Do you think we should start a petition, go on strike or have an MT March all over the U.S.

A two strike [2007-11-20]
would knock them back! Anything that hurts their business would work.

Meant to say two-DAY strike! [2007-11-20]
Gotta scare them a little. They only way they will value MTs are when they're not around.

Do you think we should start a petition, go on strike or have an MT March all over the U.S. ? [2007-05-30]
???

AAMT to start offering its first medical transcription training program in the Philippines. [2006-01-29]
IT education institution Informatics recently signed up with the American Academy of Medical Transcription (AAMT) to start offering its first medical transcription training program in the Philippines.The training modules intend to improve both English communication skills and medical knowledge from basic to intermediate in students hoping to work in the medical transcription business growing in the country. Among the modules are English grammar and style essentials, foreign accent dictation, human anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, diagnostic procedures, laboratory medicines, medical word building, and medico-legal concepts and ethics. Participants with medical backgrounds would have 150 hours of lecture and 160 hours of on-the-job training. Those without medical skills would have 220 lecture hours and 160 hours of on-the-job training. The program intends to train about 2,000 medical transcribers to enter the workforce this year, according to Informatics director for corporate learning Paul Dumaguin. Statistics from the Medical Transcription Industry Association of the Philippines indicate that over 7,000 medical transcribers are needed to meet the demand of the medical transcription business. The US is currently the biggest source of medical transcription and 45 percent of the work is being done by India. Dumaguin said that medical transcribers can work for existing firms, but have an option to work at home as independent transcribers. “Trainees typically obtain employment with an MT outsourcing firm, but with the growth of the industry, they have other options as well, such as putting up their own MT businesses,” Dumaguin said. The worldwide medical transcription business is expected to grow to 25 billion US dollars within the next three years.

Physical line count [2008-08-17]
It definitely sounds as if you were misled. My understanding has always been that a line is 65 characters including punctuation and spaces. You have a right to know EXACTLY how your pay is calculated in no uncertain terms. Personally, if someone told me they weren't going to pay me for spaces and/or punctuation, they'd start getting reports without spaces or punctuation!

Yes, actually I do think I should be paid [2008-01-05]
for every single key I strike. If I did not then the document would not be the way they wanted it and if they want it a certain way then they need to pay me for it.

VBC/MAKE A STAND [2007-10-15]
Something needs to be done with this...I made more money transcribing in the 80s than I do now, isn't that going backwards..WE NEED TO UNITE..maybe start AAMT or whatever they are called and let them know how we feel,..the idea about not accepting jobs that have VBC is a great one! Now, if we could just get everybody to do it....

I came across a website that [2007-06-02]
has information for workers whose jobs were replaced by overseas competition. There are all sorts of rules. A petition must be made by 3 workers who have lost their jobs, all from the same location. Would they mean the company location, or would the fact most MTs work at different locations mean we couldn't file a petition I wonder. I'm not in that situation, but I think it's a good idea to know what's available. http://www.doleta.gov/tradeact/petitions.cfm

spheris [2007-01-30]
Anyone know the deal with Spheris lately, heard they were bought out by Healthscribe and are going to be outsourcing most. Need to know is I should stay or start looking AGAIN....Have two teenagers at home that need to be fed and we all know the way they eat.

