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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

VR is more difficult than straight MTing

Posted By: () on 2009-06-10
In Reply to: ur ignorance is showing now.. - MT

because there are no expanders, no templates, no macros and that brings you down. You MTs who so desparately stick to the OLD methods, are impotent without your Expanders and your grammar and spelling is questionable when it comes to correcting the whole document!
VR is ok, but the payment is pitiful. Hopefully this will be corrected in the future. VR is here to stay, believe it or not!

YOU are the ignorant one, always were and always will be, the future will show you!


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VR and straight need the same MTing knowledge...sm
the manual skills differ, but not necessarily always.

You can download to an MT who has never done VR a VR document for editing and she will be able to do it. NO SOPECIAL trainin g is necessary.

When I tested for companies, when VR was introduced, they tested me on editing VR, I had never done it before and I passed.

Basically every MT can do it, bringing up the speed that is the challenge.
MTing could not have said it any better!
Sorry everyone, I have been busy today. MTing could not have described the company any better. Also to add to that, to get a raise they do evaluations on your work and always tag you for stupid things such as missing a semicolon which enables your pay raise. A semicolon honestly does not interfere with patient care. Everyone is human and nobody is perfect!
MTing
The hospital I worked at outsourced our department and went with them. Quality was a nightmare and they are not renewing the contract.
mting
Hello, I am Karen, are ya'll working?  I need something to keep my busy, and it needs to be steady.  Where is the work?  Help....
MTing

Excellent, excellent post.  Your references to the psychological studies is right on target.  There is no reason why medical transcription should be any different than other professions as far as what ambitious, serious workers want in a job.  We have every right, and it only makes common sense, to seek the job where we have the most to gain and are the most satisfied.  Isn't that what everyone else does when interviewing with and/or deciding to stay/leave a company or profession? 


Unfortunately, due to the nature of transcription, it is not always apparent at the beginning how well a particular job will suit our needs or how truthful the service has been with us.  I've been stung twice in 3 years.  In such a situation, to not look for something better is not only stupid for the MT but does not pay off for the service either if they have an unhappy MT who, as this poster has said, will not perform at his/her best.  It has to be a good match both ways for it to work to each party's benefit.  That's the nature of this profession.


 


 


MTing
I'm in love with it too. I've only been with them for almost a year but they've been great for me. I do OP notes and really get good lines. TT is by far the best co. I've ever worked for. They are so employee oriented and have a great leadership team in place. Couldn't ask for better on anything. Looking for another great year.
MTing

Found this as their website.  Some Co info and you can take a test/apply on line.  read through it quick and sounded good.  You could always check with Dept of Labor, Texas Work Force, Better Business Bureau to start with.  I have never been a very trusting person and not getting any easier to trust people now-a-days. 


I've googled medquist v. (as in lawsuit) in the past and you get all kinds of stuff, so that's not a good sign.   


http://www.mtsoftexas.com/  Good luck. 


MTing
Not only is asking ICs to work set schedules not right, it is ILLEGAL. Whoever is asking for this needs to take a good look at the US Tax Code and labor laws as well. Call them on it if this ever happens in an actual situation.
Busy MTing
My sentiments exactly. One has to look out for themselves because God knows these companies donot look out for you Wouldn't you like to know how much the company actually gets per line plus they make all these promises to get an acccount on board and to get an MT to work there.
Busy MTing.
You are absolutely correct dear. It's no one business if you work for 10 companies. that is your perogative. More power to dear. I am on your side all athe way.
State of US MTing
...poop, or xxxx before the moderator gets hold of this... it has become all a game, a XXXXXXX game. NOBODY WANTS TO TELL THE TRUTH... Corporate poop heads are all sending what ever they can to India and playing games with US MTs. Just look at IT jobs in other web sites... this is all XXXXXXXt.
state of MTing
.. yes, I agree. BUT, there are other factors involved today. The time is RIPE for corporate greed. Under the current presidential administration, CORPORATIONS RULE. Their exploitation of workers is at an all time high. Mark my words, in the coming year or so, we will be seeing many demonstrations from all sectors of workers and industries. President Bush has not a clue as to what his directives has done to the average working American. Please, I am neither a Democrat or Republican. I truly believe that Bush is so far removed and protected from the average American, that he has no idea how many jobs are discarded to third world countries because of his polices. We are truly at a unique point in the American history. America is changing rapidly. Mting and outsourcing is not unique - there are so many other fields affected by the current administration's policies. Not until the damage is done, will our goverment ask, Duh, what happened?
The state of MTing
Your post is well received as both a former owner and a transcriptionist. But this is not the whole picture of the state of MTing today. What you are experiencing and what the transcriptionists are experiencing is something like a star that is burning out and sputtering.

