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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

trust me I feel your pain

Posted By: me on 2009-08-29
In Reply to: yes, understood BUT it is the fact that sm - .

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?


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I feel your pain.
I trained as a federal employee at a military hospital.  When we got to "go home" to work, we thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread; what it actually did was to take away my federal blue cross, blue shield insurance, I was 40 thought I would be young forever, cashed out my 10,000 retirement.  I was a single parent, no child support (long story, I did not want to hurt my son), so for over a year I was able to buy a few things and get anything I wanted at the grocery store, at the cost of my civil service retirement that I cashed in.  I wish you well in your new on-site job.  I wish I had such an opportunity.  You will be much better off, be happier, and when mom is happy, everyone is happy.  Sincerely good luck to you, and I am from a small town in SC, and I think if I move to a big city I can find such an opportunity.  Good luck to you and keep us posted.
Again, I feel your pain, but you have to get over

thinking or believing that the company you work for is your friend. I most certainly have experienced this same stabbing pain and have learned never to fall prey to those emotions again. I started with a small local company where you actually saw the owners face to face, and they were lying dogs in the end - complete betrayal over a $$$. They sold to a company, who sold to a company, who sold to a company, and each one lied to all the MTs over and over again. You have to have yourself covered, have 2 jobs, make sure your bank account is padded - whatever you have to do. But get rid of the emotions that any company is your friend. As Dr. Phil would say, take your power back. This is business and its cut-throat in America these days in any industry.


Feel your pain
I don't know anything about USAMedTran.

I have a company I'm committed to full time, a part time company and a whenever I can put in some time company. My main company was always running out of work so I had to look somewhere else to make that up. Good luck to you!
Feel your pain OSi
MQ is doing the exact same thing. Rarely see my primary, and I mean rarely. Have had nothing but new clients over and over, new client profiles to read, and making minimum wage if I am lucky. I have been with MQ 7 years, an MT for 20 years. I think a MQ and OSi are copying each other, get rid of the more experienced MTs, and pay less money to newer MTs. I don't know if even the hospitals care what is in those documents anymore. Good luck to you. I am resigning from MQ today.
I feel your pain
I've been in that boat before, where I worked for a company who wanted all employees to have MSN messenger open at all times during their shift. It was SO annoying. You'd be trying to work, and then an IM would pop up asking you to do stat reports. Ugh! I got out of there fast! I can't stand being bothered on messenger when I'm trying to work.
I feel your pain!
Mine went up 69% from last year. It was a good thing I was sitting down when I looked at the numbers. I'm still trying to figure out much more I have to type to make up the difference. I'm so sad about this and the health care industry crisis as a whole.
I feel your pain! sm
My account has been slow on work for the past 3 months.  During the week there is usually not enough work during my schedule to meet my minimum requirement.  They send out emails expecting you to work nights, weekends, your days off to make up during the slow times.  Do they think I just sit at home all day with no life?  I picked my schedule because those are the hours/days I can work!  I do have a life outside of work and I cannot work on my days off because I have a family.  It annoys me to no end.
FEEL YOUR PAIN

I am currently working full-time at a hospital and looking for a part-time position as an independent contractor.  I have been transcribing for 33 years, so I have seen the ups and lately downs in medical transcription.


As an independent contractor, I am not going to accept less than 10 cpl, and I actually believe with my experience, I may be able to hold out for something higher.


I guess my advice which is given with the best intentions would be dependent on if you need benefits.  If you need benefits, you may be able to or have to accept less than 10 cpl, but I feel with your experience, that you definitely deserve at least 10 cpl as an employee.


Two hospitals in my area offer great benefits and pay 10 cpl during the week with a weekend bonus of up to 5 cpl! Currently, I am making an hourly wage with incentive bonus (if you want to call it that).  We have had 3 drops in our incentive in less than a year. I have gone from being fairly comfortable to barely making it, and actually have had to move.


I envy your 300 lines an hour! I average about 209, but our work is manually assigned to us and sometimes being experienced means you are given the hardest work.


Remember, you have a lot to offer a transcription company...your experience which is worth its weight in gold. You are an assest to the company and especially to the hospital which they service. Good Luck and it is nice to say Hi to an OLDBIE? Is that what we are??


Keep in touch with me if you like via private e-mail. I would love to help and would like your help also!


