Medical Transcriptionist

In acute care hospitals, medical transcriptionists edit documents such as:

• discharge summaries
• history and physical examination reports
• operative and procedure reports
• consultation reports
• pathology reports
• diagnostic imaging reports
• obstetrical reports
• referral letters.

Transcribed medical reports become permanent records of medical, scientific and legal value. Medical transcriptionists authenticate health-care documents produced through audio recordings and voice-recognition technology. Timely and accurate completion is required to ensure quality patient care.

In medical clinics and offices, medical transcriptionists often have additional office responsibilities, such as:

• receiving patients
• scheduling appointments
• answering the telephone
• handling incoming and outgoing mail
• completing and submitting billing claims to Alberta Health Services
• maintaining electronic medical records.

Medical transcriptionists work in office environments and spend most of their time listening, editing and typing on a computer keyboard. They may be required to sit for an extended period of time. Medical transcriptionists typically work regular office hours, but some evening or weekend work may be required.

Some experienced medical transcriptionists work from their homes, providing medical transcription services to health regions, private physicians or private medical transcription agencies.

Medical transcriptionists need the following characteristics:

• excellent written communication skills
• a good command of the English language 
• an aptitude for languages
• analytical and translation skills
• the ability to work quickly and accurately
• the ability to maintain confidentiality
• the ability to work with little direction and supervision from others
• a willingness to keep up to date with new medical terminology related to medical and surgical specialties.

Transcriptionists employed in clinics also need good interpersonal skills. Those employed in other types of environments should enjoy working in a quiet environment without a lot of patient contact.  

All medical transcriptionists should enjoy work that requires attention to detail.

Most medical transcriptionists are employed in settings where large numbers of physician-dictated patient reports are transcribed:

• hospitals
• medical research facilities
• medical laboratories
• diagnostic imaging centres.

Others are employed in:

• medical clinics
• physicians' offices
• coroner or medical examiner offices
• university medical schools
• medical insurance companies
• government agencies (for example, Workers' Compensation Board)
• medical transcription companies.

Some self-employed medical transcriptionists provide transcription services on a contract basis.

Experienced transcriptionists may advance to supervisory positions in hospitals and other health-care facilities where a number of transcriptionists are employed.

Medical transcriptionists are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 1251: Court reporters, medical transcriptionists and related occupations. In Alberta, 75% of people employed in this classification work in the following industries:

• Health Care and Social Assistance
• Business, Building and Other Support Services .

The employment outlook in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

• trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the industries listed above)
• location in Alberta
• employment turnover (work opportunities generated by people leaving existing positions)
• occupational growth (work opportunities resulting from the creation of new positions that never existed before)
• size of the occupation.

Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.

Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) website: www.aupe.org

Canadian Union of Public Employee (CUPE) website: www.cupe.ca

Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) website: www.hsaa.ca

For more information on career planning, education and jobs, visit the Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) website, call the Alberta Career Information Hotline toll-free at 1-800-661-3753 or 780-422-4266 in Edmonton, or visit an Alberta Works Centre near you.