Does anyone know how to find out what the nationals are getting paid from the docs? (sm)
Posted By: mtmtmtmtmtmtmtmt on 2009-08-07
In Reply to:
I would LOVE to be able to find out what the doctors are paying these national companies for their work. I have heard so many times, that the transcriptionists have to take a pay cut because of the economy and because of outsourcing. And personally, I do not see how any of us can work for less than what we are getting now.
Is there a way to actually verify what these nationals are charging the docs, maybe calling around and getting quotes is the only thing I can think of. Does anyone have a better idea. I would LOVE to get ACTUAL QUOTES and see how it compares to what we are getting. Any ideas?
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I find that those with experience with any nationals or many nationals
usually are invaluable if they have many years of experience. The more nationals they have worked for, they have been exposed to many dictators and that is a plus! I say send on the resumes if that is the case. I also find that many hospital employees whether it be for 1 year or 10 or more usually are limited in style issues, but not a major disaster.
A good mix. I don't mind ESL docs. I think that some U.S. docs are worse! nm
nm
Are you being paid to find them MQ MTs?
If you are not being paid for 'recruiting', you are quite foolish. Don't let these people make a fool of you.
QA is not paid to find fault.
QA is paid to ensure quality. It is all about patient care and safety, remember?
If and when you find one, be sure do double check yourself that you are being paid for what they
:P
Remember QA is paid to find fault..sm
I've been there and they can be maddening. On top of the nitpicking, if you get more than 1 QA person, they'll be contradicting each other. Do one thing, #1 corrects it, so you do it her way. Along comes #2, and you did it wrong, so you do it #2's way. Don't take it personally and remember THEY'RE PAID TO FIND FAULT WITH YOUR WORK. You know that you know your stuff. If it gets to be too much of a hindrance, I would contact management to let them hear YOUR side of the story; wouldn't count on it, though. In addition, a lot of the QAs get so uppity in their holier-than-thou attitude, some downright rude. Good luck.
REMEMBER-QA IS PAID TO FIND FAULT...SM
15 months?? I would think about 2 weeks should be enough, maybe a bit more if learning a difficult account. (I was on a difficult Oncology account for about 4-5 weeks but that was because the supervisor doubled as the only QA person). But your case is extreme and just another example of MT abuse by management. I would contact my supervisor and give them an ultimatum...you have every right, long overdue. Do you know how this QA is taking food off of your table and how much time she has literally stolen from you??? You could be doing your PAID work instead of the constant, inconsistent feedback back & forth with these egomaniacs, who really need to get off of their high horse.
I have to say I disagree. QA is not paid to find faults with your report. sm
QA is paid to make sure the report is as close to 100% correct before the client sees it. However, I truly agree with you that anyone on QA hold for more than a month is beyond ridiculous. Where I work, I have seen people on hold for more than a month but it was truly because of poor transcription work and has nothing at all to do with the QA people.
You might find a job but you wont get paid for "normals", that is how it works now. nm
xxxx
do you find being paid per the minute pays better than per line pay rate?
Thank you so much for your help!
If getting paid regularly for your hard work is important to you, find another company. nm
t
Could be because all they can get from the docs is 11 cpl....nm
x
ESL docs
Im having a very hard time with all the discussion that I see on the boards regarding ESL doctors -- I have been in this business 20+ years and it takes time to develop an ear to be able to understand ESL doctors -- if you have a friend who is an MT, have her on instant message and ASK what the doctor might be saying -- there have been times too, with her and my experience where she has played her stuck spot back and I heard as clear as a bell what the doctor was saying -- unfortunately, the schools with their training don't do ESL doctors and this is the reason that 99.9% of the companies wont hire without experience - PLEASE resign yourselves that ESL docs are going away unfortunately
with ESL docs, you just never know..sm
You could have great ESL dictators, and at .09/line, you would be paid at least close to what a good Transcriptionist is worth (still not enough as our wages are pitiful now). On the other hand, if you have really terrible ESL dictators, that .09 could easily become comparable to making .05/line if you have to slow down to understand the doctor. With ESL's, you really don't know until after you have made that commitment. However, as a previous MTSO, I would never give one person all of the crappy dictators. Rather, I tried to distribute the work evenly to give everyone a fair shot at a decent line count. Good luck in your decision. Try bargaining. Tell them you feel ESL doctors are worth the extra compensation because often times your hourly production is decreased because they do not dictate proper English sentences, mispronounce words etc, and tell them you believe the work is worth .10/line and you will strongly consider the position.
