Visual Job Overview

The visual workflow management and job overview enables you to organize and plan your workload more efficiently. Thanks to visual workflow management the transcription of priority documents in your preferred order is managed as straightforward as possible. Multiple sort/filter options allow an individual organization of files.

New Job Alarm

The alarm sound notifies the recipient of new jobs coming in, in order to allow an immediate start of the transcription.

Access to Job Information

Relevant data such as length, author name, keywords and priority status are accessible throughout the entire transcription process by means of a dictation properties display.

Worklist / Workflow

Due to the familiar folder view, which is similar to Windows Explorer, the time needed to get accustomed to SpeechExec Pro can be kept to a minimum. A configurable worklist enables the user to sort, hide and show columns, etc., while the job status indicator shows whether a dictation is pending, in progress or finished.

Attach a Document

SpeechExec Pro Transcribe offers the capability to attach a document directly to a dictation. This supports document archiving and retrieval.

Versatile Player

Various features, as for instance a graphical position indicator, an audio volume meter and audible scan function facilitate the transcription process. Speed control, DSS Pro / DSS / WAV / WMA / MP3 playback and automatic backspace provide first-class reproduction of your dictations.

Automatic File Transfer and Updates

Dictation files are transferred automatically using the network, email or FTP. Automatic updates via internet as well as the possibility to define default settings provide highly convenient administration.

Digital Speech Standard (.dss)

The .dss file format is the international standard for professional speech processing. Offering outstanding audio quality for recorded voice, .dss files allow a high compression rate, reduce file size, network traffic and required storage capacity. The format also allows additional information, such as client/patient name, document type to be stored in the file header, further facilitating file organization.

Lightweight Design of Earphones

The durable, lightweight quality enhances comfort for extended wearing.

Under Chin Style

Designed for n under-the-chin fit for better comfort.

3 Meter / 10-Foot Cable

The 3 meter / 10-foot cable gives you the freedom to move around your work area without having to remove your headset.

Ergonomically Designed Foot Control

The new Foot Control was developed in close cooperation with hospital ergonomists and professional end user in order to guarantee a smooth transcription process with minimal physical strain.

Configurable to Individual Needs

The pedal functions of the Foot Control can easily be adopted to one's personal preferences.

Rees Electronics - 2140 Westwood Blvd, #224, Los Angeles, CA 90025
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Law firms rely heavily on expensive paralegals, legal secretaries, or outside services to transcribe the many documents required for legal proceedings - client memos, contracts, motions, briefs, discovery and deposition summaries, and more. There are essentially two approaches to document creation in place today, and as case volumes and administrative costs continue to grow, each approach presents a unique set of drawbacks:

Third-party Transcription: A lawyer dictates into a telephone or digital recorder, and the audio is sent to an outside transcriptionist; alternatively, the recording may be sent to an in-house transcriptionist, secretary or legal assistant. Outsourced transcription is simply too expensive and time consuming, slowing down proceedings, impacting client satisfaction, and cutting into profits. Although in-house transcription may be more cost-efficient than outsourced efforts, there is still a lengthy and unproductive back-and-forth of review cycles with support staff.

Direct Input: The lawyer types the information himself. Some individuals can't type, or prefer not to, either because they are untrained as typists, have a disability, or wish to prevent the development of a repetitive stress injury. Firms and corporate departments with limited staff require attorneys to create their own accurate documents under tight deadlines. This may even b the case when an in-house transcription process is in place since many attorneys work late into the night long after support staff has gone home.

Rees Electronics - 2140 Westwood Blvd, #224, Los Angeles, CA 90025
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The touch typing chart on succeeding page is designed to aid the beginner to learn properly the modern method of typing by touch. Proper posture is a prerequisite of good typing. Sit erect with your feet placed flat on the floor. Sloppiness means bad typing leading to the straying of your finger from the HOME KEYS: a, s, d, f for the left hand and:;, l, k, j, for the right hand.

Learn to type by looking at the copy only without looking at the keys… a bad habit will form unless you restrain yourself from constantly peeking at the keys.

Be sure to strike the letters with the finger as indicated on the chart. From the HOME KEYS, you can strike any key without straying away from the HOME KEYS as long as you strike with the proper finger.

Strike crisply and accurately. Once the position of the keys are firmly set in mind, then strive for speed. Constant practice and following the rules will develop speed and typing will become a pleasure and not a task.

LESSON 1 – PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

LESSON 2

LESSON 3

************************

Do not let error discourage you. Strive as you practice to lessen the errors. The real question is: are you improving day by day?

Rees Electronics - 2140 Westwood Blvd, #224, Los Angeles, CA 90025
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A large firm specializing in business and litigation law that employs more than 100 lawyers, Blaney McMurtry had been using a tape-based dictation system for years. However, the system was no longer able to adequately meet the firm’s needs. For example, workflow was frequently interrupted when units broke down and had to be sent out for repairs. In addition, there wasn’t a convenient way to reassign dictation if lawyer’s assistant was out of the office due to illness or vacation.

Blaney McMurtry had made plans to implement work sharing to help reduce overhead costs and minimize the need for temporary help. To ensure a successful transition, however, the practice needed a more efficient way to manage the dictation process – one that would not only streamline workflow for lawyers but also increase productivity for assistants.

“Work sharing enables more employees to work outside the office, so we needed a method for easily and securely transferring files remotely among lawyers and administrative staff,” says Roula Vessio, Information Service Supervisor at Blaney McMurtry. “It was also important that the system provide transparency across all dictation.”

THE SOLUTION

To address these concerns, Blaney McMurtry contacted its equipment supplier, Dye & Durham, to learn about available options. Dye & Durham suggested that the firm consider the Philips SpeechExec digital dictation system. After careful evaluation of the system to ensure it could meet the practice’s near-term and longer range goals, Blaney McMurtry decided to implement the standalone version – SpeechExec Pro. Philips support staff worked closely with the firm to customize the system so dictation files could be transferred to the firm’s network, which would allow assistants to work from shared network folders.

While the standalone system served its needs for several years, Blaney McMurtry’s IT department faced some maintenance and support challenges since lawyers and their assistants were using multiple version of the recorders and software. It was also somewhat challenging to keep up with the various software upgrades. So, in 2007, firm leadership decided it was time to move to the Philips SpeechExec Enterprise system.

Blaney McMurtry commenced a pilot on the system in December 2007. In an effort to minimize disruption of workflow, the firm included just five employees in the pilot.

“By rolling out the new system to only a few employees, we were able to resolve any potential issues before deploying the technology on a larger scale,” says Vessio.

THE RESULT

Lawyers and their assistants immediately benefited from the transition to the enterprise system. For example, lawyers had previously depended on outdated rewind and fast forward features to review dictation. They had to insert additional case information or notes at the end of the tape and then rely on their assistants to place that information in the proper location during transcription. This process was time-consuming and prone to errors.

In contrast, the digital system’s intuitive smart button menus enable lawyers to easily access specific section of a document, hit the “insert” button and add new text.

“The insert feature has been invaluable,” says Vessio. “Lawyers don’t have to worry about the accidental overwriting of previous dictation, and assistants are more efficient since they no longer have to cut and paste dictation into the middle of a document.”

Likewise, the enhanced audio clarity of the digital recorders means assistants spend less time rewinding and reviewing the dictation to ensure they captured the information correctly – resulting in more accurate transcription and increased productivity.

“While the new handheld units required a slight learning curve, our employees quickly adjusted to the new technology and really appreciate the smaller, sleeker design and improved voice quality,” says Vessio.

Transcription turnaround time has also improved. When setting up the system, Blaney McMurtry’s IT department programmed the recorders to automatically direct each lawyer’s dictation into a folder located on the firm’s file server. This ensures that once dictation has been uploaded, a lawyer’s assistant is immediately notified of incoming work – significantly reducing dictation lag time. In addition, before uploading files, a lawyer can mark selected items as urgent. When pending dictation appear on the assistant’s screen, files requiring immediate attention are indicated by a red flag so the assistant can quickly identify priorities and make necessary workflow adjustments.

