Adjusters Asia now offers offshore - overseas - legal and medical transcription services - all on a secure server.

The following are some of the more frequently asked questions (FAQs) about this service, including the medical and legal transcription companies - in India or the Philippines - contracted by our own company.

How much does it cost?

Currently, the cost of full-time, offshore (overseas) legal and medical transcription, that is, a volume of work equal to the workload of one full-time transcriptionist, averages approximately US-$600.00 per month.

More precisely, the billing method is based on a 65-character line - including spaces - with each line billed at US-$.06 (6 cents). At US-$600.00 per month, this would equate to 10,000 lines (650,000 characters) of transcribed data per month, or 500 lines (32,500 characters) per day based on a 20-day work month.

Do the math yourself. Count the number of transcribed lines (65 characters) completed daily, and then multiply this figure by 6 cents.

What are the advantages of offshore legal and medical transcription?

• Low Costs
• Pay only for the actual work performed
• Take holidays and pay nothing
• No overtime costs to pay
• No taxes to pay
• No employee benefits to pay
• No advertising/recruiting costs to pay
• Transcribed files are proof-read by a supervisor before being returned

What are the disadvantages of overseas medical and legal transcription?

• Because the transciptionist is located offshore - India or the Philippines - instantaneous changes to the dictated materials is not an option, although this can be done in your own word-processing programs before printing the work
• Legal and medical transcriptionists type only what is contained in the recorded materials (no guessing and no creative gap-filling)
• Punctuation, grammar must be inserted in your dictation
• Addresses must be included in your dictation, as overseas transcriptionists have no access to existing file materials
• As with any web-based service, voice recordings must be uploaded and downloaded on the Internet, although this can be a relatively painless procedure if each file (voice recording) is placed in a single ZIP archive

What about privacy and confidentiality?

Medical and legal dictation files are treated with the highest level of privacy and confidentiality, and can be sent for transcribing only by uploading the files on our secure server. Once transcribed, the materials are returned to the sender by way of that individual's user account located also on our server.

In short, recorded media can be sent and received only through our high-speed, secure server in order to maintain the highest level of privacy, confidentiality - and security.

What does Adjusters Asia get out of this?

Adjusters Asia receives US-$.01 (1 cent) for each line of medical or legal transcription billed. In exchange for this, our firm

• Provides and maintains a high-speed, secure server for the transfer of voice files and transcribed materials
• Maintains an on-line accounting system for each user of the service
• Negotiates group discount prices, rates and contracts
• Resolves issues of quality and delivery times
  Note: As the representative of a very large group, these issues are given the highest priority by our suppliers
• Physically inspects the premises of offshore legal and medical transcription companies located in India and the Philippines

How long does it take?

Twenty-four hours - or less. For example, recorded materials uploaded by 9:00 a.m. are returned to the sender - fully transcribed - by 9:00 a.m. the next business day - a 24 -hour turnaround.

Faster turnarounds - 12 hours or less - can be arranged with a modest increase in price.

What formats are available?

A variety of word-processing formats, including Microsoft Word and Corel WordPerfect, are available. Simply specify your preference when arranging a free trial here at Adjusters Asia.

Can materials be returned on floppy disk, CD-ROM or in hard copy?

No. To maintain the highest level of security and reliability - as well as delivery speed - transcribed materials are available only by downloading these on our high-speed, secure server. Once downloaded, legal or medical transcription files can then be printed and/or transferred to floppy disk or CD-ROM by your own staff.

Feel free to contact us if you are unfamiliar in writing (transferring, burning) data to CD recordable media.

What about accuracy, you know, like spelling and stuff?

Accuracy (spelling and stuff) is largely dependent on the quality of the voice recording - and the manner in which you speak. Each of the offshore legal and medical transcription companies contracted by our firm assigns one proofreader to every 3 transcriptionists. This provides for a very high level of accuracy - even in the case of poor sound (voice) recordings.

Mumblers and drifters, however, will continue to score low on the accuracy scale.

I'm smart, but what about that grammar stuff?

Sorry. All voice recordings are transcribed exactly as dictated. To ensure the highest level of quality, the grammar stuff should be included in your recordings.

In what format should my files (voice recordings) be saved?

Recordings uploaded for processing must be in either DSS or MP3 format. Do not upload waveform files (standard Windows sound files) as these are far too large.

Refer to our Help Section - Dictation File Formats - for more information on this point, as well as complete tutorials for converting waveform (.wav) files to MP3 (.mp3) format.

How do I arrange a free trial?

To arrange a free trial - medical or legal transcription - you must create a user account (free service) on our secure server. Once created, simply send us an e-mail quoting your username and your desire for a free trial. Detailed instructions will then be uploaded to your account.

The free trial was great. What's next?

To get started, you must create an opening balance (deposit) with our parent company, 1 Adjuster Inc. of Los Angeles, California, in that legal and medical transcription work is performed only when the necessary funds are present in your account to cover the cost of each day's work.

Each time the work is performed, your account is updated to reflect the billed charges, as well as your current account balance.

What does Adjusters Asia recommend?

Go slowly. Start with one offshore - overseas - legal or medical transcriptionist before adopting the service as a company-wide policy.