Is Company Size Important? The Small vs. Large Medical Transcription Service www.medicaltranscriptionproblems.com by Ralph and Carol Bass "I'm sorry but my baby's sick; I won't be able to do your work today." or "We 're going to the beach Monday, so I won't be working next week." or "Oh, didn 't I tell you I was pregnant?" or "Bob and I have broken up; I'm moving back to Montana to be with mom." These are but a few of the dreaded words for the client who went for the "low price" but ended up getting a low blow instead. Can it happen to you? You bet, if your medical transcription service is simply too small to deal with issues like this from their own staff. But, both the small and the large medical transcription service each have their pluses and minuses. There is a trade off of cost and benefits. Consider these differences: The Large Service with 50-200+ Typists There Are Pluses--- 1) There is adequate staff to cover the personal problems of their typists. You aren't left in a bind if one of their staff gets sick, pregnant or moves out of town. 2) There is an abundance of stand-by equipment if needed. A break down of a computer will not impede their production. 3) If you are a techy, they have the bells and whistles. These don't often add much to the service, but they do dazzle with their foot work. There Are Minuses--- 1) "Now what clinic did you say you were?" Personal knowledge and attention are often missing; you're just a number. 2) "I'm sorry; we don't do it that way." Lack of flexibility to your preferences is common. They are not like Burger King, they don't do it your way. 3) They can be more expensive; they have plenty of clients, they don't need bargain basement clients. 4) The system learning curve can be daunting. The Small Service with 1-3 Typists There Are Pluses--- 1) You can talk to the person who does your work personally. You could become friends. Actually, the gal that used to transcribe in your office might have gone home and become your "service." 2) Your typist has an intimate knowledge of your preferences and style and can be very accommodating. 3) Sometimes their rates are more competitive. There Are Minuses--- 1) Their personal problems become your transcription problems. 2) Their equipment problems become your transcription problems. 3) Their system is mostly low tech. Their kids just might be playing online games on the computer where your records are stored (Yikes!). The Mid Size Service with 4-19 Typists What is the solution? Well perhaps the mid sized service is in a position to provide the desirable balance. They are big enough to insulate you from the personal problems of staff typists and small enough to provide personal service, to know you by name, to learn your vocabulary and style and to provide some nice service such as FTP, 800 numbers and telephone dictation. And when that patient shows up unexpectedly and you want a report sent again, fast because you don't have time to hunt it down on your system-well, the small service is picking the kids up from school when you call, the large service will resend at a price and the mid size service says, sure, we can do that, we will fax that to you immediately. Digital Transcription Inc Ralph & Carol Bass ralphebass@digitran.net caroljbass@digitran.net 864-292-8487 www.digitran.net