another letter that I'll share if anyone wants to copy (long).
Posted By: offshoring concerns on 2009-03-20
In Reply to:
President Barack Obama
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
Dear President Obama and Secretary of State Rodham Clinton:
Please take the time to read this important letter from an industry that has remained silent for much too long. I speak for a large number of United States medical transcriptionists, many who have made this their career for 20-30+ years. Our job is one we take great pride in, but are often unheard from because we work "behind closed doors." I'm sure you are aware of what our job entails, but I would like to elaborate. The patient's important medical record starts with verbal dictation by the doctor, nurse, etc. The qualified and experienced medical Transcriptionist produces a formal, legible, and information correct medical record based on this verbal dictation, which is of utmost importance for patient care. As a medical transcriptionist, I take great pride in my job and have spent many years perfecting my skills.
We are experiencing an astonishing number of lost jobs, not because the need for our services is down because of reduced medical doctors visits or hospitalizations by our U.S. citizens, but rather because our U.S. citizens' medical records are being sent offshore to other countries whose medical transcriptionists are being paid at a lower rate. Not only are U.S. medical transcriptionists losing jobs at a rapid rate, but we are allowing medical transcription services that advertise as U.S. transcription companies to shuttle the work offshore for a cheaper rate.
President Obama, many articles have addressed the shortage of U.S. medical transcriptionists. This is simply not true. It is a "cop out" to justify the tragedy that is taking place in the U.S. MT industry with sending medical transcription offshore to countries such as India and the Philippines. There are many experienced and qualified U.S. Medical Transcriptionists, so statements indicating a shortage here in the United States are simply unbelievable in my opinion. Unfortunately, the U.S. medical transcriptionists are losing their jobs to offshoring, and little seems to be happening to make changes to put a stop to offshoring of our citizen's personal medical information.
A large majority of our profession is female. Many have devoted their careers to medical transcription and are close to retirement, others are single mothers who have put themselves through school with hard work and training, and are working hard to raise their family with a full time job without relying on governmental assistance, but are losing their jobs because large national medical transcription companies are being allowed to contract with offshore transcriptionists, thus causing our U.S. transcriptionists to be out of work. The pay scale in our profession is currently comparable to what it was 20 years ago. We have not seen a pay scale raise despite the cost of living increase, but we can even settle for this with the economical turmoil at present, just to keep our jobs. Sadly, we cannot even have our jobs because offshore transcriptionists are doing the work cheaper.
I am not sure how many governmental officials are actually aware of what is happening in the U.S. medical transcription industry. I would estimate that twenty some thousand or more U.S. transcriptions are displaced from work, and sadly because no one will take a stance and put a stop to offshoring our U.S. citizen's medical records. Security risks are high with the age of the Internet, but private citizen medical information is being allowed to leave our country where HIPAA laws are not regulated or enforceable.
These two crucial issues of offshoring medical records for transcription in a foreign country need to stop.
1. We are endangering the confidentiality of our own citizens' medical records by sending them to a foreign country where no regulation such as HIPAA is enforceable.
2. The U.S. medical transcription profession is losing jobs at an astonishing rate, not because the need for our services is down, but because offshoring our citizens' medical records overseas is cheaper and thus foreign workers are replacing us. Why is this being allowed to happen without any legislation against such practice that is not only destroying a U.S. profession, but endangering the security of U.S. citizens?
Please take seriously the need to stop offshoring our citizens' medical records. As a medical transcriptionist, our work has always involved the patient as top priority along with the confidentiality of the work we do. There are great risks being taken when this information leaves our country and laws here in the United States are not applicable once this information leaves our borders. I truly believe with the coming age of the Electronic Medical Record, changes must be made now to keep our citizens information in their own country. Each country, in my opinion, should have access only to their own citizens' medical records. Of course, emergency situations will exist if a patient were traveling abroad, in the military, etc. In this age of security issues and the implementation of Homeland Security, please consider where our citizens' medical records are being allowed to go, and unfortunately many times without the patient's knowledge. As a U.S. citizen, if my doctor was obligated to inform me that my medical records would be leaving the country to be transcribed into a report, I would no authorize this to take place, and if necessary would change to a provider who does not contract with a medical transcription service who sends work outside the U.S. The patient deserves to know this is happening.
