Hints on Getting Started Before your Training

Using the Correct Specialty Vocabulary

  • When you start using Dragon Medical, you must force it to use the correct specialty vocabulary in order to get the most accurate result. It has no way to determine automatically what your specialty is.
  • When you use Dragon Medical for the first time, on the first screen of the Create User wizard make sure you choose the correct vocabulary by selecting it in the Vocabulary drop-down list.
  • In Dragon Medical 10, most specialties appear in the drop-down list. If yours does not appear, click the Help button, then in the Help window scroll down to the link "Choosing a Medical vocabulary to support your specialty" and click it.
  • In Dragon Medical 9, primary-care providers (family practice, internal medicine) should use the specialty vocabulary called GeneralPractice, and most other specialists can choose their specialty vocabulary by name. Click here for a list of specialties covered by each vocabulary in Dragon Medical 9.

If you already created and trained a user file without choosing the correct specialty, here is how to add the specialty vocabulary to your user file:

  1. On the Dragon toolbar click Medical, then Manage Vocabularies...
  2. Click the New button.
  3. In the drop-down list, select the correct specialty.
  4. In the Vocabulary Name box, type a name (preferably the same name as your specialty). Click OK.
  5. Click the Medical vocabulary to highlight it, then click the Delete button. (This step is optional. If you don't delete your Medical vocabulary, Dragon Medical will prompt you to choose between the two vocabularies every time you start it.)
  6. Click your specialty vocabulary to highlight it, then click the Open button.

Running the Tutorial

At the end of the New User wizard, you are given the option to run the Tutorial. The Tutorial is highly recommended if you are new to Dragon Medical.

If you would prefer to run the Tutorial later, you can get back to the tutorial by clicking Help, Tutorial on the DragonBar.

Commonly Used Commands

The first page of this document lists the Dragon Medical commands most commonly used by healthcare providers. The second page lists the commands for navigating in CPRS. Print this document and keep it handy.

Dragon Quick Reference for VA (.pdf 35k)

VA Wiki Page on Dragon

This web page contains some information by a VA physician on using Dragon. This page is accessible only from the VA network. Click here to enter.