Home     Contact Us    
Main Board Job Seeker's Board Job Wanted Board Resume Bank Company Board Word Help Medquist New MTs Classifieds Offshore Concerns VR/Speech Recognition Tech Help Coding/Medical Billing
Gab Board Politics Comedy Stop Health Issues
ADVERTISEMENT




Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

I only check on here once a day (was feeling like it was an addiction). Last year, I made sm

Posted By: Keystrokes Rad MT on 2005-07-26
In Reply to: Could the KS RAD MT who stated - sm

$52,468 on my 1099.  I am at $1.25 per report.  I do work 8 hours M-F and 4 on Sunday.  I average 18-22 reports an hour.  I know that they are hiring for 3-11:30 on a really good account right now and 2-10 on another.  My lead emailed me this morning to ask if if I knew anyone who might be interested. 


Complete Discussion Below: marks the location of current message within thread

The messages you are viewing are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select the boards given in left menu


Other related messages found in our database

my first year I made 16k. Doubled that second year. Going on year 6 with (sm)

two local accounts I earned 23,000.00 and a national I earned 35,400... 58,400 this year.  Don't ask me how many hours, though, I really have no idea.  I'm pretty motivated.  (When people ask me how many hours I work a week I reply as many as it takes  I'd say 40-50/week.  I am also a fitness instructer and personal trainer, about 5 hours a week or so.  Decent money (sometimes under the table!) but mostly I just do it for fun and to be social and wear cute work-out clothes. 


that first year was a rough one... but I consider it part of my education. 


 


I'm pretty motivated. 


I have ALWAYS made more than the year before as an MT sm
I thought I had topped out at $30K, but no, I made $33K, surely THAT was the top. No, then I turned around and made $36K. I thought...maybe $40K was reasonable? Will do better than that this year.

I keep waiting for it to stay the same or drop, but not yet, not in 15 years.
I'm not a psychologist and I made nearly that last year.
So... maybe don't believe everything you read works both ways.

By the way, I work for a national and do not have my own accounts so it is possible to make that much with a national.

My QA score has never been less than 99%.

It is possible but it takes a lot of hard work and getting organized.
I have more than 1 job, I am an editor, and I made 106,274 last year
xx
I made excellent money in my very first year but ...
... that was about 13 years ago, and it was with a local MT who needed help for all her own accounts, all easy family practice office visits.  She paid 9 cents gross line, didn't use a counter, just said to manually count the lines on each page (!) but was always at least $5 a page.  We didn't use expanders, had no platform, just used a dictaphone machine hooked up to their office and just typed as it came in, 24-hour turnaround time, and anything that came in after 5 p.m. that day was considered the following days' work.  It was great.  Too bad the big corporations spoiled it for all the little guys out there like me and my mentor.  I haven't made anywhere near what I made that first year since because the big corps ate up all the local accounts around here and won't pay more than 8 cents a line for clinic work.  Sucks.
HA! First year made $30,000, that is working six months SM
for hospital and the next six months for small MT office with a very big account. Oh, those were the days!
This is true..Put it this way. I made $45,000 this year but worked 3 jobs and at least 60
hours a week and sometimes up to 80. I have no desire to do that anymore. I'd be happy with $35,000 working 40 hours a week. What a dream job.
Go for it. I made the move a little over a year ago and have not looked back.
Plenty of work, nice people, decent pay. All in all, one of the best decisions I have made.
I "only" make $1.15 per report and have made over $62,000 this year so far. I only work 8 hou
5 days a week and pick up one 4-hour weekend shift a month. It depends on the account, your company, the report length, your expanders, normals, etc. I made $1.43 with Edix before I switched and even though I took a per report loss, I make more money in the past 2 years than ever with Edix. I rarely run out of work, which is a HUGE factor. I know that the company I work for is both praised and condemned on this board, but I am happy at KS.
thank you. I already knew but this validates that I made a wise decision last year.
I was being paid 3.5 cpl, and I always did 100% proof to voice because if MY name is on the report, then it WILL be without errors, and quite honestly we did not have even one MT that I trusted enough to not do a complete proof to voice, which is actually very sad. I provided feedback on errors, for which I was not compensated since I was on straight production. We had tons of new MTs constantly, many of them abysmally bad.

My supervisor loved my work. She said I was the best QA Editor they had, and boy howdy I was because I also worked QC for a bit and got to witness the handiwork of my fellow editors. Nice that they paid their best 3.5 cpl, huh? I stuck it out for as long as I could because I genuinely loved my job, but there comes a time when you just have enough of being taken advantage of. They had wanted to promote me to something that was akin to a QA lead that would also involve training new MTs as well as continuing QA and QC. I would be paid salary, so that's good, but they arrived at the number by basing it on what I had made the previous year (at the lowly 3.5 cpl, mind you), so basically I would have been doing MORE work for the same money. Right. They obviously think we can't do math...lol.

I have gone back to MT. It's harder on my body, but at least I'm not being screwed.



It was posted last year that your first check with them won't show up for 4-6 wks. nm
s
Check Monster, CareerBuilder, MedHunters.com. Check with the companies you see listed if they're
s
Last year, there was a letter sent that told us what we earned the previous year. sm
In the past, it has been all or nothing; if you did not hit the lines for full time for the year, you did not get PTO. I talked to my lead this morning about a last-minute vacation and she told me that the yearly packets are going out in a week or so and that the new policy will acrue PTO by the pay period or month. I like that a lot better, but she also made it sound like they are upping the amount of lines needed to acrue PTO. I normally get between 15 and 20,000 lines per pay period, so I am sure that will be fine but I am worried about the periods that have lower volumes, like most of January every year.
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....
Does background check include credit check?

u made 300 a week? That's more than I made there.
But no work, no pay. Nice ppl, they really are, some of the nicest in the business. Just can't communicate to save their lives and the recruiters are lying dogs.

