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Ditto. I have 3 docs (ortho) and if one is not there or on vacation sm

Posted By: Kesytrokes MT2 on 2006-03-23
In Reply to: I work for Keystrokes and have assigned doctors. I'm very happy. sm - Keystrokes MT

I either help on other or take the day off. We always know in advance, and I plan around it. I have high volume with them, so if I miss part of a day because one of my docs is out, I catch up on errands as it does not affect my pay much.

Pay always on time (direct deposit) but was incorrect rate a few times. Took a few days to be corrected but it was and now it has been fine other than those two that the rate was wrong.


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A good mix. I don't mind ESL docs. I think that some U.S. docs are worse! nm
nm
Keystrokes has great ortho accounts and a wonderful manager over the ortho work. sm
I have worked with them for 4 years and will never leave unless something drastically changes. I do not post here normally as it seems that there are so many negative people, but this is one I felt I could answer without being attacked.
Ditto that ditto..ESLs drove me out too...nm
nm
Ditto, ditto, ditto. My experience exactly.
I have never typed so fast and made so little in my life except for at Amphion. Good for supplemental income but not if you really need some money.
Vacation for SEs
Anyone know what is the procedure for taking vacation(s) as a MQ SE? How far in advance do you let them know, do they have a problem with it, etc.? Is there a limited amount of days you are allowed per year?
Vacation

All MQ offices seem to operate differently, but in mine I have had no problems.  I usually give several weeks to a month's notice, then I also remind them a week or so before I'm off.  I have never had any problems whatsoever.  I took off about three different weeks last summer over a 6 month period.  Plus, right after I was hired I had to take off for an already planned vacation and they didn't say a word.  


I don't know the answer as to how much time you are allowed to take off.  It would seem to me being an SE (basically an IC) that legally they could not limit your time off.  Of course, that doesn't mean they won't complain about it.  I think if you give a few weeks notice there shouldn't be a problem.     


I have vacation and PTO. I take off when I need to. I
usually take 10 days off in a row and then long weekends various times throughout the year.  I have even taken a day off with just 1 day notice when I was just needing a break.   I don't take advantage and I have about a month of accrued time now.  Sometimes if I'm taking off on a Friday for a long weekend I'll work extra during the week, or get up very early Friday and work, so I get my lines in, though I'm not asked to.   I think my company sees that so they don't hassle me when I take off.  
Someone needs a vacation and bad!


Vacation? What is that?
:-)
Thanks! Im on vacation
until mid next week. More later!
Some MT's on vacation right now, but
But sometimes there is not even work on weekends.  Yuk!  Going to get worse before it gets better at Transtech -- too many MT's hired now and slow holiday period coming up.  Some of the accounts are only overflow accounts and temporary accounts that TT picked up recently, so look out for the bill collectors at the our doors around the first of 2008.
No, she is still there but has been on vacation. sm

If this is the right account. Actually, I think all the leads are there still and a few have been added.  ***Edited by Moderator***


Please do not post initials and/or names here. 


 


 


Regarding vacation and PTO,
do you mean they are separate, 6 vacation days and then 1 week PTO, meaning 13 days total? and how do they differ between the 2? Thanks for your help.
Companies that allow you to take vacation
I work for a company that has paid time off, thing is they don't like you to take it. If you want to take off more than 1 week a year, they won't let you even if you don't care if you are paid for it. Does anyone work as an employee where you can actually take vacation without being without a job when you come back, the work is steady and the pay is good?
Vacation Coverage - IC
I work as an IC also, and I'm taking a few days off in just a few weeks. I let them know a month ahead of time. I'm the only one working for this company (very small) and she won't hire anyone else, so they know what they're in for when I'm gone. I don't know what they're going to do because they always had another girl for back up. The only bad thing I'll have more work than I can handle when I come back. I'm not sure how other companies handle the situation.
How much maximum vacation can you get
working at Webmedx. Thinking of applying but need to know about paid vacation days. I believe you get 10-11 the first year but I'd like to know how much vacation you get maximum after a few years. TIA
Uhh, as an IC? Vacation is unheard of in that

Staff appropriately and you won't have this problem.  The problem is relying on ICs as employee.  You cannot expect someone to just work and work with no time off - not gonna happen!!! 


This is what goes against my grain.  These companies want employee types but only want to pay a very minimum line rate for evenings and then now are requiring that you take no time off or schedule time off and never have an emergency???? 


KS Vacation question (sm)

How does KS calculate your vacation time?  If you had 1 quarter in the year that did not meet the 12,000 lines, does that mean you get no vacation at all for that year?  In other words, If every month has 12,000 lines per pay period, except 1 or 2, no vacation at all for that year? 


Can you take vacation days with no pay
and can you have holidays off with no pay. Is there a limit to how many days off a year you can take? Do you have to make up the time you are off? TIA
One week of vacation (IF you don't need it for something else)
Holy-moley, what have we come down to?
Vacation should be holidays
 
Remember when Don was on vacation?

