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I have my concerns too. This year not even a

Posted By: QTer2 on 2005-12-22
In Reply to: QT question. - Patterson

Christmas card.   There have been a couple other things that when added to this pot leaves me wondering what is going on.  


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I've had concerns for at least a year. I'm a long-term

QTer so I have seen lots of changes.  Not that I expect anything, but we've always gotten something for MT week and this year not even a card and the whole stink over Christmas.  The IRA thing doesn't have me really concerned.  From what I understand they only hire ICs now.  I know they've had some long-term people leave who might have been employees, so it might not be cost efficient to continue the program.   I haven't had a raise in several years and these days I'm just glad to have a paycheck.  I don't know how much of the work is being offshored, but you would think that would free up some $$, unless they have had to hire extra QA people.  I like not having lots of e-mails/phone calls, but I also would like to know what is going on.  I denied for months they were offshoring, but when I got proof it was a slap in the face and I felt like we should have been told about it.  There seems to be plenty of work on my account so the offshoring hasn't  affected me directly.  So far the checks are always on time and have never bounced. 


Things have definitely changed and I don't think for the better, though I've interviewed with several companies lately and haven't found one yet that is better than QT.  I just try to do my lines and be thankful for a paycheck and just accept the fact that the company will never be what it was. 


My concerns
First with the job application. They already have all this information on me. I am not giving out references again, and I am not agreeing to a credit/background check. Everytime someone pulls your credit file, it lowers your score slightly. Not going there. Plus, will they somehow use this against us in the future as far as our years of service and make it appear as we did not start with the company until September 15, 2007?

Second, employment agreement. I have a problem with items 4 and 5. I don't plan on sticking around with this company forever. The only reason I stay is because I love my accounts. If they move on (very likely), then so will I. It is quite possibly that I might indirectly divert business from SPI if I go work for a company that has taken one of their accounts. Agreeing to $1000 sanction if that is the case? I don't think so.

The whole arbitration agreement is just a complete farce. From everything I have read, the employee really suffers when matters are taken in front of an arbitrator rather than an actual court of law. SPI knows they have issues. What about the fact that they don't pay time and half for OT? I bet the DOL would love to hear about that one. I could see down the road a whole bunch of MTs trying to file a class action suit, and I think the legal team at SPI is really worried about the same thing, hence this agreement.

Off my soapbox. And it's very early. Too early to worry about spelling or typos, so don't beat me up.
none as far as it concerns me
My point was only that MDI isn't taking on VR to pocket more for themselves. I'm well aware how this affects me personally.
Concerns
I understand your concerns. I am an employee and would not have it any other way. Every individual’s situation is different and the company is aware of that. I am sure they will work with you. Give them a chance, you might be surprised.
I understand your concerns
I have google'd myself to death, LOL. I did get an interesting email today, but I have a hunch it's not what you're talking about. I wish I could leave my email address, but I have the same problem as you do and my email would be too easy to track down. I guess I'll just have to wait .
I certainly have let D know my concerns but to no avail. nm
nm
Sorry..I meant THIS concerns their
medical records
What concerns me is that the rule is
Unless you like being banned, then keep on having laughs over the job seeker's board posts.  It happened to me, so I like to tell people that I was instantly banned for pointing something out on a job post.  It is not acceptable no matter what the forum or nature of the job posting.  It is not really up to you or I to decide what is just having a laugh!  The moderator has posted this in the past.  NO MAKING FUN OF THE JOB POSTS.  Someone may want to apply, do you think that there are only American MTs in America?  Do you think only foreign MTs stay in their country?  Even if the job was foreign in nature, that doesn't give anyone the right to poke fun or have a laugh at someone else's expense especially someone who is offering jobs!!!!!!!!!   
I know the feeling here and that is what concerns me. nm
x
I definitely share your concerns...

In my previous post I was and am trying to stay hopeful, as I really enjoy working with MDI like you, when I talked about possibly changing to another account.  In reality, I feel as you do, that I just don't think there will be enough work on straight MT side to provide that.  I just don't understand why such a great company like MDI is offering such a pitance for VR when most other companies are offering 4-5????  Just don't get it.  Again, I'm trying to remain hopeful and would like to believe what the leaders at MDI told me about tripling the line count, but seriously, in reality I really KNOW it is just not possible. 


