What are the advantages and disadvantages of voice or speech recognition relative to conventional dictation/transcription?
There are several advantages to voice recognition over conventional dictation for radiology reporting. Report turnaround time is vastly reduced, overall cost is decreased (because transcriptionists are no longer required), and users who take advantage of text macros can dictate standard reports in less time.
The disadvantages include erroneous reports because of poor recognition of the speech of certain individuals (sometimes because of lack of training) and difficulty in recognizing similar sounding words (e.g., “hypointense” vs. “hyperintense”). Poor recognition and inefficient use of macros often result in increased dictation time and frustration on the part of the radiologist, which is usually remedied with better training and support.
