organization. Many have 24/7 assistance but you need to ask each candidate to be sure. How easy is it to communicate with reps from the company? Where the service is based may also play in your choice. Many companies have employees internationally, while others are entirely U.S based. Either way, good communication is key for any company you partner with.
Value
Given the above criteria, is the service a good value? The quality of the services and technology solutions you are getting should be weighed along with the pricing to evaluate how much value using outsourced documentation services will have for your practice. The entire objective of outsourcing documentation services is to add value to your practice, so be sure the company you choose will benefit you most.
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Fast Chart has the experience, accuracy, reliability, and state-of-the-art technology that sets us apart from others in the industry. Our management team members have an average of 15 years of industry experience and our transcriptionists, quality assurance specialists, and customer service representatives are all highly-skilled. If you’re ready to streamline your documentation process while adding value to your practice, call Fast Chart at (919) 477-5152 or request a free quote.