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Sep 3, 2005

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Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort for MTs

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Dear Friends,

AAMT's Press Release:
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The devastation of Hurricane Katrina has left many without homes
and with questionable futures in Louisiana, Mississippi, and
Alabama. AAMT has received an outpouring of concern for MTs
impacted by these events, and with the help of concerned MTs both
within and outside of AAMT, the association is mobilizing to
provide relief.

We have currently identified 5 major areas on which to concentrate
our efforts: (1) monetary contributions, (2) computers, MT
equipment, and reference books, (3) job placement, (4)
transcription service coverage and (5) housing.

It is our goal to approach this effort in a focused and organized
manner. To that end, we have assigned Team Captains to each of the
critical areas above. These volunteers will be coordinating both
the receipt and distribution of donations and services in these
five areas.

1. For those wishing to make monetary contributions, the MTRelief
Fund will be coordinated through the hurricane relief fund already
established by the Online Chapter of AAMT. Funds collected will be
disbursed equally to AAMT local chapter representatives in the
hardest hit areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Delegates
in these states will be able to more clearly identify and assess
individual needs for MTs and their families. Funds will be
collected electronically through PayPal (www.paypal.com) and
donations through PayPal would need to be sent to
info@... with the words "MTRelief Fund" clearly
indicated with the transfer of those funds. For those wishing to
send contributions by check, you should email the Online Chapter of
AAMT at finance@... for details on how and where to send
your donations.

2. For those wishing to donate computers, MT equipment, references
and other MT work-related items, please be advised that we will be
coordinating the collection of those items through AAMT local
chapters. These donated items will then be sent to delegates in the
hurricane states for identification of area MTs in need and for
distribution of those items. AAMT state delegates will be
coordinating this effort with local chapter leadership, who will be
contacting chapter members and other MTs in local areas to seek
donations. Please do not contact or send items to the AAMT
corporate office in Modesto. Contact your nearest local chapter,
even if you are not an AAMT member and wish to donate, to arrange
for pick up or drop off of your donated items. Find the nearest
AAMT local chapter here:
http://www.aamt.org/scriptcontent/new_chapters.cfm?section=governance

3. It is anticipated that many MTs who operate as local employees
or independent contractors will likely find themselves displaced
from their jobs and looking for new employment. Once those
individuals are identified through the state delegate operations as
indicated above, AAMT will work with MTIA and HealtheCareers to
provide a list of these MTs to AAMT and MTIA corporate members to
assist those MTs with finding new employment.

4. An interim need for medical transcription overflow services may
be identified in these affected areas, and AAMT will be creating a
list MTs who would be willing to meet that need, either voluntarily
or through short-term contract, to provide to facilities and
services that may request help. If you are an MT with the time,
resources and a desire to be available for provision of services in
these areas, please indicate your willingness by sending an email
with your contact information to Amanda Voogt, AAMT relief
coordinator, at amanda@....

5. Jacque Taylor, FAAMT, will be helping to match MTs in need of
temporary housing and at-home workspace with the many MTs who have
offered their homes for this purpose. If you are willing to open
your home to an MT or MT family, please email Jacque at
jacquetaylor@....

It is important to stress that this relief effort is for all MTs,
not just AAMT members, who have been impacted by this tragedy. We
are grateful for the swift response that we have received from
non-AAMT members in the online community who are willing to assist
in the coordination of these efforts. A special forum at the AAMT
website has been established (http://www.aamt.org/forum) for
disseminating this information, coordinating these efforts, and
identifying MTs in need.

Again, we are asking for your assistance in making sure this effort
is organized and effective. Please follow the instructions outlined
above for getting involved in whatever way you feel compelled to
contribute.

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of these MTs and
their families. AAMT thanks you for your willingness to assist and
contribute.

For more information contact:
Amanda Voogt
AAMT Relief Coordinator
amanda@...
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See if you can pitch in, friends...

Ciao!

Maj (Dr) Amit Chatterjee, SM
Strategist / Founder ~ mailto:amit@...
MT India ~ www.mtindia.org
"The Community of MT Professionals"

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ADVERTISEMENT:
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MTs/Proofreaders Wanted

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Ascent Transcription Services (I) Pvt. Ltd. caters to an extensive
client base spread over USA and Australia. Ascent is already
executing more than half a million lines per month and has a
workforce of more than 100 professional employees.

1) We are looking for MTs who have more than 1 year of experience
in similar capacity. The candidate should be able to transcribe
500-750 lines per day, at 95% accuracy while maintaining the
required TAT.

2) Proofreaders able to edit/proof read 1400-1800 lines per day.
The candidate should be able to edit/proof read work for various
accounts at 98.5% accuracy while maintaining the required TAT.

Remuneration will commensurate with industry standards.

Address: 1/3, Indraprastha Layout, Khamla Road, Khamla,
Nagpur-440025,
Phone: 917122291556
email: info@...

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Production Manager - Truworth Infotech Pvt. Ltd.

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We are looking for someone with minimum of 3-4 years MT+QA
experience and 1-2 years of experience as Unit Incharge/Production
Manager. Must be able to ensure timely delivery and quality. Will
also be responsible for training and HR initiatives for the MT
Team.