Please, Mr. President, give U.S. medical transcriptionists the opportunity to get their jobs back and save our profession by supporting our workers first, as well as protecting our citizens' rights to confidential medical information by keeping this information in their own country.
Please work together with the Dept. of Health and Human Services in revising HIPAA laws to restrict the offshoring of medical transcription. Other countries do not place their citizens' security at risk by sending their personal medical information to the United Sates for transcription purposes, so why are we letting this happen? In the process, we are losing a profession that has been so valued here for many years, but we are a profession that has not been heard from much in the past. It is time we speak our minds on this issue, and we hope that you will sincerely consider making major changes to offshoring medical records for transcription.
Thank you in advance for your time and consideration in this matter.
A concerned U.S. Medical Transcriptionist
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Would you please share how you copy---sm
preop diagnosis to postop? I am really out of practice with recording macros, and your other tips were just awesome. Thanks!
I just sent Bill O'Reilly a copy of letter I sent to President Obama. Anyone who can, email him
while the topic is fresh from his recent show. I do think Bill O'Reilly can at least get this offshoring debate out there, and right now we need publicity and basic facts to reach the viewers.
That is What I am asking Obama-here's my letter to him (long)
Dear President Obama:
How's the new job? Keeping busy? Financial security? I'll bet. Are the American people keeping the mortgage on the White House up to date? Great. Kids have everything they need? Wonderful. The American dream.
Me? I lost another job to offshoring - AGAIN! It's funny, I can't seem to find any concrete figures on just how many U.S. jobs are offshored. There are only estimations by different agencies and economists. The Population Reference Bureau stated in October 2008 that it was nearly impossible to get an accurate scale and scope on this, but they estimated about 30 million U.S. jobs are offshored and increasing as I write this. Nothing about the tax implications. Does the government know? See what you can find out. I imagine definite figures are a difficult task since the companies do not seem to want to fess up about just what percentage they are offshoring. You stated you were going to eliminate big tax cuts on these companies doing the offshoring. When did you say that was going to happen? Mr. President, I don't think they care. Just this last quarter they have increased the offshoring significantly due to that very fact. Is there a Plan B, because jobs are leaving the U.S. faster than you can create them. Did you take that into account in your stimulus package?
Now about we the people and that stimulus package. I read that these big banks who received stimulus payments of about $150 million actually requested 20,000 new visas for foreign workers (up one-third). That is not going to happen, is it? With our own money? See what you can find out. We the people have always stimulated the economy, worked hard, and paid taxes. You know, the American dream. Now our jobs are being given to foreign workers who do none of those things. What gives? What impact does the loss of tax dollars and funding toward social security have on this country? No one seems to know. See what you can find out about that too. These figures must be astonishing. If that is not a drain on the system, then the people in line for unemployment income certainly is. The stimulus money is not going to trickle down to us. You see what they are doing with it. The best stimulus package you could give we the people is to save our jobs NOW so we can return to stimulating the economy. We can not spend what we do not have, right? Wouldn't this go a long way toward economic recovery? See what you can find out.
While you are checking on these astonishing figures, let me give you mine. The pretty simple fact is that my unemployment income is only going to be 50% of what I was making and only for a period of about 6 months. Now you know companies are not hiring, right? That would mean that in approximately 3 months something in my budget is going to have to be cut; food, health insurance, heat, the mortgage. Which would you choose?
We the people look forward to hearing from you on how we can just simply get back to work. No bonuses thank you, just our jobs. You know, the American dream.
Jobless in the USA
P.S. Mr. President, I know this was way before your time but no one told me. Did bin Laden win back in 2001? See what you kind find out about that too.
I do a minimal amount and the letter was about 2 pages long but mostly about ASR.
:
I just double the last letter, i.e. chff to spit out the long
x
Yep, but as long as some take it, they'll
xx
That is "web site" in post above. Also, Auto Copy add-on for Firefox will automatically copy
Auto Copy add-on for Firefox AUTOMATICALLY copies what you select (highlight) on a web site to the clipboard.
