Immediate (June 17, 2004)

Julie A. Davis
Executive Director, Vermont HITEC
802-872-0660

Maria McClellan
Public Affairs, Fletcher Allen Health Care
802-847-5195

Vermont HITEC and Fletcher Allen Health Care Kick Off Medical Transcription Training Program

WILLISTON, VT - Vermont HITEC and Fletcher Allen Health Care today launched an education and training program to address the shortage of qualified medical transcriptionists in Vermont.

Speakers at the event, held at Vermont HITEC in Williston, included Gerry Ghazi, President of Vermont HITEC; Dr. Melinda Estes, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fletcher Allen; Brian Dubie, Lieutenant Governor of Vermont; Jane Sanders, President of Burlington College;  Phil Fiermonte, Burlington City Councilor; and Anne Ginevan, Commissioner of the Department of Employment & Training.

Twenty Vermont students have been selected to participate in the eight-month program and were present at Vermont HITEC today for a day-long training session.  The program is free to participants and jointly funded by Fletcher Allen, Vermont HITEC and Vermont's Department of Employment and Training. The 20 enrollees come from a variety of backgrounds and were chosen from over 700 applicants statewide.

The goal of the program is to help eliminate Fletcher Allen's need to outsource portions of its medical transcription work to third-party medical transcription companies within the United States and abroad.   Currently, Fletcher Allen contracts the work of approximately 11.5 full-time medical transcriptionists to firms in India.  In addition, Fletcher Allen contracts with U.S.-based firms outside of Vermont for medical transcription.

Students who successfully graduate from the program will be offered work-at-home positions with Fletcher Allen. The program is accredited through Burlington College and graduates will receive 32 college credits towards an Associate's Degree and a Medical Transcription Certificate.

"We had a tremendous response from Vermonters who wanted to enroll in this program," said Ghazi, whose organization has conducted six eight-month training sessions over the past four years and successfully educated and secured jobs for 105 previously unemployed and under-employed Vermonters.  Approximately 90 percent of these former students are currently employed in the medical transcription field.

"We are very excited to see the enthusiastic response we have received to this medical transcription training program," said Dr. Estes.  "Clearly, there are plenty of Vermonters who want to work in this field and just need this type of learning opportunity."

Partnership with Vermont Department of Employment and Training

The Fletcher Allen medical transcription training program is funded in part with a grant from the state's Workforce Education and Training Fund as part of an ongoing partnership between Vermont HITEC and the Department of Employment and Training.

Students to Train and Work at Home

The program will allow students to study from home, making the training program available to Vermonters across the state.  It will also mean that successful graduates of the program may work from home if they choose -- a big plus for Fletcher Allen because of the limited space available to add hospital-based medical transcriptionists.  Students will be provided access to all of the equipment necessary to complete the training, including the use of a home computer.

Recruitment & Enrollment Process

Individuals selected for the program will be provided with all the materials necessary to complete the training.  A significant investment of time is required as the training is at least 40 hours a week for eight months.  The program will consist of a 16-week on-line educational component, followed by an intensive 14-week internship during which students will be transcribing live Fletcher Allen medical dictation. 

Students who have enrolled in the program through Burlington College are eligible to seek financial aid for related living expenses through the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC).  Students will also be allowed to transfer credits from the program to Vermont Technical College.

To graduate and receive a certificate, students will be expected to achieve transcription standards of 1000 lines per eight-hour day that meet the program's quality requirements.  Graduates of the program will be offered full-time or part-time positions with Fletcher Allen, earning a minimum of $10.82 per hour, plus benefits.