MedQuist Announces Unaudited Financial Results, 6 Million in Operating Loss [2006-05-11]
MT. LAUREL, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 11, 2006--MedQuist Inc. (Pink Sheets: MEDQ.PK) announced today certain preliminary, partial and unaudited financial results, and provided updated information regarding previously-announced litigation and governmental investigations and proceedings. Once the Company completes the financial assessment and review of its billing practices disclosed in the Company's previous filings with the SEC, KPMG LLP, the Company's independent registered public accounting firm, will complete the audit the Company's financial statements. The Company is continuing the process of working toward becoming current in its periodic reports pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Company's review of its current and prior period unaudited financial statements, as well as KPMG LLP's audits for those periods, may identify adjustments or reclassifications which may be reflected in the periods to which they relate. At this time, the Company cannot estimate the total costs of (i) the billing review, (ii) defense of the class action matters, (iii) the SEC investigation, and (iv) compliance with the Department of Justice investigation, all of which have been previously disclosed in either the Company's filings with the SEC or the Company's press releases. Accordingly, the only costs related to the defense of these matters that have been included in the results below are actual costs incurred through March 31, 2006 by the Company. Because the completion of the billing review and resolution of the litigation and governmental investigatory matters are pending, the Company is not certain whether any changes to the accounting treatment of any component of its consolidated financial statements will be required and, if any changes are necessary, whether any such changes would have a material impact on its current or prior period consolidated financial statements. Accordingly, the financial information set forth below is preliminary, unaudited, and subject to change based on the completion of the financial assessment and review of the Company's billing practices, resolution of the class action matters and governmental investigations and proceedings, and the completion of the review and/or audit of its financial statements, as appropriate. The financial information and related narrative discussion set forth below is derived from the Company's internal books and records. The Company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the financial information presented below. As a result of the developments described above and in the Company's previous SEC filings, the Company's financial statements have not been audited or reviewed by KPMG LLP, its independent registered public accounting firm. The financial information contained in this press release also has not been audited or reviewed by an independent registered public accounting firm. Such information is not a substitute for the information required to be reported in the Company's Forms 10-K and Forms 10-Q that have not yet been filed. There can be no assurance that the results of the billing review, and resolution of the litigation and governmental investigatory matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's revenue, results of operations and financial condition. Legal Proceedings Investigations and Proceedings Commenced by the SEC and the Department of Justice As previously announced, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) is currently conducting a formal investigation of the Company. The Company will continue to fully cooperate with the SEC. As previously announced, the Company received an administrative HIPAA subpoena for documents from the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts on December 17, 2004. The subpoena sought information primarily about the Company's provision of medical transcription services to governmental and non-governmental customers. The information was requested in connection with a government investigation into whether Medquist and others violated federal laws in connection with the provision of medical transcription services. MedQuist continues to cooperate fully with the Department of Justice. Shareholder Securities Litigation As previously announced, a shareholder putative class action lawsuit was filed against the Company in the United States District Court District of New Jersey on November 8, 2004. The action, entitled William Steiner v. MedQuist, Inc., et al., Case No. 1:04-cv-05487-FLW (the Shareholder Putative Action), was filed against the Company and certain former Company officials, purportedly on behalf of an alleged class of all persons who purchased MedQuist common stock during the period from April 23, 2002 through November 2, 2004, inclusive (the Class Period). The complaint specifically alleged that defendants violated federal securities laws by purportedly issuing a series of false and misleading statements to the market throughout the Class Period, which statements allegedly had the effect of artificially inflating the market price of the Company's securities. The complaint asserts claims under Section 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5, thereunder. Named as defendants, in addition to the Company, were its former president and chief executive officer and its former executive vice president and chief financial officer. On August 16, 2005, a First Amended Complaint in the Shareholder Putative Class Action was filed against the Company in the United States District Court District of New Jersey. The First Amended Complaint named additional defendants, including certain current and former directors, certain former Company officers, the Company's former and current external auditors and Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Philips). Like the original complaint, the First Amended Complaint asserted claims under Sections 10b and 20(a) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (the Act) and Rule 10b5 of the Act. The Class Period of the original complaint was expanded 20 months and now includes the period from March 29, 2000 through June 14, 2004. Pursuant to an October 17, 2005 consent order approved by the Court, Lead Plaintiff Greater Pennsylvania Pension Fund filed a Second Amended Complaint on November 15, 2005. The Second Amended Complaint dropped Philips as a defendant, but alleges the same claims and the same purported class period as the First Amended Complaint. Plaintiffs seek unspecified damages. Pursuant to the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, discovery in the action is stayed pending the filing and resolution of the defendants' motions to dismiss, which were filed on January 17, 2006, and will be fully briefed by May 26, 2006. The Court has not set a hearing date on the motions. The Company believes that the claims asserted in the Second Amended Complaint are without merit, and is vigorously defending the action. Customer Litigation As previously announced, a putative class action was filed in the United States District Court Central District of California. The action, entitled South Broward Hospital District, dba Memorial Regional Hospital, et al. v. MedQuist, Inc. et al., Case No. CV-04-7520-TJH-VBKx, was filed on September 9, 2004 against the Company and certain present and former Company officials, purportedly on behalf of an alleged class of non-Federal governmental hospitals and medical centers that the complaint claims were wrongfully and fraudulently overcharged for transcription services by defendants based primarily on the Company's use of the AAMT line billing unit of measure discussed below. The complaint charges fraud, violation of the California Business and Professions Code, unjust enrichment, conversion, negligent supervision and violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Plaintiffs seek damages in an unspecified amount, plus costs and interest, an injunction against alleged continuing illegal activities, an accounting, punitive damages and attorneys' fees. Named as defendants, in addition to the Company, were a senior vice president, its former executive vice president of marketing and new business development, its former executive vice president and chief legal officer, and its former executive vice president and chief financial officer. On December 20, 2004, the Company and individual defendants filed motions to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction and improper venue, or in the alternative, to transfer the putative action to the United States District Court District of New Jersey. On February 2, 2005, plaintiffs filed a Second Amended Complaint both adding and deleting named plaintiffs in an attempt to keep the putative action in the United States District Court Central District of California. On March 30, 2005, the United States District Court Central District of California issued an order transferring the putative action to the United States District Court District of New Jersey. On August 1, 2005, the Company and the individual defendants filed their respective Answers denying the material allegations contained in the Second Amended Complaint. On August 31, 2005, the Company and individual defendants filed motions to dismiss the Second Amended Complaint for failure to state a claim and a motion to dismiss in favor of arbitration, or in the alternative, to stay pending arbitration. On December 12, 2005, the plaintiffs filed an Amendment to the Second Amended Complaint. On December 13, 2005, the Court issued an order requiring plaintiffs to file a Third Amended Complaint. Plaintiffs filed the Third Amended Complaint on January 4, 2006. The Third Amended Complaint expands the claims made beyond issues arising from contracts based on AAMT line billing and beyond customers billed based on an AAMT line, alleging that the Company engaged in a scheme to inflate customers' invoices without regard to the terms of individual contracts and even in the absence of any written contract. The Third Amended Complaint also limits plaintiffs' claim for fraud in the inducement of the agreement to arbitrate to the three named plaintiffs whose contracts contain an arbitration provision and a subclass of similarly situated customers. On January 20, 2006 the Company and individual defendants filed motions to dismiss the Third Amended Complaint for failure to state a claim and a motion to compel arbitration of all claims by the arbitration subclass and to stay the case in its entirety pending arbitration. On March 8, 2006 the Court held a hearing on these motions, and took the matter under submission. The Court has not yet ruled on the motions. The Company believes that the claims asserted have no merit and intends to vigorously defend the putative action. Medical Transcriptionist Litigation Hoffmann Putative Class Action As previously announced, a putative class action lawsuit was filed against the Company in the United States District Court Northern District of Georgia. The action, entitled Brigitte Hoffmann, et al. v. MedQuist, Inc., et al., Case No. 1:04-CV-3452, was filed with the Court on November 29, 2004 against the Company and certain current and former Company officials, purportedly on behalf of an alleged class of current and former employees and statutory workers of MedQuist, who are or were compensated on a per line basis for medical transcription services (the Class Members) from January 1, 1998 to the time of the filing of the complaint (the Class Period). The complaint specifically alleged that defendants systematically and wrongfully underpaid the Class Members during the Class Period. The complaint asserted the following causes of action: fraud, breach of contract, demand for accounting, quantum meruit, unjust enrichment, conversion, negligence, negligent supervision, and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act violations. Plaintiffs sought unspecified compensatory damages, punitive damages, disgorgement and restitution. On December 1, 2005, the Hoffmann matter was transferred to the United States District Court District of New Jersey. As discussed immediately below under the heading Myers Putative Class Action, the Company believes that the claims presently asserted have no merit and intends to vigorously defend the putative action. Myers Putative Class Action As previously announced, a putative class action entitled, Myers, et al. v. MedQuist Inc. and MedQuist Transcriptions, Ltd., Case No. 05CV 4608 (JBS), was filed against the Company on September 22, 2005 in the United States District Court District of New Jersey. The action was brought on behalf of a putative class of MedQuist's employee and independent contractor transcriptionists who claim that they contracted with the Company to be paid per AAMT line, but were allegedly underpaid due to intentional miscounting of the number of characters and lines transcribed. The named plaintiffs asserted claims for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and request an accounting. The allegations contained in the Myers case are substantially similar to those contained in the Hoffmann putative class action and the two actions have now been consolidated. A consolidated amended complaint was filed on January 31, 2006. The named plaintiffs assert claims for breach of contract, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, unjust enrichment and demand an accounting. On March 7, 2006 the Company filed a motion to dismiss all claims in the consolidated amended complaint. The motion has now been fully briefed. The Court has not set a hearing date on the motion. The Company believes that the claims asserted in the consolidated actions have no merit and intends to vigorously defend the suit. Derivative Litigation On October 4, 2005, the Company announced the dismissal with prejudice of a shareholder derivative action filed in United States District Court District of New Jersey. The suit, Rhoda Kanter (Plaintiff) v. Hans M. Barella et al. (Defendants), was filed on November 12, 2004 against Philips and ten current and former members of MedQuist's Board of Directors. MedQuist was named as a nominal defendant. In a ruling dated September 21, 2005, the Court found Plaintiff's allegations that MedQuist's Board members breached their fiduciary duties to the Company to be insufficient. The Plaintiff had alleged that for a period from 2001 through 2004, the Defendants violated their fiduciary duties by permitting artificial inflation of billing figures; failing to adequately ensure accurate and lawful billing practices; and failing to accurately report the Company's true financial condition in its published financial statements. To the contrary, the Court concluded: Far from alleging facts supporting a substantial likelihood of liability, Plaintiff here has painted a picture of a board of directors that acted responsively given the circumstances . . . . On October 3, 2005, plaintiffs filed a motion for reconsideration of the Court's order dismissing the action with prejudice. On November 16, 2005, the Court denied Plaintiffs' motion for reconsideration. On December 13, 2005, Plaintiffs filed a Notice of Appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. On March 21, 2006, Plaintiff filed her opening brief on appeal. On April 20, 2006, MedQuist and the other defendants filed their opposition briefs. The appeal will be fully briefed by May 4, 2006. The Court of Appeals has not set a hearing date for the appeal. Customer Accommodations As previously disclosed, the primary allegations in a number of the litigation matters relate to how the Company interpreted the AAMT line billing unit of measure. The AAMT line billing unit of measure was developed in 1993 through a collaboration among several industry organizations with the intent of providing standardization in industry billing practices. However, due to inherent ambiguities in the definition of this unit of measure not fully anticipated at the time of its introduction, AAMT line-based billing was applied inconsistently throughout the medical transcription industry and eventually renounced by the groups initially responsible for its development. Despite these issues, a number of companies in the industry have continued to use AAMT line-based billing, and some customers still request proposals and contracts based on the AAMT line. Like many medical transcription service providers, MedQuist once used the AAMT line unit of measure to calculate invoices for many of its medical transcription clients. It has been widely recognized and well documented throughout the industry, however, that the AAMT definition of a line is inherently ambiguous and subject to a wide variety of interpretations. In fact, no single set of AAMT characters was ever defined for this unit of measure. Accordingly, MedQuist began the process in 2004 of transitioning its AAMT line-based customers off the AAMT line unit of measure and, in April 2005, the Company completely eliminated the use of the AAMT line for billing and called on other industry transcription providers to follow its lead. Due to these AAMT line unit of measure ambiguities, and the disparity in its interpretation, health care providers have raised concerns regarding charges for transcription services by their respective transcription providers, including the Company. In response to those concerns, and to foster ongoing business relationships with its customers, the Company has approached certain customers and offered to resolve any issues related to their prior AAMT line and other billing related issues. As previously disclosed, the Company's Board of Directors has authorized Company management to make accommodation offers, up to an aggregate amount of $65.0 million, to certain customers to resolve any concerns over AAMT and other billing related issues. As of March 31, 2006, (i) the Company has entered into agreements with certain customers who have accepted accommodation offers to resolve concerns over AAMT and other billing related issues, and paid or credited an aggregate amount of $31.3 million as an accommodation to those customers and (ii) additional accommodation offers have been made by the Company to certain other customers in the aggregate amount of $11.9 million. From April 1, 2006 through the date of this release, the Company has entered into agreements with additional customers and paid or credited an aggregate amount of $2.9 million and has extended accommodation offers to additional customers in the aggregate amount of $1.1 million. Company management currently intends to make additional accommodation offers in the future, consistent with the Board's authorization described above, although the timing and amount of such offers have not yet been determined and the Company's plans may change in the future. The accommodation offers do not represent an estimate of potential liability, if any, in any of the previously disclosed litigation or investigatory matters pending against the Company. The Company is unable to predict how many customers, if any, will accept the outstanding accommodation offers on the terms proposed by the Company, nor is the Company able to predict the timing of the acceptance (or rejection) of any of these outstanding accommodation offers. Until such offers are accepted, the Company may withdraw or modify the terms of the accommodation offers at any time. In addition, the Company is unable to predict how many of the future offers, if made, will be accepted on the terms proposed by the Company. The Company believes that its existing cash resources and cash flows from operations are sufficient to fund all of the customer accommodation offers it may make. By accepting the Company's accommodation offers, the customer must agree, among other things, to release the Company from any and all claims and liability regarding prior AAMT and other billing related issues. The accommodation offers made to date, and those offers which may be made in the future, are not an admission of liability by the Company of any wrongdoing or an admission or acknowledgement that its billing practices with respect to such customers were or are incorrect. MedQuist Inc. -- Preliminary and Unaudited Financial Information (in millions) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended ---------------------------------------- March 31, 2006 March 31, 2005 ------------------ ------------------ Revenues $ 97 $ 108 Operating loss $ (8) $ (2) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- As of As of March 31, 2006 December 31, 2005 ------------------ ------------------ Cash $ 164 $ 178 Debt $ - $ - Three Months Ended March 31, 2006 Revenues: Preliminary, unaudited results indicate that the Company's revenues decreased $11 million to $97 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006 from approximately $108 million for the comparable 2005 period. This decline in revenues is largely due to decreases in transcription outsourcing services and product sales of $9 million or 10%, and $2 million or 27%, respectively. The decline in transcription outsourcing revenues is largely due to a decrease in the volume of lines transcribed primarily related to clients for whom we no longer provide transcription services. Additionally, pricing pressures continued on the base transcription business during the first quarter 2006, but revenues were impacted far less by pricing pressures than in the comparable 2005 period. Management expects that pricing pressures will continue for the foreseeable future but that the introduction of several new sales initiatives and improved customer service programs should cause transcription volume to stabilize or improve throughout the duration of 2006. Operating Loss: Preliminary, unaudited results indicate that our operating loss increased $6 million to a loss of approximately $8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006 from an operating loss of $2 million for the comparable 2005 period. The operating loss of $8 million was primarily attributable to $9 million of costs associated with the following: (1) costs related to the ongoing billing review including (i) legal fees incurred in connection with governmental investigations and proceedings and defense of the class action matters and (ii) non-legal professional fees; and (2) increased expenses related to prior years' accounting reviews and audit. Operating loss was also impacted by the $11 million decline in revenues over the same period. Balance Sheet Highlights: As of March 31, 2006, the Company had $164 million in cash and cash equivalents and no debt. The $14 million decrease in cash as of March 31, 2006 compared with December 31, 2005 was primarily attributable to accommodation payments ($10 million) and capital expenditures ($4 million). There were no issuances of capital stock or other securities for the three months ended March 31, 2006. The Company expects to incur significant costs and expenses in the future relating to the ongoing billing review, defense of the class action matters and governmental investigations and proceedings, and accommodation agreements. These costs and expenses include (i) legal fees relating to the SEC and Department of Justice investigations and proceedings, (ii) legal fees relating to defense and resolution of the litigation matters described above, (iii) customer accommodation payments and credits, and (iv) non-legal professional fees. The timing and level of these costs and expenses is, in many cases, not within the Company's control. While the Company is unable to predict the timing and level of these costs and expenses, the Company currently believes that it has sufficient resources, including cash on hand and cash flow from operations to fund these costs and expenses. However, there cannot be any assurance that unanticipated changes in the level of these costs will not exceed the Company's available cash resources, nor can there be any assurance that sufficient financing from external sources will be available to the Company on acceptable terms, if at all. In the event that the Company's cash requirements exceed its available cash resources, or if the timing of such costs and expenses requires the Company to divert cash resources away from operations, the Company may not be able to execute its operating plan, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business and results of operations. Other Developments Restructuring: As previously disclosed, in conjunction with the Company's movement to a single national service and support organization, a restructuring plan was developed in 2005 to consolidate approximately forty-eight (48) operating facilities and centralize certain components of the business in order to improve operating efficiencies. The Company is expecting to incur total restructuring costs of up to $8.5 million associated with this plan through the end of the fourth quarter of 2006. The Company incurred $1 million of restructuring costs for the three months ended March 31, 2006. This restructuring is expected to generate annualized savings of approximately $18.5 million. The Company realized approximately $1.9 million in savings during the three months ended March 31, 2006. Specifically, the Company has shifted resources to a single national service delivery and support organization for all of the Company's services and products and is in the process of eliminating local service centers. The plan does not contemplate reductions of, and the Company has no current intentions to reduce, its medical transcription workforce. Rather, the Company will continue in its efforts to hire additional qualified transcriptionists. Further, although the Company is consolidating its local service centers as described above, customer-facing teams, led by account managers, will continue to coordinate customer support on the local level. The customer-facing teams will continue to work with and be supported by the Company's centrally managed customer service organization.

