QC Checklists and Spell Checkers

Continuing on our theme of Medical Writing Superpowers (Efficiency, Compliance, Cooperation, Accuracy, Consistency, Presentation, Voice) and the tools to help you achieve them, I wanted to next highlight QC and spell checking tools. 

QC Checklists (Activate your powers for Compliance, Cooperation, Consistency) 

A review or QC guidance tool can help ensure all QC/editors follow the same standards. 

• These platforms can stand side-by-side with your document and allow the user to stay on track with SOP-driven reviews or provide a roadmap for standard authoring milestones. 

• Look for a system that allows editors record the steps they have taken, communicate notes, and have their work captured for audit trail purposes. 

• Flexibility in creating fit-for-purpose checklists for different review or authoring assignments can be helpful. 

Spell Checkers (Activate your powers for Accuracy, Consistency, Presentation, Voice) 

Not ground breaking, I realize, but this so critically important it cannot be overlooked. 

• Spell checking is an ancillary feature to many software programs, but the quality of the underlying dictionary is an important factor to understand. 

• Find a tool that identifies complex scientific and medical misspellings. 

• Having a tool that can be added to or that “learns” new words is valuable in our industry with many highly specialized terms. 

Michael Claffey

Chief Operating Officer