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Visible black character spaces

Posted By: Anonymous on 2009-06-23
In Reply to: What a load of poop - MT4Eight

I work for a company that only pays VBC and let me tell you it takes forever to get that line count. In my opinion that space bar does not move by itself. Getting cheated but I need the job.


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visible black character (VBC) spaces not counted SM

I just ran across this as bit long article but it is worth saving to your PC and reading a bit at a time.  I recall posting that Probity used this, I posted this meant NO SPACES and somebody came back and said they do pay for them. Boy they are really really making extensive calculation, guess always have and we did not know it.


Last year, KLAS reported that the industry appeared to be moving towards a standard


pricing model based on visual black characters (VBC), especially given the joint announcement from AHIMA and MTIA endorsing the adoption of VBC. The vision was for the VBC to be used to develop service level agreements, benchmark internal


transcription performance, foster better business relationships with the MTSOs, and improve the tools for evaluating and selecting MTSO partners. However, based on this body of research, adoption of this standard has been slow and billing per line is still the predominant approach.


 http://www.californiahia.org/Content/ul/8694//Kivi_Dale_Transcriptions_New_Standards.pdf


 


VBC - visible black character - no spaces, returns,
It reduces your pay by about 30%, because you still have to hit the spacebar and return even though you are not paid for it. 
Cquence pay is 65-character with NO spaces, only black characters which equates to
approximately 1.5 to 2 cents per line less than 65-character with spaces.
I emailed and asked. Said it was 65-character line with spaces or black and white.
clear as mud.
Are you sure it's not 55 visible black
xx
Visible black characters help!?!?!?
So I'm trying and cannot figure out for the life of me how to compute what a proper rate would be once the switch goes over to visible black characters. I want to get this figured out, so that when the call or email comes about my adjusted line rate, I can either accept it or not.

Does anyone know, at a line rate of 8 cpl right now, what an equal VBC line rate would be? Is there any way to figure this out?

And does this mean we can stop the double spacing? I mean, if it won't affect the company's pay (because apparently they only bill on visible black characters), it's more in keeping with the new standard of only one space after periods and whatnot.
I would think that black and WHITE means they pay for both black characters and spaces.
There is no such thing as a white character. But I would definitely clarify this in your interview.
Visual black character perhaps
You might want to check to see if they have switched to no spaces and are paying the VBC method. That could account for such a drastic cut. It would not be surprising to me at all. I am always more than appalled when companies do this on their own without notification or at client request without feeling the need to inform the MTs. Do they think that we do not notice that we are working harder than previously for less?
VBC= virtual black character link

a bit hard to understand but those out there are sure using the calculators.  This was on the internet and note this VBC listed on a job listing.on MTStars.  Not only have to provide expensive Lanier equip and provide free long distance to their clients but lower line pay.  See how they keep lowering their business client cost. and pass it on to the MT


 


Posted By: K&R Consulting, Inc on 2009-06-30

We currently have several fulltime positions available for acute care MTs with a minimum of 3 years exp and exp with ESL.

Equipment required - Dictaphone or compatible Cphone and unlimited long distance.

Start dates of 8/10 and 8/18 available.

Pay is 9 cents on a 65 VBC line.

Please send resume to resumes@knrconsult.com i


mean black character on white paper
also called virtual black character or VBC. Spaces not paid for. Never do it. This is just horrible.
black characters=without spaces.
nm
Definitely is spaces include, black and white.
Indeed it is.
65 character lines with spaces
I don't think so. You're going to do a lot of typing to get all those lines. They don't pay spaces, no way!
But if they are saying per character are they including spaces?
I'd ask if a space = a character.  ;)
37-character line without spaces much better...SM

Hi!  I just checked an OP note I did yesterday.  Characters with spaces was 5935.  I get paid on a 65-character line with spaces, so that came out to 91.3 lines.


Characters without spaces was 4999.  So, if you divide that by 37, you get 135.1 lines.


In the first scenario, I would get paid $8.22.


In the second scenario, I would get paid $12.16. (If both pay the same per line...9 cents in this example).


So, you would definitely do better to accept the 37-character line withOUT spaces! :)


Chickadee


Prior post said it's so-so to use, but only counts the black chars., no spaces. nm
s
it sounds like a 55-character line without spaces
 
Yes they do; 65-character line, spaces included NM

7 cpl character with spaces....EMDAT sucks...sm
Not worth the hassle of filling in demo info manually spending inordinate amount of time searching patient lists that are 3 or more pages long....YUCK
It means characters that are printed in black and white - no spaces included. nm
x
Ask what is a line. I was offered 6 clp for a 42 black character line sm
that seemed to strange, but really it was not so bad.  Came out pretty close to a 65 k/s line at 8.5 to 9.
TransHealth pays for spaces & headers on a 65 character line. sm
I recommend them highly.  Stable company, good platform, great benefits.  I'm happy there.
I think most places pay for spaces. I work for TransTech and they pay for both spaces
as well as punctuation. I would never work for an MTSO that doesn't.
65 with spaces versus 65 without spaces; how to calculate?

Can someone tell me if you are getting 9 cents per 65-character line with spaces how much you would need to be paid per line to make the same amount per line if you are offered a ''65-character line without spaces?''  Thank you very much


So, if not spaces paid, what cpl would be comparable to at least 9 cpl w/spaces, do you know??
Thanks.
Black and white. nm

Black Lists?

