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I started 18 years ago and gave up a very good career

Posted By: Get outside on 2006-11-13
In Reply to: a survey for MTs - Sarah

at a major medical association where I was just starting to move. I was 26, married three years and having my first child. I wanted desperately to stay home with him, but back then, my husband was not making quite enough to keep us afloat.
I just fell into MT when I saw an ad in the paper posted by a local MTSO. I thought, I've worked with doctors before and I know how to type. Well, I failed their test, but they were running an in-house class that cost $100 for six months, and the promise of a job as long as I could pass the test at the end. We had $123 in our savings account, and against my husband's wishes, I invested $100 of it in that course. It was well worth it!
Socially, it was hard at first to be isolated at home with children and work, but it's great now that they are all teenagers. I've always known where my kids were and been there for them when they needed me. I worked part-time for many, many years, and that gave me the chance to relax, not be stressed, go on hikes in the afternoons, or have a paddle in my kayak occasionally while the kids were in school.
I have a bachelors degree from Temple University and majored in marketing. My husband is a CPA, and we'll be married 22 years this January. He is now a partner in a small firm. He gets very good medical benefits and insurance, but no vision or dental plan. I'm sure that if I had worked for 20 years and attended to a career rather than a job, I'd be making six figures these days. I certainly don't make that doing medical transcription! But, I worked hard at raising my kids, and I have three great ones! I've saved bushels of money because I've not had to buy an office wardbrobe, pay train fare to the office, or send my children to daycare.
I have been very, very fortunate in that we no longer need my income to survive, but now I have the time to work full-time, the kids need me less, and I can still be reasonably flexible and unstressed. And, I'm still here when my teenagers need me, even though that's not as often as before. Yes, the industry has changed, but if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing!


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I don't know when you started a nursing career but
I was more than happy to trade in mine for MT training. I worked as a R.N. for a health system that formed that wonderful alliance, as most have. I found myself working in all 3 hospitals, in 4 different areas. Years ago I worked in ICU and knew my patients and gave them ICU nursing care. The last time I worked in ICU, it was for 1 day, then it was off to a hospital across town to work a med-surg floor for 2 days and then back to ICU again, where I was told my patient had died. I blamed that on no one knowing her case and so much rotation that the patients have been forgotten. I worked swing shifts and weekends and witnessed more and more of my coworkers leaving for nursing homes just to have a half decent schedule, then becoming depressed when the elderly patients they got attached to passed away. I decided to go for what I now call hands on nursing care without really being there and I started working as a MT 4 years ago. I love it!!! Nurses may be paid more but for what in exchange? As for pay and benefits in the MT profession, I never expected benefits for being self employed so I provide my own. I also make more money doing this because I am in charge of my schedule and my work volume. I also no longer have nightmares about the patients I feel I had to abandon to satisfy a bunch of bureaucrats who run hospitals these days. So before you announce how much better nurses have it, become one and try out your skills in any hospital of your choice. Lots of luck!
30 years - this WAS my career. The last few years you guys have ruined it.
You work 9-5? Big deal. I work more than you do. I bet I work harder too. Treat US with respect, lady!

Don't talk to us like that and don't expect us to kiss your feet. Kiss ours for a change!
Please do not get it started again. We already gave it too much attention. nm

I've been loyal to MDI for 13 years and planned to finish my career here. I
can't even begin to express my dismay, disappointment, and feeling completely blind-sided and slapped across the face by this after a decade plus of Dorothy always saying she had too much integrity to EVER offshore, and now she's going to be in charge of sales and marketing TO offshore.  My mind is still reeling.  So not sure what you mean by loyal.  The MDI I've known and been loyal to for over a decade no longer exists.  Now I've just been left sitting here stunned wondering how she could do such a 180, or if it was just a facade all along. 
I think it's a good career policy to always have a
(nm)
They gave you a 5 cpl raise in 7 years?!
That's the first I've ever heard of MQ doing anything like that, unless you started as a newbie at 3 or 4 cpl or something. Wow.
I had a bad experience 4 years ago but gave them another chance after sm
a friend of mine was there for a while and was having a great experience. The problems were years ago and behind them. I was also there during the bounced checks, and I got a copy of the bank letter. They never lied to me though. Going back was the best thing I did, and they contacted me the same day with an offer. That was about 19 months ago and I am very happy. Direct deposit was a good move for them (or any company).
MQ a good place to begin an MT career? I disagree.

