way the system needs them to do it.
“When we went with RiO (electronic patient record system) it took them ages to get used to doing things that way and now people just do it.”
Challenges with voice recognition also include modifying natural speech in order to fit the technology’s requirements to work at its greatest potential, the length of time spent checking and length of transcriptions.
Wells said: “Forensic documents tend to be very lengthy; the average report is about eight to ten pages, so it’s not just short letters that they are just checking.
“Initially the checking time will probably not be much less than what it would take them to type it, but once you start seeing the accuracy levels improve, there will be less time spent proofing.
“Voice recognition requires the doctors to alter their style of dictation a bit – if they’re doing a date, for example, they’ll say ‘14th
job of training it, and clinicians are worried they’re going to lose their secretaries if they have voice recognition.
“That’s not really going to happen, but they may have a slightly different support structure in future.”
This redistribution of the workload could free up admin time to be spent on other activities, thus creating more efficiencies.
of July’ but you have to say it in a specific way for the software to pick it up. You have to say ‘full stop’, you have to punctuate your dictation, which a lot of them don’t.”
She said that most of the doctors were getting used to it and seeing the benefits, but admitted it was a struggle for some.
Consequences The future of voice recognition and
digital dictation in general may involve unlocking further potential in savings, but there can still be a disinclination for staff to participate in new ways of working that they fear could eventually cost their jobs.
Wells said: “I do think it will work, but there’s a little bit of reluctance in people to actually train it, both from the clinical and the admin point of view. I think administrators are worried they’re going to lose their jobs if they do too good a
When the trial has reached a point where the Trust can demonstrate the benefits of the technology, Wells believes there will be further take- up, due to its ability to speed up turnaround times.
She said: “Once we get to a point where we can say doctors X, Y and Z are using it, and that it’s working well – that there are a couple of typos that come back on difficult words but mostly it’s fine – then hopefully people will take it up.”
opinion@nationalhealthexecutive.com Tell us what you think
38 national health executive Jan/Feb 12
© Nico Hogg
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