A transcribed emergency record at minimum cost.

We have developed a new method of implementing a transcribed emergency record at minimum cost. Dictated emergency records are typed immediately by a transcriber located in the emergency department. This member of the medical record transcriber pool is given other non-urgent medical record material to type when there are no emergency records to type. The costs are reduced to the same level as routine medical records transcription. In 1982, 19,892 of the total 28,000 emergency records were transcribed by adding only 1.35 full-time equivalents (FTEs) to the transcriber pool. The remaining charts were handwritten because insufficient funds had been allocated to type all emergency records. The transcriber is capable of typing a maximum of 64 charts, averaging 13 lines (156 words) each, per 8-hour shift. The service can be phased in gradually as funds for transcribing the emergency record are allocated to the central transcriber pool.