Then you can paste it in a document.
It just saves the step of right clicking and then clicking on "copy" to put something on the clipboard. Just select it, and it is on the clipboard.
It only works only on web sites-- only copies stuff you select on web sites, i.e. not in other documents.
Print a copy of the form on your printer, fill it out, copy and send it to your computer via fax may
Just a guess. Or print it, fill it out and fax it to her.
I'll bet she meant that's how long the lines are before it returns. nm
x
How do you copy your SH file to text - do you copy each dictionary separately? nm
nm
Will be a nurse-practitioner...but I'll keep my MTSO as long as it stays alive...
nm
Congrats, girl, and get your share of any money that you share before he wipes you out. nm
s
Stedman's Ortho and Rehab words. You'll keep researching screws & pins as long as you do
s
If it's a business letter you use a colon. if it's a personal letter you use a comma. nm
:
Share, share, I've been looking for some time...sm
sending out resumes gallor, have great experience, but they sound like clones of each other in what they offer, yet what they want is it all!!! I'm so discouraged, in the depression boat myself! They want you to commit to FT, new equip, DSL, on and on!!!
I do not copy to text. I copy the spf sm
file to a disk and save the whole thing there, update it occasionally.
It'll be the most expensive magazine subscription you'll ever get! No point in joining. nm
s
I'll go! I'll go!! I won't take hormones and will be ready to defend your honor :) n/m
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No. It'll be the most expensive magazine subscription you'll ever get, and it's unnecessary
s
You'll get used to it. It is keeping the right leg propped up at the same time that'll be the
When I broke my ankle, I was just grateful it wasn't the hands. Without our hands we'd be totally screwed.
I broke my right ankle slipping on ice and was lucky to have gloves on because the palm of the glove was totally torn up and my hand was okay.
Good luck and be sure to do your exercises when it is time.
I hate Instant Text. It is expensive, long long learning
curve, and too much distraction for me.
How long should I wait after applying for a position before I follow-up. It has been as long as two
without hearing from some. Just wondering if I should send an e-mail to follow-up to see if they received my resume or not. I don't want to offend anyone but feel two weeks should be long enough for someone to at least acknowledge my resume and that I have applied for a position. Right now I would accept anything even a note saying no thanks. Any advice would be appreciated. I haven't had to apply for a job for the past 10 years so I am a bit rusty at this. Thanks again for any advice.
It'll happen. You'll find your fit.
You might have to kiss a few frogs first, though.
Oh she'll spice it up alright, she'll be
placing hidden cameras in the other ladies' dressing rooms! LOL!
continue your goal; he'll/they'll get used to it/over it
nm
I'll vent and I'll sign my name sm
I have two IC contracts right now. I recently went back to a job I had quit earlier in the year to work for the other company I am still working for.
The newer job has 80% ESLs. I transcribe OP notes primarily and I can fill in other work types as the opportunity arises. I am frustrated with this particular situation. After 6 months, I am making less money and working longer hours. I am past the learning curve and I should be doing better, at least in the number of hours I am spending doing the job. We have run out of work for 24 hrs at a time at least 5 or 6 times since December 1, and in November it was more than that. I have a friend who worked for this company as well and she was having similar difficulties. The only thing that we can figure is that they are shorting us line count some way, because after 6 months at it, it should be easier/faster/more money, but it is less and less every single pay period. It is not a nice thing to accuse a company of doing, but it SEEMS that way to us. I am fed up with being expected to type every single OP note that comes in 24/7 and meeting the 6 hr TAT for them on weekends, evenings, holidays, wee hours of the morning...
I took back a job I held for 2-1/2 yrs. The team leader has changed and this gal thinks that I should be on call 24/7 for whenever she has work. I might have some at 7 a.m., or perhaps not until 6 p.m. or later. I can't plan my personal life and between these two IC situations, I find that I am not eating on a daily basis, not showering on a daily basis and not sleeping more than 3 or 4 hours at a time. I have lost weight and I don't feel very well. I woke up today with a rip roaring head cold (my first in nearly 8 yrs) and it has already moved to bronchitis and I am expecting pneumonia by the weekend because I develop it very easily. I already have deep pain in my back.
