Medical transcription businesses are one of the most widespread types of internet home business. More and more physicians and clinics are opting to externalize transcription services, either to specialized agencies or to small home-based businesses.
In order to start such a business, you need to meet a few basic conditions. You have to be familiar to the medical terminology and get some certifications, and then you have to be comfortable transcribing from audio tapes. In order to gain this experience, you may consider getting a part time job with a clinic as a medical transcriber. This will help you learn the specific vocabulary and develop a good transcription rhythm.
Once you have acquired the level of skill to make you a competitive and skilled services provider, you can prepare to start your own home business. Let us give you a quick guideline about how to do this step by step:
1. Get Certified
Certification is a requirement in any field of medicine. As a medical transcriber, you need to hold an Associate degree or you will need to graduate from a one-year certificate program which is available at any community college. This certification is possible only after you have previously successfully completed an accredited course from a medical transcription school.
During this training you will acquire the necessary knowledge regarding the specific terminology used in medical transcription and the legal aspects of health care (HIPAA, patient confidentiality, etc.), as well as elements of human anatomy and health care.
2. Buy and Install the Equipment for the Job
The basic equipment for a home-based medical transcription business is a computer connected to the internet, and a head set and foot pedal to pause and restart the recording as you perform the transcription.
However, certain physicians or clinics may require you to install a separate landline telephone, fax line, or specific software to ensure complete security of the data you are receiving from them and processing.
3. Start Gathering References
Given the large number of home businesses providing medical transcription services, references are a must if you want to secure contracts with clinics. Good reference contacts are the teachers who trained you and observed you during the certification process and any previous employers for which you performed audio transcription work (even if it is not related to the medical field).
4. Network in Your Local Area
Define a manageable radius around your home and find all the clinics and private practices. You should introduce yourself to them, leave your resume, and try to gather as much information about the practice and their workload in terms of medical transcription. Sometimes you may start a project-based collaboration with a client which in time will turn into a full-time contract, so do not refuse working for one-time projects when their workload exceeds their current abilities to cover it internally.
In any kind of business, but especially when you are on your own managing a home-based business, networking skills are essential. If you need to hone them, and brush up your resume and cover letter, do not hesitate to ask for help – it is a wise investment in your future.
5. Set up a Website
Although this is the last tip in our list, it should be one of your top priorities. Besides person-to-person interactions, you should strive to get as many qualified people (private medical practitioners, office managers in clinic, etc.) to browse your website. Prepare professional-looking business cards and attach them to your resume. Include your website in your bio section on the social media and demonstrate your skills through the content you share on your site.
As you can see, running a home-based medical transcription business requires some prerequisite skills and certifications. If you have already worked as an employee or are willing to pursue a new set of certifications, it can be a great opportunity for you to become your own boss and run your own little business.