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Suitability: Is dictation suitable for everyone?

At the same time, it is important to recognize that dictation software is not suitable for everyone to use. In a systematic review of dictation software in nursing documentation, the study showed that there were high levels of user acceptance noted, and those who did not accept the technology usually cited technical issues as the reason. In an evaluation of the use of speech recognition by physicians at a psychiatric institution, it was noted that only 1/4 of the participants in the study were able to overcome frustrations during training for the software. Thus, it was stressed that “…some individuals are simply more tolerant of learning new technologies than others” (Derman et al. 2010). It would have been interesting to observe how these results varied across age groups, since younger generations are generally more tolerant of new technology. In fact, Keyes mentions that an issue with dictation software is that it “…requires a new mindset for many older physicians.” This is because dictation has transformed from using another human as a transcriptionist to AI. Transcriptionists are able to prompt the provider for any confusions or misinterpretations, but when using AI, providers will have to proofread more thoroughly themselves. Thus, as concluded in an article studying 55 physicians and their uses of Dragon dictation software, “SRS technology may be useful to some physicians in psychiatric settings—however, the technology is not a ‘one size fits all’ solution” (Fernandes et al). This quote is crucial in remembering the importance of acknowledging the reality that as many benefits that new technology can provide, not everyone benefits in the same way. Keyes also expresses his personal opinion, stating that the template-driven setup of many EMRs makes charts difficult to understand, especially given that most templates are created to fulfill requirements by billing and coders. This makes it difficult for some providers to document patient interaction since they are unable to use such a format easily. It is important to note here that the author uses his response to express complaints on the overall requirement of medical record  documentation, not just regarding the use of dictation software. Additionally, as previously mentioned, the levels of training and resources available to healthcare professionals when introducing dictation software will vary greatly per institution. Thus, it is important to recognize how implementation of dictation software is not suitable for everyone.

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