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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

I'm thinking............Time to change careers.

Posted By: Wow... on 2008-09-14
In Reply to: Glad YOU can pay bills. The rest of us..SM - Bayou MT

Why do people struggle so hard until they are so miserable that they live, sleep, and breath misery. You are right though about struggling, it's never going to change so I am taking classes to get my coding degree. I am choosing NOT to be miserable anymore.


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While I'm thinking that a change in ownership

is very possible, I don't think offshoring is a positive sign for a stable company.  TAT is dictated by the account and even though on my account TAT is constantly out of TAT you can only let it slide for so long before the account starts screaming.   We are probably getting more work because the hospital also has MTs on staff and some of them are off for the holidays.  I do think it unrealistic for an account that gives you overflow to expect you to handle a significant amount of extra work and still keep in TAT.


 


 


No PTO for part-time. Not sure if you can work part-time or not since recent rule change. sm
You do pay a deposit for their equipment.
Time change info......sm
Go to Microsoft.com and look for patch for time zone edit...easy to find..should be on the top. Download and you'll be fine.
Okay. Flex your time. Change your schedule if necessary. sm
If you have been in this business any length of time, you should know how work volumes fluctuate, especially around the holidays. 
I took the plunge too ... definitely time for a change. Thanks to all for the input. nm

all the time. Can change it to be played on Express
x
Thinking of going part-time myself - sm
What kind of schedule will you be on as part-time?
You fill out a time sheet. If you need to make a change sm
to your schedule, you just email them.  They seem pretty flexible about everything.

Hope this helps.


Time change is earlier this year so computer
probably will not ask you to change now, may ask you  at the usual time. 
EX-MQer maybe its time to make a change in your name and get on with your life
Have a wonderful evening
Definitely harder and I've given it a lot of time. I'm thinking about
nm
When is an SE allowed to change to employee (full-time) status?

Is it 11/01/2005 ?????


Thanks so much for informing us who have not received the packet as of yet.


Weren't they at one time OmniMed? If so, they were terrible then! Leopards do not change their
x
companies change all the time - her info is old, she said. (sm/small message)
A turnover in managers,QA, leads, even recruiters can make an impact and happens all the time, so you never know; old info - grain of salt. newer info more reliable and needs to be found while considering.


Yes I thought it sounded nice. Just hard to change but it is time. Always a little bit of anxiety
about another company and leaving what you know and sort of starting over but sometimes it is time. You know, the fat lady sang.
Nope, more like a matter of time before we're all working for chump change.
x
Your puter should ask you Sun. morning about making the time change. Just follow the 'custom'
s
Is Keystrokes a big company or small? I am thinking of applying. Time to leave the Q. nm
The sad thing is that I do not even think they would notice if I left. I am a high producer but not very vocal and they seem to have forgotten about me :(
Under careers.
x
just noticed their add on careers
I guess they have lowered the pay again.  Now they are hiring in at .075 cpl.  Gee, that much?
Changing careers
I was a Transcriptionist for 11 years and going through the same thing - less pay and terrible accounts.  Changed companies a lot, but it was always the same - little or no work.  Finally I had a friend of mine who is a doctor (has her own family practice) tell me that she hired a company out of India to do her work for 7cpl with 24 hour TAT and they would incorporate it into her computer system.  This was the last straw for me and I got out.  I found a job transcribing and captioning videos for the deaf and hearing impaired students at a local university.  I also take classes with a couple of these students and take notes.  There are other things out there - I am happier than I have been in years!
There are a lot worse careers.

At this time, I would not advise anyone to become an MT.  There is no security at all, but until a few years ago it was a great career choice.  I have done this for 23 years, have always had a husband that could support his family, have never needed the insurance so can be an IC, and have all the flexibility that goes along with it.  Those who are trying to raise a family, I understand all the problems that you are having.  Maybe it is time to look at another career choice and go in another direction.  All the energy put on these boards complaining about MTing could be directed towards a new career.


NEW CAREERS OR HOBBIES?

