Gone are the days when a transcriptionist would decipher a doctor's dictated notes and then type them into a report.

Now, the hospital system uses voice-recognition technology that enables computers to produce drafts of doctors' dictation. Transcriptionists edit the drafts.

The system, called eScription, has improved productivity and allowed the hospital system to make money by editing transcription for other companies.

"It's definitely great for patient care," because the medical reports are turned around more quickly, said Darla Foltz, director of transcription at Mount Carmel. The medical record is "absolutely critical" to patient care, and getting it to employees quickly and accurately is important, she said.

Before, it typically took two hours after dictation for radiology reports to be delivered to radiologists. That's been reduced to 18 minutes.

Enhanced ability to ensure accuracy and efficiency is a definite trend in the health-care industry, according to the Ohio Hospital Association.

OhioHealth's central Ohio hospitals, including Doctors Hospital, Grady Memorial, Grant Medical Center and Riverside Methodist, also are using voice-recognition technology for dictation.

When Mid-Ohio Surgical Associates signed up with Mount Carmel as a customer for the service, the company was told that turnaround time would be 24 hours, said David Hafler, administrator for the practice.

"We were like, we'll believe it when we see it," Hafler said. "Well, we see it."

The surgical group keeps its medical records electronically, so the transcription now can be sent directly into patients' charts, Hafler said.

Bringing in outside work to generate revenue was one goal of the new system, Foltz said. Doctors had been asking for years for the hospital system to do their office work transcription, but the system didn't have the capacity. Now, the hospital system has 24 outside clients.

Productivity has increased 82 percent, Foltz said. Previously, transcriptionists spent three minutes typing for every minute of dictation. Now, when editing a draft, it takes them two minutes for every minute of dictation. Accuracy has increased from 98 percent before the new system to 99 percent.

Nearly all of the employees work from home, on equipment and Internet connections provided by Mount Carmel. They are paid based on production and earn an average of $18.60 an hour for editing.

Employment among transcriptionists has decreased, from 80 to 65. Most of the decrease involved people leaving because of the change in the skill set, Foltz said. The hospital system plans to employ 72 by July.

mcuret@dispatch.com