I feel your pain. (sm)
I was QA at 3 different companies in the past, and honestly, I couldn't make any money because of having to leave feedback and then defend it when MTs argued every point. This was all for free, like you said, because getting paid by the line means no pay for feedback or answering emails clarifying and defending what you changed. My last straw was when one MT complained to my boss bitterly when I changed her typed a-b-duction to abduction (you know how they say it that way sometimes to be clear). She SWORE she worked for a doctor who said that was the way it should be typed and therefore I was a moron because I didn't know that. My boss actually went so far as to say just leave it when she types it that way, we don't want to lose her because she works 3rd shift. After that, I decided it just wasn't worth it to me, went back to typing, and I've never been happier. I don't see how anyone makes real money doing QA since most places pay by the line now.
I feel you pain
I got the exact same message
Feel your pain

I have 4 kids ranging from 7 to 18.  Obviously the 18 yo can fend for himself as can my 17 yo, but the youngest two, 7 and 8, cannot.  They have a habit of picking up every bug known to man and always seem to get the worse of everything.  I am an IC as well, but have to work and also have a boss who when I cannot work, will give the work away and then I have to fight to get it back, which means normally waiting until the person that took over has to take time off. 


But, is what I have done, is keep the kids on the couch, set them up all comfy and they are within hearing distance.  I have given them walkie-talkies and they call if they need something, going to vomit, etc.  I check on them frequently as well.  I make sure to take a lunch break and spend that time cuddling with them.  If they aren't too bad like the last bout of chicken pox (even with the shot!), I have a table set up in my office that they can come in and color, etc and be with me. 


Keep your head up, you are Super Mom as we all are and things will work out in the end. 


I feel your pain
I just wanted to say that I know what you are talking about as I am in the same situation. I also start very early in the morning in the hopes of finishing up before my kids get home from school, but I often run out of work and end up sitting here at my computer for at least 10 hours a day as it is waiting for work. I'm not looking forward to the stress of adding an hour to each day when there are not enough hours in the day as it is. I'll be praying that you will be able to handle the extra hour each day. I know how precious an hour can be when you are already stretched so thin.
I feel your pain

anon...very, very frustrating these days in the MT world.  Unfortunately these company's true colors don't come shining through until you've experienced it first hand.  Best of luck to you.  Don't wait for things to get better as problems like this usually fall upon deaf ears. 


I feel your pain
That is so funny you are talking about this. I tried to take that test with those buttons, and ended up throwing my hands up in the air, and exited right out of the program. I am sad because I really was interested in working for them. I have 11 years experience, and after trying that test, I felt like I was just starting out.
I definitely feel your pain..
...as well as my own.  It was a horrible year for me.  I signed on CyMed several months before SPi swallowed it.  (I hold a big grudge, by the way, against those at Cymed who knew this deal was in the works and concealed this fact, though I specifically asked about pending sales.)  For several months it was heaven.  Then over the next year under SPi management it became a nightmare, culminating with a mass layoff by conference call.  Everything I've read about it on this forum since then has only confirmed that nothing has improved.  My advice to any job hunter is to run away from these users and abusers very, very fast.
Feel your pain
I work for Keystrokes and I am in the same situation. No work in the morning when it is time to sign on,being asked to sign in later, work different hours etc. Don't know how long I can keep it up.
I feel your pain. nm

I feel your pain and almost gave up
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I feel your pain and have wasted more of my
time on new companies than I can ever get back. I didn't honestly have time to read your whole post, but I know I made myself a thorough list of all things to cover before I ever even thought about saying Yes, and found that it made no difference at all in the end. The recruiters promised the moon, answered all my concerns in the way I wanted to hear, and then I got the bait-and-switch every single time once I actually was employed. Its so disgusting in our industry, and I'm sure they get away with it because we are all remote - I much prefer to look somebody straight in the lie when I'm getting lied to...Its so very hard via phone, and I have also noticed that they won't put it in writing, exactly. So you have to either trust them and give it a shot, or mistrust them and don't give it a shot. But I have tried at least a dozen companies in the past few years, and absolutely gave up all hope, and stayed with my original employer - at least I know this enemy. I researched and researched every single company, confirmed and double confirmed all info given me, even had things go great for weeks while in training, transcribing thousands upon thousands of lines per day, only to have the bait-and-switch dumped on me every single time, bar none, when I was out on my real account and stuck with the company. Its as if it was a candid camera episode - gone were the dictators I had grown accustomed to, and here were the garbage ESL dictators and/or no work, and/or cherry picking, and/or new hours required, etc. I have no stomach for changing jobs ever again.
I certainly feel your pain/frustration
i do work for Keystrokes after many nationals. It sounds like you had a clinic account and with 20 years experience that would be horrible, I have 17 and no clinic experience and I certainly don't want to do clinic work or look up doctors, so I am on your side.

