Needing advice
Posted By: Need some advice on 2008-09-22
In Reply to:
I am fairly new into this home transcription thing and was wondering if I could get some good solid advice on how to stay motivated working from home (I have a 2-year-old and a 1-year-old at home and would like to work around their schedule i.e. nights, during naps so don't have to pay for daycare) Would IC be better for me in my situation rather than employee based? Also, any companies that anyone would recommend that works with the MT, or any that you would recommend?
I know this is asking a lot but some good solid advice would be very appreciated.
Thanks!
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Needing advice
I am a rather new MT. I only have about 1 year of experience and I have gotten back into the business recently. I have been getting job offers, but none of them really turn out to be very good. Can someone tell me some of the better well-known companies that hire someone with such little experience. Any advice would help greatly.
Advice needing in obtaining clients
I am lost. I have been an MT for 3 years now and would like to obtain a few clients on my own. My family has put me down for years and say I should be lucky to have a job and not to think big. My husband is no help. He also feels I cannot do it and now I am beginning to doubt myself. I simply am lost. How do I get started? what software do I need for the doctors to get the voice files to me? Am I insane for wanting more, or for wanting to have clients on my own? Work is slow at the national I am at and if I obtain clients on my own, I can maybe have a future for my daughters. Thanks
Needing a job
After the initial phone interview, how long should it take to get the testing info? What happens after you test?
Good advice, and advice that I'm giving real thought to ...
If I had known that they offshored before I accepted employment with them I never would have gone there to work. I've been here long enough now though to not want to lose my benefits.
Still ... making a DECENT PAYCHECK and making a living without being stressed out over the type of work that I'm doing is just as important as good benefits.
Any companies you know of needing...(sm)
any overflow help? Been hard to find as I am looking specifically for radiology and have a FT job from home already. Just looking to help someone with overflow and make a little extra money on the side. Anyone have any suggestions or any companies looking at this that would be interested? Email me if you would like.
Thanks! 
Or maybe it has to do with timing and needing MTs and
paying what it takes to get them. You have to remember to that I am an SE so I have to pay my own taxes and also in order to get 10 cents per line, I had to be full time. Part time I think started out at 7.5 cents per line.
Needing info on
www.sharphearingtec.com
are they paying good?
Thank you. Just the info I was needing.
Have to admit, the change was alluring. Oh, well.
as far as needing certain hours that would conflict with IRS
but that is between the company and the worker.
Needing to vent alittle
I inquired about a job with Medivoxx, before I realized they used VR and expected you to transcribe and edit. The information I received back stated that after two weeks uncompensated pay, the following 30 days would be 3 cpl, and then 5, and eventually 7. Before I went any further, I asked approximately how many lines/day VR editing runs, as I would think it would be higher than transcribing since you are not actually typing it all out, but editing. I wanted to know all this before I considered quiting the job I have now, which is not a transcription job, I am only doing that part time and am looking for full time. My response to this question was to not quit my current job. This seems alittle odd to me, so I wanted to vent and share this info with everyone else. Thanks
I'm not the one needing my hand held, now am I?
NM
Just how do you think an MTSO will be able to calculate this into the work needing to be done?
:+
Other than needing the Olympus software, don't know a thing. nm
s
Needing reasons not to jump ship
It is hard to get a sense of things working at home... just want to know if there are any MTs at Transtech who do not plan to jump ship, or if I need to start worrying and go too? I am also wondering who the TT people went to after they jumped ship. I have sent numerous inquiries out and no answer.. could it be the market is flooded right now with resumes because of the recent VR situation?
Another reason I ask is that I believe TT is a strong company and I have been very happy there. Yes, I have had to be very flexible, but I have not yet run out of work and still make good money, benefits, etc. Why, however, are TT MTs any different than the more than 60 percent of MTs who have already gone to some type of VR at their company such as the people at Webmedx who are still happy, and others. It would be nice to get different viewpoints here... my instinct is to say keep with the TT, and work it all out because the company is strong... and most other companies if not are with VR will go there too someday! I am the only source of income for my family and need to know what is going on out there in the world! Thanks in advance for your opinions.
Needing steady work as well....email inside
Thanks! nwmt68@hotmail.com
Any companies needing part time help on a Lanier account?
nm
bit of advice - sm
I have worked in many hospitals over many years, and after a bit of trial and error, I have found that this approach has always worked in my favor -
I STOPPED sending resumes to HR departments. Why? Because I would inevitably end up with a computer generated letter "thanking me for the resume ... on file ... should a position come up ... blah blah blah." I would contact the hospital and say I am responding to the position that is open, what do you mean you don't have a position??? The response would be "Oh, well someone should get in contact with you soon then."
