A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

Greed in the MT business - Former TRCR MT

Posted: May 04, 2010

I believe greed has taken over the transcription industry. If the client is charged so much per line, does he only have to pay half for voice recognition? I doubt it. The voice recognition should have been a tool for the transcriptionist to be able to produce a lot more lines . . . instead I believe it is so the higher ups can line their pockets with gold and stomp on the MLS. Transcend is now sooooo greedy they are sending almost half of the work overseas at night. Wonder if the HMA corporate is aware of that.

The MTSO's dirty little secret - concerning VR

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The MTSO cuts the MT's pay in order to edit VR reports. But some of the MTSO's clients have absolutely no idea that their reports are on VR. So the client is paying full price, but the MTSO has drastically cut their own internal costs of getting that transcription done.

Not only that, but how much you wanna bet that -sm - Rocky Raccoon

[ In Reply To ..]
most of the clients who insist on USA-only transcription, are trully actually GETTING USA-only transcription? Betcha dollars to donuts that half the "USA-transcribed" work in this country is being done in India, and those bozo CEOs at the medical centers don't have a clue.

there needs to be some regulation, monitoring.sm - anon

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MTSOs have turned this profession into an unethical shame.

good news is - the only resolve is for facilities to take back control, hire their own and SAVE A BUNDLE not taking it up the wazoo anymore.

You are correct about US work - jm0405

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Focus had all QA and most of the MTs in India. They had a 1-800 # for hospitals to call so they had no idea where these people are located. When Nuance took over, initially, to avoid losing accounts, they did this thing - India type Indian hospitals and US type US hospitals. I am guessing they were trying to get around contractual issues.

Siance contracts only with hospitals not JCAHO accredited so they get around US laws with HIPAA compliance - nobody to enforce it.

so, how to clients reports get on VR if the client does not do it? - I do not get that. n/m

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nm

Very easy thing to do for the sneaky MTSOs - sm

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The MTSO has the client's dictation voice files in their own (the MTSO's) system. Then, the MTSO runs those voice files through their VR engine and then pays their MT peanuts to edit them.

The client has no idea whatsoever that their voice files are going through this MTSO's VR engine then MT editing process. The MTSO doesn't tell them, after all the client is still getting back the finished product...the one which they are paying FULL PRICE for.

The only difference is now the MTSO has figured out a way to cut their own internal transcription costs in half (or more). Thus, more profit for the MTSO, the client still pays full price, but it's harder work and less pay for the MT.

Your logic is flawed - sm

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The facility must have equipment compatible with the MTSO's SR engine. No doubt, the HIM at the facility is aware of the SR engine. The dictator, however, may not be aware that his dictation is going through the SR engine. Most MTSOs have a mix of SR and straight, depending on what the client wants and what type of reports and dictators are suitable to be run through SR

My logic is not flawed - see message

[ In Reply To ..]
You and I are talking about two different things.

I am talking about the MTSOs who either download the client's dictations onto their (the MTSO's) system, or who actually supply the client with dictation space on their (the MTSO's) system.

Granted, there are a few MTSOs who have clients where the MTSO's MTs actually go into the client's own dictation system. But the majority of the MTSO's have their own dictation systems and/or download the voice files from the client's system onto their own (the MTSO's) system.

These are the MTSOs that I am talking about, not the ones who supply MTs to actually go into the client's own system.

this MO by certain MTSOs, if it is true, is much - big no-no

[ In Reply To ..]
too risky for the MTSOs:

It needs only 1 MT to blow the whistle to the client.

Did you ever think of that?

This is blatant fraud by the MTSOs, they will lose their licence, or whatever, who would do this?

The client is too dazzled and blinded by all the bells - and whistles to even suspect it. nm

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What you say here is true, except..... - VRMT

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The price per line for transcription has gone down, down, down. The only way that MTSOs can compete with the larger companies who offshore and charge the client say 7-8 cpl is VR. There simply is no other answer.

I truly doubt any client is going to continue to pay 10, 11, 12, more cpl when they can go just about anywhere else and get the work done cheaper, either through offshoring or VR, they don't care. What you say is true, they probably do not realize the company is using VR for their dictation. Why should they care? If they can pay 8 cpl for a finished product, so be it.

This is why our pay has been reduced so drastically. If you are doing straight typing, still making 9 cpl or more, I doubt that is going to last too much longer. Transcription is just done a lot cheaper these days.

Also, companies looking to hire for straight typing on that "BIG NEW ACCOUNT" they just obtained is going to go on VR in less than a year. At that point, half the MTs will be let go. This is why everyone is hiring ICs now instead of employees.

I have also noticed that some companies are not finding the VR to be all it was marketed to be, and there are many MT jobs being paid by the hour again. Go figure.

True, Some know, Some don't, most don't care. Not fraud at all. NM - Lowest $$ for finished product is all they want

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x

Can you prove your assumption?" I really doubt - I do not believe this

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that "some" MTSOs can get away with this.
If other MTSOs charge their clients much less for VR, then it is common knowledge, also for the clients.

An MTSO who hides this from its clients and is exposed will lose its previlege to do business.

This is fraud.
Much too risky.

paranoia will destroy ya - still an mt

[ In Reply To ..]
Are y'all seriously this paranoid?

One of the reasons rates have gone down is that hospitals started watching their pennies a lot closer when it comes to MT.

An MTSO would be INSANE to try and scam their clients. How much do you think their business would grow if this is the type of ethics they have.

