The Medical Transcription Industry Allliance, MTIA, has commissioned an independent study by a survey firm to measure some of these data points. The survey involves 1000 computer-aided phone interviews to health care providers, such as hospitals, clinics, and doctors' offices. That survey is still being performed, the data scrubbed and verified. However, we took a sneak peak at the findings. The highest profile data point likely to emerge from the survey is that the industry is somewhere between $8 billion and $15 billion today. This range will be tightened up as the survey is finalized. However, even taking the lower boundary is a positive confirmation on the size of this industry. We suspect that this survey will likely become the standard to which all research analysts will point, akin to the Forrester or IDC estimates in the B2B space.

The rough cut of data suggests that 53% of recipients said that their transcription is performed only internally (i.e.not outsourced), 24% use both internal and external sources for transcription, 18% use only external, and 5% do their transcription via handwritten notes. The early look at client satisfaction data is a mixed bag; for example, turnaround time was cited both as a reason to outsource and as a reason to keep the transcription inhouse. There is some further detail about industry composition, most of which is best left to be examined after the survey has been scrubbed. The biggest surprise to this analyst was the early suggestion that only 19% of the transcription dollars being spent come from hospitals; my guess is that further data scrubbing and data points will suggest that hospitals play a larger share than that. If that figure holds up, it suggests that the outpatient transcription market is even bigger than we had estimated, and a huge greenfield for those companies, like MedQuist, which now focus on the hospital market.

TRENDS: Big technology is finding the medical transcription industry. Some of the tech megatrends which will be shaping the competitive dynamics of this niche include Internet file movement, digital voice capture, speech recogntion, XML tagging of data for indexing and retrieval, wireless (WAP/WML) devices, and structured input of data. But the trend with the most immediacy and impact, in our view, is the shift to an Application Service Provider (ASP) model of business within this industry. There are at least four business models moving into this space, including MedQuist's own MedQuist.net. In its essence, the ASP concept is a lot like renting, rather than buying, technology. ASPs deliver the hardware and software necessary to perform transcription, delivered over the Internet or VPN. By paying per usage on a per line or per month basis, ASP clients can cut out the capital expenditures necessary to acquire this technology themselves. Another benefit particular to this industry is the impact it has on telco costs (virtually obviating them), as voice files are delivered via Internet rather than traditional telco lines (of course, users still have to pay for Internet access). Some negatives of ASPs include the lack of control, and the faith needed to turn over the keys to your ASP, i.e. their reliability. Also, there are some very interesting channel conflict issues with respect to a pure ASP model, that come from the ability to provide ASP services to either a healthcare provider or a transcription service itself.

The ASP model, in our view, is a logical culmination of a vision which is becoming increasingly shared in this industry. That vision springs from transcriptionists in the business of being a part of the value chain of doctor's thoughts. Where once transcription was self-defined as essentially just putting those thoughts on paper, we think that players are moving more towards a vision where data and voice are one, and that data needs various things done to it, such as file capture and movement, uploading, transcription, data searching/mining and analysis, file delivery via various modes (fax, print, direct file upload to an HIS system, email). As evidence, take a look at L&H: that software company has purchased a (primarily) hardware company (Dictaphone) and a transcription service company (Omnimed) and will attempt to forge that together into an integrated service offering. MedQuist, on the other hand, are the kings of transcription. By employing an ASP model in MedQuist.net, they are attempting to package together all that an MD needs in her office to move her thoughts to a data stream. Specifically, by logging onto the Internet, she has provided to her the ability to dictate, receive transcribed files in a storable and searchable format, and have that record of treatment automatically coded for submission to a payer (this from the purchases of A Life Medical and MDE). Because of the ubiquity of PCs, the Internet, and telephones, the time is ripe for ASP-style delivery of software and services. Speech Machines is another interesting nascent player in this space, with an optional speech recognition module.

Speaking of speech recognition, though it is progressing, it's still a good ways off from revolutionizing this industry. At the MTIA conference, we heard speakers maintaining that 80% reliability is the fulcrum which gives labor savings. That is, at that point, medical transcriptionists are better off correcting the mistakes (i.e., they have been converted to 'medical editors') than transcribing the document from scratch. We believe that fulcrum probably requires reliability a good bit higher than that to be worth the trouble. Companies with interesting speech recognition software to watch include Philips, L&H/Dragon, and IBM. An interesting possible integration of speech recognition to transcription providers is by allowing ongoing 'training' of the software off-line as the MT transcribes the file as she currently does. That is, the transcription provider is building a database of voice files from which the speech rec software 'learns' the dictator's voice; this is an iterative process and the transcription service provider can "switch on" the speech rec as it crosses the labor saving threshhold. We think that a critical factor in the acceptance/development of speech recognition is the ability to accurately recognize files over twisted pair. We hear different theories on where the technology is in respect to this.

