Overseas outsourcing SM
Posted By: not me on 2007-06-26
In Reply to: Immigration, overseas labor and we US citizens...sm - Pondering one
I don't know where you have been for the past several years but a whole bunch of people are screaming bloody murder about this to their congressmen/women. There are plenty of petitions being circulated to put a stop to foreign outsourcing. Most MTs I know have not only sent letters to congress but have called the senators from their states to complain about this. My friends refuse to see a physician who outsources medical records - and they ask up front who does the transcription and make it know that their records are not to be sent to a foreign country.
There's lots of stuff going on. Do a search on the Web and you will more than likely more than you ever imagined.
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Outsourcing doesn't always mean overseas, you
A physician who uses an MTSO for their transcription work, American or otherwise, is outsourcing. That practice has benefitted most of us, so I assume you just mean offshoring.
Don't you think that eventually foreign MTs will up the ante and start asking for more money? I do. Greed usually takes over and I predict it won't be long before they wake up and see that their services are worth more. If that happens, I think we will see less offshoring because the reason most companies offshore is the cost advantage. I've already seen some of the Indian companies requesting more, i.e., it used to be they wanted only 3-4 cpl and now they are saying 5-6 cpl. As an MTSO myself, I get quite a few emails from foreign MTs looking for work so I am just speaking from my personal experience. (I personally do not offshore and never will.)
There are some companies that offshore because they can't find enough MTs that want to work the graveshift and foreign MTs will gladly work it due to the time difference. That practice doesn't bother me as much as the companies just looking for cheap labor despite quality issues.
Overseas outsourcing is here to stay
I've been reading some very interesting posts regarding off-shore outsourcing. I worked as a supervisor in a large MTSO in the 1990s when this subject was being "bantered" around the office, but it was my mistake that I didn't start taking it more seriously at that time.
As I have seen transcription issues evolve over the past 10+ years, I can think back to a time when, in fact, we had lots of "visitors" coming to our office, looking at servers, etc. in what I quite naively thought were server upgrades. Some of these so-called "visitors" were indeed of foreign descent. I lived in the southwest at the time so there was a fair amount of "overseas occupants" and I didn't think much about it. Now, in hindsight, it's plainly and perhaps painfully clear that this was the beginning of outsourcing.
One thing I will say upfront is the fact that overseas outsourcing companies employ smart and very patient people. I don't doubt this very concept of $.03 cpl transcripton is very palatable to foreign entities where there is so much poverty. I also remember reading in some of the transcription magazines around that time that doctors and nurses were quitting their jobs in India to transcribe because they made more money! I laughed outloud when I read that, but I guess the joke was on us. I also remember reading ads for medical editors in Saudi Arabia for $40-50,000 with a full housing allowance, but the employee had to sign a two-year retainer agreement. One MT I knew took a job in Saudi Arabia. I did hear from another MT who was writing to her that there were huge personal safety issues and she would be glad when her time was up so she could "come home."
If we want to know how persistent outsourcers can be, especially with medical office/hospital administrative staff making critical decisions without actual hands-on experience and think MTs are just "typists," just look at our current situation. We in the USA don't seemingly have the patience to look at the broader picture and the dollars matter more. Don't get me wrong but the spiraling out-of-control cost of healthcare has always been an issue and with more sophisticated scanners, research, etc. being necessary just to compete with the hospital/clinic across the street, dollars have to be taken from somewhere and voila! it's comes from 'discretionary funds' called MT. There is only one very large medical institution still in his country who tried outsourcing in the beginning and when the quality of the work was so poor they wouldn't stand for it anymore, they cancelled the remainder of the "standard" contract and vowed never again to outsource whatever the cost. To this day, they are still one of the most prestigious medical centers in the world and all transcription is being done in-house.
I truly believe there is safety in numbers and hope I live along enough to see a radical change from off-shore outsourcing to bringing MTs "bread-and-butter" home where it belongs!