Some were not keeping to their daily line commitments and a couple of accounts were out of  TAT.  She wrote:   WAIT TIL YOUR FATHER GETS HOME!   I like a spoonful of sugar with my medicine!  And humor is quite unusual in a boss. 


It is Lkeystrokes@aol.com but she is on vacation through next week. sm

Your best bet would be to call Becky at the main office at 630-739-5520.


question about IC and vacation coverage pls sm
I was under the impression that as an IC I am not responsible for finding vacation or sick coverage for accounts; that would be up to the company I am contracted with (no written contract, just verbal but don't flame me it's worked for 4 years now).  What do other ICs do when they want to take time off (a foreign concept, I know I know)? Do you find your own coverage or let the company who has the accounts handle it?  This company has flip flopped so much - at one time we had to have our own coverage, another time we got major slapped for doing so as the accounts were theirs and they would handle coverage, and now seems to be swinging back to find your own or don't take vacay.  TIA.
anyone know of overflow or vacation work available?
I work 2 jobs that I love, but both of them are 2-3 times a month and average 100 minutes of dictation at a time.  I rather like the nature of this work as it is given to and I usually have 2-3 days to complete it.  I have lots of experience--ER, other hospital (except ops), psychiatric hospitals and offices (which I loved!), specialty clinics of all types--it's just that I really don't want to give up the 2 jobs that I already have and love, so I would like more of the same kind of thing.  I thought overflow or filling in for vacations would be a good option, if I could find it.  Anyone know of anything like this?  I am considered an excellent Transcriptionist by all whom I've worked for. 
I guess you have to vacation when your accounts
Coverage is too risky because that person gets their foot in the door, and it is a dog eat dog world.  The docs are great and I guess that's important. 
Can you take vacation time and holidays
off? Can you work part-time or do they only have full-time MTs? TIA
Nice to know they don't care for us to have vacation

That is correct-no vacation at all for that year
person at KS would most likely be THE 1 to address, ya think? or not.
There are no laws governing vacation/sm

time.  Why would you assume this is not legal?  I don't work there, but it seems to me that this would be explained as part of the employment process and if the MT doesn't like that, then they wouldn't accept the job, right?


 


Could be because all they can get from the docs is 11 cpl....nm
x
ESL docs
Im having a very hard time with all the discussion that I see on the boards regarding ESL doctors  -- I have been in this business 20+ years and it takes time to develop an ear to be able to understand ESL doctors  -- if you have a friend who is an MT, have her on instant message and ASK what the doctor might be saying  -- there have been times too, with her and my experience where she has played her stuck spot back and I heard as clear as a bell what the doctor was saying  -- unfortunately, the schools with their training don't do ESL doctors and this is the reason that 99.9% of the companies wont hire without experience - PLEASE resign yourselves that ESL docs are going away unfortunately
with ESL docs, you just never know..sm
You could have great ESL dictators, and at .09/line, you would be paid at least close to what a good Transcriptionist is worth (still not enough as our wages are pitiful now). On the other hand, if you have really terrible ESL dictators, that .09 could easily become comparable to making .05/line if you have to slow down to understand the doctor. With ESL's, you really don't know until after you have made that commitment. However, as a previous MTSO, I would never give one person all of the crappy dictators. Rather, I tried to distribute the work evenly to give everyone a fair shot at a decent line count. Good luck in your decision. Try bargaining. Tell them you feel ESL doctors are worth the extra compensation because often times your hourly production is decreased because they do not dictate proper English sentences, mispronounce words etc, and tell them you believe the work is worth .10/line and you will strongly consider the position.
Docs
who eat, slurp, roll hard candy or lozenges in their mouth, sniffing their nose constantly all while speaking....especially the eating while dictating drives me CRAZY!  It is just like having a rude person standing right next to your ear eating smacking his food.  GRRRRRRRR 
the docs may not NEED it but its sm
not for you to decide. If thats what they want and you do their work, then you do it or you don't work. I don't like it either, but they don't dictate their reports to suit the lifestyle of your or me. I don't understand why people can't see its the profession, you aren't going to change it. you need to get a new profession.

As far as the grocery clerks and weekends, etc. etc. They don't all call in sick and not work. Years ago when some of these supermarket chains were union, they made good money and those people worked their hind ends off, weekends, nights, holidays the whole bit. I know because my hubby is now drawing retirement from one of the chains. Seems to me we have a whole generation of younger folks that don't want to work but like the other poster said, they just want to p*ss and moan!
Cymed offshores, pay is average, vacation/PTO
kicks in in 3 or 6 months (can't remember now, but the recruiter made a big deal about it).  I was told lots of opportunities for bonuses - of course you have to work more hours to get it - not worth it to me.   I don't remember about platform, because I was done with them as soon as the answer to my do you offshore question was yes.
Industry Standard Vacation/Sick pay
I am an at-home Transcriptionist for a major hospital system. As of a year ago, we have had our earned vacation/sick pay reduced by 15% of our hourly wage. We were told this is industry standard. Is this correct?
The recruiter was on vacation last week. Maybe shoot
s
Keystrokes question RE: vacation time.

