What’s In a Name?
There’s a saying that says “A rose by any other name is still a rose.” And I suppose that’s true. So what’s really in a name? What does it tell us. Let’s take a minute and look at how our profession has evolved.
A Bit of History
I remember the days where one of my first job titles was “medical stenographer.” I sure didn’t like that one. We’ve gone from clerks, to typists, to clerk-typists, stenographers, and just about everything in between. We’ve had to push for the title of medical transcriptionist. Not too many years ago, the phrase “medical language specialist” started popping up. I can’t say I was ever too keen on that because if I were an author of medical textbooks, I could be a medical language specialist.
Oh yes, and let’s not forget the absurd. When we started seeing speech recognition technology being used, I recall one vendor/speaker who wanted to call us “correctionists.” Now he would deny that today, but I was there for at least one presentation where that was the way we were referred to! Nope, didn’t like that one either. So then we became editors, at least most places.
Why Does It Matter?
Some might say why does it matter? Really, it’s been tough for anyone outside of our profession to really understand what we do. We have always had to explain it. I remember once saying “No, that does not mean I type the labels for your prescriptions.”
Today I am a firm believer that it does indeed matter what we call ourselves. Here’s some sad reality for you. The term “medical transcriptionist” is becoming synonymous with the phrase “costs way too much money” in today’s electronic world. Simply put, we are seen as a pure cost center that generates nothing toward the bottom line except a lot of red ink. Now before you get on a rampage here, yes, you and I both know that nothing happens in billing without what we do. Nothing happens in litigation without those documents. But that’s something we know among ourselves, not something that is very easily understood by the rest of the world in health care.
Today, health care is all about the electronic health record. It’s about data and how to be sure that data is available electronically. And yes, today, “medical transcription” still isn’t understood as the way that the data is generated. Technology vendors are perhaps the group who most use the phrase “medical transcription,” second only to those of us in the industry. And you know how they use it? To talk about how the cost of what we do will disappear in the electronic health record setting.
A New Name!
I’ve been chairing the AHDI Model Curriculum task for this past year. You’ve heard me talk about this group before, they are hard workers and really dedicated. They took on the challenge of poking the box and seeing how we can prepare a curriculum that meets the future needs of the industry. In perhaps one of the biggest “poke the box” moves I’ve seen in our industry for awhile, we looked at the name as well. We found one we believe is great, and two weeks ago, the changes in the model curriculum were unanimously approved by the AHDI National Leadership Board. Are you ready for it?
Clinical Documentation Specialist
I love this new title. It speaks to what we do. And yes, there will be people who don’t like it, don’t think it’s right for our role, etc., etc. We have often been chastised for considering using the word “clinical,” and yet I disagree. We aren’t clinicians, but the documentation we produce is indeed clinical documentation. The word “clinical” gets attention and speaks to those who are putting together the electronic health record. It also speaks to our knowledge and understanding of clinical medicine.
Time to Stand Up!
Now it will be up to us, those professionals in this industry. Here’s my challenge to you: Embrace the new name. Start now to use it. Start telling people you work in clinical documentation. Be bold about it, hold your head high, and don’t let someone deter you from claiming it as your own. It’s past time for us to stop letting someone else define us and what we do. It’s time to take charge of writing our own story. It’s time we do that ourselves.
What will you do to be a part of this change?
Related posts:
Tagged with: future of medical transcription • writing your life story
Filed under: Future of Medical Transcription
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
I guess my first question would be why they settled on “new” title they tried to give us already once before that is the same as the one AHIMA uses (Google search yields pages of listings for it) for their clinical documentation specialist credential? This is the very first listing (in literally pages and pages of Google listings) for what they apparently have been calling a CDS for a good long time now. I simply don’t see how there is not going to be a bit of conflict with that?
This quote is from that Google list …
“Discover what are Clinical Documentation Specialists (CDS) and necessary skill sets for …” http://www.ahima.org/ContinuingEd/Campus/courseinfo/cdi.aspx
Nae
[Reply]
Kathy Reply:
December 5th, 2011 at 9:52 am
Nae, this is one thing that we were also asked. It’s actually not the same. What AHIMA has is a Clinical Documentation Improvement Professional. Their new credential is actually a C-DIP. There is another organization that already has claimed the Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist (CDIS). We actually did look into all of those things before coming up with something we felt worked.
[Reply]
So, how exactly do y’all plan to counteract the inevitable confusion … If I do a Google search for CDS and all that pops up is Ahima links isn’t that gonna be a bit of a problem?
Nae
[Reply]
Kathy Reply:
December 5th, 2011 at 10:02 am
Nae, I really think that’s about marketing. More important, it’s about how we define ourselves. The reality is we already have to explain who we are and what we do, only now with the title of “medical transcriptionist” it’s automatically seen as a cost center that can go away. Somehow we have to get associated with what’s happening in the EHR world if we expect to see a profession survive and change with how health care is changing. I believe this is a good first step.
