When you generate a note, Noteless checks whether any of your created phrases should be included. This is done by searching the transcription for matches between the words that are spoken and the verbal triggers you have defined in your phrases.
It is therefore important to carefully consider what makes a good verbal trigger, so that phrases are added when you want them to be—and not by mistake. Below are key principles for effective use of the phrase feature:
1. Choose simple words as verbal triggers
Using simple words helps ensure accurate transcription. Transcription errors can occur during consultations for several reasons. Complex words may be transcribed incorrectly, especially if they are spoken quickly or unclearly. Background noise can also affect transcription quality. By choosing simple words as verbal triggers, you increase the likelihood of correct transcription and that the phrase is added to your note.
2. Make sure the verbal trigger is unique
The verbal trigger should not occur randomly in conversation. Adding a phrase to a note should be a deliberate action. Avoid using single words such as “heart,” “lung,” “shoulder,” or “throat” as triggers, as these are likely to appear in other contexts during a consultation.
3. Keep verbal triggers short and concise
A verbal trigger should ideally contain no more than 4–5 words to function optimally. Longer triggers are harder to detect in the transcription, especially if the spoken wording differs slightly from the defined trigger.
Note that it is not possible to define multiple alternative triggers in the same field by separating them with commas—the trigger must match exactly what is spoken.
4. Avoid abbreviations in verbal triggers
Abbreviations can be difficult to transcribe correctly, especially if they resemble other words. If you need to use an abbreviation, we recommend testing the trigger by starting a new dictation and verifying that the abbreviation is transcribed correctly.