R+B Sten-Tel

Emdat iPhone App Available Now!

2010-08-17T13:35:00.000-04:00

Emdat account holders can now download and use our new iPhone App. Emdat Mobile for iPhone allows providers to obtain a listing of their scheduled appointments, perform dictation, and even review and electronically sign transcriptions. This is a free download from the App Store

Healthcare Documentation Quality Assessment and Best Practices

2010-08-09T12:40:00.000-04:00

The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) and the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) released "Healthcare Documentation Quality Assessment and Best Practices" as a toolkit for the transcription sector to improve clinical documentation quality. As their press release highlights, the two associations felt it was important to take a closer look at the quality and integrity of clinical data capture as the final rules for "meaningful use" have been released. As EHR adoption continues to progress, much of the information which is dictated, then transcribed will end up in an EMR either as a flat file or as structured/discrete data.

EHR Adoption Can Be Accelerated with 4 Steps

2010-08-09T12:22:00.000-04:00

Information Week Healthcare recently published an article outlining four basic steps to accelerate the adoption of EHR technology. Specifically, Step 3 highlights product impovements necessary to make it easier for physician's to use. Part of the problem is that often EHR products do not "think" or work like a doctor. Read more.

Verizon Introduces 'Cloud' Based HIE

2010-07-26T16:24:00.000-04:00

The Verizon Health Information Exchange will address some of the interoperability issues related to the exchange of health information between physicians, clinics and hospitals. Participating providers will now be able to share patient information securely on the Verizon Health Information Exchange.

AHDI and MTIA Submit Comments for Ways and Means Committee Hearing

2010-07-26T16:10:00.000-04:00

On July 20, 2010 the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee held a hearing on provisions within the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for implementation of health information technology.
AHDI and MTIA submitted comments on their concerns that health IT adoption must preserve narrative documentation. They also emphasized how automated processes necessitate the need for human intelligence to ensure efficiency and patient safety.

Meaningful Use Criteria - Medical Transcription Response

2010-07-15T10:26:00.000-04:00

HHS has introduced their rules pertaining to the "meaningful use" of electronic health records. It appears that those objectives still do not recognize the importance of the structured narrative component of a patient's record, nor the ability of our medical transcription industry to deliver dictated data in a structured format through Discrete Reportable Transcription (DRT) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) technologies.

The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) has drafted comments on what these rules mean to the healthcare community and the transcription sector. Please read the full document.

Transcription Workflow Demo - Register Today

2010-06-17T14:42:00.000-04:00

R+B Sten-Tel delivers clinical documentation to clients by utilizing advanced technology which enables significant efficiencies for today's medical practice. Our online web-based dictation-transcription technology gives healthcare providers of all sizes and specialties - from small, single specialty practices to large, multi-specialty practices and hospitals the ability to:

-Cut overall transcription costs by utilizing templates or "normals"
-Go "paperless" with electronic signature and easy online editing
-Workflow improvements with auto faxing and printing
-Mobile device capabilities: use your smart phone to dictate, access patient schedules and reports, plus an iPhone App is coming soon
-Online access for referring physicians and other parties with proxy
-EMR Integration at no charge
-Meet Meaningful Use requirements
-Speech Recognition Technology

Join us on July 21 at 2 pm EDT for a demo of our dictation-transcription platform and learn how you can start saving today. Sign up now.

Goals on Computerized Records are Unrealistic

2010-06-10T09:02:00.000-04:00

Doctors and hospitals from the Mayo Clinic to Partner's HealthCare System say the goals set by the Obama administration on computerized medical records are unrealistic and unattainable. Read the full story at the New York Times.

EHR Products Lack Usability Standards

2010-06-03T10:12:00.000-04:00

James Bell Associates and The Altarum Institute developed a report on behalf of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services which found gaps in how EHR products are developed with respect to usability related to healthcare.

The report found that "current best practices and standards of design, testing, and monitoring EHR product(s), particularly for usability, are varied and not well disseminated." As a result, EHR products must be adjusted to meet health care-specific needs and usability must be a key component. Read the full report.

FTC Delays Red Flag Rules

2010-05-28T13:08:00.000-04:00

The FTC has again delayed the Red Flag Rules until December 31, 2010. Read more about it.

