MT JOBS AND PLACEMENT AFTER TRAINING

Outside our new training center recently set up at Gandhipudur we mounted a spanking new board announcing our advent. The response was gratifying and also quite surprising.

A very large number of the walk-ins were job hunting. They had completed some sort of training in MT and were now desperately searching for the promised jobs. A lesser number had some work experience but were unhappy with either their current pay or working conditions and wanted very badly to switch.

Our own placement wing has always been very active and it is no exaggeration to say that our Phoenix trainees have never long been without jobs. The fact is that the job market for MTs is actually excellent, and hence our surprise. But the surprise turned to dismay as we found that on testing, most of those who have supposedly completed training in MT (from various other places) and a majority of those who claimed some work experience were actually quite incompetent as transcriptionists both in theory and in practice!

The job market really is very good for those who can demonstrate their competence. When we refer our trainees to standard companies for placement and they do well in the screening tests that each company utilizes, getting a job and at a decent starting pay is always the next step.

Of course, it is our job at Phoenix to know who is hiring and what their requirements are and we can then send the right people there for selection. I do think that it is incumbent upon any decent training center to:
1. Provide a solid foundation in both theory and practical work that will enable a candidate to pass a good screening test setup.
2. To give the trainees and potential trainees an honest picture of what skills they need to develop and their actual prospects for getting a job.
3. To prepare the trainees not just to pass but to be able to do enough in the way of productivity to earn themselves an initial livable wage while also satisfying the hiring company that they have indeed selected a productive employee.

At Phoenix, our tailorable and mentor based training philosophy means that not all candidates will get exactly the same training. Some folks whose comprehension skills require more work to really develop competence should be provided with that extra time and effort. Others will find the language of medicine more difficult to cope with while others will struggle with their mastery of basic computer skills. All these individualities do need to be individually adjusted for. The result, at Phoenix, is that our trainees do well and land good jobs.

For those who have had some external training and who for some reason or the other are subsequently jobless, we do offer a comprehensive screening (it is NOT free) that can take two days and after analysis of the results we counsel. Very often these folks are found to have rather glaring lacunae (big gaps) in their theoretical or practical bases. Without undergoing a remedial program, such folks will never get themselves competent enough to land good jobs in standard companies.

Those who do wish to apply for jobs through our placement service may do so if they are first willing to be thoroughly evaluated at our own facility (at their own cost). If we find you to be competent, we will send you to a job interview with a company that is seeking your sort of skill set. Do feel free to send in your CV (resume/bio) as a Word attachment by email and marking the subject line "Placement - "your name" to phoenixbpo@yahoo.co.uk. Remember, a decent and specific covering letter always makes a good impression...

Recognise that Voice? What VRS means to MTs

Voice recognition systems have been around for quite some time now. Still, until fairly recently, the vast majority of medical transcription was done by transcriptionists sitting in front of their comps, headphones fixed and tapping away with their KBs- footpedals.

There's a new breeze blowing now through the corridors of MT companies, and it is called VRS.

Voice/Speech recognition is also an exciting technology for the field of robotics and it's invaluable in espionage, but that is a different story! VRS is very quietly causing a revolution in the MT industry that can be either very dangerous, or a great boon, to the 'standard' MT

Many hospitals and MT companies are busyswitching over to VRS technology. Many more are trying it out to see whether it is all that it is hyped up to be. I think it's a safe bet that the majority of the big players will soon be doing a lot more with VRS and the trend to switch over will gain speed.

With a well-tried VRS system in place (e.g. Dragon, Escription) the computer, once it has 'learned' a dictator, converts the audio into formatted text. This text can then be edited and uploaded usually as a one-step process (direct upload) with typically only 5% of the files requiring QA assistance. Naturally, the pressure on TAT (turnaround time) also could decrease while the HR can concentrate on fine-tuning the editing segment to improve speed and accuracy. Another obvious advantage is that an initial VRS processing can make the use of home-based teams that much less logistically complex.

The most obvious advantage is the savings on labor. So many companies are sending their transcription work to the 3rd world to reduce expenditure on labor costs and overheads in the host country.

While many outsource to reduce costs, they are now finding that with VRS the cost per line comes down even further. Potentially one can have 90% of the staff as editors and pay these folks really well to develop a high powered and efficient team.

The trend towards VRS seems to be catching on, and why not, for it makes excellent business sense!

The industry as a whole has to gear up to convert existing MTs into editors and to train the fresher MTs in such a way that they can smoothly and quickly become editors themselves.

The challenge for training companies like Phoenix is to do more than just create competent MTs, we have to lay better foundations, for while a good MT can earn excellent money, the potential for earning so much more is certainly the editor's. Editors in turn have to have hands-on training with working VRS systems since the sort of editing that this requires is actually quite different to the run-of-the-mill editing of transriptionist submissions.

With VRS coming on fast we also anticipate A MUCH GREATER DEMAND FOR EDITORS, so get yourself ready now for the VRS revolution.

