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Trust me - I thought QA would be a pretty way to make

Posted By: sm on 2007-04-06
In Reply to: QA question - MTing

decent money also but when the company hires brand spanking new MTs and the doctors are absolutely horrible and the MTs leave 30 blanks and what they have typed is usually wrong - there is little to no money to make.... but my MT skills have suffered in the last 4 years - it takes a whole different set of skills to QA - crazy as it seems it really does. Reading/reviewing something already typed is easier but you have to go through it at break-neck speed to make any decent money and you cannot take for granted that what is typed is correct.  Tired tonight so not making much sense - but trust me when I say it's not all gravy - if it was I would be one happy camper and off on a boat or in an RV for the weekend and not searching the job board!


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I know.. she's pretty ridiculous and doesn't make much sense
You don't want to steal their expansion program, right? You just want the expansions that YOU thought up and that YOU put in. Not a problem in my eyes. Just figure out where the file is, copy it on to a disk or a little flash drive or something.
Again, we make pretty big concessions to be in our line of work ...
First of all, I'd like to see this 'lucky enough to work out of the comfort of our own homes' stuff abolished. Many, many professions now work at home, and they do NOT accept a substandard quality of treatment because of that.

I know dozens upon dozens of coders, graphic designers, and support staff who work at home - BY THE HOUR - and get paid for the time in which they are working (or the time in which they are scheduled to be working, but have no work to do).

Let's say I make 9 cpl doing clinic notes (which is a really good gig, if I did that, but that's definitely NOT standard), and I make $19 an hour.

However, the first half hour that I work is answering work emails, starting my day, gathering the info I need, etc. Then, there's another half hour throughout my day that I spend answering emails or instant messages. Then, there's an hour or two during my day where I'm out of work because the company has over hired. Then, at the end of my day, I spend another half hour tallying my line counts, finishing up emails, and filling out a time sheet.

How much am I actually making per hour now?

Now, as a true fact, back when I started in transcription 12 years ago, I did start at 9 cpl. And I had an IC job that paid 13 cpl.

Earlier this year, I had to look for a new company to work for, and I was blatantly told several times by several 'reputable' companies that they would absolutely not start anyone, regardless of experience, over 8 cpl.

In no other profession would you find this, except maybe (MAYBE) fast food or waitressing.

The bitterness many MTs feel makes sense. We are asked to do many things outside of our work time that brings our actual hourly wages down. We are asked to sit for hours and scrounge for work, all without pay. We are consistently stripped of benefits like holiday pay and vacation pay. We are never rewarded for the years we have put into our careers or the knowledge we've gained because of that. We are very, very occasionally thanked (in mass emails) for the hard work we put in, and then immediately asked to flex our time regardless of the lives we have planned in order to suit the needs of our company. Our only hope for more money is to work more hours, or to somehow make our fingers faster and the dictators more audible. We are never, ever able to be dependent on our paychecks, because our line counts vary paycheck to paycheck due to fluctuating work. And, more than anything, we're treated as numbers (by many, but not all), and expendable because we're faceless, personality-less drones.

But it's our fault as much as it's the companies' faults. We've allowed ourselves to be treated this way. We've told ourselves things like, 'Oh well. At least I can do this in my pajamas.'

Can you imagine a coder in a hospital being asked to leave for three hours a day on random days of the week, only to be asked to come back and work those three hours at some time after 7 p.m.? Can you imagine an accountant being told that they are not to conduct company business like responding to or sending emails during their work hours, and that they have to do it on their own time without pay?

I don't condone whining, and I don't think dwelling in negativity is the answer to our problems. I also agree that the complaining can be easily misconstrued as selfish.

But I DO congratulate those who are constructively doing something to elevate our profession to a new level. Even if it backfires, even if it's all for naught, and even if it's misguided, at least it's not just sitting around and complaining anymore.

So are all you Spheris posters able to make pretty good money there? .... sm

I have more than 25 years in this business, and I have always just steered clear of this company, but I either need to change who I work for or I need to supplement. 


I see they have production incentives, which I like.  I'm guessing you all like their system, if you are happy there.  How about their benefits - are they affordable?  Do you think their base pay is fair?  Are they flexible at all when it comes to you working your hours?  Are you happy with your account(s)?  Thanks for any specific info! 