IMPACT: These tech trends will be ongoing over the next several years, of course, as technology is a means rather than an end. How do we assess the impact of these megatrends on the transcription industry? On the one hand, one can make an argument that increasingly sophisticated technology accelerates consolidation in this industry, as the small players can no longer afford to keep competitive. On the other hand, one could argue that the ASP model levels the playing field by allowing smaller competitors cheaper access to technology on a 'rented' basis, and that the transcriptionists themselves will be more mobile in their employment, where signing up with a new transcription vendor is just a click away.

1. New word boards:
General nonmedical: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/words

Legal: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/law

Names of people and places: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/names

2. New MediTech users' board: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/meditech

3. New monitors' board: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/monitors

4. Smartype and PRD boards now public: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/st

http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/prd

5. DSL internet access: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/5508.html

6. What is XML? http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/4926.html

7. St. John's Wort hinders BCPs: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/4975.html

8. Research tools: Electronic dictionaries, books, then the Internet: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/4924.html

9. Immigration of skilled workers versus training in US: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/4905.html

10. Firewalls: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/4873.html

11. Future of MT: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/4823.html

12. Measuring accuracy: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/4783.html

13. Remembering Dr. Mom: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/4712.html

14. Companies that are using the Internet: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/4685.html

15. Good old Surgical Word Book: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/4656.html

16. Suggestions on use of word boards: http://www.mtdaily.com/vent/messages5/1849.html

17. Wedding etiquette: http://www.mtdaily.com/vent/messages5/1827.html

18. Living life two weeks at a time: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/pandora/messages2/6824.html

19. Songs that describe our lives: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/pandora/messages2/6695.html

20. First day on the job: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/newmts/messages2/4328.html

21. The most commonly misspelled medical term, Veress needle: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/5773.html

22. Protecting ourselves from e-mail viruses: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/5665.html

1. Free medical texts online: http://www.emedicine.com

2. Medical education site: http://www.imc.gsm.com/

3. Starving mosquitoes: http://www.bbc.co.uk/tw/stories/medicine/9902mosq.shtml

4. How stuff works: http://www.howstuffworks.com

5. Medquist quarterly report: http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/000425/nj_medquis_1.html

6. Search health websites: http://www.healthlinkusa.com/

7. Comply Snap Tips for hearing aids: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-05-2000/0001210646&EDATE=

8. Headache Impact Test: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-05-2000/0001210334&EDATE=

9. Free health newsletter: http://silverhammerpub.com/

10. Alamast (pemirolast potassium ophthalmic solution) for allergic conjunctivitis: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-01-2000/0001205278&EDATE=

11. Golf and back problems: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-05-2000/0001210224&EDATE=

12. Health care and Islamic practices: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-04-2000/0001210036&EDATE=

13. StaphVAX, Staph aureus vaccine: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-04-2000/0001209619&EDATE=

14. Staar Toric implantable contact lens: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-04-2000/0001209571&EDATE=

15. Dahedi Insulin Pump: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-04-2000/0001209412&EDATE=

16. Survey on osteoarthritis: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-04-2000/0001209117&EDATE=

17. Risk factors for Alzheimer's: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-04-2000/0001209065&EDATE=

18. Hepatitis C risk from blood transfusions before 1992: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-03-2000/0001208454&EDATE=

19. New cancer drugs made from vanadium: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-03-2000/0001208175&EDATE=

20. Free depression screening test: http://www.depression-screening.org/screeningtest/screeningtest.htm

21. Hope for genetic cures for 9 out of 10 leading causes of death: http://www.depression-screening.org/screeningtest/screeningtest.htm

22. 50% of population in Asia and Africa have TB: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000505/hl/tb_1.html

23. Brain chemicals linked to autism and retardation: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000505/hl/autism_1.html

24. Maxamine and interleukin-2 for skin cancer: http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/000502/k7.html

25. EROS-CTD suction device for female sexual dysfunction: http://www.womenssexualhealth.com/press.htm

26. Xpeedior dialysis catheter: http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/000504/fj.html

27. Drugs of the Future (Desloratadine, Hyperin, Virulizin, Ziracin): http://www.prous.es/journals/dof/20002504/index.cfm

