If you’re interested in electronic records management, being a medical transcriptionist in
Iowa’s field of healthcare documentation could prove to be an exciting career choice. You will use the most current technological facilities and processes to transcribe dictation of patient medical histories made by physicians and other healthcare professionals. Practicing sites for medical transcriptionists include dictation agencies, hospitals, insurance firms, and physician offices. You may also work from the comfort of your home. To become a medical transcriptionist in Iowa, you need to follow the steps outlined below.
Medical Transcription Training and Education Requirements in Iowa
Training for the medical transcriptionist profession is offered by various schools in Iowa. Some training institutions offer certificate programs, which take about one year to complete. Community colleges offer both certificate and associate’s degree programs. Training institutions are found in many of the state’s cities, both small and large. Courses covered by certificate programs include anatomy, clinical studies, computer skills, medical terminology, and transcription technology. Associate’s degree programs offer a more intensive training experience, and take two years to complete. The curriculum includes courses in human anatomy and physiology, legal issues in healthcare, medical transcription technology, and pharmacology for medical transcriptionists. Associate degree programs usually require students to complete a practicum, which allows students to build vital skills for performing the efficient management of electronic health records. Both classroom and online learning is offered by training institutions. However, if you do enroll in an online course, you need to complete certain courses in classroom due to the practical aspects involved.
Medical Transcription Certification Requirements in Iowa
Certification for medical transcriptionists is not mandatory in Iowa. Nonetheless, you may want to seek nationally recognized credentials offered by the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI). The AHDI offers both basic and advanced certifications for medical transcriptionist professionals. If you are just preparing to enter the job market, you may seek the Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS). For transcriptionists with at least two years of work experience, the Certified Healthcare Documentation Specialist (CHDS) is recommended. The AHDI certification exams assess various areas of medical transcription theoretical and practical knowledge.
Medical Transcriptionist License Requirements in Iowa
Iowa does not have licensing requirements for medical transcriptionists.There is no procedure which would require a medical transcriptionist to apply for such a license. Certifications in medical transcription are held in high regard by many Iowa health care facilities, although they are not referred to as licenses. However, you may want to check with the Indiana Department of Health to verify licensure requirements for the profession.
Staying Current and Continuing Education
Both the RHDS and CHDS credentials are issued for three years. Before expiry of the credential cycles, you need to apply for recertification. For the CHDS credential, recertification involves completing a minimum of 30 continuing education credits during the three-year certification cycle. Medical transcriptionists who are RHDS certified are required to take a re-credential course, and attain a minimum pass score of 75 percent. In addition, RHDS certified transcriptionists must also take a recertification exam, and attain the minimum pass score.
Job Prospects and Potential Pay in Iowa
Most medical transcriptionists in Iowa draw an annual salary of between $37,900 and $47,400. This is well above the national range for the profession, which falls between $27,600 and $40,800, while the mean annual salary for the profession is $35,700. Iowa’s largest cities offer medical transcriptionists the best employment prospects. With a population of about 200,000 in Des Moines, about 126,000 in Cedar Rapids, and about 99,600 in Davenport, these cities offer the highest absolute number of jobs in Iowa. The average annual salary for medical transcriptionists in Des Moines is $33,000, while in Cedar Rapids, the average annual salary is $30,400. Although Iowa City holds a significantly smaller population of about 67,800, the annual salary of about $42,100 is considerably higher than that found in larger cities.
Resources
Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI)