How Important Is Transcription In The Healthcare Industry?

In the healthcare industry, accuracy is always important, regardless of whether something is being completed by a human or by a computer. So, what has transcription got to do with the healthcare industry? You’ll find that transcription is actually a very important part of this industry and it is what many professionals rely on to make sure records are accurate.

Here, we are going to look at the importance of accuracy in the healthcare industry. Keep reading to find out more about this.

How Is It Used?

You might be wondering who in the healthcare industry relies on this kind of technology. The answer to this question is actually many of the professionals within this industry as transcription is used to create medical files based on conversations with patients.

There are a few ways that this can occur, with one of these involving having someone sit and physically transcribe these meetings on a regular basis. Of course, this does make some room for human error and so AI is starting to become the more popular choice for transcribing in the healthcare industry. The transcription services by Verbit are just one example of special technology that can come in handy for these professionals.

Updating Medical Records

When you visit the doctor, you expect your medical records to be updated to reflect any new or ongoing illnesses that you might have. Transcription in the healthcare industry allows for these records to be updated with ease and this is what makes this element of this industry so important. Doctors can refer back to the records and analyse them thanks to transcription services.

Allowing For Multiple Doctors

Another reason why transcription is important in the healthcare industry is that it can allow for many different professionals to treat the same patient. While you might have a specialist for one thing, you could need to have a nurse look at your records for another. Transcription can ensure that records are up to date and that mistakes are minimised.

Laws On Transcription

Finally, you will find that there are actually laws that state that medical records need to be kept. Should there be any kind of legal conflict further down the line, transcription can come to the rescue of doctors or patients that need to refer back to these records. The law requires medical records and so the healthcare industry puts a lot of importance on transcription services in this case.

Final Verdict

As you can see transcription is actually very important in the healthcare industry due to the vast number of medical records that are created and are updated on a regular basis. The healthcare industry is moving forward with technology and automating this process, but they are always ensuring that they are using the best technology to reduce the risk of error. Without transcription services, the healthcare industry would struggle to stay on top of all of the information that needs to be processed worldwide.

Life After Study Abroad? Consider a career in online marketing

You’ve studied abroad, and if you are like most students you’ve spent a lot of time telling the world about it through social media and review outlets like Abroad101.   Maybe you should consider a career in online marketing.  Not all online marketers work in fashion, travel, finance or retail. Here’s why….

When people think about working in online marketing they automatically assume that they will be working for a large company. All of the large fashion designers, travel firms, finance companies and retailers reach out online to sell their products. But, these days, so does everyone else.

Firms selling signs for example need to be effectively marketed online just as much as a fashion house, hotel chain or retailer does. In the USA, 71% of small businesses already have a website and that number is growing.

Currently, there are around 28 million registered companies in the USA. Of those 22 million are classified as small businesses. That includes local plumbers, mom and pop retailers and crafters selling their wares.

The list of different types of business is an endless one. The travel, fashion and finance and retail industries are huge. But, the number of firms involved in those sectors is dwarfed by the number of companies providing other products and services. As a result, as an online marketer, you are just as likely to end up working for a firm that sells central heating as you are to land a job with a fashion retailer. Therefore, if you are considering a career in marketing it is wise to broaden your horizons a little.

So, many marketing students focus on what they perceive to be the biggest, most lucrative or glamorous industries, when studying for their degree. They spend time working as an intern in those sectors expecting to land a job in those industries when they graduate. Unfortunately, all too often, they are disappointed. The big retailers, fashion and travel industries have plenty of interns to call on and hundreds of applicants for every marketing job they advertise.

So, rather than focusing all of your efforts on securing work in those sectors, it is wise to diversify a little. If you do that, finding work or setting up your own online marketing firm becomes a lot easier.

However, you need niche down a little. For example, you could set your sights on working for health professionals. To be a successful marketer, you need to understand the business you are marketing.

It is essential to be familiar with their customer base. If you do not know how their potential clients think and feel your marketing campaigns will be ineffective. You also need to understand which social platforms they use when looking for products and services. If you focus on a specific niche you can grow your knowledge and be an effective marketer for firms that work in that sector.

Do not worry about not being able to find enough customers. As an online marketer, you can potentially work for any firm on the earth. For example, if you choose to provide online marketing services to dentists you will never be short of work. India has 197,000+ dentists, and the USA has 195,000.

