Home     Contact Us    
Main Board Job Seeker's Board Job Wanted Board Resume Bank Company Board Word Help Medquist New MTs Classifieds Offshore Concerns VR/Speech Recognition Tech Help Coding/Medical Billing
Gab Board Politics Comedy Stop Health Issues
ADVERTISEMENT




Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

OSI Line Counter - Must Vent!!

Posted By: Kept in the Dark on 2009-05-24
In Reply to:

I know this is probably petty, but does anyone else notice the line counter at OSi goes down every single weekend??  Do they disable it to keep us from knowing how much we've typed, afraid we might not work as much??  This is so irritating.  I like to keep track of how much I've done and this is very frustarting.  I hate just sitting here typing in the dark. 




Complete Discussion Below: marks the location of current message within thread

The messages you are viewing are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select the boards given in left menu


Other related messages found in our database

Softscript line counter
Does anyone know what platform they use or if they use a platform.  How do they count lines.  Newbie and confused.  Thank you.
and the line counter is a cheat

I swear their line counter is rigged.


 


 


Precyse's line counter sux
nm
Does anyone on here use Sylcount line counter and can you tell me how you like it. nm
:
I never liked them having an external line counter..sm
when I worked for them.  I thought it was quite odd.  I like to know what I am typing as I finish each report, etc.
Softscript line counter, where did the posts go
regarding this.  We, previous and PAST, employees have a right to tell which companies rip MTs off and they are the worst.  Line counts change day to day.
New software? Hope its a new line counter
cause theirs is way off.
Can ayone tell me how the line counter work in MS Word please. nm
:
It seems they are dodging questions about the supposed new line counter they've been
nm
I agree. The line counter is a pain, but I've checked lots of reports against MS Word
nm
I don't use my own counter
because the counts don't seem far off to me (that's why I asked how far off)... If you are talking a smallish amount you should foget about it IMHO because at least TT PAYS ON TIME and is very receptive to feedback.

Remember not all companies use the same counting formulas...
Pay is on time but they use a Word counter. sm
I agree with the OP that it is not great great pay. The accounts are not too great either. The better work is cherry-picked by the owner, and other good work given to the pets. They also pester you nonstop to work all 7 days of the week.
A counter this is quicker to access, but I've never seen anything
nm
Just need to vent.
I am a fairly new MT, but I do have experience. I applied for an MT position with a National company as an IC. I got an email saying that she was very impressed with my resume and that she would give me a chance. She told me a little bit about the job, and said to email her back if I was interested. I emailed her back with a few questions and told her I would like to see a contract. She emailed me back and said that she usually doesn't give out contracts unless the person is very interested in the position. I emailed her again and told her that I was very interested and would like to see a contract. Well, I never heard from her again! This happened a week ago. Why do some people get other people's hopes up?
May I vent??? SM

I hate my job with a capital H!!  I truly feel like screaming (or crying, but I'd prefer not to expend that much emotion on it).


I have about 90% ESL doctors, half the time there's not enough work--so because of the two above issues I can never make my lines (not to mention the fact that I'm a perfectionist so spend/waste way too much time trying to fill in all the blanks on the ESL reports).  I've gotten two nasty certified letters from the company about my poor line counts.  I just feel like giving up...but of course I can't do that because I like living in a house and eating! ;)


I know my days are numbered there, so I've been furiously testing with tons of other companies.  I hope and pray something better comes along! 


I'm really beginning to lose some self-esteem over this whole issue...but I KNOW that I'm a very, very good Transcriptionist (I just suck (excuse my French) at ESL doctors).


I wish I could have learned by other peoples' mistakes!  But , no, I had to make my own mistakes!!  LOL.  Several people tried to steer me away from this company.  A few people couldn't say enough good things about it.  I guess that's just life...we all have to learn the hard way.


Oh, well...I truly appreciate having a shoulder(s) to cry on!


Hugsss to you all (especially to the HL transcriptionists),


Just Me


Need to vent

I worked over the weekend (not scheduled, just didn't want a Monday backlog), and guess what?  The worst account has hours! of dictation by the worst! dictators doing DS they should have done months ago...all dictated after I signed off for the weekend.  It is all being routed to me to knock 'em out!  I feel like screaming!  If Dr. I-don't-know-English-carries-on-a-conversation-with-the-nurses-while-dictating-old-reports expects me to understand EVERY word...well, I just CAN'T!  So I'm sending some to QA who seems to have woken up with a bug in the aadvark this morning and is correcting me on the stupidiness, nitpicky things....Nail me for a medical mistake but please, telling me I don't use enough commas just got on my last nerve!


AAARRRGGHHH!!


Thank you.  Please return to your normal programming. 


