Contracting out costs soar 26% per year

Contracting out of medical transcription work is becoming more common in Ontario hospitals.

So it is noteworthy that our sister union in BC, the Hospital Employees Union, reports today that "the cost of outsourcing medical transcription services in the Lower Mainland has increased by an average of 26 per cent a year over the last five years, according to financial documents produced by health authorities."

Regardless, the health authorities "plan to completely contract out in-house medical transcription later this year and fire about 130 medical transcriptionists (MTs), who currently work directly for health authorities."

Currently, about 50 per cent of medical transcription volume is contracted out in B.C.

HEU has also raised questions about the accuracy and privacy of patients’ medical reports when transcribed by a network of home-based workers across the country. The Union has asked B.C.’s privacy commissioner to investigate.

Photo: Wistechcolleges

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