Well, I'm not sure whether this is a new career, or maybe it's a hobby, but I've recently started making stuff to sell at an online auction.  I already have a stash of fabric, so I thought I would put it to use.  Also, I've joined 3 companies that promote holistic pet products and/or nutritional products for people as well.  I've been a discount customer for one of these companies for a few years now, but I've decided to take my involvement to the next level.  I've always had an interest in nutrition and did manage to figure out, finally, how to lose weight at my old age and subsequently get cured of diabetes, while actually, for the first time in my life, thinking outside of the traditional medical box.  While I truly enjoy most of what I do with medical transcription, I realize that medical transcription may become the part-time hobby, while these other pursuits may become my full-time business.   Wish me luck..


Scoping Careers International

Is anyone familiar with a company called Scoping Careers International?  I came across this on mtjobs.com and it says you will edit legal documents?  Wondering if it is legit???


You'd be surprised. You can switch careers.
No longer doing MT and loving it!
MQ is where many of us started our careers so many moons ago.
a
You said it! Women defined careers just don't pay
no respect.....men would never put up with the crap we do
Actually, a lot of careers have had wage cuts
Anything that can be offshored to India for under a penny on the dollar has seen their wages cut. Do we remember what happened not too long ago to all the software engineers that used to make really good money? They're probably making half of what they made 10 years ago. The few customer support people that remain stateside probably make at least $2 an hour less than they made 10 years ago. Heck, even the radiologists that used to make great night, weekend, and holiday pay took a beating when they discovered they could offshore that, too.

So the pain is spread around, but it doesn't make it less painful. They have to find a way to bring American jobs back to America. It doesn't do much good for the so-called global workforce to lower the price of a plasma TV if I can't even afford to buy Wonder Bread.
All through this century careers have been phased out...

...due to technological advances.  This is happening at an exponential rate - especially during the last decade.  We're on the cusp of this business being obsolete.  Maybe obsolete is a bit dramatic.  It will definitely morph into a different business model. 


Eventually it will take just a handful people to do the work that it once took scores of people to accomplish.  Look at front end VR.  Many docs are utilizing this right now, with no need for an MT/editor.  EMR is vying to eliminate narrative dictation/transcription.  We're at the top of a slippery slope. 


 


Not on thing on their website about employees, careers, etc. nm
s
sorry about the typo... shoulda been careers... sheesh... NM
x
At first I was thinking that you were being unrealistic, not thinking about taxes, benefits, etc. bu
surprised to find that you are not asking the moon. Let me clarify a few things: Rates charged are not as high as 0.25 per line, but no one that has U.S. employees goes as low as 0.115 or they would not be able to pay their bills. A more realistic range is 0.125-0.165, and that top end is hard to find, most falling at 0.14-0.15 per line.

The rates of pay you propose are very reasonable IF the following is true: These are seasoned MTs who do not need a lot of hand-holding, QA or blanks filled in, unless a very difficult/impossible doctor.

How about a scale based on experience and accuracy of 0.09 - 0.105 per line (acute care), and $1.15-$1.30 per report (radiology)?

The VR one is tough as everyone, MTs and MTSOs and facilities are still feeling their way on this. As an MTSO who was an MT, I feel that VR editing is as difficult to do as regular transcription. I don't think that it should be substantially less pay or charged less as the end product is still the same.

Funny thing here? My company already follows that scale. We should work together, not at odds, to reinforce this industry and bring it back to where it should be, right here in the U.S.A. with a decent paycheck.
I looked facility up on line - checked careers and found they had a current opening for MT there. (
That pretty much told me they did have inhouse. It was an MT position for acute care, not just one of the ancillary departments.