Need to vent......
I accepted a position as an Editor with a smaller national, after my last employer had a problem with paying period.   They told me they outsource but are trying to hire people to keep the work here.  Okay find and dandy.   I wanted PT work but I was told I was needed FT. Okay, that'll work, just need to WORK.  Well guess what, NO WORK.  The offshore company gets to QA their own work so I am not allowed to pull any of that, only what the US MTs do, which evidently isn't much.   I watch the system and the work going to the offshore editors can be out of turnaround, still I can't touch it.  Here I sit with mounting bills due to the last crappy company and still no work.  In the past couple of months I have talked to other editors who are working 2-3 jobs during the SAME scheduled hours, so basically triple dipping.  I won't do this, that seems to be stealing to me, but I certainly would like some work about now!!  We hear all the time how the US companies can't get well-trained, skilled people who want to work.  Well I'll tell you what, here sits one with absolutely nothing to do and soon to be on the street.
vent
You need to vent just like the rest of us. Imagine have 10 years like me and getting offered the same crap wage. It is insulting but times have changed and not much we can do!
Have to vent!! (sm)

I am so fried!!    At the same time not surprised.


I know this is the holidays and all, which = slow, but...I was hired at the best national for full time, five days a week.  I asked for backup accounts from day 1 and got ignored and/or the run around.  Ran out of work my very first week and I have run out of work consistently since.  Long story short, when I pressed the MTSO about lack of work, I was finally told that I'd only be busy a couple days a week.  Why did you hire for FT, then?  


Backups are coming soon, but thankfully I have OT at my PT job, otherwise I'd be so screwed.  So fellow MTs, I've learned not to leave one MTSO for another until I know for sure I have everything covered.  And by choice I won't leave my guaranteed $$, med center job. 


Just need to vent about something (sm)
To the companies who post jobs on this board: How can you possibly hire when the MTs you already have don't have work? I am sitting here for nearly the fourth week in a row with no work. I'm not alone. The account I am on was recently overstaffed again plus the facility that we type has a low census and no work. Why not take some of the new people you just put on this account and move them to these new accounts you are hiring for? This is not a bash against the company I work for. I like it and want to stay.  I know this happens at a lot of companies because I see people posting on here all the time that they don't have work and their company has a job listed on the job board. I just don't understand why this is. Please, before hiring more people, make sure there is enough work for the MTs who already work there.
But sometimes you just need to vent
And if we can't vent to a fellow MT anonymously, who can we vent to?
Vent
I was recently (last week) hired as an IC  --- however, the company was looking for second shift hours M-F and then a split shift on the weekends.  I have had personal issues going on, however, it has not really provented me from working.  The biggest thing was sending an ivoice, and not having a line count program (other than MS Word and dividing by 65) I was cheated out of over 1,000 lines  -- today, I downloaded two counting programs, Sylcount (and cannot get in touch with ANYONE from tech support there) and Pacticount  -- neither one would count lines -- I spent 3 hours reinstalling MS Office and word was 15 minutes late signing in and the owner of the company calls and fires me  -- as well as threatening legal action for return of the foot pedal  -- last weekend, (my first week on the job) I get emails and phone calls from the hospital, wondering why other people are not working.  Bottom line, RUDE service, TRYING to deal with getting a line count program and yes, I try to get my point across, but right now, I just tend to wonder about companies who hire and actually, they are hiring subcontractors.
She just came here to vent, lighten up.
x
Maybe I just needed to vent.....
.... I'm an employee of Medware and I'm sure that all my co-workers will know exactly what the deal is. The last thing I need is your criticism when all you are interested in is someone being tacky and spreading dirt. You have not walked in my shoes and have no idea what I'm dealing with at this time! All I can say to you is if you are looking for a job, take my advice and do not choose Medware as your next place of employment, as at the current time it is not a good place to be. Although, I am happy for Wilma because obviously the changes at Medware have not reached her yet. Have a great day!
We are entitled to vent once in a while--sm
we do the job and most of us are thankful that we have the jobs, but every job has its annoyances. To never be annoyed about anything is totally unrealistic and *foolish*. Lighten up!
I have to vent, as I am sitting here SM

with a throbbing headahce and chest pain.  Every Friday, and I mean EVERY FRIDAY, I have a day from hades on my account.  I work on a difficult account, lots of ESL, but generally I enjoy it and get work sent I really enjoy. I'm used to the doctors and it is not a problem any other day of the week, EXCEPT FRIDAYS, when I have one awful report after the next.  I will have the worst doctors, one right after the next, without any let up. It could be random, I know, but I assume they are cleaning the mess out before the weekend, when they have less expereinced people working.