I think Keystrokes really leans to the experienced MT who does not require much guidance, but believe you me I would not be on an account where you had to find doctor's addresses. After working for them I quit for pie in the sky - emailed Lee to take me back. You probably should have been on an acute care account - you can always go back, I did - I am finally making some money after 5 years of almost desperation.

I feel your frustration, that has been me, but I think for me with 17 years acute care experience, and being on EX-Text, I am making money for the first time. I worked on Meditech years ago and made money but that was gross line with the system being in the hospital, I don't know now.

Try again unless you are happy where you are. Lee took me back with open arms.

I was told (and all my experince was in hospitals for the first 7 year) that it takes at least 5 years before your nose is out of the books constantly. Sounds like you were on the wrong account.

Hang in there, it is horrible starting new with any company and then find out you don't fit or you were steered wrong.
I soooo feel your pain!
and it makes me angry too. I have done this since 1980 and never had a raise. As a matter of fact, I used to make more!! Everybody wants to do medical transcription and I get asked about it all the time. I tell them NOOOOOO, you do NOT want to do this. The ads out there make it sound like you can make so much money, and while as a good Transcriptionist you CAN make better than average money, it never goes past that point. Working at home is not all it is cracked up to be. I only did it because I wanted to be home with my kids. Now I am sorry to be stuck in this rut.
I feel your pain, truly. Good luck to you. nm
x
I feel your pain...my pay has severely been reduced.
If my pay this period is $500, I'll be lucky! And I agree with you, it isn't fair that they have severely overhired, especially for the MTs that have been with them for a long time. In my opinion, during times like this the work should be distributed based on seniority, but obviously that will never happen. It just stinks all around.

I too have been testing for other companies during all this downtime. I'm even thinking of painting my living room, that is if I can afford the paint. LOL!!!
I feel your pain, I quit TTS after a few days
NM
It does seem to vary from day to day, at least on my account, definitely feel your pain but overall,
good company.  I have ear buds and headphones from Radio Shack and I alternate between the two, seems to give my ears a break. 
I feel your pain. I was mislead about TT very badly.
There were nothing but praises and I was new to this board and all boards in general. So, after watching for a long time and asking questions etc. I took the job at TT. I stayed for a while but in the meantime I went broke, question myself, because of all the praises continuing here. It took me over 1 year to find 2 good jobs to have (to make up for money lost and I will never be brok again) to replace that awful one. Believe it or not the 2 jobs I have, 1 is highly praised here, but I only keep it part/time because it isn't all that; and the main job where I make the big money is most times trashed here. Probably in the big job the upper management does not come on the board and put false praises. Actually there are very few responses but some are negative, probably from disgruntled workers. I still come here because I like to see what is going on with MTs and the MT world, but I have to say I agree with you 100% about companies using PR falsely to lead people down a bad path on this board. I do not blame the board admin. There is the post about not making decisions based on posts here, no doubt they figured it out and they also stopped the paid sponsors so that they did not have to pull negative posts as in the past. This is an anon board, so really you have to use care, as in life, and seek out real-life references as well. I am with you, though and the lying will be stopped if Karma is at all true.
I feel your pain. The platform is horrible. nm
nm
I feel your pain but the grass may not been greener elsewhere!

I am getting a little worried too.  If you can, wait until after Labor Day before you make such a major decision just in case it is simply last minute vacations before the kids go back to school.  I hope that will take care of some of it.  Good luck!


What a good post MTIM - Feel your pain

We all feel like that from time to time, but it doesn't matter whether you are an MT or working in any other profession - some days a job is just a job.  You sound like you work for a company like I did.  Too much management getting in the way.  That said, look at it this way.  At one point in my career I made 0.075 cpl for many years (raises unheard of).  I took that rate and turned it into $40,000 a year because I typed by fingers to the bone.  Minimum line count of 1,200 was not enough for me, but some people will only type the minimum and then quit. This is where their problem is.  It's called ambition.  Of course the pay will be low if you quit at 1,200 lines.  Being an MT for 5-10-15 years you certainly should be typing more than that.  If you are not, and it is not YOUR fault, but because of company dynamics, it is time to find a company and account that helps you reach your full potential.  Please do not cheat yourself.  The first thing I would do is not answer phone calls or e mail during your shift (do this before or after) because you are going to have enough to deal with to slow you down while you are working as you described. 