Another thought.... [2006-03-24]
I myself do NOT feel comfortable having my information sent overseas, including my name, DOB, and often SSN listed in the demographics screen of each note. I have heard stories of prosecution (or lack there of) by identity theft from people in other countries. Maybe Americans should start boycotting or protesting the healthcare industries that outsource overseas!!!!!!!!!!!!

Medical Transcription Recognized as an Apprenticeable Occupation [2006-03-14]
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 10, 2006--Graduates of selected medical transcription training programs will now have access to registered apprenticeship programs, as the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has now declared medical transcription to be an apprenticeable profession - the first step in establishing a national apprenticeship program. The Office of Apprenticeship Training, Employer and Labor Services approved the application for apprenticeability determination submitted by the Medical Transcription Industry Association (MTIA) along with the American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT). Having a recognized apprenticeable occupation will provide a pipeline of medical transcription professionals entering into a workforce facing a serious labor and skills shortage. stated Keith Flannery, Vice President, MTIA. Workforce development under the standards established by this apprenticeship program will aid in facilitating the transition between student and an employable, productive, and qualified medical transcriptionist. Given the challenge the industry faces in recruiting qualified candidates to meet the ever-increasing demand for real-time, quality healthcare data, a registered apprenticeship program couldn't be developed and launched at a more critical time, stated Peter Preziosi, PhD, CAE, AAMT Executive Director. Workforce development is essential to ensuring that documentation experts are in place to assist the industry in transitioning to an electronic health record and to preserving the quality and integrity of the health record in that future. The Registered Apprenticeship Program, sponsored by the Medical Transcription Industry Association (MTIA), will offer structured on-the-job learning and related technical instruction for qualified medical transcriptionists entering the profession. The two associations, along with the Office of Apprenticeship Training, Employer and Labor Services, are finalizing program details. Medical Transcription is a crucial process in the provision of quality healthcare in our country. This is a hallmark program for the industry, said Sean Carroll, President, MTIA.

AAMT to start offering its first medical transcription training program in the Philippines. [2006-01-29]
IT education institution Informatics recently signed up with the American Academy of Medical Transcription (AAMT) to start offering its first medical transcription training program in the Philippines.The training modules intend to improve both English communication skills and medical knowledge from basic to intermediate in students hoping to work in the medical transcription business growing in the country. Among the modules are English grammar and style essentials, foreign accent dictation, human anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, diagnostic procedures, laboratory medicines, medical word building, and medico-legal concepts and ethics. Participants with medical backgrounds would have 150 hours of lecture and 160 hours of on-the-job training. Those without medical skills would have 220 lecture hours and 160 hours of on-the-job training. The program intends to train about 2,000 medical transcribers to enter the workforce this year, according to Informatics director for corporate learning Paul Dumaguin. Statistics from the Medical Transcription Industry Association of the Philippines indicate that over 7,000 medical transcribers are needed to meet the demand of the medical transcription business. The US is currently the biggest source of medical transcription and 45 percent of the work is being done by India. Dumaguin said that medical transcribers can work for existing firms, but have an option to work at home as independent transcribers. “Trainees typically obtain employment with an MT outsourcing firm, but with the growth of the industry, they have other options as well, such as putting up their own MT businesses,” Dumaguin said. The worldwide medical transcription business is expected to grow to 25 billion US dollars within the next three years.

