Occupation

Medical Transcriptionists

Human Advantage 59%

Moderate human-AI collaboration

AI Automation Risk Moderate Risk
4.3 / 10

Some tasks in this role may be augmented by AI, but human oversight and interpersonal skills remain important.

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.

Also Known As: Certified Medical Transcriptionist, Clinical Medical Transcriptionist, Clinical Scribe, Data Transcriber, Documentation Specialist, Emergency Medical Scribe, Medical Language Professional, Medical Language Specialist +16 more

Video

Core Tasks

  1. Return dictated reports in printed or electronic form for physician's review, signature, and corrections and for inclusion in patients' medical records.
  2. Produce medical reports, correspondence, records, patient-care information, statistics, medical research, and administrative material.
  3. Identify mistakes in reports and check with doctors to obtain the correct information.
  4. Review and edit transcribed reports or dictated material for spelling, grammar, clarity, consistency, and proper medical terminology.
  5. Transcribe dictation for a variety of medical reports, such as patient histories, physical examinations, emergency room visits, operations, chart reviews, consultation, or discharge summaries.
  6. Distinguish between homonyms and recognize inconsistencies and mistakes in medical terms, referring to dictionaries, drug references, and other sources on anatomy, physiology, and medicine.
  7. 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.
  8. Translate medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms to ensure the accuracy of patient and health care facility records.
  9. Perform data entry and data retrieval services, providing data for inclusion in medical records and for transmission to physicians.
  10. Take dictation using shorthand, a stenotype machine, or headsets and transcribing machines.
  11. 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.
  12. Decide which information should be included or excluded in reports.
  13. Receive and screen telephone calls and visitors.

Supplemental Tasks (2)

  1. Receive patients, schedule appointments, and maintain patient records.
  2. Answer inquiries concerning the progress of medical cases, within the limits of confidentiality laws.

Education & Training

Job Zone 3 Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Education: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.

Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
39%
Some College Courses
34%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
17%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
11%

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • Microsoft ASP.NET
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Word
  • eClinicalWorks EHR software

Software (47)

  • Allscripts healthcare automation software
  • Boston Bar Systems Corporation Sonnet
  • Bytescribe Development Company WavPlayer
  • Calendar software
  • Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
  • Crescendo Systems Corporation MedRite-XL
  • Crescendo Systems DigiScribe-XL
  • Database software
  • Electronic medical record EMR systems
  • Email software
  • Emmaus MPWord
  • FileMaker Pro
  • Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS
  • Integrated Systems Management OmniMD
  • MedQuist DocQment Enterprise Platform
  • Medical terminology databases
  • Microsoft operating system
  • Narratek Smartype
  • Nuance Dragon NaturallySpeaking
  • PCC EHR
  • Patient billing software
  • Precision Data Solutions VoicePower
  • Prognosis Innovation Healthcare ChartAccess
  • SpectraMedi EasyFlow
  • Speech recognition software
  • SpeedType
  • SpeedUp Trans
  • Spellex AccuCount
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Sylvan Software Complete Medical Pharmaceutical Spell Checker
  • Sylvan Software DropChute Pro
  • Sylvan Software ShortCut
  • Voice recognition software
  • Web browser software
  • Word processing software
  • YouTube
  • dBASE Plus
  • g-net solutions MTP

Tools & Equipment (10)

  • Desktop computers
  • Desktop transcribers
  • Dictaphones
  • Laser facsimile machines
  • Laser printers
  • Multi-line telephone systems
  • Notebook computers
  • Personal computers
  • Postage meters
  • Transcribing equipment

Where This Career Leads

Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.

Health Data & Administration Education

Zone 3
Medical Transcriptionists You are here
Zone 5
Historians 76% match

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Real Talk

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