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I had a feeling there was a mass exodus

Posted By: Moved on on 2006-03-10
In Reply to: Are you satisfied at Amphion? - sm

earlier this year. I hung in there with them for six months, but they kept running out of work. I asked to be trained on a second account, but it didn't happen. My supervisor was very nice, but it just didn't work out. I also have 17 years of experience, and had 99+% QA scores. I agree with some of the comments above about looking things up, etc. Oh well...


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Bet a mass exodus is taking place.
cc
Trying to beat the mass exodus. May be hard to
 
OSi has had a mass exodus so there should be plenty of room for newbies
x
SPI exodus
Just wondering if anyone knows where a lot of the SPI, former Cymed, MTs and managers have moved on to.  Also curious if they are even hiring domestic MTs.  Almost a year to the day they announced the merger and reassured all that they were going to keep and expand their domestic team, they announced numerous accounts who requested to be offshored.  AH, HA -- SURE.
SPi exodus

I left SPi in December after I could not take any more.  I am now with TRS and also have some of my own private accounts. 


It was the reason for the last exodus too. But
That's why I left about 5 months ago and a lot of others left before and after me for the same reason.  We were saying the same thing you're saying now, but nobody believed us.  Said we were the troublemakers and lying.  Be prepared to hear the same thing from the cheerleaders and newbies who are still on the honeymoon.
I started the transition to KS before "mass exodus" sm
but just before and it sometimes required a bit of a wait before I got answers to certain things or equipment that I was supposed to get, etc. and sometimes it only happened after a follow-up email or call.  However, I would usually get a pretty quick response from the followup.  I don't know how big the staff is but I picture it as maybe medium-sized and I thought they were doing an excellent job of covering for each other during the move, vacations, and I believe someone even left the company.  It is a 180-degree difference from what I had been used to with the Mega company I left. 
Talk of "mass exodus" and trash-talking a great company
is what you refer to as 'not being thrilled about the switch'?

Are we even reading the same posts?

VR people have tried reasoning with these posters in an effort to reassure them and calm them down, but apparently they're off to the races and thriving on their self-generated hysteria.

So, to answer your question, YES, I have said how much I like VR, only to be accused of lying, being management, an inferior transcriptionist, etc. They don't want to hear reason. They don't want reassurance. They want to draw blood.

These people are vicious with their false accusations and assumptions, and now they're turning their efforts towards a highly respected company that I, and MANY others, love working for because they refuse to catch up with the times. VR is no surprise. It's been a force for years and yet they all act shocked when it comes to pass, and then immediately turn tail and try to denigrate TT for implementing it.

And desperate to attack? WRONG. Because I refuse to sit back and watch my profession and an employer I have nothing but gratitude and respect for run into the ground are things I will not abide.

Not thrilled with the switch? These people have the same mentality as those who were burning books in ages past.

SCARY.
Mass exit sm
Sorry, but I don't think this is the answer.  Back in the 70s? 80? (sorry, I forget which) our man in the White House swore he would break labor unions (though he, himself, was a card-carrying member of the actor's union) and he DID.  The American workers bought into the "unions have outlived their usefulness" propoganda and now union membership is at an all time low.  Without bargining power, workers have nothing...united we stand, divided we fall.  And EVERY American worker is falling FAST.  Wake up America.
Springfield, Mass. nm
x
Has anyone who received the mass
emailing from Keystrokes received the promised phone call yet?  I have not and am just wondering
Breitner in Mass. NM
><
StenTel in Mass.
Sorry, I meant to add that I would like info on StenTel in Springfield, Mass. Thanks in advance.
mass firings
They had a conference call recently for which US editors were asked to call in. When they were all on the line, they were ALL fired! Talk about unprofessional!
Also, when people quit or are let go, they are not being replaced; often, when they ARE replaced, it's not by other US employees.
They are taking the easier, longer-winded docs and giving them to offshore workers to do, leaving the US employees with the more difficult, hard-to-understand dictation to do while at the same time are pushing for more and more production/lines AND stepping up the auditing AND requiring feedback to be done on worse and worse work from overseas - basically resulting in people not being physically able to make quotas nor keep quality at a premium. They then are firing people who fall below what they say are the minimums, not taking into account the conditions which THEY are imposing on us and which make the job more difficult and much more time consuming, and the massive also-time-consuming amount of feedback on crappy transcription (and HA! editing) overseas. It's discriminatory no matter how you look at it, too: There is no way that the work of the overseas 'editors' can hold a candle to that I've seen from US editors, yet the US people are being fired & forced out left and right while the overseas folks are being allowed to keep their jobs and even being promoted.

