the downward spiral of MTs
Posted By: old and tired MT on 2007-09-04
In Reply to: the downward spiral of the MT - time to get out
Thank you for this post on all of us hard-working and dedicated MTs who are the backbone for these companies and as you said work harder and longer hours so all of them can make millions. I still live in an apartment, cannot buy a house yet and 30 years ago I started out at 7 cents a line, how sad is it that we are still getting paid 7-12 cents a line, live paycheck to paycheck, are dedicated and hard workers? I want to stay in this business until I retire in a few years, but it is so difficult. I am so tired of promises, running out of work and not being able to make a steady income and no one cares in these companies. It is truly sad indeed.
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the downward spiral of the MT
I apologize for this being long but I have reached the point where I am ready to be finished with medical transcription and this is my catharsis.. I started my journey in this field in the early 1980s, being self taught and working on an IBM typewriter with correction tape. At the time we thought that was the greatest thing we could ever come across. I actually made good money transcribing on the typewriter with my neat little Dictaphone that played cassette tapes ( I even transcribed from the old belts). Then we moved on to computers, I think it was with WP51 and an "expansion" program, wow, how great was that. Then someone that was a little more computer savvy decided to improve the system and then the downward trend started. Put in the demographics so they feed, be they right or wrong, the Transcriptionist will fix them. Then along comes the internet connections and we no longer need the cassettes, the people who have never transcribed decided that was a good deal, overall it is but the quality a lot of times is much worse than the cassettes. While all these wonderful changes are taking place, the MT is still being compensated at a rate pretty similar to what they always have because they can now produce more, thus making more. Then comes the larger companies, who have to have management, middle management, lower management, supervisors, team leaders, trainers, sales managers, sales people, QA managers, QA editors, QA mentors, computer tech supervisors, computer techs, very few who actually work a weekend, all the people in between the MT and the upper management, while the MT continues to generate the income, still making pretty much the same. The MT has to be familiar with all specialties, all report types, the AAMT BOS, Vera Pyle, a continual need to be re-educating ourselves, yet no compensation comes for that. Oh, yes, some companies will pay extra for a CMT, whether you have any real knowledge or not, hire a CMT with 2 years experience or hire a seasoned transcriptionist with 30+ years, who is not a CMT and pay them the same. Then the benefits start to trickle in, which are supposed to be enticing, QA incentive, production incentive, ESL incentive, weekend and shift differential, of course, they are all tied together, if you achieve a good QA score, you have to have the production or you do not get the QA, if you work the weekend or evening, you have to produce a minimum amount of lines to qualify for the incentive, in short, probably at least 50% of the time, there is no incentive earned. But do not make any errors or your pay will be docked by some companies out there. Then comes the lowering of the wages, change from gross line to character line, but don't count spaces, header or footers, remember now, the MT has to do the demographics but we will not pay them for doing that, it is part of their job. Okay, through in some insurance for which the transcriptionist pays the equivalent of 2-3 days pay every 2 weeks for the privilege of having. Have I missed the part where the wages increased? I have over 30 years experience in transcription, I have been a QA editor, an assistant office manager, a trainer, and the majority of the time an MT, which I have always loved, yet when applying for a new position after my last employer of 15+ years, where I was still paid by the gross line and did no demographics, yet paid me very well, went under due to the big company buying them out, I am offered 8 cpl and the company offering it makes it sound like they are doing me a favor by hiring me at 8, when the newbies only get 7, wow, what kind of incentive is that. I have always had a very high QA 99-100 and always produce 275-300 lph but I am only worth 8 cpl. I am sorry if this sounds sarcastic, it is probably what about 90% of the people reading this board feel, I just decided to finally put it in writing so I would feel better and yes it does help to express my anger, disappointment, sadness about the way the MT has gone downhill, yet generating enough income to provide a really nice salary for anyone in the company who is not an MT, the MT generates the income, yet is the lowest paid. The MT does the work but they hire computer techs to set up the program, all the indians (not the kind from India) before you get to the chief to decide what the MT should be paid and yes, all the of them constantly wanting the MT to produce more and work harder, 7 days a week, very few holidays, while very few of the higher ups have to work a holiday. My team leader sent out an e-mail that she expected us to keep the account current and she would be checking in periodically over the holiday weekend to see how things were going. I am really saddened that the MT is so often expected to do everything required yet have very low compensation. I have decided when the company closes its doors, and I do have to move on, it probably is time for me to go elsewhere for a career. I am too old to go back to college but maybe will figure out something were I can make my nominal wage that I now make as an MT. Again, I apologize for this being so long, if it does not get deleted and if you make it this far, I applaud you for reading it all.
Downward Spiral
I applaud YOU for writing this letter, and believe me you are not alone in your thoughts. Not only do we have to know the proper terminology and "catch" the many mistakes the docs make. we are often referred to as secretaries. so that we know our place.
I too am disgusted and discouraged with the way this profession has turned. Just another example of what happens when people get greedy.
Good luck to you.
Downward Spiral
Bravo and thank you "time to get out" for your outstanding post on the downward spiral of the MT. I have been out of the profession for almost two years, having left after massive changes in the national I worked for made life unbearable. I'd almost forgotten those last days of unreasonable demands, horrific dictation, politics, no raises, inexplicable and ever-changing QA rules, running out of dictation, and probably the worst, sitting at my keyboard in tears attempting to decipher the gutteral murmurings of a doc who no one could get... The reason I post: I loved medical transcription. I enjoyed the autonomy of working independently at home. I enjoyed my part-time status. But all that changed about two years ago, but I had somehow forgotten the horror that ensued in its wake. Thank you for your post. Your succinct and heartfelt post reminded me why I left, and perhaps more importantly, why I should not return. Good luck in your future endeavors.
Spiral is probably the word you are looking for. nm
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