Articles
"New Technology vs Outsourcing"
by Todd CharestFor the Record, October 2007
How do you strike a balance between outsourcing and using new technology? Todd Charest tackles this question for organizations seeking a long-term clinical documentation solution, and those trying to solve immediate problems.
The ideal answer is a comprehensive approach that focuses on the interconnectivity of people, technology and processes. According to Mr. Charest, technology can increase internal staff efficiency, while outsourcing can help reduce costs and minimize the risk of documentation backlog. Learn how an integrated approach can deliver best-of-both-worlds solutions.
"Headliners: 100 Companies by Revenue"
(Spheris, Rank 22) by Anthony GuerraHealthcare Informatics, June 2007
Spheris was recently featured as a "Headliner" by Healthcare Informatics in its June 2007 issue. This distinction highlights Spheris' place as an industry leader, joining other prestigious companies including Allscripts, Cerner and McKesson. The article describes Spheris' 2006 acquisition of Vianeta Communications as a move that transformed the company "from a provider of medical transcription services to one with a first-class technology platform." Strategically, this acquisition also enabled Spheris to offer a strict technology play for companies that have in-house transcription services.
In an effort to position itself for the future, Spheris spent 2006 enhancing its Clarity platform. CEO Steve Simpson believes that robust Clarity technology and other factors — including an aging baby boomer generation — will contribute to the company's continued growth.
"Making Billing Strides by Improving Clinical Documentation"
by Christopher Rehm, MDFor the Record, June 11, 2007
Understanding the link between clinical documentation and revenue can help today's healthcare facilities obtain improved bottom-line results. The most obvious relationship between clinical documentation and revenue is speed. The sooner the documentation gets done, the faster you can bill for services. The accuracy and completeness of clinical documentation can directly affect proper reimbursement. Read how fast, accurate documentation can reduce billing disputes and speed the revenue cycle.
"Managing Transcription Overflow"
by Don Hughes and Kim Vernon, RHIAFor the Record, April 16, 2007
How do healthcare facilities with in-house transcription services handle overflow? In many cases, the overflow causes a crisis as the backlog gets increasingly worse. Temporary outsourcing solutions tend to be unreliable, expensive, and inefficient. New medical transcriptionists, unfamiliar with the physicians' dictation habits can inhibit accuracy and slow turnaround time. Find out how a long-term partnership with a reliable Medical Transcription Service Organization (MTSO) can help you navigate the peaks of overflow more efficiently.
"Selecting Expandability in Clinical Documentation Technology"
by Sanjay BajajFor the Record, February 19, 2007
With a variety of technology platforms to choose from, healthcare facilities need to plan for solutions that will work effectively together. The goal is to select an expandable platform that will support the range of technologies a facility may choose in the future. Explore the different modules that come into play — from dictation and transcription to E-signature, distribution, and speech recognition — and see how an expandable platform from a single vendor can streamline the clinical documentation process.
"Transcription's Role in EHR Migration"
by Todd R. CharestFor the Record, December 26, 2006
The challenge in trying to integrate the transcription process into the Electronic Health Record (EHR) is how to achieve discrete data population without slowing down doctors and increasing medical documentation turnaround times. Because clinical documentation is divided into two areas — data capture and report creation — the key is finding best practices for each area. Learn how Natural Language Understanding (NLU) and XML technologies enable both physician efficiency and data-rich reports, resulting in an effective strategy for the move to EHR.
"Speech Recognition: Technology vs. Solution"
by Todd R. Charest, MBA, and Lynn J. Korsegi, PMPFor the Record, October 30, 2006
Details count when it comes to understanding speech recognition capabilities. Today's solutions break down into two types: front-end (active) or back-end (passive). The former requires physicians to dramatically change their transcription habits and edit as they dictate. The latter requires minimal change for physicians, using a medical language editor to edit documents after the software produces a draft report. Get the facts about current speech recognition technology.
"Outsourcing Transcription: What Are the Driving Forces?"
by Jay CannonFor the Record, August 7, 2006
Explore the factors contributing to outsourcing as a way to meet today's rapidly accelerating transcription requirements. Healthcare organizations choose outsourcing to maximize turnaround time, get the latest technology, and have reliable and knowledgeable transcription management. As transcription volume increases, find out how outsourcing can help you maximize quality and control.
"True Quality Assurance"
by DeeAnn LoganFor the Record, July 24, 2006
True quality transcription services are a combination of accuracy, completeness, consistency, and timeliness. Achieving quality is a function of the complete transcription process. Learn how proper dictation techniques, current technology, a well-trained staff, and constant communication with your medical transcription service organization (MTSO) can help dramatically improve quality.
"Do You Know What You're Paying For"
by Kim Vernon, RHIAFor the Record, May 15, 2006
How do you gauge the value of transcription services? Whether you outsource or use in-house transcription services, you need to know the actual costs and benefits. Ms. Vernon provides a detailed look at various billing methods used by outsource providers as well as strategies for understanding the true costs of in-house services.
"Managing Physician Compliance"
by Christopher Rehm, MDFor the Record, April 17, 2006
How do you improve the two most critical measures of transcription service: quality and turnaround time? Dr. Rehm provides key strategies that can help HIM managers identify and correct the most common mistakes physicians make during transcription. When physicians are properly informed, they tend to become more conscientious about entering data correctly. Greater accuracy at the front end can help prevent costly delays and potential confusion.