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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

When people refer to offshoring, don't they mean the Phillippines as well as India?

Posted By: txmt on 2005-10-30
In Reply to: I actually heard it was the Phillipines and not India....That came from... - lilworried

nm


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offshoring to India
if not the doctor, then the patient will not like it.
Companies offshoring to India

Why is it so wrong that human beings in India are doing something to lift their country out of poverty?  We are a developed country, so we can't possibly understand this aspect, but it really should be taken into consideration.  If you can truly say that your company outsourcing to other countries has brought you to extreme poverty, as they experience, then I will completely understand the worries.


I have not suffered at all financially in my 12 years of transcription.  In actuality, my income has increased slightly each year.  I have lived a poor life as a single mother until finally being able to put myself through school and getting into this field.  If there's an Indian mother or father who wants a better future for her family and be able to feed her kids, who am I as an American to say no to him/her?  It's not taking away from our families to the point of poverty that their country has to endure.


I used to be one to sit here and worry, but then I had the revelation of how thankful I am that I don't have to drive to work everyday with the gas prices on the rise, that I don't have to pay a babysitter and leave my children with people who may possibly be harmful to them, that I still can put a little money away each paycheck into my savings account towards retirement, that I'm not suffering hardship because of my pay but only because of the economy.


Yes, I am happy to imagine a mother or father and the joy in her/his eyes at the prospect of a real job to provide for her family in such a struggling country.  I am seeing from Someone else's perspective now.   


companies offshoring to India
What about the jeopardy of the medical reports with incorrect spellings, dosages, etc. that have been seen with the work produced by Indian labor; i.e. PORN instead of PRN - this is one example that I have heard about more than once.

What about the privacy of patient information and how this is not protected by Indian labor.

Furthermore the large companies are sending the work to India to save labor costs but I do not see them lower the price to their clients. I do see them lower their offer of wages to the US MTs however.

I am not sure about you but I do not want my medical records transcribed in India.
Offshoring to India may not be affecting you now...

but I can almost guarantee that you will be affected at some point in the near future.  I thought like you too.  I didn't understand what the big deal was about offshoring to India.  Then the hospital I worked decided to outsource the entire transcription department.  I went from an nice, secure hourly wage to being faced with finding a job with production pay.  I went from $16 an hour for my 10 years experience to 8 cpl!  I finally landed a job making 9 cpl, but had to do the dregs of dictation, the ESL dictators that barely spoke English.  I was barely making 1000 lines a day -- that's around $11 an hour!


Then I parlayed my years of experience into finding a QA job.  At 12 years of experience, I was making $15 an hour QA'ing.  Still making less than I was as an MT when I worked directly for the hospital, but getting closer.  Who cared that I was QA'ing work done by Indian MTs.  It was a steady, reliable paycheck.  Then the owner decided hey I could make more money if I paid my QA people per line and we don't have to pay them the same as MTs because they're not actually typing.  So now I'm expected to accept 5 cpl.


So I sell out AGAIN.  Take a job with another company I am absolutely certain offshores almost all of the work to India!  But again they are willing to pay me hourly and they make promises about bringing a lot of the work back to the U.S., building up a U.S. team and so I pretend I'm not selling out, I'm just taking care of my family and I gotta do what I gotta do.  Within six months of being hired, I am laid off.


Now, here I am, an American CMT with 20 years experience with no job, drawing unemployment, and the sad thing is I'm earning more on unemployment than I've earned on production in the last five years and it is a reliable check. 


I'm real happy for you, but let me tell you your contentment is short-lived.  The offshoring epidemic is going to affect us all one way or the other.  If you haven't been, you will be financially hit and hit hard.  The medical transcription industry already have been hit financially, some are just too ignorant to know any better.  You think 7 cpl is a decent wage.  Consider the education and knowledge base a medical Transcriptionist has to have to do her job well and tell me again how I should be happy with pennies per line and feel sorry for those poor Indians.