SPi has been 'testing out' voice recognition on a major account for quite sometime; when they started it, they fired most of the US MTs and promoted offshore MTs to Editor positions.
They are losing accounts like crazy; some they lose on purpose, but others are lost because the clients are upset and/or dissatisfied with the lack of quality, service, etc.
Run, DON'T WALK, away from this unethical company while the choice is still in YOUR hands...before they fire you or sweep you up in one of their recent mass 'layoffs'

and when you DO leave, make absolutely certain that they pay you any unused vacation (AND unused/owed PTO for those prior Cymed employees). They don't do it automatically. They told one person who quit recently that they had just decided not to pay the PTO out - even though they put it in writing in the benefits package cover letter in January! Someone else who left tried to collect unemployment but couldn't because SPi had her listed in another state completely than where she'd lived for all the years she worked for them - she got hired after months but never did collect any of the benefits she was entitled to.
This company represents all the worst of human nature.
Mass Firings
What can one do to protect themselves from these evil doings?  How can they get away with not paying out PTO?  I am beginning to think that their transcription branch is just not important to them and they don't care what happens to it (at least in the US).  It is obviously clear they don't care about the US MT. 
Is this the Sten-Tel in Mass?
If it is, then I worked for them for about a year over a year ago. I do not remember that statement in the IC contract. That must be something new. I left that company because their QA would mark something wrong one day and then mark the same thing right the next day. You never knew what you should do and then they would send you nasty emails saying you need to get off of QA or else. I wouldn't recommend working there.
With all of the mass hysteria can we please

I have to be honest... I love my job at TT and when I got the e mail it did not bother me at all.  I simply did not sign up to be one of the first to try the VR (I have done it elsewhere and did not care for it personally, nor did my bank account).  Anyway, my strategy was to work as hard as possible now, and keep an eye open toward other companies that do straight transcription.  If I am forced to do VR, then I would still stay at TT and train as best as possible with a second job picking up the slack of the bills.  It would be more hours, but it would have to happen b/c I cannot afford a paycut as I have only me to depend on (no other incomes to help).  Then, I came on today and unfortunately, I read all of the posts of panic and hysteria and felt like giving up, going to bed and pulling the covers over my head and or getting an Rx for Xanax....


I understand we all need to vent, but is it possible to try to work together to find solutions or boost each other up while this is going on instead of fighting or getting into a panic?  One poster here, I see, is looking for suggestions for companies with straight typing options. That is a good idea... What other positive options can we come up with together so that we all don't go down in negative doldrums.  Panic will not help my line count today, but the bill collectors don't understand, nor do my children who depend on me...


Anyway, my approach will be if my check takes a hit, to continue as I am, and if I am asked to train VR without a complaint while I take on another job to fill in the gaps.  Does anyone else have any positive ideas to add?  If we can come up with a list of options instead of griping, maybe we can all have a good and profitable day with a plan for the future.


Thanks in advance for reading this... Even if no one has an answer to this, at least I got it off my chest...Have a profitable and enjoyable day/weekend.


This law only applies to mass
X
Maybe they think a lot of MTs are going to leave en mass with the new pay plan so they are getting

ready. Have you noticed how they have been dragging their feet to let us know probably until Summer is over so they have plenty of staff. You KNOW they already know what it is so it is just a matter of timing is all. Yep.


Sten-Tel in Mass. pays this way. nm
s
Also, don't mass mail your resume.
If I receive a resume and I can see that it has gone to a dozen other companies, too, I'm not feeling the love.
Sten-Tel, Springfield, Mass.
Anyone familiar with this company?  Could not find any current info in archives.  Pros and cons, please.  Also, what platform do they use or does it depend on the account?  Thank you.
Am I the only one who works for Sten-Tel in Mass?
I am having probs with their QA and wonder if I am the only one dealing with this?
Hoffman Transcription (Mass.)
Anyone work or have worked for the above company, would you please state how you liked working for them, pros and cons, please.  Thanks.
Someone said Transtech sent out mass Email

saying which shifts and days they are hiring for.  Care to share what they said so I will know whether to bug them.  If it is not allowed here on this board no problem and I will apply anyway.  Thank you.


