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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

I probably should have included the hospital...

Posted By: so disappointed on 2009-02-26
In Reply to: More often than not it is NOT the MTSO deciding - wishful thinking

...in the addressees.  My point was that this penny-wise-pound-foolish approach to cost cutting is creating a monster, whether it's the client hospital or the MTSO making the decision to go VR.  (I've never gotten through my skull how it's more cost-effective to send work offshore, that needs to be completely reconstructed by QA here.)  I guess that once you have developed the software and installed the system VR works for free and cheaper editing labor would cost much less than having it transcribed by an MT in the first place.  But at what additional cost?  These reports end up in court as part of law suits.  You would think a hospital would prefer to get it right rather than cheap, wouldn't you?  But aren't these the same hospitals that cut nursing staff, then work the remaining nurses into the ground because overtime is cheaper than paying benefits for more employees?  Maybe we just have to face that, like the buggy whip makers a century ago, our skills are no longer required. 


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Spaces included
I have been with Fast Chart over 2 years. They DO pay for spaces and the paperwork confirms it. They also compensate for headers. The Radiology and Acute Care pays the most, 9 cents I think. Most importantly they have work.
I think the template info should be included
My reasoning is that I believe part of the reason line counts are dropping is, due to automation with computers, expanders, etc., MTs are able to produce greater lines in less time than they were able to produce on typewriters. JMO (but I really don't think it's JMO, I think it's a fact).
Shorthand is included in their software, and yes you can sm

use the internet -- you have to be connected in order to do the work.


Hope this helps.


I once had a group practice client, which included ...sm
6 physicians. The most irritating one was the doc from India who had been in the U.S. for at least 15 years (I know this because I went to school with his children), and refused to even work on losing at least a small part of his accent. He was so ridiculous, and each time I typed his work, I said to myself I swear this guy purposely works at keeping his thick accent just to irritate me! Interestingly, 2 of his partners in the practice were ESL (had only been in the U.S. for 1-2 years), and their accent was much less severe. These were younger docs, who in my opinion, made an effort to get with the program if they want to practice medicine here! I do believe that people can actually make themselves hold onto their accents. I have a friend who is from the south (She has lived near me in the SE part of the country for 20 years) and she continues to have a strong southern accent. She has not lived in the south since she was a small child. I tease her about it.
I don't have a life insurance deduction .. $10,000 is included sm
in my health insurance premium, and since I am single, that is enough for me. 
It would be nice if when looking for a new job that the line rate be included
I know I personally have applied to jobs only to find out in the interview that the line rate is ridiculous.
Yes they do; 65-character line, spaces included NM

ANY federal money - included Medicare and almost
I could be wrong, but I read it to mean ANY federal money which includes Medicare/Medicaid, and there are probably not too many hospitals, clinics, or private doctor's offices that do not have at least 1 Medicare/Medicaid patient.  Seems to me they would not be too worried about all the listed countries for off-shoring if it was only VA, since there was already a big stink about off-shoring VA records.  But then, as I said, I could be reading it wrong.  I guess only time will tell. 
They told me their cpl included spaces at hire but when I got the first check

My paycheck was 10% less than I billed, and when I told them I didn't get paid what I invoiced, they said they never pay for spaces and never have and never SAID they did .....  Liars.  I had to stick with them after that because it was my only job at the time (but I definitely started looking for another company after that).  THEN another time, their payroll girl went on vacation & they said we wouldn't get paid until she got BACK, about 10 days AFTER scheduled pay date!!   Paychecks were occasionally late, also.  I would NEVER recommend them to anyone.  Ever.


PS - pay based on 65-char line, SPACES INCLUDED. SM
Also paid for weekend work, 2nd and 3rd shift differential. Bonus plan based on production.
Word-based, expander included, easy to use...NM
NM
'Nother poster also wondering if spaces are included in that line pay?? nm
s
When I worked in-house, we were part of the SEIU, but that included even nurses. SM
After I had quit, I heard they decided to go with the UAW.
It means characters that are printed in black and white - no spaces included. nm
x
Diskriter off off offshores - and on some hospital accounts - they have not informed the hospital
x
Jewish is the main hospital, St. Mary's is another hospital under their management. (nm)
x
First for hospital, then outsourced still on same hospital work
and believe it or not, the hospital was so much easier. Had worked at the hospital for 11 years before they outsourced and then worked another 3+ years for the company they outsourced to. What a difference! The company had so many rules and regulations you could hardly keep up with them all, thousands of them, on the same account, mind you. The higher ups would not leave you alone, constant IMs about any and all. I have gotten to the age where I do not need all that and walked the other week. Have scheduled testing with another hospital for this month. Hope I make the cut, love the hospital work 1000 times more than a company.
Thank you!!! The hospital I am ..
with is going to be switching over -- don't much about it so this is encouraging!
my hospital uses it also... c msg
just a little bit of demographics need to be put in every now and then, but overall, i really like it.
Hospital MT

I am so sorry that is happening to you. Are you a single parent?  I know how scary it can be to default on a mortgage. It happened to me back in early 90s before I started work for the hospital I am currently at.  Your supervisor is not a very thorough supervisor. If she checked with most large hospitals, she would see things are done very differently for their at home MTs. My hospital pays for internet connection, provides equipment, and pay is very good. We don't have to do all that extra stuff for HIPPA either. 