HIPAA, unfortunately, did not plan for outsourcing overseas. sm
Unfortunately, when HIPAA was implemented, they did not anticipate the outsourcing of medical records overseas. My question is: With all the controversy regarding HIPPA's regulations in regard to patient confidentiality, and the fact that once the information leaves our country the rules do not apply, why has HIPAA not made changes to specify a ban on U.S. citizens' medical records leaving the country. They know darn well that their rules do not apply and cannot be regulated once that patient's name, SS#, DOB, address, phone number, leave the country. Total lack of competency in my opinion. I guarantee that there are few, if any other countries, who allow their citizens medical records to leave their home country. Our government needs to reflect on the bad choices they have made in regard to patient medical confidentiality. This is the most private aspect of a person and deserves to be respected. I bet 80% (or probably many more) U.S. patients have no idea when their medical records are being transcribed by an overseas transcriptionist. I have been in this profession for many years and can honestly say most doctors have no clue where their dictation is going. Only the hospital administrators, in some cases, can verify who is transcribing their physician reports. Many times, even hospital or clinic administrators are betrayed, as many foreign transcription companies set up base in the U.S. with an address and toll free number, which leads the administrator to believe the MT company is located in the U.S. Laws must become more stringent in this arena before any change is seen. All caring U.S. MTs should write to their congress, senate, and federal government in attempt to have someone make a difference.
U.S. Parents Outsourcing Child Care Overseas
http://pop.youtube.com/watch?v=vxj1RDbp_iE&feature=user
Sorry, but with all the serious stuff this morning ,had to send this !!!!
ProScript Documentation Services does not send work overseas or employ any overseas MTs. (nm)
Also, they could be done overseas..
I proofed Indian work a few years ago and they sound like similar reports--blanks, everything wrong.
For everyone's info, the clinic in town that outsourced to India still dislikes the quality intensely, after all these years, but still uses them because they are cheaper. Go figure.
overseas
The doc that I work for now used to use a service and paid 9cpl.
re:overseas
We could do this, but then we'd have a small choice of credit cards, cell phone providers, computers, toilet paper, paper towels, food in general, entertainment such as cable and internet providers, clothing, tires, and I could go on and on, but what would be the point? The simple fact of the matter is that this is widespread and there's no turning back on it now. Even in our industry we have plenty of overseas working alongside of us. The way I see it, these people have families to feed as well and want to make a living for them as well. I've worked with U.S. companies that employ both American and Overseas MTs and I have to say that they are more than willing to put in the time and effort to get it right. They are also willing to take English classes to do better. I just think it's time that we end this whole caste system everyone wants to push on the MT world. There is plenty of work to go around, instead of pushing them to the side, why don't we include them and help them become better at this job?
overseas
May I ask what company this is? I would like to work overseas as well.
overseas
Haven't decided yet! Maybe Spain
overseas
haven't decided yet! France maybe?
overseas
The system is not accepting the 3-digit password, after I write out my message, why not?
OUTSOURCE OVERSEAS
and you will be begging for work. get ready to brown-nose to get enough money to live on.
good luck. you could do much better.
They have to be using overseas employees...sm
So remind her that while they claim HIPAA compliance, truth of the matter is that once the records leave the US soil there's really no protection.
They use overseas labor.
.
how did you get an overseas account in the UK?
x
Has anyone ever lived overseas?....sm
A friend of mine is moving to Italy and I am really considering going with her. Just wanting to know if anyone has lived outside of the US (not necessarily in Italy, just anywhere).
Thanks
Overseas posters?
I can't find anywhere on the site that prohibts off shore MTs from posting.
jobs overseas
Personally, I do not worry about this. There are plenty of companies who hire MTs purely in the US. For other jobs, just you wait, there is going to be relocalization of jobs/services, etc in the coming years. I already see/read about towns relocalizing. I would never consider going abroad for any major medical procedures. I proudly support my local medical team. There is probably a reason that medical care is cheaper abroad.
With the comment made in this article about importing physicians, does anyone wonder why medical costs have skyrocketed? I am sure a good portion of these physicians have come over here to make all sorts of money versus what they could make in their country of origin. I am sure they would not have left their country of origin if they were doing well for themselves.
Military Overseas
When companies state no overseas applications or solicitations does that include Overseas Military?? I have DSL and we have a US Post office here on base. Curious cause i'm about to start school and want to know it wont be wasted while we are stationed overseas.
Thanks!
