Medical Transcriptionists
Transcribe medical reports recorded by physicians and other healthcare practitioners using various electronic devices, covering office visits, emergency room visits, diagnostic imaging studies, operations, chart reviews, and final summaries. Transcribe dictated reports and translate abbreviations into fully understandable form. Edit as necessary and return reports in either printed or electronic form for review and signature, or correction.
Technology Tools
Key Tasks
- Return dictated reports in printed or electronic form for physician's review, signature, and corrections and for inclusion in patients' medical records.
- Identify mistakes in reports and check with doctors to obtain the correct information.
- Produce medical reports, correspondence, records, patient-care information, statistics, medical research, and administrative material.
- Review and edit transcribed reports or dictated material for spelling, grammar, clarity, consistency, and proper medical terminology.
- Transcribe dictation for a variety of medical reports, such as patient histories, physical examinations, emergency room visits, operations, chart reviews, consultation, or discharge summaries.
- Set up and maintain medical files and databases, including records such as x-ray, lab, and procedure reports, medical histories, diagnostic workups, admission and discharge summaries, and clinical resumes.
- Distinguish between homonyms and recognize inconsistencies and mistakes in medical terms, referring to dictionaries, drug references, and other sources on anatomy, physiology, and medicine.
- Translate medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms to ensure the accuracy of patient and health care facility records.
- Perform data entry and data retrieval services, providing data for inclusion in medical records and for transmission to physicians.
- Receive patients, schedule appointments, and maintain patient records.
- Take dictation using shorthand, a stenotype machine, or headsets and transcribing machines.
- Answer inquiries concerning the progress of medical cases, within the limits of confidentiality laws.
- Decide which information should be included or excluded in reports.
- Perform a variety of clerical and office tasks, such as handling incoming and outgoing mail, completing and submitting insurance claims, typing, filing, or operating office machines.
- Receive and screen telephone calls and visitors.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
100%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
98%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
95%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
89%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
87%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
85%
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
85%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
84%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
81%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
79%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
78%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
73%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
70%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
69%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
69%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
66%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
65%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
65%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
63%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
60%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
58%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
53%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
49%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
46%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
45%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
43%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
42%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
40%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
37%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
36%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
30%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
28%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
28%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
25%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
24%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
23%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
23%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
22%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
15%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
11%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
11%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
10%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
10%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
8%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
6%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
4%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
2%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
2%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
2%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
2%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
0%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
0%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
0%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
0%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
0%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
0%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
0%
Education
Post-secondary certificate
Some college, no degree
High school diploma or equivalent
Interests
Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the f
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t
Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Work Styles
Work Values
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