MedQuist Announces Preliminary, Partial and Unaudited [2006-01-19]
MT. LAUREL, N.J. --(Business Wire)-- Jan. 19, 2006 -- Medquist Inc. (Pink Sheets: MEDQ.PK) announced today certain preliminary, partial and unaudited financial results, and provided updated information regarding previously-announced litigation and governmental investigations and proceedings. Once the Company completes the financial assessment and review of its billing practices disclosed in the Company's previous filings with the SEC, the Company expects that KPMG LLP, its independent registered public accounting firm, will review and/or audit the Company's financial statements, as appropriate. The Company is continuing the process of working toward becoming current in its periodic reports pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Company's review of its current and prior period unaudited financial statements, as well as KPMG LLP's audits for those periods, may identify adjustments or reclassifications which may be reflected in the periods to which they relate. At this time, the Company cannot estimate the total costs of (i) the billing review, (ii) defense of the class action matters, (iii) the SEC investigation, and (iv) compliance with the Department of Justice investigation, all of which have been previously disclosed in either the Company's filings with the SEC or the Company's press releases. Accordingly, the only costs related to the defense of these matters that have been included in the results below are actual costs incurred through December 31, 2005 by the Company. As described in the Customer Accommodations discussion under the heading Legal Proceedings, an accrual has been made in an amount up to which the Company's Board of Directors has authorized the Company to make accommodation offers to certain of its customers. Because the completion of the billing review and resolution of the litigation and governmental investigatory matters are pending, the Company is not certain whether any changes to the accounting treatment of any component of its consolidated financial statements will be required and, if any changes are necessary, whether any such changes would have a material impact on its current or prior period consolidated financial statements. Accordingly, the financial information set forth below is preliminary, unaudited, and subject to change based on the completion of the financial assessment and review of the Company's billing practices, resolution of the class action matters and governmental investigations and proceedings, and the completion of the review and/or audit of its financial statements, as appropriate. The financial information and related narrative discussion set forth below is derived from the Company's internal books and records. The Company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the financial information presented below. As a result of the developments described above and in the Company's previous SEC filings, the Company's financial statements have not been audited or reviewed by KPMG LLP, its independent registered public accounting firm. The financial information contained in this press release also has not been audited or reviewed by an independent registered public accounting firm. Such information is not a substitute for the information required to be reported in the Company's Forms 10-K and Forms 10-Q that have not yet been filed. There can be no assurance that the results of the billing review, and resolution of the litigation and governmental investigatory matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's revenue, results of operations and financial condition. Legal Proceedings Investigations and Proceedings Commenced by the SEC and the Department of Justice As previously announced, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) is currently conducting a formal investigation of the Company. The Company will continue to fully cooperate with the SEC. As previously announced, the Company received an administrative HIPAA subpoena for documents from the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts on December 17, 2004. The subpoena sought information primarily about the Company's provision of medical transcription services to governmental and non-governmental customers. The information was requested in connection with a government investigation into whether MedQuist and others violated federal laws in connection with the provision of medical transcription services. MedQuist continues to cooperate fully with the Department of Justice. Shareholder Securities Litigation As previously announced, a shareholder putative class action lawsuit was filed against the Company in the United States District Court District of New Jersey on November 8, 2004. The action, entitled William Steiner v. MedQuist, Inc., et al., Case No. 1:04-cv-05487-FLW (the Shareholder Putative Action), was filed against the Company and certain former Company officials, purportedly on behalf of an alleged class of all persons who purchased MedQuist common stock during the period from April 23, 2002 through November 2, 2004, inclusive (the Class Period). The complaint specifically alleged that defendants violated federal securities laws by purportedly issuing a series of false and misleading statements to the market throughout the Class Period, which statements allegedly had the effect of artificially inflating the market price of the Company's securities. The complaint asserts claims under Section 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5, thereunder. Named as defendants, in addition to the Company, were its former president and chief executive officer and its former executive vice president and chief financial officer. On August 16, 2005, a First Amended Complaint in the Shareholder Putative Class Action was filed against the Company in the United States District Court District of New Jersey. The First Amended Complaint named additional defendants, including certain current and former directors, certain former Company officers, the Company's former and current external auditors and Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Philips). Like the original complaint, the First Amended Complaint asserted claims under Sections 10b and 20(a) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (the Act) and Rule 10b5 of the Act. The Class Period of the original complaint was expanded 20 months and now includes the period from March 29, 2000 through June 14, 2004. Pursuant to an October 17, 2005 consent order approved by the Court, Lead Plaintiff Greater Pennsylvania Pension Fund filed a Second Amended Complaint on November 15, 2005. The Second Amended Complaint dropped Philips as a defendant, but alleges the same claims and the same purported class period as the First Amended Complaint. Plaintiffs seek unspecified damages. Pursuant to the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, discovery in the action is stayed pending the filing and resolution of the defendants' motions to dismiss, which were filed on January 17, 2006, and will be fully briefed by May 1, 2006. The Company believes that the claims asserted in the Second Amended Complaint are without merit, and is vigorously defending the action. Customer Litigation As previously announced, a putative class action was filed in the United States District Court Central District of California. The action, entitled South Broward Hospital District, dba Memorial Regional Hospital, et al. v. MedQuist, Inc. et al., Case No. CV-04-7520-TJH-VBKx, was filed on September 9, 2004 against the Company and certain present and former Company officials, purportedly on behalf of an alleged class of non-Federal governmental hospitals and medical centers that the complaint claims were wrongfully and fraudulently overcharged for transcription services by defendants based primarily on the Company's use of the AAMT line billing unit of measure discussed below. The complaint charges fraud, violation of the California Business and Professions Code, unjust enrichment, conversion, negligent supervision and violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Plaintiffs seek damages in an unspecified amount, plus costs and interest, an injunction against alleged continuing illegal activities, an accounting, punitive damages and attorneys' fees. Named as defendants, in addition to the Company, were a senior vice president, its former executive vice president of marketing and new business development, its former executive vice president and chief legal officer, and its former executive vice president and chief financial officer. On December 20, 2004, the Company and individual defendants filed motions to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction and improper venue, or in the alternative, to transfer the putative action to the United States District Court District of New Jersey. On February 2, 2005, plaintiffs filed a Second Amended Complaint both adding and deleting named plaintiffs in an attempt to keep the putative action in the United States District Court Central District of California. On March 30, 2005, the United States District Court Central District of California issued an order transferring the putative action to the United States District Court District of New Jersey. On August 1, 2005, the Company and the individual defendants filed their respective Answers denying the material allegations contained in the Second Amended Complaint. On August 31, 2005, the Company and individual defendants filed motions to dismiss the Second Amended Complaint for failure to state a claim and a motion to dismiss in favor of arbitration, or in the alternative, to stay pending arbitration. On December 12, 2005, the plaintiffs filed an Amendment to the Second Amended Complaint. On December 13, 2005, the Court issued an order requiring plaintiffs to file a Third Amended Complaint and set forth a briefing schedule for the filing of anticipated motions to dismiss the Third Amended Complaint, which have been set for hearing on March 8, 2006. Plaintiffs filed the Third Amended Complaint on January 4, 2006. The Third Amended Complaint expands the claims made beyond issues arising from contracts based on AAMT line billing and beyond customers billed based on an AAMT line, alleging that the Company engaged in a scheme to inflate customers' invoices without regard to the terms of individual contracts and even in the absence of any written contract. The Third Amended Complaint also limits plaintiffs' claim for fraud in the inducement of the agreement to arbitrate to the three named plaintiffs whose contracts contain an arbitration provision and a subclass of similarly situated customers. The Company believes that the claims asserted have no merit and intends to vigorously defend the putative action. Medical Transcriptionist Litigation Hoffmann Putative Class Action As previously announced, a putative class action lawsuit was filed against the Company in the United States District Court Northern District of Georgia. The action, entitled Brigitte Hoffmann, et al. v. MedQuist, Inc., et al., Case No. 1:04-CV-3452, was filed with the Court on November 29, 2004 against the Company and certain current and former Company officials, purportedly on behalf of an alleged class of current and former employees and statutory workers of MedQuist, who are or were compensated on a per line basis for medical transcription services (the Class Members) from January 1, 1998 to the time of the filing of the complaint (the Class Period). The complaint specifically alleged that defendants systematically and wrongfully underpaid the Class Members during the Class Period. The complaint asserted the following causes of action: fraud, breach of contract, demand for accounting, quantum meruit, unjust enrichment, conversion, negligence, negligent supervision, and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act violations. Plaintiffs seek unspecified compensatory damages, punitive damages, disgorgement and restitution. On December 1, 2005, the Hoffmann matter was transferred to the United States District Court District of New Jersey. The Company believes that the claims presently asserted have no merit and intends to vigorously defend the putative action. Myers Putative Class Action As previously announced, a putative class action entitled, Myers, et al. v. MedQuist Inc. and MedQuist Transcriptions, Ltd., Case No. 05CV 4608 (JBS), was filed against the Company on September 22, 2005 in the United States District Court District of New Jersey. The action was brought on behalf of a putative class of MedQuist's employee and independent contractor transcriptionists who claim that they contracted with the Company to be paid per AAMT line, but were allegedly underpaid due to intentional miscounting of the number of characters and lines transcribed. The named plaintiffs assert claims for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and request an accounting. The allegations contained in the Myers case are substantially similar to those contained in the Hoffmann putative class action and the two actions have now been consolidated. On January 3, 2006, a consent order was executed pursuant to which the Hoffmann and Myers plaintiffs will file a single, consolidated class action complaint on or before January 31, 2006. As with the Hoffmann putative class action, the Company believes that the claims presently asserted in the Myers action have no merit and intends to vigorously defend the consolidated actions. Derivative Litigation On October 4, 2005, the Company announced the dismissal with prejudice of a shareholder derivative action filed in United States District Court District of New Jersey. The suit, Rhoda Kanter (Plaintiff) v. Hans M. Barella et al. (Defendants), was filed on November 12, 2004 against Philips and ten current and former members of MedQuist's Board of Directors. MedQuist was named as a nominal defendant. In a ruling dated September 21, 2005, the Court found Plaintiff's allegations that MedQuist's Board members breached their fiduciary duties to the Company to be insufficient. The Plaintiff had alleged that for a period from 2001 through 2004, the Defendants violated their fiduciary duties by permitting artificial inflation of billing figures; failing to adequately ensure accurate and lawful billing practices; and failing to accurately report the Company's true financial condition in its published financial statements. To the contrary, the Court concluded: Far from alleging facts supporting a substantial likelihood of liability, Plaintiff here has painted a picture of a board of directors that acted responsively given the circumstances . . . . On October 3, 2005, plaintiffs filed a motion for reconsideration of the Court's order dismissing the action with prejudice. On November 16, 2005, the Court denied Plaintiffs' motion for reconsideration. On December 13, 2005, Plaintiffs filed a Notice of Appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Customer Accommodations The primary allegations in a number of the litigation matters relate to how the Company interpreted the AAMT line billing unit of measure. The AAMT line billing unit of measure was developed in 1993 through a collaboration among several industry organizations with the intent of providing standardization in industry billing practices. However, due to inherent ambiguities in the definition of this unit of measure not fully anticipated at the time of its introduction, AAMT line-based billing was applied inconsistently throughout the medical transcription industry and eventually renounced by the groups initially responsible for its development. Despite these issues, a number of companies in the industry have continued to use AAMT line-based billing, and some customers still request proposals and contracts based on the AAMT line. Like many medical transcription service providers, MedQuist once used the AAMT line unit of measure to calculate invoices for many of its medical transcription clients. It has been widely recognized and well documented throughout the industry, however, that the AAMT definition of a line is inherently ambiguous and subject to a wide variety of interpretations. In fact, no single set of AAMT characters was ever defined for this unit of measure. Accordingly, MedQuist began the process in 2004 of transitioning its AAMT line-based customers off the AAMT line unit of measure and, in April 2005, the Company completely eliminated the use of the AAMT line for billing and called on other industry transcription providers to follow its lead. Due to these AAMT line unit of measure ambiguities, and the disparity in its interpretation, health care providers have raised concerns regarding charges for transcription services by their respective transcription providers, including the Company. In response to those concerns, and to foster ongoing business relationships with its customers, the Company has approached certain customers and offered to resolve any issues related to their prior AAMT line and other billing related issues. The Company's Board of Directors has authorized Company management to make accommodation offers, up to an aggregate amount of $65.0 million, to certain customers to resolve concerns over AAMT and other billing related issues. As of December 31, 2005, (i) the Company has entered into agreements with certain customers who have accepted accommodation offers to resolve concerns over AAMT and other billing related issues, and paid or credited an aggregate amount of $20.5 million as an accommodation to those customers and (ii) additional accommodation offers have been made by the Company to certain other customers in the aggregate amount of $13.8 million. From January 1, 2006 through the date of this release, accommodation offers have been made to additional customers in the aggregate amount of $1.7 million. Subject to the previously mentioned authorization of the Company's Board of Directors, Company management currently intends to make additional accommodation offers in the future, although the timing and amount of such offers have not yet been determined and the Company's plans may change in the future. The accommodation offers do not represent in any way the Company's estimate of potential liability, if any, in any of the previously disclosed litigation or investigatory matters pending against the Company. The Company is unable to predict how many customers, if any, will accept the outstanding accommodation offers on the terms proposed by the Company, nor is the Company able to predict the timing of the acceptance (or rejection) of any of these outstanding accommodation offers. Until such offers are accepted, the Company may withdraw or modify the terms of the accommodation offers at any time. In addition, the Company is unable to predict how many of the future offers, if made, will be accepted on the terms proposed by the Company. The Company believes that its existing cash resources and cash flows from operations are sufficient to fund all of the customer accommodation offers it may make. By accepting the Company's accommodation offers, the customer must agree, among other things, to release the Company from any and all claims and liability regarding prior AAMT and other billing related issues. The accommodation offers made to date, and those offers which may be made in the future, are not an admission of liability by the Company of any wrongdoing or an admission or acknowledgement that its billing practices with respect to such customers were or are incorrect. -0- *T MedQuist Inc. - Preliminary and Unaudited Financial Information (in millions) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended ----------------------------------- 12/31/2005 12/31/2004 ---------------- ---------------- Revenues (1) $ 96 $ 112 Operating loss (1) $ (78) $ 0 Cash (2) $ 178 $ 196 Debt (2) - Current $ 0 $ 25 - Long term $ 0 $ 0 Twelve months ended ----------------------------------- 12/31/2005 12/31/2004 ---------------- ---------------- Revenues (3) $ 411 $ 456 Operating (loss)income (3) $ (98) $ 25 Cash (2) $ 178 $ 196 Debt (2) - Current $ 0 $ 25 - Long term $ 0 $ 0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Notes: (1) Information presented for the three months ended (2) Information presented as of the date noted above (3) Information presented for the twelve months ended *T Three months ended December 31, 2005 Revenues: Preliminary, unaudited results indicate that the Company's revenues decreased from approximately $112 million for the three months ended December 31, 2004 to approximately $96 million for the comparable 2005 period. The decline in revenues is largely due to a decrease in the volume of lines transcribed primarily related to clients for whom we no longer provide transcription services. Additionally, while pricing pressures continue on the base transcription business, the pricing pressure has not had as great an impact on revenues during the second half of 2005 as it did in the first half. Management expects that pricing pressure will continue for the foreseeable future but that the introduction of several new sales and improved customer service initiatives will cause transcription volume to stabilize or improve in 2006. Operating Income: Preliminary results indicate that operating income declined $78 million from approximately $0 million for the three months ended December 31, 2004 to an operating loss of approximately $78 million for the comparable 2005 period. The operating loss was attributable to the following: restructuring charges ($4 million), audit fees in connection with the Company's 2003, 2004 and 2005 fiscal years ($4 million), asset impairments ($2 million) and $69 million in costs incurred during the three months ended December 31, 2005 related to the ongoing billing review, including: (i) customer accommodation payments and accruals ($60 million), (ii) legal fees incurred in connection with governmental investigations and proceedings and defense of the class action matters, and (iii) non-legal professional fees. Operating income in 2005 was also impacted by the $16 million decline in revenues over the same period. Fiscal 2004 results reflect $6 million in costs related to the ongoing billing review. Twelve Months ended December 31, 2005 Revenues: Preliminary, unaudited results indicate that the Company's revenues decreased from approximately $456 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2004 to approximately $411 million for the comparable 2005 period. The decline in revenues is due to (i) a decrease in the volume of lines transcribed primarily related to clients for whom we no longer provide transcription services and (ii) reductions in transcription service rates due to pricing pressure in the medical transcription industry. Management expects that pricing pressure will continue for the foreseeable future but that the introduction of several new sales and improved customer service initiatives will cause transcription volume to stabilize or improve in 2006. Operating Income: Preliminary, unaudited results indicate that operating income declined $123 million from an operating income of approximately $25 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2004 to an operating loss of approximately $98 million for 2005. The operating loss was attributable to the following: restructuring charges ($4 million), audit fees in connection with the Company's 2003, 2004 and 2005 fiscal years ($4 million), asset impairments ($2 million) and $101 million in costs incurred in 2005 related to the ongoing billing review, including: (i) customer accommodation payments and accruals ($65 million), (ii) legal fees incurred in connection with governmental investigations and proceedings and defense of the class action matters, (iii) non-legal professional fees, and (iv) costs associated with separation and replacement of the Company's management team, including members at the executive level. Operating income in 2005 was also impacted by the $44 million decline in revenues over the comparable period, which represents the impact of both the pricing pressures experienced most strongly in the first six months of 2005 and of volume declines throughout the twelve months ended December 31, 2005. Fiscal 2004 results reflect $15 million in costs related to the ongoing billing review. Balance Sheet Highlights: At December 31, 2005, the Company had $178 million in cash and cash equivalents and no debt. There were no additional issuances of capital stock or other securities for the twelve months ended December 31, 2005. The Company expects to incur significant costs and expenses in the future relating to the ongoing billing review, defense of the class action matters and governmental investigations and proceedings, and accommodation agreements. These costs and expenses include (i) legal fees relating to the SEC and Department of Justice investigations and proceedings, (ii) legal fees relating to defense and resolution of the litigation matters described above, (iii) customer accommodation payments and credits, and (iv) non-legal professional fees. The timing and level of these costs and expenses is, in many cases, not within the Company's control. While the Company is unable to predict the timing and level of these costs and expenses, the Company currently believes that it has sufficient resources, including cash on hand and cash flow from operations to fund these costs and expenses. However, there can be no assurance that unanticipated changes in the level of these costs will not exceed the Company's available cash resources, nor can there be any assurance that sufficient financing from external sources will be available to the Company on acceptable terms, if at all. In the event that the Company's cash requirements exceed its available cash resources, or if the timing of such costs and expenses requires the Company to divert cash resources away from operations, the Company may not be able to execute its operating plan, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business and results of operations. Other Developments Restructuring: As previously disclosed, in conjunction with the Company's movement to a single national service and support organization, a restructuring plan has been developed which consolidates approximately forty-eight (48) facilities and centralizes certain components of the business. The Company is expecting to incur restructure costs associated with this restructuring plan of up to $8.5 million and the restructuring is expected to generate annualized savings of approximately $18.5 million. Specifically, MedQuist has shifted resources to a single national service delivery and support organization for all of the Company's services and products, eliminating local service centers. This transition has resulted in the consolidation of approximately thirty-eight (38) facilities as of December 31, 2005, with ten (10) more scheduled over the next six months. The plan does not contemplate reductions of, and the Company has no current intentions to reduce, its medical transcription workforce. Rather, the Company will continue in its efforts to hire additional qualified transcriptionists. Further, although the Company is consolidating its local service centers as described above, customer-facing teams, led by account managers, will continue to coordinate customer support on the local level. The customer-facing teams will work with and be supported by the Company's centrally managed customer service organization.

