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I don't know either, but I will never get my CMT. It is ridiculous to want that certification.

Posted By: hmmmmmmm on 2008-08-18
In Reply to: What company is Carol from on the job board? - Anyone know? Looking only for CMTs...

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Certification
My company pays more for that. And while it's only a penny per line for the credential, over a year that really ads up. With someone with minimum production, it equates to an additional $2500 for the year. They also reimburse for passing the test so no one is out of pocket for the cost of the test once they pass it. That $2500 is if you only type 125 lines per hour. Clearly if you do more, the additional income would be more than that. I've never found that getting and keeping my credits cost me more than that, in fact, it has always been much less.
Coding certification

First I would encourage you that if you are serious about coding, do NOT go to a course that does not allow to test for NATIONAL certification.  There are only 2 organizations in the US that do national certification.  AAPC (the first) and AHIMA.  With AAPC there are numerous companies that offer their course.  The cost runs between $1200 and $1600 for a three month course of 8 hour classes plus your proctored exam and membership to AAPC, or you can do the self-study course for the same money (I chose to be in a classroom setting so I could have questions answered on the spot).  You can opt to take the course for hospital coding CPC-H (which few hospitals will recognize as official) or the doctor/outpatient based course - CPC, which is widely recognized.


I don't know the cost of AHIMA's testing but it is as intense as AAPC's but it is mostly taken by people who either already have AAPC certification or are already working in a medical coding setting.  Both organizations offer apprecentice programs if you are not already in a coding setting until you can clock some coding hours.  I think you need references to enter either program as to your character - remember, if you make a mistake the penalty could be monetory and/or a jail term.


Now, can you get a job and is the money worth it.  Most hospitals want AHIMA's inpatient certification and 1-2 years OTJ experience, unless they are hiring for their outpatient clinics and/or ER (which they will then accept the AAPC's CPC).  Most of these positions pay between $15 and $24/hr plus bennies.


It is very hard to get into the coding industry.  It's just like trying to get into MT without any experience, only harder.  I would network, join both organizations as a member and go religiously to the monthly meetings to network and learn.  Both certifications require a high number of CEU's to be earned each year.  It is easier to get into a physician's office setting as a CPC.  Most of these jobs pay $9 to $18/hr depending on geography, but again you'd have to be very, very good and have good references from certified mentors to help you get a job with no experience.


Most jobs are obtained by word of mouth.  If you are very good, you could skip working in a hospital or doctor's office and become a consultant and/or instructor without any working experience (more $$ for the instructor's certification).  It would be like working as an IC.  You would have to hustle to get clients and build a reputation.  I was lucky and got a job with a hospital in their outpatient clinic side at $19/hr with hospital bennies and had an offer with the people whose course I took to become an instructor and consultant for them even before I got the results from my test score (but I had prior coding experience).  My job was basically consulting, doing audits and giving feedback and education to doctors on how to maximize their reimbursement, how to document charts properly and be available for their coding questions.  I loved the respect I got from the doctors.  It was totally unlike what I get directly from doctors as an MT.  They are eager to learn, listen to what is being taught, are interactive, friendly and recognize that you are there to help them succeed.


If your MTSO is also adding a coding department to their company, that would be an easier way to get into coding as it could be done from home with access to electronic medical records.  There are a number of tools available to coders that help to electronically code and flag potential errors, hopefully your company would pay for all that because it can be quite expensive.


I tried to portray a clear and realistic picture with discouraging you.  It's a lot like going into MT without someone being realistic with you, so the fact that you asked is a good sign.


good luck,


d~


National Certification for MTs
Can someone refer me to a website or something so I can get certified.  Finished my course with a college and they don't of course deal with the National Certification.  Anyone out there done the certification part.  Please help.  Thanks
eScription certification?
I work on eScripiton too, but have never heard of any kind of certification, much less advanced. Where would I look to find out about that?
We need licensure, not certification, to be an MT sm
If you look at other professions where people are licensed, there is minimum education, minimum skills and sometimes even levels of licensure.

In my opinion, a CMT is worthless. I know many who have passed it studying to pass it, as in studying for the test to pass, but still can't do an OP note or any cardio, 2 things that are on the CMT exam. It is like kids in school learning to pass a standardized test, not what is important or creative.

