impact room calls me

is the impact room still around? [2008-08-15]
are schedules still being watched. Just wondering since another post said in an email to be sure to work complete schedules.

Who would we impact? MQ foreign CEO will honor unions? [2008-08-06]
Or will he staff ex-union jobs with Indian workers who will work for half of what American union workers will work for?

Impact Room [2008-08-04]
I was told by the Impact Room that they go by the phone number on your MQ contact info that you fill out on MQ Central. They said to go in and change the number to your cell and that's the one they will call.

The Impact Room has called me Fri/Sat/Sun [2008-08-03]
mornings now. What gives? No, I will not work this weekend. I have other things to do. No, I will not swim in the cesspool, thank you. Unless.......no cesspool? Is everyone else giving up too? I find it hard to believe they need to keep asking for help even though it's 3 cpl bonus weekend. Maybe we've just all learned our lesson before that bonus weekend = no work and/or work that is less than desireable.

Impact Calls [2008-08-03]
What I do not know is, is this bonus count for ONLY the four days. You have to type your minimum lines figured out by the powers that be and then you get the bonus, Right? Like I need say 3600 for 4 days and then what I type OVER that is what I get the .03 bonus on, right?

Impact Center Call [2008-08-03]
Ok, maybe someone can tell me how to do this. I have REPEATEDLY asked the Impact Center to call my cell phone as it is always next to me. When I work I put the house phone on automatic pick up so I don't have to be bothered. Anyway I have asked and asked the Impact Center to use my cell phone if they want anything and they keep calling the house phone. I, like so many others, am in need of extra money (or just money to survive) so I try to help out, but I'm getting to the point where I am going to play I'm not home and not answer any of the calls they make to my house. How can I get them to call my cell and NOT my house? Any ideas?

Idea for Impact Center [2008-08-03]
When they call me they're always very nice.It sounds that way on your end, too. It's always the same lady. At one point she asked me to verify my schedule, as she didn't know I had changed it. She then said she would make a note to not call outside those hours (actually after midnight). I've seen where the IR called at other times, so it's likely someone else. My suggestion to you is to ask for the name(s) of the person. It seems to me from my experience that making it a 2-way conversation amongst yourselves, you'll establish a good rapport. It's just a suggestion. You could also ask her why they haven't called you as you asked. No doubt they'll be calling you again, but I suppose if you wanted to initiate the call when you're in the mood, the 800# may be able to connect you. While I don't know for sure, my guess is that they're housed in the same location (or certainly near by). Hope this helps.

That is no doubt, from experience with our operating room, SM [2008-07-29]
when they are cleaning up for the day usually.It is no doubt thetrays of instruments, etc putting them in and out of the autoclave to sterilize. Seems every account has this background OR noise and understandably so. I used to stand and talk to some of the team at the end of the work day and saw them doing this. Can be very loud!

Anyone not answer Impact Center calls? sm [2008-07-28]
They call everytime I turn around!! When I'm working and when I'm not! My days off, vacation,I can't stand it!

Impact Room [2008-07-20]
Yep, I was called Saturday morning, while I was working! I used to jump on anytime they called but we have been really behind for the past 2 weeks. I have been offering to work extra all week since I have an illness in my immediate family and have to travel a few hours to get to the hospital and can only do that on the weekends. That means weekend overtime is not possible. Every day I have been told OT was not authorized and only PT MTs could work 'extra' (poor things, I bet they get called daily). Anyway, my PS called me at 4:00 p.m. on Friday and said 'Thanks for offering extra hours. How many can you put in this weekend?' I realize she can only authorize OT when she gets gets permission, but the need for OT has been obvious for a couple of weeks now (greater than 100 late reports daily). I certainly don't mind helping out, but it has to be a 2-way street.

Impact room busy this weekend. I have received 2 calls in 48 hours. [2008-07-19]
Anybody else getting Impact Room calls for help?

Well this whiner will not vote for a person whose advisor calls the American people whiners. [2008-07-16]
Especially after gas prices and cost of living are running way ahead of our paychecks and our work is outsourced. Keep that in mind when you cast your vote in November.

