Criss Spoto
Operations Technology & QA Manager
Amphion Medical Solutons
Part of our job often involves research. We must be 100% certain of correct medical terminology, spellings, and context. How long does it take to find what you’re looking for, and is your method as reliable as it should be?
1. Pick a primary, secondary, and tertiary source, primary being Benchmark KB/Stedman’s. Have it open and ready to use before beginning the first report of your work shift. Google can be a great help, but it’s risky to rely on Google. It might seem quickest, but keep in mind anyone with a computer can set up a website and place just about any information they want there, true or not. Many search results will include Wiki, which is not proven reliable. We have to be able to scrutinize and recognize what’s reliable from those search results.
NOTE: If you happen upon a term unfamiliar to you, just because a reliable source shows it as a valid term with a certain spelling doesn’t mean it is correct for the context in your report. Especially when unfamiliar, we must dig deeper to ensure we are leaving the correct information in medical reports. No exceptions. Ever.
a. Make one of your choice resources the web page for the account facility you’re working in. This helps with staff names and local information.
2. If you happen upon a website that does prove to be solid and reputable, save it as a favorite/bookmark. Careful not to save too many different choices as favorites, though – the object of the game is to find what you’re looking for as quickly as possible. Roaming through more than 3 resource choices is counterproductive.
3. It pays to be organized. Going through all your saved research to categorize and catalog everything so it can be quick and easy to find when you need it can save a lot of time in the long run. This is one of those tasks best tackled while we’re not racing the clock to produce lines. Haste really does make waste.
4. Going back and forth between accounts? Some days it just cannot be avoided. Are you prepared? Take a proactive approach. Before beginning your workday, expect to need the very latest updated account instructions for each account you may encounter. Have them ready or be able to bring them up within nanoseconds, and better yet, before beginning the shift, take some time to review them. Know how to find exactly what you might be looking for within the document.
5. Resist temptation to stray. When you find a site that may have what you’re looking for in the report you’re currently transcribing or editing, it might spark your interest and you may be tempted to keep reading. Once you have the missing piece to your puzzle, place it and move on. You can bookmark the site to read more later while you’re not trying to produce lines.
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