Emdat is pleased to announce the release of Emdat Mobile for Android. The Emdat Mobile application is already very popular on the iPhone, and we are excited to be able to deliver the same easy-to-use application for Android powered devices. The Android app allows physicians to view their patient schedule, dictate, review, and approve transcription. In addition, we’ve introduced a few new features to this version. Android users will be able to see their schedules in different views, review transcription in any part of the workflow, and dictate with Insert, Overwrite and Append options. Emdat is dedicated to the continued development of our Mobile applications — we look forward to bringing these features and more to both platforms in the near future.

You can download and install Emdat Mobile for Android from the Android Market.

You can...

Emdat will be hosting it's fourth User Group Conference December 12-14, 2011 in Scottsdale, AZ at the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North.

Register now for this great opportunity to learn and network with peers and Emdat leaders. Session topics include Emdat’s latest advances in mobile applications, EMR integration, voice understanding and meaningful use, in addition to industry trends, new technologies, effective marketing techniques and HIPAA. Early registration rates apply before September 15, 2011. For more information, visit our 2011 User Conference page.

The 2011 Emdat User Conference will be held December 12-14, 2011 at the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North Scottsdale, AZ

Emdat clients are invited to join us as we summit in the sun to discuss industry trends and new technologies.  Enjoy compelling presentations and question-and-answer sessions while networking with peers and Emdat leaders.  Learn about Emdat's latest advances in mobile apps, EMR integration, voice recognition and qualified text.  Discover how to maximize your use of the suite of applications and employ effective marketing techniques.

We have secured the amazing room rate of $163 per night plus tax. Rooms include magnificent desert views and gas-burning fireplaces.  This breathtaking property offers a luxurious spa, access to renowned courses at Troon North Golf Club, and exquisite dining.   

More information on this rewarding event will be available in the next few months. 

Make the most of Emdat's applications! Join us in Madison, WI for a three day training class June 8th-10th. You'll learn the basics as well as the advanced features of InCommand, InQuiry, InSync, InScribe, and ShadowPrint. Visit the Emdat Training Class category at www.emdathelp.com to sign up!

New features of the latest edition of Emdat Mobile:

Bob Haugen, Chuck Strain and Randy Olver are heading to the Clinical Documentation Industry Association (CDIA) 2011 Annual Conference in Charlotte, NC, April 13-16, 2011. Visit Emdat at booth 207 to learn how Emdat can facilitate EMR adoption by allowing physicians to enjoy all the benefits of an EMR while continuing to dictate.

A recent HISTALK blog post included the following reader-submitted article about the value of transcription in modern healthcare documentation.

Emdat is pleased to announce the release of our newest case study, featuring Valley Transcription. Since partnering with Emdat in 2009, Valley Transcription has enjoyed an increase in business revenue, client satisfaction and MT productivity. Amongst the many benefits of the Emdat suite of applications, Valley Transcription owner Sally Kennel cited physician satisfaction with Emdat's EMR integration capabilities because they can use EMRs without completely restructuring their workflow. She also praised the Emdat technical team and help desk. Emdat thanks Sally for agreeing to share her story.

Emdat now has training videos available exclusively to Emdat clients that cover the setup and operation of our products.

Current Emdat clients, to access Emdat Video Training:

• Log into InCommand
• Select your MTSO Maintenance Tab
• Open the Advanced Maintenance sub-tab and select Video Training.

The training window will show the available videos on the left. When you click on a video, it will start playing on the right.

This is the first of many videos Emdat will have available to users. We will be creating a site specific to MT issues accessible from InScribe, and we will allow MTSOs to grant access to some videos to their clients through InQuiry.

If you have suggestions for topics, please visit our HelpDesk Request page and click on the Feedback icon, or add comments below.

Emdat, Inc. now has a facebook page.  Join our community of fans!

I had the pleasure of working next to Frank Takacs and Angie Lachman from CanScribe at the AHDI meeting in Nashville, TN. CanScribe offers the CanScribe Career Centre which places qualified medical transcriptionists who have completed their course curriculum. Additionally internship opportunities can be offered to MTSOs who want to try out the newly qualified MTs. The MTSOs can get up to 100 hours of free work from these MTs to make sure it is a good fit for both parties.

Congratulations to Bobby Powers and eMedDox for launching their new web site. Bobby has been a partner of Emdat's for quite some time now and has put together some creative marketing ideas to get his message out to the industry. Best of luck Bobby!

