982-2182 - Fax (209)

Transcription

American Association for Medical Transcription
100 Sycamore Avenue
Modesto, CA 95354-0550
Phone (800)982-2182 - Fax (209)527-9633 - Email [email protected]
The 2004 AAMT House of Delegates approved a resolution that directed the Board
of Directors and staff to explore the development of initiatives at the state and
federal levels that encourages mandatory credentialing to practice medical
transcription. No official criteria of skill levels for practicing MTs currently exist.
Anyone may claim they are an MT without the need to satisfy any specific criteria to
any regulating body. As the healthcare industry moves toward adoption of electronic
health records, the scope of the job of a medical transcriptionist will continue to
change dramatically. The adoption of an appropriate certifying process before any
MT is allowed access to any facet of the patient documentation process would
further AAMT's underlying mission to ensure greater accuracy of protected patient
healthcare documentation. Adding successful completion of criteria for this
credential to all AAMT-approved school curricula would send a message to
healthcare providers that AAMT is working toward assuring that those who practice
medical transcription are qualified to do it.
The Legislative Issues Group, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Association
for Medical Transcription, has prepared this campaign packet for state and local
components to use in developing a strategy for advocating for mandatory
credentialing. Most important to this process is the relationships components will
create with state legislators, allied health professional groups, health policy
makers, and state regulatory bodies. As the process unfolds in each state that
takes on this challenge, vital relationships will emerge and the visibility of the
profession will increase exponentially in the areas of patient safety, risk
management, revenue cycle creation, and health information management. The
road to mandatory credentialing at the state level will be a new arena of
competency for AAMT volunteer leaders, but you must remember that getting
placed on the road and traveling down its twisting, winding corridors is the most
valuable part of the process.
Please take the time to seriously consider the items in this packet and use the
AAMT Legislative Issues Group as a resource as you plan your strategy to move
forward with this highly visible and important campaign. Together the entire
organization can make a difference in positioning the profession for a better future.
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Table of Contents
State Capital Analysis ..........................................................................................................................................
Legislative Packet Information ...............................................................................................................
HOD’s Resolution for Creation of Standards for Certification ...................................
U.S. Dept of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics Report ...................................................
MTs: Partners in Medical Transcription ...........................................................................................
AAMT Answers Frequently Asked Questions About Medical Transcription ..
Certification Fact Sheet ...................................................................................................................................
COMpetency PROfile for MT Education Programs (COMPRO) ...................................
AAMT’s Statement on Quality Assurance for Medical Transcription ..................
Have You Read Your Medical Record? ..............................................................................................
Medical Transcriptionist Job Descriptions .....................................................................................
AAMT Code of Ethics ...........................................................................................................................................
Sunrise Evaluation Report ............................................................................................................................
Case Study of Pennsylvania .........................................................................................................................
Important information to obtain ahead of time .....................................................................
Appointments Made .............................................................................................................................................
Sample Letters
Letter to Department of Revenue .........................................................................................................
Legislator Follow Up ............................................................................................................................................
Letter to Send Prior to Legislative Appointment ....................................................................
Sunrise Evaluation Cover Letter .............................................................................................................
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State Capitol Analysis
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States Capitols and Corresponding Components
State Components of AAMT
Alabama
Montgomery
Alaska
Juneau
Arizona
Phoenix
Arkansas
Little Rock
California
Sacramento
Claudia A. Crickmore, CMT, President,
3147 E. Bremen St., Phoenix, AZ 85032,
[email protected]
Susan R. Ray, CMT, Delegate, 1806 N.
108th Ave., Avondale, AZ 85323-5423,
[email protected]
Mary E. Stryjewski, CMT, President, 1294
Lakeshore Dr, Hot Springs, AR 71913,
[email protected]
Lynette M. Shipp, CMT, FAAMT, Delegate,
2604 Colony Street, Searcy, AR 72143-4965,
[email protected]
Teresa M. Mikulecky, President, 1515
Buckridge Wy, Sacramento, CA 95833,
[email protected]
Gail Sutphin, Delegate, 6325 Alpinespring
Way, Elk Grove, CA 95758-6110,
[email protected]
Shirley Wilder, CMT, FAAMT, Delegate,
621 W Cypress Court, Reedley, CA 93654,
[email protected]
Teresa Naleway, CMT, FAAMT, Delegate,
MedOffice Support Services, Nevada City, CA
95959-8073, [email protected]
Local Chapters of AAMT
Valley of the Sun Chapter Sharon C. Anderson, CMT,
President, 818 East 10th Drive,
Mesa, AZ 85204,
[email protected]
San Diego Chapter - Karen L.
Fox, CMT, President, FoxTx
Transcription, San Diego, CA
92105, [email protected]
Orange County Chapter - Judi
K. Riefel, CMT, President, 735 W.
Fletcher Avenue, Orange, CA
Beach Cities Chapter - Dee
Ross, CMT, President, 2050 Mt.
Shasta Drive, San Pedro, CA
90732,
Orange Empire Chapter Cheryl J. Hunley, CMT, President,
Kaiser Permanente, Rialto, CA
Orange Empire Chapter Yolanda Venegas, President,
6841 Ironwood Drive, Riverside,
CA 92506,
[email protected]
River Cities Chapter Genevieve F. Smith, CMT,
President, 1325 Adams St.,
Fairfield, CA 94533-5003,
[email protected]
Mineral King Chapter Denise Hulsey, President, PO Box
6044, Visalia, CA 93291-6044,
[email protected]
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Connecticut
Hartford
Delaware
Dover
Colorado
Denver
Georgia Gutierrez, CMT, President, 614
Maple Avenue, Eaton, CO 80615,
[email protected]
Nora L. Maine, CMT, Delegate, 22834 E.
Davies Drive, Aurora, CO 80016,
[email protected]
Pikes Peak Chapter Patricia Friedell, CMT, President,
3605 Moonrise Pt., Colorado
Springs, CO 80904,
[email protected]
Mile High Chapter - Dara L.
Tribelhorn, President, 311
Bannock St. #A, Denver, CO
80223,
[email protected]
Four Corners Chapter Megan McDaugale, President,
8659 Hwy 550 S, #41, Durango,
CO 81303,
[email protected]
Western Slope Chapter Kathleen Monger, CMT, President,
719 Curecanti Circle, Grand
Junction, CO 81503,
[email protected]
Florida
Tallahassee
Valerie E. Lovejoy, President, 5954 Longbow
Lane #10, West Palm Beach, FL 33415,
[email protected]
Brenda J. Hurley, CMT, FAAMT, Delegate,
4469 Golden Rain Ct., Orlando, FL 328081771, [email protected]
Gail S. Smith, CMT, Delegate, 6480
Grapewood Rd, Brooksville, FL 34609-1136,
[email protected]
Gold Coast Chapter Suzanne Gallivan, CMT,
President, 700 SW 2nd Ave,
Hallandale Beach, FL 33009,
[email protected]
Greater Jacksonville
Chapter - Mary Beth Evans,
CMT, President, 171 Spicewood
Circle East, Middleburg, FL
Space Coast Chapter - Traci
Kathryn Lutter, CMT,
President, FAR Out
Transcription, Cocoa, FL
32927,
[email protected]
Greater Miami Chapter Ellen Hayes, CMT, President,
10325 SW 103 Lane, Miami, FL
Central Florida Chapter Debra C. Dozier, CMT,
President, 1719 Agate Cir.,
Deltona, FL 32725,
[email protected]
White Sands Chapter Joanne Griffin, CMT, President,
1325 Foxborough Dr,
Pensacola, FL 32514,
[email protected]
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Florida West Coast Chapter
- Barbara A. VanScoy, CMT,
President, 7820 Prairie Drive,
Port Richey, FL 34668-4324,
[email protected]
Georgia
Atlanta
Hawaii
Honolulu
Phyllis J. Campbell, CMT, FAAMT, President,
5213 Willow Ridge Drive, Woodstock, GA
Treasure Coast Chapter Deirdre Safikhani, President,
2360 80th Ct, Vero Beach, FL
Atlanta Chapter - Robbie
Miller, CMT, President, 293 Snead
Road, Fayetteville, GA 30214,
[email protected]
Phyllis J. Campbell, CMT, FAAMT,
Delegate, 5213 Willow Ridge Drive,
Woodstock, GA 30188,
[email protected]
Mary T. Silva, CMT, President, 85-1343
Puhinalo Pl, Waianae, HI 96792,
[email protected]
Mary T. Silva, CMT, Delegate, 85-1343
Puhinalo Pl, Waianae, HI 96792,
[email protected]
Idaho
Boise
Illinois
Springfield
Janet Koltun, CMT, President, 2949 Victoria
Dr., Springfield, IL 62704,
[email protected]
Mary Earlene Coburn, CMT, RHIT, FAAMT,
Delegate, 16834 W. 144th Lane, Lockport, IL
Northern Illinois Chapter Carolyn F. Will, CMT, President,
506 47th Ave., Bellwood, IL
60104-1724,
[email protected]
Central Illinois Chapter Carol Ann Grider, CMT, President,
739 East Mound Rd., Decatur, IL
62526,
Southern Illinois Chapter Patricia J. Williams, CMT, FAAMT,
President, 79 Robin Lane,
Murphysboro, IL 62966,
[email protected]
Indiana/Kentucky
Indianapolis/
Frankfort
Indiana/Kentucky
Regina L. Warren,
CMT, President, 3132 Hunsinger Blvd,
Louisville, KY 40220, [email protected]
Amanda K. Clark, CMT, Delegate, 1855
South Striped Maple Lane, Elkhart, IN
Iowa
500 Central Indiana Chapter Amanda K. Clark, CMT, President,
1855 South Striped Maple Lane,
Elkhart, IN 46514,
[email protected]
Mid-Iowa Chapter - Mary
Fenstermacher, CMT, President,
PO Box 243, Conrad, IA 50621,
[email protected]
Des Moines
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Kansas
Sunflower Chapter - J.
