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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Spheris, India, etc. sm

Posted By: crispycritterMT on 2007-07-13
In Reply to: Quitting in droves - X-Spheris MT

They have really stepped up sending the work to India. I noted it slowly happening last year. At first, when you asked where a certain account went, they would lie to you and then find out later it went to India. As the year went on, they really became blatant with it. I quit in December because I couldn't make a living on the crap I was having to work on and sometimes, I was lucky to get the crap!

I'm sure the major changes will include a pay cut. They're good for that. Worked there for 6 years and there was at least 3 big pay cuts across the board, not including losing the good accounts.

I left them a scathing exit survey and they still sent me a letter wanting me to be rehired!


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SPHERIS IS IN INDIA!!
Spheris is now offshoring to India for sure. They have an office there. I think it is a shame that they cannot treat the US MTs with the respect that they deserve, leaving us to wonder how to feed our family and pay the bills and the next thing you know...WHAM!! you find out they are in India!! WHAT A LOSER COMPANY!!!
Just went to look at Spheris India and it seems they

does this have something to do with Spheris India? nm
xxx
Please notice the OP was SPHERIS INDIA and NOT
On the US Spheris' web site for application of an MT position, notice this at the bottom of the page:

***Spheris adheres to the requirements above as we strive to maintain consistency and fair hiring practices***

If you bother loading in all the Flash players on Spheris India, you will see THAT is where the age restrictions are given.

No intelligent person could ever believe the US side would blantly violate US hiring laws as to put such a restriction on the US company's web site.

I have nothing to do with the company. I am just amazed at what people will contrive others into believing by not paying attention or investigating the issue at hand.
cbay is spheris' India company...
claim they have over 4000 employees, but the MTs are in India...

that was reported in the advance health magazine.
Spheris India. See Message Inside.





Coimbatore has the potential to become one of the largest Medical Transcription (MT) centres outside the US due to the advantages of a large number of student population and health care knowledge available in the city, according to Mr Suresh Nair, CEO and Managing Director, Spheris India Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, and President, the Indian Medical Transcription Industry Association (IMTIA).

The Industry, which now largely depends on business from the health care institutions in the US, could also expect to secure greater business from the hospitals in India in the coming years as the health insurance business that drives the growth of the MT industry is set to gain greater acceptance among the people here, he said.

Addressing the media here, he said the MT industry in India currently employs around 20,000 people and compared with other BPO activities such as call centre jobs, the attrition rate in MT sector was less. The size of the business generated by the MT industry annually in India was estimated at $250 million that was a fraction of the global MT industry's business volume of $12 billion. In India, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Delhi were prominent centres for the MT industry but now the business is seen shifting to smaller cities such as Pune, Kochi and Coimbatore. The industry is witnessing a 50 per cent annual growth in the country.

He said though the US health care sector generated the largest volume of business for the MT industry in India, other countries such as Australia, the UK, West Asia and Singapore offered good potential. He said more than 50 per cent of the medical transcription work was done inhouse by hospitals in the US and this offered more opportunity for growth.

Mr Nair clarified that the medical transcription work was moving from the US to India not because of any cost advantage but because of the growing shortage in the availability of medical transcription personnel in the US. There was an estimated 10 per cent annual decline in transcriptionists capacity every year in the US because of retirement and inadequate number of new recruits joining the profession there.

He said it was estimated that India requires addition of 10,000 transcriptionists every year to cope with the demand. Apart from the Philippines that had traditionally competed with India for this work, others such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan have joined the race to get their share of the outsourcing pie. There are signs of South American nations and countries in the West Indies setting up capabilities in this field.






He said there has been a gradual migration of companies in the industry from larger cities such as Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad to smaller cities such as Pune, Coimbatore and Kochi in the last two or three years. In the last twelve months, three or four MT companies have moved to Coimbatore from Bangalore. Powered by the growth in broadband connectivity, there was also growing trend of transcriptionists working from home that offered tremendous employment potential to women.