Deep down inside we all know that medical transcription as we know it is changing dramatically, changing because of technology and other sources available at much cheaper labor costs. This profession has no job enrichment. There are few real opportunities that offer true advancement with better pay. There is no security, not that we feel we must be entitled to it, little benefit or perks, and the pay psychologically does not attract the personality who is motivated to advance, and is ambitious. This is not a value judgment about anyone who performs transcription. It is a stark fact in the industry, and your post reflects the true position and frustration felt in the industry. Any business behavioral professional will tell you when there is no job enrichment or motivation, or incentive, workers will perform below their level. The industry pay scale has been directly impacted by the healthcare corporations and globalization. Now, please, do not misunderstand what I am saying. Each and every one of us should have the ethics to perform a job well done, and give our best no matter what pay we get. But studies and analysis of job performance will show you time and time again that when there is low pay, no raises, lack of incentive, and no future in a job, one begins to see the problems you are describing exactly. The expectations to uphold the privacy, confidentiality, accurateness, have an extremely extensive knowledge of medical language, and continue education in the field, does not match the low pay any more. So you see, you get transcriptionists that are anxious, always looking for better pay, even if it's a quarter of a cent more, and the focus goes toward that penny. Businesses struggle to stay afloat with operational costs and payroll, and more and more trying to attract good transcriptionists.

The thing I hear and understand about comparsion to Transcriptionist in India is the disturbing message American transcriptionists get from those that control the pay scale. As Americans workers, we have standards and protection for the American worker - labor laws, a livable wage, ethics,and we have gotten used to that. When you hear a business owner flagrantly make statements about how the poor little Indian transcriptionist will be grateful to work long hours for very little pay, work weekends,holidays, make her job her life, something about that pitted against our standard becomes disturbing. Since we are not yet at the economic level of India, you will continue to see revolving door workers. You might say the etiquette is becoming that of workers who can get a job at Seven-Eleven or MacDonalds - sure you can get a job there, those jobs are plentiful, and pay almost as much as transcription does today. These are just the cold hard facts. Perhaps if industry owners would try something different - instead of going through 3000 resumes to get a good handful transcriptionists who possess both the work ethic and the quality, start off at an agreeable pay with guaranteed raises based on consistency and rotate weekends. More companies should learn that rotating weekends works better than consistently looking for permanent weekend schedules. Transcriptionists need to have a balance of work and life outside the computer.
Change and MTing

This is no longer the once respected career where one is paid for their knowledge and many years of experience.  I urge everyone to pay very close attention to who they are voting for in the presidential race and what they stand for.  Back the candidate who says no more tax breaks for businesses that are sending our jobs overseas.  It not only applies to our jobs but those throughout the country.  How many times do you call a customer service line and get someone on the line you cannot even understand??? This is an outrage!!! While people here in the US struggle to find jobs or see their $$$ go down and still have to work under sweatshop conditions.  Bottom line, back the person who is going to help us the most at risk for losing our job to some offshore company.  Companies will say they will never do it.  Believe me, if its going to increase their bottom line they will do it.  Most of all do vote, every single vote can make a difference.


She went back to MTing for OSi
nm.. RH
how long have you been MTing?

Sometimes it can take a while to work up your counts.  But as other posters below have said, if you've been at this for a while, I'd look into how the company is paying you - what constitutes a line, spaces included, expansions included, normals included, etc.  If you feel they're not paying you correctly, you may want to address that with them.  I would definitely suggest a change in employers before giving up the whole industry.  You might have just gone with a sneaky company.


There are companies out there that pay for ADT info, you just have to seek them out.


