How to crack a blank faster?

In medical transcription, a blank is a part of an audio, which an MT is not able to make out due to some of the following problems:

1.         Bad audio.

2.         Difficult English or medical word, which you are not aware of.

3.         Poor concentration.

4.         No specific reason.

If you follow a systematic approach to crack a blank, in a few days, you will find it very easy to find a blank and wonder why I had spent so much time previously.

Now, suppose you are listening to a file and you thing you are not able to make it out.

1.         Listen to that part 2-3 times.  Most of the time, you will get it.

2.         If you do not get it, put an underscore there with audio timing.  E.g.  ____1:23_____.  Go ahead, most probably you will find the same word again in the file and this time you will get it.

3.         Even if after listening to the whole file you do not get it, come to that audio part of the blank.  See in the old file of the same patient whether it is a standard phrase.

4.         If it is not, copy some part before as well as after the blank and Google it with an asterik (*) in place of the blank or just the preceding or exceeding part with an asterik in place of the blank.  E.g. Coronary * disease, * catheter,

5.         If you still do not get it, the phrase between quotes and Google it.  E.g. “Coronary * disease”

6.         If you still do not get it, decrease the audio speed and listen to the audio again.

7.         Save and close the file for some time and listen to it again.  Lots of time you get the blank by this method.

8.         If you do not get it at all after trying so much, take help of your colleague who does the client regularly or who you thing has the listening ability to crack a blank.

The way we have provided here to crack a blank is just a guideline, and we do not claim it is the best way because everybody has his/her own way to find a word.  This is just a general idea.