This guide provides recommended guidelines for the essential elements to be included in the design and implementation of an efficient, secure, risk-free work environment for medical transcription and health information documentation.

Improve and increase production.

Reduce healthcare costs by minimizing injury/illness.

Increase retention and professional longevity.

Ensure regulatory compliance with state and local government requirements as well as federal privacy and security regulations.

1. Scope

1.1 This guide identifies ways to improve the medical transcription workstation, including, but not limited to, the work environment, which encompasses ergonomics and security issues, equipment, references, and tools.

1.2 This guide will assist healthcare managers, vendors, medical transcription service owners, and individual medical transcriptionists to make informed decisions related to the design of an efficient medical transcription work environment compliant with federal regulatory agencies.

1.3 This guide does not address the medical transcription process or training.

1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.

ASTM Standards

E1130 Test Method for Objective Measurement of Speech Privacy in Open Plan Spaces Using Articulation Index

E1869 Guide for Confidentiality, Privacy, Access, and Data Security Principles for Health Information Including Electronic Health Records

E1902 Specification for Management of the Confidentiality and Security of Dictation, Transcription, and Transcribed Health Records

E1988 Guide for Training of Persons who have Access to Health Information

E2117 Guide for Identification and Establishment of a Quality Assurance Program for Medical Transcription

Ergonomic Resources

HIPAA Resources

Keywords

connectivity; ergonomics; HIPAA; medical transcription; medical transcriptionist; peripherals; security; workstation: Medical transcription; Workstations;

ICS Code

ICS Number Code 11.020 (Medical sciences and health care facilities in general)

Citing ASTM Standards

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