The thought of all the changes I will have to make
if i have changes is really stressing me.   I was offered positions by several companies, with TT and KS my 2 top choices at the time as for the most part everything posted about them was good.   KS had the best $$ offer, but I just decided to stay where I was for the time being.   That was about 6 months ago and things have gone downhill since then and I'm sure that things will continue a downhill slide.   Still not sure if I want to ride it out to the end or go ahead and do something now.  I can afford to take time off in between, but I also don't want to feel like I HAVE to make a decision under pressure. 
I thought that cpl seems a little too good. Without spaces would make sense. Not
sure how much you really make per line without spaces. 
He doesn't trust VR, or doesn't trust his MT to train it correctly?
Or perhaps his MT(s) has/have been filling his head with horror stories about VR and how it is a lawsuit waiting to happen?

Personally, I don't see any reason an M.D. would not trust a VR program, unless he's seen the products of a report edited by a less than competent MT who didn't do their editing job appropriately.


I actually thought of that. I even thought of trying to go back to MQ part-time!! (sm)
I just wonder about hours at a second company.  I work days (and some nights) with this company.  I have a set schedule but with the no work situtation I've been on the computer at all hours of the day and night.  Right now I have no work, so I would love to jump on at a company #2 and start working.  Do you have to have set hours at your company #2?  Thanks for the suggestion.
Oh trust me. SM
They WILL figure it out, it's been talked about for years.  They'll get away with it too.  I'm not looking for a job but I check the job postings just to see what is going on.  Even a few years ago whoda thunk there would be 500+ MTs viewing one job posting?  Looks to me like there's no shortage of medical "typists."  Which, by the way, IMHO is what has ruined the industry.
Trust me, it won't get much better. If it does
I have stuck with one now for too many years. Every time I think I'm ready to leave, things calm down and I stay, but then in a short while it always gets bad again. I think most nationals are like that. Quit wasting time, it's too precious. Like you said, you've got the experience, move on and find one that you can get to work, get done, the day is over. You don't need all the stress day after day, just waiting for it to get better. Cut your losses and find a place that can appreciate what you have to offer!
I don't trust them
I know everyone praises them on these boards, but I don't trust them. I applied for a job with them, was told they were going to get someone to cover 3rd shift hours and then give me just 2nd shift hours. When I didn't hear from them in a few dys I wrote back, and was told oh, they'd hired someone who would do the 3rd shift hrs.

I just came from an IC co. that did not communicate much, made promises they didn't keep or followup on, etc, and don't need that headache again.

After seeing they're benefit pkg for 2006 I am glad I went with the new co. I did.
You don't want to, trust me.
lol
Trust me - you don't want to do it anyway!
//
I believe you are with MQ now? Trust me, its not

a good move to make for you right now. You won't find any relief here.  Company going thru a rough patch now - there are routine rough patches with this company for years - like all the time.  Very nice when they need to be, very cold when they need to be. Look at the roots of the company, and you will have your answer on how you will be treated overall. I could not tolerate the pay without spaces, ate huge chunks of $$. No matter how you slice it, or what color bread you put it on, not getting paid for spaces stinks. And then not having work to get paid for spaces stinks....Same old, same old, just different MTs.  I don't think it would do your bruised spirit from MQ to give this a shot - you need something dependable, not more promises in the wind.


Trust me....it isn't just you.
There is no sense in someone being so abrupt and downright rude. Condescending. I was totally appalled after my first encounter with the dark side of this person. It is unbelievable to me that this person has this position and has had it for quite a while. My worst experience with a manager EVER.
Trust me...
I am not the person who posted the post that you are replying to, but it only took a few interactions with this person to pick up on the lack of tact and the nastiness/bluntness. It actually took less than a few interactions. I think after the first time I tried to chalk it up to her having a bad day, even though that is no reason to be nasty to others.

When you are a new employee with a company, usually most people are a little nervous and apprehensive because everything is new. Instead of this person being warm and welcoming and reassuring, I only received icy disposition from her. When she called to go over reports that had been QA'd, she harped on any negatives/QA corrections, even though I had typed several reports with QA scores. She never said, you're doing a great job, or acknowledged the many excellent QA scores.

