Written off?

Re “ ‘Nurse, call Asia, stat,’ ” April 20

I am one of those American transcriptionists who a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report cited by The Times declares outsourcing won’t harm “because there is so much work to be done.”

In fact, medical-records outsourcing has caused the demise of many small American transcription groups. Now we have giant transcription corporations that treat their workers as cogs in a machine, demanding typing eight to 12 hours a day, seven days a week to earn that median $31,250 income -- without insurance or any other benefits.

These American medical transcriptionists, many of whom are highly skilled and experienced, fear protesting their situation. Their employers tell them Asians can do it cheaper. They are reminded that thousands of other, “less ungrateful” Americans are waiting in line to take their jobs.

There is another side to this happy globalization picture.

Rebekah Berger

Northridge