March 14, 2023

How to Eliminate Transcription Errors

In healthcare, even the smallest error can have devastating effects for both clinical operations and more importantly, patient health.  Errors…

In healthcare, even the smallest error can have devastating effects for both clinical operations and more importantly, patient health. 

Errors can come in many different forms including communication breakdowns, systematic issues, technical failures and diagnostic errors. But, the most common error within healthcare is human error.

A study published in the British Medical Journal found that human error was a contributing factor in 72% of adverse events in hospital settings.  

The good news is, some errors can be reduced or avoided by automating certain processes.

Transcription errors committed by medical professionals in the healthcare system pose a risk to patient safety, and draw public and international attention. Point-of-care informatics automates lab result workflows by seamlessly connecting devices to EHRs. This eliminates human transcription errors from paper printouts and provides 100% digital accuracy for point-of-care test results. 

The shortcomings of current manual processes

Errors are made: To err is human, but it’s not something you can afford to do in healthcare. A single test result can contain a dozen different numerical values and units, as well as positive / negative results. Each data point presents an opportunity for error. Imagine how easy it would be to transpose a digit or enter negative instead of positive when entering hundreds of results per day. With the majority of clinical decisions made based on lab results, doctors need accurate results in context with the rest of the patients medical information in the EHR.

Results being missed completely: It’s essential for test results to be properly recorded in the EHR, especially so for audits and compliance. By manually entering data, you run the risk of missing results completely.

Incorrect data: Without accurate, structured data being fed into the EHR, tracking patient health information becomes nearly impossible. Misinformation in EHRs have far-reaching consequences for patients and healthcare policies. It poses a threat to patient safety, and the data is essential for spotting trends and improving healthcare in the long run.

Business benefits of accurate data

Compliant with insurance audits: Inaccurate and incomplete records can lead to denied or reduced insurance claims. In some cases, practices even have to repay claims that have already been processed. With accurate records, practices will keep up with regulatory requirements and avoid costly insurance repayments.

Compliance with CLIA audits: During these audits, both patient test results and logs for quality control (QC) tests can be requested. No one enjoys these audits, but accurate data will ensure that you’re compliant with regulation and make it easy. Failure to meet these requirements can lead to exorbitant fines, suspension and/or reproval.

Productivity gains: Checking and reporting that data is accurate can be timely and expensive. Automation systems will remove transcription errors and the time involved in writing down, entering and checking results. And since results are more accurate and efficient with point-of-care informatics, you’ll have more time to do more important tasks, like caring for your patients.

Better patient experience: By providing a faster, more accurate service, it will increase levels of trust. This can lead to more effective communication, less patient anxiety, and overall patient satisfaction.

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Further Reading

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