If you are not sure what sector to get involved with, this list will help you to narrow down your options. It covers the USA, but it will still help you to identify what the biggest industries in your part of the world are likely to be.

Tricks To Help You Master A Foreign Language Before Moving To Study Abroad

photo provided by https://www.pexels.com/@rawpixel

If you were to dedicate 3½ hours daily to learning a new language, it would take you 24 weeks to master it, according to a report by The Foreign Service Institute of The U.S Department of State. This is provided the language is categorized as easy – the likes of Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Medium level languages like Polish and Russian, and difficult ones like Japanese and Arabic take up to 44 and 88 weeks respectively to master. Learning your target language before going to study abroad is key to seamlessly adjusting to the new environment. You will, after all, need to order food, understand class lessons and converse with the people you meet. Even if you were to increase the number of hours you study your target language to 10, it would still take you 3 months to be proficient, and this may not be time you have. Luckily, here are a few tricks you can use to master a foreign language quickly.

Join A Community

Look for people in your city who speak your language of interest or who are learning it as well. The best thing about joining such a community is that you will begin to learn the language subconsciously. Just by listening to and making conversations with others, you will learn various aspects of the language, from vocabulary and grammar to pronunciation and intonation, and perhaps more importantly, slang. You can encourage each other to speak the foreign language when doing the most mundane tasks like ordering food and participating in casual cafe or bar chats. You can rest assured you will learn new vocabulary during every hang out, which you should write down and practice forming sentences with later on when you are alone.

Find A Paypal

It may sound like something your elementary self would do, but the truth is, whatever your age, finding a pen pal is one of the best ways of learning a foreign language and improving your writing skills in it. At the end of the day, you will need to master not only the spoken aspect, but also the written language. By exchanging letters, you will be able to trade language expertise. Your penpal can rewrite your original letter, correcting any spelling or grammar errors, and send it back to you; you can do the same for them. Sending letters might seem like a lot of work, especially if you factor in long post service queues. However, thanks to technology, you can learn to print stamps online with OnlineStamp. This should make posting pen pal letters easier and less time-consuming. Either way, regularly writing to a pen pal is said to boost your language skills tenfold according to The Linguist.

Keep It Fun

Learning a new language shouldn’t only involve a lot of study hours and dictionaries. It should be fun and entertaining, or it will soon turn into a boring and draining task. Watching movies in your target language is one way you can learn it while still entertaining yourself. At first, you can use subtitles. However, as you progress, turn them off, listen to the language being spoken, analyze the happenings of the movie, and try to figure out what they are saying. You can then write the new words down and look them up later to see if you were right. Alternatively, you can listen to radio stations or podcasts in your target language. You can also fill up your playlist with music in the language. Music is a proven tool when it comes to learning foreign languages for three reasons: it sticks; it is portable, so you can learn from anywhere at any time; and it helps you master the language faster, as it presents vocabularies in context and still teaches you pronunciation.

Learning a new language is challenging, no doubt. Nevertheless, by taking every opportunity you get to practice, it is doable. The secret lies in letting your brain do the work of connecting vocabularies and grammar before running for translators and dictionaries. Learning a new language should be done in an organized manner. Start with basic phrases such as greetings, and then move to learning vocabularies in a particular field, before moving on to another area, like food, clothing or professional terminology. Signing up for online classes and using language applications like Duolingo can also help you master a foreign language fast.

5 Must-Haves for Exchange Students

Meta: These are some of the most useful things to have when studying abroad.

There are challenges in becoming an exchange student, but these shouldn’t hinder you
from having a great experience. Featured below are five of the best things to bring when
studying abroad. These are a mix of tangible and intangible items, excluding tips and
advice.

Fanny Pack

Don’t worry, fanny packs are no longer viewed as unfashionable accessories. They are
back and some wear them in unusually fashionable ways. These small bags, also known
as bumbags, can be a great pouch for important things including your smartphone, IDs,
passport, little notebooks, and pens. They can even be a more secure place for your
wallet.

If you prefer wearing your backpack most of the time, of course you no longer have to
bring a fanny pack. It’s just a convenient option to have when you don’t have a lot of
things to carry around.

