Exhibit 23.1

                          INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT



The Board of Directors
MedQuist Inc.


We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on
Form S-8 of MedQuist Inc. of our report dated March 3, 2003, with respect to the
consolidated balance sheet of MedQuist Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31,
2002, and the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders'
equity and cash flows for the year then ended, which report appears in the
December 31, 2002 annual report on Form 10-K of MedQuist Inc.

Our report refers to the change from the cost method of accounting for an
investment to the equity method in connection with an increase in the level of
ownership as required by Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 18, "The Equity
Method of Accounting for Investments in Common Stock," and to the adoption of
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 142, "Goodwill and other
Intangibles." Our report refers to the audit of the adjustments that were
applied to revise and restate the 2001 and 2000 consolidated financial
statements, as more fully described in Notes 5 and 6, respectively, to the
consolidated financial statements. However, we were not engaged to audit, review
or apply any procedures to the 2001 and 2000 consolidated financial statements
other than with respect to such adjustments.

                                  /s/ KPMG LLP




Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
September 8, 2003