[Reply]
Kathy Reply:
December 5th, 2011 at 10:05 am
And by the way, my Google search also pulls up HCPro and their credential as well as the new Clinical Documentation Professional course that’s offered at the EHR Training Academy on the first page, so it’s not all AHIMA.
[Reply]
Kathy Reply:
December 5th, 2011 at 10:31 am
Let’s be really clear as well. This is a change to the Model Curriculum, which is the title that will be used going forward to train those we have called “medical transcriptionists.” It makes no change to the credential as that’s the scope of another committee. Hope that helps clarify it.
[Reply]
Winston Reply:
December 5th, 2011 at 11:58 am
Kathy is this an attempt to promote EHR Training Academy?
Tell us again what exactly is your association with EHR Training Academy? Just as I am tired of as you say “The term “medical transcriptionist” is becoming synonymous with the phrase “costs way too much money””, I am also tired of advantageous people using scare tactics to get us to enroll in their programs. By the way, you forgot a title that we can still use without having to go back to school and get a credential: Medical Language Specialists. I still like that one.
[Reply]
Kathy Reply:
December 5th, 2011 at 12:25 pm
I’m really sorry you see this as a scare tactic, it sure wasn’t meant that way. It’s simply a reporting on the changes that have been approved in the Model Curriculum, changes that I believe better prepares our profession for the future. My connection to the EHR Training Academy has never been a secret; it’s my site and I operate the courses there with another educator. The introduction course is offered in a partnership with AHDI. The other courses are not. If someone already understands the EHR, then I believe they’re set. If they don’t, it could be more challenging. There’s nothing about any of the EHR courses that are about getting a credential, although I do think credentials are important. I also think there are others, like you, who like the term “Medical Language Specialist,” it is just my opinion that it really doesn’t say much to position us in the EHR world that we are all dealing with. Hope that clears things up a bit and thanks for asking.
I like the name…a LOT. I’ve never cared too much for the title of medical transcriptionist as I have always felt we were more than THAT particular title.
I am extremely interested in positioning myself with the times. I think too many MTs stick their feet in the sand instead of carving a path to continue on. Technology is ever-changing and as MTs, er, clinical documentation specialists, aren’t we, by job description alone, to be flexible? I know if I’m not flexible I won’t have clients for very long, lol. They change their minds all the time.
Certainly change is not easy, but if we aren’t changing in some fashion, we are S-T-U-C-K. Acceptance is the key really. Accept the change as it’s the only way to open doors. Either stick our feet in the sand and say we’re not changing or be out of jobs? Hmmm, pretty simple choice, IMO.
Thanks, as always, Kathy for everything you’re doing for our field.
[Reply]
Kathy Reply:
December 5th, 2011 at 1:14 pm
Thanks, Nicole. I really do think that’s what it is about, positioning ourselves. And it really is time for us to take control of that. The healthcare industry is changing so fast that sometimes it’s tough to keep up! I’m glad you stopped by today.
[Reply]
Nicole C Reply:
December 5th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
I am always, always reading your blogs, Kathy. It’s unfortunate that I rarely have a chance to post. Things are really busy for me (not complaining in the least).
I truly believe you have a gift for looking ahead. I also believe folks need to wake up and smell the coffee so to speak. I really admire you, Kathy. Thank you for welcoming me to your community with open arms.
Don’t let anyone burst this bubble. This is a big step in the right direction!
~Nicole
Clinical Documentation Specialist
[Reply]
I like “Clinical Documentation Specialist” and will happily use it. It does seem more accurate today and more relevant to what we actually do than any of the other terms.
[Reply]
I agree with Nicole and Charmaine. I am more than an MT. I am a Clinical Documentation Specialist. And, yes, either way the name has to be explained. As with any other acronym you can do a search on it and come up with many things not related to the medical field. As Nicole commented, if we don’t go with the flow we are S-T-U-C-K and I don’t want to be in that category.
[Reply]
I think Clinical Documentation Specialist is very appropriate.
I am currently enrolled in one of the certificate programs funded by the HITECH act. In my Foundations in Informatics class, we are currently discussing selection and roll out of an EHR, including staff to include on a task force charged with initial decisions. Most of my classmates are already working with an EHR (they are nurses, doctors, and IT folks). I found a post by one of my classmates applicable to the discussion here: “We do have 2 of our unit secretaries on our CPOE project. This is a bit difficult for them though, because they feel as though they are helping us to phase out their jobs. They have been assured that their positions are not being eliminated, but their concern is understandable because the bulk of what they do now is enter hand-written physician orders into our current system. But you are right, their support of the unit is essential and they should be involved in redefining roles as technology changes them.” I’m going to ask her about the role they see for these secretaries after EHR adoption and will report back.