Does anyone have any ideas about anything we can do?  Perhaps approach MDI/Dorothy as a group with our concerns??


Hospital concerns for benefits.

Many MTSO's are hiring only ICs now with no no benefits given.  Now given these are mostly smaller company's.  But why don't the hospitals form their own and contract out.  That's basically what some of the smaller MTSO's are.  They use the hospitals equipment.  I work for a small rural hospital as an independent contractor.  I worked inhouse for 2 years doing their Basic 4 and radiology reports.  For family reasons I was planning to leave but they offered to send me home to work.  Since my husband had medical benefits, I did not miss the benefits at the hospital.  But this situation worked out fine since I had a sick child that I was paying daycare for when he was not even there but home sick.  Ten years later, I am still working at home for the same hospital.  Hospital's work has grown and I am not willing to work so much now.  The hospital thought about hiring a MTSO but decided not to after they found out what they charged.  Which was about 3 times what I did.  They hired part-time Transcriptionist themselves to cover what I could not do.  So, to all those below who thinks it wound not benefit the hospitals, here's one story where everyone benefits. 


Do you really think owners have time to come on this board to know there are any concerns? sm
If you really and truly believe they are offshoring, ask them. Tell them you have concerns and that you have heard they were outsourcing!. I know for a fact that L is still quite involved in the company and believe me, they have hired new people; people who just couldn't cut it and were not good enough to put out quality work; QT has always, always prided themselves in quality! If an MT can't do quality work, why keep them? It's a waste of time and money! I just know one thing, I will do my all this week to help get us back in TAT. You do what you have to do!
I don't think there would be any greater conflict concerns than there would be with any kind
;+
I'm not saying you don't have valid concerns but I sincerely feel...
You all should be entitled to have your own board. I've done the Transtech thing a few years ago. This is all old news. Same as most of the companies on here, you either love them or hate them but I feel there is a ton of people that work there or people who want to work there and you should have your own board to discuss this.
well I sure didn't I was fired for voicing my concerns
Would they take me back?
Transcend Line Count Concerns - SM

Any fellow Transcenders have knowledge of how the company handles not meeting line requirements, especially if low to no work on your account.  Are there warnings given or do they just pink slip you immediately?  Anyone had ANY experience whatsoever with this....Thanks so much.  Am worried. 


 


 


Do Not Fear Retribution for Sharing Concerns
Denise:

Thanks for the kind words about my post. It is my sincere attempt to ensure that every team member feel valued and empowered to be successful. It is regrettable to hear your concerns for simply sharing your feelings and yet I can understand because I do know that these types of passive/aggressive response have been taken by managers of our organization and virtually all others.

Denise, it is my job and responsibility to make sure each team member has a voice and that their concerns are heard. While I can't always provide everyone with exactly what they want I am typically able to help. I hope you will feel comfortable sharing your concerns with me.

Thanks again for the reply and sentiments.

Jeff E. McNeese
SVP, Operations
DTS America, Inc.
T: (877) 387-6876 ext. 115
F: (615) 329-2298
jeff.mcneese@dtsam.com

yourvoice@dtsam.com




Once upon a time, a surgeon responded to my concerns
The girls were tearing up the 3 surgeons up one side and down the other. And OMG, what they had to say about the office manager!!! I felt they were betraying the man who fed them. So...I went into his office and said, Dr., the morale is very low, the office staff are very upset, threatening to find new jobs and I thought it should be addressed during a staff meeting.

His response was: Do not pay attention to what they say. Venting is a necessary part of being a part of the work force (when you are an employee). The doctor brushed it off,did not want to hear the details and he did not really care who was the instigator. He felt that as long as they showed up on time, held up their end of the load and were pleasant with the patients (anorectal surgeons - ouch).

That office staff who whined and complained and ridiculed was with the surgical team for over 10 years - An RN, 2 front office, insurance cler and med Records gal.