I was relatively new to the MT world when I began working at MQ.  I recall it as an experience that almost caused me to totally QUIT the MT profession.  For one thing, the majority of dictators were horrendous.  Add to that the fact that communication with supervisors, QA, etc., was almost nil.  Then, I learned about the MT questions person, but I quickly became embarrassed and was afraid that he/she would get tired of me.  Working at MQ was definitely a learning experience, but it is my opinion that it harmed me more than helping me.  For one thing, I do not enjoy the experience of hypertension and migraine headaches, and I am sure that I would not enjoy the experience of a CVA.  Obviously, I do not work for MQ any longer. 


As it has already happened twice, I won't be surprised if I again receive a telephone call in which I am invited to reapply and work there again.  The first time that they called, I told them to take my name off their list, or put my name on their DO NOT CALL list.  But, they might call again.  For this reason, I have placed my old trumpet next to the phone.  A good blow of the trumpet in the caller's ear will be the only response they get from me.  I understand that pushing the O button on a touch-tone phone will create a similar effect. 


 


 


Years ago figured 10 words/line at .01 cpl gave us
s
Exactly. Gave mine up years ago. Waste of time & money.
x
I think your physician gave you good advice

These MT schools are still cranking out the MTs as fast as they can (and taking their money).  I am sure they know that there already isn't enough work to go around and no work = no money.  Plus the fact that the MT trainee who could ever hit the ground running and make money right out of the gate is far and few between.


As for the coding, it is pretty obvious that is a huge candidate to be done by EMR and I'm sure it will happen in the not so distant future.  There will probably be someone an R.N.? LPN? EMT? who will do chart reviews to ensure that every possible diagnosis that could get another dime in reimbursement is put in the record.  That would be a few jobs depending on the size of the hospital.  I seriously doubt that these jobs will be offered to former MTs.


Another job opportunity might be that of what used to be called ART (acredited record technician), those people might be allowed to do chart reviews as they have always done it anyway, I even did it myself way back there.  The JCAH (forget what they're called  now) used to offer a study at home course but you had to be affiliated with or work for a hospital in order to have access to the records that were necessary to complete the course.  In some smaller hospitals ARTs (or whatever they are called now) were even heads of the medical record department.  I believe it is also offered as a 2 year course at some community colleges.


Sadly I think that those who have put themselves out for the expense and bother of getting and maintaining CMT credentials are just going to be SOL because I think those credentials and a buck might buy them a cup of coffee.


This is the way I feel and I could be wrong but I don't think so.


I have 15 years in. I just started with them
4 months ago and was started at .10/line.
I started at 10 cpl also- 20+ years experience
NM
I started at .09 with 5 years experience.
I only work part time, not sure of full time requirements
back some 15-16 years ago when I first started
MT, wasnt the AAMT at the heart of changing the name of 'typist' to 'medical language specialist' and werent they involved in raising the pay scale etc, because cant we do that now what they did back then? How did they do it? I remember the old typewriters and being taught by a CMT, and they told me it was not more a few years beforehand that they were just a typing pool but when I started they already had their own office, their own 'respect' in the hospital. However that happened, we need to do that again because I feel we have regressed, even past that point of a 'typist' -

My last couple of years working in the hospital setting (which then I could not wait to work at home!?) are filled with memories where especially at holidays the doctors would send flowers, gifts, candy, toasters, I mean they treated us pretty good.

Now we are treated less than human beings, this has to change. I realize the doctors do not control the money anymore, and that is a big part of it because in my opinion I think they spread the money around a little bit more than the insurance companies/government who now control it. We will never see any of it...

I would not mind getting involved, either, if you have any ideas.

Know what you mean about the coffee - speaking of which, gotta run and get mine too!
I always have enough work on it and have been on it since it started 3 years ago. sm
I do a minimum of 100 minutes every day. My goal is 120 minutes every day but I am not as fast as I once was. I do not run out of work on there but I work 2nd shift, which might be the reason. Glad you got an account you like better. I personally love this one because of the doctors, except one.
Umm, AAMT started years ago for AMERICAN MTs. You

seem to be implying that since AAMT happens to be located in the US then that is why the association is named the way it is.  You are incorrect in your implication and it is not right to post it in that manner on a public forum where new visitors get the wrong idea. 