I was baffled at how cold this person was, but in all fairness, I have seen posts since I left that say that she has improved...don't know how true this is.
If you are an MT, you cannot trust that your
career will allow you to survive this crisis without scars. You are not in reality here - there is NO job security in our industry any longer.  Believe me, I know firsthand.  You are in more danger than those who are aware of our plight and planning ahead.  Most of us who are seasoned MTs in our prime years are making far less than we made 20 years ago.  Our industry has been raped, pillaged and plundered by MGMT and CEOs, etc.  This is fact.  I am not an hysterical, bitter nutcase with no life. I am a mature, professional who is living this nightmare with the rest of us.  I devoted my entire career, i.e. life, to MQ, helping it to thrive and devour all other MTSOs, and helping to make top-heavy management and CEOs richer beyond my wildest dreams. Our industry has been raped and use and harvested and over-cultivated til there is almost nothing left. As others have said, when our industry crumbles and is run by third world countries paying 3 specs of rice per line rather than pennies, the greedy scums who ran us into the ground will, indeed, find the next industry that is prospering nicely, workers who are producing a fair product for a fair wage, and go in and steal their earnings and benefits and lives away from them, while they have their Big Brother plants chanting the mantra that it is better to give than receive, it is better to give than receive.  NO MORE.
Please trust me
I have the email proof STILL. All of her work said Excellent Work! job WEll done. Each category was separate for grading. e.g.
ERRORS THAT WOULD COMPROMISE PATIENT CARE: NONE

ERRORS IN TRANSCRIPTION: NONE.

FOMRAT ERRORS: NONE.

Then there would be long paragraphs where the QA Editor would state: I think it sounds better in the report if you put THIS, rather than THAT. I believe THIS is what the doctor meant to say. and so on.

Now you TELL ME, how dare she could grade someone at 95% based on her own mind reading skills? Plus, it was all ISR accounts.

Trust me, they are snakes in the grass with no REasoning!
Trust me
You will be the first to know how the story goes. I will post a link as soon as I get the paper. I could not have done it all without you. I am sure you can understand that I just talked to them yesterday and in the matter of a few hours they were on it and saying they wanted to put it in this Sunday's paper. I was shocked it all too place so fast and again, I could have not gathered the information that fast with all of your input. Let's keep our fingers crossed and see how much info they can put out there in 750 words. Let me remind you this is a series on how the economy is affecting local citizens so it has to have that twist incorporated into the story. Let's see what they can do for us. I am sure there will be a couple of letters to the Editor which will be generated by people reading the story.....let's hope anyway.
Don't trust them
Obviously they wanted you gone, did not want to fire you (and be on the hook for unemployment).  So they concocted the phony resignation to get rid of you without  paying unemployment.  Lots of luck getting unemployment if All Type claims you quit voluntarily. 
I don't trust it....
I think there's a reason for the sudden ample work. Notice how the Q always has work on an Indian holiday or system failure in India, etc.

It makes no sense that there was no work whatsoever and now accounts are full.

Fatcat, any way to tell the time these were dictated on these, or the time they were released to the accounts to be typed? I don't know what platform you're on or how much info you're privvy to with it.

I'm thinking something happened and these reports were re-routed to the 'regular' MDI MTs. Surely doctors have not sat by with their fingers up their noses for 2 entire months not dictating, then all decided to dictate today on every account.

Nah, something's fishy. And I don't mean Chicken of the
Sea, either.

Fatcat, be prepared, because I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see tomorrow brings yet another streak of famine.
Didn't trust them
I tested with them about a year ago and they offered me an editing position.   They sent a huge amount of paperwork to be faxed back and lost it 3 times.  When they sent me my contract, it was an MT contrast with no word anywhere of the pay for editing.  When I addressed this, he told me it was nearly the same contract but absolutely would not send me the correct contract or tell me the pay.  Also, they are another company who delights in taking money away, this as read from the paperwork.  Another person I worked with applied 2 days after I did and got the same runaround.  There was something just not right about the whole deal. 
Trust me I work!!