No, I don't believe there is such a thing. Then, do companies talk to each other about former employees? Yes, sometimes that happens. It's simply the course of doing business. It's called a network and often called checking your references.


As for recruiters not knowing each other, at any given AAMT meeting there will be 5 to 20 companies exhibiting, each with their recruiter there. Of course they get to know each other. It is, again, about networking.


I am curious, though. If MTs can create a blacklist for companies, what would be wrong with employers doing it??


black characters?
Sounds like no spaces counted to me.
black and white?

I understand what you are saying about transcription being black and white, but I have to disagree.  While transcription itself is pretty straight forward, there are many different fields that require the same service. 


To say that someone with no medical transcription experience does not need additional training does not make sense to me.  I have dealt soley with psych. transcription and won't fool myself into thinking that once I've done one area, I've done it all. 


If you go to websites of top online companies, they specifically say that any other transcription experience outside of MT does not apply towards years of experience required for employment and my conversations with them have confirmed that. 


I appreciate all of you who have given me honest, useful and valid information.  It will definitely influence my decision! thanks again!


Pot - Kettle - Black
Shelley,

Talk about bad business practices.

Your post is blatant example of the pot calling the kettle black. Just how marketable have you made yourself posting openly this gripe about your former employer you left months ago. Perhaps you may sway a few MTs from applying with D&L, but I bet your post instead turns many more prospective employers away from you.

Next time, think before you speak.

Anyhow, good luck to you.

Current D&L IC
- always paid in full and on time.


Pot-kettle-black
What's true is true, and I can't change that for you...however, it hasn't hurt my marketability in the least. Thank you so much for your concern.
Have you checked outside, there might be a black
Why care who reads what, if you're telling the truth it makes no difference.  Management might take the time to read this site (as if they have nothing better to do) for entertainment but give them more credit for intelligence than to base any management or company decision making issues on anything said on a board like this.  If you say nothing on here you wouldn't be afraid to say to management, then who cares what they see/read.  If management is particularly bad or corrupt, etc., they don't care if you know it because they've already figured out a way around what they're doing.  Now go close all your blinds and cower in the corner and wait for them to come busting through the door.   
Black AND white (sm)
Doesn't that mean white (or spaces) are paid for?
Black and white characters

I worked for a company that used the DQS software and I never could get my line counts, even though I typed like a fiend! In an 8-hour shift, I could get maybe 800 to 900 lines with that program. The way my company said, is Black and White characters, which means no spaces.  I didn't get any credit for the ADT screens either.


Hope this helps.


I was black listed because I refused a job with TRS
Then, I was told they called the other company I as going back to and I would not be allowed to go back there either. Lucky for me, I had 2 jobs already.
Looks like the pot calling the kettle black to me....sm
Obviously you have time to come here and check out the posts. Ever think other people might be the same way?
Yoo hoo! Black Swan! I'm 60 yrs old. I just want to retire.
xx
pot calling kettle black
Your whole post was a snipe! and who would want to work with you anyway?
Sounds like the pot calling the kettle black to me!
Like we don't know of a BUNCH of absolutely whacked-out nutty MTSOs? And then the MTs that move from company to company are the ones off the deep end. I think you need a stand-up comedian side job! I'm over here LMAO! hahahahahahahahaha
I don't think so. What you see on paper or on the screen in black and white.
If it were me, I certainly would ask specifically the HR person or MTSO. Pick up the phone, dial their number, and ask. Never take a job, unless you know how and what you are getting paid for.

I do believe it means without spaces, but I could be wrong. Things change so fast in this industry, what it means one day, does not necessarily have the same definition tomorrow.
Anyone know first-hand about a black list shared by
nm
Paid for 55 char black line...
Can anyone tell me if they get paid this way instead of the 65 w/ spaces? If anyone else does, can you tell me roughly the difference it makes versus getting paid for spaces?

Thanks
Ever heard of the pot calling the kettle black?
Or are you too dense to get that reference as well? Here's a clue: there is NOTHING mature about your sour posts - slamming another for supposed 'immature behavior.'

You think you can separate out one comment in a 'gotcha' moment - and that somehow justifies your lectures?

What part of knee-jerk, simplistic judgmental commentary being unhelpful and unfair don't you get?

On second thought, make those rhetorical questions...because its crystal clear you thrive on (harsh) judgement of others who may be different from you - despite how ignorant that action makes you look.




All compaines count lines different--with spaces, without spaces, headers or no headers, 65 characte
a line, 75 characters, etc. I would ask each of them how they count their lines. Sometimes the way lines are counted does not make a company worth working for.
If there was a such thing, the black list for MT's would be miles longer than sm
that of MTSO's. I would love to see most of the MT's I have dealt with even begin to do what I do. Most don't have the social skills, personalities or work ethic to be good employees, much less MTSO's.

NOT ALL, BUT MOST. If you all can generalize, so can we. The difference is that we don't talk petty BS to each other as MT's do on the boards. I, for one, am sick to death of the bashing that goes on here. If you spent more time working and less yapping, you might make more money and be good employees.
That doesn't explain black and white lines.

If not employed there we can't as a supervisor, but if the recruiter says black and white lines wouldn't that be just the black characters on a white page?  No spaces.


agree. Skim the black dots, no biggie. nm
.
Really offensive, what black people will only work for the bottom of the barrel?

should be ashamed



I agree. And black list or no, intelligent people take information
.
1 poster from last year said it was okay, not great, not awful. BUT it only counts the black
s
The Above is for a 65-character line.
Sorry...I left that part out.  Thanks.