Over the years, speech recognition software, both in terms of its output quality and the tedious learning curve, has left much to be desired. In some instances, it would be so frustrating and ineffective that physicians would simply give up and go back to traditional dictation methods.
These were many of the reasons behind the initial development of SayIt software — an easy-to-use cloud-based speech recognition platform that has simplified dictation and produced an impressive upsurge in clinical documentation accuracy, timeliness, and consistency. The ability to be productive within 30 minutes of being trained and reducing clinical documentation time by 25 percent daily have been powerfully addictive benefits for time-strapped physicians.
And the growing number of HIPAA settlements handed out by the OCR coupled with the release of the 2017 OIG Work Plan serves as an excellent reminder about why thorough and accurate clinical documentation is so vitally important.
Though simply making the switch to SayIt has streamlined dictation for many physicians and healthcare organizations throughout the nation, there may still be room for improvement. Here are five quick tips that can immediately improve your dictation accuracy.
1. Listen to your dictations.
This may seem a bit counterproductive at first, but a tremendous amount of insight can be gained from reviewing your own dictations from time to time, especially when just starting out or when you notice accuracy beginning to drop. When you listen with a critical ear, you may find that your enunciation is poor, your speech pattern is disjointed, or there is an abundance of background noise distractions — all of which can be better addressed once known.
2. Gather your thoughts.
Before hitting record, take a moment to gather your thoughts and refocus on the task at hand. This can be difficult for physicians working under significant time constraints, though just 30 seconds to breathe and reset can make a world of difference. When you are overly tired, stressed, or under intense pressure, your speech pattern may become lax or disfluent. In addition, you may be more likely to "ramble" as opposed to completing a focused and succinct dictation. By taking a moment to gather your thoughts, you may be able to minimize these distracting components and improve your accuracy at the same time.
3. Reach out to your SayIt representative.
Similar to listening to your own dictations, your SayIt representative may be able to pinpoint additional ways to improve your accuracy when they listen to your dictation recordings. Because of the advantages of cloud-based software, the sharing of dictation files is simple, quick, and straightforward.
4. Switch to an external microphone.
Although computers and tablets have their own built-in microphones, SayIt performs best when an external microphone is used. Investing in a high-quality, noise-canceling headset can save you hours of frustration and poor dictation quality. SayIt is compatible with a wide variety of mics and headsets, including the wireless capabilities associated with specific iPhone and Android devices.
5. Relocate your dictation station.
Excessively noisy backgrounds can pose a problem. If you are using a high-quality, noise-canceling microphone or headset but are still plagued by residual background noise, you may need to think more about where you perform dictations. Boisterous coworkers, ringing phones, intercom announcements, and the incessant opening and closing of doors can undermine the quality of your recordings and lower accuracy.
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What tips do you have to improve your dictation accuracy? What has helped you? Please join the conversation below.