How Nice of MedStar Shah to support the USA

[David]

Just called MedStar Shah Medical Group to pay my nearly $2000 bill (gee, I thought ObamaRape was going to make everything free?).

Just wanted to let the world know that I got to speak to some lovely people in the country of India (yes, I actually inquired as to which country they were located). Nothing wrong with the people in India. But, one would think that a local "non-profit" which was charging such ginormous rates for their services would hire people in the good ole United States of America---especially given the dire economic situation for many people over the last nearly two decades.

 

[vraiblonde]

This is what the politicians - Dems AND Republicans - have done to our health care system.

 

[glhs837]

Got to throw some of that sugar back home.

 

[ginwoman]

Yes it's frustrating to have to deal with India, but their customer service is always pleasant and quick and usually pretty easy to understand.

 

[officeguy]

That's how old Dr Shah set up the operation. Just be glad you dont have to talk to medstars business office stateside.

 

[mitzi]

Just called MedStar Shah Medical Group to pay my nearly $2000 bill (gee, I thought ObamaRape was going to make everything free?).

Just wanted to let the world know that I got to speak to some lovely people in the country of India (yes, I actually inquired as to which country they were located). Nothing wrong with the people in India. But, one would think that a local "non-profit" which was charging such ginormous rates for their services would hire people in the good ole United States of America---especially given the dire economic situation for many people over the last nearly two decades.

They have been like this for over 10 to 12 years (maybe more).

 

[PrchJrkr]

I'd rather have a phone conversation with Lakshmi, over Ny'Eisha, any day of the week. Indians speak proper English and exhibit normal thought processes.

 

[vraiblonde]

I'd rather have a phone conversation with Lakshmi, over Ny'Eisha, any day of the week. Indians speak proper English and exhibit normal thought processes.

I totally disagree with that. I speak English. Even Spanglish. Not to mention shorthand, Pig Latin, AND! Ubby Dubby. Ny'Eisha and I speak the same language and we understand each other. When I have something important to impart to a non-English speaking person in America, it's bull#### that they cannot communicate.

I deal with folks of Indian nationality all the time and they're great. What's not great is when that Indian person is customer service or tech support, and they do not speak English in any meaningful way.

 

[PrchJrkr]

I totally disagree with that. I speak English. Even Spanglish. Not to mention shorthand, Pig Latin, AND! Ubby Dubby. Ny'Eisha and I speak the same language and we understand each other. When I have something important to impart to a non-English speaking person in America, it's bull#### that they cannot communicate.

I deal with folks of Indian nationality all the time and they're great. What's not great is when that Indian person is customer service or tech support, and they do not speak English in any meaningful way.

I can't say that I've ever experienced this, myself. I've always reached someone speaking perfect English with an Indian accent, that actually knew WTF I was talking about, and they were able to assist. Not so much with Ny'Eisha. I suppose our samplings must be different.

 

[vraiblonde]

I can't say that I've ever experienced this, myself. I've always reached someone speaking perfect English with an Indian accent, that actually knew WTF I was talking about, and they were able to assist. Not so much with Ny'Eisha. I suppose our samplings must be different.

Let me rephrase. It's not those from India in particular, it's those who are working a customer service job in the US who do not feel compelled to speak the native language, no matter what their country of origin.

 

[PrchJrkr]

Let me rephrase. It's not those from India in particular, it's those who are working a customer service job in the US who do not feel compelled to speak the native language, no matter what their country of origin.

Gotcha. That's how I see it.

 

[pilot]

You all might not be aware of this but English is considered an official language of India. There are so many different sub-groups in India, that when the country became independent, English was the only language that everybody could understand.

 

[awpitt]

Just called MedStar Shah Medical Group to pay my nearly $2000 bill (gee, I thought ObamaRape was going to make everything free?).

Just wanted to let the world know that I got to speak to some lovely people in the country of India (yes, I actually inquired as to which country they were located). Nothing wrong with the people in India. But, one would think that a local "non-profit" which was charging such ginormous rates for their services would hire people in the good ole United States of America---especially given the dire economic situation for many people over the last nearly two decades.