Translation App

Sure, you may have studied a new language as part of your preparations in going to
another country to become an exchange student. However, the little time you spent
studying a foreign language may not be enough. You could use some assistance from an
online translator.

Make sure that the translation app you choose is notable for its accuracy and
optimization. You don’t want to have an app on your phone that rarely provides the
correct and appropriate translations, and hogs your smartphone’s memory and computing resources. It has to be a reputable and well-optimized app, preferably one that comes with the option to contact a human translator. You may encounter instances when you need human translation service for indubitable accuracy like when you have to sign a contract, understand a literary work in a foreign language, or submit a paper that should be in the local language of the school you are attending.

Essential electronics

Of course, if you were to use an app, you need to bring a smartphone or computer with
you. Just make sure your phone is compatible with the cellular network in the new
location you will be staying in. Your CDMA phone may not work in the new place that
only supports 2G and 4G. Also take note of your device’s charger plug and voltage. You
may need an adapter or a mini transformer/inverter to be able to use your devices.

You may no longer need to take your camera with you as your smartphone likely has a
decent camera with it. Also, don’t bother taking your bulky external hard drive with you.
Invest in a good 128GB (or bigger) SD card if your smartphone and laptop supports it.
Consider bringing a high capacity power bank, though, or a hand crank or solar power
charger. It would be great if your power bank comes with its own flashlight, but if it does
not have one, you can buy a small USB LED light that attaches to your power bank.

First aid kit

It’s advisable to have a first aid kit to deal with non-critical problems such as wounds,
insect bites, and allergic reactions. However, don’t include non-prescription medicines in
it unless the host school asks you to bring some such as antihistamines and pain relievers. Most schools have clinics that can competently attend to your health needs. Self-medicating with non-prescription medicines can result in complications.

Body care products

Always be presentable and hygienic as you can be perceived as a representation of the
people in your country. That’s why you shouldn’t forget your deodorant, feminine care
products (for the ladies of course), oral care essentials, and toiletries. If you have a
dandruff problem, make sure you have your trusted effective dander-control shampoo
with you. You may also need a good moisturizing lotion if your skin is not accustomed to
cold weather, which can induce skin drying and flaking.

Make the most of your experience in being an exchange student with the help of the items listed above. Also, don’t forget to make friends as they are your best bet if you encounter problems, especially in situations your gadgets and kits cannot suitably address.

Author Bio:
Sean Hopwood certainly knows a lot about meeting new people and experiencing new
cultures. He is the multilingual CEO of DayInterpreting, a company that provides real
time multilingual interpreting services. Sean wants to share his passion for progress,
understanding, and positivity through his articles.

Adjusting to New Learning Environments and Style When Studying Abroad

You’ve planned your semester abroad to a tee, prepared for the worst, and hoped for the best. The minute you land, you’re busy taking in the newness around you. Suddenly, you find yourself feeling lost and out of place in your new classroom with different faces, languages, or confused by what your teacher is asking. This, brave international student, is called culture shock. But don’t panic – you’re not alone.

A recent study found there are over 765,000 international students – a year on year increase of 6.5%. Being an international student is an incredible experience with tons of benefits. However, thousands of international students find the learning environment to be different from their native country. Here’s how you can adjust to new learning environments and style when studying abroad.

Enhance Your Prep Techniques

Chinese students favor the “talk and chalk” approach to learning, while countries such as the UK, Australia, and the US look at a collaborative method of teaching. In fact, studies from Australian Catholic University show that there is no single “right” way to teach as there is to study. Just because you’re studying abroad doesn’t mean you should change the way you study. Instead, look for inspiration for the local students and see what helps them thrive. When you learn to focus on your energy and productivity, you will begin to notice the different methods of studying and use it to your advantage.

Discuss Issues with Your Teachers

Like most students, you will be eager to succeed in your newfound environment. After all, you did travel across the globe to experience a new culture. Still, there may be times where you don’t understand how your classmates are following the lessons or even find the assignments too challenging. This can be especially true for tasks that involve strong language skills.

The best thing you can do is to talk to your teachers. They are there to help you succeed, even if you don’t plan to stay there long. Make the most out of your host school’s resources and talk to your instructor if you are struggling.  If they cannot help you, they will make an effort to find you the resources you need.

