Transcription is an in-demand business process used widely in legal, medical, and law enforcement fields. Its applications even extend to businesses, media, and academia. So, it’s no surprise that the industry is expected to reach nearly $36 billion by 2032, and any client can choose from hundreds of professional transcription companies. However, with that large of a scope, there are sure to be common transcription errors that you’ll need to contend with.
Anyone in the medical or legal field knows how small documentation mistakes can snowball into bigger problems faster than you can imagine. Missing details or jumbled context don’t just create headaches—they can impact lives and damage reputations. So, what exactly are the most common transcription errors, and how can we avoid them?
In this article, you’ll learn:
- The most common transcription errors are caused by poor audio quality, overreliance on AI tools, unfamiliarity with specialized terminology, accent/dialect difficulties, and rushed deadlines.
- Most dangerous errors include confusing similar-sounding medical terms, missing critical words (like “not” in medical instructions), and timestamp/speaker identification mistakes in legal documents.
- Human transcriptionists are more accurate than AI tools (which only achieve 61.92% accuracy), especially for specialized fields requiring context understanding and industry terminology.
What is Transcription, and Why is Accuracy Critical?
Have you ever tried playing the telephone game? It’s a game I used to love in kindergarten (yes, I still remember it) and it works like this: a person whispers a phrase to one person, that person whispers the same to another, and another until it reaches the last person in the class (say there were 20 of them), and “chocolate cake” somehow becomes “My goat swam in the Colorado River.”
That’s exactly what we want to avoid in transcription.
It can be a doctor’s note about a weird rash or a lawyer’s courtroom testimony—transcription accuracy is essential regardless of the case. You can think of a medical transcriptionist working behind the scenes to ensure your medical records don’t accidentally prescribe elephant tranquilizers when you need an aspirin.
In all seriousness, accurate transcription can be a matter of life and death, particularly in healthcare. When Dr. Smith mumbles into her dictation device about your treatment plan after a 12-hour shift, we’d need someone to translate that into clear instructions.
One wrong word could mean the difference between “take with food” and “take with mood.”
Causes of Transcription Errors
Errors can result from human fallibility or technological hiccups, and they lurk around every corner of the documentation process, waiting to transform clear communication into unintended comedy—or worse.
| Common Causes | Impact and Explanation |
| Poor Audio Quality | Like trying to understand someone talking through a pillow – background noise and static turn clear dictation into a guessing game. |
| Use of Automated Tools | AI tools can turn medical terms into bizarre phrases. Without human review, you might get “psychic elevator” instead of “psychiatric evaluation.” |
| Unfamiliar Terminology | When doctors or lawyers unleash their professional jargon, transcriptionists can get lost in translation without proper training. |
| Accents and Dialects | Regional accents turn simple transcription into a linguistic puzzle – what’s clear in Boston might be cryptic in Birmingham. |
| Tight Deadlines and Lack of Attention to Detail | Racing against the clock leads to oversights – suddenly, “annual review” becomes “manual renew.” |
Common Types of Transcription Errors
What are the common errors that keep transcriptionists up at night (besides that fourth cup of coffee)? I’ll give you some examples.
Misheard Words and Phrases (Homophones)
I remember an elderly woman saying that she “sold her sole” on the marketplace, and everyone thought she’d made a deal with the devil when she just meant she sold her old shoes.
That’s the kind of confusion we’re dealing with when it comes to homophones. Words that sound alike but have different meanings are the arch-nemesis of transcriptionists everywhere.
Also, when someone with a thick Boston accent talks about “parking the car,” it might end up as “packing the cod” in less experienced ears.
And don’t even get me started on medical terminology – one doctor’s “myocardial infarction” can sound suspiciously like “my cardinal infection” if you’re not paying attention.
Omitted Words or Phrases
Zoning out during a meeting and missing something important isn’t new to corporate folks, right? Transcriptionists face this challenge every day, except their “zoning out” could mean missing the most critical details in a patient’s medical history.
Imagine if “Patient is not allergic to penicillin” becomes “Patient is allergic to penicillin” because someone missed a tiny three-letter word. Suddenly, our friend with strep throat is getting the wrong treatment plan, all because of one missed word.
Background noise doesn’t help, either. Try transcribing a doctor’s dictation when it sounds like they’re recording from inside a washing machine during the spin cycle. Sometimes, what should be “administer medication twice daily” comes out as “…minister…daily,” which sounds more like a religious schedule than medical instructions.
Inaccurate Speaker Identification
Let’s say you’re transcribing a heated board meeting where everyone’s talking over each other like it’s Thanksgiving dinner with the in-laws. Now try keeping track of who said what. Did Karen from Accounting suggest the budget cuts or Kevin from Marketing?
In a legal deposition, mixing up speakers isn’t just confusing—it’s potentially lawsuit-worthy.