To find out how you can fast-track your way to an editing job, mail us with your current CV and we will get back to you as time permits.

LEARNING MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION

So, what is medical transcription all about?

Well, there's a huge demand for doctors' dictations (audio files) to be turned into text, in a standardized format, and that is what doing medical transcription is all about.

Doctors, patients and insurance companies all need to have reliable transcripts of the diagnosis and treatment that has been done for the patient. Doctors do not have the time to sit and type out reports (that was the old way of maintaining patient records) and so this service is provided by companies who specialize in doing the job.

Accuracy is expected to be 100% but in practice anything over 99% is considered to be good. Because patients' lives depend on the accuracy of the reports and because speed is also of the essence, good medical transcriptionists are much in demand.

It takes a solid amount of training in language comprehension, medical terminology and computer skill to make a good transcriptionist. It also takes a lively curiosity, a constant desire to improve in knowledge-skill-speed and the discipline to keep at the job till the allotted files are safely returned to the sender.

Typically, in India, a good MT can earn over 25,000/- in a month.

But, for many transcriptionists the desire to keep improving and to do more and more challenging work will lead to moving on to proofing, then editing, and finally to taking responsibility for quality assurance (QA) or even to managing a whole team for a client. If one keeps at it, a salary of 50,000+ is not unreasonable.

One of the most exciting aspects of learning to be an MT is that there are no prequalifications. Anyone who has the will to learn can become an MT.

We see so many young people who failed to graduate high school but go on to become excellent MTs. If you have dedicated yourself to succeeding and are willing to put in some rather long hours on properly laying your own foundation, you can become a good MT.

Most institutes will have a look at your language abilities when you first apply and then give you a suitable training schedule. For those whose language is poor we put them through a three to six month foundation course. This FC will teach you both the theory and the practical aspects of understanding language. As a bonus, your spoken English will also get highly polished!

After getting through the FC, or if you already have a decent command of English, you can jump in with the core training program that lasts for 3 to 4 months. Intensive coaching can be expected taking 6 hours a day at the training center and at least a couple of hours of homework on your own.

You come out with a good working knowledge of medical language, computer skills, comprehension of even the incomprehensible and the ability to reference your way to more and more knowledge. If you have been sincere, the training center will also probably see that you go straight into a good job at one of the many MT production houses in the area.

The best institutes have a high student to trainer ratio (better than 1:12), will give equal emphasis to theory and practicals, and will set your standards high.

Perfection is always the goal.

Don't be fooled by offers to turn you into an MT with 2 or 3 months of part-time effort. Believe me it can't be done, and you will just be wasting your money, and your precious time, on such programs.

After getting through a competent training program, you should be able to get through an entrance test at any good production house with the ability to confidently transcribe at least 250 lines at accuracies of 95% and above. So, don't sell yourself short and settle for less!

Knowing MT is something that gives you tremendous flexibility. You can do MT whenever you need to, for there is always a good demand for good MTs, so it can help to tide over a rough patch, or contribute the extra income that you need. Home based jobs are plentifully available for good MTs and editors. Full time students in colleges, housewives, and househusbands can earn more sitting at home and in between chores/homework than those who hold down full time jobs outside. At the same time MT can be a very fruitful and rewarding main career with good opportunities for growth and the potential for excellent income generation. You know, the greatest beauty for me is that the only qualification is your dedication, and everything else will fall into place.

Become a Medical Transcriptionist!

The PHOENIX MT PROJECT concentrates on training
Medical Transcriptionists
and
MT Editors.

Both the selection process and the training offered are thorough, innovative, and unique.

Training: INDUSTRY-READY MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONISTS, trained by a team that is expert, actively involved in production, and very demanding!

No trainee will be certified until achieving the ability to consistently produce the specified number of lines per day (lpd) at better than the quality specified. Editor trainees will be certified only after they consistently produce 98% + accuracy and >750 lpd. Training duration can range from 3 months to 9 months depending on background, performance, availability of time, and the aptitude of the individual. All courses will include 1:1 hands-on computer lab time for at least 50% of the total course time. We also work on incidental skills that can be of great help to all of our students such as "Interviewing Skills" and "Spoken English".

COURSES OFFERED:

MT (I)
Covering - Language of Medicine, American and British English, MT Essentials, typing, pharmaceutics, KB shortcuts, search and referencing skills, keeping updated, and file management. The course work will inculcate a working knowledge of essential computer skills - including an intro to basic LAN in Windows XP/VISTA, FTP clients, MS WORD, troubleshooting, audio players (with the essentials of file types and CODECS). Also covered will be HIPAA, Client Specs, AAMT guidelines, ISMP-JCAHO guidelines, and MT ethics.

Phoenix turns out competent, self-sufficient, and reliable, MTs. Course duration for full timers is 3 months + 1 month of internship, or 6 months + 2 months internship for part timers. Exceptional candidates may also be eligible to take the AAMT’s RMT* examination on completion.