Trust me I work very hard on the account I am on.  I produce extremely high line counts without the help of a progam such as IT or any other program.  I produce 160-170 lines an hour, consistently, and it continues to improve weekly, monthly, etc (can you imagine what it would be with a program).  I am not trying to take an easy route to making more money which is the way you make it seem.  I consistently have QA pulled and rarely ever drop below 100% and never below 99%.  I was just simply asking if anyone got raises just for doing a great job on their account.  That is all.  Nothing more than that.  What I meant in terms of jumping through hoops was I speak with a level 2 (17 years experience under her belt) who works 5 different accounts a day and struggles to make her line count and I highly doubt it is just her because when I asked how to advance to the next step, I was told I would have to learn 2 different accounts plus a back up and other accounts that may need me, well.... hmmm.. I thought to just stay where I am. 


Trust me, I love Spheris and I think I will always stay with them whether I work for them part time or full time, but I just do not think I can advance there any more than I have without jumping through hoops for 7.5 cpl and frankly I don't really know who would. 


I am not saying anything in a mean way, I am just being realistic and asking for a raise for doing a great job is being realistic and who knows maybe I am not the only one who thinks this way or has tried (perhaps that is why people leave and job jump in this field). 


Sure, being a CMT one day would be great.  I think that is every MT's goal is to one day become a CMT and master all skills. 


Just don't quit your other job... trust me.

Yes indeedy. I did not trust (sm)
them because of empty promises of plenty of VR work coming.  We were constantly being told to stop working until the work builds back up.  Hello, they did not pay you to be on call.  Many excellent MTs left because of their empty promises.  They continually offer sign-on bonuses. Sadly, the people they hire will probably never see their bonus.   Glad I left that mess.   I'm making great money with excellent benefits, treated with respect, and I couldn't be happier.  
Never Trust PO BOXES. NEVER!!!
Never Trust PO Boxes. I salute LITTLE for bring up this topic.
Well, Trust is earned.
x
Why not? we are very trust worthy. -nm
o
Why we are very trust worthy.
Yes, we have crime in our country but we catch the crooks and put them into prisons. We dont go out there and make trouble. So dont look at us like we are bad people. You have to look at youself first and the mirror and also ask if you and your leaders are doing a dandy job at it to.
I would trust the MTs on this board before
for the reason that the recruiters are making $$$$ on us. I had a recruiter lie and confuse me big time.... her initials were TK
Oh, trust me....I'm not going to take the job if they offer it
I was just feeling around to see what was out there and was very amused by the questions on their application. I can completely understand a company wanting someone to know how to use a computer, I just thought it was funny. I know that people can lie and say they can do this and do that in order to get a job, but in this day and time if you are an MT applying for an at home position with a company I think that pretty much should state you at least know the basics. Made me laugh!
SPI does but trust me, you dont want to go there.

trust me you don't want to apply with OSI
Talk about a revolving door, besides MTs and management it is much worse in QA undoubtedly the worse QA department anywhere. You need to look elsewhere, you will be much happier anywhere but OSI.
don't always trust ebay
I prefer pricewatch.com.  You can get awesome barebones systems there, build as you want, for about 300.00.  I've bought 2 there.  I don't trust Dell at all.  I was helping an MT with her computer and she needed more RAM and has a Dell.  She had to call them to find out what type of RAM she has.  They told her and told her it was a rare kind and would be very expensive but they had it.  Yeah right, pricewatch had it for 29.99.  My ex called Dell to buy a basic system and I had actually looked at it online and told him it would be find for what he needed it for, basically just emailing and looking up stuff, it ran 399., and they told him no it wasn't, it wouldn't do anything, and that what he needed would be 799.  I wrote a letter to them to complain about their dishonest high pressure sales tactics and didn't even get a response. 
Trust me you do not want to work there
Maybe the posts were deleted because they were too derogatory.
I don't trust the recruiter -- sm
She worked for another company and hired me to be a QA/team leader. Then she messed around for so long that the position was filled. Then she said I could QA and screwed around so long that THAT position was filled. She offered a floater position and screwed around AGAIN. Her screwing around involved not getting the paperwork to the IT guy so I could get installed. Months passed, I had to find work elsewhere, and the company called to ask for my pedal back. I said, no thanks, I still want a job. The new MT manager/recruiter called me 15 minutes later, hired me on the spot and had me installed and working that afternoon.