Suzanne Harber, CMT, President,
337 N. Elder, Wichita, KS 67212,
[email protected]
Topeka
Louisiana
Baton Rouge
Judy T. Land, CMT, President, 5054-A Hwy
182 South, Opelousas, LA 70570,
[email protected]
Debbie B. Chunn, CMT, RHIT, Delegate,
6039 Greenview Road, Bastrop, LA 71220,
[email protected]
Main
The Pine Tree Chapter - Debra
A. Moon, President, 52 Back Cove
Dr., Turner, ME 04282-9788,
[email protected]
Agusta
Maryland
Annapolis
Patricia Vargo, RHIT, President, 3723
Federal Lane, Abingdon, MD 21009,
[email protected]
Kathleen M. Quackenbush, CMT, FAAMT,
Delegate, 213 West Central Avenue,
Federalsburg, MD 21632-1244,
[email protected]
Massachusetts
Greater Boston Chapter - Marie
Roberts, CMT, President, 1 Pearl
Brook Rd., West Townsend, MA
01474-1107,
[email protected]
Boston
Michigan
Lansing
Chesapeake Regional Chapter Kathleen M. Quackenbush, CMT,
FAAMT, President, 213 West
Central Avenue, Federalsburg, MD
21632-1244,
[email protected]
Ellyn G. Serra, CMT, FAAMT, President,
18105 Ottieway Ct., Holly, MI 48442,
[email protected]
Ava Marie George, Delegate, 452 Haslett
Road, Haslett, MI 48840,
[email protected]
Southeast Michigan Chapter Laurie Umlauf, President, 486
Charlevoix St., Commerce
Township, MI 48382,
[email protected]
Red Cedar Chapter - Ava
Marie George, President, 452
Haslett Road, Haslett, MI 48840,
[email protected]
Mid-Michigan Chapter - Ellyn
G. Serra, CMT, FAAMT, President,
18105 Ottieway Ct., Holly, MI
West Michigan Chapter Colleen M. Runyon, President,
8340 W 6 Road, Mesick, MI
49668-9110,
[email protected]
Bay Area Chapter - Dianna
Faye Hall, CMT, FAAMT,
President, 5705 Hacienda Ct.,
7
Saginaw, MI 48603, [email protected]
Minnesota
Twin Cities Chapter - Jean
Kehren, President, 1 Old Mystic
Road, Welch, MN 55089,
St. Paul
North Star Chapter - Sandra
C. Harris, CMT, President, PO Box
189, Brownsdale, MN 559180189, [email protected]
Mississippi
Jackson
Missouri
Jefferson City
Rhonda Sheldon, President, 305 Kelsha
St, Rogersville, MO 65742,
[email protected]
Patricia Niemeyer, CMT, Delegate, 413
Gateford Dr., Ballwin, MO 63021-8344,
[email protected]
Central Missouri Chapter Mary Theresa Mihalevich, CMT,
President, 3517 Hialeah Drive,
Columbia, MO 65201,
[email protected]
Tri-State Area Chapter - Joy
V. Mitchell, CMT, President, 900
West Jefferson, Marshfield, MO
65706,
[email protected]
Greater St. Louis Chapter Lynne C. Wickerham, CMT,
President, 156 Kehrs Mill Bend
Drive, Ballwin, MO 63011-3275,
[email protected]
Montana
Helena
Nebraska
Lincoln
Nevada
Carson City
New England
(Regional)
Bonnie Jean Monico, CMT, FAAMT,
President, 11912 Westwood Lane, Omaha,
NE 68144-4321, [email protected]
Heartland Chapter - Tami J.
Ruskamp, CMT, President, 1112
County Road N, North Bend, NE
68649-2027,
[email protected]
Cheryl A. Rust, CMT, President, 400
Colonial Drive, Unit 28, Ipswich, MA 01938,
[email protected]
Cheryl A. Rust, CMT, Delegate, 400
Colonial Drive, Unit 28, Ipswich, MA 01938,
[email protected]
New Hampshire
Granite State Chapter Theresa M. Mills, President, 50
Stark Hwy. N, Dunbarton, NH
Concord
New Jersey
Trenton
8
New Mexico
Four Corners Chapter - Judy
Sewell, CMT, President, 1204
Camina Vega, Farmington, NM
87401,
Santa Fe
New York
Southern New York Chapter Robin M. Marczewski, President,
10 Kearney Ave., Bethpage, NY
Albany
North Carolina
Columbia
Kathy A. Rockel, CMT, FAAMT, President,
Trans Manager/Transcription Relief Svcs,
Greensboro, NC 27407, [email protected]
Paula Hoover, Delegate, PO Box 247,
Newton, NC 28658-0247,
[email protected]
North Dakota
Bismarck
Ohio
Oklahoma City
Karen E. Perkins, CMT, FAAMT, President,
5917 N. MacArthur Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK
Sherry Briggs, CMT, Delegate, 3801
Country Club Drive, Moore, OK 73160,
[email protected]
Oregon
Salem
Pennsylvania
Harrisburg
Piedmont Triad Chapter Melissa Morris, President, 517
College St., Eden, NC 27288,
[email protected]
Prairie Rose Chapter - Ann
Solberg, President, 522 6th St.
NE, Minot, ND 58703,
Buckeye Area Chapter Sandra L. Reagan, CMT, FAAMT,
President, 1844 Carol Dr., Piqua,
OH 45356, [email protected]
Columbus
Oklahoma
Western North Carolina
Chapter - Vicky T. Sherrill,
President, Frye Regional Med Ctr,
Granite Falls, NC 28630,
[email protected]
Barbara J. Adler, CMT, FAAMT, President,
88979 Bridge St., Springfield, OR 97478,
[email protected]
Barbara L. Marques, CMT, Delegate,
16532 SW Holly Hill Rd., Hillsboro, OR
Carol A. Croft, CMT, FAAMT, President,
6407 Taunton Rd, Harrisburg, PA 171114884, [email protected]
Margaret R. Flatley, CMT, Delegate, 320
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Mistletoe Chapter - Rebecca
Sue Wester, CMT, FAAMT,
President, 909 Sandy Ln.,
Choctaw, OK 73020-7560,
[email protected]
Green Country Chapter Deborah A. Whiteshirt, President,
Stillwater Med Ctr/Health Info
Svc, Stillwater, OK 74076,
[email protected]
Greater Portland Area
Chapter - Tina Foster, CMT,
President, 1508 Ten Oaks Lane,
Woodburn, OR 97071,
[email protected]
Lehigh Valley Chapter Theresa M. Gonzalez, CMT,
FAAMT, President, 142 S. Broad
St., Nazareth, PA 18064,
Juniper Street, Carlisle, PA 17013,
[email protected]
[email protected]
Greater Pittsburgh Chapter Flossie D. Jack, CMT, President,
79 Oakland Ave., Homer City, PA
Northern Allegheny
Mountain Chapter - Marlene L.
Lester, CMT, FAAMT, President,
Star Rt Box 343, Sheffield, PA
Susquehanna Valley Chapter Margaret R. Flatley, CMT,
President, 320 Juniper Street,
Carlisle, PA 17013,
[email protected]
Rhode Island
Providence
South Carolina
Columbia
Upstate South Carolina
Chapter - Lauri A. Bayless,
President, OroScribe, LLC,
Greenville, SC 29608,
[email protected]
South Dakota
Midlands Chapter - Sheryl
Lee Horejsi, President, 126
Barnsley Rd., Columbia, SC
Eastern South Dakota
Chapter - Carolyn Jane Mund,
CMT, President, 1603 Carlton Ct.,
Aberdeen, SD 57401,
[email protected]
Pierre
Tennessee
Nashville
Miriam K. Wilmoth, CMT, President, 3270
University, Memphis, TN 38127,
[email protected]
Sharon B. Rhodes, CMT, RHIT, FAAMT,
CP, Delegate, The Townhomes of
Fredericksburg, Brentwood, TN 37027,
[email protected]
Chattanooga Area Chapter Cheryl Douthat, CMT, FAAMT,
President, 9004 Kesler Lane,
Chattanooga, TN 37421,
[email protected]
East Tennessee Chapter - Kim
Watts, CMT, President, 416
Meadowbrook Drive, Pigeon
Forge, TN 37863,
[email protected]
Greater Memphis Chapter Karen L. Callicutt, CMT, FAAMT,
President, 3189 Covington Pike,
Memphis, TN 38128,
[email protected]
Middle Tennessee Chapter Betty Lou Venus, CMT, President,
4735 Bowfield Drive, Antioch, TN
37013-2902,
[email protected]
10
Texas
Austin
Bonnie S. Bakal, CMT, FAAMT, President,
3102 Traviston Dr, Franklin, TN 37064,
[email protected]
Margaret Ann Bridges, Delegate, 251
County Road 4864, Azle, TX 76020,
[email protected]
Stella J. Olson, CMT, FAAMT, Delegate,
MT Resources, LLP, San Antonio, TX 78230,
[email protected]
Capital Chapter - Patricia
Ann Lang, CMT, President, 8204
Mescolero Drive, Austin, TX
Greater Dallas Chapter Diana L. Anderson, CMT,
President, 744 Via Barcelona,
Mesquite, TX 75150,
[email protected]
Golden Triangle Chapter Jerrie H. Bolton, President, 722
Atlanta Ave, Nederland, TX
Alamo Chapter - Shirley A.
Swift, President, 5579 Cool Valley
St., San Antonio, TX 782421805, [email protected]
Rio Grande Valley Chapter
- Elvia Rita Reyna, CMT,
President, 624 S. Pleasant View
#10, Weslaco, TX 78596,
[email protected]
Big Country Chapter - Linda
J. Guillory, CMT, FAAMT,
President, 5707-72nd St.,
Lubbock, TX 79424,
[email protected]
Utah
Salt Lake City
JoHannah Anderson, CMT, President,
2015 West 4700 South, Roy, UT 84067,
[email protected]
JoHannah Anderson, CMT, Delegate,
2015 West 4700 South, Roy, UT 84067,
[email protected]
Vermont
Montpelier
Virginia
Richmond
Susan C. Oakes, CMT, President, 328
Shorewood Dr., Norfolk, VA 23502-4933,
[email protected]
Ann W. Fraser, Delegate, 18403 Kings
Mill St., Leesburg, VA 20176-3947,
[email protected]
Northern Virginia Chapter Joyce M. Beeler, CMT, President,
19221 Springfield Cir.,
Jeffersonton, VA 22724-2260,
[email protected]
Tidewater Chapter - Linda
Diane Warth, CMT, President,
2632 E. Kings Road, Virginia
Beach, VA 23452,
[email protected]
Mountain Empire Chapter Barbara Sue Smith, CMT,
President, PO Box 1255,
Honaker, VA 24260,
[email protected]
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Washington
Ann Minks, President, 11410 NE 124th St.
#431, Kirkland, WA 98034,
[email protected]
Olympia
Dorothy Ellis, Delegate, 9115 NE 143rd
Place, Bothell, WA 98011-5122,
[email protected]
West Virginia
Charleston
Wisconsin/Minnesota
Madison
St. Paul
Sheryl K. Williams, CMT, FAAMT,
President, 17069 County 31 Blvd., Welch,
MN 55089, [email protected]
Sheryl K. Williams, CMT, FAAMT,
Delegate, 17069 County 31 Blvd., Welch, MN
Kathleen Ann Schleis, CMT, Delegate,
6416 Fetzer Road, Manitowoc, WI 54220,
[email protected]
Greater Puget Sound Chapter
- Jeanne A. Miele, CMT,
President, 11725 - 44th Dr SE,
Everett, WA 98208-9167,
[email protected]
Inland Empire Chapter Pamela M. McCord, CMT,
President, 4744 S. Keyes Ct.,
Spokane, WA 99224-8276,
[email protected]
Ohio Valley Chapter - LeeAnn
Wilmot, CMT, President, 15
Meadow Drive, Wheeling, WV
26003-1301,
[email protected]
Fond Du Lac Chapter Donna Marie Bleuel, CMT,
President, 356 Wilson Avenue,
Fond du Lac, WI 54935,
[email protected]
Four Lakes Chapter - Debra
Behnke, CMT, President, 928 S.
Weimar St, Appleton, WI 549153405, [email protected]
Greater Milwaukee Chapter Denise Luke, President, 8170 S.
Wilding Dr., Oak Creek, WI
Heart of the Northwoods
Chapter - Ruth Ann Chaney,
CMT, FAAMT, President,
Marshfield Clinic, Mosinee, WI
54455-9776, [email protected]
Wyoming
Cheyenne
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Legislative Packet
Information
13
Suggested Legislative Packet Information
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HOD’s Resolution for Creation of Standards for Certification
U.S. Dept of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics Report
MTs: Partners in Medical Transcription
AAMT Answers Frequently Asked Questions About Medical
Transcription
Certification Fact Sheet
COMpetency PROfile for MT Education Programs (COMPRO)
AAMT’s Statement on Quality Assurance for Medical Transcription
List of Medical Transcription Educational Programs in your state
Have You Read Your Medical Record?
