Lea Sims, CMT, FAAMT
AAMT Director of Communications
904-739-1848
lea@aamt.org

AAMT AND AHIMA TO APPROVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION

CHICAGO, March 10—Patient safety concerns, increased demand for quality documentation, and fiscal restraints in the healthcare system have added to the burden of delivering timely, cost-effective medical transcription. These demands on medical transcriptionists have challenged educational programs to better prepare students entering the medical transcription job market. In response, the American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT) and the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) have established the first set of educational criteria to monitor the quality of medical transcription education.

"There has been no formal mechanism in place for reviewing or approving medical transcription programs according to objective criteria set forth by educators and practitioners in the field," stated Peter Preziosi, PhD, CAE, Executive Director of AAMT. "The Medical Transcription Program Approval process will allow prospective students to identify programs which have met rigorous criteria for quality in all relevant areas of training, as well as assist employers of medical transcriptionists in selecting graduates from quality programs."

The Medical Transcription Program Approval is modeled after AHIMA's Coding Program Approval process and based on criteria set forth in the AAMT Model Curriculum, 3rd Edition. The Model seeks to promote criteria-based educational programming that produces competent entry-level medical transcriptionists and to provide assurance to the industry of consistent quality outcomes in medical transcription education.

"Enhancing individual patient care through timely and accurate health information is one of the primary goals of AHIMA," stated Claire Dixon-Lee, PhD, RHIA, FAHIMA, vice president of education and accreditation at AHIMA. "Quality health information starts with sound educational programs. We are pleased to support AAMT on this initiative."

Medical transcription education programs wishing to learn more about the approval process may obtain a free copy of the AAMT Medical Transcription Program Approval Manual at http://www.aamt.org/StaticContent/Download/MTPAM.pdf, which provides detailed instructions on how to initiate a request for approval through this process.

The American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT) has been the professional organization representing medical transcriptionists since 1978. AAMT sets standards of practice and education for medical transcriptionists, administers a certification program, has established a code of ethics, and advocates on behalf of the profession. There are over 135 component associations of AAMT, each of which holds regular educational meetings and symposia. For more information, visit www.aamt.org.

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) is the premier association of health information management (HIM) professionals. AHIMA's 50,000 members are dedicated to the effective management of personal health information needed to deliver quality healthcare to the public. Founded in 1928 to improve the quality of medical records, AHIMA is committed to advancing the HIM profession in an increasingly electronic and global environment through leadership in advocacy, education, certification, and lifelong learning. For information about the Association, go to www.ahima.org.