While it may be difficult for some students to adjust in the beginning, it is completely understandable to ask for help when you need it. Most universities offer counseling as well as other services for their students. Make sure to utilize your resources, make new friends and most of all – make the most out of your study abroad. 

How Parents Can Solve the Study Abroad Funding Gap

College comes with a wide variety of experiences, some of which can be categorized as once-in-a-lifetime. One of the most highly prized—and highly regarded—experiences for a college student is studying abroad. With a semester spent studying overseas, a student can gain valuable skills, excellent resume points, among other benefits. For a parent, study abroad is starting to sound like a must-have for their kids in college.

There’s just one problem; a study abroad program can be astronomically expensive. Combined with college’s already exorbitant costs, the idea suddenly seems a lot more like a fantasy than an achievable goal. There are ways, however, that you can help close that funding gap, with a little creativity and effort.

The Financial Problem with Study Abroad

If you have a child in college, then you already know about the staggering cost of higher education. Even with federal financial aid, most students end up taking out student loans to bridge the gap; in fact, about three-quarters of college students have loans at graduation, trying to cover a piece of the $25,000 price tag on a four-year education.

As a parent who’s on the hook for the cost of college, you might feel that covering a semester abroad is a bit much.

Once your student has received his or her financial aid package at the beginning of the school year, it’s not easy to get that amount extended or raised, which makes it hard to turn to federal student aid to pay for a study abroad trip.

Because of semester start dates and the need to set up these trips early, the funding deadlines often end up falling inconveniently at awkward times of the year as well. January—right after the holiday season—and May, right before the summer, are typical deadlines.

The timing can be incredibly difficult for parents who want to be able to help their student get that abroad experience but also can’t necessarily come up with the money at those specific times of the year.

There is hope, however. Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can help fund that overseas trip.

Closing the Funding Gap

If you’re the parent of a college student, then you’re already feeling the crunch of an expensive education. There has to be a way to help your student study overseas without overtaxing your already-hurting wallet, right? Yes, there is! There are actually a number of options to consider.

Study Abroad Scholarship Funding

There are many scholarships specifically meant to fund overseas study. There are plenty of listings of such scholarships that can be found online. Some are merit-based and set aside for top academic students; others are meant for students looking to go to a particular country, or pursuing a certain course of study. Each scholarship has its own criteria, and most of them are competitive. It’s best to start pursuing them early.

With scholarships, the money doesn’t require repayment, making them ideal sources of funding. However, in some cases, your student may need to sign an employment contract with the providing organization – this is a specific drawback to keep an eye out for.

Grants from Third-Party Organizations

Much like scholarships, grants don’t need to be paid back, and they’re offered by various philanthropic organizations and non-profits. Like a scholarship, a grant award is a competitive offer. In many cases they require an essay or other submission package, and the student may be required to follow through on certain promises like reporting back to the group about the study abroad experience.  NAFSA, the Association of International Education is a good place to start.  NAFSA List of Study Abroad Scholarships and Grants.

Student Loans for Study Abroad

It’s not the best option, but taking out an additional student loan to cover the cost of a study abroad trip is possible. It can help defray the expenses while still putting the responsibility for that cost on the student instead of your own wallet. Of course, keep in mind that the student loan would need to be repaid with interest. As mentioned, it’s tough to get more federal financial aid in the middle or end of the school year, but some students and parents may be able to find funding in the private sector with banks and lenders. However, remember to weigh the risks and benefits of taking on debt. You can get a wealth of experience from study abroad, but is it worth paying interest?

Find a Job for Your Kid

The idea of “working your way through college” doesn’t really work as well as it used to; the constantly climbing costs of education make it nearly impossible to simply rely on a job to pay for school. A job can, however, help cover the cost of an overseas trip, leading to less money you’ll have to contribute as a parent. Conversely, a part-time job could help your child pay for miscellaneous expenses or even rent. This could free up money elsewhere to support a study abroad trip.

Find a Cheaper Trip

If all else fails, you could always advise your student to choose a less expensive trip. Going to a different country, for a shorter duration, or with different living arrangements can often drop the cost to a more manageable amount.  Think of the entire cost, including the cost of travel and cost of living as well as the cost of the program.  Cost is considered on some study abroad review websites, look for comments on cost.  On Abroad101, programs have a compiled star-rating for cost and tips for saving money, search for affordable study abroad programs on Abroad101

Conclusion

Sending your student abroad for study can be prohibitively expensive—but it doesn’t need to be. Take the time to do some research, and you’ll find that a semester abroad, with all of its once-in-a-lifetime experiences, is well within your student’s reach.