Established company, started six years ago. They have
not grown at all through acquisition but rather just plain old fashsioned good business.
I have worked M-F day shift since I started MT-ing 3 years s/m
ago. Is it really that hard to get? (Just asking, because I never had a problem).

I work at Webmedx M-F day shift. I asked for it, and they gave it to me. That being said, it may have been because I opted for a 90% ESL account. (?) Who knows. Good luck in finding what you need, though. It is out there.
Be careful, this is how it started with MQ a few years back
when they cut VR pay. I saw a tremendous cut in pay and I did leave after really trying to make it work for me. I think the only ones who are able to earn the same or near are those on a different VR system than MQ and have extremely easy accounts with easy formats and extremely clear dictators. I actually think you need to be a more experience MT to do VR reports well and I'm sure lots of inaccurate info gets through because of just reading and not really transcribing. I did it for many years and it sure didn't progress for me, only less money to do it.
Ya know what? I started doing VR about 5 years ago mixed with standard and

really did okay, bout 80% VR.  Not sure what it is but lately the reports are coming in such a mess and such bad quality I am now not able to make a decent line count.  I believe  the push was on and they added facilities way too fast without everything being in place and lots of docs needing to learn how to use the durn thing and the system not used to the dictators (and with some dictators never will) that these accounts are now really so bad MY counts are even way less on VR  than they were 5 years ago.  The system has to have so many reports in to make the words come up correctly in future reports but is supposed to eventually get used to things.  But like I said, way to big a rush and push for VR and I don't believe companies or the system were ready. 


BUT the sellers of these systems who make quite the profit don't care and the MTSOs certainly don't care that we make such a pittance being paid by the line or if we can pay our bills and probably never will.  As MTs, we are certainly taking the brunt of all of this.  Pathetic.  Wonder what they will all do when more and more MTs move on to a job they can make a living at and the hospitals tell them they can't offshore??? 


 


I worked that shift for 7 years, ever since I started doing
MT work. Fortunately, I was always able to juggle events, etc., by being able to flex during the day, taking a PTO day - they called it that even when I was an IC, or switching for another day during the week. I also made more money on the weekends, so I didn't mind a whole lot as the money was a huge issue when I started this job.

It wasn't until this last year when there was no work available on the weekends that I couldn't justify every single weekend any more. There definitely seems to be more staffing on the weekends than what is necessary, and I think MTSOs could easily switch to a weekend rotation every 4 weeks. As someone else said, there are many departments that are not open on the weekends, so having a full staff of MTs seems a little ridiculous.

If you reconsider the offer, I would ask them if they can guarantee a full day's work EVERY day on that schedule. If you start to get the song and dance about not knowing when doctors dictate, etc., I would make my point that 1 weekend a month is plenty given that hospitals and clinics also run a light staff on the weekends.

HELP!! Started VR yesterday after 30 years of straight typing

How in the world do you guys make any money.  I am thinking of calling company up and telling them no thanks.  I trained for 2 hours then was let go to work another two.  Did 350 lines at 4.5 cpl.  What are the keys to making money with VR. I am using Dictaphone Express Editor.


In REPLY TO: What do you call 6.5 cents?? - Geeze, when I started out 15 years ago, I made 8 c
6.5 was the offer for one place and the second offer was 9 cents. I chose the second offer :). Rough out there indeed! There are even places paying per report now... I saw 75 cents, $1.10, $1.15 and $1.25. Ain't good for Rad.
I once gave my notice when I was in a non-MT position, gave

2 weeks, but the person I was supposed to train felt like she knew my job better than I did (although she knew squat) and was a pain to deal with, never on time, etc. so I only worked about a week of my notice before I left and told the person I was supposed to train that since she knew more than I did have at it.  Anyway the owner wouldn't pay me for vacation.  I filed a complaint with the labor board and they were more than happy to get my money for me.


Breitner can threaten all they want to.  If you can document that you are owed monies, if Breitner can't prove that you aren't owed monies the labor board will be glad to collect your money.  I would also file a complaint with the Attorney General .   I have heard several people have had payment issues with them while the still worked for them.  If people are willing to let them get away with it by just chalking it up to experience, then they will continue to try to get away with it.  I'd contact the IRS too.   I don't know what Breitner thinks they can do to you - let them threaten all they want to.  A word of advice - DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT.  