I know I could pass the CMT if I sat down and took it in 10 minutes and I would pass with no problems. The typing portion of the exam is on things I do each and every day and have for years. My CMT would be the same as a CMT who studied only for the exam!

There has to be something and I think licensing is it.

Some union contracts have more pay for certification. sm
At a facility I worked at for about 11 years, we had that benefit - $1.00 an hour for certification. You would have to find a unionized hospital and see how their contract reads.
Why I refuse to renew my CMT certification
This is from http://mtindia.info/news/latest/heartland-information-services-spryance-inc.-merge.html


(see ALL CAPS in second-to-last paragraph)


Heartland Information Services, Spryance, Inc., Merge Written by News Editor
Wednesday, 15 November 2006
Combined Companies Create Premier Outsourced Transcription Provider Heartland Information Services has merged with Spryance, Inc., forming one of the premier offshore transcription providers in the United States. Spryance shareholders will fund the purchase of Heartland Information Services from HCR ManorCare. The new combined company will be marketed under the Heartland Information Services brand.

Headquartered in Boston, Spryance provides transcription service to more than 175 hospitals and clinics across the country, utilizing 1,200 MTs in India. Heartland’s corporate headquarters is located in Toledo, Ohio, with work centers in Bangalore and Delhi, India. By combining companies, the new Heartland will have over 2,500 medical transcriptionists providing service to over 200 hospital and clinical customers.

Dennis Paulik, General Manager of Heartland, will become the President and CEO of the new combined company. Raj Malhotra, CEO of Spryance, will become Chairman of the Board of the combined companies. Joining Mr. Malhotra on the board will be Gene Barduson, Chairman and CEO, Alteer, Inc., Dennis Byerly, former CEO Third Millennium Healthcare Systems, Inc., Mahendra Patel, formerly with DEC, David Beecken, Partner, Beecken Petty O’Keefe & Company, and Thomas Schleisinger, Partner, Beecken Petty O’Keefe & Company.

“Combining the two companies creates synergies that will add value for customers,” says Dennis Paulik, President and CEO of the new Heartland Information Services. “For example, Heartland provides industry-leading quality and customer support and Spryance provides capacity and scalability.”

“The Spryance investors, led by Beecken Petty O’Keefe & Company and International Finance Corporation, provide the financial strength and resources for the new Heartland to grow rapidly,” adds Mr. Malhotra, Heartland Information Services Chairman of the Board.
...

American Association for Medical Transcription, in association with Prometric, announced the Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT) credentialing exam – a newly developed global ‘level-1’ credential in the arena of Medical Transcription. This program is aimed at helping the existing talent pool to scale up and meet the global standards and quality benchmarks. THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS ALSO ANNOUNCED A SPECIAL 'INDIA PRICE' FOR AAMT'S EXISTING CERTIFIED MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST (CMT) EXAM (emphasis mine).

Medical Transcription is a booming industry with exponential growth prospects and opportunities for committed players. While globally the industry potential is around USD 30-33 billion, in India it is around USD 300 million. Currently, there are around 18,000 medical practitioners in the country and this is expected to almost double within the next 2-3 years.
I cut myself off :) Experience should be considered always in lieu of certification. nm
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At times with Webmedx...no matter what your experience or certification...sm
Have many accounts, QA grades that are over 98....so maybe it depends on your supervisor...I don't know...have only been there since about 11/2007.
That is ridiculous
I never heard anything so ridiculous - none of the companies do what? want you to earn too much? LOL. Every penny you put in your pocket is probably two in theirs. Companies want you earning as much as you can.
This is ridiculous...sm

I received an email today regarding an employment application I had submitted some time ago.  I currently work as an IC and am very happy with my job, so the application must have been submitted at least 6 months ago.  First of all, the email does not state the name of the company that I supposedly applied to.  It is three sentences long and states that they are looking for ICs to work from home.  They will pay 6.5 cpl without spaces!  Attached is a list of their computer requirements.  The email states that if I meet the requirements to contact them and they will direct me to their testing site.


