Pathology dictation is frequently performed in physical locations such as the gross sink, autopsy room or lab, which require hands-free operation, as well as from typical office desk settings. Arrendale’s dictation solutions provide simple-to-operate, reliable, cost effective pathology options that can be stand-alone systems or part of a hospital’s central dictation system. Standard dictation equipment is adapted for hands-free use with the addition of adjustable gooseneck microphones or boom mikes and footpedals. Anywhere a pathologist wishes to dictate, the Arrendale solution Dictate, installs the needed software and equipment, so that pathologists can use both hands to work with samples. Hospital pathology departments may select to have their own right-sized dictation system or to exist as a department within a hospital’s enterprise-wide dictation system. Pathology dictations can be segregated within the Dictate⁺ system, allowing only authorized system users access to pathology voice files and transcripts.

     When replacing older dictation systems, labs and pathologists typically wish to improve system reliability and sound quality while reducing overall costs. Dictate accomplishes these goals, adds new functionality, lowers annual support expense and keeps the transition short and straightforward for the pathologists. Dictate⁺ ,as part of the TA⁺ dictation, transcription and speech recognition platform, includes state of the art reliability and MP3 sound quality, plus encryption and audit logging, which are lacking in pre-HIPAA era dictation systems. With Arrendale dictation, pathologists select their own dictation prompt menu, independent to the prompt pattern that other hospital dictators use. For example, pathologists have the option to hear a job confirmation number at the end of each dictation.

HANDFREE DICTATION DEVICE OPTIONS

     Many microphone models and footpedals are supported by the Dictatesystem; shown below are the most popular models.

OFFICE-BASED PATHOLOGY DICTATION OPTIONS

     When dictating from a desk location, pathologists may use traditional dictation devices (Dictaphone CPhones, MedQuist Ovation stations or similar units) or AAI’s PC-based dictation, Recorder⁺Pro. Dictation devices and Recorder⁺Pro allow for barcode scanning by pathologists without the need for a separate barcode scanning device. PC-based dictation provides additional efficiency for pathology dictators with the ability to view patient demographic and order data, obtained from facility host and lab systems, on the PC immediately after order number input. With this application, pathologists spend less time initiating each dictation since listening and replying to dictation prompts is eliminated. A supplier and servicer for hands-free dictation devices and Philip handmikes is Executive Communication Systems, The Voice Processing Specialists, of Ventura, CA, www.tvps.com, toll-free 800.644.9525.