Huge Bonuses (which say THANK YOU!) at Christmas brought momentary pleasantness but come mid January, they'd start again, feeding off each other, like a bunch of women at a Sewing Circle (have you seen the pic on this website depicting us as women in a sewing circle, dear?)

Bottom line - it is harmless. If money is there and then not there, without warning, a person who is not complaining about it is the one I'd be curious about.
This is the thing that concerns me about this field. Pay is staying the same not increasing!

Every OTHER medical field, nursing, therapists, techs, etc. are all experiencing the yearly salaries going up.  Transcription compensation is not increasing. 


While they may increase the RATES the ability to make the more money is not there because of VR, taking away the header allowances, more difficult accounts, more ESLs, stricter QA, etc., etc. slow platforms that require information inserted that you don't get paid for and anything else that lowers your salary.  If hospitals are looking to slash their transcription budget, they are going to pass that onto the service and the service will pass that onto to the employee. 


I know transcriptionists that were making 45-50K in 1987 working 40 hours and now they are making 35K and often times working more than 40 hours to make that lower amount.  Or I hear people say I can make the same money but I must work much harder and longer hours.  I think wow...you have to work harder and longer to make what you made in the 1980s. 


Other occupations have gotten consistent raises without the need for more hours and I don't think employees would put with up it.  Imagine a well qualified R.N. being offered a 1987 salary?  The hospital would have a hard time hiring nurses.  But the transcription service environment is so competative if they can offer the work cheaper and cheaper while guaranting accuracy they will get that contract.  So in order to stay in business they have to find a way to pay the Transcriptionist the least amount of money to see their profits which they need to stay in business. 


Of course if transcription is all you know and you don't to work in an office or get a job at Starbucks you keep going and accept the pay because we really have no control.  You have to work with what they offer you. 


I've never had a problem with checks or insurance before so that is what concerns me.
But, I will be following up on Monday. I was just hoping that anyone who had this happen could confirm that is the way it is done. Thus far, no one has really confirmed this so that is a good sign.
Funny some of us were written letters by company attorney when we posted our concerns here
:(
my first year I made 16k. Doubled that second year. Going on year 6 with (sm)

two local accounts I earned 23,000.00 and a national I earned 35,400... 58,400 this year.  Don't ask me how many hours, though, I really have no idea.  I'm pretty motivated.  (When people ask me how many hours I work a week I reply as many as it takes  I'd say 40-50/week.  I am also a fitness instructer and personal trainer, about 5 hours a week or so.  Decent money (sometimes under the table!) but mostly I just do it for fun and to be social and wear cute work-out clothes. 


that first year was a rough one... but I consider it part of my education. 


 


I'm pretty motivated. 


Last year, there was a letter sent that told us what we earned the previous year. sm
In the past, it has been all or nothing; if you did not hit the lines for full time for the year, you did not get PTO. I talked to my lead this morning about a last-minute vacation and she told me that the yearly packets are going out in a week or so and that the new policy will acrue PTO by the pay period or month. I like that a lot better, but she also made it sound like they are upping the amount of lines needed to acrue PTO. I normally get between 15 and 20,000 lines per pay period, so I am sure that will be fine but I am worried about the periods that have lower volumes, like most of January every year.
Webmedx lets you carry them from year to year sm
You can accrue up to 140 hours (I think) before you stop the accrual process. Don't have to use it all in one year.
I would stick it out, most places are slow now through the end of the year every year (nm)
x
Last year $36K part time, going to make more this year full time BUT sm

I AGREE it IS getting harder to make money.  I used to make $24 very part time 10 years ago and now...well it is Word and platforms versus WP5.1.  I got 7.5 cents a byte line then and I get 9.5 cents a character line now.  That IS a huge different in point of fact.


OH I WANT MY WORDPERFECT 5.1 BACK!!!!! Bwaaah!