Spheris India looking at expanding in tier-II cities [2005-10-20]
BANGALORE: US-based medical transcription company Spheris, which recently acquired HealthScribe, is looking to expand in a tier-II cities in India, preferably in the South by 2006. Spheris India (formerly HealthScribe), based in Bangalore, recently opened an additional 300-seat center in Coimbatore this month. The company has over 2000 employees in India at present, and plans to ramp up the headcount to 3000, next year. “We feel that large cities are very competitive while smaller cities have a lot more candidates who are serious in taking up medical transcription as a full-fledged career,” said Suresh Nair, CEO and MD, Spheris India. Elaborating this aspect, he said that unlike BPOs or call centers, which require good spoken English skills, medical transcription is more knowledge-oriented and needs good grammatical skills. Commenting on the merger with Spheris- the second biggest medical transcription company globally, he said that the move had made HealthScribe a truly global company with access to bigger funds and support for growth. The company has already added 15 new accounts from the Spheris' stable. Nair said that next year, he plans to start a technology development team that would build solutions based on their delivery platform and sell them commercially. Nair also revealed that by end of 2006, Spheris India would look at new areas like medical coding and billing. Spheris' revenues globally are in the region of $200 million. He expects Spheris India to grow at 60% this year. “The medical transcription industry has made a comeback in India and US customers are sending more and more work to us,” he said.