My PS only gives backlog updates and never responds to e-mails or calls. [2008-07-14]
nm

Chat room [2008-07-13]
I am new to MTStars - can anyone tell me how to get into the chat room as I always get an error message, can't find a place to register or sign in. Thanks for your help.

Chat room [2008-07-13]
Thanks. I'm still working on how to use any part of MTStars and your response helps. Hope they get it up and running as I work early a.m. hours when no one is available to call and I'm sure there are others in this situation - or maybe don't want to call work, just talk to another transciptionist.

Haven't heard from them yet, but Impact Center called today (sm) [2008-07-12]
to see if I could pitch in and work a little. When I told her my last day had been the 4th she said in a quiet voice lucky. I hung up and realized I was exactly that. So far the new company is giving me a peaceful and profitable way of life. If that stops, I will simply look for another place. Never again will I let my place of employment make me feel so pinned down and anxious. If it works for you, great. If not, there are many other opportunities out there. Good luck to us all.

Impact Room [2008-07-08]
Not long ago they called me as I was finishing my last report in the wee hours. I told the lady on the phone that I was done (but I did help her out that time). She was very nice, but she also said she'd take me off the call list. I don't know the reason, or if it actually happened, as I saw a call from Atlanta on my phone yesterday. Don't some of the calls come from there, too? I did a number search on one before from Atlanta and it traced back to MQ. This one was too hard to tell. Other than that call yesterday, they don't appear to be calling (at least overall). Maybe this would work for y'all, too?

How long before Support calls you back [2008-07-05]
to release you with no work?

Impact Center [2008-06-30]
I keep wondering if none of us answered the phone or declined to work whenthe impact center calls, that we would see more of our primaries and less of this other crap that we are throw into. Ever since the impact center entered the picture, it seems the situation has declined. You just think it can't worse and it does. Any thoughts out there about this.

Impact Room Parasites! [2008-06-30]
The time that Impact Room employees use to call MTs is nothing but parasitic! They are sucking on the cash flow without any REAL impact on TAT! I work every schedule on time, every day, so there is no need for me to even answer the phone!

Impact Room [2008-06-30]
I got called right at midnight re a job that was at TAT. I told her I finish at midnight.I also told her I can't get mad at her, as she's just doing her job, and jobs are hard to find. The ones to get mad at are the suits, not the Impact Room. And, yes, MQ needs to ditch the IR. That's just $ out of our pockets!

Impact Room [2008-06-26]
Not sure, but I think they are from Tech Support - at least that's the phone number that displays on my caller ID whenever I've been called by these wonderfully productive and usefull folks. (Sarcasim intended).

Impact Room Question [2008-06-25]
Who are the people that actually work the Impact Room? Are the MQ employees or is this a service subcontracted out to another company? Thanks.

I just got a call from the impact center asking [2008-06-23]
and why I'm not working! I punched in 3 minutes late and they already called. I punched out 7 minutes late yesterday so I thought I would wait today for a few minutes. I told him that I AM PUNCHED IN AND WORKING! He said, Oh I see you are. Well then why do these people call if they can see we are online? I don't know why but this really pissed me off today. Now I don't feel like working at all! Thank the maker that this Sunday is my last freaking day with this train wreck of a piss-poor excuse for a company! Now I have vented sufficiently to at least look at my next report....___holes!

Don't blame you - 3 minutes late. Can't we get rid of Impact Center and (sm) [2008-06-23]
spread that money out among those actually doing the work. It is like having a paid babysitter watching over us to make sure we behave. Hope the rest of your day goes better.

The poster is trying to say basically that they [2008-08-19]
Yes, it used to be easy to do, but any QA who is being careful should not have it happen very often. Especially since it is a horrible negative feedback and message which really hurts the innocent MTs, its no excuse anymore. Slow down and be careful, as its a careless mistake for QA to make. While it might not impact the patient record itself, it obviously can crush the spirit of the MT, at least for the day they receive the wrong feedback. Also, its a sign that QA is being careless. If you can hit that key wrong, who knows what else could be wrong. Just a reminder to slow down and be careful, MT feedback included. Why hurt someone for no reason? Encourage, don't crush.