Believe like you want but my MTing money is
not all that I have, receive a trust fund each month plus retirement money. Sorry you seem so bent out of shape about the possibility of having to do VR.
Not a newbie, but I have been away from MTing for a year...sm
and I was never the fastest typer in the West to begin with. Plus I cant find a job doing anything outside my home either!!! It is really scary trying to get a job anywhere these days. I like Allegiant's flexibility and line count requirements. I think I can do them...
not to but in but MTing put herself out there stating she was perfect...
and had 100% quality. No one is going to just take your word for it with a comment like that. I am not even in QA and thought the exact same thing when I read the post - I could not help but notice the errors.
Yep.. they are both back to just MTing as well as one of the trainers
nm
Best platform ever used in 20 years of MTing. NM
xx
Yep, I make as much MTing now as I would on disability.
Guess what I am going to take since I qualify?
so glad to hear that MTing has been sm
brought down to a profession of chump change by the newbies.
so glad to hear that MTing has been sm
brought down to a profession of chump change! You do the profession proud. NOT!
good point, keep MTing
at least some, and you can still take those tax deductions as well as keep your skills up.
meant hourly rates for MTing, not QA.
Thanks
If money's an issue, you're better off MTing.
Most QAs do it because they MT'd until their hands gave out & can no longer MT.
I really get the idea you would love MTing go out of business
Lots of your postings go in the same vein. My work on VR is darn near perfect but it still will throw in some crazies ever so often that has not done before and continue on with that for awhile. My hospital allows for the patient's name in a report. Eight months ago the names were almost always right, now never so we have to change those. Eight months ago when doing preop diagnoses you had the first diagnosis under the preop and now it is out by the side so then you have to move that down and put #2 and #3 under those. It can do things today that you may not have had last year. The ones that were problems last year cleared up this year. I do not worry about a machine putting me out of business, hey if that happens I might be like others and just retire, right?
Typing is the LAST thing MTing is about, it's about KNOWLEDGE..nm
nm
Having the years in MTing is making no difference
with the pay. If that were the case I would be making the big $$$ as I have over 30 years. You are either going to have to learn or find another profession, that is unless you are perhaps working for a specialty group of physicians, not these companies. I was outsourced from a hospital position to a company. Do you really think that company takes into consideration the years I have in? Nah, doesn’t happen. Having said that, I am extremely happy I know VR and use it now, only work an 8 hour day and can make good money doing that.
Whoops! Meant agree with MTing - not MTer!
..
Bravo! Well, said Anna. TT is the BEST company in my 17 years of MTing.
Thank you for standing up for them!
Against. Dead/dying for MT now days for sure(30+ years MTing
.
what a nasty post! Her 40 years of MTing count for nothing? I cannot believe this...nm
nm
Are you kidding and hoping htagt MTing will go back to manual typewriters again?...nm
nm
They have at least 1 very difficult

account that is hard to get lines on.   They also have a weird platform.  There are 3 files for every dictation, 2 of which you have to open.  They supposedly give you a percentage of lines to allow for that, but I think it is a bunch of garbage.   I currently work where there is no platform, we type in Word or WordPerfect 5.1, whichever we are most comfortable with and we have a macro to put in all the demographics - all we have to type is patient's name.   I don't understand if my company can make it simple why the others can't.  


You didn't ask, but Precyse offshores, if they tell you something get it in writing because there is little truth in it.  Communication is very poor. 


Not too difficult
With someone with your mentality--like shooting fish in a barrel. (Do try to get over it.)
Very difficult to say unless
you know what the system is like, the dictators, the quality of the MTs, etc.  3.5 is not a great line rate but you can make some money if you are only filling in blanks and can get in and out of the reports pretty easy.  I was offered 5 cpl once but the dictators were so horrible and the MTs so horrible and the system so slow I went broke immediately and quit.  There is a learning curve obviously but sometimes you know immediately it won't get much better. Good luck!  The very best way is an hourly rate but most companies not willing to pay that.
I did it! It is not that difficult...
a lot of it will probably come back to you. Allow yourself a week or so to pick up speed, but I think you will be fine.
Same here. It's very difficult to get anymore than 200 lph
Am considering quitting also. Have averaged 300-400 lph at any other place I've worked. I also agree with you about the emailing bit. After every update about how much work is on the system, it's ALWAYS followed by an email from the owner about a minute later telling you to either stretch more or threatening you with their PRN Program or that you'll lose the work to offshoring, etc., etc...

