| The concept of a DRT-enabled EHR is simple. | | | | of the final note is cut by more than 50%-an |
| Physicians would be allowed to continue to dictate | | | | average of $6,000 annually per physician who has |
| their findings and clinical assessments in their own | | | | elected dictation over handwritten notes. More |
| words, but the transcribed output would be | | | | importantly, the transcription comes back into the |
| entered directly into the EHR as discreet | | | | EHR as discreet clinical findings, thereby improving |
| recordable data. Using this methodology, physicians | | | | clinical documentation, coding, and outcomes. A |
| would not have to change the way they practice | | | | DRT-enabled EHR allows physicians who have |
| medicine or the manner in which they interact | | | | elected to dictate in the past to continue this |
| with patients. Instead of reviewing a paper chart, | | | | practice while cutting their transcription costs in |
| the physician reviews electronic clinical data that | | | | half and generating a clinical note via the EHR. |
| have been created via the aforementioned data | | | | Two companies that are pioneering DRT-enabled |
| entry methods (eg, data conversions, data | | | | EHRs are CureMD and McKesson Practice Partner. |
| interfaces, data entered by the patient or nurse, | | | | Both of these companies have embraced the |
| and ICE) before entering the room with the | | | | concept of extracting discreet clinical data from |
| patient and then follow their usual workflow. The | | | | dictations. Using this novel method of data entry, |
| physician talks with the patient, performs the | | | | physicians can use an EHR without having to |
| required physical examination, and then discusses | | | | perform any data entry. Although the concept of |
| their clinical interpretation and treatment plan as | | | | a DRT-enabled EHR is quite new, numerous |
| per their usual protocol. | | | | physician focus groups have shown that a high |
| After the physician dictates their findings, they | | | | percentage of physicians (87%) are extremely |
| plant it directly into the EHR as an electronic wave | | | | interested in the DRT-enabled EHR concept; thus, |
| file, which would be transmitted to a local or | | | | it may be an answer to boosting adoption rates. |
| remote transcriptionist for electronic transcription. | | | | Regardless, if the EHR marketplace is not |
| Since 63% of the typical transcription is already | | | | revolutionized by 2012, we might still be looking at |
| gathered electronically via the various data | | | | EHR adoption rates of less than 20% across the |
| collection methodologies, the cost for the creation | | | | nation. |