Time to go! I did. I was tired of drowning. sm [2008-08-17]
I finally got fed up enough, went to MTJobs.com, applied at 10 places, got 8 replies, picked the best company that suited my needs and finally climbed out of the cesspool. I started on my new job today. New platform and only 1 day of training and 20 reports to QA and I was released. I made almost twice as many lines on my first day than I would have with MQ because the platform is fantastic andthe voice recognition is a walk in the park. People answer when you email them too! I actually got a call from the MQimpact center this afternoon and I was like, I'm sorry, but I quit and my last day was Friday. They didn't even know. Go for it!

Ran out of work. We are to complete our work schedules, but [2008-08-15]
I am out of work right now after being in the cesspool this morning. For the lastweek,Impact would call every day begging for me towork and allowing OT pay, but now, NO WORK.I am to make up the time for no work too.

Ran out of work. We are to complete our work schedules, but [2008-08-15]
I am out of work right now after being in the cesspool this morning. For the lastweek,Impact would call every day begging for me towork and allowing OT pay, but now, NO WORK.I am to make up the time for no work too.

Canned versus Real [2008-08-15]
It's obvious some of the e-mails are canned to send out to everyone, then others are real time e-mails from the PS. Kinda like the Impact Center calls about being backed up with work, then after you get on the system, you see that everything is caught up. You never really know the true situation.

Uh..No offense to Poorchick..but your [2008-08-15]
are coming from some cramped back room in Nigeria..like the unsolicited emails asking for help in cashing a foreign check. English is clearly your second or third language. Not sure what your goal or game is..or what you expect to find here..but move on

I wonder if the "suits" and other [2008-08-14]
management are working every single minute they are punched in They get hourly pay or are on salary and I have been worked in offices and hospitals for many, many years and would bet the farm that they sit around and gab, go to the bathroom, make phone calls, go on business lunches for hours at a time, and whatever and still get paid, yet they are afraid that we might not be working every minute of every shift. The reason for the panic with making us work is because we bring in the money. Without the MTs there is no MQ no matter what they say because bottom line is patient reports are what pay the bills for MQ....I will also give a year of my salary that they never, ever make up time if they aren't strictly working their hours...JMHO...

Not that matters, but here's what I'd do [2008-08-13]
I'd clock out for everything- bathroom, phone calls, even to yawn. The more you clock out, the more work your PS has checking your etime cards. Maybe if enough PS's get tired of the crap, they'll stand up for the MTs.

Me too! I feel your pain. I have until Friday. sm [2008-08-10]
I finally got the heck out after 4 years. The impact center called me twice this weekend for extra help on my primary. Mayday! Emails from my supervisor all weekend long. I go on my regular shift today andin the last hour, my primary is gone andI gotsome account I've never heard of before, doing notes from June, with horrid dictators, lots of static and absolutely no information in the client profile. I made about $5.00 an hour for the last hour of my shift and that is just one of the many reasons why I'm leaving.

Unions have been discussed and rediscussed in [2008-08-06]
the past to no avail. What makes you think anything will change this time? The problem is that everyone is waiting for someone else to do it first. You get the union thing going, and then everyone else will ride your coattails. No one wants to do the dirty work themselves, however. Their also afraid that if they take a stand, without any backup, they might lose their job for being the lone wolf. Now if all 6000, or so, of the MTs would take a stand, that would have impact.

It has always been about the clients and not employees. [2008-08-05]
Even the caller from Impact Center stated this. That is why us MT's need to do something. We need to take a stand just like Dinosaur states in her post below, This is important, take a stand.I am for the clients, but treat us employees fairly and not decrease our wages. Okay. You are a patient and you go to a private doctor's office. This is the best doctor in the city, but his office staff is horrible. The staff is rude, cannot keep appointments straight, keep you waiting too long, billing not done properly, etc. You will probably leave and go see another doctor. I was always told, even in school, you make the employees happy by treating them with respect, good pay, as they are the ground workers and keep the company running smoothly and basically make the higher ups look good. We are not treated that way. We are all not on the same page. Some get raiseseach yearand some take 10 yearsto get a raise. Some have primaries and somegetcesspool. By the way, did it or did it not state in MQ letterabout: I transcribing the work for (insert your primary account)or I transcribe the work (insert your accounts) for ateachinginstitution. Doeshe not know about the cesspool?We need to take a stand as Dinosaur posts below.