Heavy Duty - IN-USB Foot Pedal, Industrial Strength. Compatible ... [2005-09-30]
Heavy Duty - IN-USB Foot Pedal, Industrial Strength. Compatible with Medquist DocQscribe, CyberTranscriber, FutureNet (iPlayer), Fusion Voice (Dolbey Systems), Transcription Buddy, Crescendo, Medical Transcription Interactive, BCB/VoiceIQ - PlayAll XTRA, byteSCRIBE - (VOX OR WAV), Dataworxs - Auto Wav Player, ECS - PowerPlayer, ExpressScribe, HTH - Start/Stop, FTR - FTR Gold, TranscriptionGear - GearPlayer, WebCorrect or WinScribe. Note: Foot Pedal is not compatible with Macintosh systems.

Philips, Citrix Co-Operation Enables [2005-09-21]
Philips, Citrix Co-Operation Enables Speech Recognition and Digital Dictation for 50 Million Professional Users World-Wide VIENNA, Austria--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 20, 2005--Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE:PHG)(AEX:PHI) announced today the release of an enhancement to the professional document creation platform SpeechMagic(TM) enabling for the first time adequate speech recognition in Citrix(R) environments. With SpeechMagic supporting 23 recognition languages and providing a portfolio of more than 150 recognition vocabularies for the medical, legal, governmental and financial sectors, potentially more than 50 million Citrix users worldwide can now benefit from increased documentation efficiency and reduced operating costs. The deployment of speech recognition and digital dictation applications from Citrix servers will be a key factor in more efficient documentation workflow. It will also enable the centralization of IT administration, and bring critical speech recognition features such as automatic learning and acoustic adaptation - significantly reducing the strain on financial and human resources. By centralizing applications and the delivery of data, Citrix and SpeechMagic are able to provide an extremely high level of security (no files are stored locally), dramatically improving the protection of personal data. By adding bi-directional audio capabilities, Citrix enabled the digital recordings to be uploaded and Philips developed a real-time speech recognition channel. This channel improves the usability of dictation hardware, such as the industry-leading Philips SpeechMike and allows for the deployment of the full range of speech recognition features within a Citrix environment. Numerous authors can now dictate simultaneously anywhere within the Citrix network and either delegate the dictation to a secretary/ Transcriptionist or correct it themselves. Citrix infrastructure is popular with large institutions in the healthcare, legal and finance industries. With SpeechMagic being geared towards industrial-grade document creation, our award-winning platform has been optimized for these industries, says Marcel Wassink, Managing Director Philips Speech Recognition Systems. This co-operation with Citrix opens the door to a vast new market for Philips and its partners. As a worldwide leader in Speech Technologies, we're delighted to be working closely with Philips. SpeechMagic brings tremendous value to our customers in significantly increasing their documentation efficiency and hence improving the return on their investment in Citrix Access Infrastructure, said David Jones, corporate vice president, business development, for Citrix. SpeechMagic for Citrix will be presented live at the Citrix(R) iForum(TM) Global conference in Las Vegas, Nev., on October 9 - 12, 2005. The new component to the SpeechMagic platform will be released to the Philips global network of more than 200 integration partners on September 20, 2005.

Dictaphone Expands ichart Speech-Certified [2005-09-09]
Dictaphone Expands ichart Speech-Certified Transcription Network; Responds to Increasing Demand with Certification Program and Call for Additional Transcription Partners American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT) Annual Convention and ExpoHONOLULU--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 6, 2005--Today at the American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT) Annual Convention and Expo, Dictaphone announced the creation of the healthcare industry's first Speech-Certified Transcription Network in response to the substantial growing demand for its ichart(R) Managed Services solutions. ichart Managed Services combines Dictaphone's industry-leading speech recognition technology with transcription services performed by Dictaphone's Speech-Certified Transcription Network, which has been trained to edit on the company's speech recognition platform. This combination of labor and technology delivers lower-cost, high-quality medical transcription with rapid turnaround. All Dictaphone transcription service partners are required to pass its rigorous certification program to ensure even higher levels of service excellence and proficiency in speech recognition editing. ichart Managed Services is quickly proving what we suspected when we introduced the product less then one year ago: that using speech recognition to drive down the enormous costs and improve the quality of transcription is the future of medical documentation outsourcing, said Don Fallati, senior vice president of marketing for Dictaphone. The overwhelming response we've had from the market is driving us to create the first Speech-Certified Transcription Network, offering our clients the most talented and best-equipped group of 'speech recognition-enabled' transcription service providers. Speech-Certified Transcription Providers are thoroughly trained, evaluated and benchmarked against specific industry-standard quality, speed and customer service metrics. Those that meet the strict criteria will receive certification and will be reevaluated quarterly to ensure continued adherence. Tamara Brown, president and CEO of Encompass Medical Transcription, Inc., a member of Dictaphone's Speech-Certified Transcription Network, said, ichart has allowed us to increase the volume of work Encompass can do with our existing staff and enabled us to train new medical transcriptionists to generate high-quality reports at a higher level of productivity. Headquartered in Wisconsin, Encompass is a U.S. medical transcription company that employs only U.S.-based medical transcriptionists. We welcome and encourage other medical transcription companies to join the Speech-Certified Transcription Network, Fallati said. The interest we've seen from potential partners wanting to participate in the program has been significant and reflects the broad momentum in our industry for acquiring the skills associated with speech recognition. About Dictaphone's ichart Managed Services Dictaphone's ichart Managed Services offering aims to meet the needs of organizations currently relying heavily on outsourced transcription but who are attracted to the savings that can be generated by speech recognition. The program blends Dictaphone technology with transcription services performed by Dictaphone's Speech Certified Transcription Network who have been trained to edit on the company's speech recognition platform. Customers receive a blended line rate covering work that is transcribed traditionally as well as documents edited from speech recognition. Frequently, significant savings can be achieved by healthcare organizations over current line charges. About Dictaphone Healthcare Solutions Group Dictaphone is the world's largest supplier of dictation, transcription and speech recognition systems and services that simplify and enhance the production and management of paperless electronic patient information. Through the integration of speech recognition and natural language processing within existing health information management workflow, Dictaphone systems are helping healthcare organizations save money and improve patient care by increasing the speed, accuracy and usability of their medical documentation. For more information, please visit www.dictaphone.com or call 1-888-350-4836.