28. New OTC drugs: http://www.drugtopics.com/newirotc.html

29. Free samples: http://www.startsampling.com/

30. William Safire on data rape: http://www.nytimes.com/library/opinion/safire/050100safi.html

31. Smartboard keyboards: http://www.datadesktech.com/

32. Competing with speed in the 24 x 7 business world: http://www.fastcompany.com/online/resources/newlogic.html

33. Health News Digest: http://www.usatoday.com/life/health/lhd1.htm

34. Scholarships for health information management:

35. Hope scholarships, possibility for MT students: http://www.ed.gov/inits/hope/

36. DHH reviewing 53,000 comments on medical records privacy: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/more/ahi/19492/5806994/2

37. Medical industry information: http://www.qxhealth.net

Risin in the early mornin hours before dawn,
I'm feelin pretty good, but then I'm suddenly forlorn,
Cuz all the nice and easy jobs are suddenly gone,
Why can't work be cherry-free?

Well, I must admit I don't get my pick of the litter,
But it doesn't serve me any purpose to be bitter,
I just bite down harder, I ain't no quitter!
"Quit" is not in my vocabulary!

Now to all those cherry pickers: Lawdy you got nerve!
I'll play the game right, and from this I'll never swerve,
I just hope someday, you get what you deserve,
Wish we all were cherry-free!

I try to have an attitude of "Yes, can do!"
Sometimes its hard when cherry pickin's happenin to you,
But in the end, hang in there, cuz benefits come through,
Can't we all be cherry-free?

Cuz if you do unto others, as you probably well know,
That a person usually reaps exactly what they sow,
If you take the easy path, then you'll never, ever grow,
Wish we all were cherry-free!

It may not be all roses, the path that is correct,
But in fairness to the others, do the job that comes up next,
What you get in return's knowledge and a little self-respect,
Let's all stay cherry-free!

2. Alphabetical list of new terms gathered from many sources: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/whatsnew/list.txt

3. New Instant Text board: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/it

4. New QuickScript board: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/qs

5. Bookwalter retractor (there is no Buchwalter retractor): http://www.mtdaily.com/board/messages35/351.html

6. PermCath (but many say permacath): http://www.mtdaily.com/board/messages13/9602.html

7. Licensing of home-study courses: http://www.mtdaily.com/mtbyschool/messages/7771.html

8. Home-study courses tax deductible? http://www.mtdaily.com/mtbyschool/messages/7839.html

9. Online buying: Check, money order, or credit card? http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/6578.html

10. Stedman's coupon, 3 for 2: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/6724.html

11. Getting rid of credit card applications: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/6664.html

12. Where to file in small claims court? http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/6507.html

13. Advice on handling doctor's reverse editing: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/6390.html

14. MT union discussion: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/unions/messages/33.html

15. Redneck church: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/humor/messages/1567.html

16. How do you deal with being stopped by a policeman? http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/pandora/messages2/7252.html

17. Courses in degree called "Working Woman: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/pandora/messages2/7178.html

18. Fur's one-year memorial: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/religion/messages3/7068.html

19. Krista's one-year birthday: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/mothers/messages/9951.html

20. Utah MT Daily picnic: http://www.mtdaily.com/states/utah/messages/162.html

21. Classified: Selling the newest Stedman's Spellchecker 8.0 CD-ROM, $60. See http://www.mtdaily.com/ads.html

22. Wanted: Need an older standard transcriber. Don't care about esthetics and only want to pay $25. Need the primary controls to work properly - backspace, foot control, etc. Headset not necessary. See http://www.mtdaily.com/wanted.html

1. Help us gather new terms and research them at http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/whatsnew.

Here are a few from the list: Anzemet, Aptosyn, Arsenic TriOxide, Dahedi insulin pump, Empire needle, Enterra implant, extended-strip craniectomy, intraoperative CT image-guided neurosurgery: iCTi, Headache Impact Test, NMP22 urine test for recurrent bladder cancer, QuickVue Influenza Test, TRAIL/Apo2L, Brugada syndrome (heart) linked to SIDs. (The list is public domain.)