Have been with them for over a year...sm
and have no complaints. Pay is always on time and they have direct deposit. I have rarely ran out of work on my main account, but when I do I have a backup account to work on. There are incentives offered often as well. I don't see a high turnover rate...the reason they are hiring new MTs is because they have new accounts. Good luck in your job search!
Been on it for over a year and
still struggling. My lines went from 1,500 to 2,000 a day down to 800 to 1,000 if I am lucky. Still haven't found the courage to quit :(
Yes, they were. This year and I believe one other year. nm

Last year
Last year when I worked there I live in Texas and had BCBS of Tennessee through them since they are located in TN. Just FYI. Good luck!
Well over a year..nm
xx
first year pay
I was lucky to make 15000 the first year.

I am making it now but hard in the beginning.
Wow, a year?

 That's great!!  I know of one that is $3000.00! You have a great deal there.


Been with them almost a year
I've been with SPI/Cymed for almost a year (at the beginning of March) and the benefits seem to be okay, but I have never had to use them. When I first started with them last March, it was still just Cymed. I did hear that since they merged with SPI that the benefits were supposed to be less expensive when they go to get them again this year.
No, it's DURING second year (after 1)
nm
From 1 year ago...
Left because of having little to know work.  Seems like they way overhired.  They might do better now as I am seeing more than just clinic work
It's over a year old.
nm
Been with them over 1 year now - sm
as a statutory employee. I would say scheduling is flexible depending on your account and what you and your manager work out. They have been an excellent company to work for and the people there are terrific. If you need support they are right there with you and if you don't they don't bug you and let you run. Their pay is very comparable and always on time. I plan on retiring with this company!
year-old
{Bksp}-year-old
year-old
You would type 41 yo for the expansion to work.
year-old
But I use ESP expander. What I have started to do is build expansions with every age as they come up in reports. For instance if patient is a 41-year-old, I make an expansion of 41yo. I figure I will only have to do it around 105 times at most! If it turns out I have already made that expansion, I then create 41yof or 41yom expansions for female or male patient.
This was from a little over a year ago
so not sure if it's changed, but someone said it was about $75 per month for single coverage (just yourself).  Not sure about the employee plus spouse or family coverage amount.
Nothing this year . Not yet anyway nm
nm
Yes, have been there a year.
They pay based on a 65-character line with spaces included. They pay more than most other nationals and care very much about their employees and treat them very well. They are always looking for ways to improve to make us happy. I have 2 accounts and have never even come close to running out of work on either one, even during the major holidays. I have always made excellent money there. They pay by direct deposit on the 1st and 15th of the month. They have been continuously growing since I first started and have been constantly getting new accounts and expanding the ones that they already have. Hope this helps.
Every year it is where is my W2. They have until
1/31 to mail them.  If I get mine early great, but I don't start looking for it until the first part of February. 
You will pay the same but just throughout the year
If you made that much as an employee, you just would not have had as much in your pocket as they would have withheld it for you throughout the year.  As an IC you need to me strick enough to do that or have your husband hold out more to pay for your income.  You will only pay 7.5% more in the social security which you should somehow be able to find enough deductions to make that up.   But again, have your husband with hold your taxes.   You pay the same it is how you pay it.   Pretend you are the employee and withold 20% like they would from your check and put it in a separate account.  Then you have enough to pay your taxes.  Again it is not MORE taxes it is just how you pay the taxes and being able to put that money aside for it. 
I have been there about a year
They are nice people to work for and I enjoy my TM.  We have plenty of work and I heard we are starting a very large hospital in a few weeks.  The health insurance is with Aetna and it is a good plan with a low deductable, plus they pay by direct deposit every two weeks.  I came from another company as an IC and always seemed to be chasing a check or two, so having direct deposit is nice.  I would say that as a company I am happy at MedScribe. 
I have been there for a year and never got one
I was started at 9 cpl when I started a year ago. I was never told anything about a raise then.
$20,000 last year for PT
I work about 20 hours a week, and I took probably 2 weeks off from work total.
$37K last year, should do about $48K this year if it keeps up. sm

How?  Expanders...normals you build up yourself, and sitting down for long periods of time. 


And so you know, I make that on 8.5 to 9.5 cpl depending on the account and which of my jobs I am doing.  I work two PT situations.


Really? A year ago..

It was due to previous owner. Things are quite different now.


I would suggest to post your resume again.