Hospitals say- How can I get it CHEAPER? When bidding on accounts now, we have to include a bid for voice recognition as well as straight typing. It's not done on the down-low. That's just absurd!

And most contracts include a clause if they do not want their work done off-shore and I dont know too many MTSOs who would risk losing lucrative accounts for scamming their clients.

I'm just gobsmacked at the amount of paranoia and outright disdain for those people who actually make it possible for you to work at home.

No can't prove it, but here is how I know - sm

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Obviously no, I cannot "prove" it. But I had an extremely good working relationship with one of my previous managers, really more like a friend than a manager. And she was the one who told me this.

She said that they (the MTSO company) contract with the hospital to do their transcription and the only restrictions usually put on that contract is whether or not the work can or cannot be sent off shore.

Otherwise, as long as they don't off shore, she said that exactly HOW the company gets the transcription done is up to them, whether by MTs doing straight transcription or by using a combination of VR and having an MT edit the VR files. Or her example to me was, "We could use monkeys if we wanted, as long as they are American monkeys on American soil, and can produce a quality document."

Either way, the client gets back the finished product that they are paying FULL PRICE for. The MTSO just never tells them exactly HOW they are getting the dictations transcribed...as long as the work is not sent off shore, it's really none of the client's concern as to exactly HOW they are getting it done.

So that's how I know that they're doing this.

Very Unfortunate - Tammy

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I am the owner of Premier Office Technologies, Inc., and I am totally appalled that any MTSO would even think to do that. I would never! Shame on any MTSO who would be that deceitful.

Just my comment about this issue. My appologies to the MTs who are affected by this.

Thank you, Tammy! - Wish I worked for YOU

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We appreciate the kind MTSOs so much - as you can see by this board there are not a lot of you out there. :-) Bet your MTs love you!

Its like when banks got ATMs - saved them $ on hiring - tellers, then they want to charge us for - sm

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using the ATM machine! I'm beginning to hate banks with a PASSION.

The only reason I still have a Mastercard is so I can save money buying some things online. So they want us to be all green and go paperless. Fine me me, then I don't have to buy stamps.

WRONG! Turns out my bank doesn't send monthly email reminders about statements. So, like 2 months later, I happen to notice I haven't made a M/C payment in a while. Go on line to look it up, and oh, JOY - they've slapped me with TWO $40 late-fees.

The MTSOs are all the same, too. Cr@ppy quality of recording software. When I can't hear something, I get dinged if I send it through as a blank, and dinged if I send it to QA. If I complain, I just get more of the bad reports to try to fumble my way through.

Between that, and the latest lousy insurance company they've saddled us with, which pays for basically NOTHING, I'm just about ready to explode. Just got a HUMONGOUS doctor bill today (for just a routine, cursory physical exam.) I was expecting a standard co-payment, but instead, received a bill today for close to $1,000. I was so infuriated, I had to shut off the PC (so I wouldn't take a baseball bat to it) and go for a long walk to cool off.
And I guess if I want to eat next month, I'll have to consider eating my cats.

I blame the hospitals... - J

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The hospitals have to employ greed and stinginess with almost all departments in order to function, especially if they want to pay doctors, nurses and administrators the big bucks they all feel they deserve. The other peon workers get the crumbs, but at least it is made up somewhat by benefits. Hospitals are now getting their documentation done nearly free and I don't think any of them give a cr@p whether it's done here, India or Mars, as long as it suits their bottom line.

They have to "cut costs" so they can have even more - management, which is so chic, you know. nm

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nm

Greed in the business - cg

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The hospitals I have spoken to do not know they are being offshored nor that they are using VR. They did not want it, but they have it anyway and I am sure they are not getting a cut in charges!

Who gave you this information? Did you ask - not probable

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right person?

Everything regarding the relationship between MTSO and client has to be put down in a written and signed contract, like MTs have to sign a contract about do's and don'ts.

It does not work like you think.

if they can do anything w/o detection, what makes you think they would NOT? - they inflate line counters...so? NM

[ In Reply To ..]
.

A combination of things has killed MT. - Slash

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Certainly greed is at the bottom of it.

VR requires not only MTs but IT personnel to design, write, modify, debug, operate, and maintain the VR system. Those big IT salaries have to come from someplace (without increasing overall costs) so somebody else will have to take a big cut. Voila, MTs!

But there are also the parasites in India and elsewhere who should be taking care of their own people. And consolidation has swallowed up a lot of good smaller companies with low overhead (competition) for no good reason except to line the pockets of a few "professional managers" who demand outrageous salaries simply because they "manage" large companies (the bigger the better!).

Another point - Alice

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Think of it this way. An MTSO is an independent contractor with regards to the relationship with their client. As a true IC, the MTSO is only responsible to the client for the end result, not the method of getting the job done. The contract between the two may stipulate price and TAT, offshore vs onshore, etc., but may not even address the method.

No matter what their excuse is, it doesnt make what - theyve been doing to us right. -nm

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nm

No, not right - Alice

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I agree. I was just answering the question as to how they can "fool" their clients. The point is that they are true ICs and their clients are not mandating the method, likely have no care to know how the product, the reports, are processed, as long as they end up in the agreed format and agreed timeframe.

Let's face it. We are their pawns. Whenever you work for someone else, it is likely that that person will take advantage of you to the limit of what they can. It is nice that some "bosses" are nicer than others. It is difficult that some "bosses" are more ruthless and manipulative than others. Fairness has very little to do with it, actually. I agree that greed is what drives not only this business, but most business.

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