Docs
who eat, slurp, roll hard candy or lozenges in their mouth, sniffing their nose constantly all while speaking....especially the eating while dictating drives me CRAZY! It is just like having a rude person standing right next to your ear eating smacking his food. GRRRRRRRR
the docs may not NEED it but its sm
not for you to decide. If thats what they want and you do their work, then you do it or you don't work. I don't like it either, but they don't dictate their reports to suit the lifestyle of your or me. I don't understand why people can't see its the profession, you aren't going to change it. you need to get a new profession.
As far as the grocery clerks and weekends, etc. etc. They don't all call in sick and not work. Years ago when some of these supermarket chains were union, they made good money and those people worked their hind ends off, weekends, nights, holidays the whole bit. I know because my hubby is now drawing retirement from one of the chains. Seems to me we have a whole generation of younger folks that don't want to work but like the other poster said, they just want to p*ss and moan!
Did find a Wright Watson Sten-Tel in Austin if their site isn't old. Find 'em with Google. nm
s
Nationals
A lot of people mention how they won't work for nationals and the smaller companies are so much better in their pay and treatment of employees - can anybody name some examples of smaller companies who are better? There are so many out there, a few examples would help. Thanks.
No I don't do nationals.
I have over 15 years of experience on-site and was asked by physicians to work for them from my home office. I have only tried one national, and I did not like the platform. It was VR. I'm a free spirit, I guess. I'm an independent contractor, keyword being independent. I guess once you are your own boss, you pretty much get set in your ways. I don't know. I make great money though, and to me, there is nothing unrealistic about my paychecks. They seem very real to me. They cash at the bank in a realistic fashion. I use the real money that comes from the real physicians that I work for and I transcribe for real patients and I do a REAL good job or else I wouldn't have my real good paycheck. Everything seems pretty realistic to me. 
ONE OF THE BEST NATIONALS!!
Transcend is an excellent company to work for, I have not had a bad experience with anyone there.
50 nationals?
Wowser. You must have a hard time remembering your reasons for resigning. My goodness. That is a large number of companies.
Rotten docs
Dear Doctor:
While I have a great deal of respect for what you do, you aggravate me.
Please, when you are addressing a letter be courteous enough to include the CITY and the STATE, and if you spell something don't spell ROAD for me, because, trust me, I learned how to spell road in the second grade!
Don't make me search for 15 minutes to find something your lazy ### could have read off the chart, because I only made 14 cents to type that letter, and my time and skill is worth more than 60 cents an hour.
And while I am venting, how about you say pheochromatoma, instead of feo, if that is what you mean. Don't be so lazy my job is 100 times harder.
If thats all they can get from the docs, get a different account!! There are more out there
I'm tired of these companies expecting IC work for 8 cpl, have a set schedule and thats even when I'm offering to do ops mainly!! Thats disgusting. I can just as easy do the basic 4, have a set schedule and not have to pay my own social security and taxes! Dont take it!
No ESL docs, no op notes (as far as I know) SM
They are mainly consults, soap notes, some radiology. You use their templates and get paid for headers/footers.
I don't know if everyone makes the same, but I make 8 cpl (55 characters per line) without spaces. I compared it to the normal 65 characters per line with spaces, and it is equivalent to 8 cents per line with spaces. So, not too bad...just average I guess.
But the dictators are really clear and there are a lot of samples. I think the work is pretty easy. I think it makes a really good p.r.n. position.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do. :)
Chickadee
You need to realize that about 80 pc of the docs sm
practicing acute care in this country are ESL. It is what it is.
I like them a lot better than the native English speakers, who slur words, like to play with the language. ESLs learn one way to say it, and they say it that way every time. You just have to get used to it.
TransTech and ESL Docs
Well, you know...ANYONE who wants to continue to be a Transcriptionist had better become proficient in ESL docs. They are here to stay. If you had YOUR own business you would take the accounts to. I can do them. I moan a lot of times when I see a particular doctor's name come up for me to transcribe for, but it's all just part of the job. Like I said, better get used to it as there are more and more foreign doctors every day. I transcribe and I get paid and I don't feel cheated ONE bit.
All the decent docs have
TransTech did a big hiring blitz back in October last year for a new account, but the account almost immediately started going to VR, so the doable dictators left in a hurry!
The jobs that get sifted towards the MT's out of VR machine, thus, are the very difficult dictators that should be warned about their dictation habits.
