Best Practices Around Medical Note Taking Via Speech Recognition

Medical speech recognition is the use of computer software to translate speech into text within the healthcare space, and it is a highly efficient way of documenting information. All you have to do is speak, and the software instantly converts your words into text to transcribe at a fast rate. This may be through an analog-to-digital converter that translates sound waves, or a phoneme analysis where your dictation is corroborated with a database of words, phrases, and sentences. In the case of medicine, this means using a database consisting of medical terms, so when you use medical terminology, this can be easily picked up.

Medical speech recognition is a modern replacement of human transcribing, and means you can cut labor costs by no longer having to hire a specific transcriptionist to sit in and take notes in your appointments. Medical dictation software also means you can save time from having to type everything manually, and as a result, you can boost productivity and the quality of care within your clinic. It is the most efficient way of accurately noting critical information, and is sure to benefit your practice.

Speech recognition technology is widely used in healthcare, and offers a variety of benefits to clinics that make use of its service. Medical speech recognition is highly efficient, and can smoothen out business processes to create a seamless workflow for your practice. 

• Overcome language barriers - Speech recognition can work across a variety of languages, meaning that it can effectively act as a translation tool. No matter you or your staff’s preferred languages, speech recognition can work with your business needs.
• Great connection - Speech recognition allows for patients to be connected without face-to-face contact, which is ideal for those who cannot travel to their appointment, and also in the current Covid climate. 
• Accurate diagnosis and documents - The software used in speech recognition can accurately transcribe in real-time, which ensures that nothing is missed, and that errors can be reduced significantly. This way, diagnoses can be more accurate, and all documents contain the right terminology. ‍
• Save time - Because of the accuracy of speech recognition software, and its speed due to the automated processes, you can save large amounts of time within your practice. This is always a positive, as you can spend time doing what you care about most; seeing and treating your patients!

To ensure you make the most out of speech recognition software for your healthcare practice, it is best to incorporate the following tips. This way, you can ensure that you are providing accurate notes that contribute towards correct diagnoses and effective healthcare treatment.

• Watch the screen - As the speech recognition software is recording your phrases, it is important to look at the screen to quickly identify and correct any errors made on behalf of the technology. Like anything, even technology is vulnerable to mistakes, and to save time later down the track, it is important that you recognize these errors. You may need to pause the software, and correctly type the term with the right spelling, or you may need to dictate the word again in a clearer tone. Sometimes, this may mean restating the sentence with different words, but within the editing process, you can easily change words around to what best suits you. 
• Be consistent - It is important that when you dictate, you use the correct form. This means keeping a consistent tone, as well as a consistent speed and volume of your voice. The technology does need to recognize your voice, and too much variation can cause identification issues, and distort what you are really trying to say. Having a consistent speed also means that all words can be captured, without pausing for mistakes, and an even volume can support more accurate transcription.
• Dictate completely - Make sure to dictate in full phrases and sentences so that language recognition can recognize more words within the context of your practice. Speech recognition software systems tend to be developed with advanced progression mechanisms that allow for the machines to learn within an iterative process. This means that whilst you are speaking, your technology is also improving, so it is best to speak fully so it can learn from you.‍
• Pause between phrases - It is important to pause between phrases so the software can recognize sentences. Pausing between words can confuse the technology, and it is good practice to pause between phrases to provide greater structure. Pausing while you think is completely fine, but it is best to finish off a sentence first.

There are many medical speech recognition software platforms to choose from, and sometimes the choice can be overwhelming - this is where we can help. Carepatron is one of the leading options when it comes to medical dictation software in healthcare, and used by over 10,000+ healthcare professionals, it is the preferred option when it comes to prioritizing patient needs. With either a free or paid plan, Carepatron provides high-end medical speech recognition software that enables you to transcribe your notes instantly. Cutting out the need for a human transcriptionist, Carepatron’s medical dictation software allows you to also save time, with its integrated tool that captures notes fast. Using artificial intelligence systems, you can effectively automate the transcription experience, with a medical terminology library ensuring that all medical terms are correctly written and applied. It is used across a variety of healthcare disciplines and ensures that you can provide the highest quality of care and support for you and your patients.  

Take home message

Speech recognition software offers excellent support for healthcare practices and is constantly evolving. There are endless limits as to what the software can do for your practice, including speeding up business processes, providing accurate notes and diagnoses, as well as still allowing for personal interactions between patients. Practitioners can rest easy knowing their notes are highly accurate, with the right medical terminology, and patients can also benefit from its high-end service. If a patient needs to list symptoms or relay medical information to their provider, transcription services can ensure they receive the help they need. It’s a win-win, with speech recognition technology changing the healthcare landscape for the better. 

Further reading:

• Impact of speech recognition on healthcare
• Unlocking The Power Of Speech Recognition