As reported by the American Health Information Association (AHIMA) e-HIM workgroup, speech recognition technology has the potential to enhance clinical documentation in multiple ways. The demand for documentation with every patient care encounter is markedly on the increase. This information is needed promptly and accurately to ensure optimal patient outcomes. In addition, there are not enough experienced medical transcriptionists (MTs) to meet current and future demands.

In order to analyze the effect speech recognition can have in delivering increased documentation faster and more accurately, while reducing costs, one of the first steps prior to the development of a return on investment (ROI) is to assess the readiness of the medical staff in terms of their receptiveness to a transition of this magnitude. If they are proponents of full application of the technology, which means a commitment of learning to use the system and allocating resources to apply this in practical applications, ROI can be structured around an objective analysis of both the benefits and the risks.

CTech utilizes Crescendo’s server based backend speech recognition solution. This robust product is built on industry leading, proven technology that produces recognized text from off-line voice files. CTech’s speech recognition mission on selected work types and for selected dictators is to speed up the document creation process and improve productivity, therefore lowering costs. CTech envisions a combination of best practices with backend speech recognition and traditional medical transcription solutions. CTech and its clients will work together to define acceptable standards for each work type and/or dictators and decide whether backend speech or a traditional transcription solution is the most cost effective and beneficial solution.

Speech Recognition Critical Success Factors:

    ·  Defining measurable objectives prior to implementation
    ·  Robust technology
    ·  Define ROI timeframe
    ·  Senior management and physician acceptance
    ·  Identify key benefits
    ·  Develop an operational plan

CTech’s Speech Recognition Highlights:

    ·  Optimal recognition rate when provided specialized vocabularies
    ·  Estimated 20% in cost reduction
    ·  Estimated 30% of total reports will utilize speech recognition technology
    ·  Enabling, hassle free dictation
    ·  Faster access to health information
    ·  Improves recognition rate through repeated use
    ·  Transparent to dictators
    ·  Differentiates between, gender, dialects, rate of speech and outside noises
    ·  Ability to combine traditional transcription and speech recognition solutions