The ExSpeech (editing platform) is very awkward and time consuming, so it is a catch 22 for the MT's. ExText has a good spell check and is easy platform to learn.
TransTech does not allow the MT's to check/verify our lines in the manner in which, in my opinion, we should be able to do. The CTRL I function does not give even a close line count and our pay stubs do not show it either -- just the word *piecework*. We can go to iChart; however, it does not show an immediate line count nor the jobs or line count per report -- only a total line count for a period of time per TransTech's counting method. It is a lot of trouble to go to iChart to get an immediate line count each time you choose to check your pace. We should be able to do this right from the platform/software that we are working in, IMO.
It seems our lines have been much harder to obtain in the past several months -- I suppose more to the dictators shuffled our way from VR, than anything that Transtech is doing with the line counts. I can't imagine them messing with our line counts in any form or fashion, as some companies have been accused of doing.
VR is the way of the future in order for the companies to be more profitable for themselves, so this is what we have to look forward to -- those of us who remain in the MT profession.
They use their own software. You get docs
s
all those horrible docs got you
Schizophrenic? You're like one of those people who sit in a bus & just starts telling and calling people names with no thought. All bark, no bite.
Number of docs
Are there any companies that assign a certain number of doctors? I have too many to EVER make a good line count.
Docs using PC's instead of charts sm
The younger docs are now carrying laptops into the examining room, no more charts. My husband and I had extensive, large charts (which we earned through serious stuff) and now they have been replaced by the young staff coming in with a laptop, no more charts. I was not brave enough to ask at my last visit but I will this visit, Where are our huge charts? Mine used to make comments about the large chart and too many papers. I wanted to say, Do you ever read any of those reports? Very curt, very non-caring attitude, told me last time had had input all my allergies (which are serious) into his computer. I am really worried as my husband and I have been through a lot. I think they could very easily print a H&P from there if you went into a hospital. Two of my clients used to do open heart surgery and they would ask me to print out a H&P from the chart just before the surgery. Some of those people they had not seen in years. I explained that I would not do that as the patient could have developed an illness since last seen. You gotta thank computers for replacing us. Between outsourcing and electronic medical record, we are becoming distinct as the dinosaur. Just IMHO from this area anyway.
When I was inhouse the rad docs liked it
And at that hospital those same docs were pushing for VR. Most of 'em liked to goof off for hours wandering the halls telling jokes, then wanted to read like mad when our MT staff was down to a couple night people, and whine that we didn't get it all typed for them to sign off before they went home. So I think its fitting its going to bite them in the butt.
assigned docs
On my account, I have one doc that I am assigned to. My main priority is his work for that day. If other MTs are out or busy, I can be asked to help them out. It is hit or miss. Last week I did 10,000 lines (my hands were killing me) just helping out for the MTs on vacation.
The other account I work on is a pool, so I go there when I am done with my assigned work. This week, my doc is out and I am only working in the pool. It is backed up and getting further behind, and it is mostly very short jobs (20 seconds), so I much prefer my other account.
I understand there are some new docs coming on, so hopefully this will pick up.
I love having a few assigned docs since I get to know their style and makes my job much easier.
Trying to find info on Encompass on this board, can't find any recent. sm
Anyone have any current info. Any employees out there? Give me the low-down if you can! Thanks a million.
11 cpl--Nationals exist!!
Check with MDI in Gaithersburg, MD. If you are absolutely top-notch, they will pay you 11 cpl and you work 2 weekend days per month. You have until 11 PM to complete your lines (at least 1000 for full time and that may have changed) each day, after that, it is a "new day." You certainly can work from 11:01 to 7:00 AM but you don't have to. They are lovely people to work for. Pay is always on time--direct deposit. You would be a statutory employee.
I IC for two nationals, neither of which care that I sm
work for another--nothing to the contrary is stated in the contract. Thank you, though, for having the integrity to ask.
I work for 2 nationals and one knows
that I work for the other. I asked them when they were hiring me if it would be a conflict of interest and they said no. Only my team leader at my main job knows I work for the second job. The only problem I have is some days I get their programs mixed up. I'm constantly hitting control S to spellcheck and send the chart when it's F7 at the other job.
Really? It's the same as most nationals offer. sm
Considering I'm just a 3-1/2-year MT I thought it was good pay. 
Maybe I'm letting myself go too cheap?