 

By guest author Andrew Rombach, a Content Associate from LendEDU – a consumer education website and financial product marketplace. Andrew learned plenty about financial aid from his own experiences with student loan debt in college. Now he covers a range of personal finance topics in general.

25 Benefits of Studying Abroad

Studying abroad is a life changing experience for college students. It opens the door to a world full of travel and adventure, it creates exciting new educational opportunities, and it forms lifelong friendships. If you’re considering studying abroad and are still wondering if it’s right for you, check out the infographic below. It shows 25 benefits of studying abroad, including research and findings from top university studies. From increased self confidence to increased future salaries, you might be surprised at all that studying abroad can do for you.

How to Best Use Technology While Abroad

Taking the Tube around London or strolling past the Eiffel Tower on the way to class in the morning might be dreams of study abroad students the world over, but the logistics of the situation never seem to work out quite as well as they were planned. Despite having the best ideas, rolling with a group of new international friends, or having weeks to prepare, nobody is immune to the difficulties that come with being in a foreign place. Flying into the wrong airport? Not understanding the buses? Can’t find the place you’re looking for? This is where it pays to be living in the 21st century.

We’ve all grown up hearing our parents rant at us for always being caught up in our devices, being addicted to the internet, and forgetting how to interact with each other, but is this really all a bad thing? Maybe there’s a silver lining to the rain cloud that is our obsession with connectivity: the fact that we have the powerful tools to become pro travelers all in our pockets.

Smartphones are just that, smart! They can be smart at least. With your mother’s voice in the back of your head saying “always on that phone..” combined with the great things that ride-sharing apps, internet maps, and translators bring, where do you find the happy medium between starting at your shiny screen and exploring abroad like you should?

The distinction between a “tool” and a “toy” here is the most important. Apps on your phone can be used as both. For example, when you’re trapped at your little cousin’s recorder concert, Facebook is a toy for an escape. When you’re enjoying a glass of wine in Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast, Facebook Messenger is a tool to let your friends know that you got a table for them! The difference lies in the time allocated to using technology. When reaching for your phone, opening up an app, or connecting to wifi, do it for a purpose, not out of instinct. Humans rule because we have the conscious ability to overcome instincts, don’t give that power away to the little box in your pocket! You only have so much time to live the foreign experiences happening all around you, and I promise the internet will still be there when it’s over (or we’ve got bigger problems).

Before going abroad, start practicing this mindset. Slowly weaning yourself away from the “toy” aspects of technology. This can be done by simply being conscious about why you are opening something, looking at something, or watching something, then working your way up to identifying and eliminating the ones you’re not enjoying. Gotta start somewhere!

Before we leave you, check out some of our favorite apps for when technology should be used while traveling abroad:

Google Maps: You need a map. You might think you know Venice like the back of your hand, but this is a must. Also, you can now download maps to use offline!

Rayka: This new platform is the ultimate study abroad app for students. Instead of using TripAdvisor or Yelp, Rayka shows you the favorite places of past students who studied there: specifically made by students, for students. That way, you can see the best recommendations from people just like you.

Google Translate: If you’re abroad in a country that speaks a different language and your skills just aren’t quite up to par, this is a brilliant app. It requires data, so make sure you’re connected, but it quickly and accurately translates anything you’d like to any language you could think of.

Duolingo: This fun, addictive little game is great for those who are planning to study abroad and want to learn some of the local language. The interface does a great job of encouraging users to learn more, and they have most major language offered for free!

Regardless of what platform you use or don’t use, be sure to make the most of your semester abroad by using technology as a tool rather than using it to distract yourself from the incredible experiences around you. We promise you that it will be the best semester of your life!

Guest post by www.rayka-app.com

Odyssey in Athens – Abroad101 Cool Program of the Week

Odyssey in Athens is a study abroad program through Webster University and gives students from any college a rich cultural experience in the birthplace of Western civilization. Students tell of great friendships that develop between their Greek classmates and also the welcoming feeling in Athens, a big, but not too big city. Whether you’re into history, cultural experiences or the great Greek food, we agree that Odyssey in Athens is one cool program!

