Speech recognition clears backlogs

The project follows a successful pilot that highlighted the system’s ability to improve document turnaround times and reduce typing costs by automatically creating documents from spoken words and commands. As a result, the reduced backlog ensures that reports and urgent diagnosis and treatments can be delivered without unnecessary delays.

Barry Cotton, head of imaging at Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, saw a need for the speech recognition solution in the wake of reductions in secretarial resource. He commented: “Before SRCdeployed the system, we had over 1,000 reports awaiting transcription. Once the speech recognition system was in place, we managed to clear the backlog in two weeks and the software has ensured typing backlogs haven’t built up again.”

SRCinstalled the Dragon speech recognition software and trained Homerton’s radiology department on how to use the system.