This was a mass email, about docking $10 per report.
p
Lots of info in the archives. Seems to be a mass
exodus going on. 
Well I hope they are ready for a mass exoduos over this
not sure why they think people will hang around not getting paid.
Here's The Federal Law on Mass Layoff Notice
http://www.doleta.gov/programs/factsht/warn.htm
Sten-Tel in Mass. and their testing process
I need a 2nd job really bad.  I have worked for Sten-Tel in Mass. before and know that they do not require you to work any certain hours and do not have a minimum line count for you to meet.  They also pay on time.  I applied to them and went through their entire testing process.  I finished this last Friday.  By Monday evening, I hadn't heard anything so I emailed human resources asking for an update.  No reply.  So, I emailed again Tuesday and I finally got a reply back saying that my test was received and that it takes 5-7 business days for me to get an answer and the human resources person said she should have an answer by today.  I wait all day and hear nothing.  I email her again asking about the status and I do not get a reply.  This is really irritating me.  I know I did good on the test.  I don't understand why it is so hard to get back with someone.  Should I just say forget it and try to find somewhere else?  I really don't know of any other companies that are very lenient with the schedule and have no minimum line requirements.  If you know of any, please email me and let me know. 
They have a "front" office in Mass.. but your supervisors and QA are in India.
Your tech support is also based in India. You communicate with your supervisors via Yahoo IM. They are in India so when you have questions they are the ones answering your questions. Good luck with the communication. Also, remember your paycheck is penalized for errors. This would not be so bad if people sitting in India were not the ones QA-ing your work. That is where the real issue comes in. If I can hardly communicate with them, why would I want them in charge of my paycheck. I mean truly do you want them deciding what is proper English, I think NOT
They are strictly Indian-ran with a "front" place of business in Mass.

If you like getting low pay and badgered everyday by people either A. Do not understand English or.. B.  Do not WANT to understand English, then finish their test.


The only positive is that they pay on time, but they do move paydays a lot so that you would count on having so many days in that pay period and a day or two before the pay period is to end, they move that day of the pay period end so you'd end up with a day cut off your check that you expected. It seems very odd to me why the pay period would change so much. Also, your line count never seem to match up. You will work on a 5-page report for an hour and somehow you only end up with $8.  The other down side is that you will have Indians quality checking your work, which is bad enough.. but then your pay is docked according to what accuracy rate they give you. As you can see... too many red flags. The best word I can think of to describe them a company is.. RIPOFF... 


 


Acutally it's the Mass. Sten-Tel. Hmm...same state as your company. In cahoots, maybe? nm
s
I dont answer the mass emails she sends out. What bothers me is we are not anywhere
near out of TAT and she just then sends out these mass emails and everyone piles on and runs the account out.  Then when you get a few more reports she does it again.  It just keeps going on like that.  I have no idea what the problem is.  I dont acknowledge the emails at all I just cant get a grip on why someone would function like that.  It is almost like she isnt happy until she runs the account out and then expect all the ICs which we are to sit around until it comes back in and then be at her beck and call.  It seems to be getting worse and worse lately with this.  She has taken the word control to extremes especially with ICs.  She expects you to let her know if you are going to move your butt of your computer for a half hour.  I just dont get it but it gets extremely old I must say.
Larry doesn't know if he's coming or going! One day a mass email to employees begging them to
even though no work, and the next day mass email begging people to hire anybody they can scrape up and now accounts out of TAT, etc.  Different story every day of the week, and I don't wanna hear about the company perils!  Just let me type! No thanks. 
They've all said Woburn, Mass when I asked...same time zone as me grrrr! nm

n


Instead of feeling bad about it and going SM

to bed, take a bit of time to figure out what KIND of experience you have.  Yes, near 20 years is nice, but with what kind of work?