So you'll excuse me, if my heart doesn't bleed for all those poor Indians trying to earn a meager wage.  Cause that's all I'm trying to do, but the deck is being stacked against me.  There are companies out there crying that there is a shortage of experienced American MTs and so they are willing to train Indians to do OUR job for a third of what they are willing to pay an American MT and those same damn companies are telling me my 20 years worth of experience, knowledge, and education are only worth 8 cpl!


There's no shortage.  Companies simply do not want to pay for the experienced MT.


As if offshoring to India wasn't bad enough - sm
the mention of a school starting in the Carribean is even worse! Think about how much ID theft and how many internet scams originate in the Caribbean. And they think we want our personal ID info. & medical records to to there? They better think again!
stop "complaining about offshoring to india?? NEVER sorry.. sm
Why in the world would it EVER be OK to OFFSHORE AMERICAN MEDICAL RECORDS to INDIA or any other country?

I want my records transcribed in my own country, thank you very much.

As far as companies selling the MT out.. and offshoring, if you really think that is OK.. and you are an MT.. I don't get it honestly. Maybe you could explain your OKness with this.

Thanks for your insight.
MW has it's own training in facility in India, so offshoring is growing with them. nm
MW India
Phillippines, Cbay, MQ.... enough said!
x
Their QA is in India, I think 2 people who speak
English in the entire company.
another thing...just fyi...those people are in India. nm
nm
go to India and work with those people sm
you support so well.
gotta feel sorry for those people in India...really...sm

the country is so poor and I still blame Bush for all this outsourcing of every aspect of American life.........cars, MT business, etc.....and yes, outsourcing was going on pre-Bush but NOT TO THIS DEGREE...and he's now opened up the Mexican border so all of them can walk across the border to do their jobs and then return home at night to Mexico.....***grrrrrrr***


Also, I'm a gift cataloger of US Companies.....so now when I call a lot of companies to order things, I am reaching *call centers* in India, Guyana, the Phillipines, and pretty much all 3rd world countries..........I I SO HATE THAT......and I'm willing to share - just don't give all our gigs away........


just my 3 cents.........


I would say most here would not agree with you that people from India get all their words right
You must have a very limited amount of people from India you do. I have an onslaught every day I work and most fracture the English language. I am sure probably 99.9% of MTers on here would disagree with that statement.
outsource to India; not enough work, ran out of constantly; some really nice people, though (nm)
xx
Anyone know of a place that hires for over-flow work (besides people in India!!)

 Just a few hours a week?


Would not even refer an enemy!!!!
x
Refer to Sue's message above...
It is quite obvious you only want to bash the company and not try and better your relationship with the people there so I have nothing more to say. I am not, however, a team leader and don't intend to be. I have had a very good experience with Transcend so you will have to go elsewhere for your pity party.
Seems weird they would refer you to CS.
They are no longer accepting new grads from CS to work for them. They have done away with their Focus on the Future program and left many CS grads hanging who they had already accepted into the program. They say they will now only hire those with prior experience.


I have never seen anyone so blatantly asking for someone to refer for a bonus!! You know,
the problem with your philosophy on how to get referral $ is you are SUPPOSED to know the MT, even if its rather remotely!  Your company is paying you good $$ to refer GOOD MTs, as in ones you know! They don't want random employees trolling for strangers to refer - that's not the real basis for referral bonuses.  If you love your company as much as you claim (which is fine), how could you refer a complete stranger who answered your plea on a message board? You wouldn't know 1 thing about them honestly.  You wouldn't know who, or what, you were referring to your company.  Sure, maybe they could pass testing, etc, but you know NOTHING about that referral.  I refer people to my company all the time and SKIP the referral bonus cause its not proper to refer total strangers and expect $$ back for it. 
At least he didn't refer to them as mares and
nm
Please refer to MT's newest post above
THIS is the applicant you would prefer to hire over x?
Sheeple is good. I usually refer to them as lemmings.
:+
Fortunately, I work for a company that does not refer to their
employees in derogatory terms, as you seem to do. I would judge, based on the above letter, that you are from from being the perfect boss. Obviously you feel you should have time to have a family and a life, but no one else is entitled to that luxury because they are beneath you.