Emdat Launches DaRT™ To Integrate EMRs With Their Transcription Platform

2010-05-26T09:03:00.000-04:00

One of R+B Sten-Tel's technology partners, Emdat's has launched DaRT™ which is a solution allowing physicians to use EMRs without changing their workflow. Also known as Discrete accurate Reportable Transcription, a solution that seamlessly integrates electronic medical records (EMRs) with Emdat’s web-based transcription platform. DaRT is Emdat's version of DRT (Discrete Reportable Transcription).

Healthcare providers can populate EMRs more efficiently by using information entered by transcriptionists rather than physicians. This allows doctors to experience the benefits of electronic records without doing time-consuming data entry that can reduce their productivity and infringe on the time they spend with their patients.

With DaRT, physicians continue to dictate as usual. Discrete information in the resulting transcription is tagged and uploaded to the EMR. The tagged data – Chief Complaint, Medical History, Family History, etc – populates the fields of the EMR as if it were entered directly by the doctor, allowing medical personnel to conveniently parse and search patient records.

Emdat’s team of experienced interface specialists developed DaRT as a way to provide accurate, reliable transmission of data regardless of which EMR vendor a hospital or clinic uses. This new technology, along with Emdat’s Qualified Text™, which reduces the number of lines a transcriptionist has to type, increases the value brought to medical providers.

Call R+B Sten-Tel to learn more at 888-744-4479.

2010 PHIMA Conference in Hershey, PA

2010-05-04T14:46:00.000-04:00

R+B Sten-Tel will be attending and exhibiting at the 2010 Pennsylvania Health Information Management Association's (PHIMA) state conference on May 10 - 11. Come visit our booth to learn more about how Discrete Reportable Transcription (DRT) can help your organization by fully utilizing clinicians by dictation while still delivering structured data into your EMR to meet Meaningful Use and other requirements.

Pennsylvania MGMA Annual Conference

2010-05-04T09:23:00.000-04:00

R+B Sten-Tel will be attending and exhibiting at the Pennsylvania Annual Conference in Philadelphia this Thursday, May 6th. If you plan on attending, come by our booth to learn about how Discrete Reportable Transcription (DRT) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) can assist in your transition to Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and navigate to Meaningful Use.

MTIA 2010 Annual Conference in Daytona Beach

2010-05-04T09:20:00.000-04:00

Peter Minio and Richard Blum from R+B Sten-Tel attended the MTIA 2010 Annual Conference in Daytona Beach last week. The topics varied, but centered around transcription technologies and how as an industry we have an opportunity to accelerate EMR adoption and bring new value to the physician community. Most notably, there was a discussion on how Natural Language Processing (NLP) can meet Meaningful Use and accelerate HIT adoption. Like Discrete Reportable Transcription (DRT), NLP is the next wave of technology to meet the growing needs physicians have due to the shortfalls in EMR technology as well as the increased requirements for reporting and structured data for Meaningful Use.

2010 MTIA Advocacy Summit - Washington, DC

2010-04-27T14:53:00.000-04:00

Dr. Cherise Tasker, Dr. Nick van Terheyden, Peter Minio, Linda Sullivan, Stephen Gaus

Top 10 Challenges to Meaningful Use

2010-04-27T13:52:00.000-04:00

CSC releases a reporton Meaningful Use and the Top 10 Challenges Eligable Professional face in achieving it. Read the full report.

WSJ: Can Technology Cure Health Care?

2010-04-16T13:38:00.000-04:00

There is more mounting evidence that EMR technology has it's share of shortfalls and unintended consequences. Jacob Golstein of the Wall Street Journal recently wrote an interesting article called "Can Technology Cure Health Care?"questioning if technology is the end all, be all for health care. He noted that physicians and users of EMR technology state that the technology is often difficult or time consuming to use. It brings a new class of errors as physician workflow changes and is disrupted.

Keep in mind that Discrete Reportable Transcription (DRT) addresses many of these gaps. It is important for physicians and other users of such technology to know that there are technologies and services which can integrate with their EMR/EHR to bring greater productivity, ease of use and a second set of eyes for quality.

