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1. What is the difference between Verdatum and the analog system I use now? Verdatum is a digital, i.e. computer based system. Voice dictation is recorded on your computer, and then passed into your network. The network manages the voice files, and the files are transferred over the network to your transcriptionists wherever they may be. 2. What is the difference between Verdatum and other digital dictation systems? Verdatum is designed exclusively for the unique needs of law firms. All others are sold primarily in the healthcare industry to doctors, and the companies that market them are now trying to adapt them to fit the workflow of law firms. 3. Why is a system designed exclusively for the legal industry important? Because the way that lawyers and doctors work are very different. In healthcare, physicians spend their time seeing a number of individual patients and dictating notes or short pieces of correspondence to referring physicians or reviewing images (as in radiology) and dictating short reports. The subject matter is always medicine, and the workflow is always the same; from physician to transcriptionist to the patient’s file, usually as a hard copy. The physician is usually in the office or making rounds at the hospital. The practice usually consists of a small number of physicians associated with each other and supported by several transcriptionists. An attorney's work is very different. Some attorneys have many clients with just one matter; some have just one client with many matters. The subject of those matters is literally as broad as all that exists. The workflow may require complex correspondence to go to a seasoned secretary, briefs to go to central word processing, due diligence summaries to a floater or an outsourced transcription service, and billing to data entry. One day the lawyer may be in the office, the another in court in the next county, and the next on a plane across the country. Given those stark contrasts the same piece of software cannot support both industries adequately. 4. What can I expect from Verdatum that I can't expect from other digital dictation companies? You can expect that 100% of Verdatum's focus, including research and development dollars, will be on legal specific solutions. Those companies which are targeted primarily into the healthcare industry will continue to invest heavily to position their companies as the systems of choice for hospitals, clinics, and physicians. They will do this by integrating into the latest healthcare digital systems and developing tools specifically for the healthcare practitioner. This will leave little, if any, time and money for them to advance the capabilities of the systems for the legal industry, which will remain a far smaller customer base than their healthcare clients. 5. What kind of hardware do I need? The Verdatum system uses a microphone that looks and operates just like desktop microphones for analog systems. For mobile users, digital handhelds are available which are very similar to mobile analog models. On the transcription side, headsets and footpedals identical to analog models are used. 6. Is the software difficult to learn and use? No. The recorder and player software operates just like a typical desktop machine, and most users operate them through the microphones or footpedals. 7. Will Verdatum allow me to centralize my transcription? Yes. Distributed environments, i.e. law firms with several offices, can now, with the click of a button, immediately send dictation to a central transcription pool, no matter where that pool is located. This compounds the ROI, as transcription management positions in multiple locations can be consolidated. Additionally, transcription pools may now be located in an area where it is economically most advantageous. 8. Why should it be important to me that my dictation be handled digitally? Because the benefits of digital dictation are the same as those from other digital systems in your office, including reliability, speed, efficiency, and economy, and in the digital world, those without the system are at a considerable competitive disadvantage. 9. What kind of return on investment (ROI) can I expect? Immediate and substantial. The metrics produced by Verdatum will allow you to identify with objectivity the performance of your people, and to better manage that performance. It will also allow you to consolidate operations in those areas where it makes economic sense to do so. Document production time from the transcription side will be reduced, lowering your costs and making your clients more satisfied. 10. What capabilities do I get from Verdatum that I don't get from my analog system? Verdatum allows you to easily locate work product, as well as back it up, so lost or damaged tapes are no longer an issue. In an instant the volume of outstanding work, and its status, can be identified, no matter how large the enterprise. The length of recordings, when and by whom it was created, the priority, as well as the length of time it takes to transcribe are recorded, as well as a multitude of other statistics applicable to the file are also recorded. 11. What about the security of my dictation? Verdatum is much more secure than an analog system. Authors may recall or alter only their own dictation, not any other users. Transcriptionists only see that dictation which they have been given clearance to see. Interwoven/iManage users have all of the security features that apply to their documents now available for their dictation. There is no more secure solution. |