Medical Transcriptionist Job Descriptions – Results of a Benchmarking Analysis of
MT Professional Levels
AAMT Code of Ethics
Business Cards
Sunrise Evaluation Report (used in the Pennsylvania state legislative packet)
14
HOD’s Resolution for Creation of
Standards for Certification
15
AAMT 2004 RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE REPORT
REPORT TO THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES
August 5, 2004
Creation of Standards for Credentialing
ISSUE: No official criteria of skill levels for practicing MTs currently exist. Anyone
may claim they are an MT without the need to satisfy any specific criteria to any
regulating body.
Background & Supporting Data: There is a critical gap between basic working
skills, entry level skills, and more advanced job requirements. The scope of the job
of a medical transcriptionist has changed dramatically in recent years and will
continue to do so. The CMT as it currently exists certifies "higher level" MTs.
There is no current standard of measure for a healthcare provider to select a
medical transcriptionist. The adoption of an appropriate certifying process before
any MT is allowed access to any facet of the patient documentation process would
further AAMT's underlying mission to ensure greater accuracy of protected patient
healthcare documentation. Adding successful completion of criteria for this
credential to all AAMT-approved school curricula would send a message to
healthcare providers that AAMT is working toward assuring that those who practice
medical transcription are qualified to do it.
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the House of Delegates direct creation of standards for
certification before any MT, at any level, specialty area or job function, be allowed
to practice medical transcription, as well as pursue the development of initiatives at
state and federal levels such that certification is mandatory for an MT to be allowed
to work directly on patient records. These standards should be a joint task force
responsibility, i.e., Professional Practices/Legislative/Education task forces,
working together to incorporate the facets employers see as "necessary" skills for
hiring qualified MTs. This process should include a grace period of no less than 3
and not more than 5 years for "all" currently employed MTs to satisfy the
requirements of certification. Periodic progress reports should be made to the
HOD on the progress of these standards at 6-month intervals until this initiative is
accomplished.
Adopted by the 2004 AAMT House of Delegates – August 25, 2004
16
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau
of Labor Statistics Report
17
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Medical Transcriptionists
Nature of the Work | Working Conditions | Employment |
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement | Job
Outlook | Earnings | Related Occupations | Sources of
Additional Information
Significant Points
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Job opportunities will be good.
Employers prefer medical transcriptionists who
have completed a postsecondary training program at
a vocational school or community college.
Many medical transcriptionists telecommute from
home-based offices as employees or subcontractors
for hospitals and transcription services or as selfemployed, independent contractors.
About 4 out of 10 worked in hospitals and another 3
out of 10 worked in offices of physicians.
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Nature of the
Work
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Medical transcriptionists listen to dictated recordings made
by physicians and other healthcare professionals and
transcribe them into medical reports, correspondence, and
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recording when necessary, and key the text into a personal
computer or word processor, editing as necessary for
grammar and clarity. The documents they produce include
discharge summaries, history and physical examination
reports, operative reports, consultation reports, autopsy
reports, diagnostic imaging studies, progress notes, and
referral letters. Medical transcriptionists return transcribed
documents to the physicians or other healthcare
professionals who dictated them for review and signature,
or correction. These documents eventually become part of
patients’ permanent files.
To understand and accurately transcribe dictated reports
into a format that is clear and comprehensible for the
reader, medical transcriptionists must understand medical
terminology, anatomy and physiology, diagnostic
procedures, pharmacology, and treatment assessments.
They also must be able to translate medical jargon and
abbreviations into their expanded forms. To help identify
terms appropriately, transcriptionists refer to standard
medical reference materials—both printed and electronic;
some of these are available over the Internet. Medical
transcriptionists must comply with specific standards that
apply to the style of medical records, in addition to the legal
and ethical requirements involved with keeping patient
information confidential.
Experienced transcriptionists spot mistakes or
inconsistencies in a medical report and check to correct the
information. Their ability to understand and correctly
transcribe patient assessments and treatments reduces the
chance of patients receiving ineffective or even harmful
treatments and ensures high quality patient care.
Currently, most healthcare providers transmit dictation to
medical transcriptionists using either digital or analog
dictating equipment. The Internet has grown to be a popular
mode for transmitting documentation. Many
transcriptionists receive dictation over the Internet and are
able to quickly return transcribed documents to clients for
approval. Another emerging trend is the implementation of
speech recognition technology, which electronically
translates sound into text and creates drafts of reports.
Reports are then formatted; edited for mistakes in
translation, punctuation, or grammar; and checked for
consistency and possible medical errors. Transcriptionists
working in areas with standardized terminology, such as
radiology or pathology, are more likely to encounter speech
19
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Employment
Projections
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recognition technology. However, use of speech recognition
technology will become more widespread as the technology
becomes more sophisticated.
Medical transcriptionists who work in physicians’ offices
and clinics may have other office duties, such as receiving
patients, scheduling appointments, answering the telephone,
and handling incoming and outgoing mail. Medical
secretaries, discussed in the statement on secretaries and
administrative assistants elsewhere in the Handbook, may
also transcribe as part of their jobs. Court reporters, also
discussed elsewhere in the Handbook, have similar duties,
but with a different focus. They take verbatim reports of
speeches, conversations, legal proceedings, meetings, and
other events when written accounts of spoken words are
necessary for correspondence, records, or legal proof.
Working
Conditions
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The majority of these workers are employed in comfortable
settings, such as hospitals, physicians’ offices, transcription
service offices, clinics, laboratories, medical libraries,
government medical facilities, or at home. Many medical
transcriptionists telecommute from home-based offices as
employees or subcontractors for hospitals and transcription
services or as self-employed, independent contractors.
Work in this occupation presents hazards from sitting in the
same position for long periods, and workers can suffer
wrist, back, neck, or eye problems due to strain and risk
repetitive motion injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
The pressure to be accurate and productive also can be
stressful.
Many medical transcriptionists work a standard 40-hour
week. Self-employed medical transcriptionists are more
likely to work irregular hours—including part time,
evenings, weekends, or on-call at any time.
Employment
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Medical transcriptionists held about 101,000 jobs in 2002.
20
business support services, offices of other health
practitioners, medical and diagnostic laboratories,
outpatient care centers, and home healthcare services.
Training, Other
Qualifications, and
Advancement
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Employers prefer to hire transcriptionists who have
completed postsecondary training in medical transcription,
offered by many vocational schools, community colleges,
and distance-learning programs. Completion of a 2-year
associate degree or 1-year certificate program—including
coursework in anatomy, medical terminology, legal issues
relating to healthcare documentation, and English grammar
and punctuation—is highly recommended, but not always
required. Many of these programs include supervised onthe-job experience. Some transcriptionists, especially those
already familiar with medical terminology due to previous
experience as a nurse or medical secretary, become
proficient through on-the-job training.
The American Association for Medical Transcription
(AAMT) awards the voluntary designation, Certified
Medical Transcriptionist (CMT), to those who earn passing
scores on written and practical examinations. As in many
other fields, certification is recognized as a sign of
competence. Because medical terminology is constantly
evolving, medical transcriptionists are encouraged to
regularly update their skills. Every 3 years, CMTs must
earn continuing education credits to be recertified.
In addition to understanding medical terminology,
transcriptionists must have good English grammar and
punctuation skills, as well as proficiency with personal
computers and word processing software. Normal hearing
acuity and good listening skills also are necessary.
Employers often require applicants to take pre-employment
tests.
With experience, medical transcriptionists can advance to
supervisory positions, home-based work, editing,
consulting, or teaching. With additional education or
training, some become medical records and health
information technicians, medical coders, or medical records
and health information administrators.
Job Outlook
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21
section]
Job opportunities will be good. Employment of medical
transcriptionists is projected to grow faster than the average
for all occupations through 2012. Demand for medical
transcription services will be spurred by a growing and
aging population. Older age groups receive proportionately
greater numbers of medical tests, treatments, and
procedures that require documentation. A high level of
demand for transcription services also will be sustained by
the continued need for electronic documentation that can be
easily shared among providers, third-party payers,
regulators, and consumers. Growing numbers of medical
transcriptionists will be needed to amend patients’ records,
edit for grammar, and identify discrepancies in medical
records.
Contracting out transcription work overseas and
advancements in speech recognition technology are not
expected to significantly reduce the need for well-trained
medical transcriptionists domestically. Contracting out
transcription work abroad—to countries such as India—has
grown more popular as transmitting confidential health
information over the Internet has become more secure;
however, the demand for overseas transcription services is
expected to supplement the demand for well-trained
domestic medical transcriptionists. Speech-recognition
technology allows physicians and other health professionals
to dictate medical reports to a computer that immediately
creates an electronic document. In spite of the advances in
this technology, it has been difficult for the software to
grasp and analyze the human voice and the English
language with all its diversity. As a result, there will
continue to be a need for skilled medical transcriptionists to
identify and appropriately edit the inevitable errors created
by speech recognition systems, and create a final document.
Hospitals will continue to employ a large percentage of
medical transcriptionists, but job growth there will not be as
fast as in other industries. Increasing demand for
standardized records should result in rapid employment
growth in offices of physicians or other health practitioners,
especially in large group practices.
Earnings
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22
$13.05 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between
$10.87 and $15.63. The lowest 10 percent earned less than
$9.27, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $17.97.
Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the
largest numbers of medical transcriptionists in 2002 were as
follows:
General medical and surgical
hospitals
Offices of physicians
Business support services
$13.20
13.00
12.42
Compensation methods for medical transcriptionists vary.
Some are paid based on the number of hours they work or
on the number of lines they transcribe. Others receive a
base pay per hour with incentives for extra production.
Employees of transcription services and independent
contractors almost always receive production-based pay.
Independent contractors earn more than transcriptionists
who work for others but have higher expenses than their
corporate counterparts, receive no benefits, and may face
higher risk of termination than employed transcriptionists.
Related
Occupations
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A number of other workers type, record information, and
process paperwork. Among these are Court reporters;
human resources assistants, except payroll and
timekeeping; receptionists and information clerks; and
secretaries and administrative assistants. Other workers
who provide medical support include medical assistants and
medical records and health information technicians.
Sources of
Additional
Information
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Disclaimer:
Links to non-BLS Internet sites are provided for your
convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.
For information on a career as a medical transcriptionist,
send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:
23
•
American Association for Medical Transcription,
100 Sycamore Ave., Modesto, CA 95354-0550.
Internet: http://www.aamt.org
State employment service offices can provide information
about job openings for medical transcriptionists.
OOH ONET
Codes
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31-9094.00
Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.
Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook,
2004-05 Edition, Medical Transcriptionists, on the Internet
at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos271.htm (visited August
18, 2005).
Last Modified Date: February 27, 2004
www.dol.gov
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Frequently Asked Questions | Freedom of Information Act | Customer Survey
Privacy & Security Statement | Linking to Our Site | Accessibility
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Office of Occupational Statistics and
Employment Projections
Suite 2135
2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20212-0001
URL: http://www.bls.gov/OCO/
Phone: (202) 691-5700
Fax: (202) 691-5745
Do you have a question about the
Occupational Outlook Handbook?
Technical (web) questions:
[email protected]
Other comments: [email protected]
24
MTs: Partners in Medical
Transcription
25
MTs: Partners in Medical Communication
Understanding the Profession of Medical Transcription
Medical Transcription has existed since the beginning of medical care and research.