2. Is gene mapping completed? http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,36173,00.html

3. Preventing infection in our homes: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/op/

4. Free medications to low-income patients: http://www.axom.com/r9700334/freemeds.html

5. Diagnostic Doc: http://diagnosticdoc.com/

6. New drug approvals: http://diagnosticdoc.com/phar/FDA/fda04-00.html

7. The Grateful Med, Medline for research: http://igm.nlm.nih.gov/

8. Search patents for surgical devices: http://www.patents.ibm.com/ibm.html

9. Search for new terms: http://www.looksmart.com/eus1/eus317837/eus317920/eus65240/eus65249/r?l&pin=000121x23b1071258d26c8ba51&

10. List of drug and equipment companies: http://www.spinnaker.fr/en/go/indpharm.html

11. Healthcare Headlines: http://www.merginet.com/news-main.htm

12. Chemical news: http://center.acs.org/applications/news//default.cfm

13. Improving production of influenza A vaccine: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-08-2000/0001212622&EDATE=

14. Orthopedics site: http://www.innomed.net

15. Gene related to aging discovered: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-10-2000/0001214240&EDATE=

16. Johns Hopkins rate A-1: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-09-2000/0001213900&EDATE=

17. SNOMED coded medical vocabulary for electronic records: http://www.snomed.org/

18. Which is your dominant eye? http://www.nidek.com/dominant.html

19. New guidelines for sinusitus: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-10-2000/0001214659&EDATE=

20. Protein receptor identified that causes atherosclerosis: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-10-2000/0001214623&EDATE=

21. Starflower, borage herb (gamma linolenic acid, GLA), kills cancer: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000510/hl/herb_cancer_1.html

22. Lack of oxygen at birth linked to schizophrenia: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000510/hl/oxygen_birth_1.html

23. JCAHO working on medical errors: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-11-2000/0001215506&EDATE=

24. Winners of Mothers' Day story contest: http://www.selfcare.com/Promos/Mothers_Day/ContestStories.asp?id=DG499LR950SR2P3M001PQWTAJQ5PDT39&

25. MT production standards: http://www.ADVANCEforHIM.com/hiaamt.html

26. Plastic surgery devices: http://www.novicom.com/ps.products2.htm

27. McGhan and Mentor saline breast implants safe: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000511/hl/fda_implants_1.html

28. Life as a woman physician: http://www.cc.emory.edu/EMORY_REPORT/erarchive/1996/February/ERfeb.26/2_26_96first_person.html

29. Elizabeth Blackwell, first woman physician: http://womenshistory.about.com/education/womenshistory/library/etext/bl_eminent_blackwell.htm

30. Physicians' unions and women: http://jamwa.amwa-doc.org/vol55/55_1_4.htm

31. Director-General of WHO on women physicians: http://jamwa.amwa-doc.org/vol55/55_1_ed.htm

32. Why doctors hate the Internet: http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,35516,00.html

33. No cataract danger from corticosteroid nasal sprays: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-12-2000/0001217021&EDATE=

34. 217 drugs and vaccines for children being tested: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-12-2000/0001216945&EDATE=

35. CompuLog holds home health care workers accountable: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-12-2000/0001216893&EDATE=

36. Father of the Pentium, Vinod Dham: http://www.forbes.com/tool/html/98/oct/1007/side1.htm

Thanks to Medsite Bookstore for a $25 coupon on $100 purchases for MT Daily MTs. See http://www.rediff.com/news/1999/may/11us3.html for a history of this company. Thanks to all who help each other on all the boards, especially the word boards and the technical boards. Circulation 4,516. Next week we will be celebrating National MT Week with some free gifts from our sponsors. Watch for announcements on various boards at MT Daily. Meanwhile, Happy Mothers' Day to everyone who has a mother! -Mary Morken, mary@mtdaily.com, and Lora Payne, lora@mtdaily.com

This issue also marks the one-year anniversary of this MT Daily Rounds newsletter. The archives of the 50 past issues are available at http://www.mtdaily.com/rounds. We've grown from 3,000 beginning subscribers to 4,550. It's been fun to share the highlights from MT Daily and the web each week, to feel the growing sense of community among MTs online, and to read the exciting medical news that promises to get even better in the year ahead. I hope this year has brought you many improvements in your work as an MT. If not, I hope you will discover better dictators, better pay, better softwares, and better research tools before next May! And may you be proud to be a vital part of the healthcare team in your area. Happy MT Week!