Top 10 Barriers to a Successful EHR Implementation

2010-04-15T15:17:00.000-04:00

John Halamka, MD gave his students at Harvard School for Public Health a project to create a Top 10 list of Barriers to Successfully Implement an EHR. Here are a few they came up with and the full story can be found on his Life as a Healthcare CIO:

10. Usability - products are hard to use and not well engineered for clinician workflow.

8. Fear of lost productivity - clinicians are concerned they will lose 25% of their productivity for 3 months after implementation. Administrators are worried that the clinicians are right.

6. Interoperability - applications do not seamlessly exchange data for coordination of care, performance reporting, and public health.

2. Cost - the stimulus money does not flow until meaningful use is achieved. Who will pay in the meantime?

View John Halamka, MD's blog at Life As a Healthcare CIO.

Tools for Success Conference in Villanova, Pennsylvania

2010-04-13T16:28:00.000-04:00

R+B Sten-Tel will be attending the Tools for Success Conference in Villanova, Pennsylvania on April 14, 2010. Tools for Success is organized by the Delaware County Medical Society and includes members from each of the surrounding counties including Bucks, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia. There will be over 100 Physicians and Practice Managers from each of these communities attending to learn about the tools available to improve the way in which their practices operate.

The Medical Data Exchange

2010-03-29T14:02:00.000-04:00

View a video on The Medical Data Exchange developed as part of a consortium between the Medical Transcription Industry, ICSA Labs and Verizon Business. It is designed to meet all Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) requirements.

Advocacy Summit - Transcription and Meaningful Use for EHR Adoption

2010-03-29T13:45:00.000-04:00

R+B Sten-Tel sent Peter Minio down to Washington DC last week to participate in the AHDI/MTIA 5th Annual Advocacy Summit and speak about issues with Congress on behalf of the sector. He was joined by members of AHDI and MTIA from around the country. Peter had a great time in Washington, meeting with many of the healthcare and legislative aids of our Senators and Representatives. He even received a personal tour of the Capitol by Congressman Glenn Thompson.

The objective was simply to encourage the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONCHIT) to acknowledge in the regulations that the dictation-transcription process is a viable means by which to achieve “meaningful use” and that certified EHR systems should be able to receive structured narrative reports from the dictation-transcription process. Read the full press release.

MGMA Believes Modifications to Meaningful Use Required

2010-03-18T09:13:00.000-04:00

A recent letter from MGMA to CMA states, "we believe it is imperative to remember that the intent of ARRA was to provide a practical and achievable glide path to enable large numbers of physicians and other providers to adopt EHRs." The letter went on to state "we do not believe that the legislation anticipated the onerous nature of the proposed meaningful-use criteria nor the expected high cost and decreased physician productivity associated with participation in this incentive program." - Modern Healthcare

Texas Medical Association - EMR Survey

2010-02-23T09:25:00.002-05:00

The Texas Medical Association released their Fall 2009 EMR survey which revealed a number of interesting issues. It said that 50% cited awkward or time-consuming data input and it was what they liked the least about their system. Digging deeper, the survey found that physicians in larger practices are more likely to report data entry is difficult.

The EMR products with the largest numbers of users are EPIC - 14%, e-MDs - 10%, Allscripts - 10%, Centricity - 8%, NextGen - 8%, and eClinicalWorks - 8% along with many others.

Practices that evaluate and implement these products seldom understand these usability gaps ahead of time, nor realize integrated transcription solutions can fill them. Furthermore, 22% cited lost productivity due to the use of their EMR product.

Medical Transcription has traditionally been the method clinicians have used to document patient encounters. With transcription being today's fastest and most accurate method for documentation it is imperative that practices understand that integrated transcription solutions are available to them. R+B Sten-Tel along with its technology partners are integrated with many of these solutions to offer ease-of-use and meet productivity shortfalls.

The bottom line is that when a physician is required to document a narrative they should have the tools at their disposal to do it effectively in the shortest period of time while maintaining the integrity of the data. The transcription industry has worked hard to build these integrated platforms. Clinicians should know this technology is available to them as a benefit to save time and money.

Integrated transcription will assist a practice to reach a more successful implementation and achieve practical use out of their systems. EMR technology is very meaningful, but the technology itself should not be a barrier for physicians to practice medicine. Many of the complaints about these technologies can be met with integrated transcription platforms by improving productivity, ease-of-use and quality.