Mr Nair expected Coimbatore to have 5,000 medical transciptionists in the next 18 months. Asked about the safeguards the MT companies have put in place to get their fee for the work done from clients abroad and to pay their employees here promptly, Mr T.P. Prabhakaran, CEO of Pradot Technologies Private Ltd, Bangalore, which also has a unit here, said the companies entered into contracts directly with the hospitals and also obtained part of the payment in advance. The MT companies have established their presence in the business and have strong relationship with their clients.

Mr Nair said a trained MT could earn up to Rs 10,000-Rs 12,000 a month, and this could go up to Rs 15,000-Rs 20,000 after two years of experience.




© Copyright 2000 - 2006 The Hindu Business Line


Spheris sends most work to India. SM
They are most certainly NOT a company to work for, if you are a single mom.
if I remember correctly, isn't that Spheris' India department?
Supposedly over 4000 employees, JUST for that India account, according to Advance Health Magazine...
Article in local paper about Spheris and outsourcing to India
Franklin-based Spheris Near Top of Medical Transcription Business
BY SHARON H. FITZGERALD

In today’s world of Palm Pilots and voice-recognition software, you might think the need for medical transcriptionists is waning. You would be wrong. Franklin-based Spheris employs more than 5,000 medical transcriptionists worldwide and is looking to hire more as its service to more than 200,000 physicians at health systems, hospitals and doctor groups continues to grow.

The world is changing because the demand for electronic medical records … is very high. Certainly there are some technologies being tried and adopted, such as speech-recognition technology or systems where the physician is required to key in his or her own information. Those are still in their infancy and hold some promise in the distant future. But for right now the work-flow habits of physicians and hospitals and the need to see many more patients and process them more efficiently is driving the demand for what we do to its highest levels, explains Harry Shaw, Spheris investor relations.

In July, Spheris was named No. 7 among the nation’s fastest-growing healthcare information technology companies. The designation was by the publication Healthcare Informatics, which also ranked Spheris 28th for total revenue. The company is the second largest in the medical transcription industry.

Spheris’ growth is in no small measure due to its December 2004 acquisition of HealthScribe (also known briefly as Avicis), which was No. 3 in the field. While terms of the deal were not disclosed, Spheris gained a workforce of more than 1,800 transcriptionists. About 1,500 of those employees work at a centralized facility in Bangalore, India. Thus, says Shaw, the transaction gave Spheris a much-needed global perspective.

To service this increased demand that’s out there, having enough medical transcriptionists to do the work is a real challenge to the industry in general. One way to tackle that increased demand is to tap the resources that are available globally, he says. One of the neat things about having an operation based in India is that a lot of dictation is done at the end of the day after hours. So we get a lot of volume that comes in late in the evening, and if you follow the sun, that’s the morning time for India. They’re just starting their business day, so we can route a lot of volume that we get late in the day to India when transcriptionists are just coming to work.

Shaw says the fact that Spheris owns its international facility and employs its workers rather than subcontracting differentiates the company from similar businesses. In addition, all Spheris’ medical transcriptionists in the United States are either full-time or part-time employees of the company.

With more than 3,500 employees and additional sites in St. Petersburg, Fla., and Sterling, Va., Spheris depends on high-tech global systems to quickly turnaround client transcription. Here’s how the technology works: Spheris provides clients with a server and whatever voice-capture system the client prefers. That might be a hand-held device or it might be a phone number the client calls. Shaw says fulfillment shops ensure that the client — as well as transcriptionists — have the hardware and software necessary to do the job. Following a patient encounter, physicians and other healthcare providers dictate details such as patient history, diagnosis and medications prescribed. The voice files are sent to a data center in either Franklin, St. Petersburg or Sterling, then passed out to transcriptionists.