Which location are you talking about? I mainly deal with folks at the Jarboe Building next to CVS and I always talk to a local.

 

[GURPS]

all my yrs of doing IT Work [23 now] only a hand full of times have I gotten some person in a call center in India that I could not understand their English.

my annoyance is the chart flipper that is not willing to skip the process and take the error code without doing ABC, 123

 

[awpitt]

all my yrs of doing IT Work [23 now] only a hand full of times have I gotten some person in a call center in India that I could not understand their English.

my annoyance is the chart flipper that is not willing to skip the process and take the error code without doing ABC, 123

Oh, wow. I know exactly what you mean. I've been in the same situation, many times.

 

[Starman]

all my yrs of doing IT Work [23 now] only a hand full of times have I gotten some person in a call center in India that I could not understand their English.

my annoyance is the chart flipper that is not willing to skip the process and take the error code without doing ABC, 123

Exactly.

But understanding the *why* is key.

There is a failure on the management of those organizations doing the outsourcing to recognize that the majority of these employees have limited technical skills. Secondly, in Indian culture, you simply don't question what your superiors have told you to do. If you're instructed to go by the script, you go by the script. It doesn't matter if your intuition tells you otherwise, you just go by the script.

Much of this could be overcome by training, but those who are doing the outsourcing just need these folks to hit the ground running. They are human I/O machines and it's not working out so well.

IT work is changing. Less and less of it is grunt work, and the WordPerfect "expert" from the law office down the street doesn't make a very good sys admin or programmer, etc. If your only value to an IT organization is that you are cheap labor, you will struggle more and more.

 

[nutz]

Exactly.

But understanding the *why* is key.

There is a failure on the management of those organizations doing the outsourcing to recognize that the majority of these employees have limited technical skills. Secondly, in Indian culture, you simply don't question what your superiors have told you to do. If you're instructed to go by the script, you go by the script. It doesn't matter if your intuition tells you otherwise, you just go by the script.

Much of this could be overcome by training, but those who are doing the outsourcing just need these folks to hit the ground running. They are human I/O machines and it's not working out so well.

IT work is changing. Less and less of it is grunt work, and the WordPerfect "expert" from the law office down the street doesn't make a very good sys admin or programmer, etc. If your only value to an IT organization is that you are cheap labor, you will struggle more and more.

What else did you learn from the movie, Outsourced?

 

[officeguy]

Exactly.

But understanding the *why* is key.

There is a failure on the management of those organizations doing the outsourcing to recognize that the majority of these employees have limited technical skills. Secondly, in Indian culture, you simply don't question what your superiors have told you to do. If you're instructed to go by the script, you go by the script. It doesn't matter if your intuition tells you otherwise, you just go by the script.

Much of this could be overcome by training, but those who are doing the outsourcing just need these folks to hit the ground running. They are human I/O machines and it's not working out so well.

IT work is changing. Less and less of it is grunt work, and the WordPerfect "expert" from the law office down the street doesn't make a very good sys admin or programmer, etc. If your only value to an IT organization is that you are cheap labor, you will struggle more and more.

Dr Shah didn't outsource his business office. He just set up the entire operation in his native India rather than hiring in SoMD. Finding competent admin staff in this area is a needle in a haystack proposition. I can see why he decided to do it the way he did. I suspect that when he sold to medstar he wrote a protection for his Indian operation into the contract.

 

[BernieP]

Yes it's frustrating to have to deal with India, but their customer service is always pleasant and quick and usually pretty easy to understand.

I find it annoying as hell because I often can't understand what they are saying. Fortunately I am fully aware of my appointments, and I wait for the office to open to get any prescription refills.
In other words, I try NOT to talk to India if it can be helped.

For the record, there are a number of things that would go a long way to fixing the high price of medical care. But neither political party wants to touch the golden geese of special interests.
Start with the Trial Lawyers, move to big Pharm and then look at the AMA, and medical schools.
Yep, medical schools are one of THE big costs we pay for. Read one analysis that said that almost all the medical schools are fully endowed, there really isn't a reason for the outrageous price of tuition.
But instead of addressing the problems, they just throw more taxpayer money into the communist cost sharing system and under penalty of law force you to join.