The accuracy of dictation software has also been questioned by many that are doubtful about dictation. When analyzing the effects of speech recognition technology on nursing documentation, voice recognition accuracy was recorded to be “…as high as 99%” (Joseph). Yet, when healthcare professionals discuss the topic via social media they express quite a different opinion. One physician used the popular platform, Tiktok, to appeal to a wide audience— receiving nearly 120k views— as she asks if people are able to relate to her frustrations with dictation software. She entertains by expressing her annoyance regarding the use of dictation software in the form of a dictation, stating that it is a “a waste of time” and “really really really annoying”. Most of her annoyances stem from accuracy errors, delays in typing, and needing to proofread (@shanny_do). Another physician expressed her opinion through a Twitter post, as shown below. As noted, she expresses a sense of frustration in that the software keeps on misinterpreting what she says (Sandy Simons MD).  Accuracy is important in evaluating whether dictation software should be used because if physicians have to spend a greater amount of time editing the transcription, it brings to question whether the use of dictation is worth it. 

A couple factors must be addressed when evaluating time efficiency and accuracy in the use of dictation software. One of the greatest factors that must be taken into account is the amount of training and resources healthcare professionals receive when being introduced to dictation software. In her blog, Daphne Gray-Grant discusses the benefits of dictation over typing when writing for a publication. Although this source does not pertain to the field of healthcare, the process of adjustment is the same. In fact, the dictation software she chose to explore was Dragon Dictate by Nuance, one of the most commonly used softwares in the healthcare field. She discusses her first attempt with the software and mentioned that the errors with the software made her so frustrated that she could not continue using it. However, a few years later, she attempted to try voice dictation a second time, hiring a consultant to help understand how to use the software properly. This time, she was able to make effective use of the software after only an hour of training (Gray-Grant). This exemplifies how important training is to effectively using dictation software. Unfortunately, the levels of training that are able to be provided to healthcare professionals will not be uniform across institutions, making it difficult to accurately assess the effectiveness of dictation software. In addition, it was noticed that the resources that are provided along with the dictation software vary greatly even across studies. In some studies, training, licenses, and relevant devices were provided to all participants (Fernandes et al.). In others, there was prompt on-site technical support, maintenance, and upgrades were readily accessible (Joseph). Yet there were also studies where speech recognition software was solely provided (Derman). The variance in resources and training able to be provided greatly impact the evaluation of dictation software. It is also worthy to note that the quality of medical documentation is quite difficult to examine. With these limitations, evaluating whether dictation software improves efficiency for healthcare professionals becomes more theoretical (Fernandes).