Webster-Athens is in an excellent location for formal study – at the foothills of the Acropolis. Just walking around the streets near the university, you can take in so much of this ancient, yet modern, city.

With its extraordinary artistic, intellectual and cultural heritage, Athens is richly endowed with resources for formal study and experiential learning. The museums at the Acropolis and the ancient Agora, as well as the National Archaeological Museum, the Cycladic Museum, and the Benaki collections are within minutes of the Athens Campus facilities. Cultural events including concerts, recitals, dance and theater, as well as international trade shows, conferences and symposia, public lectures, gallery exhibits, sports events and marathons, are an integral part of life in this bustling, cosmopolitan city at the confluence of Europe, Asia and Africa.

To learn more or apply to this program please visit:

https://www.studyabroad101.com/programs/webster-university-athens-odyssey-in-athens

 

I Went To Study Abroad For 1 Semester And Stayed For More Than 4 Years!

By Lewi Blake – MoveYourLifeAbroad.com

Studying abroad changed my life.

In 2011 I took a GAP year to Bordeaux, France so that I could learn how to speak French, travel around Europe and experience a new culture. This was one of the best decisions I ever made because the 1 semester I was meant to study abroad for turned into 4 years.

Studying French In Bordeaux

I attended the University of Bordeaux III where I studied a French language course. This course gave me the ability to speak French fluently in less than 6 months. From that, I was able to take the B2 DELF exam (this is the diploma required to attend University in France). Originally only meaning to stay in Bordeaux for 1 semester, I decided to stay for a full year because I was having such a great time.

Studying during the day, working at a bar in the evenings and traveling to neighboring countries on the weekend was the norm. I was really able to discover parts of the world that I hadn’t even dreamed of visiting before. I was even lucky enough to go snowboarding in the French Alps for a week.

After my amazing year in Bordeaux came to an end it was time to go home. The only problem was that I wasn’t ready to leave yet. After a little research, I looked into studying a University Degree in France.

Funnily enough, all that was really required for me to study a University Degree in Paris was the B2 DELF diploma that I had completed 6 months prior.

University In Paris

In 2012 I started my Bachelor of Business Administration degree at the Paris Business College. Living in Paris was quite different to living in Bordeaux. The people were different, the weather was a lot colder and everywhere I looked was covered in rich culture and history. It felt like living in a completely new country. I was spending a lot more time with French people as the majority of students at the University were French. This enabled me to experience what the French culture was like first hand and really cement my French speaking abilities.

Everyday on the way to University I would ride past the Eiffel Tower on my bicycle and wonder if I was dreaming. I was living in the “city of love” and I was loving it!

The Paris Business College offered me many opportunities to study abroad while I was there. I decided to study abroad for a semester in London and a semester at the International University of Monaco.

Living The High Life In Monaco

Moving to Monaco completely blew my mind. I was living in one of the most expensive and glamorous places on Earth.

As you can probably guess, as a student that worked part-time in a bar and writing articles online, I wasn’t able to afford to live in Monaco. Instead I lived in Nice which was only 30 minutes away. My day-to-day life in Monaco involved riding my motorbike along the French Riviera to University every morning, relaxing on the beach with friends in the afternoon and working part-time at a crazy bar in the evenings.

To say life was great would be an understatement.

I settled in so well that I ended up staying in Monaco and finished my degree over the next 2 years.

Conclusion

  • Studying abroad gave me the opportunity to study in 3 different countries and live abroad for more than 4 years.
  • And you know what, more than 6 years have passed since I first studied abroad and I’m still living overseas to this day.
  • I’m not in France anymore but I’m living in South America. After learning Spanish in Guatemala for a few months I’ve moved to Ecuador where I’m currently residing.
  • Not too bad when you think about how much the course of my life changed from one decision that I made when I was 18 years old.
  • That is the power of studying abroad!

About The Author

Lewi is the founder of MoveYourLifeAbroad.com. For the past 6 years, he has been traveling and working his way around the world. He is extremely passionate about travel and loves sharing his knowledge with others because he believes everyone should have the opportunity to live abroad. In his spare time, he enjoys having a few cheeky beers with friends and riding his bicycle around town.