Care360 by MedPlus a Quest Diagnostics Company

2010-02-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

The Care360 EHR by MedPlus, a Quest Diagnostics company offers a variety of methods to document patient encounters including direct data entry and voice recognition. Care360 users now have the ability to dictate narrative sections of a patient encounter through transcription, which is still today's fastest and most accurate form of documentation. Any structured section of a patient encounter can be dictated to save time and ensure a high level of accuracy. That dictated section is then typed by a trained EMR transcriptionist and delivered back into the corresponding section of the practice's Care360 EHR.

If you are a Care360 user, call R+B Sten-Tel today at 888-744-4479 and learn more about how we can help you better utilize your EHR by increasing clinician productivity and ensuring your documentation achieves the highest level of quality.

How To Get More Out Of Your EMR?

2010-02-15T09:28:00.000-05:00

My clients have shared stories similar to what many of the studies are suggesting; after a "successful" EMR implementation productivity is reduced by as much as two patients per clinician each day. Many who utilize EMRs are not necessarily aware of the alternatives which exist to enter the data into a patient's record.

Many transcription service organizations, including R+B Sten-Tel and it's partners have developed technology to bridge that gap. By interfacing with EMR and delivering the data into the patient's record, clinicians have the choice to dictate, which is still the fastest and most cost effective method of patient visit documentation.

Some may have concerns that by utilizing a transcription service organization, the data is not immediately available. This is true, but there are customizable options available to meet the needs of a practice and should not be a deterrent.

R+B Sten-Tel's technology partners have interfaced with many of the leading EMRs on the market today including Allscripts, Care360, eClinicalWorks, NextGen and SRSsoft just to name a few.

Confusion over EHR use stems from poor design

2010-01-29T14:07:00.000-05:00

Dr. David M. Polaner, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics at The Children's Hospital, University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora wrote an interesting editorial in Modern Healthcare online. Please read. The letter questions if EHRs are really meeting the needs of physicians, specifically he questions the way in which encounters are documented. Much of topics we discuss on this blog elude to the fact that hybrid solutions where practices decide to integrate transcription with their EMR results in optimal productivity, quality and patient intimacy.

Advantages of EMR Transcription: R+B Sten-Tel can Integrate with Your EMR

2010-01-27T20:21:00.000-05:00

Did you know that integrating transcription into your EMR can help save you time and money while improving the quality of your electronic documentation? Studies suggest that direct data entry into an EMR by a physician can reduce a clinician’s productivity by up to 9 times compared to traditional transcription.

However, taking a hybrid approach by integrating the two, clinicians can achieve optimal productivity. The realized productivity results in cost savings along with additional opportunities by allowing for more time devoted to quality patient care.

Medical Transcriptionists are held to scoring metrics and standards with a documentation accuracy rating of 98% or above. Contrastly, many studies have found direct data entry and speech recognition averaging 85% accuracy. The quality of medical records improve with the help of a medical transcriptionist, where as part of their responsibilities reports are edited and errors are changed or flagged for clinicians to review.

R+B Sten-Tel is able to integrate with your EMR, helping clients achieve optimal productivity and quality.

ONC Announces Health IT Buzz Blog

2009-11-25T11:06:00.000-05:00

The National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) launched Health IT Buzz. This is a new blog introduced by David Blumenthal which allows American's interested in Health IT the ability to learn more about it in an engaging environement. http://healthit.hhs.gov/blog/onc

Secure Exchange of Dictated Medical Information

2009-11-09T15:33:00.000-05:00

ICSA Labs, a division of Verizon Business has joined MTIA in creating a new organization to develop standards for the electronic sharing of physician dictated medical records. Verizon Business has been selected to develop the platform which will securely carry the digital records. Sten-Tel is one of the consortium's founding members. The goal is to address common challenges the medical community faces when trying to exchange health records with improved interoperability, privacy and security. Read the full story.

R+B Sten-Tel Partners to Offer Healthcare Information Technology

2009-11-05T15:55:00.003-05:00

R+B Sten-Tel has entered into an agreement with Millennium Informatics to offer Healthcare Information Technology to the healthcare community. R+B Sten-Tel will offer these services through Millennium Informatics in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. R+B Sten-Tel and Millennium will work with physician practices to access the incentives proposed in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) and the HITECH Act which offers up to $44,000 per clinician who adopts an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system and meets the requirement to achieve meaningful use.