Yes, I started a new job..so far, so good. NM
d
just started and so far so good, i will eventually
be a reviewed but I am typing while in training to become familiar with the accounts. I do recall the the pay per line rates were in the 7 to 9 cent range with incentives to make more, which I believe is about the norm these days. Also, while in training you get feedback on every report you type.
That's a good question - I just started doing it...
...and I swear, I'm only doing about 320 lines an hour - and I type 300 lines an hour, so I'm quite concerned! Especially since my line rate will only be around 4 cents a line! Did you all start this low when you began, and can you offer any tips for increasing production?
Good for you and hope you get started on a new position soon
Great for you! I hope you don't miss much money waiting for the new job to start... but to validate you, here is a true conversation I had with my doctor... I was talking about my company going VR and my stress level (the meeting with doc was about improving stress for health reasons). I said that I knew no matter how fast I could type, with my personal need to have great QA, always wanting to send great reports, that I could not afford to go VR. I did not explain further. He totally understood. He told me that for a while he typed his own notes into his system. Then, he had a trial of VR and he had to edit the VR and it was a disaster!!! He said he could write/type faster than he could correct, and too many errors came up. He said among his colleagues the other docs, they really don't care of we do traditional or VR, they just want great work, and if VR does not provide it they, the docs, will go elsewhere (to another vendor) for their service. He said that he understood that we get paid half or less and that would be silly. He suggested to either hang in there with my VR job while finding a straight transcribing job and have no problem saying bye bye to my present VR job no matter how wonderful the company is! He said eventually if all MTs (even the ones in India, as he is from India himself) leave for lack of pay and ability to pay bills, and certainly when the docs get poor work and demand a better provider of transcription, the companies will soon switch back to the traditional way of typing, or pay us a lot more for correct the VR (it takes more time to do, he admits). Bottom line is, the docs will not put up with poor quality b/c they are responsible for patient care. So, he told me to hang in there. If I can't pay bills, go to straight transcription, go back to school and get funding, etc. He said he promises that it will come back to our skills and we will have to be paid for what our knowledge is worth as we always have. Finally doc said, Docs don't care how it is done, as long as it is done right. If it is not done right, they will demand it be done right and that is good for the MT. Sorry for the long post but this is a true story directly from the doctor, as he has first-hand experience. Thanks for reading such a long post, hope it helps, and good luck to you and all MTs who refuse to put up with this treatment!
I started there about a month ago. My two accts are good. Not sure on the switching nm

I just started on eScription and it's pretty good. Higher than the last place I was
at. Starting base at 4 cpl, which is 1 cpl higher than I was making at TTS.
I just started with eTransPlus! Maybe that is a good thing....too busy typing to be here, sm
I will be working second shift, so I am here now. I tried to e-mail you, but for some reason would not go through.  So far so good! Keeping my fingers crossed.
been there almost two years, really good

Right after I started with them, I was able to drag two MQer's over with me.  The three of us can't be any happier.  They run off DQS, but are NOT affiliated with MQ.  They fine-tune your work pool to exactly what fits you best.  I type mostly OPs, then RAD mixed in for variety. 


They're not planning on becoming huge.  They're family owned and small is quaint.  They close the office at 5 p.m.  We have our own mail site where we can all communicate with one-another as we are transcribing.  Also, no ESL and the pay matches all the big companies out there.  No honeymoon phase here, we are truly appreciated and respected.  Such a relief.  It's so sad reading these posts where people say there just are no good companies out there, when the truly do still exist.


I did MQ 23 years. THey use to be good sm
and then got bad. I got out in February 2006. I STILL miss the way MQ/Transcriptions Limited use to be. I figured I would work there until I couldn't raise a hand to type anymore!!!!!! haha
Good idea - don't. She was with OSi for several years
obviously a wrong move... she didn't know how her new boss is-- that she gets rid of anyone who knows more than her which of course is most people. Damn shame but heck she already has 2 other jobs and 3 more offers which should say something for her.
Not possible to be a good ditor after 2 years.
no way, no how
Good company for me for last 2 years.
Lots of work. Good pay rate. Management/team leads are accessible. Good feedback. Get paid on time.
Is 7 cpl test/3.5 cpl VR for someone with 13 years exp a good amt.
Does not sound like it. Depends on their definition of line and whether they count spaces, but unless it's an awfully short line (most are 65 char) and they count spaces and headers and footers and supply the computer and have really, really cheap insurance (and you said there were no benefits), I'd say definitely NO. 8.5-9 regular and 5 for VR for acute care for experienced. And that's with benefits. Without, I'd say 10-12 or more. Have never heard of more than 5-6 for VR, though.
and just because you have been an MT for 20 to 30 years doesn't mean you are good at it...
nm
10 years experience... that is good for 8.5 cpl. YUP, thats it.