Ancient cave writings attest to the earliest forms of healthcare documentation. While the
medium changed from metal plates to clay tablets, to hieroglyphs on temple walls, to papyrus,
to parchment, to paper, and most recently to electronic files, the reasons for maintaining
records have always been the same—to record an individual's health care and the achievements
in medical science.
Until the twentieth century, physicians served as both providers of medical care and scribes for
the medical community. After 1900, when standardization of medical data became critical to
research, medical stenographers replaced physicians as scribes, taking their dictation in
shorthand.
The advent of dictating equipment made it unnecessary for physician and scribe to work faceto-face, and the career of medical transcription began. As physicians came to rely on the
judgment and reasoning of experienced medical transcriptionists to safeguard the accuracy and
integrity of medical dictation, medical transcription evolved into a medical language specialty.
Now, at the dawn of the twenty-first century, medical transcriptionists are using speech
recognition technology to help them create even more documents in a shorter time. Medical
transcription is one of the most sophisticated of the allied health professions, creating an
important partnership between healthcare providers and those who document patient care.
Medical Transcriptionists as Professionals
Since 1978, medical transcriptionists have been represented by a professional organization, the
American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT), which has developed a competency
profile (COMPRO®) and a model curriculum for transcription educators, as well as a model
job description. AAMT emphasizes continuing education for its members, holding an annual
conference for medical transcriptionists, educators, supervisors and managers, and business
owners. There are over 135 component associations of AAMT, each of which holds regular
educational meetings and symposia.
Through the efforts of AAMT, medical transcriptionists have become recognized as healthcare
professionals with expertise in medical language.
In the broadest sense, medical transcription is the act of translating from oral to written form
(on paper or electronically) the record of a person's medical history, diagnosis, prognosis, and
outcome.
The industry is moving toward electronic health records, allowing storage of an individual's
health history so that it can be accessed by physicians and healthcare providers anywhere.
Physicians and other healthcare providers employ state-of-the-art electronic technology to
dictate and transmit highly technical and confidential information for their patients. These
medical professionals rely on skilled medical transcriptionists to transform spoken words into
26
comprehensive records that accurately communicate medical information. Sometimes speech
recognition systems are used as an intermediary to translate the medical professional's dictation
into rough draft. The medical transcriptionist then further refines it into a finished document.
Keyboarding and transcription should not be confused. The primary skills necessary for
performance of quality medical transcription are extensive medical knowledge and
understanding, sound judgment, deductive reasoning, and the ability to detect medical
inconsistencies in dictation. For example, a diagnosis inconsistent with the patient's history and
symptoms may be mistakenly dictated. The medical transcriptionist questions, seeks
clarification, verifies the information, and enters it into the report.
What does a medical transcriptionist need to know?
Medical understanding is critical for the professional medical transcriptionist. The complex
terms used in medicine are unlike the language of any other profession.
Medical transcription requires a practical knowledge of medical language, anatomy,
physiology, disease processes, pharmacology, laboratory medicine, and the internal
organization of medical reports. A medical transcriptionist is truly a medical language
specialist who must be aware of standards and requirements that apply to the health record, as
well as the legal significance of medical transcripts.
Reports of patient care take many forms, including histories and physical examinations,
progress reports, emergency room notes, consultations, operative reports, discharge summaries,
clinic notes, referral letters, radiology reports, pathology reports, and an array of
documentation spanning more than 60 medical specialties and subspecialties! Thus, the
medical transcriptionist, or medical language specialist, must be well versed in the language of
medicine.
To prepare for this profession, medical transcriptionists study
medical language, including Greek and Latin suffixes, prefixes, and roots biological science,
including anatomy and physiology of all body systems and various disease processes
•
•
•
•
•
•
medical science
medical and surgical procedures, involving thousands of instruments, supplies,
appliances, and prosthetic devices
pharmacology
laboratory values, correlating laboratory test results with a patient's diagnosis and
treatment
use of medical reference materials and research techniques
Quality medical transcription also requires
•
•
•
•
above-average knowledge of English punctuation and grammar
excellent auditory skills, allowing the transcriptionist to interpret sounds almost
simultaneously with keyboarding
advanced proofreading and editing skills, ensuring accuracy of transcribed material
versatility in use of transcription equipment and computers, since transcriptionists may
27
•
work in a variety of settings
highly developed analytical skills, employing deductive reasoning to convert sounds
into meaningful form
What about certification?
The "Certified Medical Transcriptionist" (CMT) credential is earned through successfully
passing the certification examination administered by Prometric for AAMT. The credential is
maintained through continuing education. Becoming a CMT may lead to increased pay but
requires a commitment to and an investment in one's own professionalism.
Finally, it should be understood that all medical transcriptionists share a common trait—
enthusiasm for their profession.
As one medical transcriptionist puts it, "I love what I do. I work next to a registered nurse
turned transcriptionist, a science teacher working part-time in the field, and a biologist. I learn
new terms every day, and I am never bored. My fellow medical transcriptionists are intelligent
and interesting." Medical transcriptionists work together, partnering to build their medical
language skills.
Why haven't I heard about medical transcription before?
While medical transcription is among the most fascinating of allied health professions, the
general public knows little about those who practice this skill. It was not until 1999 that the US
Department of Labor assigned a separate job classification (Standard Occupational
Classification #31-9094) so that statistics could be gathered on medical transcriptionists.
Before that, transcriptionists were misclassified as typists, word processors, medical
secretaries, and dictating machine operators.
Through the efforts of the American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT), visibility
and recognition of the profession have increased, and the terms medical transcriptionist and
medical language specialist have gained widespread acceptance.
Medical transcriptionists work in settings that are usually far removed from the examining
rooms, clinics, and hospital floors where health care is provided. Patients rarely have the
opportunity to hear about those who transcribe their medical reports, and medical
transcriptionists rarely meet the subjects of their work.
All healthcare providers rely to some extent on the skills of the medical transcriptionist to
provide written documentation of health care. The reports produced by medical
transcriptionists are the repository of information concerning medical practice. These reports
function as legal documentation and fulfill requirements for insurance reimbursement. They
also serve as reference for scientific research.
Where are medical transcriptionists employed?
Medical transcriptionists use their talents in a variety of healthcare settings, including doctors'
offices, public and private hospitals, teaching hospitals, medical transcription businesses,
clinics, laboratories, radiology and pathology departments, insurance companies, medical
libraries, government medical facilities, rehabilitation centers, legal offices, research centers,
28
veterinary medical facilities, and associations representing the healthcare industry.
Medical transcriptionists work with physicians and surgeons in multiple specialties. They work
with pharmacists, therapists, technicians, nurses, dietitian, social workers, psychologists, and
other medical personnel. All of these healthcare providers rely on information that is received,
documented, and disseminated by the medical transcriptionist.
Some transcriptionists choose to work at home as employees of transcription businesses or
hospitals. Still others provide services as independent contractors.
Qualified medical transcriptionists who wish to expand their professional responsibilities may
become quality assurance specialists, supervisors, managers, department heads, or owners of
medical transcription businesses.
Experienced medical transcriptionists may become teachers, working in schools and colleges
to educate future medical transcriptionists.
Is medical transcription a good home-based business?
Many popular publications sing the praises of medical transcription as a home business, citing
the potential for high income with little investment. Courses in medical transcription are
proliferating, some offering "quick fixes" for students interested in becoming business owners.
However, we must caution the prospective medical transcriptionist that failure to make the
investment in quality education can result not only in business failure but also in shoddy
documentation for the most important client—the patient.
Medical transcription is a medical language specialty. Fluency in this language is not
accomplished merely by completing a basic terminology course and installing a spellchecker
on a computer!
The transcriptionist working from home must make a significant investment in equipment and
reference materials and be willing to make frequent updates to both in order to keep up with
rapidly changing technology and terminology.
Careful planning and the advice of legal and financial experts are essential to the success of a
home-based business.
AAMT advises that the individual considering a home-based medical transcription business
first gain experience in a healthcare facility or transcription business under the direction of
experienced and qualified medical transcriptionists. It is necessary to understand sound
business practices as well.
Medical transcription provides unlimited intellectual challenge and the opportunity to make a
unique contribution to quality health care and service.
Health care is a rapidly growing industry, and the demand for quality documentation is
increasing. The profession provides a high level of job security, and skilled medical
transcriptionists may receive a premium for their services.
29
Because their services are in demand, transcriptionists are often able to arrange convenient and
flexible work schedules.
Medical transcription is a portable skill that allows for professional and geographic mobility.
Age restrictions are seldom found, with great value being placed on the experience and
knowledge of the well-seasoned transcriptionist.
Medical transcription can be a lifelong, satisfying career, providing the constant challenge of
an expanding and advancing technology. The changes occurring in the healthcare industry
promise to provide even more challenges to the forward-looking medical transcriptionist.
What makes medical transcription an attractive career choice?
Medical transcription provides unlimited intellectual challenge and the opportunity to make a
unique contribution to quality health care and service.
Health care is a rapidly growing industry, and the demand for quality documentation is
increasing. The profession provides a high level of job security, and skilled medical
transcriptionists may receive a premium for their services.
Because their services are in demand, transcriptionists are often able to arrange convenient and
flexible work schedules.
Medical transcription is a portable skill that allows for professional and geographic mobility.
Age restrictions are seldom found, with great value being placed on the experience and
knowledge of the well-seasoned transcriptionist.
Medical transcription can be a lifelong, satisfying career, providing the constant challenge of
an expanding and advancing technology. The changes occurring in the healthcare industry
promise to provide even more challenges to the forward-looking medical transcriptionist.
What are the characteristics of a medical transcriptionist?
Medical transcription professionals are
•
•
•
•
•
word specialists
self-starters
perfectionists
independent by nature
self-disciplined
Medical transcriptionists are also interested in medicine, committed to learning, known to have
inquiring minds, able to concentrate for long periods, willing to assist others, able to work with
minimal supervision, and dedicated to professional development and achievement.
100 Sycamore Avenue
30
AAMT Answers Frequently Asked
Questions About Medical
Transcription
31
AAMT Answers Frequently Asked Questions About Medical Transcription
FAQ
Q. What does a medical transcriptionist do?
Medical transcriptionists (MTs) are specialists in medical language and healthcare
documentation who interpret and transcribe dictation by physicians and other healthcare
professionals regarding patient assessment, workup, therapeutic procedures, clinical course,
diagnosis, prognosis, etc., editing dictated material for grammar and clarity as necessary
and appropriate.
The process of medical transcription may involve editing machine-translated text. This
requires listening to dictation while reading a draft created through speech recognition
technology and editing the text on screen. This editing may range from minimal to
extensive, depending on the capabilities of the speech recognition software and the
dictating habits of the originator, and may include correction of content as well as
punctuation, grammar, and style.
Q. What characteristics do I need to become a medical transcriptionist?
You need excellent English language skills as well as a strong interest in the medical
language. You need good hearing acuity and listening ability. You need reasonable
keyboarding skills and must be able to work for long hours, often in a high-pressure
environment. A high level of concentration for extended periods of time is also important.
Q. Where do medical transcriptionists work?
Medical transcriptionists work in hospitals, clinics, physician offices, transcription services,
insurance companies, home healthcare agencies, and other locations where dictation for the
purpose of healthcare documentation requires transcription. Many MTs work in their
homes as independent contractors, subcontractors, or home-based employees.