Address:
10-B, Dhuleshwar Garden, Ajmer Road
Jaipur - 302001
Phone: 09314659784
email: gauravm@...

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NEWS AND VIEWS :
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1) Medquist Partners with Voiceguard for Voice Disaster Recovery
Services

MedQuist announced a partnership with VoiceGard, to provide
critical backup for telecommunications continuity in the event of
an emergency.

The strategic partnership will enable MedQuist, to continue
offering clients access to technical support when the support
center cannot receive phone calls, by utilizing VoiceGard's
services. VoiceGard implemented an IP centric solution for reaching
MedQuist's client support ensuring their availability 24 hours a
day and seven days a week. If and when an emergency is declared,
VoiceGard simply re-routes MedQuist client calls to the appropriate
Agent based on their predetermined recovery plan.

"Our clients are extremely important to us," said Mark Blood,
MedQuist's vice president of technical support. "Many of them are
hospitals and health care providers with mission critical networks
that depend on the support we provide. With VoiceGard's product, we
now have the capability to effectively continue availability of our
call center services, no matter what the situation. "

"Voice disaster discovery is a growing trend - it's the next step
up from data recovery solutions," said Jim McFadden, Director of
Sales at VoiceGard. "MedQuist is a cutting edge company that is
consistently evolving and adapting for their clients. With our
telecommunication continuity and restoration services, MedQuist
will always be available for their clients, without interruption,
in the event of any disaster."

http://www.theopenpress.com/index.php?a=press&id=3454

2) Medical transcription has job potential for blind:

Working in association with the Ramkrishna Mission Blind Boys'
Academy, Transtek has successfully trained six visually disabled
youths in their academy and even absorbed two of them in their own
company.

The beaming faces of Aditya Modi and Sandip Chakraborty, who were
offered the appointment letters, spoke volumes about the job
potential in the medical transcription industry for the blind.

"We found that in the US the blind are working in medical
transcription companies, and so we got in touch with Ramkrishna
Mission Blind Boys' Academy and got our students from there," said
Bagri.

The Ramakrishna Mission is a voluntary organisation, based on the
principles of the 19th century saint from Bengal, and is engaged in
social work.

"We were pleasantly surprised at the success and sincerity of these
students. We will continue with our programme," he said.

http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=18689

3) Vasavi Prosoft to expand operations

VASAVI Prosoft Transcription Ltd, a medical transcription company,
in association with its US partner MEDantex, is planning to scale
up operations by hiring about 400-500 people. The Hyderabad-based
company, with $1 million turnover, employs about 150, has signed
contracts with US firms that are expected to triple the current
volume of its operations.

The Chief Executive of Officer of MEDantex, Mr Sriram Pydah, said
despite several challenges in terms of meeting the growth
projections, India has proven talent to service the US medical
transcription requirements.

The medical transcription industry in the country is about $100-150
million and expected to cross the $300-million mark by 2008. The
industry is faced with shortage of talented human resource that can
keep pace with the increasing demand and the company was
negotiating with the State's IT department to meet the manpower
requirement, Mr Rao said.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/08/31/15hdline.htm

4) Are we typists?

More recently, two MTs I know applied for jobs at large hospitals.
Each transcriptionist had about 15 years of acute care experience.
After they filled out the application form, the very next step in
the process was a type-from-copy test, in which a paragraph was
propped up next to the monitor on a document holder. They were
asked to type it, and timed for speed. Neither of the paragraphs
had anything to do with medicine. Neither of the MTs did very well
on the typing test.
Both of these transcriptionists had worked on a production basis
for transcription services. One of these MTs produced 1,600 lines
per 8-hour day on a regular basis, the other came in at about 1,400
lines per day (lpd). But it turns out they weren't really great
"typists."

What did the typing test tell their prospective employers about
their skills? Almost nothing.

http://health-information.advanceweb.com/common/Editorial/Editorial.aspx?CC=5720\
5

5) Enough jobs for graduates

Employment director Karma Tshering told Kuensel that although the
number of graduates and the number of slots are almost
proportionate, demands were highest for technical and professional
graduates.

"The supply of general graduates with bachelor degree in arts are
more but their demand is very less," he said adding that these
graduates would have to wait a bit longer to find a job of their
choice compared with other graduates.

"We will be able to place all the graduates for employment although
it may require time but the future job seekers should be careful to
choose a course which would bring them employment," said Karma
Tshering.

Meanwhile, Bhutan Business Solution, a private business firm, along
with the employment department, declared that they would recruit 70
graduates in the coming month for the medical transcription job.

http://www.kuenselonline.com/article.php?sid=5967
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P. S. Would you like to share this newsletter with your friends
or post it on your site? Please do! But also be sure to read
below:

All original content of this newsletter is © Copyright 1998-2005
Mediweb Infotech Pvt. Ltd. All cited articles are copyright of
their authors and/or respective publications. Please feel free to
share this newsletter with your friends or post it on your site
as long as it is left intact with all links unchanged and this
notice.

Thank you for your interest in MT India!

The MTIndia Team
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