Tuesday, May 22, 2007 MT firm partners with university to handle training of applicants
A FILIPINO-owned medical transcription (MT) company is tapping the academe to provide quality medical transcriptionists when its MT facility becomes operational.
Jojo Tacumba, AsiaOne Innovations Inc. vice president and chief operating officer, said that although the MT sector is showing significant growth in the country’s business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, the supply of manpower remains low.
BPO refers to the outsourc-ing by a company of some of its backroom operations, such as accounting, information technology, human resources, MT and contact center, to an independent organization.
“We want to make sure that our medical transcriptionists are able to meet the global standards of the MT field, in terms of accuracy of transcription,” he told Sun.Star Cebu.
Module-based
To entice Cebuanos to embrace the industry, AsiaOne has partnered with the University of Southern Philippines (USP) to conduct a three-month MT module-based training, which begins next month.
“A university-based program is an advantage because the facilities are available work on details for a curriculum,” said Christopher Luzon, the company’s operations manager.
Nico Abais, marketing and promotions manager, said MT companies are encouraging schools and universities to incorporate the MT skills in the school’s curriculum.
While the MT profession ideally calls for a four-year program to allow transcribers a full grasp of the medical and paramedical fields, most MT companies settle with affiliating with schools to meet the demand, he said.
Partners
Luzon said this is why AsiaOne aims to guarantee highly skilled medical transcriptionists through partnerships with five local universities, including USP.
USP has agreed to allow the use of its facility to train a minimum of 100 MT-enthusiasts, Dr. Alicia Cabatingan, university president, said during the memorandum of agreement signing last Thursday.
Hands-on
The 100-hour training, which costs P6,000 a month, includes 60 percent hands-on training and 40 percent lecture on medical terms, including pharmacology, Luzon said.
He added that the training does not only increase one’s competency but also guarantees employment for trainees when AsiaOne sets up its MT production company this year. (MMM)