By the time an HR department got off their butt to start calling in people for the position, chances are the transcription department was into overtime and overtime meant loss of $$ and next thing you know, it was being outsourced.
So I cut out the HR department, and would find out the name of the head of medical records and send my resume to that person. The person would either go to HR and say "contact this person for an interview" or would contact me themselves and set up the interview.
I would even send a resume to the head of medical records even if there was no opening because you never know. Hospitals may have onsite transcriptionists as well as outsourcing. But if the hospital realizes that there is the possibility of another Transcriptionist right in the area, they may be able to utilize me. Hence, I would get a phone call.
It's just a bit of advice - don't always rely on the website for transcription positions.
my advice is ask MQ for more than that...
if you have the experience and are 'seasoned' you should start out at least at 9 or 9.5. be firm. they must need MTs. if they say they do not pay that much say you are sorry to hear it but you have other offers, and everybody is paying at least 9 now...(IF you are as good as you say and you tested and passed, etc.)
men do this- they push back a little...
even if they simply will not give you more than say 8.5, they will at least know you are not stupid. if you take it at 8.5, tell them you want a review in the near future and expect to make more than that...
geeze, I started at 9.5 there a year ago...?
if you are good, demand to get paid what you deserve.
Thanks for the advice - sm
It's not a lot of money, but since I was courteous enough to send the equipment back immediately, I just don't understand why they aren't paying me. I am not going to drop it though.
Thanks again!
K
Here's my advice sm
If you are on your own and don't have a spouse or a second source of income, this isn't the job. You've really got to have some backup with Webmedx. This is not the company where you'll be on one or two accounts and have all the work you can do. This is scraping for every bit of work you can get some days and bouncing around on lots of accounts.
However, the benefits are very good. I'm not sure if they take them away, though, if you can't make your lines. Surely not if there's no work, but if there is work and you have trouble, don't know.
IF you have benefits through a spouse, I would go elsewhere and be an IC. I would not be here if I didn't need the benefits.
Good luck making a decision!
I appreciate the advice, but would like something a
see my advice
If you have been working for someone else, take a document, do the word count and the line count and see what you would need to charge per word to equal what you want per line. I also worked for someone that did that and lost a lot in letters and consults as I charge by gross line. She paid 1 cent per word also. In medical there are more longer words than shorter one. I would not do it for less that 2.5 to 3 cents per word as I just looked at one of my documents and it would have taken probably 3.25 per word to make what I did off of that document. Good luck. With words no spaces are counted.
I need advice
Does anyone out there know about Entente Health Care. Has anyone ever worked for them? I have been offered an Editor position with them but I was wondering how they are to work for. I hope I am posting this in the right place since I am new to this. Any comments appreciated.
Thank you...I did take your advice SM
to heart. It wasn't an easy decision as I heard just as many negative comments as I did positive comments. After careful consideration, I decided to give them a chance. I think I'm better off having heard all the negatives and positives as I was able to make a more informed decision. I really hope I'll be happy there. I'm not naive enough to believe it will be perfect (what company is?), but I want to start off giving them the benefit of the doubt. Everyone's different. I worked for Spheris and hated it (others I know love it there). I worked for Medquist and liked it (lots of people hate it there). So it's my hope that I'll find my niche with TransHealth.
I really do appreciate your advice, though. I hope that you have found a job that is better suited to your needs.
Take care,
Chickadee
That would be advice. nm
x
Thanks for all advice given sm please
That is what I would love to happen in the long run, but I am pretty certain that at this point I could not handle the potential daily workload myself, and I would not want to mislead them and get myself in over my head... New advice??
My advice to you
Right now things are slow, probably on all or most accounts. Get yourself a backup when it's busy. Then you have it to fall back on at times like this.
Thanks for the advice (sm)
One of the jobs I had in Ophthalmology was at a medical school, but, of course, only in that specialty. I know the job that fits me is out there somewhere, that is, if I lose my current one in August (I really do like the office for which I currently work). Thanks again for your input.