Yes, I should call in sick tomorrow, but I really can't take the fallout. The job I took back I am covering for another gal who wanted vacation over the holidays and if I have to call in sick, the team leader will call me and pitch a fit about how this is my responsibility. It IS my responsibility, I did say I would do it, and I will do it, despite being quite ill. In the past, when I worked for this company, they would not allow me to call in sick for a "cold" without a doctor's note. I worked through many illnesses with them and only called in sick when I developed West Nile Fever and while I was sick for over a month, I only called for my last 12 reports one day when I could no longer see the computer screen because my head hurt.
The problem is that yes, many MTs lack work ethic. They don't take their responsibility seriously. This is not a work as you please career, not even for an IC. I can see the MTSO's point of view, I truly can. Like finding experienced, reliable and capable MTs, for the MTs who are these things, finding a company will treat you like a human being is equally difficult. I sit here, feeling lousy and like I am an utter slave labor with no consideration whatsoever. I know that my work needs to be done, but when I am this sick it is better that someone else do it for the sake of the work, for accuracy and for speed of getting it out. I know that I am needed, but to be the MT these companies need me to be, I also need to look after my own health.
I will also mention that when I have asked for vacation, I have been approved for the time, but the MTSO queues up my work and calls me then I am not on the system getting it done. I have told them I had been approved for time off, but the MTSO didn't schedule anyone to cover for me and I am told to get on work, vacation or no, if I want to keep my job.
Thus, I work 24/7/365 and have for years. I work sick, I work when I am in pain (I have an AI disorder), I work exhausted from staying up all night covering for others who are allowed to call in sick and have vacations when I can't have either. I work having no health insurance and not being able to afford the $125 a month to buy some with a high copay so I can see a doctor. I work without breaks for breakfast, lunch or dinner and I sometimes come close to having an accident because if I leave my desk to go to the little girls' room I get nasty calls about where I am at and what I am doing.
Many MTs are mistreated, and I am one of them.
Congrats! How long have you been a MLS and how long did you study for the test!
Please see message. I have three daughters with long, long hair.
I also have long hair down to my waist and my three girls have hair that long too. My daughter brought them home from school last year. I was devestated and grossed out!!!! I have never had to deal with lice. Anyway, we did the treatments and two of my girls broke out in a severe rash with the OTC stuff. Their little heads were so sore!! I thought I was being meticulous with eggs, only to find them hatching again down the road. A nurse at the pediatricians office suggested I try oil to suffocate them since my girls were allergic to the lice solution. I bought a huge bottle of veggie oil and dumped it on all three heads, plus my own. I then wrapped the heads in platic wrap and then a towel. I left this on for 30 minutes. It takes a while to wash out the oil, but we never, ever had the lice or eggs again!!! If you try this, make sure you put on an old shirt and put a towel around your shoulders. Obviously we were desperate, but we all have such long hair and very thick hair so I was willing to try anything. And I figured there was no chemicals involved so that was pretty safe. And it sure did help my littles ones since their scalps were pretty raw from the solution. Hope this helps and Good luck!
It's been a long, long time since I've used a C-phone, sm
but I do think jobs can be paused.
I have a copy
I have a AAMT BOS 2nd edition with CD. It is in good condition and has two highlighted passages. Email me if interested.
If you do need a copy of XP Pro...
Try Newegg. You can purchase software that system builders would buy. It's the same thing you'd find at any major store, without the pretty box. I just bought XP home edition for about $90. It came in a bubble envelope with a manual and all the appropriate documentation and license key. I looked quickly on Newegg and saw XP Pro for $139. You can also ask for XP Pro to be installed on your new laptop from the company you are buying it from.
any way I can get a copy of it
I would love to have a copy of that.....got some friends who are newbies and I would also like to refresh my memory!
I'd like a copy too please....
if you wouldn't mind emailing me one. Grazi!!!
Can't help copy, BUT
Will you own all the entries you put on the hospital's server? Make sure you can copy your dictionary each day or two and take it home with you. Heavy use of Expanders is so new that there aren't a lot of horror stories being told yet by people whose incomes dropped drastically when they lost their jobs because with them they also lost the personalized dictionaries they spent years developing. But they will be.
