Speech Recognition Software Wins Converts

In spring 2005, three physicians from Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) emergency department purchased speech recognition software to test in conjunction with their electronic discharge notes system. After a successful trial and a larger pilot, the software is now used by approximately 175 providers in 30 departments throughout the hospital. MGH is not alone in its growing use of speech recognition technology. A 2006 Healthcare Information Management and Systems Society survey found that 65% of CIO planned to get it by 2008. For the most part, the software is easy to integrate with relatively short set-up and training times, says Deborah Adair, MGH's director of health information services.