Don't kid yourself. The overseas companies are going in at 0.13 and 0.14 now. nm
nm
Overseas jobs?
Does anyone have any sources for info on overseas MT jobs?! I have been Googling but haven't come up with a single MT position in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, or Costa Rica -- only Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Dubai.
Thanks.
never worked overseas....
If I could get up the courage to fly over the ocean I may have been able to answer this one for ya... :)
But I dont know why you wouldn't be able to take your work with you... you just have to have access to everything you use on a daily basis... Right now I'm away from my home away from home, visiting my sister (and new niece!!!) for Christmas and here I am working away... :)
Good luck!!! and how awesome for your son
Working overseas
If you worked for an American company say in Scotland all well and good, transcribing for U.S hospitals and the work contained in the U.S., BUT if you transcribe for British or European hospitals/doctors, the work contained in those countries, it is VERY difficult. The spelling is very different. I was born and raised in Britain x25 years and when I started working here in the U.S. I found the American spelling very difficult - although less characters per word. British spelling adds a lot. Just a thought! Plus the accents are hard too. They don't say period, they say full stop which sometimes sounds like part of the text, but you have probably already experienced that. Good luck, it sounds wonderful.
They did not contract an overseas
company. The company they contracted with was sending it overseas.
Just because the records go overseas
does not mean the laws are being broken. Granted, they cannot be enforced, however, if the company doing the overseas transcription does not follow the guidelines, then something might be done. However, unless there are specific cases, you cannot say laws are being broken. I am sure their contracts state they have to abide by our laws.
It is more of a risk overseas. SM
If some company operating from an offshore country with a "store front" in the U.S., decides to retaliate against Dr. John Doe, and spreads 50 of his patient's medical records over the internet, how easy do you think it would be to track down the so-called contact (whose name cannot even be pronounced) for the transcription company who is nowhere to be found? HIPAA has now power to fine, penalize, or imprison any overseas operation because the HIPAA laws only apply here in the United States. IMO, there is a substantial safety risk in having medical records leave the country.
working overseas
Can a U.S. citizen travel while working for an American transcription company, as long as they have a legal U.S. residence? Is there any legal reason not to hire someone who likes to travel and visit foreign countries while they work? I'm not talking about off-shoring.
Can anyone confirm that JLG outsources overseas?
y
I find it hard to believe that the MTs overseas
experienced at MT, but that's just me. These companies are just trying to save money, plain and simple because people in those countries can and will work for peanuts.
Does Transcend outsource overseas?
Thinking of applying with them as an IC. Anybody with any input?
We had an account that went overseas that when we lost it
one of hte people said they'd be back. Hasn't happened yet and it's been over a year. I always wished they would.
Good accounts are going overseas
How ironic!
Regarding US companies using overseas labor
Maybe we can start by not utilizing their services and getting the word out.
http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/lou.dobbs.tonight/popups/exporting.america/content.html
No, it does not. The call center is probably overseas
k
To me too. When did CS start training overseas?
nm
Sounds like an overseas gimmick to me...
xx
Regarding medical records going overseas...
have you ever asked/educated your friends and family about the fact their medical records may be transcribed overseas and their personal information may be shipped over there, as well?
I was talking with my husband about this issue, and he was oblivious even though I have done transcription for almost 7 years. (He was also pretty PO'd that with all the money we pay for insurance, our medical records could be coming from third-world ESL transcriptionists).
What if every person who went to their doctor said I want my medical records transcribed in the US by US MTs. While writing to the president is a good idea, isn't educating each and every healthcare consumer a better idea? I like the idea of a hospital/clinic having to post a disclaimer that your personal medical information is being transcribed overseas.
I bet then their pockets would get a little deeper and all these MTSOs that are making money off shipping our work overseas would have a lot less business and a lot less power over us. If veterans hospitals and Washington DC area hospitals cannot send their records overseas, why don't the rest of us have the same rights? Are the politicians really going to be responsive to our letters if they know their records are safely done in the US?