Need to get a copy of BOS - 2 or 3,
depending on what your company/client uses. In that there is a list of dangerous abbreviations that are not to be used.
I think you actually have to have a copy,
but you can check with the IRS to be absolutely sure.
Get a copy of the check.
You can usually do it free now with online banking. Check the legal amount, which is the longhand written out line, to see if it's correct. If it is correct, send a copy to your auto payment company and have them fix it through their bank. Sometimes the MICR line can be encoded wrong if someone mistypes or transposes when encoding. Call your bank and tell them to make an adjustment for the incorrect amount. However, if you filled the check out wrong, yes, you need to send another check for the $61.00. If they try to put late charges on, talk to a manager and have the fees waived.
Does anyone know how or if I can get my copy of spellex....sm
off of my old computer? I was able to get a free copy when I went to the VLC about two years ago. I never bought any of the updates...just kept using the one I had downloaded for free. I have since changed to a new computer, but cant seem to get that copy off of my old computer. I was never given a disk, just info to download it. I have a couple of small accouts that I am working on, but am not really in position to buy a whole new program, especially after I just dropped major money on an Windows XP!! Any help is greatly appreciated!! Do you think it is possible the VLC would "replace" it? 
can you copy and paste?
http://www.intel.com/business/casestudies/mckesson_integrated_digital_hospital.pdf
If not, check this site out!!!
http://www.mohca.org/standardsbodies.php3
Wow - it is interesting. You know, there is actually an organization called The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in charge of standardizing all this stuff up-and-coming.
Did you read the part about "MT changing more in the next few years than it has in the last 100"
This is it, right at this site.
It is documentation that the doctor or nurse, or healthcare provider carries and enters at the time of service...
It even automatically codes for billing, etc.
Rather than 'free text' of a doctor dictating, it is standardized text where the person enters the info...
so much to it, and it is exciting, just wished we fit in somewhere...
copy & paste
long, drawn out process which will take tons of MW space, but it can be done.
When purchasing a used copy...sm
Be sure to have the person that sold it to you notify Textware Solutions that they are no longer using it and that you are now the license owner. This will allow you to take advantage of all the benefits of being the license owner such as discounted upgrades, free tech support, etc. 
We got a copy of a proclamation by sm
Ronald Reagan circa 1985 proclaiming MT week, and in the mail a plastic container with the company name on, it with about 4 oz of Hershey's kisses and tootsie rolls. Other years, large mug with company logo, and a bag of peanuts. Appropriate.
The are better at Xmas. Usually a small gift certificate to use online. Last you QuickLook (which messes up my computer) because originally it came a software with the computer, but they were to cheap to keep adding it on.
Can I copy IT onto a CD or disk?
I have company issued computer with IT. I would like to know if I could move IT to a CD or disk so that I can put it on my personal computer. I have greatly expanded the glossary to cover my area of expertise over the last one year and do not want to lose this. In fact, I think I would break down and cry if I did. Plus, am thinking of taking on a PT job and would like to utilize this IT on my other computer.
Thank you.
I'd also appreciate a copy, if you'd be so kind.
x
Just copy the cd to your C drive
You cd software should have a copy mode. I copied mine from my CD to my C: drive. I put an icon for it down in my quick launch and it works great. I have icons for my Stedman's electronic dictionaries on the quick launch as well. Hope this helps.
You can just copy and paste.
Yes it will conform. Also Word allows you to use your own spellcheck. May be a bit cumbersome at first, but should work better than typing directly in Meditech. It lags a lot. 
Should be able to copy it into any program -- nm
nm
can someone tell me how to copy pcshorthand
nm
No need to yell... :) ... and no, according to the BOS II. Got a copy
s
copy and paste
The only way I know is to copy and paste.
You can copy all folders by
Right-clicking the Instant Text folder located in C: and selecting Send To whatever drive your flash drive is. The installer is not included in the main IT folder, just your glossaries and backup and stuff. You'd have to install IT on the other computer and then load the folders from your flash drive to the IT folder on the computer. I have my IT backed up with my flash drive but still need the CD to put IT on my home computer.
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