This same recruiter didn't remember me when I talked to her recently. She promised me a QA/team leader position and asked me to type for a while first, or do both if I would be willing to do so. Given that I had experience with her before and felt like I was rooked around the last time, I said no thank you when I copped on and figured out whom I was talking to.

I think that AllType is a good company, I have heard good things in the past. My concern is that you will be promised something and the recruiter doesn't follow through on it. You DESERVE whatever it is they have offered you and I hate to see you be misused.
Is there someone whom you trust in the company, sm
someone who knows you really well you can talk to? It seems like there is some ego tripping going on with those QA people. They're going to make ALL the MTs unhappy.

If you can't get any help, I'd take on one of the new companies part-time and get so that you're familiar enough and making enough money and determine that you like it, give a 2-week notice to the present company. You can tell the present company that you're prepared to leave before the 2 weeks are over. That way, you're doing the professional thing and also giving them and particularly you an out. It's always best to leave in good stead. That's what you end up living with.

Good luck! Keep us posted.


I would go with the second - you will be happier, trust me. nm
xxxx
I think you are right to trust your instinct
I heard about this company myself, after I met someone on facebook, I did not know this person that well. All of a sudden she posts the company is hiring. That was enough for me to start suspecting.
I never ever trust anyone and always send -
everything back with a tracking number, date of delivery, and pay the 2 bucks for insurance. No matter what it is, from paper to gizmos.

comes off taxes in the end, and they cannot pull a fast one.

First MQ, then MDI -- I don't trust any company--sm

The best we can do is find a company that fits us for now.  When the time comes for that company to change, then we change, too.  That's all we can do in this world. 


I was SE when I first started with MQ.  When we became employees, I decided to give it a try.  When they came out with VR, I gave that a try, too.  When they dropped my VR pay to 80%, I rolled with it.  When they started taking more of my accounts to VR, I continued to roll with it.  When they dropped my VR pay to 70% and gave me 90% VR accounts, I rolled ... right out the door to MDI.  I gave MQ as much as I could for as long as it was benefitting me.  I'll do the same with MDI. 


Does that make me a patsy?  Maybe in others' eyes, but in my family's eyes, that makes me a good provider. 


DTA -- Don't Trust Anyone!


my brother is right Trust is always earned.
h
Because I dont trust them at this point NM
NM
And you trust the people on this board?
x
Wow..I actually trust my company..as they have never shorted me ...
after years of working there. The first two years I worked there I checked every check and it matched. If anything I was overpaid sometimes for duplicate jobs/addenda/etc. and such I didn't bill myself for that my company pays us for. Our working program has tallies available to us instantly 24/7 and they don't cheat, imagine that. No need to get snippy. It's so nice to work for a trustworthy company.
Trust me, many people with some real
complaints with OSi.  Tons of people have left to go to much better jobs.  I would say one of the biggest complaints is with management and their lack of experience and ongoing lies.   
Are you going to trust the anonymous post of someone you
You don't know the poster, his/her ideals or goals, whether they are credible or not.

Seems like blind faith that could cost you in the long run.

Oh, well, that trust fund explains how you can

put up with VR!  Thanks for the truth, FOR ONCE!  Yes, you see, when I win the lottery, I will be able to afford to do VR too!  I'm waiting for that time, which I am sure is just around the corner, to learn VR. 


 


Of COURSE I'm jealous of that trust fund!
Hey, then I WOULD be able to make money on VR!  Without it...not so much. 
trust me I feel your pain
but you still don't seem to understand WHY this is happening...

and I can't help you there - just strongly suggest you do more research on our system (capitalism) and maybe you'll understand why things are as they are - AS LONG AS UNRESTRAINED PROFIT IS A MOTIVE who polices those with the power and the money?
You are wise not to trust Transcend
Look where trusting MDI got all of us......
If MTs could trust their team leader or the supervisors
enough to talk to them without getting fired, there would be no posts on here, but you cannot say 1 thing without getting into trouble or getting fired.  These boards are only used for venting because we have no other place to go.  Deb is a monster so don't even try to talk to her.   Team leaders are arrogant and only there to collect a paycheck, not in it to help anyone but themselves.  They think they have been elevated to the position of CEO.