Q. How will speech recognition technology affect the future of medical transcription?
The amount of dictation requiring transcription continues to grow; however, the availability
of qualified MTs is not growing at the same rate. Speech recognition technology is
sometimes used to compensate for the shortage of MTs. However, it is impossible for this
technology, with all of its limitations, to completely eliminate the need for medical
transcriptionists. Even at its best, machine-translated text contains errors that need to be
corrected by professionals with language skills and an understanding of the health record.
MTs continue to be the best qualified to discern the nuances of human speech.
32
GOING TO SCHOOL
Q. How long will it take me to become a medical transcriptionist?
AAMT's Model Curriculum for Medical Transcription, used by educators in developing
their courses, recommends a two-year program that includes at least 240 hours of
externship in a healthcare facility. However, some schools offer shorter programs. Medical
transcription is a medical language and healthcare documentation specialty, not a keyboard
specialty, and intensive study is needed to acquire a high level of fluency in the medical
language. Remember, you are gaining knowledge that will translate into a lifetime career!
Q. Where can I learn medical transcription?
Classes for medical transcription are found in community colleges, proprietary schools, and
home-study programs (Internet-based and otherwise). AAMT does not maintain a list of
MT schools at this time. We suggest you search the Internet or visit the reference desk at
your local public library for this information. Look for programs that allow interaction
between instructor and student and provide opportunities for networking among students.
This will better prepare you for the real world of medical transcription and for getting your
first job in the field. AAMT's recommendations for a medical transcription program appear
on our paper, "How to Choose an MT School," which is designed to help with your
evaluation of the schools you may be considering. We suggest that you carefully examine
any claims or promises made to you regarding future employability and job placement
assistance.
Q. Can I transfer my court reporting skills to medical transcription?
With additional education and a shift in orientation, yes. The chief difference between court
reporting and medical transcription is in the editing. MTs edit when necessary and
appropriate for grammar and for clarity, whereas court reporters usually record what is said
verbatim. In addition, the medical terminology learned by court reporters is seldom
sufficient to satisfy the profession-specific demands of medical transcription. Courses in
anatomy and physiology, more advanced terminology, medical transcription, and additional
English grammar and punctuation may be necessary. With this additional training, many
court reporters are successful in transferring their skills to medical transcription. In fact, use
of the steno machine may facilitate productivity, a significant factor in many transcription
environments.
Q. I have already been trained in another medical field. Why do I need further
training?
Learning how to listen with discrimination requires practice and guidance from an
experienced medical transcriptionist. If you already have the requisite keyboard skills, the
additional courses you need will include lots of transcribing practice. You probably have a
head start, but you'll need to learn how to integrate your medical knowledge with keyboard
and listening skills.
33
Q. Does AAMT provide a medical transcription course?
AAMT is the membership organization for the medical transcription profession. We do not
administer educational programs. However, we have developed The Model Curriculum for
Medical Transcription, which educators use in developing educational programs. We also
offer audio tapes and CDs for use in the classroom and for independent study. In addition,
The AAMT Book of Style for Medical Transcription, now in its 2nd edition, is considered
the gold standard in the industry. A video based on the Book of Style is another useful
educational tool.
Q. Does AAMT accredit medical transcription programs?
AAMT does not evaluate, accredit, or endorse any program or school.
CERTIFICATION
Q. Will I be a certified medical transcriptionist when I have finished school?
Completion of a medical transcription course may entitle you to a certificate of completion
from the school you attend, but this is not equivalent to the designation of "Certified
Medical Transcriptionist" (CMT). This status can be achieved only by passing the
certification exam administered by AAMT. To retain this credential, a CMT must meet
recertification requirements that include continuing education.
Q. Why should I become certified?
While you are not required to become a CMT in order to work as a medical transcriptionist,
earning the credential demonstrates to employers and peers that you are a professional and
committed to being the best you can be. Certification also serves the public interest by
assuring that those who become certified have met accepted standards of practice. Many
employers prefer to hire - and pay a premium for - CMTs, and many require the credential
for career advancement.
GETTING A JOB
Q. Will it be easy for me to get a job?
Many new MTs find it difficult to get their first job, since production demands may prevent
hospitals and transcription services from hiring inexperienced people. We suggest you look
into your local job market BEFORE you choose the career and invest in the education. Ask
for interviews with prospective employers to see what they expect of a beginning MT and
how likely they are to hire a recent graduate. However, sometimes a small physician office
or a small transcription service will hire a beginner. First do the research, then get a good
education, and then be creative and persistent! Student membership in AAMT will help
you stay informed and make connections.
Q. Can I do medical transcription at home?
34
More and more employers are allowing their experienced MTs to work from home.
However, many will require you to work at their facility before sending you home to work
on your own. The home transcriptionist needs an excellent knowledge of the medical
language as well as the English language, and may have to make a substantial investment
in reference materials and equipment. Those who provide the highest quality transcription
are most likely to be successful.
Q. How can I become a self-employed medical transcriptionist?
The independent medical transcriptionist should have an excellent knowledge of not only
the medical language and the English language, but the language of business as well. You
should also be willing to make a substantial investment in medical reference materials and
equipment. The successful independent MT will maintain a high level of quality. Federal
regulations call for special security precautions when dealing with private patient
information, which may involve some expense on your part. We also caution you that the
IRS has specific regulations about home businesses and independent contractors; be sure to
seek the advice of a qualified attorney and/or tax advisor.
Q. How are medical transcriptionists paid?
Medical transcriptionists may be paid in any of a variety of ways, but chiefly by the hour,
by production, or by a combination of hourly pay plus incentive pay for production.
Q. How much money will I earn as a medical transcriptionist?
Earnings vary considerably. A May 2002 member survey conducted by AAMT reported an
average annual salary of $31,400. Information is also available from the Bureau of Labor
Statistics at the US Department of Labor at www.bls.gov. Click Wages by Area and
Occupation, then For Over 700 Occupations. Choose 31-0000 Healthcare Support
Occupations, then 31-9094 Medical Transcriptionists. This way you can search for MT
salaries in your own state and possibly even your own city.
Another survey - less formal but more recent - conducted toward the end of 2002 by the
magazine Advance for Health Information Professionals reveals that certified medical
transcriptionists earned more than their non-certified counterparts. Their figure for the
average MT's salary was lower than AAMT's at $29,732, but their report shows CMTs
earning much more - an average of $36,225 annually.
An earlier survey, commissioned by AAMT in 1999 and done by the Hay Management
Consultants, analyzed the profession and surveyed the salaries. Three distinct skill levels of
medical transcriptionists were identified. Those in the second level earned $1 to $2 per
hour more than beginning MTs, and those in level 3 earned yet another $1 or $2 per hour.
Suggested reading
How to Become a Medical Transcriptionist by George Morton, CMT (1998) - an overview
of the profession from an insider's perspective.
100 Sycamore Avenue
35
36
How is certification achieved?
Certification in medical transcription is accomplished by successful completion of the AAMT certification
exam. Once a candidate passes the comprehensive exam, the individual will be recognized as a Certified
Medical Transcriptionist. The CMT credential can then be used after the individual's name on all official
documents.
What is the purpose of the certification exam?
The competency-based exam is designed to assess core knowledge and skills needed to practice medical
transcription effectively in today’s healthcare environment. It is comprehensive, job-related and objective.
What experience or schooling is required and recommended before taking the exam?
The exam is completely voluntary; schooling is not required although highly recommended. Two years of
transcription experience in the acute care (or equivalent) setting is required to take the CMT certification
examination. The exam is designed to test a Level-2 Medical Transcriptionist as defined in AAMT's MT Job
Description. The Job Description can be found online at www.aamt.org under "Professional Resources."
What should I expect to know before testing?
Major Content Areas – All specialties
¾ Medical terminology
¾ Anatomy and physiology
¾ Disease processes
¾ English language and usage
¾
¾
Healthcare record and medicolegal issues
Proofreading and editing
For more detailed information regarding content covered in the exam, download the "Candidate Guide" and
"Exam Blueprint" from the AAMT website. You will find it listed under "Certification."
When and where is the exam given?
The exam is given on an on-going basis in test centers located internationally. Test centers are chosen and
maintained by Prometric. Current locations of Prometric Test Centers offering the AAMT CMT examination
may be found at www.prometric.com.
How much does it cost to take the exam?
¾ $195 (USD) AAMT Members
¾ $275 (USD) Nonmembers
Am I allowed to bring reference materials, my own head set, or preferred computer equipment to the
test center?
No. The objective of the CMT exam is to measure your skills and knowledge without the use of references.
Head sets are provided by the testing centers. Substitute keyboards are not allowed, and foot pedals are not
needed for this exam. The dictation is offered in short snippets that may be reviewed and heard as many times
as a candidate desires.
37
When will I receive my results?
Candidates will receive score reports before leaving the test center. Passing candidates will receive
certificates, CMT cards, pins, etc. after AAMT has received and processed the data from Prometric.
What about retakes?
Retakes for the CMT exam are allowed every 6 months.
How to Apply for the Exam
STEP 1 - Authorization to Test: An authorization to test letter from AAMT is required before scheduling
your exam. This letter provides an AAMT identification number, exam code, price, and the
information needed by the testing facility. To receive one, you can fill out the form on the
AAMT website or call Member Services at 800-982-2182.
STEP 2 – Scheduling Your Exam: Once you have received your authorization to test letter from AAMT,
you can schedule your exam with our testing organization, Prometric. Prometric test sites are
located internationally. To schedule for the site nearest you, contact them by phone at 800-9285662 or their website at www.prometric.com. You will need the information in your
authorization letter to schedule the exam. All exam fees are payable to Prometric at the time of
registration in US dollars.
STEP 3 – Taking the Exam: Once you arrive at the test center, you will not be allowed to bring in any type
of food, beverage, handbag, briefcase, references, etc. A locker will be provided for your
personal items. Make sure you have a current valid government-issued ID or driver's license.
The name on the ID must match the name used to register.
How Is The Exam Given?
The examination consists of 2 parts. The first part is the Objective Multiple Choice section and lasts 2 hours.
There is a 15-minute break between the first and second part of the exam. The second part, the Transcription
Performance Section, lasts 3-1/2 hours. The candidate is asked to complete a short survey once the exam has
concluded.
After certification, then what?
Recertification - To maintain the credential, a CMT must complete 30 hours of approved
continuing education every 3 years. For detailed information regarding recertification, see the
"CE Guidelines" on the AAMT website. Click on "Certification" and then on "Recertification."
Do I have to be an AAMT member to become certified?
CMTs are not required to be members of AAMT. Membership is encouraged because of the opportunities and
benefits that result from professional commitment and involvement, including the continuing education
activities AAMT offers.
100 Sycamore Avenue, Modesto, CA 95354-0550
Toll Free: 800-982-2182 Direct: 209-527-9620 Web: www.aamt.org
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0904
COMpentency PROfile for MT
Education Programs
(COMPRO)
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Taken From the Model Curriculum for Medical Transcription, 2nd ed.
Introduction
COMPRO®, a competency profile for medical transcription education programs, is the
foundation of The Model Curriculum for Medical Transcription, 2nd ed., developed by the
American Association for Medical Transcription with the assistance of medical
transcription practitioners, supervisors, and educators. These documents constitute
guidelines by which educators may develop and evaluate medical transcription programs.
COMPRO® is a comprehensive document consisting of a recommended program goal
statement, program prerequisites, and competencies in five categories: English language
usage, medical knowledge, technology, healthcare documentation, and professional
practice. AAMT recommends that educators incorporate all aspects of COMPRO® into
their programs by following the guidelines of The Model Curriculum for Medical
Transcription, 2nd ed., in order to prepare students for entry-level employment in medical
transcription.
