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you verify what I said, experience=8 cpl or

Posted By: higher on 2006-10-04
In Reply to: Not true IMO.. when I was applying for IC less than a year ago - SM

Of course they're going to try to make you feel grateful for being offered 9 cpl. What's the alternative? We know it's low for your level of expertise, but we're not willing to give you more. Again, MOST companies will pay 8 cpl or above if you have enough experience and/or negotiate well. I didn't say it was a great wage, just answering the OP's question.


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But you do have to verify and look up
ones that are not there.
You'd have to verify
with them, of course, but I know as an IC I let them know how much work/how many hours I will commit to in a day and then the expectation is you will achieve it.

My experience has not been that they insist on 9-5 etc.
I can absolutely verify this. SM
Awful work.  The worst of the worst dictators. Yes, the platform is great, but that doesn't help much when you have nearly 100% ESL dictators and the WORST ESLs I have ever heard.  QA is definitely very rude and if you like getting 9000 e-mails a day begging people to work, then it is your cup of tea.  I live in the Midwest and I was not offered employee status ever.  I have to pay to get my check sent to me overnight.  No direct deposit and no bennies.  Nada.  So in other words, decent pay, 10 cents a line, for crap work and no bennies.  That about sums it up. 
Softscript will pay you 10 cpl if you can verify that now.
You'll have to get through QA and meet minimum line expectations, but they'd be glad to pay you that if you deserve it!
I would verify these things - sm

Did you ask when you were hired what the company definition of a line was?  Are you paid for spaces, headers, footers, demographics?  The DQS platform can only do what people have programmed it to do and nothing more.  I worked on the back end with this platform for nearly 10 years.  You can break down every single key stroke and assign it various values, i.e., you can make the letter *a* count for 2 strokes if you want and *?* count for nothing.  Those are just examples.  If you are on different accounts the lines may also be counted differently.  So many variables, but look at the suggestions above. 


Here is the story I was given but no way to verify

Here’s the line we got from one of the smaller MTSOs I worked for.  A lot of MTSOs have in their contracts with some hospitals that there is a minimum amount of minutes/jobs per year that the hospital promises to send to the MTSO and the hospital had to pay the entire contract even if they did not send that many minutes/jobs.  That is so the MTSO has a better idea of how many MTs they will need for the year (like that ever worked !!! They were always overstaffed or understaffed).  But I digress.  So come the end of the year (usually November or December) we would get slammed with old dictation and a lot of it was work types we usually did not get.  So, we were told that the hospital “found” some old dictation.  The MTs figured that we were not the only MTSO that that particular hospital used or they still had in-house MTs, and what really happened was instead of being charged for jobs they did not have us type, they cleaned out their in-house dictations and sent everything they had to us.  Some hospitals do not have a time limit on discharge summaries and letters so they can be a couple of weeks old without anyone worrying about it. 


 


Some of the hospitals had all their dictations go through their in-house dictating system, and then the hospital would transmit jobs to us in batches.  So, another time we got slammed, they told us the hospital was having problems because their in-house system had crashed or something, and they just “found” all these old dictations that had gotten “stuck” in their system and just popped up when they rebooted. 


 


Do not know if either explanation is true, but that was their story.  Guess they sounded plausible, because we never asked again where all those jobs came from after the first couple of years.  LOL 


