While medical transcription is among the most fascinating of the allied health professions, the general public knows little about those who practice this skill. It was not until 1999 that the U.S. Department of Labor assigned a separate job classification (Standard Occupational Classification #31-9094) so that statistics could be gathered on medical transcriptionists. Prior to that, transcriptionists were misclassified as typists, word processors, medical secretaries, and dictating machine operators.
Through the efforts of AAMT, visibility and recognition for the profession have increased, and the terms medical transcriptionist and medical language specialist have gained widespread acceptance.
Medical transcriptionists work in settings that are usually far removed from the examining rooms, clinics, and hospital floors where health care is provided. Patients rarely have the opportunity to hear about those who transcribe their medical reports, and medical transcriptionists rarely meet the subjects of their work.
All healthcare providers rely to some extent on the skills of the medical transcriptionist to provide written documentation of health care. The reports produced by medical transcriptionists are the repository of information concerning medical practice. These reports function as legal documentation and fulfill requirements for insurance reimbursement. They also serve as reference for scientific research.