2. Sell lots of things! New general ads pages, non-MT: http://www.mtdaily.com/ads.html

3. Find a better job for MT Week! http://www.mtjobs.com

4. Weighted bookmarks: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/6804.html

5. Last-minute ideas for National MT Week: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/6885.html

http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/6999.html

http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/7591.html

6. Babygram: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/6980.html

7. Communication breakdown: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/7005.html

8. Getting started using abbreviation typing: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/7019.html

9. K-Mart's Internet software: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/7080.html

10. Getting rid of Web ads: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/7092.html

11. Treadmill stress test sample: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/7117.html

12. Distalmost, lateralmost, proximalmost: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/7128.html

13. Ethical and legal questions about data mining: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/7148.html

14. List of physicians by region: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/7256.html

15. IC's right to know, waiting for hospital work: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/7231.html

16. Bumperstickers re medical record privacy: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/7281.html

17. Optional commas: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/index270.html

18. AAMT's priorities of compensation, technology, certification: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/7378.html

19. Stedman's 3 for 2 offer: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/7598.html

20. How to hide email addresses for privacy: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/computers/messages/3526.html

21. No pay until accounts pay? http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/ethics/messages/1070.html

22. Featured classified: Phillips 4000 remote digital system. Assume payments. See http://www.mtdaily.com/ads.html

23. Featured wanted: Looking for used PRD+. See http://www.mtdaily.com/wanted.html

24. Ideas for virus protection: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/msword/messages/1977.html

25. Going home to work: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/pep/messages/269.html

26. Preparing for mammogram: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/humor/messages/1577.html

27. What to do with a sack of peaches: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/cooks/messages/7051.html

28. Why do new human viruses start in China? http://www.press.jhu.edu/journals/perspectives_in_biology_and_medicine/v043/43.2laver.html

29. Research on preparing for plague warfare: http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v283n17/full/jst90013.html

30. The forwarding syndrome: http://www.mtdaily.com/vent/messages5/3151.html

31. Expiring sunblock lotion: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/friends/messages3/7005.html

1. Help us gather new terms and research them at http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/whatsnew

More added daily. Here's a few from the list: Ushercell, Provigil, Diacol, Gengraf, Aflexa, L-Vax, Avemar, Lagovirus, VATRE. Alphabetical cumulative list at http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/whatsnew/list.txt

2. Eggs pasturized to kill Salmonella: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-16-2000/0001220099&EDATE=

3. Blueberries high in antioxidants: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-16-2000/0001219873&EDATE=

4. Asthsma epidemic: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-16-2000/0001219683&EDATE=

5. Touchpoints Asthma Management Program: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-16-2000/0001219486&EDATE=

6. Privacy commission proposed: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-16-2000/0001219491&EDATE=

7. Flat-rate long distance that works with Lanier: http://www.fixedrate-longdistance.com/members/14457/

8. What business can learn from the Marines: http://www.forbes.com/asap/00/0529/201.htm#top

9. Exercises to flatten your stomach: http://www.prevention.com/report/bellyflat/?e54

10. Ten toughest information technology challenges for healthcare: http://www.advanceforhim.com/hicover.html

11. L&H on integrating MTs and SR: http://www.advanceforhim.com/hifeature2.html

12. Healthcare products with cancer-causing agents: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-18-2000/0001221871&EDATE=

13. Protecting our privacy: http://townonline.koz.com/servlet/visit_ProcServ?DBPAGE=cge&GID=00001000010887059862929943&PG=01001000010896973444229799

14. VBS/loveletter computer virus: http://www.zdnet.com/zdhelp/stories/main/0,5594,2572365,00.html

15. Houston and LA have the most dog bites: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-19-2000/0001223123&EDATE=

16. How to gain weight: http://onhealth.com/fitness/columnist/item,89759.asp

17. Gulf war Syndrome: http://onhealth.com/conditions/briefs/item,90700.asp

18. Female response to stress: tend and befriend, not fight or flight: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000519/hl/stress_2.html

19. Male alcoholism in Russia: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000519/hl/russia_men_1.html

20. MedQuist data mining software: http://www.medquist.com/products/added_value_datamining.htm

21. Data mining glossary: http://www.pilotsw.com/r_and_t/whtpaper/datamine/dmglos.htm

22. Data mining and privacy: http://www3.shore.net/~kht/text/dsstar/privacy.htm

23. Books on data mining: http://www3.shore.net/~kht/books.htm

24. What are public facts and what are private facts? http://www.philosophynews.com/whip/hce/ARCHIVED/hce200001.htm

Here are reasons I think we can hope for progress:

1. Foreign companies understand that they must secure the help of U.S. MTs because of our outstanding language, keyboarding, and service abilities. They know they must meet U.S. quality and legal standards or they will lose accounts. They know there is a shortage of MTs, and undercutting would increase that shortage. They know they are limited in how much of our work they can do, and they only produce about 300 lines per day.

2. Speech recognition trials have failed for narrative medical dictation, and because of this SR companies are buying MT companies so they can deliver swift and accurate transcripts their machines cannot yet produce, and may never produce.