Your best bet now would be to try and find a national to work with, but that is scary too.


My thoughts and prayers are with you.


 


Hospital MT
Hey.  Does anyone work for a hospital, but work at home?
Hospital MT
Sorry. Should have been a little clearer. Looking to meet some other hospital MTs out there. Curious to know... Do you find the same problems with your employer as MTs do with national companies? I have had some may MTs tell me they wouldn't work for hospital, but my hospital doesn't have a third of the problems nationals do. Fortunately for me, my hospital hires within a 3-state radius. For those who are more than 1 hour away, we have conference call meetings.
Hospital MT
If that is the case, where are you located?  I may want to apply.  I am in NC.
Hospital MT
I wish you could apply. We are looking for a couple of good MTs right now. But unfortunately, you are not in the tri-state area. I am sorry.
Hospital MT

Thanks for letting me know.  What program does your hospital use?  I am just curious.  Happy hunting.  Wish I was the lucky winner.  Thanks......


hospital MT
We use CMT (CequenceMT) and VXP voice. Very user friendly.

Good luck to you too.. Happy 4th.
hospital MT
That's what I mean. I think hospital work is so much better as far as all of the little quirks go that companies have. Where are you from?
Hospital MT
Would Colorado be in the tri-state area? 
hospital pto
I think working inhouse they should find something for you to do since most MTs inhouse are usually in medical records :)
At a hospital that uses VR (nm)
NM
hospital MT

Sounds like my hospital that I work for.  Used to hire from 3-state area only, but now they can hire from anywhere in the U.S.


Go with the other hospital and get a
/////
Hospital job
Probably 99% of the time I would say take the hospital job over the service - but in your case with having a CMT and that amount of experience, pay for production might be a better deal for you. I think you have to decide what is most important, the benefits or a higher salary. As far as security, even though the hospitals have a tendency to go with what looks good on paper budget-wise, the services can also be bought out and changed over so no guarantees either way. I do wonder if more hospitals won't work a little harder to keep some in-house MTs as more and more services sell them a bill of goods they cannot deliver. Geez, they have to wake up sometime, don't they?

Hospital job.
Hi,

I do ops too and I love those. Will you be happy giving those up? Will they be sticking you with long, boring discharge summaries? They get real boring, real fast.

Another thing...a friend of mine, CMT, PA and several other initials, went to work for hospital, which told her she would only have to work in-house for a short period of time. I believe it was six months. It took over a year. 45 miles is a long way to drive, especially if traffic is an issue.

Ask a LOT of questions.
Hospital - see msg
I have worked as home based hospital Transcriptionist since 1990s. They recently took on a new platform and are outsourcing a great deal of our work.  We are running out of work; the outsource company takes almost all of it.  Our jobs are no longer secure. 
I'd go to a different hospital.
Good luck!
same hospital
I was probably hired for that same hospital account, in Broward county. I'm supposed to start this week, still haven't received my pc from DR...I had to order a copy of my BC so maybe that is part of the hold up, taking that to the hospital tomorrow. I accepted a 2nd shift position, but really need to work 1st shift. Are they flexible in that respect. How do you like working for them? Are there tons of ESLs on the account? How is your training going? Feel free to email me if you'ld like. Be nice to be in the dugout with someone in the same boat.
Hospital
If you have acute care hospital experience, I would suggest you go to work directly for a hospital with hospital benefits. Diskriter has an account like that, you cannot beat hospital benefits. IMO. But you have to decide what is most important to you. Good Luck.
I went from IC to hospital. sm
I guess it would depend on the hospital, because the one I worked for had the worst management I have seen in ANY business. Ran out of work, yet still outsourced overflow. It was a very unpleasant job. I went back to IC. Hourly was not as nice as it seemed. I make more $$ being paid by the line!
Hospital MTs
It came to my attention last week that where I work the accounts also have hospital employees who do the transcription as well.  When I lost my job at my hospital in 1995, that hospital sent its work out to a transcription service and never hired any more transcriptionists.  Was anyone aware some of these hospitals have their own MTs?  So, it seems we are all suckers as far as holidays go (as well as regular days) because I'm sure the hospital MTs have the day off while us home MTs are doing the work, which usually runs out.  This whole transcription business really sucks.  It seems like we are just filling a gap for these hospitals when they have a big work load.  I'm really sick of transcription, but it is all I know.   
Hospital MTs
Lots of hospitals have in-house MTs and a service these days. Sometimes it stinks if in-house cherry picks which has been known to happen. I've been in-house hospital and I've been at home working for a service, none is really better than the other, though =D Personally I would rather be away from the craziness of working in-house.
Hospital H & P
No, there are not a lot of differences in hospital h & p's then the clinics, for I have done both.
I know what you mean. The hospital I
worked for provided the basics, but all of us bought our own reference books. I really don't think the newbies know how to look something up very well. Just ask in this day and age and it is given to you. You never learn that way.
The hospital can tell her.
to tell someone which company does their transcription.
hospital
I make double the money at the hospital as with a national.  The only reason I work for a national now is that someone with more experience who was working for a national rolled me right off my hospital job.  If you're getting full time and good pay, you're making a big boo-boo.
how many hospital MTs do you think there are
and how long will they have those jobs?