Could you verify this and let us know, because I haven't seen a word about this...
thanks.
Yup. I can sure verify that story! Disgusting. nm
nm
Verify line count
A long time ago I read on this board that an employer had to clearly define a line telling you exactly how they figured it and how they counted it.  The poster said it was a requirement by US DOL.  They also said the person being paid by the line had to be able to verify their lines.  I have tried to find this post and cannot.  Does anyone know about this.  Can your employer send you home to work, pay you by the line, and not clearly define what they use to determine a line and how it is counted?  Human Resources said it is up to the Department head and they will not interfere.  Their attitude is if you don't like it you can quit.  Now, they haven't done this to me yet, but the two people they did it to have quit.  They paid them 8 cents a line, no headers or footers, in fact, they paid only for the body of the report, and did not even count paragraph headings, even though we almost always have to either take one out because it is not dictated, or draw them together because they are dictated all in one paragraph.  We get no pay for anything already on the page, except 2 lines added to each report for numbers we have to type such as job number, dates and times of  dictation and transcription.  Nothing else is paid for.  They say we get paid for auto correct and auto text but they can't show us.  There are just two of us left, and only one of us is going to be paid by the hour, and I am low man on the totem pole.  If they tell me they will pay be by the line, what are my recourses, other than quitting,  for proving to Human Resources that they really do HAVE   to define a line and how it is counted, and I really do HAVE the right to check their figures against my own.  Please help as the axe is about to fall about this and I am scratching on glass trying to get info about my rights, if any.  Thanks.
How do you verify your line counts

I like to see the reports typed so that I can do a check against my list that I write on a tablet for myself. How are you doing this? CTRL I does not give an accurate count, because it shows every line/character in the report, which we do not get paid for.


Please share with us how you double check your handwritten list by the number of jobs/job #'s you get paid for. I have never worked a job where this is not available to the MT.


I want to see a list of reports by job number that I have sent/transcribed showing the number of lines for each individual report.


I can verify my lines at Spheris, but not all
xx
Newbie, mind sharing your name so I can verify this?

nm


It is easy enough to verify by doing a Google search
it is not unfounded rumors.
tell me how you verify your line count with TransTech
I had that problem as well and I was not anonymous about it and I came here and was called a liar and was told I was paranoid. I eventually found employment elsewhere and they also use Ex-Text and I-Chart. I was told by them that I would be paid on a 65-character line that includes black characters, spaces, and hard returns but no headers or footers which was the exact same thing I was told by TransTech. On the whole right now I am making less cents per line but my paychecks are bigger with them because unlike Transtech I am actually paid on a 65-character line that includes black characters, spaces, and hard returns but no headers or footers; and this is a true story.
Keystrokes Can verify up to the minute via cntr I
report by report
Did you call WebMedx to verify that they have the account? NM

NM


Whatever company you work for, you should verify that it counts correctly. sm
Take the document, cut and paste it into Word, count it that way. No way I would take the word of a company or a program unless I can verify my lines.

I do not work for Keystrokes but had to give my 2 cents, whatever it's worth!
A company is ONLY supposed to verify that someone worked there, what dates they worked, whether PT o
and last date worked. It opens everyone up to a lawsuit if more is given, so most companies are told by their attorneys and business advisors to verify only.

