Economics of radiology report editing using voice recognition technology.

As voice recognition technology takes hold in radiology practices, independent and hospital-based practices are faced with a decision of who should be responsible for the report-editing process, radiologists or transcriptionists. Although a radiologist's time is expensive compared with a transcriptionist's, if certain other conditions prevail, it may be possible to eliminate transcriptionists from the report generation process. Among these conditions are political, budgeting, psychosocial, and economic constraints. The author presents an econometric model that examines the economic issues involved in such a decision. Practices, both academic and private, can use this model to help determine which course of action makes the most economic sense. This is not always obvious.