Program Goal Statement
An educational program in medical transcription will prepare the student for entry-level
employment as a medical transcriptionist by providing the basic knowledge, understanding,
and skills required to transcribe healthcare dictation and prepare patient care documents
with accuracy, clarity, consistency, and timeliness, applying the principles of professional
and ethical conduct.
Program Prerequisites
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•
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English comprehension, spelling, and usage competency (spoken and written)
equivalent to that of a high school graduate.
Minimum keyboarding speed of 45 corrected words per minute (cwpm).
Normal level of audiometric acuity.
The Competencies
English Language
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E1 The student will demonstrate correct English usage, applying the rules of proper
grammar, punctuation, and style, and using correct spelling and logical sentence
structure.
E2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the value of continuing
education in English language usage.
E3 The student will appropriately use related references and other resources for
research and practice.
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Medical Knowledge
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M1 - The student will demonstrate knowledge of medical language and its structure,
including prefixes, suffixes, combining forms, root words, plurals, abbreviations,
acronyms, eponyms, homonyms, antonyms, synonyms, and commonly used foreign
words and phrases.
M2 - The student will recognize, pronounce, spell, define, and understand medical
terminology related to anatomy, physiology, general medicine, general surgery,
medical specialties, surgical specialties, diagnostic and interventional procedures,
pathology and laboratory medicine, health and wellness, imaging techniques,
medications, and alternative or complementary medicine.
M3 - The student will demonstrate knowledge of human anatomy (gross and
microscopic) and physiology.
M4 - The student will demonstrate knowledge of surgical procedures and other
diagnostic and interventional treatment modalities, including anesthesia types and
techniques, surgical techniques, equipment, instruments, and accessories, as well as
typical findings and related diagnoses.
M5 - The student will demonstrate knowledge of procedures, techniques, and
findings in diagnostic and interventional imaging.
M6 - The student will demonstrate knowledge of common tests used in pathology
and laboratory medicine, including diagnostic indications, techniques, expression of
values, and significance of findings.
M7 - The student will recognize, pronounce, spell, define, and understand
pharmacological terminology.
M8 - The student will demonstrate knowledge of drug classes, indications,
contraindications, actions, interactions, side effects, forms, dosages, and routes of
administration.
M9 - The student will demonstrate knowledge of the etiology and pathology of
diseases.
M10 - The student will demonstrate knowledge of clinical medicine, including
diagnosis and treatment of common diseases and conditions.
M11 - The student will demonstrate knowledge of research techniques and be able
to identify current trends, advancements, and developments in medicine.
M12 - The student will demonstrate an understanding of the value of continuing
education in medicine as it relates to medical transcription.
M13 - The student will appropriately use related references and other resources for
Technology
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T1 - The student will demonstrate a general knowledge of word processing,
computers, dictation and transcription equipment, and related technologies.
T2 - The student will demonstrate the ability to operate designated dictation and
transcription equipment and use designated word processing programs and related
technologies.
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T3 - The student will demonstrate an understanding of security issues related to
dictation and transcription systems.
T4 - The student will demonstrate correct ergonomic habits.
T5 - The student will demonstrate knowledge of trends and developments in
technologies related to healthcare documentation.
T6 - The student will demonstrate an understanding of the value of continuing
education in technology as it relates to medical transcription.
T7 - The student will appropriately use electronic references and other resources for
Healthcare Documentation
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H1 - The student will demonstrate knowledge of the purpose and content of the
healthcare record (paper and electronic).
H2 - The student will demonstrate knowledge of the content and format of
healthcare documents (paper and electronic).
H3 - The student will demonstrate knowledge of standards and regulations related
to healthcare documentation as set by such bodies as the Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), National Committee for
Quality Assurance (NCQA), Health Level Seven (HL7), ASTM, and the Health
Care Financing Administration (HCFA).
H4 - The student will identify and demonstrate an understanding of the medicolegal
aspects of the healthcare record (e.g., confidentiality, privacy) and the medical
transcriptionist's role in risk management.
H5 - The student will demonstrate an understanding and application of ethics in the
medical transcription profession.
H6 - The student will demonstrate an understanding of the value of continuing
education in healthcare documentation and medicolegal issues as they relate to
medical transcription.
H7 - The student will appropriately use related references and other resources for
Professional Practice
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P1 - The student will accurately transcribe original healthcare dictation through the
application of the competencies specified in the five content areas (English
Language, Medical Knowledge, Technology, Healthcare Documentation, and
Professional Practice).
P2 - The student will demonstrate the ability to proofread and correct transcribed
healthcare documents.
P3 - The student will recognize, evaluate, and interpret inconsistencies,
discrepancies, and inaccuracies in healthcare dictation and appropriately edit,
revise, and clarify them while transcribing, without altering the meaning of the
dictation or changing the author's style.
P4 - The student will meet progressively demanding medical transcription accuracy
and productivity standards.
P5 - The student will demonstrate an awareness of the functions, operations, and
dynamics of medical transcription work environments.
P6 - The student will demonstrate professionalism in the workplace.
P7 - The student will demonstrate an awareness of the opportunities in medical
transcription and related careers and the importance of professional development.
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•
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P8 - The student will demonstrate an awareness of the value of continuing
education and professional certification.
P9 - The student will complete a clinical externship of at least 240 hours during the
last semester/quarter/term of the program. A medical transcription work setting is
required, with student duties limited to medical transcription emphasizing a variety
of healthcare documents. The student will be evaluated jointly by the instructor and
employer or supervisor on transcription accuracy and productivity and on
professional and ethical conduct.
P10 - The student will appropriately use related references and other resources for
Hard copies are available from AAMT at 50¢ each; minimum order 10. Code: COMPRO
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AAMT’s Statement on Quality
Assurance for Medical
Transcription
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Quality Assurance for Medical Transcription
American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT)
Statement on
Quality Assurance for Medical Transcription
This Statement on Quality Assurance reflects goals that transcriptionists,
transcription services, and healthcare providers should, in AAMT's view, strive to
achieve. The standards expressed herein are ideals; it may not be reasonable or
possible for every competent transcriptionist to meet these standards in every
instance. Moreover, the ability to conduct extensive ongoing monitoring is somewhat
dependent on an organization's resources, and, as noted herein, the ability to
generate accurate transcription depends, in large part, on the quality of the source
document or tape.
AAMT's Position
AAMT believes that transcribed documents are a vital and necessary component to
the healthcare record. Transcription accuracy therefore should be monitored regularly
to ensure quality documentation and to ensure that medical transcriptionist
professionals receive timely and consistent feedback. Attention to quality should
reflect an understanding that even minor errors in the record potentially can create
health risks for a patient, and can diminish the credibility and perceived competence
of the healthcare provider.
Rationale
With the number of malpractice lawsuits in the United States increasing dramatically
each year, those involved in the documentation of patient care must consider the
correlation of that documentation to compromised care and malpractice litigation.
While the most fundamental reason for supporting and promoting quality
documentation is to ensure continuity of care, it is important to recognize that errors
in the healthcare record have the potential to put at risk the patient, the healthcare
provider, or both. Errors in the patient record, whether major or minor, medical or
grammatical, are potentially useful to plaintiff attorneys in threatened or actual
litigation against healthcare facilities and providers.
The patient record is the only real evidence of care provision in any healthcare
facility. To ensure an accurate and complete record, all items and services should be
documented by the healthcare professional at the time of care. More generally,
accurate and complete healthcare documentation involves a partnership between the
patient, the healthcare provider and the documentation team.
A valid quality assurance process ensures that medical transcription practices are as
consistent and accurate as possible. Whether an MT is the transcriptionist of the
document or is an editor of the same, human judgment will always be involved in this
process. The degree of accuracy and consistency that can be achieved depends on the
experience and skill of the MT coupled with the acoustical quality of the dictation
45
and the organization, focus, and language proficiency of the author.
A skilled medical transcriptionist will have a broad knowledge of medical
terminology, anatomy and physiology, disease processes, signs and symptoms,
medications, and laboratory values, in addition to proficiency in English usage,
grammar, punctuation, and style. A seasoned medical transcriptionist also should
possess refined intuitive skills and sound judgment.
Principles of Quality
When a document is reviewed (i.e., audited) for quality, key principles in establishing
quality assurance criteria for that document are:
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The transcribed report should be reviewed against the actual dictation.
Reading the report without listening to the dictation does not provide an
accurate comparison of the transcription to the dictation.
The review should apply industry-specific standards as provided by current
resources and references. When evaluating style, punctuation, or grammar,
The AAMT Book of Style is the industry standard.
The review should encompass attention to risk management issues and the
documentation standards of accreditation and healthcare compliance agencies.
Accuracy scores (ratings) should be quantified with the use of a numeric
calculation that weights varying degrees of error against the length of the
report. AAMT recommends the following quality goals: 100% accuracy with
respect to critical errors; 98% accuracy with respect to major errors; and 98%
accuracy with respect to all errors in the report, including minor errors (see
below for definitions of "critical," "major," and "minor" errors).
The reviewer (or the review process) should provide timely and consistent
feedback to the medical transcriptionist in order to eliminate repetition of
errors.
All measurements, standards, and benchmarks should be disclosed to the
medical transcriptionist and should be set forth in written guidelines by the
healthcare provider or transcription service.
Application of Principles
The application of these principles and the development of a quality assurance
program that incorporates them should be set by organizational policy. AAMT
recommends the following considerations in doing so:
Frequency: Reports transcribed by medical transcriptionists who are new to an
organization should undergo review on a regular basis until competency and
judgment have been consistently demonstrated. At that time, random review by
periodic sampling of transcribed reports should be performed to ensure ongoing
compliance with quality standards. AAMT recommends selecting a 3% to 5%
sampling of documents for the period being reviewed, although the sample could be
larger or smaller depending on (a) whether there have been quality or accuracy issues
with the particular transcriptionist in the past; and (b) how much time has elapsed
since the transcriptionist's most recent review.
Delineation: Clear qualification and quantification of errors should be established for
the purposes of document evaluation. For the purposes of definition, a critical error is
46
one that potentially could compromise continuity of care, such as medical word
misuse or omitted dictation. A major error is one that compromises the integrity of
the document without risk to patient care, such as misspellings, most demographics
errors, and formatting errors. A minor error is one that compromises neither patient
care nor document integrity but represents an area of recommended improvement to
the transcriptionist, such as capitalization, punctuation, and other minor style and
grammar errors.
Accuracy: While transcriptionists should strive to ensure that every document is
100% accurate prior to delivery to the healthcare provider, as noted above it is
AAMT's recommendation that organizations set the following goals for
transcriptionists: at least 98% accuracy with respect to all errors, at least 98%
accuracy with respect to major errors, and 100% accuracy with respect to critical
errors. It is important to reiterate that hitting these targets should be the goal in
transitioning a transcriptionist through any comprehensive quality assurance
program. These targets are not likely to be achieved overnight, and they should not
be used to penalize a relatively new or inexperienced transcriptionist, or even an
experienced transcriptionist who is new to the quality assurance process or in a new
work setting. Rather, these goals should be established as the standard to which all
transcriptionists ultimately will be held. It also should be understood that despite
every attempt to develop an objective evaluative tool for QA, review is inherently
subjective and some flexibility in that regard should be incorporated into the process.