No one has a right to a reference, only verification of employment.
Here, here. Exactly my experience also, even down to the 10 year work experience. nm
:+
Experience versus not as much experience
--same job should equal same pay?...Come back and talk to me in 20 years...
For the most part, old school MTs have a ton more to offer than a newbie, by virtue of the amount that they know. Most old school MTs can do just about any kind of report, because they learned the old way, they used books--Dorland's was a bible--not software and spellcheck, they worked in house, in the environment, they understand things that a new person who has only worked online with their word books, shorthand, macros and software just cant understand.. Why things are done in a certain way... Why it is so important that certain documents are treated a certain way. Why some reports are stat versus others. What you might flag for the hospital and why... When you think you know everything, esp as a newbie, you are doomed my friend.
Also, cont education is something that most old school MTs understand is a benefit for them and a gift to themselves...part of their commitment to themselves and their own education, not a commitment to being a certified MT, it is a personal thing, a standard.
If you don't understand that, I don't know what else to tell you.
Sure newbies can transcribe, it isn't rocket science, but they know what they know, if you know what I mean..(and that's about all they know) if they don't care to continue their education once they are out of MT school.
There's a little more to it than what you have stated here. If you consider yourself an MT machine.. you will burn out sooner than you think.
P.S. Not saying they do that to everyone - this was just MY experience
..
Your experience with them?
All the things you like/dislike.
My experience was not a bad one
It would freeze up and hard to get around in it. The accounts I had were mostly awful ESLs and mumblers...very difficult to get line counts. Mostly nice people, but doesn't mean squat if the work is bad. Good luck.
my experience with them - sm
I have 17 years experience, require very little training on new equipment, platforms, accounts, etc. Apparently, I was not what they were looking for. I had heard many similar stories from others.
Experience
That's true. Generalities are misleading. I have known MTs with a lot of experience who never had any QA or other teaching and they never got any better. As long as they typed fast, quality didn't matter to their employers.
My experience
I have worked for TransHealth and believe me run for the hills! (LOL). When I was employed there, they had a high turnover regarding their management and apparently still too from what I hear. No flexibility whatsoever, they do not seem to APPRECIATE their employees as they can be nice to you on one occasion and the next minute treat you like crap. They also don't offer nothing in way of competetive wages as they have no incentives to work extra hours or work weekends and oh when there is abundant work you hear them plead with everyone to get on but where are they when there is no work, exactly!!!!! My recommendation is to shop around and see what each company has to offer.
Same experience here, 7 yrs with MQ
c
I had a bad experience with them also. I was also
hired for Diskriter through them. All sounded great, but something else sounded better so I took it instead. I got a very rude email and was ignored after that email. Very bad business ethics!!
Has anyone else had a bad experience with
Amphion?  I am sure I am not the only one who has found out they are just like everyone else
Experience
Can anyone tell me what companies are more selective in their hiring process, requiring more experience than 1-2 years, and willing to pay for it. I am starting to feel this must be an unrealistic expectation.
What's the experience been like sm.
I have very high expectations as I have a lot of experience.  I need to know if they are nice people there.  I was told I would be working on a regular hospital, not a teaching hospital but when I got the specs for the hospital it mentions residents.  That is a teaching hospital.  The things these companies try to pull over on you.  Like I wouldn't know it was a teaching hospital right away anyway.  The pay seems poor:(  I don't know if they deserve a try or not.  The owner seems uncaring about my situation.  I don't know, I just want a nice decent place to work that pays well.
Any experience with DSG, Inc.?
nm
How much experience do they want? NM
XX
My experience..........sm
I think they are great to work for. Management is great, very helpful. Always work available. They do offer benefits, I can't tell you about them because I don't need them. There are also incentives for higher producers. Go for it!
Not in my experience
They may supply software or foot pedals, depending on the company, but I have not heard of being supplied a computer as an IC.
Any experience out there with...sm
Shaw's Keystroke Services, Rochester, New York?
So-so experience

The line Expander used by Spheris was the least of my worries. I found it extremely easy to merge my own list into theirs. Ask your TL for instructions.


Like most everyone else I had trouble getting my line count. I never got dinged for it, but then I never once qualified for a bonus the whole time I was there - 1 year. I, too, wasted tons of time looking over account specifics. Just when  you get used to one account, they throw in a new one, then you have to second and triple guess everything you do all over again. I finally quit when they threw in another work type with horrible dictators and my line count dropped by half for 2 weeks. I couldn't afford to work for them anymore.


And don't get me started about the freakin' time clock. I hated that thing.


As far as the company is concerned I liked them just fine. Management was fair and I always got along with my TL. I did have one that was witch from hell, but I don't think this is a reflection on the company. It was a personal difference between the two of us that we couldn't work out.


I wish you luck. I wasn't all that successful making many in MT. My income continued to go down each year so I left.


Any experience with...sm
InHealth Transcription Services
I had a very bad experience with them too
They were dishonest about things. Not the way to run a company at all!
My experience.....sm

I worked there for a short time recently.  The people who worked there were nice, pay was okay, but I had sound issues with the account I was on.  Nothing I did fixed it, so I would have to guess the problem was at their end.  As a result of this, my line production went down instead of up, which is why I left.  If it weren't for that, I'd still be there.


Good luck to you!