I think you would be much happier if you packed your bags and moved to India and the Phillipines and ran your company from there using slave labor. I am certain there are enough hospitals in those countries to keep your not-so-wonderful company in business while you pay line rates that will ensure you keep the peons in their proper places.

I can now see why there are derogatory posts about your company. Ordinarily I would ignore such comments and apply if I were looking for a job, making up my mind after that point if it would be a good job for me, but your post has convinced me that I would never want to put myself in any type of relationship with you.
Agree with above, not to mention all the docs' names they refer to
xxx
Beware of Helpful Posters and MTs pushy to refer
Regarding post below, it reminded me that I have been meaning to post something, but just have been so busy.  It stemmed originally from the recruiter discussions of late, and their credibility issues at times.  Even more than worrying about recruiters, please be very leary about seemingly sweet and helpful posters who reply to you on here and then send private emails about jobs they know of that can help you out.  I swear, in the years I have hung on this board, and in the days when I used to be trusting and naive, I have never once been contacted personally by anyone who was trustworthy or had my best interests at heart. I have run into the really screwy companies via these supposed helpful posts, and these are the companies who don't pay, are very dishonest and/or shady, etc.  I won't name names, but many of these helpful posters are well known, and also recruiters fot the shady companies with less than above-board business practices.  I just hate to think of the innocent new posters, truly looking for help from their fellow MTs, getting sucked in by these unscrupulous vultures.  These vultures peruse these boards 24/7, looking for vulnerable MTs to pounce upon.  By the time you realize you've been conned, its too late. If they just happen to know a job that could just happen to help you out, chances are more than good that its a skanky company - otherwise, they wouldn't be phishing here for victims. They'd have legitimate advertisements on the many MT job sites.  Also, please keep in mind that many happy employee referrals, who also happily email you privately, are simply 100% looking to make a referral fee. Their company may be a nightmare, with horrible conditions, but these vultures make up the $$ by phishing these boards and referring literal strangers to their company. Referral bonuses range from $300 up to $1000 at times, so you are nothing more than $$ to the helpful person, who is just looking to pad their paycheck, not help your situation.  I know I was conned several times over the years, or at least stuck in very uncomfortable situations, and hopefully will spare somebody going thru the same. Remember, too, if a company is that bad that they have to have MTs referring and recommending complete strangers, there is something wrong, with the MT and the company.
India, Michael. The MT world is going to India. Wonder why? nm
!
offshore to India, it's OFFSHORE (off shore), not outsource to India.
nm
People at TT have been paid! People who haven't well, maybe you did not make count and your check
after insurance deduction. Maybe your bank is holding it. Maybe anything! But we GOT PAID. This is NO LIE. And I am sick of this board. Nothing but disgruntled exemployees arguing with employees who like their job. Ugggg. I am working. BTW: THERE IS WORK (clears throat) remember that? Work?
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?


 


Keystrokes is wonderful!! They are the nicest people and care 150% about their people!!
Excellent company!!!!
I worked for SS and some people were very RUDE and I am talking about the editing people in some
instances.  It ALL depends on the person, as it does with any company.  They paid on time and the lady over me was very nice, but boy the person in QA was mean to EVERYONE!!  Never seen anything like it before.
No offshoring either. nm
 
Offshoring
Could someone define offshore "big time." When I worked for them I was told they have a company in the Philippines that they send work to, strictly some low priority government disability stuff. Their platform is great and the people I worked with were also wonderful to work for. I left for a personal reason but would not hesistate to recommend them, IF you can get a comparable line rate to make up for the spaces. Again the platform is very productive and they do pay for headers so that helps.

