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Beyond Digital Dictation
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Legal firms today are under competitive pressure to minimize the time it takes to turn around
information. In addition, they are under pressure to boost profits. There are so many challenges
common to today's legal industry. Your staff is increasingly on the move and you need to minimize
lost productivity. You need new technology that integrates with your existing technology. You need
to prioritize work and reduce your document turnaround time. You have some staff members that
are busier than others. Your support staff members need to work from home, and your system
processes need to support this. You have tight deadlines and you need work completed as
efficiently as possible.
Did you know that all of these challenges can be overcome with modifications to your diction
process?
You are likely familiar with the term "digital dictation." It has been a hot topic in the legal industry
recently. But are you aware of the differences between a Digital Dictation System and a Digital
Dictation Workflow Management System?
Digital dictation is a method of recording and editing the spoken word in real-time within a digital
audio format. Digital dictation offers several advantages over traditional cassette tape based
dictation. Such benefits include easy editing or insertion of voice into the files, the ability to email
the files from anywhere and better sound quality. This type of solution does provide immediate
benefits to users over the analog systems they replace, but often many problems remain.
A basic digital dictation system simply allows authors to record digital files and have them routed
directly to a secretary for transcription. Simplified digital dictation systems often lack important
system management tools to enable managers and users to clearly identify backlogs of work to be
completed, information on who is doing what, information on support staff efficiency, promotion of
priority projects, or the ability to reroute work as needed. As a result, firms who utilize these
systems often do not realize all the benefits that a more sophisticated system could offer.
A digital dictation workflow management system enhances the benefits of digitally collecting voice
while embracing the management of the flow of information after capture. Digital Dictation
Workflow Management Systems are designed with a powerful array of functionality to ease your
workloads. The systems are easily administered and allow for the coordination, control and
communication of activities automatically.
The core of the system is the intelligent management of dictation files by a server or network of
servers. Audio files are still played by a typist, but voice files are sent electronically across LANs,
WANs, via telephony or over the Internet to intelligent workflow servers that identify a user's
details and automatically send his or her dictation to the most appropriate secretary, secretarial
2. workgroups or outsourced transcription providers for completion. Digital Dictation workflow
software is often Active Directory integrated and can be used in conjunction with third party
systems such as Document, Practice or Case Management systems.
Perhaps one of the most important features is the flexibility in the configuration of these systems
and the ease of use of the software. Authors may use a number of recording devices to capture
their dictation including their pc, speech microphones, and digital handheld recorders
manufactured by popular companies such as Philips, Olympus, and Grundig Business Systems.
Users can even dictate using the telephone, VoIP or their PDA for maximum flexibility,while
secretaries can be located anywhere spread across multiple sites or at home - alone or as part of
a typing pool.
Immediate and automated delivery of dictation improves report turnaround time and maximizes
productivity. Some systems can literally eliminate or reduce keystrokes, thus transcription and
other administrative costs are significantly lowered. "The result is often an immediate increase in
company-wide work sharing and productivity which results in significant cost savings for the firm.
Joan Hodge, HR Manager for Bedell Cristin, one of Jersey's leading law firms had this to say
when asked how their system impacted productivity at her firm: "From a team perspective, (our
solution) has allowed secretaries to take more responsibility for the management and sharing of
the workload across the whole business and this has generated a new team spirit."
The rate of user adoption is an important aspect of any technology purchase. Firms who
implement these systems find that convincing their users to adopt the system is often fast and
painless. Referring to the solution selected by Bowles, Rice, McDavid, Graff and Love LLP in West
Virginia, Brad Harris, Head of Dictation Management said, "There was virtually no learning curve
and some people said it was the easiest transition they had ever experienced at the firm."
These systems can also help firms to provide flexible working practices while helping them to
move further towards being an organization that considers quality of life to be important. Systems
can support multiple office locations, providing one seamless solution wherever employees are
located. With support for remote digital dictation and digital transcription, systems are flexible and
will tailor to your staff requirements. Michele Fish is CEO of Just the Type, a New York-based
transcription company that implemented a system to support their inflow of dictation from the
clients they serve. Their solution enabled her to offer her transcriptionists the option to work from
home. "Our transcriptionists appreciate the opportunity to work from home. They rave about how
easy the system is to work with and how it has improved their work/family balance."
Often there is concern about the management of such a system across multiple work sites.
Managers can rest assured that regardless of the physical location of staff members, management
will remain in control of the system. A well designed system provides administrators with a
reporting function allowing them to analyze workload distribution across their organization. With
such reports, managers are able to respond to any issues that might arise immediately thus further
improving work efficiency. Locke Reynolds, an Indianapolis-based firm purchased their workflow
solution primarily to replace the firm's aging dictation equipment. Debra Himsel, Director of
Technology explains that the firm achieved much more than anticipated resulting from the
improvements in the firm's workflow management. "They feel more productive", says Debra. "Not
just because they aren't chasing down tapes but because now they can archive jobs, assign jobs
to a secretary without leaving their desk and generally manage their workflow better." Debra says
3. there is also a sense of comfort that tapes won't be over-written or lost and that they can always
go back into the system and check their dictation. Having access to jobs from their desktop and
not having to handle tapes has made it very popular with the secretaries. "Our two Word
Processors have probably noticed the improvement the most", notes Debra, "because they touch
so many people's documents and they get all the overflow. Managing their workflow has been
much easier."
How do you select the system that is right for you? When selecting the best solution for your
organization you will obviously be wise to select a system that is proven to deliver a rapid return
on investment. Often cost savings are directly attributed to increased transcription productivity and
improved document turnaround time, being able to share hardware across multiple offices, and
decreased courier costs, and indirectly attributed to enhanced customer and employee satisfaction
levels.
Features and flexibility is also important. You should always remember to choose the system that
can be customized to work for you. Seek flexibility. Ask questions. Can the system be utilized
across multiple locations? Does it support users who travel? Does the system require use of
proprietary hardware or audio file formats? Can the system support a variety of input device types
(i.e. PDA, speech microphone, handheld recorder)? How easily will the system integrate into your
existing technology infrastructure? Is it easy to use? How is the solution licensed? There are
several solution providers on the market who share the same goal: assisting your firm in improving
its workflow and operations. Be sure to ask questions to ensure that you select the one that meets
the current and future needs of your unique organization.
Amy Clevidence currently serves as the Marketing Manager for KeeFORCE - an IT Consulting
Group based in Western Kentucky specializing in network support and document management /
workflow.
Amy is dedicated to educating professionals on the benefits of a variety of technical solutions. She
is a published author whose articles and contributions have been published by the American Bar
Association's Law Technology Today, Practice Manager Magazine and Executive Healthcare
Magazine.
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