MT (II)
A special course designed for MTs with variable backgrounds who are already achieving 350 to 400 lines per 8 hour shift and wish to improve. Therefore, this is an open-ended course. The skill set aimed for is to transcribe 800+ lines per shift at accuracies of 98.5% or better with less than 1 major error per 10,000 lines. The course will hone typing speed, comprehension, advanced use of software (with intro to templates, Macros and auto-texting aids), speed search, speed referencing, advanced referencing, online tools, and we will also polish knowledge of disease states, advanced terminology with abbreviations, and introduce enhanced cross-checking capabilities. MT (II) is designed for part time learning, but a full time option may be available for those actively preparing for RMT/CMT* certification. Optionally, instead of preparing for the RMT/CMT*, Medical Coding/Billing skills can be taken up to open up an aditional source of income.

Editing (I) - Candidates will be recruited from MTs who have at least 2 years of on-the-job experience and demonstrate exceptional potential/aptitude for editing. The training can last from 3 months on up depending on the individual. Full time and part time options will be made available. The course will introduce all the elements required for a CMT* foundation and offer the opportunity for well prepared candidates to take the CMT* test.

Selection for all three courses is based both on both Adoption and Direct Recruitment (DR).

a. Adopted trainees would have been recruited in partnership with a transcription company, adopted by Phoenix, and will be given basic training after which they will be specifically geared for the platform and client specs of the particular recruiting company. The recruiting company will bear 50% of the course charges and 100% of the course materials costs.

b. DR candidates will be recruited by Phoenix based on English skill, aptitude, and attitude. Candidates who do not get through immediately on the first attempt will be encouraged to undertake remedial training externally and reapply after correcting their deficits. Overall attitude and aptitude will be given more weightage than knowledge per se.

AHEAD

Scholarships for up to 100% of the course fees are offered but strictly on merit. Scholarship criteria will include demonstrable language skills and/or computer skills, with an emphasis on aptitude and attitude. Scholarships will be granted only on a monthly (but renewable) basis and continuance will depend purely on the candidate’s sincerity and performance. The scholarship test has to be taken in addition to the standard entrance test for each course.

For course timings, batch starting dates, fees, &c please mail us.

Training materials that can be purchased through Phoenix include any of the in-print Stedmans range, the AAMT Book of Style (2nd Edition now approximately $170 + p&p) and the accompanying Student’s Guide as well as texts such as Chabner.

Fees are payable monthly after an initial payment of 50% of the course fee. Materials must be purchased in the beginning at actuals. All quotes are indicative and net, not inclusive of taxes. Taxes will be charged as per the currently applicable laws. The course fees and materials charges are subject to revision at any time.

* The RMT and CMT certifications are both independent tests prescribed by the AAMT that have to be registered into and paid for separately by each candidate. Materials provided by us include the authorized AAMT’s "The CMT Review Guide" (published by Stedmans) that now costs US$ 69.95 plus p&p and will be charged for at actuals.

Placement, for Adoptees that successfully complete the course plus the internship, is guaranteed. Placement help will be provided to all candidates who successfully complete any of our courses.

Because we are trusted by the industry to deliver only quality personnel, we have already successfully placed over a thousand successful transcriptionists in the last couple of years!


Our students have proved

over and over

that with a solid
foundation, and the will to
keep improving,

earning 30,000/- a month
as an MT, or

50,000/- a month as an editor

is no big deal!



Our New Satellite training Center will soon be inaugurated in Coimbatore (RS Puram).

Phoenix Services

Phoenix provides Expert Training for Medical Transcriptionists and Editors.

We administer the AHEAD scholarship program for deserving young people, those whom we judge to have the aptitude, dedication, and drive, to achieve at the highest levels of this industry. The scholarship includes a placement guarantee.

We also implement the Phoenix Adopt program where, in partnership with leading transcription companies, Phoenix undertakes industry-specific training to tailor and produce the appropriate talent-skills packages that the sponsoring company expects to require.

Phoenix undertakes recruitment, management, counseling, training programs &c leading up to preparation for internationally recognized professional MT qualifications such as the RMT and the CMT.

Phoenix also outsources BPO facilities for select small, medium, and large organizations:

• Office Management
• Marketing
• Equipment Sourcing & Negotiation
• Integrated Internet Usage and website design-management-implementation
• Networking
• Correspondence and Customer Management
• Business Transcription

Our current typical quote for undertaking Medical Transcription contracts for direct clients is US$ 0.09 per 65 character line for direct upload at 99%+ quality and with a total TAT of 24 hours. We do not undertake subcontracts at all. Stat contracts are also undertaken - mail us!

Uploading and downloading is securely accomplished through our own dedicated FTP server. We undertake contracts in initial steps of 100 to 300 minutes per day (scalable). Other algorithms are possible, so if you have a serious requirement and are looking for quality and consistency then drop us a mail.

We adhere to AAMT norms and HIPAA requirements are completely complied with!


For any enquiries please mail me at phoenixbpo@yahoo.co.uk or call us at +91-9364289696