The Philips SpeechExec Enterprise system’s online capabilities make it easy for assistants to share workloads and route overflow dictation to their colleagues as priorities shift throughout the day or week. Lawyers like the fact that they can check the status of dictation files and review drafts from any location – a feature that especially valuable to those lawyers who frequently travel or work outside of the office. Both assistants and lawyers also appreciate the system’s voicemail transcription capability, which enables voicemail messages from a lawyer or client to be exported to a WAV file and then placed in a dictation directory where they can be quickly accessed for transcription.

In addition, the IT department has experienced a number of advantages since implementing the enterprise version of the Philips system.

IT support requirements have been reduced and system manageability has improved dramatically. Also, workflow has been streamlined because the firm can set up new users, and handle maintenance and support functions directly from the network rather than having to go to the individual desktop.

In the future, Blaney McMurtry plans to implement additional system features, including a Web module that allows lawyers to upload dictation from any location securely via the Internet, and a phone feature that allows them to transfer dictation files from the handheld dictation device by dialing a designated phone number.

“Since implementing the Philips SpeechExec Enterprise system, we have been able to simplify dictation processes and improve operational efficiencies,” says Vessio. “Because everyone is now using the same system, work sharing has increased and employees are more empowered, more productive and more satisfied than ever before – a winning situation for all.”

Rees Electronics - 2140 Westwood Blvd, #224, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Tel: 310.475.0859
www.ReesElectronics.com

Here are just a few reasons why Dragon Medical Practice Edition 2 us for you:

Raises Clinician Satisfaction

Physicians who use Dragon Medical Practice Edition report that it makes the practice of medicine more enjoyable and that they can get home in time for dinner – no more late nights and weekends catching up on dictating/typing and signing patient charts.

Accelerates HER Adoption

Clinicians can dictate the ‘medical decision making’ – History of Present Illness, Review of Symptoms, Assessment and Plan – while within the EHR.

Helps You Dictate Notes in Your Own Words

Create robust, meaningful notes that truly capture the patient encounter rather than the ‘cookie-cutter’ notes that are often provided by many HER templates.

Support Higher Quality and More Complete Documentation

Using Dragon Medical Practice Edition results in higher level of reimbursement than notes built by point-and-click HER templates alone.

Increase Coding Levels

More complete, accurate documentation improves coding effectiveness and provides richer detail per patient, giving clinicians greater confidence to code at higher levels than with an HER system alone.

Increase Practice Volume

Faster, more accurate response reduces time spent on documentation, allowing clinicians to see more patients and increase practice revenue and profitability.

Improve Your Health and Stress Levels

Even though EMR/HER systems reduce typing, you can further eliminate the amount of repetitive effort (“death by 1000 clicks”) by using Dragon’s advanced Macro and navigation features. Instead of “click, click, mouse, click, click” to pull up a feature of your EMR, just say “Search Patient List”. Greatly reduce the chances of carpal tunnel syndrome, the #1 cause of Physician disability.

Rees Electronics - 2140 Westwood Blvd, #224, Los Angeles, CA 90025
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The DSS Standard Player software included with the Olympus DS-2400 is capable of converting the .DS2 format to your choice of industry-standard DSS format, as well as WAV or WMA (Windows Media Audio).

This technical note will show how, with a few mouse-clicks, you can convert downloaded DS2 to files created by the Olympus DS-2400 to another format, that is compatible with transcription systems such as the Start-Stop Universal Transcription system, WAVpedal Universal transcription system or the Olympus AS-2300 and AS-4000 transcriber.

The following example shows how a group of DS2 recordings, that were automatically downloaded from an Olympus DS 2400, can be converted to DSS format using the included DSS Standard Player software.

1. Here you see a group of recordings that have been downloaded to the download tray in DS2 format.
2. Now, you can manually highlight any or all of these files for conversion to DSS. For example, you could type CTRL + A (which is the equivalent of highlight all in Windows), or click on the first file in the list, and then hold down the shift key while clicking the last file in the list, etc.
3. You can now click on File…. Convert Dictation with your mouse, or use the convenient keyboard shortcut of ALT + F followed by “C” to bring up the “Convert File” screen.
4. The “Convert Dictation” screen will appear. If you wish to delete the original DS2 files automatically, click the checkbox that says “After converting a file(s), delete the original files”.
5. Then click the convert button….
6. The files will all convert themselves to Olympus DSS format.
7. It’s done! You now have DSS files created, and replacing the original DS2 files.