QA correction? [2008-08-05]
I just reviewed a report from QA. Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I was always taught that department names (radiology, cardiology, emergency room, etc.,) were not capitalized unless they were proper names (First Street Cardiology, Any Hospital Emergency Room, etc.). QA changed every reference to a service to be capitalized, like the patient was referred to the Endocrine service. Is this correct? I want to find out before I send it in for review. Thanks.

I won't support it either....sm [2008-08-05]
I understand why this doesn't seem to be as much of a moral dilemma for everyone besides the MT at MQ. No other position in this company generates an income for the company... unless I'm mistaken, then please someone, enlighten me. Clients don't pay for anything but the lines MQ produces for them, and those lines are produced by the MT... not the CEO, not the client reps, not the sales people, etc. Granted, all those positions are needed, but the MTs are needed worse because if you have no MTs, you can't provide service to a client, period. If I was being paid by the hour like QA, QKL, PS, on up the ladder, I too would think - no big deal who owns us, I'm not lining their pockets, they're lining mine... as long as I'm still getting a paycheck, no problem. Well, as for me... Every keystroke I make beginning tomorrow puts money in a company from a country that I do not wish to associate or do business with. I know Phillips was a foreign company also, but they were not trying to destroy the American MT industry, they were trying to better our technology and helping to create a better US transcription base -- big difference here. I am supposed to have a few more days to work before my notice date, but I'm not sure I can give one keystroke. Like MC said in his letter to all of us -- there are 1500 transcription companies competing in this market in the US. I think there will be room for all of us out there, especially when the clients leave... they have to go somewhere. I'm glad I found my new home already. Sure, it's a little less money per line, but the work is terrific and I can actually make more... and with a lot less stress. To all my MQ MT friends --- The writing really is on the wall now... on the walls of the London stock exchange as of 8:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Admission that Indian MTs are low quality, [2008-08-05]
they cannot guarantee security breaches of US records, and even a mention of negative impact of unions. Where are you, Dinosaur?

Michael Moore [2008-08-05]
I wonder if Michael Moore as room on his agenda to fight for us -- that guy can really bring out the truth and shames the jerks to death!

Impact Room [2008-08-04]
I was told by the Impact Room that they go by the phone number on your MQ contact info that you fill out on MQ Central. They said to go in and change the number to your cell and that's the one they will call.

transfer [2008-08-04]
your land line calls to your cell phone

Impact Center Call [2008-08-03]
Ok, maybe someone can tell me how to do this. I have REPEATEDLY asked the Impact Center to call my cell phone as it is always next to me. When I work I put the house phone on automatic pick up so I don't have to be bothered. Anyway I have asked and asked the Impact Center to use my cell phone if they want anything and they keep calling the house phone. I, like so many others, am in need of extra money (or just money to survive) so I try to help out, but I'm getting to the point where I am going to play I'm not home and not answer any of the calls they make to my house. How can I get them to call my cell and NOT my house? Any ideas?

tell your PS [2008-08-03]
I had the same problem when my schedule changed. I worked out a new schedule with my PS but the impact center was calling me telling me I should be online working at all the wrong times. No matter how many times I told them my new schedule they kept calling. Finally a very nice woman from the Impact center who called one day said they can only go by the info the PS gives them; they can't make any changes in the contact info directly from the transcriptionist. Maybe it's because they're reading their contact info off of a computer screen that only the PS has access to? Anyway, it worked for me. Emailed my PS about the problem and it never happened again.