I have about 20 years of experience as an MT.  What is going on with this field that a company thinks that 6.5 cpl is a respectable rate for a seasoned MT?  Not to mention not putting the name of the company in the email...so I don't even know who I'm dealing with.  And, not paying for spaces?!?!?  I will not work for a company that does not pay for spaces.  A space is a keystroke.  It should be counted.  Spaces don't get into a document by magic!!


I have a good mind to respond to this email and tell them exactly what I think of their offer, but then again, it probably wouldn't do a bit of good.



ridiculous
That statement is absolutely ridiculous.  The QA manager is the most easy person to get along. 
That's ridiculous

I have to say that I used to be MTSO and while I was not rich, I definitely made more than the people who worked for me...if you don't, even part of the time, then you are doing something wrong and why be in business? And yes, most of the MTSOs that I know (and I do know 5 of them right in my general area) do live in the very best neighorhoods, have 5000 sq foot houses, and if not vacations homes, then quite a bit of money in the bank.


This is ridiculous
3.5 cpl is ridiculous! The only way it could be any good at all is if you JUST had to fill in the blanks (nothing else). No 100% proofing. No new MTs. Maybe one or two accounts at most. And IF IT IS NOT being transcribed by offshore MTs. That's the only way 3.5 cpl would be worth it. Also, if companies would STOP paying QA on a production rate, it would help the industry! Being paid on production to ensure quality is an oxymoron. It makes no sense. It says hey, do your job perfect but the more the merrier. Its a sore subject with me, and I'm hoping that we stand up and stop accepting QA positions on a production pay. Maybe eventually the companies will have no choice but to go back to hourly pay and pay as what we are worth! If you have to proofread any more than filling in blanks, you're getting ripped off big time at 3.5 cpl. (mtsunite.com)
that is ridiculous IMO. SM
They are definitely short-changing you by giving you $3.00 for the first page and then $1.50 for subsequent pages in a report. That would be equivalent to being paid, for example, .08/per line for the first page( working for a company) and then .04/line for each subsequent page of a report. That is extremely unfair. Charge for what you produce. I had my own clients for years, and depending on the going rate in your area, I certainly would not go lower than .10/line (or figure out the equivalent if you have to charge per page). I am being conservative here as this is low rate. Also, if printing each page, add a percentage to that line rate. Whole different ballgame when you have to print and deliver reports. Time consuming and more cost to you. Their offer per page is ridiculous. Think how much money that patient is billed for the visit, and then see the pennies that you would make by producing one of the most important components (the medical report). The medical report is as important as the actual care the patient receives. If they do not agree with your charges, let them go with a company who will charge them much more, and they will likely call you back. I once had a client who wanted digital dictation so I footed a hefty TASP service bill every month so my docs could call in their dictation. They then requested that I print and deliver the finished reports. Not! They were upset because I denied their request, and ended up going with a large national and pay a much higher line rate. They still did not accomplish having their reports printed for them. They called me back, but I was already involved with a new client who appreciates me and does not try to get everything for nothing. Good luck in whatever you decide, but don't settle for less than you are worth!
7 cpl is ridiculous! sm
I was thinking about applying here, but I definitely will not be wasting my time taking the test and interviewing with them now! I don't have the experience you have (I have about 11 years now), but there is no way I would work for that!

Thanks for posting that and saving me some time.
ridiculous is right

You're not the only person I've heard say this and it's a shame this is happening.  I realize we MTs cannot expect to be paid higher wages when the services are suffering as well. 


But I see too many ways for this whole mess the transcription profession finds itself in now to just fail and do a turnaround.  The government insists on privacy protection of medical records, then allows us to send them overseas with little if any regulation.  What about taxes and Social Security loss due to this?  The Department of Labor gives us our own classification (a bit of recognition for us) but our pay is not on par with other professions in the same classification.  AAMT wants certification to be mandatory but what's the incentive to study and work so hard for it if it doesn't make a much more substantial increase in our salaries than a penny a line? Yes, that can add up, but it should be more, way more.  Physicians want cheap rates with excellent quality but how many qualified MTs are willing to work for pennies before feeling used, frustrated, burned out?  How many young people are willing to enter a profession with such low wages and have to work hard and wait years to achieve even that?  