Same advice here, but
I might add that nursing is also emotionally and mentally exhausting. When I worked full time, I basically worked and recouped from work. Not much energy left to enjoy life. I'm glad I learned everything I did, but don't want to go back.
looking for advice
Approximately two and a half weeks ago I accepted a job offer for IC status. It would be another full week before I would hear from them again, and another four days before I was able to train on the platform. As I sit here now, I am losing money, because I still do not have a password to begin work (this being yet another four days after training). It seems like a good job - a job I would like to keep. However, I am getting very frustrated with the lack of communication. I email and do not receive responses. I call and leave messages, and do not receive a call back. I have considered doing overflow work for someone, but if I ever get going on this job I am afraid that I may be spreading myself too thin to do that. I do not particularly want to name the company, but if you would like to know you are welcome to email me. I will, however, let anyone that may come on here asking about this company know.
Thank you for letting me rant.
My advice.
Thirteen years is a lot to give up for the unknown. The current Transcend employee below basically said as much about her own situation, and she makes a lot of sense.
Why don't you try it on a part-time basis? Then if you find it's a better place for you, you won't lose anything.
When I worked at TS, the platform was down every other day and tech support was virtually nonexistent. Maybe things have changed for the better. I hope they have.
The grass isn't always greener on the other side.
Thanks for the advice
x
Need some advice...
Hi everyone,
I just need some advice here. When put on a new account is it common to make stupid mistakes while getting used to how a doctor dictates? Does QA to some degree expect that these little mistakes are going to be made when starting out on a new account?
I was recently added to a new account and I am not making many mistakes, but the VERY FEW I have made make me want to kick myself--HARD. They aren't big mistakes..just something that when I see corrected I say WHAT WAS I THINKING  ...(though, it did make sense to me when proofing at the time)... basically the hear one word and it turns out to be another scenario, regular English words, not medical...the ones that make you feel 
Don't get me wrong, my QA is wonderful and doesn't try to make me feel belittled because of that or anything. She is excellent. I just really beat myself up over things like this.  I certainly don't want to look sloppy!!
Is this the norm for everyone just starting out on a new account?
Thanks for listening and for any words of wisdom.
Jess
advice
being a new myself, and getting an oncology account, which I know nothing about, makes it really hard, plus, my doc is ESL and talks like he's got a mouth full of marshmellows. I make mistakes all the time, dumb ones too! But, never, but never kick yourself. Just learn, if you spend your time kicking yourself, you're not focusing on the learning aspect. Just calm down and learn. Bec
Need advice
Can anyone tell me anything about Phoenix MedCom? I have a choice between them and a local physician's office with an hourly pay of $14/hour. Please tell good and bad, consistent work flow, easy platform, if its hard to get time off when needed. Also have always been an employee, so any tax info about ICs would be greatly appreciated as well. Please email ASAP. Thanks.
advice?
Can anyone tell me about Phoenix MedCom. Have a choice of them and a local physician's office with hourly pay of only $14/hr. Please tell good and bad. Also I have never been an IC before, so any tax info appreciated. Please email ASAP. Thanks!
Need Advice
Need some advice here. I have been doing transcription for over 8 years the old- fashioned way with microcassettes and regular cassettes and am now wanting to go with a national account, which uses things like .wav pedals and different updated equipment. I need to start testing with some of these companies, but I need to know what equipment I need so that I'm prepared to take this new step. I assume wav pedals are different than these outdated pedals that came with my transcription machines. Where do I start? TIA
I better take your advice
I am starting to have bad luck with this company. The workload is very light when I log on to type. I request more work, but they never seem to respond back. I think I better start looking somewhere else. Thanks for your advice.
My advice would be to look for a job
Take the experience from this other job and put it into a medical center and work onsite for a while to learn all you can, around here most let you work from home after 30 days of working on site. Consider yourself lucky that you didn't stay with this company as they don't sound very professional, and you deserve better. Good luck. :)
You mean some ADVICE?
x
Need advice!
I have been a very depressed MT lately working for a company who never pays me on time. The accounts are fantastic and the work is the type I love doing, but I do not get excited whatsoever anymore because I cannot guarantee my pay to be on time. I communicate with the manager this issue and she says she understands, but she is not fixing the solution. I told her I wanted to resign because I was offered another position and that I need to be paid on time. I have bills to pay and MTs or any employee at any company does not work for free.
My question is, if you were in this type of situation, would you just continue doing work for this company and start working for the new company and see how things go? I know it's not good to quit a job whether you are not sure about how the new job is going to turn out. However, this new company says they always pay their MTs on time and even have direct deposit.
