Transcription Outsourcing Releases Free Dictation App

Transcription Outsourcing, a Denver-based transcription company, has announced free and unlimited use of its mobile dictation iPhone app.

The app allows for dictating anywhere, whether there is a cell phone signal or not. Users can record files with a single click of a button.

"You can record any dictation you want simply by hitting the record button in the app," says Ben Walker, Transcription Outsourcing's president and CEO. "You can upload it to our servers right away or save it for later if you don't have a connection to the Internet."

The app also has management features, including the ability to enter report information right on the recording screen (name of file, turnaround time required, etc.) and the ability to create a "to-do" list to remind users of what they need to record.

Transcription Outsourcing uses real humans to do the transcribing rather than automating that function with speech-to-text technology. "Our success with [speech-to-text] has been low. There are just too many variables," Walker says.

Among the variables that have affected the quality are background noises, people speaking too fast or slow, multiple speakers, accents, medical conditions like colds, environmental factors, and very specialized industry terms, he says.

The app is fully secure and HIPAA-compliant, allowing it to be used by doctors and other medical professionals. However, Transcription Outsourcing, has also had rave reviews from several aw enforcement clients.

The iPhone app is free, but users need to have an account with Transcription Outsourcing. The company charges to do the actual transcription; rates are based on a per-minute fee structure and can vary based on the needed turnaround time and the number of speakers in the recording.

"We are committed to providing our clients with the easiest possible dictation solutions," Walker says. "Not only that, but we are also committed to making our services the easiest to use and the most affordable."