Nothing will change unless we make it change..SM
As long as we accept the exploitation that this MT profession has reduced us to, it will keep going on.  The top of this is the outsourcing.... well, get your legislators involved....better yet, the MEDIA.  How many patients know their private medical information is being outsourced to halfway around the world? The squeeky wheel gets the grease.  Do the patients know that their info won't be sold by some unscrupulous MT (halfway around the globe) to insurance companies, etc., making all this Medical records privacy a joke. It's not just our T-shirts being made in other countries; it's our most personal, private medical information, of which the public is not being made aware of.  Not to speak of undercutting out profession to the bare bone.  Granted, most US MTs are willing to work below market wage just to have a job, especially in economically-deprived areas, where outside jobs are scarce, and kids need to be fed and mortgages need to be paid.  MTSOs know this.  I'll bet they'll be the first to lobby against any action against outsourcing.  (Wouldn't you be...if you got people to work for pennies while you're raking in the big $$$'s ?  Still, notwithstanding the outsourcing problem, we're still going along with all the BS...working for pennies, whatever the client wants, he gets... ever notice how all of the MTSO flak seems to be re. unpaid work...mostly, demographic issues we're not even paid for... bec. It has to be done.. Part of the job... The client put the wrong info but we have to correct it...all unpaid work.  Just give me a job with nothing but straight transcription, w/o the unpaid/demo. flak..I'll take it even at the present, absurd pennies-per-line state of the profession.
MQ BIG CHANGE?
I just love these posters..gonna be a big change..well, what?  Dont post something like that and not explain.  It only causes anxiety and speculation in an already scarey field, with outsourcing, etc.  Big change, well, come on now..what is gonna be the big change and where did you get your information from?
Well, then maybe that should change.
Maybe they, too, should be paid based on what they produce, with a little bonus if the person stays a year.
Sometimes you just get in a rut and need a change. Sometimes you just
get burn-out in general and think it is the company/account.  I've left a position before because I thought the grass was greener, but it wasn't.  Had to learn new platform, new software program, new dictators with various new accents to figure out, new way to count lines, etc.   Even if the pay was a bit better I still figured I lost money and the grass wasn't greener.   No company is perfect, but there are some very good companies out there, but there can still be intermittent issues with any company.  Sometimes talking with management might resolve issues, sometimes taking a break will refresh you and make you see things in a different light.  List pros/cons of present account and compare that what a different company has to offer.  You may realize you are better off where you are and if not you can feel comfortable that you're making a change that really will be better for you.   If you do decide to leave current account just don't burn any bridges so you leave with the possibility of being able to return if new account/company doesn't work out. 
No. Currently, you can use your own. That may change
nm
I think so...I am not one for change tho....but there

To change
the subject somewhat.  Gastric bypass and lap banding scare me to death!  I personally know of five people who underwent the procedures, and all had complications, one being death.  They all had excellent surgeons, one being my surgeon.  Everyone responds differently I know, and that is the problem.  It is too much of a gamble for me.
change
Are we all in the same boat?  I work for the largest national in the country and am hoping to hear about another position with another company tomorrow or Wednesday.  Many of us have been MTs for years and make less now than then we started.  We get thrown into the national cesspool and may get 20 different states in 20 different reports.  Impossible to make a good line count this way.  I'm slow to change and always fearful, but I'm really at the end of my rope.  Anyone want to add to this conversation, please feel free.  Happy New Year everyone!  May 2008 bring us more MONEY and more CONTENTMENT!!
have to change dsl
well just talked to Vonage and everything was fine until they tried to transfer my line. Said I have to discontinue DSL through ATT for ATT to allow it, then vonage can transfer it...
So I will change to time warner for cable and then get the adapter from vonage. Yes it is a lot cheaper, but have to work out all the transfers.
I know... but I need a change... SM

It was a great benefit for me being an IC because I would work and get big paychecks and being a single mom, I would get the child credits and the earned income tax credits, and I would actually get money back, quite a bit.


But now that that is not going to happen anymore, I want some PTO and all those nice benefits!!!  Im just ready for a change...


Which companies actually hire employees and offer PTO, etc.?


:-)


Change in pay
Contact the Wage and Hour Department of the Federal Labor Commission. This is illegal.
Looking for change
Good luck! I hope you find what you are looking for. I might also add that Landmark is a good, honest company that does not offshore.
Do you know by any change the
system you will be using? Some are apparently much better than others.
I wonder if that will change with the new sm
employee handbook?  I briefly read it this morning and it seems that it boils down to **you owe us this, this and that and we don't owe you anything**.
That will all change.

I've been in the business 20 years too.  I worked for Transcend for 4 years and my honeymoon period with them lasted about 7 months.  Once the honeymoon was over, it was one of the worst job experiences I have ever had. 


What would you like me to change it to? (nm)
I don't like change that much. I started posting here when I was a newer TT'r, so why change?
that says a lot. You would change sm
your mind if you were the sole bread winner as a big majority of MTs are. You wouldn't care about weekends at that point. You do what you have to do to support your family.

You can say what you want, but you have some off as self-righteous and definitely a slap in the face to all of us hard-working full-time MTs
exactly to change this???

x