The technology play is critical for a company of our size, and it’s one of the advantages that we offer in terms of cost savings, he says. He acknowledges, however, the continued existence of sneaker net, with some physicians continuing to speak into a tape recorder; then tapes are picked up at the office for delivery to Spheris.

Most of Spheris’ U.S. transcriptionists work out of their homes, where they usually receive digitized voice files over the Internet. Spheris offers the client a variety of templates, or the client may have its own format. Turnaround time is 12 to 24 hours, Shaw says, although stat service is available.

As it is known today, Spheris is the result of a small Franklin company called Total eMed, which purchased the much larger EDiX from IDX Systems in June 2003. The resulting company was branded as Spheris. In November 2004, the company completed a recapitalization in which two private equity investors, Warburg Pincus and Soros Private Equity (now known as TowerBrook Capital Partners), acquired ownership. The management team, led by President and CEO Steven E. Simpson, also invested and continues to lead company operations.

Asked if an IPO is in Spheris’ future, Shaw says the company will take a cautious approach to that. We want to make sure that we stay disciplined around the acquisition of HealthScribe, making sure that we’re fully integrating all aspects of that. … We do have a growth strategy in mind, and that certainly is an option down the road.
LOL, I have to laugh, as I just lost my acct to Spheris Global (India). nm
xxx
I hated it there, they sent good accts to India (spheris global). nm
xxx
how horrible but Acusis/DRC outsources to India, just what Spheris will do with that easy account. n
,
India, Michael. The MT world is going to India. Wonder why? nm
!
I still feel like a team player of Spheris, as the shackle scars are still on my legs! Spheris was

Micromanaged to the microsecond, or ms!  Horrible. And part of a team?  Total opposite - part of a team as in prison.


Don't imply you're worried at all. Just stating fact that Spheris does NOT allow a Spheris MT
work concurrently for MQ - no exceptions.  MQ, on the other hand, does not have the same feelings as Spheris.  Just all I had to say so that MTs aren't misled into thinking they can do the same "legally". Even went to the ropes on this issue with Spheris, as I was professional as well, and wouldn't share info, etc. The point they raised was that MQ is their direct #1 competition, and if I was typing for MQ and doing great work, that was in direct conflict of interest with Spheris' best interests.  Guess which one I obviously stuck with!!
offshore to India, it's OFFSHORE (off shore), not outsource to India.
nm
Thank you, Spheris recruiter! Anybody wanna place a bet that there are lots of Spheris
HELP WANTED ads on the job board?? So funny!! Out of the blue, Spheris, we love you!! Lets all run and apply NOW!!
I also know Spheris would fire you if they knew you worked for MQ. That is a BIG NO with Spheris!
nm
Spheris - any spheris employees out there care to s/m
comment on the new Cornerstone platform, good, bad? Will we all be going to SR on this? Thanks.
If the transcribed files go to India, are sent out from India to be transcribed, sm

then the transcribed work is sent BACK to India to be pasted into the GEMS platform and then sent back to the clients in America, how on earth can the company claim to be US-based because its Indian owner has a home in Kentucky?


 


My experience with Spheris isn't bad at all. I have been with Spheris sm
6 months and already have 40 hours PTO. I was shocked.  Spheris is a  great company.  After 90 days I did get my sign on bonus and didn't even have to ask.  There is soooooooooooooooo much that Spheris offer I wasn't even aware of.  I am so glad that I didn't listen to the negative posts on this board in regards to Spheris because I am a happy camper.
...or from India. nm
x
so done with india
so done with india.... they can't make it w/o us americans
It all went to INDIA....
Spheris over-hired all right.  All of your work went to India to the Combitore office they opened up.  Look into some websites and you will find it.  Indiadaily. com or something like that.  It talks all about the nice growth they are experiencing in India with the new Spheris office.  They immediately hired like 300 or some MTs.  Now that is going to take a bite out of your work isn't it.  Get out of that place and find a place that is not giving all of our work to India.  Plain and simple!!  Let them have all India workers for a while and when the quality gets so bad and they have to come back to US MTs, well then you should ask for a better rate of pay as well.  Spheris does not deserve to have even 1 good US MT to work for them.  They are biting the hand that feeds them.  As a matter of fact, people should not even use the hospitals that use Spheris as an outsource.  There is more than one way to skin a cat!! 
Not ALL of it goes to India.
I do not work there, but I have a friend who does and she works on an account for C-Bay that does not allow the work to go to India. 
india