In the end, I don't see how all this VR and offshoring and underbidding it is going to benefit anyone except lawyers who will profit from suits brought about by privacy violations, malpractice suits due to the result of physicians depending on missing and/or wrong information in the medical record, misplaced records, dictation getting lost in the process of transfer between here and there, etc.  How many service owners will want to continue making as little profit as they do now (small ones)?  I also see coming an overall shortage of qualified MTs who can understand the American physicians who are impossible dictators and the ESLs.   What incentive do the new MTs have to hang in there and strive for this other than a sense of accomplishment but that doesn't pay the bills.  Yes, if you work long hours and/or multiple jobs you can do well, but is this what it has come down to?  And how many will be willing to do this for any length of time when they have other options?


It's all going too fast to prevent errors, serious errors.  I think we will be needed again, hopefully paid a higher salary again like so many years ago, but not until a tragedy happens and America wakes up to how these allegedly cost-saving methods of doing medical transcription is hurting the economy and the physicians start getting only what they are willing to pay for.  There are the lives of the human beings (patients) involved here.  This isn't about producing just a product (like a garment) in another country.   Medical transcription involves too many people in too many areas of medicine to let it totally falter.  Something has to give at some point.


One thing I'd like to see is for the insurance companies to raise the fees for physicians and services who offshore since their transcription is more prone to error than if it was done by a knowledgeable native American MT who knows our language, and also because it leaves the country thereby jeopardizing the patient's protection and privacy since these other countries do not have the security measures that America does. 


This is ridiculous.
Two MTs fighting like children.
that is ridiculous!
I do not work for TT, but for DRC. We get morning reports and in one it said to enjoy this downtime. We are employees, not ICs. I think if you told employees who physically come to work everyday to go home and just enjoy time off they would probably start looking for another job. People become employees so as to have steady work, not to get stupid enjoy comments.
Ridiculous
I sure think it would be a mistake to take a job for this amount with your experience!
Ridiculous
There is no way any MT in their right mind should take this position. MTs transcribing heavy ESL at most companies are paid at least 9 cpl.
That is ridiculous.......sm
Diskriter is always placing ads, I just started and I have 3 accounts I work on, NOT ENOUGH WORK ON ANY!! grrrrr. I guess i will be saying bye bye soon.
This is getting ridiculous....
Totally wrong management.
The right hand does not know what the left is doing!
That's ridiculous!
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Yes, it seriously is ridiculous but
I have to reiterate that I really do like working with MDI and other than the disappointingly poor cpl they are paying for these VR accounts I think they are one of the best companies out there to work for.  Just don't work on a VR account .  I was told, though, (of course ) that we should be able to do triple the line counts on eScription;however, I STRONGLY question this and do not believe it possible but I guess I'm gonna find out. 
Ridiculous
I'd consider that an absolute insult. I don't care how good the company has been, I'd be out of there as fast as I could. Companies that offer pay like that are driving the MT field into the ground, and good MTs shouldn't stand for it.
Ridiculous
I just keep the insurance for doc visits and meds, God forbid IF i would ever need to be hospitalized for surgery or a procedure, I would have to go to the University medical center as an indigent patient because no way I can even come up 2500 deductible....We really need health care like Canada has...it may not be great but it would help so many people who are dying because they cannot afford any type of healthcare
she said 8 cpl typ and 4 for VR, ridiculous... sm
you sure proved your point... she ain't making better than typing. Everyone knows that VR is a loser for the fast typing MT.
that's ridiculous
No one plays favorites.  If you don't show up for work, you get written up.  If you fail your QA, it is addressed.   Get a job on site somewhere and try not showing up or come in late or leave early and see what happens.  Do sloppy work, make extremely careless and dangerous errors.  You'll be in the unemployment line.  Transcription companies should be no different.  
That's ridiculous (sm)
It's called work flow. If you've been in this industry for even a while, you should realize that this is the nature of the business. Recruiters are told by management to hire or stop hiring based on the flow of work, and, yes, it changes from day to day. What is suspicious? They have the right to not hire you based on any whim, so there is nothing suspicious. Silly post. It's not all a plot, you know.
Ridiculous

I'm that person.  This is a frivilous lawsuit and will be proven as such.