Millennium Informatics is a healthcare information technology Systems Integration firm that brings together diverse technology applications and service offerings that transform the healthcare system so that it delivers patient-centered, value-driven care to the healthcare community. Millennium takes a “best of breed” approach to application and services selection while ensuring a positive workflow experience for all users.

Millennium Informatics has an exclusive relationship with USA Managed Care Organization (USAMCO) to provide USAMCO provider members with health information technology solutions. USAMCO is the nation’s largest, most comprehensive, privately-held Preferred Provider Organization with over 400,000 individual provider members nationwide.
R+B Sten-Tel through Millennium will help USAMCO provider members address state and federal mandates to automate patient records. Millennium helps physicians navigate through the EMR maze and, when the right solution is selected, make certain the price is right, the solution is properly implemented and actually used. One of the many benefits of the EMR solution is its patient portal and electronic prescribing tool. The portal allows patients to complete their intake forms prior to their appointment, saving time for both the patients and physician. Having the intake form automatically populate the patient’s chart eliminates double data entry, saving the practice countless hours. Millennium also provides solutions to USAMCO’s hospitals, Independent Physician Associations (IPA’s) to form the basis of early Health Information Exchanges (HIE’s). Additional specialized solutions include hematology/oncology, pediatric rehabilitation, cardiology and imaging.

EMR Integration

2009-10-30T15:40:00.000-04:00

I recently had conversations with consultants where I learned a lack of awareness on their part as it relates to the capabilities of medical transcription companies to help them and their clients be more successful. It is important for those involved in helping the medical community adopt such technology that they are also aware of solutions which can help physicians overcome some of the shortfalls in EMR technology.

One EMR consultant said his objective in helping clients identify and implement the right EMR solution is to find one which limits the disruptions in how they practice today. In many instances, his clients have dictated for a long time and would like to continue doing so, but he was unaware of our abilities to integrate into EMR systems and deliver dictated data directly into the patient record. With this knowledge he can be more successful in meeting his clients needs while helping them adopt the right technology for their practice.

The bottom line is that dictation is up to 9 times faster than direct text entry according to the AC Group. Furthermore, according to a study performed by MTIA, medical transcription maintains 98% accuracy vs. 85% direct text entry and voice recognition combined. If a medical practice cannot afford these gaps then a consultant should be prepared to advise their clients continue dictating by using a service organization who can seamlessly integrate with their chosen technology.

EHR Implementation Guide

2009-10-27T13:45:00.000-04:00

The Physician's Foundation has released a guide to assist physician's in the EMR selection process. Electronic Medical Record Implementation Guide, The Link to a Better Future is a guide designed to assist physicians and practice managers to learn about the benefits of an EHR, understand the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), assess their readiness and prepare for implementation.

Pennsylvania eHealth Initiative - PAeHI

2009-10-22T11:52:00.001-04:00

R+B Sten-Tel's Peter Minio wrote an article in PA-AHDI's newsletter, The Keystone Kopy regarding membership in PAeHI. As a Pennsylvania based transcription organization, R+B Sten-Tel feels that involvement on a state level is important. Peter serves PA-AHDI as a LIG chair and represents them at PAeHI. It is important to participate in this group because they are helping guide the future of health information technology in Pennsylvania. Read his article.

R+B Sten-Tel on LinkedIn

2009-10-20T09:01:00.000-04:00

R+B Sten-Tel is now on LinkedIn. Join our group and stay on top of the innovative solutions we have to support the medical community with Health Information Management (HIM) products and services.

Transciption Provider for Valley Preferred

2009-10-09T16:13:00.001-04:00

R+B Sten-Tel has signed an agreement with Valley Preferred as the exclusive provider of transcription services in their Preferred Vendor program. “This is an exciting opportunity for us. Valley Preferred opens the door to an entire region. Our partnership says to Valley Preferred members that we’ve been vetted and they can trust us,” according to Peter Minio, Director of Business Development for R+B Sten-Tel.

They will work together by offering R+B Sten-Tel’s services to physician members within the Valley Preferred network. They now have a clear choice to consider with respect to outsourcing their clinical documentation needs. Medical Transcription is taking spoken words and transferring them into an electronic format. It is a proven platform to increase physician productivity and maintaining high quality.