Just wondering, do these MT companies actually give computers in India to those people like they do for their employees in US?  At one point does the Editor know their editing a foreigner's work?  Just a question I had.


India says? Says where?
x
yes to India
/
India
Can it possibly be worth it to these companies by time the pay someone out of the country and then QA. Wouldn't it make more sense to just have an MT who could do the job correctly in the first place! Guess not - since they are all going this route.
India
As the owner of DIT, I can assure you that we most certainly do not outsource to anywhere. All of our work stays in the U.S., always has...always will. We subcontract with MTs all over the U.S.

Donna, Owner, DIT Transcriptioj
India
I posted something a few days ago after the acusis/DRC buyout.  I said I would have to tighten up the budget until I knew what was going on.  Today I tried to call a company about an account I have, thinking I would close it out.  After speaking with a gentleman for a few minutes I wasn't comfortable with the answer I got from him because I had remembered something different when I signed up.  I asked him where he was located.  He named some city in India!  I then said I wanted to speak with someone in America.  He said that was not possible!!  He kept asking me, Is something wrong with my answer?  I asked his name - he said Mark, which I doubt.  I don't know, if it wasn't so sad it would be funny.  Maybe this belongs on the comedy board.  I was speaking with a friend today who owns a small transcription company, and he says that pretty soon the Indians will be having the same problem we are becuase they will be undercut by China.
In India
nm
I believe it. The same for India.
x
India
Lost two small accounts completely that were okay.  Now getting primary, but they are the worse dictators in the pool - not seeing any of the halfway decent dictators.  These are all ESL.  I'm lucky if I get 80 lines per hour because they are SO BAD.  As usual, can't get a response from PS or WFC. I looks like the same situation here that the decent doctors have been shipped to India. 
MTs from INDIA
Please do not use this site to contact me to find you a job.  I do not agree with outsourcing and feel our jobs need to stay here in the US.  Please find your own job in your own country because there are jobs in India that pay India wages to India resident.
MTs from India
Anon..I agree wholeheartedly with you. I used to have my bio on one of the sites and it would never fail....I would get online about 6:30 a.m. our time and there would be 3 or 4 Indian people wanting to talk to me about wanting to work for me and how much they could help me. I told them I was very sorry, but I felt that we needed to keep our own MTs busy and thus I did not outsource. Took awhile for them to get the message, but finally they did. We have to keep putting this message out there....American work for American MTs.
MTs from India
Has anyone heard that recently Indian companies (from India)are now outsourcing to Romania? Seems that the Indian transcriptionists in India are becoming disgruntled about pay, and sweat shop labor. Too funny!!! So, okay, let's move on to another country and exploit them!! HaHa!! It never ends does it - it's all about the cheap.
India
According to a Wikipedia article: More than four-fifths of Indians practice Hinduism. Islam, practiced by around one-sixth of the population, is the most prevalent minority religion. Christianity and Sikhism are each practiced by around 2% of Indians.