I think this movement has to come at least in part from the healthcare consumers, i.e., everyone, as we do not have the money or the mouthpiece that MTSOs do. It will empower the MTSOs trying to keep jobs here to offer better wages and expand their businesses while keeping American MTs employed.
we have people overseas as employees -
maybe it was someone contracting to do the work at our overseas hospitals for government employees (military, etc.), not just that they contracted an overseas company to do their records.
they did contract with overseas according to the article
"Also in 2006, government investigators found that the VA's overseas contractors were handling personal information with lax security and oversight. The VA no longer uses international contractors, Budahn said"
They no longer contract with them, but at one point they did. It does not say the company they contracted with was sending work overseas.
yes, when all that overseas work comes back
after it becomes illegal to outsource work with our personal information. I am hoping that day comes soon. ![](https://forum.mtstars.com/smileys/biglaugh.gif) ![](https://forum.mtstars.com/smileys/clap.gif) ![](https://forum.mtstars.com/smileys/biglaugh.gif) ![](https://forum.mtstars.com/smileys/clap.gif) ![](https://forum.mtstars.com/smileys/biglaugh.gif)
If you're an overseas vendor here's how to market....sm
Go by medical offices and talk to them in your native tongue. They just LOVE hearing it. When visiting in places like Florida be sure to ask about the last snow storm they had last winter - that's very impressive! In the northern states talk about the warm sunny 70 degrees in February in their state and ask if they're ready for that this year.
Be sure to take brochures showing the fabulous quality of work you do. Be sure you include impressive sentences such as: "Dr. Jones said he would eat ketchup with the patient to review his lab work." After all they don't find it cute to type it like it was dictated.... "Dr. Jones said he would catch up with the patient to review his lab work."
Lastly don't forget to give them laminated card including all 25 digits they will have to use to call your native country. Be sure they're aware that all of your employees in your native country have new names.... Ben, Mary, Thomas and Amy are of course popular choices. Potential clients like getting a warm fuzzy feeling by talking to "Mary" who has a very heavy accent to the point that they can't understand her talking. But hey - she has an American name (woo-hoo!) so all is forgiven!![](https://forum.mtstars.com/smileys/swords.gif)
Is it possible some of the account work is going overseas. MQ does offshore you know.
:
That kind of money is what has sent work overseas, IMO.
x
The AAMT went overseas because they smelled the money there..sm
they said, MT in the US is dying, but look at this new untapped money field in India! They and all the transcription equipment suppliers. Heck you can sell an awful lot of entry level equipment to newbies over there. So they ditched our interests and went for the $. Shouldn't even be called the AAMT.
Petition to keep medical records from going overseas!
If you have concerns about losing your job to offshore transcription companies, please sign this petition, http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/medrecords. Ask your friends and family to sign it if they have concerns about their private information being sent overseas. If they don't want their medical records sent offshore for transcription, ask them to sign it too. Its going to all of the big-wigs in DC, and the sooner the better. If we all stand up together, we can fight offshoring in our industry (some?), save our jobs, and protect our private information! http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/medrecords
Immigration, overseas labor and we US citizens...sm
Here's a point to ponder.
US citizens get upset over illegal aliens stealing jobs and employers state "we hire them because they do the work cheaply". US citizens are demanding to congress that this stop (which I 100% support!).
US citizens don't get outraged, though, when jobs are outsourced out of the US for the same reasons and demand to their lawmakers that it stop.
Why not? Regardless of how you look at it.... illegal immigrants and cheap overseas laborers take away American jobs initially done by Americans. Do we not stand up to overseas labor only because we don't directly pay for healthcare for their people by giving them Medicaid, give them foodstamps, housing, etc? We do in a way give them all of this by giving away our jobs... therefore allowing them to make money to buy these things but yet the American citizens are left without jobs, healthcare, etc.
And you high prices take the jobs overseas
There is a happy medium, she is not an MTSO, no IC overhead, etc. So I think that she can charge .12 and make a good living.
Curious question about overseas transcriptions...sm
Do companies that outsouce work overseas have to pay taxes on the money they pay to the companies overseas or do the overseas companies have to pay taxes on work they do for the US? TIA.
HIPAA isn't enforcible overseas. MTSOs
If HIPPA laws are broken, whether overseas
or here, the US company making the contract with the overseas entity would be held liable for not adhering to HIPAA laws as they are responsible for those companies they contract with.
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