Rees Electronics - 2140 Westwood Blvd, #224, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Tel: 310.475.0859
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http://www.dictationsupport.co.uk/converting-ds2-to-dss-with-olympus-standard/

Plantronics Headset Efficiency Study

To anyone who uses a Plantronics headset every day, there is noway. Going back to a cumbersome, heavy headset is almost unthinkable.

Why? Wherever people spend a good part of their job on the phone, Plantronics headsets can significantly increase efficiency, improve morale and reduce job-related discomfort.

Now, headset effectiveness has been conclusively demonstrated. Plantronics engaged the services of H.B. Maynard & Company, Inc. to conduct an independent study comparing use of Plantronics headsets to telephone handsets.

How the study was performed

The study analyzed the work content required to handle telephone transactions, comparing use of handsets and Plantronics quick-disconnect handsets. Time and motion studies were made at four firms, observing a variety of personnel with previous headset experience. Work content of approximately 2,000 telephone transactions was evaluated during an eight day period. Jobs covered included inside sales, travel agents, technical field sales support, and stockbrokers. One-hand versus two-hand typing was also analyzed.

Findings and Conclusions

Time spent in telephone-related work activities is substantially reduced when Plantronics headsets are substituted for telephone handsets.

Free hands mean up to 43% increase in productivity

Assuming an average phone transaction time of 3.2 minutes and tasks requiring 2 hands are performed during the call (such as using a keyboard or searching for reference material), using Plantronics headsets increases productivity up to 43%. Calls can be made without interruption and without putting down the phone. That means reduced mistakes, reduced costs and improved service.

Reduced call placement / response time means thousands of more calls

Plantronics headsets can cut call placement time by 44%, call response time by 72% and hand-up time by 59%. Where the entire workday is spent in phone conversations, headset users complete an average of 16 more calls per day and 11% increase. That means thousands of extra calls per year per person, reducing the need to hire and train new employees.

Other benefits – More than just improved efficiency

Where Plantronics headsets are used, overall employee morale also goes up because people feel better and work with fewer mechanical distractions. And headsets reduce employee down-time. Without headsets, employees must pinch the headset between the shoulder and chin to free their hands. This leads to sore shoulders and neck, often resulting in medical time off and trips to the chiropractor. Headsets eliminate the discomfort of the handset and allow people to concentrate on the conversation, not on their neck pain.

Rees Electronics - 2140 Westwood Blvd, #224, Los Angeles, CA 90025
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EHRs offer the potential to dramatically improve the cost and quality of healthcare. Despite this potential, EHR software is used by only 20% of clinicians in the U.S. today. In order to understand the potential benefits of Dragon Medical, it is important to articulate the factors that are driving U.S. healthcare toward EHR adoption, as well as the factors that are inhibiting EHR adoption.

Incentive payments to physicians have dramatically accelerated EHR software purchasing and implementation. Passed in 2009, he Health IT for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) will provide physicians up to $64,000 each “for showing hat they are meaningfully using health information technology”, by purchasing and using CCHIT certified (www.cchit.org) EHRs. According to the 2010 CapSite Ambulatory EHR and PM Study, 42% of all physician practices indicated they had purchased an EHR in previous two years – up to 37% a year earlier.

Physicians must also purchase EHRs in order to report to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) a number of Clinical Quality Measures (CQMs) as well as maintain Problem Lists and Medication Lists. Clearly, EHR templates are required to capture these elements of the patient encounter to meet CMS guidelines.

Dragon Medical Practice Edition is the first solution from Nuance Healthcare designed for use not only by doctors but also nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, therapists, and other care providers. For practices with less than 25 physicians, Dragon Medical Practice Edition is the only real-time speech recognition solution which fits busy clinicians' needs.

Dragon Medical Practice Edition introduces a faster, more efficient way for medical professionals to create medical records, medical correspondence, or email messages. Dragon Medical Practice Edition introduces a new, faster speech recognition engine that is 15% more accurate than Dragon Medical 10.

This solution turns voice into text three times faster than most people can type, with up to 99% accuracy, using any Windows-base EHR system. Dragon medical Practice Edition includes vocabularies covering nearly 60 medical specialties.

