The stats speak for themselves, use of a smartphone for professional legal and medical dictation is growing and at a rapid rate. The chart above shows the growth for our own customers over the last six months. Since January 2015 to mid-year we have seen a near 400% increase in the number of dictation files created and sent via smartphones using the Olympus ODDS iPhone and Android app.
What Is ODDS?
ODDS or Olympus Dictation Delivery Service is a yearly subscription service offered by Olympus Imaging Australia which teams a smartphone app, Olympus Dictation, with a cloud infrastructure to securely handle and deliver digital dictation audio files.
The system ticks all the boxes regarding security with the option to encrypt your audio as it travels across the internet from your mobile device to your typist, typing pool, transcription service or to Dragon for voice-to-text conversion. Legal and Medical dictation users should be fully aware of the security requirements when communicating confidential information about clients or patients.
From the transcription typist perspective, the audio arrives as if it had come from your office digital dictaphone, like an Olympus DS-7000, in the latest Digital Speech Standard .ds2 audio format. The audio format specifically created by Olympus, Philips and Grundig for maximum file size compression without audio quality loss for fast over the internet delivery.
Why Is It So Popular?
There are a number of reasons that the ODDS App is becoming so popular:
- Ease of use. The app itself has been well designed by Olympus with large clear buttons to initiate recording, rewind, pause, play etc. Those used to a dictaphone can easily be up and running and recording in minutes.
- Try before you buy. As a practice or office manager or even as a sole practitioner the ability to set-up and trial the app and it’s infrastructure before you spend any money is key, with no commitment. You need to be happy that the solution will fit with you or your businesses needs so a 30 day trial is available with no limit on the number of devices you can trial on. At the end of the trial, if you love it just convert your trial licences to a subscription. If not, they will just expire.
- Cost. The app can be purchased on a yearly subscription, in Australia from Dictate Australia that is $139 per year/per device. For those new to digital dictation or those looking to replace an ageing physical dictaphone this is a cost effective way to produce professional secure dictation files.
- The dynamic of the dictation user base is changing. A few years ago we would see people familiar with the older style tape dictaphones needing to replace them, digital is the only way forward. Now we have a comparatively younger generation used to the smart phone and app world. Yes they can use the physical digital dictaphones which are prevalent in an office environment but they work longer hours and increasingly work away from the practice. Having the mobile option complements the in office digital dictation solution.
Does The ODDS App Replace My Physical Digital Dictaphone?
Yes and No. It can and for some of our customers it has. We have one client, a law firm, who took the decision to move their workforce over to the ODDS app rather than replace or upgrade physical dictaphones. They have around 40 of their legal team solely using the app now.
Also, we have customers who love their on-desk digital dictaphone, their daily in office go to device which they know and love. But with longer hours and larger workloads need the flexibility to dictate anytime and anywhere. As a compliment to a voice recorder the app can be utilised when it suits the user. Simply record and send, the audio will be created in .ds2 format and sent to the transcriptionist. All in the same workflow and all securely.
If you would like to know more about using the Olympus ODDS App on your iPhone or Android device or the free trial please contact us: sales@dictate.com.au or chat with us via Live Chat on our website – dictate.com.au