3. Trained and experienced U.S. MTs are of greater worth than ever before because of the growth of medical language and the increase in the amount of dictation. We have better training and technology, and we can produce better documents faster than ever before. I believe the market will decide in our favor, and U.S. MTs will be rewarded with better pay.

Feel free to share your reasons for hope on the World Trade Board at http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/world. If you know of any editors of automatic-voice-to-text-produced transcripts, please let us know.

1. MedQuist selling 60% of stock to Philips of Holland: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/8239.html

2. MedQuist and India: http://www.mtdaily.com/mtbycompany/messages4/3522.html

3. CBay's Skip Conover reponds to my questions: http://www.mtdaily.com/mtbycompany/messages4/3382.html

4. Are public stock-traded companies good to MTs? http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/8341.html

5. Failing speech recognition? http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/8385.html

6. Rodeer sells some branches to Lernout & Hauspie: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/8891.html

7. Dealing with inconsistent QA: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/7948.html

8. Counting lines in WP51: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/7960.html

9. Switching to Word or staying in WP51? http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/7984.html

10. Finding local backup help: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/8023.html

11. Pentium vs Celeron: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/8199.html

12. Cheapest buy of Medical Phrase Index: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/8449.html

13. MT Week gifts and gratefulness: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/8468.html

14. Jury duty: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/8579.html

15. Are you slow or fast? http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/8798.html

16. Send your bloopers to an author: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/8777.html

17. Computer basics: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/8754.html

18. Rerecording help: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/8691.html

19. Dev's new website of links: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/8659.html

20. Dual or dueling modems? http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/computers/messages/3584.html

21. Gladiolas: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/hobbies/messages/678.html

22. Rosebud's special son's graduation: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/mothers/messages2/103.html

23. Bickering kids: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/mothers/messages2/56.html

24. DaBuzz is back! http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/winners

25. NYPD and sign language: http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/stories/messages/2303.html

26. Marcia, half-marathoner! http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/exercise/messages/357.html

27. Featured classified: 2 Dictaphone C-phones. Paid $600 each originally. Will sell for $400 each. See http://www.mtdaily.com/ads.html

28. Featured bargain: Stedman's Neurosurgery Words, $25. See http://www.mtdaily.com/bargains.html

29. Featured wanted: AAMT's Book of Style. See http://www.mtdaily.com/wanted.html

2. New terms daily at http://www.mtdaily.com/mentors/whatsnew including Nuvance, Niroyal advance coronary Monorail stent, Resperate device, epRetract retracting stabilizer used with beating heart bypass, Axokine, Pelosi technique, Hemostatix thermal scalpel, Silver-Thera stocking to help circulation, etc.

3. QuickScript MT Week drawing still open: http://www.quickscript.com/contest.htm

4. How fast is your Internet connection? http://computingcentral.msn.com/topics/bandwidth/speedtest50.asp

5. Vaccination injuries: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-26-2000/0001228987&EDATE=

6. Internet changing insurance: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-25-2000/0001228811&EDATE=

7. Columbia/HCA improving after "Hall of Shame": http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-25-2000/0001228357&EDATE=

8. Calculate your social security: http://calculator.mysocialsecurity.org/cgi-bin/ncpa2/ncpacalcl.cgi

9. Flat-rate long distance with good quality: 1st Family: http://www.1stfamily.com/flatratelongdistance.htm
Telefreedom: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/8547.html
Worldxchange: http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages15/8560.html

10. Music for healing: http://www.stanleyjordan.com/Healing/musictherapyobser.html

11. Ergonomics monitoring software: http://www.magnitude.com/products.html

12. Charts for the patient and family: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-26-2000/0001229093&EDATE=

13. Health scams: http://www.quackwatch.com/00AboutQuackwatch/new.html

14. Salmonella warning to wash the outside of canteloupes: http://webmd.lycos.com/content/article/2791.132

15. Early tests for Alzheimer's: http://neuroscience.about.com/science/neuroscience/library/pr/blpr000523a.htm

16. Gene mutation in white women indicates greater risk of stroke: http://neuroscience.about.com/science/neuroscience/library/pr/blpr000522a.htm

17. Lidocaine for tinnitus: http://neuroscience.about.com/science/neuroscience/library/pr/blpr000519.htm

18. The angiogenesis story, new anticancer therapy: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/more/ahi/19497/5873367/1

19. England considering cloning for transplants: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/more/ahi/19497/5873367/5