This gets even trickier when multiple doctors consult on a case. “Dr. Smith recommended surgery” is different when it was actually Dr. Jones who made that call. It’ll be a game of Clue, except the stakes are way higher than finding out who did it in the conservatory with the candlestick.
Time-Stamp Errors
Time stamps in transcription matter more than you’d think.
In legal transcripts, five minutes can distinguish between an alibi and a problem.
In medical records, knowing whether the patient got their medication at 9:15 or 9:50 could be critical information.
Getting these times wrong is pretty much like showing up to a surprise party an hour late – except instead of missing out on cake, you might be missing out on a medical timeline or legal evidence. No pressure, right?
Formatting Errors
Different industries want their transcripts formatted in specific ways.
Legal transcripts have special formatting rules that make tax forms look simple. Medical transcripts have more specific requirements than a coffee order from that one very particular customer. Even general transcription needs might require specific formats from time to time. So, it’s important for a transcription service provider to stay on top of these things.
To minimize these errors, experienced transcriptionists follow a few golden rules:
- Treat medical dictionaries like your best friend. Always there when you need them, and never judge your confusion about whether the doctor said “pharyngitis” or “laryngitis.”
- Take breaks before your brain converts everything into interpretive dance notation. Fresh eyes catch mistakes that tired eyes miss.
- Use technology wisely. AI transcription tools are like enthusiastic interns – helpful but need supervision. They might be fast, but they also might think “otolaryngologist” is “auto large golfist.”
How Ditto’s Transcription Minimizes Errors
Sure, we’re only human, and we make mistakes. However, that is no excuse for compromising clients due to these common transcription errors.
That’s why we at Ditto Transcripts have perfected our process to provide educational institutions, businesses, healthcare facilities, legal firms, law enforcement agencies, you name it, all with the most accurate transcripts they’ll ever get—and here’s how we do it.
Highly-Trained, US-based Human Transcriptionists
AI transcription is cheap, sure, though only 61.92% accurate. Do you really want to save a few dollars and gamble on accuracy?
With our specialized transcription service, you won’t have to worry. Ditto only hires US-based transcriptionists to provide the highest quality and accuracy. Our experts have a full command of English and commendable experience in all the fields mentioned.
Having been exposed to (American) English from day one, our professionals can work with various accents and dialects. They also undergo training and feedback/coaching sessions to stay on top of their game and get the latest changes in the field.
Furthermore, our transcriptionists know how to use context to get the right information, using surrounding information to pinpoint which words to use. Better yet, we can ask for clarification or mark ambiguous sections in the transcript for enhanced clarity.
Rigorous Quality Control
Some transcription companies might be okay with running an error check with Grammarly once and be done with a transcript. We’re not.
At Ditto, all transcripts undergo several proofreading and editing processes to ensure our trademark 99% (or even more!) accuracy.
Customizability
Here at Ditto, our clients call the shots. Formatting and style guidelines can be provided to ensure that transcripts are ready to use the moment they land in their inboxes.
You can provide us templates for different departments or specialties, and we’ll make sure every transcript you receive for them is tailored to your needs and eliminates most of the common transcription errors in one easy process.
Do you need classic, no-nonsense standard formats? We can also handle that to ensure that all information is captured and recorded correctly and consistently.
CJIS, HIPAA, FINRA, and HITECH-compliant Security
We use the most up-to-date security measures to ensure that every line in transcription goes where it’s supposed to. Our protocols include top-of-the-line encryption, redundant firewalls, on-site physical security measures, and non-disclosure agreements.
Even better, we’re compliant with all the security protocols you can think of, so you can be sure that all your transcripts are secure and fall under Meaningful Use.
Speed And Accuracy (Without Sacrificing Either)
Yes, accuracy is non-negotiable. That doesn’t mean we get to sit on your transcripts for months to make them usable. You can get your transcripts in as fast as 24 hours, or if you want more economical options, you can get them within ten business days. As I said, you call the shots.
Want To Prevent Transcription Errors? Say No More!
Common transcription errors are mostly borne of procedural issues. So, don’t settle for shoddy transcription service providers or automated solutions that make you want to ask for a refund, even if they’re free. Work with us and experience the following perks:
- More than 99% accuracy on all projects
- Fast turnaround times
- Different affordable rates for different budgets
- Flexibility and customization
- HIPAA and HITECH compliance
- No lock-in periods or contracts—pay as you go
- Multi-channel communication
- Industry-leading customer support
Not convinced? Call us for any questions, or take advantage of our free trial to experience what it’s like working with the best.
Ditto Transcripts is a Denver, Colorado-based transcription company that provides fast, accurate, and affordable transcription services for clients of all sizes. Call (720) 287-3710 today for a free quote, and ask about our free five-day trial.