Has the majority of that time been in a teaching facility of more than 500 beds with a high # of ESL dictators?  Trauma?  Complex surgeries?  Procedures that aren't performed everywhere?  Experimental procedures?


That and the willingness to continue doing that kind of work is what allows these MTs to make the high line rates.  The work is more complex, difficulty level is high and a higher line rate should be paid to compensate for that.


That is my feeling also (sm)

I must add one more, the illegal aliens that equal 84% of the emergency room patients, causing the hospitals to have to save money and cut us out entirely.  They use VR around here, if the doctors cannot speak properly they will have to learn or edit their own reports.


Our president is pushing for it also, but I don't see the cost of healthcare going down.  And when the microchip technology is in place, I just don't see the use for a transcriptionist.  Patients will be in and out, they'll read the microchip on your arm, all your info will be on a computer and they'll input anything new.  What little transcription is left can be dictated into the system.  To each his own, I'd rather be prepared.


I'm getting the same feeling...
I feel the same way. I am also finding many companies don't respond to application/testing/resume. Seems like 2 minutes to send me an e-mail saying I don't qualify is 2 minutes they don't have, after I spent the time to test. Maybe it has to do with how many scribes appear to be out there looking for jobs. Bottom line is they (the MTSO) have all the power. All I know is it's frustrating!
This is also my feeling about TT.
I believe they are one of the honest ones and I won't believe otherwise unless something is proven because so far everything adds up for me.

Not that I'm a math whiz, but when I've worked for cheating companies, there were problems in multiple areas and it was obvious there was a problem.

Thank you. I had a feeling. I wish you all the best.
.
I know the feeling.
I was sick a few weeks back and lucked out that work was low but really would like a few good checks to close out the year with. Maybe it's low all around. I saw some TT'ers posting about it being low. I honestly don't know. To me, it doesn't seem as there are as many reports coming through as there were prior to me getting sick, but I'm also not open to all worktypes on my account, so who knows.
I know the feeling as well............
xx
I have a feeling

Since the MT admits to basically having no real experience in acute care, there is no telling what those five reports may have looked like.  Like someone said, transitioning from radiology to acute care is a VERY BIG STEP and I would think nearly impossible to train unless you are working inhouse.  There's just too much to learn with acute care, I have been doing this for over 25 years and I STILL learn something new every single day.  Even if there were only formatting errors, that could still be a pretty big job - if you have no idea how to do your medication instructions, etc.  Just that is a lot to learn right there.  It sounds like the account manager may have felt there was just going to be too much training involved.  After all, I don't believe any companies offer to train from scratch do they?


 


I have a feeling we
are all referring to the same company, actually.

As of today my check is eight days late.
My feeling exactly
That is my feeling exactly...I don't want to take that chance.  I've been there,done that.
I have already gotten that feeling sm
just talking to them and getting things set up and I haven't begun working yet. I am certainly looking forward to this and ignoring then naysayers! Thank you for your kind words.
Sure... Why do I get the feeling
you aren't paid by the line, but rather are salaried mid-management. I've never seen an actual MT be happy about and defend paycuts before....
feeling sick too!
I just wonder how many people here are just here to stir the pot and make everyone feel sick and scared and paranoid about their jobs?
feeling sick too!
Actually, I don't work for OSi, but work for another National that is always bashed on here. Things are changing here too and not very positive things are being said about changes and I was just making a general statement about people who like to make others feel paranoid about situations. But, I'm trying to look at it this way, there are thousands of MTs employed by my company and there are only a few here who are doing the bashing, so I'm trying to stay positive, but still a little afraid!!
I have been there 4 years, and I am getting the same feeling. I even SM
asked someone about one, well someone who is not one of the real upper people. She did say they were not trying to get me to quit, but I do know that I am one of the higher paid people also. However, I work every weekend at least some, and I know they appreciate that. It continues to be a scary thought to know that there are not all that many accounts. I have just secured a PT job with another company as backup, or income security as I like to think of it. And I have had the opposite experience with calling for work after 3 p.m. -- I have great luck with this. It's not particularly my favorite time to work, but if I don't have any plans, I will work during that time to get lines, and they are very accommodating to me in the office. Of course, maybe they're used to me calling LOL.