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

Article about Nuance - causing local job loss

Posted: Feb 19, 2011

I don't work for Nuance or the other 3 MTSOs listed, but I found this article clear and with devastating details about the exact cost of what happens to the local economy when employers opt to switch to the offshoring companies:

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/slc/story/University-of-Utah-Hospital-sending-local-jobs/ApYQbQl0d0OqwCx2vzmjlQ.cspx

or search "University of Utah Hospital sending local jobs overseas"

"Hundreds of people just like Rachelle are losing their jobs at medical transcription companies the hospital hires including 33 from MED-Scribe, 18 from Summit Transcription and eight from Superior Transcription. Each job lost injects up to $40,000 into Utah's economy every year...

Hospital spokespeople say "Nuance" has a new more efficient computer transcribing system. It will increase efficiency and cut cost by 2-cents-per-line. The savings could be in the millions each year. This is little comfort to the Utah employee's who may be out of a job in less than two weeks. "My family is going to be devastated. We're at risk for not paying bills," said Martin.

Utah tax payers give the University of Utah Medical Center $4.7 million a year. It is the umbrella organization over the hospital. Hospital spokesman Christopher Nelson says $4.7 million is only .05 percent of the organization's $837 million budget, which is not enough to make a difference in this case."

I think the last 2 paragraphs are telling, i.e. cut cost by "could be in the millions" vs. Utah tax payers giving $4.7 million a year. Let's pay taxes so you can take away our jobs.

Please more articles about this that focus on local effect and are coherent about everyday people like us. And moderator, I do believe it belongs in the Company Board, as Nuance and the other 3 MTSOs are companies which affect us.

Slimy BLOODSUCKERS. - Every last one of them.

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

These hate filled posts make you seem a bitter, angry - ugly person, not 1 I want to know. nm

[ In Reply To ..]
x

We know you are unhappy.Your posts are what I would - expect from my angry 12 year old. nm

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xd

My state of mind is irrelevant. MTSOs are still - sleazy employee-cheaters. That wont change.

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And you still act like 12 yo, screaming you displeasure, - and so what, who cares? nm

[ In Reply To ..]
x

sounds like the Suit is in a snit, today - n

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Cant you come up with something more original? Suit is - so over-done. Got an original thought? nm

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x

I do, but if I posted them I'd be arrested. - ;p

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It would be nice if someone actually had a thought - about the story, though

[ In Reply To ..]
And not just about someone else's attitude. Maybe that person had been affected by this and that was why she was venting, maybe she works for Nuance and has had issues. It would be good to get beyond petty bickering and dissing and try to figure out how we can publicize these issues to our advantage. When you work for a national MTSO, which I do, you are taking these in hospital jobs away too in a sense when you get an account, but at least the one I work for does not offshore. Yet. I know my company has taken over hospitals and offered jobs to the MTs there, possibly much worse than their current ones, but at least it is a job and a potential. Is this as good as we're going to get? I think we are more in danger of technology taking our jobs away than offshoring in the next 10 years.

Do you consider the small # of MTs, that come here and - the even smaller # that comprise the SM

[ In Reply To ..]
ones that complain? We are one little industry suffering what many, larger industries have suffered. The car industry, for gosh sake, has gone OS. If they couldnt stop it and bring it all back, I doubt MT can. But be that as it may, all industries change with technology. The smart ones are those who can adapt and continue making a living.

You are right, - BUT

[ In Reply To ..]
How about if the taxpayer dollars are increased per local employee hired or kept on. I am not disputing the multinational corporatization of the world, but why are we supporting this with our tax dollars? and do you think MTs will still have a role to play when even smarter technology comes to the fore? I have adapted and I do well with VR, but the rug can be pulled out from under anyone in this profession between the technology and the offshoring.

What tax $. State and nation in so much debt now what is there - to increase? And rug can be pulled SM

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out from anyone, not just MT. And how will local employee hire help 99% of MT. Most of us are not local. And hospitals wont want to go back to in house as long as they beleive OS/VR is cheaper and just as good. It isnt of course, but that is what they beleive.

I just think if tax dollars rewarded hospitals to - keep jobs in the country

[ In Reply To ..]
By which I mean using MTSOs which do not offshore, i.e. you get a tax break or credit if you do NOT offshore, that is what I would like my tax dollars spent on. I do feel for the local workers too, though, in that they are comparable to us and the only way you can get cheaper is to go with an MTSO that offshores. Hospitals have executives that get paid bonuses for making profits, so how about making sure those profits are not made by sending work overseas? Obvious that 4.7 million in taxes, despite the huge debt of our states and nation, is going to be given to the hospital anyway, so what about saying you don't get it if you offshore or you get more if you don't offshore. You can bet that any money they are saving is not going to help poor people get care, is it?

What about nurses that are being brought in from the Phillipines and other - places becuase they will work cheaper? SM

[ In Reply To ..]
Should MT be kept in US before paying the extra money to US RN? Agree that suits make bonus for profit but that is just another example of how messed up our system is. A system that MT, I am afraid, is on the bottom rung. But anyway, they make a huge bonus but nursing staff is cut for lack of funds. When you talk of what taxes should be used for in regards to health care, I dont think MT is at the top, sad to say. Many speak of taxes and "money" but seem blind to the fact that the US has NO money. We are living on credit and the house of cards WILL fall. Some probably think, "So? Just let me get mine, I have been denied for so long." The problem is so much bigger than just MT and we are such a small part of the problem, I dont see a hero coming to our aid when the need is greater else where.

I don't buy that US has no money argument - so we are supposed to take our knocks..

[ In Reply To ..]
You don't see the billionaires cutting back, do you? Heck, you don't see them even willing to pay their fair share of taxes. Are you saying we lowly MTs at the bottom of the pile should accept that because the country is broke we have to accept our jobs will go offshore? I don't think MTs should keep jobs at the expense of nurses, but I don't think administrators should get big bonuses for cutting costs either. What is your solution? I don't want a hero, I just want a system that does not incentivize offshoring to cut costs. What if HIPAA meant offshoring would be illegal? That would be a good solution. Oh wait, the Chamber of Commerce probably would not like that and would throw millions and lawyers at it.

Our system is screwed up with rich getting richer, poor poorer. - Fix the SYSTEM, maybe them MT do better. nm

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x

The Nuance dictation system is - ex-Enterprise user

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Enterprise Express Editor. Yes, it is more efficient. I worked (notice I said worked) at a hospital that uses that program in addition to an electronic medical record program where the physicians input into templates. The combination of both of those with VR and the EHR caused lacked of work in my department, and I ended up getting laid off because of that.

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