INDIA - Why medical transcription is such a major draw [2005-08-20]
The medical transcription business is drawing people from other sectors. That’s because the income can be quite substantial. Transcriptionists are paid anywhere between 60 paise to Rs 2.0 per line. At a minimum of 6 hours and transcribing 800 lines per day, transcriptionists can make around Rs 1,200 a day. Working 26 days a month, they earn more than Rs 30,000 (USD 450 - 500)a month. They send their reports to an Editor for proof-reading who are paid upwards of Rs 40,000 per month. As a result, hundreds of professionals are quitting their regular jobs to assist US doctors in transcribing their conversation with patients. X-ray, pathology, surgery and discharge reports of US patients are also being transcribed out of India. To be a transcriptionist, an aspirant has to acquire skills in medical terminology. The next step is the editor. Level three is a quality analyst (QA) who has to work out of the office of the MT firm. It’s a daily ritual for thousands of homemakers across India. After sending husbands to work and kids to school, they download voice files and start transcribing medical illnesses of patients in the US. Slowly, medical transcription from home is becoming a phenomenon, particularly in tier-II cities where the BPO boom hasn’t yet caught on and educated women are still not being encouraged to venture out of home. “Almost half of our 600 home employees are women. Working from home allows them to spend more time with family,” said Mr Rajiv Shetye, VP, Spryance, a Boston-based medical transcription firm which now has 1,200 employees in India. According to estimates, India has about 100 medical transcription companies and the big ones include Accusis, Spryance, Stheris and Heartland. About 10,000 people work in the $120 million-strong industry. Still, there is a lot of untapped potential. The US market for market transcription is about $12 bn per annum, which is more than double the BPO exports of India. More than 700 million hospital events need to be recorded every year. According to Nasscom, about 1.6 lakh such transcriptionists will be needed in India by 2008. Earnings depend on how much time a person is able to devote. Billing is based on the number of lines transcribed. HARSIMRAN SINGH

ZyDoc Extends Clinical Data Center For Pharmaceutical Research [2005-08-10]
ZyDoc, an award-winning technology leader in e-Transcription and Automated Medical Documentation Solutions, announced that it will be offering a customizable suite of clinical data solutions, MedDocTM designed to fulfill the needs of the pharmaceutical industry. The solutions will be used for clinical and marketing research, FDA studies, and post-approval drug monitoring. Currently, these systems are used by physicians for transcription and extended value of EMR (electronic medical records) and PAC systems by allowing the doctors to expedite data capture into the systems with dictation. Hauppauge, New York (PRWEB) August 10, 2005 -- ZyDoc, an award-winning technology leader in e-Transcription and Automated Medical Documentation Solutions, announced that it will be offering a customizable suite of clinical data solutions, MedDocTM designed to fulfill the needs of the pharmaceutical industry. The solutions will be used for clinical and marketing research, FDA studies, and post-approval drug monitoring. Currently, these systems are used by physicians for transcription and extended value of EMR (electronic medical records) and PAC systems by allowing the doctors to expedite data capture into the systems with dictation.James Maisel, M.D., Chairman of ZyDoc explains, ZyDoc is delighted to offer our distinctive technology to the pharmaceutical industry. The companies innovative solutions allow a pharmaceutical company to effortlessly initiate an FDA study with web-based training with documentation, distribution of protocols, consents, and updates to an unlimited numbers of physicians from a centralized point. This remarkable solution is also well suited for physicians and eliminates their travel requirements for education and training. ZyDoc serves as the third-party administrator for the clinical studies, handling HIPAA requirements, and Business Associates Agreements with physicians and patients.ZyDoc has over 10 years of experience in working with physicians who want to document their medical encounters quickly and efficiently. ZyDoc offers low risk, high productivity solutions focused on dictation for data capture involving no change in work habits, infrastructure cost, outlays or extensive training. The company converts the dictations into web-based forms and enters the information into a relational database allowing searches on any data combinations. This provides an effective means for post approval monitoring of drug use and complications. The web-based TrackDoc system offers substantial advantages to physicians and investigator over traditional alternatives and can be implemented in days. These solutions are suitable for 100% of physicians and require no IT experience or internal support. ZyDoc solutions seem like a transcription service on the front end to the physicians and have all the advantages of traditional formal clinical investigational studies. All data is easily shared with other providers or investigators and will ultimately result in larger studies, implemented faster with lower costs.According to Steve Koski, CEO and president of ZyDoc, The ZyDoc technology platform offers a number of advantages to pharmaceutical companies over traditional FDA studies in terms of the ease of implementation, operations, total costs, quality, speed of care, and disaster recovery. The solutions require no software or IT personnel, and are compatible with all PCs and operating systems with Internet browser capability. There is no training involved or complicated software to customize or learn. Doctors can start dictating data immediately after enrollment using 800 toll free dialup or digital handheld recorder. Documents are always available on the Internet with HIPAA secure connections, and can be reviewed and signed remotely. The documents can also be automatically downloaded and printed to a PC, electronically signed, faxed, or shared with authorized caregivers over the Internet. Data can also be stripped of PHI (personal health information) and caregivers for HIPAA and ethical requirements. The ZyDoc carrier class data center has proven reliable without failure over the past year and was operational even during the Northeast blackout of 2003.AvailabilityZyDoc is offering MedDoc immediately to pharmaceutical companies. Current ZyDoc transcription clients are interested in enrolling in clinical investigations in all specialties. Investigators can contact the ZyDoc data center at 631-273-6125. Doctors can start data collection immediately with the TelDoc 800 service or use low-cost digital handheld recorders. ZyDoc provides multimedia demonstrations, training, and support via the Internet at http://ZyDoc.webex.com. For more information on ZyDoc Clinical Data Solutions, visit www.ZyDoc.com. About ZyDoc.com Corporation.ZyDoc is a transcription service and software development company providing e-Transcription, automated electronic health record (EHR), documentation, and infrastructure ASP legacy-replacement solutions. Physicians, transcriptionists, and other healthcare professionals use these services to produce, organize, and distribute multi-specialty patient electronic medical records (EMR) sees in Community Health Information Networks (CHIN). ZyDoc solves the PC literacy, data entry bottleneck, implementation, and cost issues that plague other clinical documentation and transcription companies. The company uses transparent embedded technology that leverages front and back-end speech recognition, workflow enhancements, and the Internet. ZyDoc is a development partner with SUNY Computer Sciences at Stony Brook, Microsoft Solutions Partner, ScanSoft Platinum Dealer, and an IBM Speech Premier Business Partner. In 2004, ZyDoc was ranked third nationally in medical transcription by The Medical Records Institute. ZyDoc has won other awards and was named The Healthcare Tablet Application of 2003.Press contacts:James M. Maisel, M.D.Chairman, ZyDoc.com1455 Veterans Memorial HighwayHauppauge, NY 11749www.ZyDoc.comjmaisel@zydoc.com 631-273-1963SOURCE: ZyDoc

Dictaphone Announces Significant Growth in Its iChart [2005-08-09]
Dictaphone Announces Significant Growth in Its iChart(R) Managed Services Program; Responds to Increasing Demand for Low-cost, High-accuracy Transcription, Leveraging Speech Recognition and Dedicated Network of Service Partners Aug. 8, 2005--Dictaphone announced today that its iChart(R) Managed Services program experienced substantial growth in the first half of 2005. iChart Managed Services uses an ASP model to combine the power of Dictaphone's industry-leading speech recognition technology with a proven network of outsourced transcription service providers to deliver low-cost, high-accuracy transcription with rapid turn-around. The second quarter brought several milestones for the iChart ASP business: -- Overall number of lines invoiced per month surpassed 30 million -- Monthly invoiced line volume for outsourced services doubled from the end of 2004 -- Number of billable sites for iChart topped 300 -- Several significant new contracts were secured during the first half including Adventist Health System, Sarasota Memorial Hospital, and Guthrie Clinic. Other major iChart Managed Services customers include Allina Medical Clinics, Lifemark, and Massachusetts General Hospital. iChart Managed Services is seeing tremendous demand from a market that has been searching for new ways to lower transcription costs without compromising on accuracy, said Don Fallati, senior VP of marketing for Dictaphone. The success of the program is also a testament to the power of our underlying technology. Whether customers choose to use our software themselves or outsource the report editing process to our network of service partners, they still get the ROI that our speech recognition platform ensures. About Dictaphone's iChart Managed Services Dictaphone's iChart Managed Services offering aims to meet the needs of organizations currently relying heavily on outsourced transcription but who are attracted to the savings that can be generated by speech recognition. The program blends Dictaphone technology with labor provided by several major transcription service companies who have been trained to edit on the company's speech recognition platform. Customers receive a line rate covering work that is transcribed traditionally as well as documents edited from speech recognition. Frequently, significant savings can be achieved by healthcare organizations over current line charges. About Dictaphone Healthcare Solutions Group Dictaphone, ranked 31st in Healthcare Informatics ranking of top 100 companies by healthcare revenue, currently deploys dictation, transcription and speech recognition systems in some of the world's premier healthcare organizations. Its solutions automate and integrate critical elements in the creation and management of health information, helping healthcare organizations improve productivity and the quality of patient care. Dictaphone's flagship Enterprise Express(R) dictation, transcription and report management system is an integral part of the creation and flow of patient information in a substantial number of U.S. hospitals. It is estimated that it currently supports several hundred thousand physicians who use Dictaphone systems to generate an estimated two million reports a day. Dictaphone is also actively deploying its EXSpeech(R) and PowerScribe(R) speech recognition solutions, designed to dramatically reduce transcription costs and speed report turnaround. Dictaphone has also introduced the iChart(R) family of Internet subscription-based applications services provider (ASP) solutions that offer dictation, transcription, and speech recognition access, as well as the ability to integrate existing systems with new coding, natural language and data mining technologies, which can significantly reduce the costs of managing patient information. For sales and product information, visit Dictaphone at www.dictaphone.com or call 1-888-350-4836.

