Chris,
I have been using Dragon Naturally Speaking since 2004, starting with version 7. I am now using Dragon Medical Practice Edition 2. Prior to using Amazing Charts, I was dictating patient notes using templates with Microsoft Word to create Word documents that would be saved in individual patients charts in a patient chart file. I now use Dragon to dictate into the Amazing Charts EMR. Although there are some problems with typographical errors, they are usually fixed easily but, as pointed out by others, some words just do not seem to be recognized routinely, such as "period", "he", etc. depending on the person who is dictating. Like issues with Amazing Charts, there does not seem to be rhyme or reason to some of these problems. However, I think that, overall, you will find that it is much quicker to dictate than to try to type your notes. You can train words with Dragon and this helps with the accuracy. I have no idea how complex your notes are. I have created some templates to help with physical exams, etc. One example is below:
GENERAL APPEARANCE: This is [default value], in no acute distress.
HEENT: Head is normocephalic and atraumatic. Ear canals [default value]. TMs are normal in appearance. No scleral icterus or conjunctival injection noted. Nasal passages [default value]. Oral mucous membranes are moist. No pharyngeal erythema or exudate noted. Postnasal drip [default value].
NECK: supple without lymphadenopathy or thyromegaly.
LUNGS: Clear to auscultation. Normal respiratory effort. O2 saturation = [default value].
CVR: Heart is [default value]. No murmur, rub, or gallop.
ABDOMEN: Non-distended with active bowel sounds. No tenderness, masses or organomegaly noted. No rebound or guarding noted. Rectal exam [default value].
GU: [default value].
SKIN: Warm and dry.
MUSCULOSKELETAL: No clubbing, cyanosis or edema.
LAB:
DIAGNOSTIC STUDIES:
When you look at this template, you notice the words [default value] in several fields. By using the Dragon command "next variable", I am able to go to each of these and insert a physical exam finding such as ear canals occluded with cerumen bilaterally. This gives me a lot of flexibility when dealing with the large variety of patients that we see in family medicine. One could also create templates for family history, social history, laboratory, etc. very easily. The program is extremely powerful and is made more possible by the addition of KnowBrainer software. My personal view is that one should not skimp on certain parts of the practice such as your computer software, hardware or other things that help you make money and be efficient. Most of us would not think of trying to examine people with a cheap stethoscope, for example. An excellent source of information regarding Dragon Naturally Speaking and its medical application can be found at the KnowBrainer website and the KnowBrainer forums for Dragon Naturally Speaking. As you can see, other people have different ideas about word processing applications that can be used with Amazing Charts, instead of Dragon. As the saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat. I encourage you to ask more questions and visit with others who are using word processing programs in order to help you make a decision. Regardless of the word processing program you use, you can always type into Amazing Charts as needed and I do that all the time.