[Reply]
Kathy Reply:
December 7th, 2011 at 8:21 am
Susan, I think that’s what we are seeing in a lot of areas. Instead of figuring out new roles and how our roles can be enhanced, people just get afraid that it means their job will be eliminated. I think there are a lot of great opportunities and we’re seeing new roles emerge almost daily. It’s not a gloomy future at all if you have the knowledge to put with the skillset we already have!
[Reply]
Susan Reply:
December 9th, 2011 at 1:17 pm
So, the response was sort of general but interesting anyway:
Yes Susan, they are very interested in knowing what they will be doing as well. Obviously they are still needed to answer the phones and the unit I work on is a secure unit so someone always has to be at the desk to screen visitors and buzz them in. Does this sound like a very fulfilling or challenging job if this is all there is left for them to do? For 12 hours at a time? NO!! So somebody definitely needs to put some thought into redefining the role since the word is that they will not be let go. I like your description of what (Kathy) is doing. I think she is really on to something and could do very well for herself. A couple of months ago I went to a seminar on nursing documentation and the law which was advertised to lead you to think this was about electronic documentation. I went with a couple of coworkers and we were very excited to get tips about how to make sure we were documenting well now that we are doing it differently. We were disappointed to find this was basically a rehash of stuff we learned in nursing school with very little useful information. Someone who could design something more effective and applicable to the new world we work in would do very well because this is probably every healthcare workers biggest fear right now – am I doing this right?
[Reply]
Does clinical automatically imply medical? The first thing that popped into my head is will people know this is in the medical field.
[Reply]
Kathy Reply:
December 7th, 2011 at 11:35 am
Yes, Lisa, I do think the word “clinical” implies medical. I think this new wording also fits very well with what we’re seeing as roles and titles in the EHR world as these new roles emerge.
[Reply]
I still think if you are going to be using the title Clinical Documentation Specialist it implies you have coding and querying knowledge. Look at any job posting and they generally require an advanced medical degree such as R.N.or at least a college level HIM degree.
While it would be nice to just adopt a professional sounding name like Clinical Documentation Specialist I think you’d need to look a little further into how that title may get misconstrued. While we transcriptionists do have a vast amount of clinical knowledge, unless you’ve gone through a coding and/or RHIT program, chances are you have no knowledge or experience in coding, querying, CMS guidelines, and healthcare reimbursement.
From the Association for Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists website:
Clinical documentation specialists possess knowledge of a wide range of specialized disciplines, including education in anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, and pharmacology; knowledge of official medical coding guidelines, CMS, and private payer regulations related to the Inpatient Prospective Payment System; an ability to analyze and interpret medical record documentation and formulate appropriate physician queries; and an ability to benchmark and analyze clinical documentation program performance.
The Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist credential has been created to provide a mark of distinction for this unique profession. Applicants who pass the certifying exam receive the designation CCDS.
[Reply]
Winston Reply:
December 9th, 2011 at 3:09 pm
Also, if you want to take your transcription skills to the next level in Health Information Management, find and accredited school. Here is the link:
http://cahiim.org/
Don’t just change your name, get up to date skills.
[Reply]
Great minds … I’d been mulling over this very thing, especially after participating in a recent discussion about MTs taking the initiative to “reinvent ourselves”. It’s long overdue. The term “medical transcriptionist” focuses more on the mechanics of what we do (and how we’ve done it for years, which is changing so fast that some of us may need Dramamine for the ride) than our knowledge — which is what makes us valuable, not our keyboarding speed.
I also thought of Clinical Documentation Specialist, believe it or not! But (as mentioned above) there may be some confusion about that — particularly when such a title already exists and is geared to the IT side of things. See clinicaldocumentationspecialist dot org.
With just one word changed, however — to Medical Documentation Specialist — we’d have not only a name that isn’t duplicated or near-duplicated, or too similar to something that’s already “out there”, but also a natural mental bridge for MTs to think of ourselves as still “medical”, just better defined in terms of what we bring to the table. We haven’t been “clinical” transcriptionists all this time, after all.
Just a thought.
[Reply]
Kathy Reply:
January 28th, 2012 at 8:50 am
Thanks for stopping by and adding to the conversation, Mona. I believe the difference in the wording “medical” and “clinical” really speaks to the changes we are seeing in the healthcare industry. For those outside of our industry it is that word “clinical” that says someone has medical knowledge. That’s why it was chosen. The similar titles that exist out there all include the word “improvement,” which makes those positions relate to maximizing reimbursement related to billing and coding. Right now, that part doesn’t fit what we do and is the difference in the two roles. I do believe that if we don’t start claiming the titles that are being used in this new world, we will continue to be seen as the commodity that can go away with the use of technology. You are right that this requires MTs to rethink how they view themselves. It’s almost a total rebranding of the profession, which I really think we need!
[Reply]
I like it, but where does that leave our CMT certification? Will that be revamped to Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist as well?
[Reply]