I had the same experience (sm)
They were all gung-ho, and then I never heard from them after their saying they'd contact me. You will have to call them and keep on them. They're not snubbing you. It's lack of organization. You may not get a call if you don't follow up.

I was hired and had a great experience with them. Best QA people. They will leave you alone unless there are problems. They don't bug you for little crap like the other companies do. The setting your own schedule and working when you can is the best.

Good luck!
Need to know more about experience. sm

Can you do acute care? How many years of experience? Do you need benefits? 

The only one I know of that lets you work when you want is OTI (aka Oracle). It's wonderful that way. No benefits, though, and must have acute care experience.


Almost 5 yrs experience

This is bad but I'm a little confused with what acute care consists of? I have Radiology experienc in a hopsital setting but I've also typed Oncology, Ophthalmology, Nutrition, Cardiology, Pulmonology, Internal Med, Family Practice and Psychiatry/Psychology reports. I went to school so I have typed ALL kinds of reports, they were just a long time ago.


I'm a fast learner and with a template or an example of an old exam I can figure out what needs to be done. I can send you my resume if you'd like. Just e-mail me.



Heather


This has never been my experience with MDI.
I've seen several posts like this from MDI MTs over the years about these supposedly fantastic 300+ line counts per hour, and I never believe any of them.  I've been at MDI almost 10 years now working on hospital accounts, and I know better.  The line counts most definitely went down, down, down when Bayscribe came along...No doubt about it. 
my experience - sm
I left Diskriter because it was a nightmare trying to make a paycheck. I've been a Transcriptionist for 12 years so I'm not new to the field. I would have days where I couldn't get up from my computer and days where I was a prisoner in my house waiting for work. Email response was slow. Paychecks were an issue a couple of times. I left and went to Alltype and have been happy ever since.
my experience..
i started with acute care, which to me is harder because of the different work types like h/p, consults, ops, er, etc; it't a little bit of everything and can be overwhelming. by the time you get to clinic notes or multi-special clinic notes, they seem easier and familiar; just a little bit more detailed in each specialty. if you're a go-getter, i would say go for the acute care. but nothing wrong in learning clinics first also; it will get you ready for acute care.

i dont know about everyone else, but i have had more ESL (and junk english-speaking doctors) in acute care, especially if it is a teaching hospital. good luck.
My experience
Have worked for several different companies on Ex-Text. Be careful. If you go to ICHART site to get your line count, it will sometimes be lighter than you expect as it does not post there immediately. If you do a control I to get your line count while in Ex-Text you will see what you get after each report. This figure was always higher than what was on the ICHART site. Some facilities have disabled this feature while working on Ex-Text because people were questioning this discrepancy. Demand to know up front in advance what, if anything, is being deducted and for what reason, and ask where you will get your line count from. You should be able to see immediately what you are getting. In my past experience, when my lines were counted with Control I, they were slightly better than using the MS Word Counter. When I used the ICHART site count, they were lighter. Also, do not work for anyone with Ex-Text who deducts money from your paycheck saying you give back x number of lines per report because they don't get paid for that. That is nonsense. There is 1 company in FL that did this to me in the past, and I WALKED fast. Good luck to you.
Yes! Seems the more experience you have
the more they egg you on, but then don't get back to you. I think they are afraid they may have to pay too much for a good MT, so would rather hire substandard.
Here's my experience. SM

You can only choose employee status if you are in California.  Their accounts are the absolute worst of the worst, and I mean BAD, BAD, BAD.  They don't do direct deposit unless you are an employee and if you want your check sent overnight, they charge you $30.00.   The pay is decent but no bennies.  I don't know where the other poster got all the information but I have two friends who worked for them and I still do and they don't get any of that stuff.  Terrible company, extremely RUDE QA.  Would never recommend this company to anyone.


That has not been my experience with MDI...
Are you sure it is not the other MDI in Maryland, they are not related.
It has been my experience, and I
have a lot that when a company starts cleaning up, emphasis on TAT so that it is all nice and neat and putting out lots of work to appear prosperous,  that they are about to sell.