Have nothing against anyone there, but I very rarely ever break 200 lph working on their hospital accounts. Bayscribe definitely gives low line counts.
If you only do 100 lph cause of a difficult doc then its a whole 8.80 an hour...
tt
Difficult dictators?
So MDI-FL and WebMedx both have decent health insurance for a decent price? And what do we have to do to get that? Are they all ESL? Or do they truly have decent dictators where you can make some money.  I have done very few ESL. What typing speed are they looking for?
it's difficult, but it comes down to self-discipline
Like you, I started at MT when I had my first newborn in the house. He's 18 now. All told, I have three boys, ages 18, 17 and 16 living in my house, and my husband. My home office is in my walk-thru pantry. We have a straight-thru house, so one has to walk through my work area to get into the kitchen, and all those growing males have to visit the kitchen often. In addition, I apparently have the hang out house, and there are usually a good number of other young people at my house most afternoons and weekends. That is one thing that I love, though. It's good to know what my boys and their friends are up to.
Over the years I've worked hard to establish boundaries. It WAS hard in the beginning to let the phone calls go. It was difficult to turn friends and family away from the door, but it had to be done. I had the same problems as you. I was up all night, production was low, etc.
I didn't resort to renting office space, I just got mean, I suppose. My answering machine message said that I was working and would return personal calls after business hours. These days, I have caller ID, so I can check the number of incoming calls. I answer calls from school, work or from my children and husband. That's it. Other calls go to voicemail. I changed the locks on the doors, and did not give keys to my family or neighbors. I had a few arguments with them, and used a very stern voice. I'm busy. I'm working. It's no different than anyone else who works in an office away from home.
I do, however, get up from my chair fairly often to avoid edema problems. I will throw in one load of laundry, wash a dish or two, run the vacuum in one room, or even scrub a toilet. But I get up and do only one quick chore at a time. No t.v., no radio, etc.
It's difficult, and it takes some perseverence and certainly self-control to establish boundaries and good at-home work habits.
Good luck with your new office. For me, though, I would not want to work to pay rent for an office when I have free office space at home.
I agree with you. It's not that difficult IF - sm
you TRULY are an experienced MT.  I am not talking about the I have 20 years doing neurology or I have been doing op notes for 15 years. MT.  I mean the MT who can, no matter what comes up next, DO THE WORK and do it well.  Everyone has to leave a blank every once in a while, but I believe there are a lot of people out there doing this job who cannot turn in even 1 job without a blank in it.  They have limited experience, trying to pass it off as acute care/teaching hospital experience and when they get the actual work, boy does it show.
I find this very difficult to believe.
//
I am with Axolotl. There is nothing difficult sm
about using Notes. They also have Speed Type with it for an expander.

Please apply! We have so much work! Seems so many places have been slow since Christmas and New Year, but it has been the exact opposite for us! The account I am on used to just be discharge summaries, but we have now taken over their consults and ops as well.
They are difficult accounts, and they have not
been able to hold anyone on these accounts for some reason. They've had these accounts for quite awhile, so I'm thinking that in order to keep the client happy, they must be offshoring the account again. They will do that from time to time. I'm glad I'm off of it. I was not making my lines on the Michigan account.
VR and difficult dictatoirs
I saw your post and would like to tell you and anyone else, do not get your hopes up high that VR will not work because of difficult doctors. I know for a fact. I work on VR and some straight and I would have never believed it but I personally think VR works even better sometimes with most of the difficult ones than with our better speaking dictators. Why, ? who knows. I myself was under the same thought when we were told were going on VR, oh, it will never work with so and so. It does and very efficiently on the VR I work with.
98.9% QA is NOT that difficult to attain -
Nor should it be if you are a quality-minded MT. I don't understand the negative about this company just over the QA. Their rate may seem low, but the 7 cpl rate is for clinic work, which in my opinion is much easier and deserves a lower rate! The acute-care rate is comparable with other companies nationwide.

I must point out that there are pros and cons to every company nationwide and that no company is a fit for all MTs. Compared to other nationals, however, this one is way above average, in my opinion. I'm sure I'll get bashed for this, but that's okay - I'm hauling money to the bank each and every paycheck!
not a difficult transition
Having trained MTs from DQS to ExText I can safely tell you that it is not a difficult transition. There are many similarities and it is doable. Never be afraid to take a leap of faith, it could change your life. It changed mine.
How difficult is it to get 100+ reports
for radiology on Meditech with ShortHand Expander in one shift?