Do other people have the same experience? I work for a large company, not MQ. The other large company. And please, no discertations on not being professional, etc. I'm actually concerned for my health. 


I have to vent for a minute sm

I have noticed many companies advertising for Independent Contractor positions yet dictate a certain schedule like a full-time employee, i.e. 1st shift Sun-Thurs, etc. 


Now,  I am aware they need to staff accordingly and have coverage, but come on....these companies do not truly know what IC status is all about.  


If they want you to work a straight 8 hour shift, Sun-Thurs. than hire as an employee and give benefits darn it.    The companies want their cake and eat it too.    No overhead with ICs, but dictate and demand certain schedules and pay squat for it. 


 


Ok, I'm done.....had to get that off my chest.  Feel better now!


Please forgive me I need to vent

I am just one of the millions of MTs in the world who is tired of being overworked, under appreciated and fed up with being treated like crap in plain English. I am also tired of companies who treat you like an employee when its convenient for them and an I.C when its convenient for them. I decided to be an IC to get away from the unflexibility of being an employee, you know...the fixed hours, and days, constantly being told what to do and how to do it and dealing with the too many chiefs and not enough Indians syndrome. So, I become an I.C. and I just figured out that I have none of the benefits of an employee, but still am doing the same things as when I was an employee. According to the law if you are an IC, no one should be called your supervisor or tell you how and when to do your work as long as the outcome of the work is the way they want it. I realize that companies need to know our schedules and such to better distribute the work, but come on lets face it, we all became IC's to get away from the drugery of constantly having to answer to someone and the freedome of being our own boss, but in the end thats the last thing we are. Another complaint...what ever happened to manners...I am referring to the courtesy of answering an e mail or a phone call? Somebody needs to put out a book of etiquiette on e mailing people. 


 Lastly, to all the supervisors out there, lighten up...you are driving alot of good MT's out the door with your nasty attitudes and God complexes. Be patient with those just starting out. None of us were born knowing anything and you were once a newbie.  Stop making people afraid to ask questions because they will be made to feel stupid if they do.  Just because you work at home does not mean you should bring your problems with you when you sign on for the day. This is the same as any other job and you should not bring your personal problems with you. The economy is in bad shape and many of us live paycheck to paycheck and God forbid we miss a few....so we take crap from people because we know what will happen if we loose our jobs/contracts. I think alot of sups know this and take advantage of it. We should all be working together not against each other.


I swear the MT must be the most underrated and underpaid and underappreciated profession in the world. I was just thinking that the other day when I was typing for a doctor who had a mouthful of food while dictating and when he was not eating, he was coughing in my ear...this on top of a heavy Oriental accent of course.  Then you have to feel guilty about putting that report in edit.


You would not believe how many people envy us because we work at home. oh you are so lucky you dont have to deal with traffic and bad weather. Its not all its cut out to be I tell them. Lastly, I just wanted to say I am not referring to any specific company or person, I just wanted to vent and I am sorry if what I meant to say did not come out right or did not make sense.


Dont get me wrong, I am grateful for my job every day that I sign on to work in this day and age, but there are times again when I would like to drop kick my computer and my supervisor out the window. I hope you all have a great day and dont forget to get out there and VOTE, VOTE, VOTE


Major Vent - fed up
I have been doing this for 12+ years, and I have decided this is a stupid and impossible profession. An MT should not have to go over and over voice files to hear and understand what at doctor says 3, 4, 5 and 6 times to understand what he is saying. If you do, that means he is not interested in making sure you know and understand.  This really hit me today.  IF a person were talking to you, would you have to ask him to repeat himself over and over again if he really wanted to talk to you?  More so for patient care.  If a doctor actually cared about making sure that the patient's information was accurate, would he take such risks that the person on the other end would not understand what he was saying?
major vent

I especially like the PAs who mumble and don't even know how to pronounce the medications and believe they are actually MDs


major vent
What's really fun is when they spell the really obvious words and then slur the important ones! Gotta love the docs!
Vent all you want, but educate yourself about

unions because someone is feeding you information from the 1920's.


No one HAS to join a union or bargaining agency.  You can work for slave wages, for free if you like; you are free to choose in the USA.


Can I vent anony about a company I am fed up with?
I am tired of no work, tech probs, account switching, and rude managers.  Low pay is a factor also.  Really want a better paying job.  Anyone know of a company willing to pay a 10-year MT more than 8 cpl?  TIA
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
Personal vent: The head of QA for my co SM

quit. One of the few people in management who knew what they were doing.  I feel sick.  My company is going down the tubes. 