MedQuist Announces Key Findings of Independent Review [2005-08-05]
MedQuist Announces Key Findings of Independent Review of Client Billing MT. LAUREL, N.J., July 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MedQuist Inc. (MEDQ.PK), a leading provider of electronic medical transcription, health information and document management services, today announced the key findings of an independent review of the company's billing methods. The findings were presented to the company's Board of Directors, which initiated a broad program of changes and reforms to the company's business practices. The Board of Directors also took disciplinary action against certain company employees. The Board of Directors announced today changes in its senior management. Howard S. Hoffmann, an experienced and accomplished interim manager, has been appointed as MedQuist's interim CEO with a clear mission to implement the changes and reforms to the company's business practices, including its billing practices, and to bring the company current in its SEC filings. Steve Rusckowski, who had temporarily assumed the CEO position in December 2003 in addition to his Board position and led the company through the difficult period of the independent review, will continue as a member of the MedQuist Board. The Board also announced that it has accepted the resignations of its Chief Financial Officer, Brian Kearns, and its Chief Legal Officer, John Suender. This was an extremely thorough and comprehensive review that has clearly identified areas in which we must make changes and improvements, said Scott Weisenhoff, the lead Director on the review. Added Howard S. Hoffmann, who is also a principal and partner at Nightingale Associates, LLC, of Stamford, CT.: Our priority mission now is to work with our customers to clarify and, where appropriate, rectify any problems, make the needed changes and reforms internally, and become current in our SEC filings. The changes we are making address a pressing industry challenge and our goal is to ensure that billing methods are reliable, accurate, measurable and verifiable to customers using transcription services. We hope that our actions will encourage other medical transcription companies to address the challenge presented by AAMT line-based billing methods. Review Findings The review, conducted for the Board of Directors by Debevoise Plimpton LLP and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, identified a number of issues regarding the company's billing practices. The review found that with respect to its contracts that called for billing based on the AAMT line, the company used ratios and formulas to determine the number of AAMT transcription lines for which clients were billed rather than counting the number of relevant characters to determine a billable line as provided for in the contracts. With respect to these contracts, the company's use of ratios and formulas as a surrogate for counting was generally not disclosed to the clients. In addition, a company employee explained inaccurately to KPMG LLP (KPMG), the company's outside auditors, the computation of AAMT lines on one of the company's major transcription platforms. The use of ratios and formulas caused some clients to be billed more and some to be billed less than if the counting method provided for in the contracts had been used. In addition, the ratios and formulas for certain client accounts were changed by the company, generally without disclosure to clients, in order to affect profit margins. Due to the ambiguities inherent in the AAMT line definition and the limited extent of the information available to the company for earlier periods, the company is unable at this time to determine with any reasonable certainty the aggregate amount of overbilling. The AAMT line definition was originally developed in the early 1990s by three major medical transcription industry groups, including The American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT). They defined a line as 65 characters and also defined the term character to include such things as macros and function keys. However, these definitions turned out to be inherently ambiguous and difficult to apply in practice. AAMT itself withdrew its endorsement of these units of measure in 1998. However, many buyers of transcription services have continued to purchase transcription services and issue requests-for-proposals that ask for quotes in AAMT line units. The review concluded that the rationale for using the ratios and formulas was to adopt a consistent and commercially reasonable billing method, given the lack of common standards in the industry and the ambiguities inherent in the AAMT definition. The review found no evidence that the amounts MedQuist billed clients, in general, were commercially unfair or inconsistent with what competitors would have charged. Moreover, MedQuist has been able to attract and retain clients in a competitive market. The next step for the company is to assess the financial impact on customers and on MedQuist. When the financial assessment has been finished and KPMG has completed its consideration of the review findings, and pending any additional work KPMG may believe appropriate to do as a result of the findings, MedQuist anticipates that KPMG will then be able to complete its audit of the company's 2003 financial statements and its review of MedQuist's interim quarterly results. Until KPMG's audit and review have been completed, MedQuist will be unable to finalize its financial statements and file its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003 and its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2004. The company also will likely not be able to file its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004 in a timely manner. Because the company has not yet completed its financial assessment and the results have not been reviewed by KPMG, MedQuist is unable at this time to estimate with any reasonable certainty the effect that the review of its billing practices may have on its reported revenues, results of operations and financial position. MedQuist has also been informed by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission that the SEC has opened a formal investigation of the company. The company will continue its efforts to cooperate with the SEC, as it has since it voluntarily advised the SEC of the company's review of its billing methods. Business Practice Reforms and Management Changes The Board of Directors has outlined a broad program of business practice changes and reforms that will be instituted beginning immediately. Highlights include: * Enhance a mandatory and formal ethics training program that was recently instituted. * Accelerate an existing program that is migrating clients from several disparate legacy billing platforms to the company's new platform, DocQment Enterprise Platform, or DEP. The company intends to utilize only consistent, client-verifiable billing units of measure. Additionally, the company will meet with clients currently billed on the basis of an AAMT line definition to determine an alternate and verifiable unit of measure acceptable to the client pending their agreement to convert to the new platform. MedQuist has succeeded in converting approximately 35% of its transcription revenue to DEP. * Develop definitive and clear protocols for count methodology and billing, institute periodic internal audits and new reporting mechanisms to make sure all billing systems are in accordance with client contracts. * Reform the contract review and administration process to clarify any ambiguous terms with respect to units of billing, and develop a centralized contracts administration database to track compliance with client contracts. * Expand the customer feedback system to allow entry, by any employee, of customer comments and complaints. * Assign a Chief Compliance Officer to develop, maintain and enforce compliance with all company policies and procedures. The Board also took disciplinary action against five MedQuist employees. Said Gregory Sebasky, MedQuist's President: We believe that we have done what is necessary and appropriate in light of the results of the review. We will continue to build a strong and motivated organization and continue MedQuist's commitment to a high standard of ethics and customer satisfaction. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the securities laws and regulations. These include statements regarding becoming current in SEC filings, solidifying relationships with our customers and any other expectations or anticipated events. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially.

Health Care Associations Judge CyMed as Nation's Top [2005-08-02]
Health Care Associations Judge CyMed as Nation's Top Transcription Service Provider; Representatives from AHIMA, MGMA and AAMT select CyMed for MTIA Beacon Award RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 1, 2005--CyMed, Inc. was honored today with the first ever Beacon Award for service excellence and billing clarity by the Medical Transcription Industry Alliance (MTIA). The award was established by the MTIA Billing Methods Principles (BMP) committee to recognize the industry's top outsourced service provider who demonstrates application of the BMP pricing ideals of verifiability, definability, measurability, consistency and integrity. MTIA, which serves the interests of more than 1,000 national competitors, recruited senior executives from the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), and the American Association of Medical Transcriptionists (AAMT) to judge the competition between the market's top vendors. CyMed's case study and references made the difference, noted Scott Faulkner, MTIA's BMP committee chair and ex-officio member of the judging panel. MTIA is proud to represent an alliance that includes many strong and ethical transcription service providers, but in the end, it's how well you satisfy the interests of the customers that really matters. CyMed came out on top of this year's competition simply because their clients convinced the judges that they earned it. Although we have received numerous recognitions for our technology and business growth, being selected as the winners of the first Beacon Award is special because many of the evaluation criterions were based on actual client experiences, commented Robert Lynch, CyMed's President and CEO. Since AHIMA, MGMA and AAMT represent our clients and employees respectively; we feel their recognition of us as MTIA's top transcription service provider brings credibility to our Six Sigma approach and confirms our market leadership with respect to customer satisfaction. About CyMed CyMed provides economical outsourced medical transcription and records management services through proprietary processes based on Six Sigma quality management principles and applied industry leading technology. Health care providers rely on the company to cost-effectively convert recorded free-form medical dictation into electronically formatted patient records. Headquartered in Richmond, VA, CyMed is a portfolio company of Hagerty Peterson Company, LLC (www.HagertyPeterson.com). For more information on CyMed, visit www.cymedinc.com, email info@cymedinc.com, or call 800-456-8951.