Is vacation time offered only to FT employees.... or do they offer it to PT employees as well?


Thank you.


They have NO paid sick or vacation time
You will likely not find any full timers who are happy there.
"Paid" just means it comes out of the vacation lines
.
Rotten docs

Dear Doctor:


While I have a great deal of respect for what you do, you aggravate me.


Please, when you are addressing a letter be courteous enough to include the CITY and the STATE, and if you spell something don't spell ROAD for me, because, trust me, I learned how to spell road in the second grade!


Don't make me search for 15 minutes to find something your lazy ### could have read off the chart, because I only made 14 cents to type that letter, and my time and skill is worth more than 60 cents an hour. 


And while I am venting, how about you say pheochromatoma, instead of feo, if that is what you mean.  Don't be so lazy my job is 100 times harder.


If thats all they can get from the docs, get a different account!! There are more out there
I'm tired of these companies expecting IC work for 8 cpl, have a set schedule and thats even when I'm offering to do ops mainly!! Thats disgusting. I can just as easy do the basic 4, have a set schedule and not have to pay my own social security and taxes! Dont take it!
No ESL docs, no op notes (as far as I know) SM

They are mainly consults, soap notes, some radiology.  You use their templates and get paid for headers/footers.


I don't know if everyone makes the same, but I make 8 cpl (55 characters per line) without spaces.  I compared it to the normal 65 characters per line with spaces, and it is equivalent to 8 cents per line with spaces.  So, not too bad...just average I guess. 


But the dictators are really clear and there are a lot of samples.  I think the work is pretty easy.  I think it makes a really good p.r.n. position. 


Good luck with whatever you decide to do. :)


Chickadee


You need to realize that about 80 pc of the docs sm

practicing acute care in this country are ESL.  It is what it is. 


I like them a lot better than the native English speakers, who slur words, like to play with the language.  ESLs learn one way to say it, and they say it that way every time.  You just have to get used to it.


TransTech and ESL Docs
Well, you know...ANYONE who wants to continue to be a Transcriptionist had better become proficient in ESL docs. They are here to stay. If you had YOUR own business you would take the accounts to. I can do them. I moan a lot of times when I see a particular doctor's name come up for me to transcribe for, but it's all just part of the job. Like I said, better get used to it as there are more and more foreign doctors every day. I transcribe and I get paid and I don't feel cheated ONE bit.
All the decent docs have

TransTech did a big hiring blitz back in October last year for a new account, but the account almost immediately started going to VR, so the doable dictators left in a hurry!


The jobs that get sifted towards the MT's out of VR machine, thus, are the very difficult dictators that should be warned about their dictation habits.


The ExSpeech (editing platform) is very awkward and time consuming, so it is a catch 22 for the MT's. ExText has a good spell check and is easy platform to learn.


TransTech does not allow the MT's to check/verify our lines in the manner in which, in my opinion, we should be able to do. The CTRL I function does not give even a close line count and our pay stubs do not show it either -- just the word *piecework*. We can go to iChart; however, it does not show an immediate line count nor the jobs or line count per report -- only a total line count for a period of time per TransTech's counting method. It is a lot of trouble to go to iChart to get an immediate line count each time you choose to check your pace. We should be able to do this right from the platform/software that we are working in, IMO.


It seems our lines have been much harder to obtain in the past several months -- I suppose more to the dictators shuffled our way from VR, than anything that Transtech is doing with the line counts. I can't imagine them messing with our line counts in any form or fashion, as some companies have been accused of doing.


VR is the way of the future in order for the companies to be more profitable for themselves, so this is what we have to look forward to -- those of us who remain in the MT profession.


 


They use their own software. You get docs
s
all those horrible docs got you
Schizophrenic? You're like one of those people who sit in a bus & just starts telling and calling people names with no thought. All bark, no bite.
Number of docs
Are there any companies that assign a certain number of doctors?  I have too many to EVER make a good line count.
Docs using PC's instead of charts sm
The younger docs are now carrying laptops into the examining room, no more charts. My husband and I had extensive, large charts (which we earned through serious stuff) and now they have been replaced by the young staff coming in with a laptop, no more charts. I was not brave enough to ask at my last visit but I will this visit, Where are our huge charts? Mine used to make comments about the large chart and too many papers. I wanted to say, Do you ever read any of those reports? Very curt, very non-caring attitude, told me last time had had input all my allergies (which are serious) into his computer. I am really worried as my husband and I have been through a lot. I think they could very easily print a H&P from there if you went into a hospital. Two of my clients used to do open heart surgery and they would ask me to print out a H&P from the chart just before the surgery. Some of those people they had not seen in years. I explained that I would not do that as the patient could have developed an illness since last seen. You gotta thank computers for replacing us. Between outsourcing and electronic medical record, we are becoming distinct as the dinosaur. Just IMHO from this area anyway.