What would you do in my situation? I am so nervous to give up this job I am doing now because it might not be like the new one, but on the other hand, do I just try out the new job for a month and work both jobs part-time and see how the new one comes out and if it is a match? Of course the present job is just sending me tons and tons of work to do, but I will not be able to do all of that work if I am concentrating on learning another job. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Need advice
Does anyone know of a company hiring part time (20 hours per week), who works via VPN using DSL or cable modem, provides equipment or requires little additional equipment other than own computer, foot pedal and MS Word and does not require you work weekends? My current full time employer's set up is that I dial right into the hospital's computer system and I would like to find something similar. Is there such a company? :o)
I need your help and advice please...
I have almost 20 years' experience with acute care and multispeciality clinic transcription and have been with the same company the past four years. Unfortunately, work flow has been slow the last six months or so, and I am having to check other options. I have taken several tests for various companies and have heard back from a few and have heard nothing from others. These tests were completed three weeks ago! The one offer I did get was 6 cents per line!!! I was shocked to say the least. I was told my testing was excellent, so what's with the rate? Of course I told them I couldn't possibly accept that position. Anyway, I guess my question to all of you wise transcriptionists is whether there are companies who are willing to pay for experience and quality? I have been working as an employee, but am not able to do the line count (1500 lines per day) to acquire benefits. I'm wondering if I would be better off being IC status. If so, what is a reasonable line rate for my experience? I'm sorry this is such a long post, I'm just terribly frustrated and needed to get some input. Thanks for listening.
Need Advice Please
 I am thinking about testing with Cymed. I know they merged with another company recently. Can anyone tell me do you type in Word or in some other sort of platform? I absolutely hate and cannot tolerate emdat. I wish to stay away from that program at all costs. Do you run out of work? How do you feel about the company? I am not at all happy where I am now. It is time for me to move on.
Advice
My sincere advice is to not to join Four Seasons Transcription as they don't pay on time or don't pay at all. There are hundreds of companies which are good, so be wise and don't choose this company.
Thank you for the advice.
I'm not going into that rabbit hole. I just got out of a bad situation with barely an ulcer and with your help won't get into another. I have a friend who works for MDI-MD and she also is very, very happy.
My advice..
Don't do it......look elsewhere...you'll thank yourself in the long run.
Some advice... sm
Most companies get a whole slew of e-mails and piles of resumes to go through and very rarely make it through each and every one they receive. It is very important to take the proactive approach and FOLLOW UP a few days later with a personal e-mail, or even better, a phone call if a number is available. It could very well be that they just haven't seen the diamond in the rough yet! A lot of companies also know that many people send out to several jobs and just hope to hear from one, so if they see you contacting them again directly it tells them you're genuinely interested. Do it!
Need some advice...
I posted on here about a week or so ago about being driven totally insane by SPI (formerly CyMed). I quit working there several months ago, and I cannot seem to get it through their thick heads that I don't work there anymore and haven't for months! I keep getting all of their e-mails even after emailing them back asking them to remove me from their email list, and for the past couple of months I have been getting phone calls from them VERY late at night (sometimes midnight or later) asking me why I am not working! It is always a different person who calls me. After the last call that woke me up from a dead sleep after midnight, I called the main SPI office the next day letting them know that I was getting all of these late night phone calls and that I had told every person that called me that I am no longer an employee there. I asked them if there was anything they could do to get them to stop as they are driving both my husband and myself crazy! They told me that they would pass on the information and make sure that the phone calls stop (the person I spoke with was not all that friendly). Well, tonight at 10:30 PM, I got another call asking me why I wasn't working. Any advice on what I can do to get them to stop? I have tried everything that I can and they just won't leave me alone! It almost seems to be getting to the point of harassment. HELP!!!
Thanks so much for all the advice!
It is all really helpful! I was actually wondering if there was a way to block their calls...at least block the numbers that I have gotten calls from recently. I searched my phone book to find out how to do it, but I just couldn't find anything. I have a friend who works in the customer service department at my local phone company, so I will have to ask her if she has any advice on how to go about doing this. Thanks again for all the help! It's greatly appreciated!
my advice
They do have direct deposit, they do pay on time. I always had errors in my pay, not big errors but never in my favor. I always had to call and go over the amounts and be put through changes to get the small amount. I was given good dictators and then terrible and I mean terrible quality dictation that was recorded and re recorded so that the quality was just blurry like a photocopy that has been copied several times only this time you are trying to listen. I was receiving constant emails every time someone made a mistake. It was downright depressing. My advice to you if you would really like to try it, do not sign a contract saying you will give them two weeks notice when you quit because you might want to quit sooner. If you are only worried about pay being on time, yes it's on time.
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