I respectively disagree with you about bringing up unions because no dialogue means absolutely nothing gets done at all and that is exactly why a lot of this has happened, in my opinion. Actually, it is probably just a matter of being too late now, and yes, Cbay...more appreciate of MT... uh huh, but that will not last forever. they are still in need of US MTs but once the overseas MTs all get certified by the new AAMT that will most likely change.

here is a thought, have you tried to look for a job currently? I have just done it literally searched through every single MT company I can find and there is not one who is paying full benefits without a catch or who is paying anything even near 9 cents a line, it is more like 7 to 8, and even 2 to 3 for VR.

Sure they might offer more here and there but it is my experience that the work dries up sooner or later and gets just more difficult all the time so it is not possible to make the same money. employer on average are paying only 50% of health coverage that is what I found out so that is only a mere 600 dollars a month out of your check toward that if you have a spouse or family...

sorry but AAMT stood up years ago and elevated us once - why cant that be done again. should they have had that same attitude to just keep things as they were, typing pools, secretaries, etc.
hospital MTs
I honestly cannot quote a number with regard to hospital MTs. I'll try to find the value but I remember reading an article regarding how many MTs exist outside of the online world in doctor's offices, clinics, and hospitals who are happy with their situation.

AAMT has *NEVER* elevated the MT. It was AAMT who invented the 65 character line and that my friend went a long way in allowing the manipulation of what's a line, spaces no spaces, Expanders only paid for typed characters not expanded.

And I've done research in the last 2 years on many (greater than 15 I think) companies by getting hired, checking out the workload, the promises made in the ads and whether or not they were any where near the same thing. So yes, I've looked for a job recently.

I try to keep 2 employers though because I know the business and know that work fluctuates. I'm single and earn enough to live a rather comfy lifestyle.

You cited AAMT or their new name certifying offshore MTs. They've been doing that for years now. It's not new. So you will not feel any greater an impact from that than any of the other demons at the door of MT.


Hospital
Honestly, I don't think $20/hr is possible in a rural setting but I could be wrong. Before you look at the actual rate, don't forget to add in all the pluses and minues, like if you pay for your own medical out of pocket now, how much would you pay through the hospital, and then there's gas, clothing and maybe childcare if you have children. Don't forget the plus side of running out of work in-house...you still get paid unlike at home or at least can use PTO if available.

I love being at home but when I don't make money, it's a financial burden. Now that my youngest is 1 year from high school I thought this would be the perfect time for me to get back out there. Unlucky for me, they rezoned the schools and now the school won't provide transportation if I want to keep her at the current school, which she has been excelling at in advanced classes, so I'll be home for the next year at least being the taxi LOL.

Good luck though. I would say go for it. With the way the services have taken over the industry, working at home isn't all that it used to be.
Yes, yes, and yes for my hospital too. nm
nm
hospital job
I just accepted a job from a hospital after working for a co. for many, many years. The reason? The hospital offered me more cpl to start than the co. is paying me after all these years. The benefits are great and on top of all that I still get to work at home. I was just standing there with my mouth open when I found out what the pay would be. Then a little bell went off. We are truly being mistreated and taken advantage of by the big companies and I believe that sooner or later it's going to come back to haunt them. But it is more than just the money to me. It's the self-esteem and the feeling that somebody still values my abilities. It's a disgrace how the companies are treating people. But all the complaining and venting isn't going to change that. Rising up and taking a stand is the only thing that will. And please don't flame me because I'm getting out. I've stuck with it for 2 yrs. now trying to eke out a living while going deeper and deeper in the hole. It just wasn't getting any better and I had to do something. I feel extremely fortunate and I wish the best for everyone who's in the same boat.
As ICs at the hospital I used to work at ...
you got a contract for 2500 minutes monthly at $1.50 a minute. All minutes past 2500 in the month were $1.75.