Valley Preferred is a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO). The Valley Preferred network includes more than 3700 DOCTORS and 18 HOSPITALS throughout 11 counties in Eastern Pennsylvania.

Benefits of Outsourcing

2009-10-07T12:14:00.000-04:00

Beyond cost savings, there are other benefits one can achieve by outsourcing certain functions of a practice such as transcription. Sue Kay of Efficiency in Practice wrote a great article highlighting 5 benefits of outsourcing beyond cost. It includes increased expertise, competitive advantage, management resources, management focus and reduction in risk.

Transcription in the EHR Age

2009-10-02T12:34:00.003-04:00

Recently a colleague of mine forwarded me an article by Ken Congdon of Healthcare Technology Online, "Transcription in the EHR Age." He stresses the pitfalls practices experience while implementing an EHR primarily because of how drastically it changes a physician's behavior and recognizes challenges with respect to quality and data accuracy. Ken suggests that transcription in conjunction with the EHR can address many of the challenges associated with implementation. Using the technology transcription companies have available now, dictated information can be converted to text by a Medical Transcriptionist and inserted directly into an EMR. R+B Sten-Tel offeres such a solution today with EntriPoint. In other words, Medical Transcription can be a catalyst for EMR adoption.

Medical Transcription - The Future

2009-09-24T11:55:00.006-04:00

As I meet with prospective clients I am coming across a question which is growing in it's frequency: "Isn't medical transcription going away?" Folks marketing voice recognition and EMR technology have done a good job professing that their solutions are the nail in the coffin for outsourced transcription services.

I tell my prospective clients that it depends on the practice and physicians. Voice Recognition technology has become a tool which helps improve productivity, but it doesn't replace human intelligence. There is still a certain percentage of each document which needs to be edited. A study by the AC Group finds that traditional EHR data-entry is 9 times longer than narrative dictation/transcription. Users come to a crossroad where they need to weigh the balance between the cost of transcription and the loss of productivity.

Even with EMR and Voice Recognition technology there is still a need for human intelligence. Specifically, a practice that needs to remain productive and not lose patient visits due to productivity shortfalls will continue with dictation/transcription. Furthermore, although in it's infancy, Discrete Reportable Transcription - DRT is the answer many are looking for by combining the efficiencies and quality gains of medical transcription with the value of discrete data.

EMRs Cutting Doctor-Patient Time

2009-09-21T11:05:00.003-04:00

A recent article in American Medical News "Don't let EMRs cut into your doctor-patient time" describes a situation where the interaction between a physician and his patient is diminished and less intimate because he was stuck behind a computer screen trying to document the encounter.

That's what DRT - Discrete Reportable Transcription is all about. Why force a doctor to type his or her own note or search for the right diagnosis on a computer screen. Physicians should be focused on their patients, not their keyboards. DRT allows physicians to dictate their patient visits, leaving more time to improve their patient's health. The transcribed information is delivered directly into the system as discrete data.

The Value of Discrete Data

2009-09-18T16:41:00.005-04:00

With Discrete Reportable Transcription (DRT) a dictated note can be inserted into a patient's medical record within a practice wide EMR. The difference between DRT and a standard import feature many EMR provders offer is that a DRT solution inserts discrete data. With the data being discrete, even a dictated and transcribed portion of a patient encounter allows for the same benefits one would receive through other means of documenting such an encounter within the EMR itself. Therefore, it allows for searching or reporting on data within an EMR which has been dictated. For example, discrete data makes it easy if a Practice Manager wants to find out how many patients have a history of smoking or an Orthopaedic practice needs to find out who has been referred to a certain Physical Therapist. DRT isn't just transcription, because the data provided becomes much more valuable than words. Make sure your EMR is DRT enabled.

Transcription and Legislative Issues

2009-09-17T11:41:00.009-04:00

The association representing Medical Transcriptionists in Pennsylvania (PA-AHDI) has asked Peter Minio of R+B Sten-Tel to be the Committee Chairperson of their Legislative Issues Group (LIG). Peter is honored that PA-AHDI asked him to support the transcription industry in this way. Along with his role representing the organization in the PA eHealth Initiative, Peter will keep the group up-to-date on legislative issues effecting the industry so that as an association they can proactively address or support those issues.