Most nationals are going to have a lot of ESLs. sm
I was told by one MTSO owner that they needed American MTs to do that kind of stuff overseas because they couldn't ship that stuff out and expect any kind of quality in return. So as long as there are crappy ESL dictators, they will need American MTs.
I think it is funny that even their own people can't transcribe that stuff.
There are several big nationals in Florida with
hundreds of MTs. There is not just one company in FL with hundreds of MTs
Yep. Which is exactly why I'm giving up on nationals.
nm
been with 2 large nationals; will never do that again.
Much better with the smaller companies.
Nationals pay by the line, if you are an IC there is no OT - sm
You want more money, you work more basically. I don't know of any companie that pay hourly, it is all by the line, and incentive pay can up your salary. Some companies are better than others in terms of dictators and it is hit and miss until you find a good fit for yourself and your goals.
Largest Nationals?
What would you say the top 5 largest national companies are? Thanks!!
I prefer nationals. SM
I have worked years in hospital settings. It does have its advantages. Here's what I see the pros/cons are:
Inhouse Pros:
-- When you are done for the day, you're done!
-- You are not faced with family/friend disruption (see cons, too)
-- Company provides everything
-- Socializing is easy
-- Provides a change of environment
-- You have immediate access to assistance on all levels
-- HR and Payroll are usually in the same bldg and you can go down directly to them
-- Mgmt is readily available
-- You can usually view the entire workload and see how it is being distributed or balanced and have more input
-- Workload is limited to your employer's work only
Cons:
-- If you get too close to coworkers, they become intrustive on your work
-- If you don't share coworkers' perspectives, you can be given quite a cold shoulder treatment
-- You have to conform to a dress code usually
-- You have to leave the house in bad weather, park - sometimes walk a ways or even pay fo parking, etc.
-- Usually much more structured work and break times that are not too flexible
-- Usually paid hourly..sometimes with incentive plans. If you are really fast, probably not a good setup for you.
Love Nationals:
-- Work from home
-- Co provides equipment
-- Plenty of work and varieties of work
-- Paid on production -- great producers do very well
-- No worries about coworkers and social settings (getting along with annoying workers, etc.)
Yeah, those nationals are going away... NOT. SM
Hospitals and clinics outsource because they get sick of MTs saying Oh I won't work those days or that shift or something else. There are some good nationals and some bad nationals; don't lump 'em all into one.
Raiss with nationals
Anybody ever get a raise with a national company?.....seems like .08 cents forever
Nationals/Companies
I see a lot of griping/complaining/bashing regarding various companies on this board and quite frankly in 30 years of doing this, I have worked for most of them. I read complaints about ESL docs etc and quite frankly, I blame it on our educational system. When I was in school, I learned how to spell phonetically, therefore if a word had an f sound to it, I was taught that MAYBE that word could be spelled beginning with ph.
I didn't go to school to learn MT, I learned it on the job in a hospital with dictation tanks and an IBM Selectric typewriter. Right now, corporate America is going through a hard time, but yet I see MTs on here griping about the fact that they didn't get anything for Thanksgiving/Christmas/MTWeek -- well got news -- even corporate America isn't doing that any more and if they are, the companies are few and far between.
I get soooooooo tired of seeing posts to the effect of well, I only want to work M-F or what is acute care? GEEZ -- give me a break!!!! There are many companies, i.e., Sprint, Verizon, and others who offer 24/7 tech support/customer service, but I sure the heck don't hear them complaining. We are a nation now where MASSIVE corportate layoffs are going on and we are headed for a recession/depression. I would suggest that you quit complaining and posting negativity and be thankful that you have a job, no matter what.
Off the soapbox for now
I have worked for 6 nationals
one who could not keep enough MTs to carry the workload - forcing them to call EVERY SINGLE DAY I WAS OFF. I stopped answering the phone and found greener pastures where I may get called very occasionally but not EVERY off day.
Sick of nationals
Do not rule out larger private practices. I worked acute care for 13 years and then was outsourced. Then I spent 1 1/2 years messing around with Nationals and then found a position with a large orthopedic practice, 50+ docs. Very good benefits and I do work from home, though working from home was not an issue for me. With experience, these jobs are out there but you have to be willing to jump on them when they come up. Good luck.
Most nationals don't hire IC
Global Solution will not hire ICs. They called me to talk about a job but when I said I would not go employee that was the end of the conversation. I have turned down a few good jobs because one, they wanted me to be an employee or two, they wanted me to be an IC but treat me like an employee. It has sucked out there.
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