Here's what I don't understand about the computer... [2008-07-30]
I have one lone computer and it belongs to MQ, I've had it for about two years now. It's the only computer I own because I wouldn't even have ROOM for another computer if I wanted it! I live in a tiny, tiny house and type on a corner kitchen table. We push it out of the way to eat every evening. I don't know where else I would set up a computer even if I wanted to! So are you saying I now can't check my email, play solitaire when I need a break from the kids (the only break I get by the way), and check my bank balance? Does this mean I have to drive to the library every day to check my personal email? The library is 7 miles away, meaning that's going to be a lot of gas.. Sigh........ Do you think they'll know if we're checking our private email or playing solitaire on the computer? Or Pogo? Sad tonight..........

Your theory in part is correct. We are an asset until we can be replaced. [2008-07-29]
Lots of India MTs just waiting for the job cheaper than we can afford to do it. The way they lose us is to lower our wages AGAIN and force us to quit making room for the workers offshore. It will be gradual but it will happen in time. Why would a guy from India who bought controlling interest in MQ want to pay American workers more than he would have to pay Indian workers. Obviously he is not stupid and obviously he is in business to make money. That means hiring cheaper labor. Watch MQ drop line rates on ASR again. Who of us can afford to stay?

My answer... [2008-07-28]
Yes... Sometimes, I do not answer the phone. I have my kids with me when I am not working and many times have activities planned. So, I spare myself answering the phone. But I really try to balance that out. Right now, on my accounts, we are backed up on weekend work and I usually try to find a couple of hours here and there when I can to help out. My supervisor is great and worth helping out. Plus, I get a few more bucks. And I have been know to just tell the Impact Center directly that I just can't work extra that day. If I am nice to them, they have been nice back. Unfortunately for them, they are doing what their job description states. For me, ifI have balanced work and life, then I just don't feel guilty about it. Others have some concerns about the Impact Center/MQ/supervisors and therefore feel differently than I do. Gotta go, there's the phone.

Caught red-handed [2008-07-28]
I had a report early in my shift that ended rather abruptly. It was really close to the end...as in closure of the wound (OP note)...so I didn't check the box for QA to signal an incomplete report. Like I said, DP was almost done...maybe the only thing left to add was patient was transported to the recovery room, etc. At any rate, there was a lot of background noise and during the whole OP dictation the DP was talking back and forth between the personnel. (all of this captured on ASR of course. yeoww!) And, the very last thing the DP said was what are ya'll doing back there...which naturally was not part of the patient record. Later on during the shift, I get the same DP doing the exact same report, indicating that he is redictating because the previous dictation was LOST. Hah! Like I've said before many times, I honestly do not see how doctors can dictate and think lucidly with all that background noise, but I also wonder how many LOST reports have been attributed to the company and/or the MT because of their own distractions?? Now, both of those reports are going to have my initials on them...but hey, I just transcribe what comes through the tubes.. I figure the hospital is going to get billed for both of them anyway..so didn't see a need to hold that report up in QA to mark for a redundant report. All that stuff he said at the beginning about it being a redictation is going to be in there anyway (under skipped)...isn't it? Just wondering if anybody else has ever run across this.

Funny - about your friend still having MQ computer [2008-07-28]
I quit at the end of April and still have the MQ computer. I like using it better than mine cuz they gave me 1 of the nice flat screen monitors. I got my first set of shipping labels in June (2 months after I quit) to send it back. Then a couple of weeks ago, MQ calls me to tell me they haven't received my computer yet and where is it? I told them I didn't get the shipping labels and to resend them. It's now the end of July and I have no intention of sending this thing back until the end of summer. It's too hard with the kids home from school for everyone to get *computer time* with only 1 computer. So I figure MQ can have this thing back when I'm ready to send it - when school starts back up!

Yep, I left, wouldn't go back unless they doubled my pay [2008-07-27]
And also got rid of the cesspool, strict schedule, impact room, cheating me out of my bonuses, and everything else that was making me depressed and hate my job.Making almost double a week what I was making at MQ with my new job, with higher pay, better incentive, better platform, and one account. MQ offered me more money to come back, still couldn't come close to competing with where I'm at.