Bones of PA - Orthopaedic Administrators

2009-09-14T15:51:00.005-04:00

R+B Sten-Tel will be participating at the Bones of PA annual conference at Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mt. Pocono, Pennsylvania. Bones of PA is a State Society of Orthopaedic Administrators. In addition, R+B Sten-Tel is a Preferred Vendor in providing medical transcription services to it's membership.

Meaningful Use

2009-09-14T11:18:00.003-04:00

Click here to follow dialogue on meaningful use with HHS and ONCHIT. This is the page within HHS which provides all relevant information and documents pertaining to the development of "meaningful use" guildelines as they pertain to ARRA funding.

Why Outsource Medical Transcription?

2009-09-13T21:27:00.008-04:00

In today's environment there is a growing need for accurate clinical documentation produced in a timely fashion. By outsourcing the medical transcription function, a practice can focus on managing the daily operations and not worry if they have enough qualified transcriptionists to get the job done. Companies like R+B Sten-Tel provide total outsourcing as well as overflow outsourcing, but most of all offer peace of mind knowing that the job is going to get done.

If you haven't given thought to outsourcing the MT function in your practice, it may be time to investigate this further. In many instances, outsourcing will save you money and lead to higher quality reports with faster turnaround.

R+B Sten-Tel is a Pennsylvania based company offering medical transcription services and other record management solutions to clients nationwide.

Can Transcription Help EMR Implementation?

2009-09-03T15:50:00.003-04:00

The AC Group recently noted a 73% failure rate of EMRs due to usability frustrations. Part of that is the fact that many EMRs do not offer a comprehensive dictation/transcription solution as part of their documentation process. Instead they rely on the physicians to enter the data in themselves. The medical transcription industry has developed technology called Discrete Reportable Transcription (DRT) which enables physicians to document their patient encounters just the way they always have. It provides a choice for documentation. Make sure the EMR you choose is DRT enabled and ensure a successful implementation.

Pennsylvania eHealth Initiative

2009-08-27T12:02:00.006-04:00

Peter Minio of R+B Sten-Tel is representing PA-AHDI as a Charter Member in the Pennsylvania eHealth Initiative (PAeHI). PAeHI was organized several years ago to promote and support the use of Electronic Medical Records (EMR), specifically as a part of a broader statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE). The group has brought together leaders from government, trade organizations, healthcare delivery (hospitals and ambulatory practices) and the vendors who offer products and services which support the health information infrastructure which ultimately make an HIE.

As part of Peter's participation in this group, he has joined the Communication & Education Committee. His contributions will assist the committee in reaching it's goals of supporting and promoting these efforts with an educational focus through various communication channels. Come back to receive updates on the activities of PAeHI.

"Meaningful Use"

2009-08-24T16:52:00.008-04:00

Read a feature article George Catuogno wrote in Healthcare Ledger back in June 2009 titled "HITECH Act Promises EMR Funding to Clinicians with Meaningful Use". George eloquently lays the framework as to why Discrete Reportable Transcription (DRT) can play an important role enabling the successful adoption of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) technology.

The article touches on the pitfalls to EMR implementation but also describes how along with human intelligence, discrete data paired with Natural Language Processing (NLP) can address many of the common setbacks. By way of referencing numerous studies and examples, George demonstrates how a DRT enabled EMR accelerates adoption, eases implementation and adds value by enhancing capabilities.

Digital Transcription

2009-08-24T12:20:00.006-04:00

Service providers offering digital transcription can help make a medical practice more productive. A doctor can dictate a patient encounter quickly. With the click of a button that digital voice file will be transferred to an electronic system such as the one offered by R+B Sten-Tel, where the doctor’s note will be transcribed by a fully trained and experienced Medical Transcriptionist (MT). The client will receive their finished report over a secure web connection.

Other benefits are that many digital dictation and transcription systems are embedded with additional features such as backend Voice Recognition technology and Discrete Reportable Transcription (DRT). Most also have the ability to interface with hospital systems and EHR technology, delivering reports directly. With digital transcription workflow technology, R+B Sten-Tel is able to provide services to clients from coast-to-coast even while headquartered just outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The impact to clients goes beyond productivity as it also can help improve quality and patient care.

