First, let me begin with a confession. I can’t type. Well, I do, but with only a few fingers and overly reliant on auto-correct. I took typing in high school (over four decades ago), but at the time could see no future advantage in perfecting the skill. Furthermore, it exposed my inability to spell which my terrible handwriting often obfuscated.
Although the new generation of computer users have substantial typing skills, natural language interfaces have become a viable, if not often preferred, computer interface. Microsoft’s VISTA has a built in voice recognition engine (Bill Gates interview by CNET) which could compete with more costly add-on commercial products.
The compelling need is for physicians to accurately input information electronically in a manner and setting consistent with work and thought-flow. Of course, a driving force behind medical speech recognition is the increasingly prohibitive costs of transcription and a growing concern over the possibility of the mouse and keyboard as a sources for cross-infection.
How have you been using speech recognition in your practices? Any tips or warnings? Have you had any experience with the functionality in VISTA? Where is this segment of IT headed?
Interesting Quote: Talk low, talk slow, and don’t talk too much” John Wayne Advice on acting
