Don’t settle for low performance or poor accuracy
As a healthcare professional, you readily know the challenges experienced in a medical environment. One of the biggest redundant hurdles is the practice of maintaining and keeping records is a time-consuming aspect of the job. Naturally, no clinician wants to spend hours on patient records when time is better spent assisting people. That said, sometimes it’s unavoidable.
For this reason, professionals seek tools and alternatives to aid them. Often, we see utilities like remote monitoring devices to better track patient health. Then, of course, the use of dictation software is common as well.
Dictation software records spoken words and instantly converts them to text directly at your mouse cursor, typically into an EMR; Word document; or similar. At least, that’s the idea in function. The thing is, however, not all dictation software is the same. In the medical world, errors cannot be afforded. That’s why it’s important to pay attention and notice when it’s time to change platforms.
It’s time to switch, but why?
In a routine or emergency medical situation, accuracy is everything. Patient data, ranging from prescriptions to age to chronic health factors, all play a role in their treatment. Even a slight misstep can cascade into a series of medical and health problems, which can escalate into critical, even life-threatening scenarios.
Furthermore, recording patient details and maintaining electronic health records remains a massive part of the time spent in the US medical industry. Everyone knows, especially under the thumb of HIPAA, that these records are an integral aspect of the healthcare process.
Clinicians are overwhelmed by the documentation demands, thus entering the use of dictation software.
However, not all dictation software is equal. For example, if your practice sought out an economic model that’s “affordable,” you’re looking at serious quality control issues. And again, these issues can spiral into serious consequences which harm the patient and cost the practice (literally). Medical errors by themselves cost patients and the industry upwards of $20 billion per annum. Is that a statistic you feel comfortable being part of?
Signs of problematic dictation software
The torrent of issues caused by medical errors can’t be overstated. When it’s caused by dictation software, though, the problem has worsened.
Dictation software is meant to address the issues involved with recording data during patient visits or other medical scenarios. The whole point is to translate voice to text without accuracy problems. Therefore, the first and biggest reason it’s time to shift away from a current dictation software model is accuracy problems. Why?
The errors are costly and cause severe issues with patient treatment. Furthermore, it’s time-consuming to adjust and correct erroneous entries. Time professionals in the healthcare field don’t have. Today, doctors only average 16 minutes with each patient and spend hours on record management. Therefore, dictation platforms that erroneously record words cause problems by soaking up the limited hours clinicians have.
Compliance Problems
HIPAA is the regulatory body protecting patient data, where it’s stored, and how it’s changed. It also protects patients with the corrections clause, allowing them to dispute information they feel is incorrect. Normally, this isn’t a problem. But when you can’t rely on the accuracy of your dictation software, it becomes an issue. If you create errors and don’t correct them, this creates a time-consuming pitfall of corrections and adjustments, with possible regulatory penalties too.
Considering the steps necessary to adjust data based on HIPAA standards, it’s another time-eating process, one that not every practice can afford.
In extreme cases, if a patient feels their care was not proper or incorrect treatment was administered to them, they could seek legal action too. It’s not always the case, but a grim possibility indeed.
When the dictation software is a dead-end
You understand the fallout and penalty of not complying with regulatory standards, of course. Therefore, it’s critical to pinpoint the systems of “dead-end” dictation software.
There are immediate giveaways that it’s time to find something else.
- Dictation (text-to-speech) is loaded with errors, misspellings, and incorrect grammar
- Clinicians are spending extra time trying to fix problems from dictation to create a cohesive document
- Dictation software or tool in question has limited compatibility or use, such as limited to hardware or applications
- Limited utility with the dictation software (can’t create shortcut commands) and/or limited support
- Poor reception and response to audio cues
In short, investing in lower-quality tools and dictation software isn’t worth it. The time spent recovering and fixing errors will ultimately cost more in the long run, both with time and finances. You need reliable tools in the healthcare space, and only the right kind of dictation software can aid you.
Dragon Medical One – the industry-leading dictation platform
Dictation software like Dragon Medical One addresses the problems we’ve discussed so far. The industry-leading 99.9% accuracy means you’re not shuffling between reports to make constant error corrections or dealing with time-consuming complications.
Real-time clinical documentation should be a seamless, hassle-free process. When your dictation software can’t deliver, it’s time to make a switch.
You can learn more by contacting us or starting your Dragon Medical One free trial today!
