[Histonet] Voice Recognition Systems

[Michael Mihalik]

As an LIS vendor I hear this question quite often.  I'd like to make an
attempt to address this query for the benefit of the group.

To start with, if your APLIS uses a version of Microsoft WORD to enter
gross, or any other part of the report for that matter, then Dragon should
work pretty much out of the box.  There is no 'interface' required.  Also,
if your APLIS is based on the Visual Basic programming language, it will
probably work for that as well.  

The bottom line here is that Dragon Naturally Speaking will work with quite
a few commercially available word processors.  If you're interested in voice
entry, I'd recommend purchasing the most inexpensive version available and
installing it on a single PC.  Just try it.

As to Dragon itself, there are different versions and the price varies
dramatically.  The basic 'engine' appears to be the same in all versions,
but the 'medical' version adds an Anatomic Pathology specific vocabulary and
it will let you create 'macros' and a few other things.  For our clients
that use Dragon, they all use the medical version.

A couple more notes:

1.  There's a company out there called Voicebrook who 'repackages' Dragon
for lack of a better word.  Basically they make Dragon even easier to use
and they provide excellent support from what I've heard.  I have to be
honest though.  I've heard they can be expensive.  I say that not to
criticize their marketing strategy, but to warn the smaller labs with
smaller budgets who read histonet.

2.  Grossing, in particular, is challenging to voice recognition not because
the word choice is difficult (In fact, the 'home' version of Dragon might
work fairly well here), but because of the environment -- it's just "messy"
and to get Dragon to truly work well, you'll have to make some corrections.
I've seen Dragon work for grossing, but in those places where Dragon worked
well for grossing it was because 'templates' were in significant use.
Basically, the user would use Dragon to fill in the blanks.


If anyone has any further questions please feel free to contact me offline.
We have a 20 pathologist, multihospital client who use Dragon 100% for all
their diagnoses.  Hence, our experience.


PS:   Your APLIS vendor may charge a license fee to 'allow' you to use
Dragon with their product.  You should check with them.  We do not charge
this fee as there really is no effort on our side to enable this
functionality for use throughout our entire LIS.

Michael Mihalik
PathView Systems | cell: 214.733.7688 | 800.798.3540 | fax: 952.241.7369

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Ann Specian
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 3:37 PM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Voice Recognition Systems


I am looking for a voice recognition system for the gross room.  It needs to
be a system that will interface with our LIS. 

Does anyone have any recommendations in regard to vendors?

Thank you,
Ann Specian
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