As noted in a previous blog entry, I was contacted by a previous employer who wants me to work as an outside contractor. This work involves reviewing medical records and is very important in matters of litigation, such as workers’ compensation and personal injury cases. So I picked up the batch of medical records yesterday and am now in the process of reviewing them. The work consists of going through every submitted medical records and condensing the reports to just the salient information. In each case, a letter from the attorney’s office is submitted telling the doctor the date of injury (DOI), the mechanism of injury (MOI) and what body parts need to be examined. In the case of worker’s compensation, even though the applicant (injured party) might have several complaints, the attorney instructs the doctor as to what body parts need to be examined. This is a one-time examination because the doctor is not a treating physician.

In the particular medical record review I am doing at the moment, the injured worker sustained injuries to both hands/wrists (carpal tunnel syndrome). Based on the doctor’s examination of the patient and review of the medical records (which I am summarizing for him), he will determine if the patient’s injury was sustained in the course and scope of her employment. The doctor also has to determine periods of temporary and total disability, subjective and objective factors of disability, work restrictions, and if the patient can return to this line of work or if she needs vocational rehabilitation.

Now I realize that I need to explain some of the terminology I just mentioned because it is specific to workers’ compensation, so stay tuned to further blog posts for more info on this matter.

I just want everyone to know that medical transcription is a heck of a lot more than transcribing dictated reports. Reviewing medical records is very important. Few people know how to do it, and even fewer people know how to do it well. This work pays well but is tiring and tedious. Therefore, it is important to avoid burnout–a lesson I learned very well a few years ago.