Benefits of DRT

2009-08-24T08:45:00.011-04:00

Discrete Reportable Transcription (DRT) is a solution which addresses EMR usability issues. It reduces time spent documenting patient encounters, consults and assessments by supporting narrative dictation with results delivered directly into an EMR/EHR. This affords clinicians more time and intimacy for quality patient care, leaving the clerical work for a trained EMR transcription staff.

DRT allows physicians to use their preferred method of clinical documentation and reduces time spent documenting encounters. It ensures better patient care by allowing a clinician to practice using their natural method of working and increases accuracy with a proven dictation-transcription process by allowing Medical Transcriptionists to be a “second set of eyes.”

R+B Sten-Tel achieves these benefits for clients through their EMR portal, EntriPoint™.

DRT Enabled EHR

2009-08-20T10:53:00.007-04:00

There are hundreds of EHR solutions to choose from, all with variations on how one should document a patient visit. An EHR that has adopted DRT (Discrete Reportable Transcription) technology recognizes the need for physicians to continue dictating as a method for data input. This allows them to continue practicing the way they always have. Therefore, a DRT enabled EHR does not change the way in which physicians interact with their patients nor how they document their encounters and provides an added benefit by delivering discrete data directly into the patient's record.

The Great American EHR boondoggle

2009-08-18T16:53:00.015-04:00

Modern Healthcare recently published an article, "The Great American EHR boondoggle" written by a Medical Director at Virginia Gay Hospital and Clinics in Vinton, Iowa. The essence of his story was how many EHR solutions on the market today force physicians into losing the intimacy they have maintained with their patients. Click here to read the full article.

The medical transcription community meets this need by offering Discrete Reportable Transcription (DRT), a solution when integrated with an existing EHR can allow a physician to practice just the way they always have. Doctors remain productive and can maintain the level of intimacy in their encounters which patients demand.

R+B Sten-Tel offers DRT technology and EHR integration through EntriPoint. Learn More

Is Medical Transcription Going Away?

2009-08-13T16:41:00.006-04:00

In the age of EHR technology and with almost $20B dedicated as an incentive to physicians who adopt this technology as part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), one would think the medical transcription industry doesn’t have much life left. This holds especially true when thinking of a widespread view initiated by the EMR community as part of their value proposition that transcription can simply be replaced with this technology.

However, that view is not held by everyone, including several influential industry leaders who believe that Discrete Reportable Transcription (DRT) can actually help accelerate the adoption process of EMR technology while alleviating some of the pitfalls which in many instances lead to an unsuccessful implementation. Mark Anderson of the AC Group explains in this video clip he did for MTIA.

Data Backup and Recovery

2009-08-10T14:54:00.007-04:00

R+B Sten-Tel has partnered with Proven Backup a White Plains, NY based IT company offering online backup service to clients across the country. We will add the backup service to our offerings as part of an overall effort to provide clients with a comprehensive suite of solutions.

This compliments our current offerings very well. Many practices do not appropriately backup their data effectively and as more adopt EHR technology, their current backup processes may put them at risk. Proven backup is a solution which securely and effectively protects their data from potentially harmful events, enabling clients to recover any lost data.

To learn more about Proven Backup and how this secure, online system works, visit R+B Sten-Tel.

AHDI & MTIA Advocacy Summit

2009-08-10T14:07:00.015-04:00

In February 2009 the Obama Administration passed the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), which was inclusive of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act). Through this legislation, physicians will receive incentives if they prove “meaningful use” of EHR technology. The Department for Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology (ONCHIT) have yet to determine the criteria for “meaningful use.”

Members of both the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity and Medical Transcription Association organized on Capitol Hill this past June advocating how medical transcription can and should play a role in the qualifications for “meaningful use.” Studies show narrative dictation/transcription method is a proven productivity tool and increases accuracy of clinical documentation.

To learn more read Medical Transcription : A Proven Accelerator of EHR Adoption, a white paper explaining how Medical Transcription can help meet some of the usability challenges physicians face with EMR implementation.

New Web Site Coming Soon

2009-06-11T17:17:00.001-04:00

R+B Sten-Tel will be releasing a new web site with improved functionality. We will also be adding a "library" section to include white papers and other industry related resources.