Also, some allowance should be made in situations where the dictated tape or source
document is of poor quality. Finally, all organizations must recognize the inherent
trade-off between speed and accuracy. To the extent that an organization sets
productivity standards that are unreasonable, or that require constant production with
little time for thought or research, accuracy is certain to suffer. It would not be fair or
appropriate to hold transcriptionists to the above-stated accuracy goals in that kind of
environment.
Purpose: Ongoing feedback, education, and performance improvement should be the
goal of any quality assurance program. The scope of the program should not be
limited to merely the correction of errors, but should focus on developing a
transcriptionist's experienced judgment, including the ability to discern client/chartready documents from those that could benefit from additional review. Attention to
quality must also include a commitment to the ongoing professional development and
continuing education of the medical transcriptionist as a means of ensuring overall
continuous quality improvement.
100 Sycamore Avenue
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Have You Read Your
Medical Record?
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Medical Transcription Job
Descriptions
52
Medical Transcriptionist Job Descriptions
Results of a Benchmarking Analysis of MT Professional Levels
Professional Levels
In an independent benchmarking study of the medical transcription profession by the Hay
Management Consultants (HayGroup), three distinct professional levels for medical
transcriptionists were identified and described as presented below. The HayGroup is a
worldwide human resources consulting firm with extensive expertise in work analysis and job
measurement.
Compensation
Subsequent to this benchmark study of the job content levels of MTs, the HayGroup conducted
a compensation survey, analyzing pay as it relates to these levels. (Hay's survey methodology
complied with federal antitrust regulations regarding healthcare compensation surveys.) The
results include information on transcription pay at the corporate level (healthcare organizations
and MT businesses) and compensation for independent contractors. The data are further
presented by geographic region, size of business, types of pay programs (pay for time worked
and pay for production), and reward programs (benefits, etc.). The Hay report, "Compensation
for Medical Transcriptionists," is contained in a 30-page booklet, which is included with
membership or available in the Online Store.
Professional Level 1
Position Summary
Medical language specialist
who transcribes dictation by
physicians and other
healthcare providers in order
to document patient care. The
incumbent will likely need
assistance to interpret
dictation that is unclear or
inconsistent, or make use of
professional reference
materials.
who transcribes and interprets
dictation by physicians and
other healthcare providers in
order to document patient
care. The position is also
routinely involved in research
of questions and in the
education of others involved
with patient care
documentation.
whose expert depth and
breadth of professional
experience enables him or her
to serve as a medical language
resource to originators,
coworkers, other healthcare
providers, and/or students on
a regular basis.
Nature of Work
An incumbent in this position
is given assignments that are
matched to his or her
developing skill level, with
the intention of increasing the
is given assignments that
require a seasoned depth of
knowledge in a medical
specialty (or specialties). OR
routinely researches and
resolves complex questions
related to health information
or related documentation.
53
depth and/or breadth of
exposure. OR The nature of
the work performed (type of
report or correspondence,
medical specialty, originator)
is repetitive or patterned, not
requiring extensive depth
and/or breadth of experience.
The incumbent is regularly
given assignments that vary
in report or correspondence
type, originator, and
specialty. Incumbents at this
level are able to resolve nonroutine problems
independently, or to assist in
resolving complex or highly
unusual problems.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
1. Basic knowledge of
medical terminology,
anatomy and
physiology, disease
processes, signs and
symptoms,
medications, and
laboratory values.
Knowledge of
specialty (or
specialties) as
appropriate.
2. Knowledge of medical
transcription
guidelines and
practices.
3. Proven skills in
English usage,
grammar, punctuation,
style, and editing.
4. Ability to use
designated
materials.
5. Ability to operate
word processing
equipment, dictation
and transcription
equipment, and other
equipment as
specified.
6. Ability to work under
pressure with time
1. Seasoned knowledge
of medical
terminology, anatomy
and physiology,
disease processes,
signs and symptoms,
medications, and
laboratory values. Indepth or broad
knowledge of a
specialty (or
specialties) as
appropriate.
2. Knowledge of
medical transcription
guidelines and
practices.
3. Excellent skills in
English usage,
grammar,
punctuation, and style.
4. Ability to use an
extensive array of
materials.
word processing
and transcription
equipment as
specified, and to
troubleshoot as
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AND/OR Is involved in the
formal teaching of those
entering the profession or
continuing their education in
the profession. AND/OR
Regularly uses extensive
experience to interpret
dictation that others are
unable to clarify. Actual
transcription of dictation is
performed only occasionally,
as efforts are usually focused
in other categories of work.
1. Recognized as
possessing expert
knowledge of medical
terminology, anatomy
and physiology,
disease processes,
signs and symptoms,
medications, and
laboratory values
related to a specialty
or specialties.
2. In-depth knowledge of
medical transcription
guidelines and
practices.
3. Excellent skills in
English usage,
grammar, punctuation,
and style.
4. Ability to use a vast
array of professional
reference materials,
often in innovative
ways.
5. Ability to educate
others (one-on-one or
group).
6. Excellent written and
oral communication
skills.
word processing
constraints.
7. Ability to concentrate.
8. Excellent listening
skills.
9. Excellent eye, hand,
and auditory
coordination.
10. Ability to understand
and apply relevant
legal concepts (e.g.,
confidentiality).
necessary.
6. Ability to work
independently with
minimal or no supervision.
7. Ability to work under
pressure with time
constraints.
8. Ability to concentrate.
9. Excellent listening
skills.
10. Excellent eye, hand,
and auditory
coordination.
11. Proven business skills
(scheduling work,
purchasing, client
relations, billing).
and apply relevant
confidentiality).
13. Certified medical
transcriptionist
(CMT) status
preferred.
and transcription
equipment as
specified, and to
troubleshoot as
necessary.
8. Proven business skills
(scheduling work,
purchasing, client
relations, billing).
and apply relevant
confidentiality).
10. Certified medical
transcriptionist (CMT)
status preferred.
100 Sycamore Avenue
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AAMT Code of Ethics
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Code of Ethics
Adopted July 10, 1995
Revised August 2004
Preamble
This Code of Ethics of the American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT) sets forth
standards of conduct and ethical principles for the medical transcriptionist professional that all
members of AAMT and individuals holding the CMT designation are expected to follow.
Medical transcriptionists are vigilant advocates for quality patient documentation and adhere to
the highest privacy and security provisions. We uphold moral and legal rights of patients,
safeguard patient privacy, and collaborate with care providers to ensure patient safety, public
health, and quality of care to the fullest extent possible, through the practice of medical
transcription.
AAMT is responsible for expressing the values and ethics of the profession and for
encouraging its members to function in accordance with these values and ethics, especially all
individuals who hold the certified medical transcriptionist credential. AAMT members are
aware that it is by our standards of conduct and professionalism that the entire profession of
medical transcription is evaluated. We conduct ourselves in the practice of our profession to
bring dignity and honor to ourselves and to the profession of medical transcription as medical
language specialists.
Instances may arise when members’ and certificants’ ethical obligations may appear to conflict
with relevant laws and regulations. When such conflicts occur, members and certificants must
make a responsible effort to resolve the conflict in a manner that is consistent with the values,
principles, and standards expressed in this code of ethics. Violation of the standards in this
code of ethics does not necessarily imply legal liability or violation of the law. A determination
that the law has been violated can be made only in the context of legal, judicial and/or
administrative proceedings. Moreover, if this code of ethics establishes a higher standard of
conduct than that required by law, members and certificants are expected to meet the higher
ethical standard.
Members and certificants understand that membership and/or certification may be revoked by
AAMT for failure to act in accordance with the provisions of the AAMT Code of Ethics.
Medical Transcriptionist professionals:
1. Maintain confidentiality of all patient information including but not limited to peer
reviews, quality improvement, and risk management protocols with special effort to
maintain data security in electronic communications.
2. Implement and maintain standards of professional transcription practice.
3. Respect the rights and dignity of all individuals.
4. Continue professional growth enhancing knowledge and skills, including continuing
education, networking with colleagues, professional reading, and certification.
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5. Strive to provide accurate and timely information.
6. Exercise integrity in professional practices including work or professional experience,
credentials, affiliations, productivity reporting, billing charges, and payment practices.
7. Comply with all laws, regulations, and standards governing the practice of patient
documentation.
8. Foster environments of employment that facilitate integrity, professionalism, and
protection of patient information.
9. Strive to advance the goals and purposes of the Association and work for the
advancement and good of the profession.
100 Sycamore Avenue
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Sunrise Evaluation Report
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Case Study of Pennsylvania
Important information to Obtain Ahead of Time
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO OBTAIN
AHEAD OF TIME
ROAD TO MANDATORY CERTIFICATOIN
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With Pennsylvania, our Department of State handled licensure within the state. An
evaluation form entitled “Sunrise Evaluation Report” had to be completed and 11
copies submitted to start the process
In the meantime, at your state government web site, get a Standing Committee List
and identify senators and representatives on committees titled perhaps Health &
Human Services or Public Health & Welfare and Professional Licensure or
Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure – important to try to identify chairs
of the committee for both majority and minority parties and meet with both parties.
Call to make appointments, usually realizing that meetings will last about 30
minutes (however, we found some of them went longer because of great interest).
When making appointments get contact emails so you can send information ahead
of time and to be able to send follow-up notes after the meeting
We made the mistake of combining 2 issues, the sales tax issue and mandatory
certification, and it was recommended that these 2 big issues be separately
addressed
The meetings are give and take. We gave information about medical transcription,
the critical role we play in patient safety and in the revenue cycle. They were very
interested in what we do, the “interpretative” skills we need, confidentiality issues.
We listened to their recommendations, learning from each meeting. Some
recommendations contacting groups such as the state medical society, hospital
associations, osteopathic associations, health departments, etc. Some recommended
senators or representatives to meet with who would be our “white knight.”
We realize this is the tip of the iceberg as far as out meetings – we have to get on
board the PA medical societies, perhaps PHIMA, other groups. But, every meeting
was different, interesting, informative, overwhelming at times, but we gave as much
“food for thought” as we got.
Contact Governor’s Office of Healthcare Reform to let them know what we are
doing. Maybe schedule a meeting to get their opinions and viewpoints.
Contact the PA Patient Safety Authority and possibly schedule meeting with them.
Last, but definitely not least, determine our goals and reasons for wanting licensure,
certification, or registration.
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Appointments Made
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APPOINTMENTS FOR JULY 19TH AND 20TH
Tuesday, July 19th
1:00 Senator Corman (Vice Chair Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure and
Chair Public Health & Welfare) – Room 171 – Capitol (1st floor) - (meeting with his aide,
Scott Johnson, Executive Director for Public Health & Welfare) [email protected]
1:30 Senator Piccola (my home senator) (Consumer Protection & Professional
Licensure) – Room 173 – Capitol (1st floor) - (meeting with Fred Cabell)
[email protected]
2:00 (Meeting at Senator Tomlinson’s office)
Senator Boscola (Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure) - (meeting with aide
Bernie Kieklak) [email protected]
Senator Tomlinson – Room 362 – Capitol (3rd floor) - (meeting with Fran Cleaver)
[email protected]
Said these 2 would be enough for meeting – they would be the executive committee
essentially for professional licensure
2:30
3:00 Representative Nailor (Majority Vice Chair, Professional Licensure) – Room 18,
East Wing - (meeting with aide, Joann Drabenstadt) [email protected]
3:30 Representative Sturla (Professional Licensure, Minority Vice Chair and Health &
Human Services, subcommittee chair) – Room 105A, East Wing (meeting with Rep Sturla)
– sent info to receptionist Debbie at [email protected]
Wednesday, July 20th
1:00 Representative Benninghoff (Professional Licensure and Health & Human Services,
Majority Subcommittee Chairman on Human Services) – Room 141A, East Wing –
meeting with Representative Benninghoff – he will be in a committee meeting in the
morning and is making every effort to make this time. Emailed information to the assistant,
Jeri Davis at [email protected]
1:30
2:00 Senator Hughes ((Public Health & Welfare, Minority Chair) and Education – Room
543E (E floor) – (meeting with Norris Benns, email [email protected]). Had
previously sent information to the scheduler, Lorraine, at [email protected].