I do not move from company to company, never have, but I certainly would if I felt like I could do better than what is being offered to me, for whatever reason.  Again, no one is going to take care of you - except you, so don't cheat yourself.  Since you already have a job - go with the flow until you find what is absolutely perfect for you and you can make lots of $$ no matter what the rate ( to a degree of course).  It would be nice if we could all make 11 cpl or better.  I never have.  I have found a company and account that is perfect for me, making good money and love the work.  The kicker is, I would have taken that job for 7 cpl and because I am very good in that specialty - I could still make a decent living with it.  Don't go jumping at the first thing offered to you.  Think about it - and yourself.  What is it that you do best as an MT.  That's what you look for.  Being at this for 15 years, maybe you should just throw in the towel where you are but I think you do have the potential for something else.  Go for it - and good luck to you. 


It's starting to feel like MQ there. Can't trust 'em....sm
Although I know people will jump to correct me, many of us have a very hard time getting our hours in. Line counts are down. I worked over 39 hours and 20 minutes last week--all I could scrape together--then got an E-mail from my STM telling me to put in for an hour of PTO since I did not have 40 hrs last week. What vacation you do accrue often goes for making up the hours you can't work because of the lack of work available. They spout off about excellence, commitment, blah, blah, blah, but they are not committed to their employees and outsource work as the not looking good poster said. Unless they are hiring for unusual shifts, I wonder why they are hiring at all. You can easily have 5 accounts and no work. Who knows what they will do next? Pay cuts? That's my bet. They can give us the tough economy talk again to justify it.
Does your company start with a T... If so, I feel your pain and it does no good to complain. No one
cares. Tell me how you go from over 200 jobs in a queue to nothing in a few hours. Hmmmm. I smell offsourcing. Not happy. I just got a second job and thank goodness. It will save me when there is no work which is too often for my liking.
I feel your pain! I decided to shut up rather than put up and quit my company. Better places out t
nm
I don't. I trust the software and feel it is a waste of unpaid time.
nm
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 feel the same way...I love working for Keystrokes and feel blessed that I have such a wonderful jo
nm
what a pain.
I agreed to cross train from my lovely eScription to MedTran.  I just did the training for it and BLECK!  I love my eScription.  LOVE IT!  I'm hoping tomorrow I like MedTran more.  It also pays by the minute not the line.  It's supposed to be a better deal for me but I have my doubts.  Anyone else using MedTran?  Any feedback or tips would be appreciated.
true, we have it, I just don't do it. I think it is a pain. nm
.
Back pain
Thanks for the tip. I'll certainly try it.
LOL Thanks for sharing your pain.
I've had a day or two of those recently as well. ;-)
I share your pain

I've been trying to live off of promises.  They promise there's work. I promise the electric company they'll get some money.  So far, no one is living up to their promises.


I get low periods, but I don't understand ZERO work available for weeks on end.  I wish services would just be honest and understand that these are the reasons good MTs don't stay with companies.  Try eating a promise, quite unfulfilling at best.  We've had to suck up and accept low wages, now low wages for no work is more than anyone should have to tolerate.  I'll be filing for unemployment this week.  Afterall, I'm a full time employee who isn't even making subminimum wage for a 40-hour week.


Sometimes it's due to RSI or pain from keyboarding. nm
.
Thanks for clarifying that. What a pain for her. nm
cc
Because they are a pain in the A double SS up there. I wish they would take their 1 hour TAT and


stick it. Sick to death of them.
While testing is a pain, pay is based on how well
you test.  I've tested 3 times the past week through mttest, different test each time, but I wish there would be one test to take and then companies could get test scores from them without having to test with each company. 
I am feeling your pain today.
I hit the national scene just over a year ago when my hospital finally outsourced our department. I have not made any money since, nearly lost my house and had to rent it out, and my credit is shot and my car near repossession soon. Im fed up. I cannot believe how difficult it is to make money in this field short of an hourly wage. I am totally disgusted and looking for something new. I was trying to hold out in this field working from (which I have been doing for years for the hospital I worked for) until my youngest is in school, but I can't wait any longer.
Oh, the pain of having to explain the simple!!
She doesn't want this going on any longer, and asked for it to STOP, take it private email. So, now this one is just stirring up the pot. If you can't figure out that logic, well, good luck in life.
Working for Indians is a pain.........sm

They are rude and they love to talk down to you, especially women....they think they know every damn think about everything and don't know squat. 


Indian men are A holes!


VR isn't even editing-it's worse-and such a pain I
X
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.