Transcription (service)
A write office is a separate company or a corporate department, whose most exclusive task is to transcribe dictations. Due to the increasing popularity of computer-based technologies for speech recognition and the subsequent correction of so-called speech recognition raw texts has been added to the remit of the writing offices lately. Contrary to the claims of many suppliers automatic speech recognition works still not accurate enough, as that could be dispensed with a readjustment. This is especially true for more complex dictations as they arise in the medical field, for example. Controls are absolutely necessary here before a word can be used. A common software errors, for example, the false detection of the words " a " or " no " - in medical and legal documents, a most important difference!
The post-processing and control is usually done by the Diktanten itself or the typing by a specializing in such subsequent corrections specialist ( " voice recognition editor "). Coming from the U.S., more and more Schreibbüros also specialize in Europe on this service.
Also offer lately more and more internal and external write offices transcription related additional services, such as Digital Dictation by phone or digital signature schemes.
Economic Importance
The value of the services provided annually in Germany writing services is estimated at 10 to 15 billion euros. The largest share here on permanent employees in the company.
Due to the increasing popularity of digital dictation technology has made it possible to send dictations quickly and cost to anywhere in the world, so that writing services are increasingly outsourced to external service providers write. SSL encryption technology and VPN tunnels allow this also the so-called heavy dictation users, doctors and lawyers, the legal and safe use of external administrative services.
Over 60 % of all medical dictations already be written by external write offices in the U.S., the world's largest Schreibbüro CBaySystems busy for that 12,500 people ( 7,500 in the U.S. subsidiary MedQuist Inc. and 5,000 in India). Market leader in Europe, according to the company, the Alster text GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Hamburg, which also according to their own information, it is Europe's largest employer for home- typists.
The market for writing services, despite some very large companies very highly fragmented both in the U.S. and in Europe, as there are thousands of one-man company called " Mom & Pop Companies", the searching for a home office activity are founded out of unemployment or parental leave out.
Write service in the medical and legal field
By far the largest Diktiervolumen is produced in medicine. Virtually every operation and any findings must be documented in writing in the patient's file. When layoffs or transfers usually a detailed medical report ( Epicrisis ) is sent to the next doctor. The reports are indeed dictated by the doctor, but written from time and cost, usually by a ( cheaper ) typist. To increase the efficiency and cost reduction often comes the electronic speech recognition for use.
The second largest share of the Diktiervolumen arises in the legal field.
In Germany, approximately 400,000 physicians dictate (in particular, the employed in hospitals doctors) and 60,000 lawyers about 90 % of all dictations.