I was hired and started in 1 week. That is not a long set-up time. When I started with our local h
I needed to get a physical and go through orientation at the hospital which is only given two times per month. This is a 900-bed hospital, so it cannot be an unusual process. MQ took 2 weeks. KS took 1 week. SoftScript never got me started even after repeated calls and emails.

I have only been with KS for 9 months but would never put them in the same catagory as the others you mentioned. They are the best company I have worked for, and unfortunately, I have bounced around a little in the last 5 years.
I was hired and started in 1 week. That is not a long set-up time. When I started with our local h
I needed to get a physical and go through orientation at the hospital which is only given two times per month. This is a 900-bed hospital, so it cannot be an unusual process. MQ took 2 weeks. KS took 1 week. SoftScript never got me started even after repeated calls and emails.

I have only been with KS for 9 months but would never put them in the same catagory as the others you mentioned. They are the best company I have worked for, and unfortunately, I have bounced around a little in the last 5 years.
I was hired and started in 1 week. That is not a long set-up time. When I started with our local h
I needed to get a physical and go through orientation at the hospital which is only given two times per month. This is a 900-bed hospital, so it cannot be an unusual process. MQ took 2 weeks. KS took 1 week. SoftScript never got me started even after repeated calls and emails.

I have only been with KS for 9 months but would never put them in the same catagory as the others you mentioned. They are the best company I have worked for, and unfortunately, I have bounced around a little in the last 5 years.
I've been there for 3 years - yes, good company
xx
Is 7cpl text/3.5 cpl VR for someone with 13 years exp. a good amt. sm

or is it low?  I've recently had to start looking for a new job and am trying to figure out what a good cpl rate is for someone with my experience:  13 years of mostly acute care work.  It seems kind of low to me but maybe not.  I've been an IC for the last five years or so, but kind of wanted to get away from it for a while as I can never seem to be discplined enough for my taxes.  The 7 cpl text and 3.5 cpl VR is employee status, the only benefit right now would be PTO with insurance in a few months possibly.  I worked at my last company forever and only made 8.5 cpl as an IC, so all of this is kind of new to me.


Thanks!


I guess 17 years of ortho exp. isn't good enough for them

Sounds good to me. I agree 100%. Am 50 years
30 years and have a LOT to say and share.  Its late, and I just happened to stop here for a second before bed while my other computer is defragging. I will follow up on this definitely within the next day or two, holidays or not.  We have no time - less than no time, right?  Can't wait to communicate with others who have some hope for us as a profession, a UNITED profession.   Laurie
I've been there a few years. I think it's a good company.
Although I feel that ALL MT pay is far too low, Acusis pays better than most. Several accounts are teaching hospitals, some regular hospitals, and some clinics. Most of the time they have plenty of work, except right after the Holidays.

I find the management to be VERY nice to work with - a welcome change from my old situation, which was horrible. Excellent techs, too. The SoftScript platform they use works well. Sound quality is good. If you email a supervisor or other person there, I've found they respond in a timely manner.

The pay varies based on the account; more for harder ones, less for easy ones. They ask for feedback from MTs, and are appreciative to get it.

Anyway, judging by what I read on this board about other companies, I think one reason you don't hear much about Acusis is that most people that work for them are happy with them.
You can do a good job and despise the company. I was at MQ for 10 years.
I eventually deservedly despised them, but I did a great job. Otherwise, I would have heard about it. I'm at the Web now, and I agree with those that say they are getting to be just like MQ before MQ imploded and was sold. I don't despise Webmedx, but I don't love them, either. I don't think you can completely trust any of the nationals.
Hey, wages were even still good 5 years ago, now pretty much gone. nm
x
I used this years ago, first hated it, but once got used to it, it was not so bad. Good luck :)
You will get used to it. Build up a lot of shortcuts, like you are probably acustomed to. I'm sure you'll do fine.