I'd say if you're looking for part-time work, as in less than 20 hrs a week's worth of work, then this place is for you. Use them as ur backup. Because guaranteed that's all they're using you for.


Webmedx lets you carry them from year to year sm
You can accrue up to 140 hours (I think) before you stop the accrual process. Don't have to use it all in one year.
I would stick it out, most places are slow now through the end of the year every year (nm)
x
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.
Feeling is mutual about TH!
x
I had a bad feeling about them and cancelled my
There was too much double talk with the owner promising the moon and the transcription supervisor pulling back on the reins to try to hold on to her power over how things operate. If you had a bad feeling from the beginning, it would have been wiser to follow your instinct and not go with them.

Just as they had a change of heart with you, I had my change of heart with them. I don't know if you researched all the posts about them, but this doesn't surprise me and any company who doesn't feel an MT is going to work out has the option of dropping the MT, just as the MT has the option of dropping the company. I don't know of any MTSO where is employment is someone other than at will unless it might be a signed contract as an IC.

I'm trying to show a practical side, not a critical one.
Nothing here! Feeling really unappreciated lately. nm
nm
yeah...I get the same feeling...sm
sounds like they had an ad all printed up and just placed it again without changing some of the criteria in it, like working at the company but sending and receiving via C-phone and internet. not to mention all of the no experience one needs....bet they get alot of applications on that one. ha ha.
Thank U. I was feeling quite paranoid! nm

Feeling a little defensive are we?
You wrote: Perhaps we are all generalizing too much.

And then you went on to generalize! Who said all companies are bad?

What I see here (presently) are legitimate complaints and MTSOs whining about them instead of posting 'any'thing remotely like: Thanks for the input; comments under consideration.

Well maybe we'll all win the lottery and be done with all of this! LOL :)
I got the feeling she was trying to be positive for those of us
who are a bid scared because we have little work on training... I think also she was responding to 4vrtpng...who did answer her but these other posts got in between. Just my 2c or take on it.
Feeling lucky
From one MQ employee to another...may I ask what company you went to?
Oh no is how I'm feeling, too....just hired on :(
Hope it's not across the board! I start training soon.
I know the feeling here and that is what concerns me. nm
x
I remember feeling like you do when I
started at Chronicle.  I thought everything was great and I found the perfect dream job.  It didn't last though.  The office is totally unorganized and nobody knows what they are doing from day to day.  The rules changed constantly and questions were answered with different answers depending on who you asked.  It was impossible to make production on any kind of regular thing.  The platform was terrible and the dictators even worse.  I stayed for just under 6 months to see if I could adjust and I couldn't.  I have a terrific job now where my supervisors are all transcriptionists or prior transcriptionists so when I ask a question they know exactly what I am asking.  My production is high and I work on a terrific platform now.  The only way I'd leave my current job is kicking and screaming  
Feeling defeated.
Of course they can do whatever they want, they always do.  But it does upset me that they are using the money that I generate to do this, and I never get so much as a thank you. I desperately need a mental health vacation, but my income is so bad, a vacation is only something I can dream about.
Feeling exploited

I am feeling so stupid for being a part of this industry. I am envisioning the owners of my company sitting back with their cigars and brandy, and chuckling about what a good scam they have going.


We have all of these faceless entities working their asses off for us, we keep paying them less and less, and they still keep going, like little hamsters going round and round as fast as they can in their little wheels!  All for us!!  Go faster little hamster, go faster, I want to buy a new boat. Do we have the best gig going or what?


I have finally come to realize that this industry is one of those work-from-home scams that everyone warns us about! 


I know that feeling. The hospital I worked for
when I started had us all at the same "starting pay". Then they changed it to commensurate with experience.

So, new hires (even those with less experience) were getting hired in at sometimes THREE BUCKS more than I was getting.

They wouldn't raise me up to make up for it. So, I quit.
I'm feeling pretty jealous of you...
Any chance at all you'll share the name of the company? I know that a couple of us here would love to join your team. (Feel free to e-mail me privately).  I'm looking to pick up a little extra work at this time. I'm full time with a company now, working as team lead, and am basically happy there.  However, the work has been low since the beginning of July, and it's just always a good idea to keep an eye out for a better situation.
My feeling exactly. I can count on 1 hand

the number of times I haven't helped out when they have gotten backlogged, usually without being asked with never a thank you, but an e-mail or phone call asking me to do extra the next day and then the next.   I've always pulled my share and then some.  I don't care about a gift or even a card, but if I do my 40 hours/committed line that should be enough.   They aren't paying me when there isn't any work.  


Ultimately it comes down to they don't care if I'm sick or I have a life or not, they just want the lines done.  They didn't used to be that way, or at least they would offer incentives, which they rarely do now.   I can't stand threats about losing accounts.  If isn't my fault if they lose it.   If another MT is not doing her share don't ask me to pick up the slack. 


Did you get the feeling they wanted you to quit?

Just wondered why you left (if you don't mind saying, I understand)


I had a feeling there was a mass exodus
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...
I'm new to TTech and feeling kind of alone out here. SM
I wish TTech had an employee message board. I've love to meet some of my co-workers.