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2:30 Representative Gannon (Majority Chair, Professional Licensure) - Room 49, East
Wing - meeting with possible Representative Gannon and his aide, Karen (they will just
have had a tour of the Hershey Medical Center that morning) – email is the scheduler,
Sandy (who used to do medical transcription) – [email protected]
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Sample Letters
-
Letter to Department of Revenue
Legislator Follow Up
Letter to Send Prior to Legislative Appointment
Sunrise Evaluation Cover Letter
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June 13, 2005
Jeffery S. Snavely
Deputy Chief Counsel
Office of Chief Counsel
Department of Revenue
1032 Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17128-1061
Dear Mr. Snavely,
Thank you for meeting with representatives from the Pennsylvania Association for Medical
Transcription and the American Association for Medical Transcription’s executive director.
We greatly appreciated the explanations and review of the Pennsylvania sales and use tax,
specifically section 201(y) of the Tax Reform Code of 1971, 72 P.S. § 720 (y) pertaining to
secretarial or editing services.
As requested, along with the materials presented at the June 9, 2005 meeting, we were to
outline reasons for medical transcription services to be exempt from Pennsylvania sales and
use tax. We believe medical transcription falls outside the current definitions for
secretarial or editing services. For background purposes, the American Association for
Medical Transcription (AAMT) was incorporated as a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization in
1978. AAMT sets standards of practice and education for the medical transcription
profession, administers a voluntary certification program for its practitioners, provides
continuing education programs, and advocates on behalf of the profession to ensure that
quality medical documentation and patient safety remains a high priority for the healthcare
system.
Nature of the Work
Medical transcriptionists, as an integral part of the healthcare team, ensure that healthcare
documentation is accurate and complete. Sometimes referred to as interpretive medical
language specialists, transcriptionists are critical to risk management by correcting and
flagging errors in dictation to ensure that consistency exists in the healthcare record.
Medical transcriptionists produce a variety of medical reports for inclusion in a patient's
permanent medical record, including such report types as emergency room visits, operative
notes, diagnostic imaging studies, history and physical examinations, consultations, and
discharge summaries. The national accrediting body for healthcare organizations
(JCAHO), as well as the health insurance industry mandate the format and content of each
specific report type, as these reports in effect become legal documents that can be called
into evidence in the event of litigation of any kind, including medical malpractice actions.
Additionally, these reports are used for statistical research by the insurance industry,
medical equipment and device manufacturers, drug companies, and government health
75
organizations. For the most part, work is done electronically and can be performed
anywhere in the U.S. and overseas. Increasingly, the work of transcription will be
transmitted digitally as the healthcare system moves toward an electronic and paperless
environment.
The Medical Record Begins with Transcription
Accurate and complete transcription is the basis for hospital, clinic, and medical practice
reimbursement, crucial to continuity of care, and relied on by health insurers when
determining their enrollees’ level of healthcare coverage. Ultimately, clinicians are held
accountable for the contents in their health encounter reports, yet in reality reports go
unsigned, thereby relying solely on the transcriptionist’s interpretation. Therefore, due to
the inherent risks involved if even one document goes unsigned, many medical
transcriptionists carry their own errors and omissions professional liability insurance.
Medical Transcriptionists Get Own Classification
Medical transcriptionists achieved a separate job classification based on the Occupational
Information Network study conducted in early 1998 by the U.S. Department of Labor. The
revised Standard Occupational Classification (SOC), published by the Office of
Management and Budget, includes a separate line item 31-9094 for medical
transcriptionists in the general arena of health care. In the previous 1980 SOC document,
medical transcriptionists were grouped under "Clerical and Other Administrative Support
Occupations." This designation for medical transcriptionists did not exist in 1991 when
Pennsylvania was determining its exemptions for the sales and use tax code.
Budget Neutrality for Pennsylvania
Most transcription services in Pennsylvania occur in tax-exempt hospitals and not-forprofit medical practices, effectively eliminating half of all transcriptionists from sales and
use tax. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 4 out of 10 MTs work in a hospital
setting, while 3 out of 10 are employed in physician offices or work for transcription
services. Since transcription is not subject to tax when transcribed by an employee or when
a Pennsylvania transcriptionist works for out-of-state entities, that leaves only 3 out of 10
MTs who are independent contractors in the state. If independent contractors only average
1-3 clients each, this is an extremely small percentage of all the dictation done in
Pennsylvania. Furthermore, most independent contractors are unaware of the tax law
change that occurred in 1991, since prior to that year medical transcription services were
tax-exempt in the state. Therefore, it is not customary for independent contractors to
charge clients the sales and use tax. Implementing an exemption for medical transcription
services would most likely go unnoticed with no appreciable difference to the state’s
revenue stream. However, beginning to collect taxes on transcription services could have
negative ramifications for the transcription workforce in Pennsylvania by further
encouraging purchasers of transcription services to seek services from lower cost non-U.S.
based transcriptionists.
Future Roles for Medical Transcriptionists
Since the Pennsylvania tax code change in 1991, the roles of medical transcriptionists have
changed dramatically and are expected to continually evolve over the next decade with
implementation of a national health information infrastructure. Increased regulatory
requirements, the need for real time healthcare data, and proficient speech recognition and
76
data capture technologies will transform the way medical transcriptionists work. The aging
U.S. population, people living longer with chronic diseases, and greater potential for
bioterrorist attacks and communicable disease outbreaks will necessitate a well-integrated
team of allied health personnel committed to patient safety.
AAMT looks to work with government and private sector policymakers, technology
vendors, and the business community to develop workforce retraining and development
programs to address the above-mentioned issues. Please feel free to contact us if you need
clarification or require additional information concerning the medical transcription
profession.
Sincerely,
Carol Croft, CMT, FAAMT
President
Pennsylvania Association for Medical Transcription
Shonna Bradley-Bender, CMT
Vice-President, Susquehanna Valley Chapter-AAMT
Peter Preziosi, PhD, CAE
Executive Director
77
SAMPLE LETTER
:
I wanted to take a moment to thank you for meeting with us on July 19, 2005, and July 20,
2005, regarding mandatory licensing or certification for medical transcriptionists.
As you know, healthcare documentation is changing dramatically as healthcare institutions
migrate toward adoption of the electronic health record. We as medical transcriptionists
stand on the leading edge of this. We make sure that the record is accurate and play a vital
role on the patient safety team.
Right now in the marketplace, anyone can claim to be a medical transcriptionist, but does
that make them responsible to maintain confidentiality? Does it ensure the privacy and
safety of patients? Accurate medical records? No, it does not. We serve as auditors and
risk managers for physicians and dictators and if someone with very little training makes a
mistake, it could affect the patient with dire consequences.
We thank you for giving us the opportunity to describe the medical transcription profession
and would like to thank you for the information that you provided to us regarding our
pursuit of mandatory licensure and the challenges that we may face in this endeavor.
We look forward to working more with you in the future regarding this matter and hope
that we can rely on your guidance as we move forward.
Thank you again for your time and attention.
Tabitha Dougherty, PAMT Legislative Committee Chairperson
Carol Croft, CMT, FAAMT, President, PAMT
Peter Preziosi, PhD, CAE, AAMT Executive Director
78
Lorraine,
Thank you for speaking with Senator Hughes or his aide about the possibility of a meeting on
Tuesday, July 19, or Wednesday, July 20. The times we have available are Tuesday any time from
11:00 until 1:00, 2:30 or after 4:00. Peter Preziosi will be arriving by train around 10:30.
Wednesday any time from 1:00 until 2:30.
It is our hope to meet with as many legislators as we possibly can to discuss in person issues
regarding medical transcription and how this affects citizens of Pennsylvania. There are 2 issues
which we would like to address: 1) an appeal which we have before the Dept of Revenue's Review
Committee regarding an unfair tax on medical transcription services, while court reporters and
stenographers do not have to charge this. I have attached a summation from our meeting with Jeff
Snavely, Deputy Chief Counsel, regarding this. If this appeal is not accepted, an addendum to the
current bill or a new bill will need to be implemented and we would need support of this; 2) we have
submitted the Sunrise Evaluation Report to the Dept of State for assessment of mandatory
certification/licensure for MTs in the State of Pennsylvania (this report is attached as well).
The importance of a meeting with Senator Hughes or his representative is even greater because
our national executive director, Dr. Peter Preziosi, will be here in Harrisburg next Tuesday and
Wednesday. He is a tremendous advocate of medical transcripton and may be able to answer any
questions that may come up. I am the current president of the Pennsylvania Association for Medical
Transcription. There may be one other Harrisburg medical transcriptionist, Tabitha Dougherty, who
would be joining us at this meeting.
We feel with the implementation of the electronic patient record on a widespread basis, with the
current HIPAA regulations, and with laws being introduced into the U.S. Congress affecting privacy
issues, we need to educate the public as well as specifically our legisators about the role of medical
transcriptionists in helping to ensure quality patient care. As you will read in this attached material,
medical transcriptionists are a vital part of the patient safety team in healthcare delivery.
If you need to reach me my phone number is here in Harrisburg 545-1319, mobile 571-3390.
PAMT President
79
June 22, 2005
Department of State
Pedro A. Cortes
Secretary of the Commonwealth
302 North Office Building
RE:
Dear Mr. Cortes:
With the implementation of the electronic patient record on a widespread basis, with the
current HIPAA regulations, and with laws being introduced into the U.S. Congress
affecting privacy issues, we are submitting this Sunrise Evaluation Report in support of
mandatory certification for medical transcriptionists to try to ensure the quality of practice
for our profession thereby helping to ensure quality patient care. As you will read in our
application, medical transcriptionists are a vital part of the patient safety team in healthcare
delivery.
Enclosed is the required evaluation form filled out to the best of our ability. If you require
further information we would be happy to provide this.
Peter Preziosi, PhD, CAE, the executive director for the American Association for Medical
Transcription, would be happy to meet with you to discuss this issue in person. He will be
in the Pennsylvania area on July 19-20, 2005. He would be available late morning on the
19th or anytime on Wednesday the 20th. I would also be available during this time frame.
80
Sunrise Evaluation Form
Page 2
Thank you for your consideration of this very important issue. We look forward to hearing
from you soon regarding this.
Sincerely,
PAMT President
6407 Taunton Road
PHONE: (717) 545-1319
Email: [email protected]
Enclosures:
HOD’s Resolution for Creation of Standards for Certification
U.S. Dept of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics Report
MTs: Partners in Medical Transcription
AAMT Answers Frequently Asked Questions About Medical
Transcription
AAMT’s Statement on Quality Assurance for Medical Transcription
List of Medical Transcription Educational Programs in Pennsylvania
Have You Read Your Medical Record?
81

982-2182 - Fax (209)

Transcription

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