RIDICULOUS!!
OMG $10 per hour for QA with 5 years experience.  IC, acute care.  Are you kidding me???
It's getting ridiculous
The company I work for just went to a bigger quota and they won't count by lines, which is not fair. There are a few accounts which are short clinic notes, fill in the blank only, and radiology, those are simple to get out.  All the rest, ALL of them are 100% listen, give feedback, and are multiple pages long and it's absolutely not fair.  They are forcing people not to look over the entire report thoroughly AND asking for 99.5% quality at the same time.  Puleese....just another excuse.  A 7 page discharge counts the same as a one paragraph clinic note.
Ridiculous!
Geesh! Is this what is has come down to? This industry was frustrating when I left 2 years ago; but my goodness, this is just unreal. So I'm going to type important medical documents for .055 a line. Unreal. I need a job desperately, but if I had to choose, I'd rather wait tables than work in a sweat shop. Unreal. If the line requirement is 1000 at .08, that would actually be 1300 lines at .055 a line. No thanks. I knew it was too good to be true.
That is ridiculous
So they paid you what every piddly amount they are paying for actual transcription! That is why I don't want to do editing/VR - we are just being taken advantage of. As it seems most doctors are ESL and sometimes we can barely understand them - how the heck is a machine supposed too. I would definitely keep track of those job #s and say something.
Ditto -- that's ridiculous to go through
for an at home position.  I found out that the companies that are doing all these testing and background checks, take the info you give them and sell your name to  ------- MARKETING COMPANIES!  ----Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.   Like we don't get enough crappy phone calls during the day and evening !!!  LMAO
4 cents?!?! That is ridiculous!
nm
Unprofessional and ridiculous! sm
Unless it is done in conjunction with a real test.
Please, name that company. Ridiculous.
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That's absolutely ridiculous. NM
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You are a bit on the ridiculous side.
s

It was not a ridiculous question....
I think some people just sit on here all day to post rude comments because they have nothing better to do in life. Sometimes questions come about and sometimes people ask them here to get answers. That is the point of this board. Then, if you cannot get an answer to your question here, you can always call your sup and get an answer. I love the fact that I don't need to both my supervisor if I can get an answer here. :)
Wow $260 per month!! ridiculous nm
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Not only is there ridiculous discussion
there is also a lot of thinly-veiled shilling for people to work cheaply for Proveros......
This is absolutely ridiculous and also ...
If this is the DIT out of Fort Mill, SC, they have a reputation of not paying their MTs, which makes it even more ridiculous. 
Your post is ridiculous
I did NOT say I made that kind of salary now. I only work part time because of my choice, not like I had to work in the past to support a family. You got that right about my company. Why would I tell others about it and wind up maybe losing my account? Now that would be so stoopid, right? Over the years I have experienced my share and thank God I am no longer at an age when I have to take anything just to make a living, past that now but I have been in worse shape than lots on this board. I have never nor would I ever work at a job where I am so scared I will be docked that I would compromise someone's medical record just to make sure I make my dollar. That to me does not constitute an MT. To each his own, you probably fit into the category of just letting work flow through without wanting to correct. Last work for me, out the door for the day.
Ridiculous in this day and age to travel for training.
Beyond unnecessary. I live in NJ and wouldn't do it - very horrible area - city - no way, Jose! Most MTs I know in NJ wouldn't give it a second thought!! Much ado about nothing to us! And yes, we are pros - just don't need our hand held for training on any platform!
Well I didn't get my score yet but it was ridiculous.
I don't understand it, I've been doing this 20 years and don't necessarily know anatomy like the back of my hand. We are not diagnosticians for pete's sake, we're MTs! If we knew all of that, we wouldn't be typing for peanuts we'd be MDs! LOL. Just a little ridiculous I thought.
Wow! Ridiculous! I've heard it all now.
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That is ridiculous! Always, always on time. Besides, the don't even hire ICs.
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Those things are sometimes so wordy, it's ridiculous. (sm)
I have found that it's really quite easy to condense them into a cheat sheet for each account. Keep it right in front of you for referral. I do 7 or 8 accounts, at least 3 or 4 on a daily basis, so I keep them stacked in front of my monitor and just shuffle the papers as necessary.