I can't share this with anyone at company, so vented here.  Thank you for forum I could use, because I feel ill.  Everyone at this company is inexperienced.  They have already lost accounts.  Now what?


jJust an observation/vent

Maybe its me but I work and when I am downloading, I read the various boards  -- I see/read people that the productivity is there 250-300 lines an hour or more but what I am wondering about is bottom line  -- patient care  -- no, we are NOT doctors but how many MTs know how to really research the internet for drugs etc?  I see posts with word expanders  -- they are WONDERFUL tools, but in MHO, if you are a newbie, just starting out, get the disks, the books, and LEARN how to use the internet  -- I did QA for a company for a while, and I had a Transcriptionist (newbie) call me in tears because she was called on the carpet for typing (and I saw the actual report)  -- Kem-7  -- come on, everyone,  You should be researching and looking  -- yes, it IS hard, but I see a lot of the SAME names on this board, spending hours, gabbing and chatting and yet whine when they are not making a decent salary  -- bottom line, I am a single, widowed woman, been in this business for a long time and yes, I have my throw in the towel momemts but I also have a work ethic that is pull one's self up by the boot straps  -- yes, we have to vent about our men who are the southbound end of a northbound horse, but people do not realize that even though we work at home, we are working, spending hours sometimes taking care of the home front with bills etc and not getting paid for it -- Its not the companies, its trying to plan things and go from there  -- If you're married, hubby has to understand that this is NOT a hobby job, as do a few of you that I have seen a lot on this board  -- you do this and that , but yet you are the whiners and complainers when it comes to companies treating you unfairly or no work.


Maybe Wal-Mart for those of you IS  A BETTER alternative  -- for me I make between 40-50K a year, but I am focused on my job as well  -- blood, sweat and tears too.


 


Yeah it sure does feel good to vent here tho
..
Vent - how do you deal with a horrible platform!
This platform is so slow that my Expander sometimes doesn't even expand things because the system is so slow. You go to back up or move forward with the cursor and its so slow you end up going to far usually. Spell check, OMG, you could go to sleep waiting to advance. It takes FOREVER to type a document.

I don't understand why companies use these horrible platforms. Makes you dread sitting down to the computer!
A line is a line is a line. Doesn't matter if we are talking about radiology or acute care.

1600 is not a fair minimum requirement.  Sure you can achieve 1600, it shouldn't be the required minimum.


Means a line is a line is a line, even if it only has one word on the line
it is considered a line. 
"a line is a line" means gross line.
Gross line is a line, no matter how long or short.
Yes to old reports! Their ExText has all the regular functions except line counts are done on line
s
Thanks for the info! Do you *feel* like you make more with a gross line v. character line? (nm)

Oh, they make money off us. Line rate is 17 cents a gross line.nm
z
Keystrokes has very few accts on line using ExText. Most use Cphones/2nd line. Lots of Rad
s
Could someone help me with the figuring out of gross line versus character line? sm
I have generally been paid by character line, 65-character line.  Now, I have had job opportunities offering to pay gross line but it like 3 cents cheaper than what I am being paid now.  A few places I have read that gross line is MUCH better, but is it much better if the pay is so much lower?  Please explain how it works or equals out.  This position has offered me 6 cents per gross line - what would that equal out to in character lines?  Thanks...so confused...
Spaces are not taken into account with gross lines....a line is a line...sm

if there seven words on a line.


or two


one


or a full line of typing...all of the companies that I have worked for define a gross line as 1 inch margins, 12 pt courier font....does not matter what we type in margins or font.....we convert all reports to the 1 inch margins and courier 12 font and then count the lines.  not the blank spaces between the lines.


Hope this helps.


I left MQ for TT. The base line rate was less at TT, but overall I make more per line with the
shift differential (I work second shift) and the incentive plan (I have never once failed to make at least an extra half cent per line on incentives - most of the time a penny). I was scared to death to make that move, as I had been with MQ since back in the Transcriptions Limited days. I have to say, though, that it was the best career move I have ever made and I have never, not once, regretted it.

I hope that was of some help.
15 years ago, I charged .22 per line to big accounts. Now I have been forced down to .13 per line.
This is in part due to offshore companies, in part due to newbies coming in and underbidding to get an account but not being able to service it and then the account expecting everyone else to meet that price. The market is being driven down by many forces, and it is not pretty. I used to pay .14 per line (gross line too) and now pay my subs 0.08. It is not something I wanted to do, but something that was necessary. With only 15 MTs, I feel the squeeze more than some of the big companies out there, but cannot grow and keep up the same standards.

Healthcare in general is not the money-maker it once was, and transcription has taken a hard hit over the years.
Line counts - the lower the line count requirements
the harder the account and problems with trying to get production off the platform the company uses.
I see they pay on a VBC line. Isn't that a huge paycut from a 65-char. line with spaces? nm
x