Here are just a few reason why Dragon Medical Practice Edition is for you:

• Improves the quality, efficiency, and profitability of the care you provide.
• Raises clinician satisfaction. Physicians who use Dragon medical report that it makes the practice of medicine more enjoyable and that they can get home in time for dinner – no more late nights and weekends catching up on dictating/typing and signing patient charts.
• Accelerates EHR Adoption. Clinicians can dictate the “medical decision-making” - History of Present Illness, Review of Symptoms, Assessment and Plan – while within the EHR.
• Helps you dictate notes in your own words – creating robust, meaningful notes that truly capture the patient encounter – rather than the “cookie-cutter” notes that are often provided by many EHR templates.

Rees Electronics - 2140 Westwood Blvd, #224, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Tel: 310.475.0859
www.ReesElectronics.com

Secure Encrypted Dictation and Redefining Data Privacy

In today’s complex and regulated environment, Dictation and Transcription Equipment's manufacturers need to focus on building secure solutions to deliver value to their customers, partners, and shareholders—rather than on the infrastructure to make it run.

Those companies have decades-long experience building enterprise dictation and transcription hardware and software, and also running some of the largest online data transfer services in the world. They have leveraged this experience to implement and continuously improve security-aware software development, operational management, and threat mitigation practices that are essential to the strong protection of services and data in the today's market to obtain Secure Encrypted Dictation.

Security Development Lifecycle

Software companies recognize that focusing on security as a core component in the software development process can reduce the risk of costly issues, improve the security and privacy of infrastructure and applications, and protect data in the entire process. The Security Development Lifecycle is composed of proven security practices that consist of multiple phases in which core software assurance activities are defined.

Encryption

Encryption is built into the major dictation and transcription equipment since last several years, starting with the Security Development Lifecycle, a mandatory development process that embeds security requirements into every phase of the development process. It helps ensure that the data is protected at the physical, network, host, application, and data layers so that recorded data are resilient to attack. Continuous proactive monitoring, penetration testing, and the application of rigorous security guidelines and operational processes further increase the level of detection and protection throughout the dictation and transcription process.

Technological safeguards, such as encrypted dictation and recordings, enhance the security of customers’ data. For data in transit, the dictation equipment uses industry-standard encrypted transport protocols between user devices and datacenter (transcription), and within datacenters themselves. For data at rest, the system should offer an of encryption capabilities up to AES-256, giving you the flexibility to choose the solution that best meets your needs. 

Rees Electronics - 2140 Westwood Blvd, #224, Los Angeles, CA 90025
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VEC Introduces Easy To Use RecordACall Software

The RecordACall is a simple application that can be used to record from a telephone recording device or microphone attached to a PC. Recording files are created in the Recordings folder of the install folder and can also be sent to an optional destination folder. RecordACall records audio in 8K 16Bit Mono PCM wave format if the file extension is set to .wav and MPEG Layer-3 16K Hz samples per second Mono if the file extension is set to .mp3.

To Register RecordACall you will need a hardware license key (USB dongle) supplied with the RecordACall software. The hardware license key makes it easy to re-install or move RecordACall to another PC without re-registering. Record is disabled if a USB dongle is not found.

Simplifies Creating Voice Recordings

RecordACall is a Windows-based, feature filled digital recording software program designed for simple installation and simple operation. With RecordACall you can Record, Store, Search or Send with a simple mouse click while you concentrate on your conversation and not your computer screen.

Packaged For Ease and Accessibility

Everything you need is included on one disc and comes with a key-sized license dongle (looks like a Flash Drive). You can load RecordACall on as many computer as you wish, and you can do it on your time, at your convenience.

Compatibility is The Key

Today's telephone recording adapters are used throughout law enforcement, government agencies, brokerage houses, telemarketing centers, legal, medical, professional, personal, and a continuously growing list of applications. RecordACall is compatible with most recording adapters and PC's, including the popular LRX-35, LRX-37C, and the new LRX-40USB, CM-1000 microphones and more.

by Smoltz Distributing, Inc.

Rees Electronics - 2140 Westwood Blvd, #224, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Tel: 310.475.0859
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