Here's a list of Hindu festivals/holidays:
http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/extra/bl-alm.htm

BTW, I had occasion to communicate with the India technical people at Acusis around Christmas, and every one of them greeted me with Merry Christmas or something similar. They have always been very polite and respectful. Actually, the people I have the most issues in the upper echelons of this company are those in the States.
India - every now and then
I reply to them and send them voice files to try out. This last time, I sent 3 voice files. I took one look at the result and my fears were confirmed. If any doctor in the US were to say I FORCED the patient to take his medications we would have a problem. The culture in these other countries don't quite get it. Needless to say, I didn't follow through (which I wouldn't have in the first place anyway). Flame me if you like but I am not going to trust our medical records to countries who don't know our culture and would open us up to lawsuits.
About US MTs and India sm

I have been a QA Editor for quite a while.  I used to disagree when some companies state that they have a hard time finding qualified US MTs.....Now, from what I have been doing QA on, I have to agree with some of the companies.  Is it that the quality is so poor because MTs just do not care anymore because of the low pay?  I don't understand.  Some of the MTs that I QA claim to have 15 to 20+ years' experience......but the quality is just awful!!!


At this point, I would prefer doing QA on work typed by Indian MTs.....It shocks me daily when I see what I have to QA.  I assume these MTs have typed this way for so long, they are set in their own way, but it is just awful and I am about to start typing again as I am so tired of sending the same feedback over and over and over again!!


India vs US
I would disagree - I have been in this business a long time and the quality of Indian labor is far below acceptable. PRN typed as PORN, medicines spelled wrong, dosages incorrect, etc. etc.
india vs us
I am sorry but I have seen the work that comes from India and they DO NOT remember the feedback and use it. They make the same errors over and over. I have sent work back to India more than once and they still make the same error each time. Keep the work in the US! Figure the costs, 5 cents per line PLUS 100% QA vs 8 to 9 cents per line for US labor and the QA does not take as long.
India MT
How do you know they make 5 cents a line? My PMD (who is foreign) told me the India MTs make approximately $500 MONTHLY which is roughly $3.12 an hour if they work full time. He wants to start his own transcription business to offshore to India and wanted me to give him pointers! Some nerve!! I told him to forget it!!!
Well, we have India to thank for
chump-change pay. Just recently had an interview with a company who advertised they did NOT outsource only to find out they did and I immediately declined the offer. I will stick to my guns and hopefully find a company who values what I am worth!
They are from INDIA
http://www.offshorexperts.com/index.cfm/fa/buyer.profile/p/228601

Gee, they are even HIPPA (sic) compliant! I feel so reassured.
Not just India
I was doing research for my own edification and came across an acticle (from 2005 and the actual numbers may have changed but the scale hasn't) in a Manilla newspaper saying,
The Philippines graduates an average of 30,000 medical professionals every year and Filipino doctors, nurses and healthcare providers are acknowledged worldwide for their keen sense for details, high degree of productivity and credibility assuring clients of safety of any medical information.

Also, around 25,000 college graduates from the total 380,000 are said to be qualified to do BPO work, with starting salaries of US$1.00 to US$2.00 per hour.

Medical transcription is here to stay. With more companies improving their cost position ...
and that point I had to subscribe to read more, which I declined.

But did everyone catch that? $1 to $2 PER DAY??

You can bet your bottom dollar (and may have to) that places offshore are aggressively positioning themselves to battle the anti-offshore mentality that many Americans have. That was another quote I read in an Indian newspaper article but could kick myself for not making a note of where I saw it.

At any rate, they know a good thing when they see one and aren't going down without a fight. That is their right, of course. They're pursuing the American Dream (if you catch the irony).

BUT, but, but, but....we've been too complacent too long. They're positioning themselves for success and we're whining about our wages going down, and I'm as guilty as the next person.

Time to participate in the increasing number of posts that are calling us to action.
Most of their MTs ARE in India
The worst dictators are left for the few American MTs they hire.
What's with you and India?......
I have nothing to do with India.
You lost it completely.

You are too old for this profession, MT30+.
Again what's with you and India, you
keep mention this.

Do you regard this tehutmost insult you can give?

I said exactly the contrary.
You lost it and you are going against the flow, too oldfashioned.




India
Politics my dear... politics. It sure stinks, doesn't it?
Wow, you are in India, right? nm
xxx