I just spoke with one of my new MTSOs and she indicated that the recent power outage in the Midwest had caused her problems. I reminded her that Emdat allows you to outsource within our software other MTSOs. Knowing that you cannot power up the software is an issue but if you develop relationships with other MTSOs on the Emdat platform it would allow you to manage that work flow with their help thus avoiding service interruptions to your clients. You always need a backup plan when you are a MTSO.

Emdat is planning on attending the upcoming MTIA  (Medical Transcription Industry Association)  in Louisville, KY.  The meeting will be held from April 22-25, 2009. Emdat will sponsor a booth with plans to meet with any current MTSOs as well as any new prospects who might be interested in improving their dictation and transcription process flow via Emdat's web based platform. The TASP model is easy to implement and one of the best methods to populate  EMRs via HL7 interfaces. Software as a service is growing in popularity because their is no upfront costs or maintenance required.

If you are a medical transcription service organization or medical facility looking to improve your work flow process you might want to take a look at our flash presentation. Emdat has tried to address the needs of our clients by offering our software as a service. By supplying a totally integrated suite of web based applications, Emdat has helped many transcription organizations grow their businesses and many medical facilities streamline their transcription process. 

Emdat will be having its second annual Users Group Meeting in beautiful Las Vegas, Nevada. The dates will be December 9-11 at the Golden Nugget. We encourage you to register early as there is a cost saving. The theme for this years conference will be "Staying The Course".  Emdat promises to offer as much excitement as last years meeting in New Orleans. We hope you all can join us.

Recently it was brought to my attention that some facilities like to be charged by the page. Although this sounds very attractive at times I truly believe medical transcription companies open themselves up to potential losses by charging in this manner. I have talked to facilities that get charged anywhere from $2 per page to up words of $10 per page. My feelings are that by being too liberal with the definition of a page (not knowing how many lines are transcribed on that page) you potentially set yourself up for unprofitable business. My conversations with a transcription company owner revealed that they were charging $2 per page and that is what the market would bear. Immediately I went into the Emdat reports menu to see how many reports were produced in the past month for that account and then ran a report on how many lines were generated within that month. By dividing the number of reports by the total of number of lines (65 character line with spaces) I figured this company was charging 5.5 cents per line...

Although it should be pretty straightforward to estimate your costs for transcription I have found that it has been very difficult to do a direct comparison without validating numbers. To make a complex comparison simple I will only look at billing by the line and not compare that to other methods of billing (page, word etc.). Generally speaking there are three ways to bill by the line:

The  standard which is 65 characters per line which will include spaces and punctuation. Basic (Gross) Method which counts each carriage return as a line. Microsoft Word which uses an embedded line word counter similar to the basic method. The differences in costs of these three measures can be as different as an apple to an orange.

Let me give you an example....

Emdat, Incorporated 857 Collins Blvd. Covington, Louisiana 70533

AAMT standard calculates this address as 1 line Basic (Gross) calculates this address as 3 lines Word calculates this address as 3...

For the past 50 years, transcription has been the most efficient means of documenting a patient encounter.  During this time frame, the transcription industry has grown to be a multi-billion dollar industry annually.  Doctors love the convenience of dictating the encounter and the time savings they realize. Administrators frown each time they receive a transcription bill and are constantly trying to find a solution that will dramatically decrease or eliminate their transcription cost.

One popular solution to eliminate or reduce transcription costs is to implement an EMR type of system. The system allows clinicians or their staff to document the patient encounter on-line, thereby eliminating or drastically reducing the need for transcription. In a recent article titled “Transcription’s Coopetition with EMR’s”  by Bob Haugen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Emdat, Inc., he explains the problems associated with such an approach. These problems result in loss of revenue for the health care facility.

...

EMRs have been around for some 20 plus years and in that time frame, have slowly been adopted by more and more medical facilities.  Many go into the implementation phase of an EMR based upon the  information received from their EMR vendor during the sales process.  Eliminating transcription is the number one cost justification for purchasing an EMR.  EMR vendors know this is a thorn in the side of medical facilities and any system that can reduce or eliminate transcription would be widely received.  The theory is a sound one.  Take a clinician who dictates and utilizes a transcription service and eliminate that monthly transcription expense by having the doctor use a template on-line within the EMR.  Immediately, the savings are realized in the elimination of transcription expenses.  Administrators rejoice because this was one of the major reasons they elected to implement an EMR.

Within one to two weeks after implementing the EMR and its template features, clinicians are upset because they have increased...