OSI offshoring - sm
Ask the recruiter when you speak to her. I know the offshore, I was working there when the news broke, and they are still doing it. Go ahead...ask. This is not sourgrapes, but fact.
Offshoring

Nah their govt would never bite the hand that feeds them.  They would beat it out of their own citizens instead.  That is the great thing about America, at least it is somewhat fair?  We like to think it is the same in other countries but if it were they wouldn't be working for us in the first place.  The only ones that can put a stop to this is us.  You have to VOTE! Not for President but for all the little guys that have the power to keep the big P from allowing things we hate.  Okay enough from me I have to go and type while I still have a job.


Offshoring
They own OSi and denied offshoring to India until they were caught several times. They are now banned from advertising on MTStars. They are promoting at OSI and focusing their attention on their new company in Tampa. Very low key. Be very careful about any comments here or the posts will be removed.
offshoring

Really, people, it is the folks in our country, you know, the good ol' U.S.A. who are selling us short, so don't get angry at India for taking jobs. Well, that would be a way of airing your prejudices. That's weak. 


Truly sorry about your loss, MTLittle.


offshoring
Sorry, Little MT.
Might as well get used to offshoring. It's everywhere,
and Spheris didn't help by proudly announcing their new offices in India and give carte blanche to the rest of the online companies to follow suit.

It's here, and probably to stay. Our largest nationals do it, our medium size nationals are doing it, and our smaller privates are doing it. No getting around it.

If you swear you will never work for an offshoring company, you will probably have to eat your words one day. That or go hungry until you can re-educate yourself and find a new career.

I would venture to guess that there are many MTs here working for offshoring companies who know it and won't admit it. There are many more who work for offshoring companies and probably don't know it.

Bottom line, you are going to have a mighty long list, and it will grow daily. Good luck.
Offshoring
I own aing serious. MTSO  and we do not offshore. We have been against it for sometime. However, we are having trouble getting a reliable workforce. Seems every Transcriptionist has 3 PT jobs. We pay between 7.5 and 9.5 cpl and have tons of work. I for the first time talked to my partner about offshoring. We may hold out as long as possible.
Offshoring
In some cases, though, offshoring has indeed been the downfall of manual transcription. I work in a very large medical center, and the offshoring with direct link to EMR has eliminated all in-house transcription. It's a combination of technology and economics that is making manual MT obsolete.
Yes, she has the right and they are offshoring now (sm)
Everything the above poster said was true.  I'm not there anymore either.
Is OSI still offshoring?

TIA


I do not know about offshoring
but they do outsource. I worked for a company and did their (OSi's) work; I guess it was overflow.
Don't you mean offshoring?
/
Yes-- Offshoring
Sorry about that, I knew what I meant! Anyway, would appreciate if anyone can pass along just how to know if a company you are looking into sends some of their work out of the US. Thanks again.
offshoring is doing it
There are so many companies offshoring and hospitals offshoring that be LUCKY that you get 8 cpl.  Most companies cant pay that!!!!
Are they still offshoring? nm
.
offshoring
They are NOT better, but one thing I don't think anyone realizes is that with electronic signature, the docs don't read a lot of their charts anymore - they have no clue what half of their charts look like, only the really anal (and I mean that in the best of ways) know the mistakes that are being made. I just QAd one that said the patient was running a bicycle for exercise; also another with a 0.3 x 0.5 tumor, and the MT put 3 x 5 tumor. Not a HUGE error the first time around, but the second one puts the patient's life at risk. A NOTE TO ANY PHYSICIAN: READ YOUR CHARTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Offshoring
I refuse to renew my membership in AAMT or to give even one penny to this organization. Think about it, people. They have supported offshoring. Do they care about us?
Offshoring
I believe everyone has the right to work, and the new outsourcing trend is inevitable for all jobs that can be outsourced. But, I think it should be done fairly for everyone and the job market should be competitive for everyone doing the work no matter what country they are from.  The pay should be the same for everyone who is hired at whatever level they are hired at. If the pay were the same, we wouldn't see so much of it leaving this country.  GREED IS THE REAL FACTOR HERE FOLKS.  They can live a lot cheaper on 2 cents a line, and we would starve to death.   I met an Indian MT one time, and she said they were paid 2 cents per line and had to type 2000 lines a day.. Now what is that about.