How to Transfer Digital Files to Transcriptionists

Digital files may be sent to transcriptionists in a number of ways:

Automatically

If both the person dictating and the transcriber are in the same office or on the same network, the files will be sent instantly to the transcriptionists (where they can both “see” the same shared or common folder on a network drive).

If you're using a digital recorder, the transfer can be set up to occur automatically every time you connect the recorder to its cradle or PC. If you're using a desktop recording unit, transfer of your dictation to the transcriptionist will occur as soon as you click the EOL (End of Letter) button. The Olympus LS-7 and DM-62 Stereo Digital Recorders, for example, download to and from your PC via their USB cables.

Other top-of-the-line digital recorders (Philips DPM-9600 and DPM-9500 and Olympus DS-7000, DS-3500, DS-5000 and DS-3400) have the ability to send your dictations automatically as email attachments as well, or to any network destinations, as soon as you plug the recorders into their cradles. These recorders can even send your dictation to multiple email addresses, or via FTP sites (encrypted secure, or regular), depending on how you set it up.

Manually

With any digital recorder that sell (inexpensive or more expensive) in the market, once the files are transferred to your PC, you always have the option to attach the dictation file(s) to an email manually (using Outlook or your other favorite email program) and send them to any person you want.

You may find that burning the files onto a CD, or extracting them from a memory card by using a memory card reader are useful as well.

Some busy users who own recorders with removable memory cards prefer to pop the card out of the recorder (like you do with an analog microcassette tape recorder) and hand the card to a transcriptionist, who uses a memory card reader on the PC for transcribing the dictation. Or you may use the Philips Desktop 9750 for Digital Pocket Memos. This system allows you to work in the same way as you would with traditional tape-based transcription. You just insert the Multimedia/DS Card from the Philips Digital Pocket Memos for instant playback!

FTP

Another way is to utilize an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) site. An FTP site is a file storage site on the Internet that is purchased (usually) by the person who is transcribing the files. This eliminates using email or any physical contact in order to send the files from one point to another. FTP is also better when frequently sending large files, because there is no file size limit like there is with email: with email you're normally limited to a maximum of 5-7 Megabytes (MB) per attachment or email. A 1-hour dictation with an Olympus recorder will be 6.4 Megabytes.

If you're doing large amounts of patient medical dictation from different physician offices and need to be HIPAA-compliant (that is, the files need to be encrypted for security protection), and FTP site can be a good way to go. This will allow you the most flexibility, both on the recording and transcribing ends. Say, for example, you transcribe files for 5 different clients and need to be HIPAA-compliant. You purchase space on an FTP site, and each client will upload dictation files to your FTP site. Clients login with a username and password and upload he files. You access that site and also login with a username and password, and download the files to your PC. You transcribe, and repeat the process to get the files back to your client/doctor. An FTP site is a third party, a separate entity that needs to be purchased in addition to the recording and transcription equipment.

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