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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Just to clarify, I wrote the first few MTSO posts

Posted By: First "MTSO" on 2006-01-13
In Reply to: Time to jump in here. Some MTs test well, interview well, only put references on there - MTSO

But this is not mine. However, I have to agree that some MTs look much better on paper!!


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did you see what she wrote
Hey, did you see below where the cheerleader wrote that I need a lawyer? Funny isn't it? Hmmm.... I'm thinking First Amendment applies! Sheeeshhh
Do you see what you just wrote to me? sm
Read your second paragraph with all the caps and personal attacks? I did not do or say anything that justifies you calling me miserable. This is a board where adult professionals post opinions. I posted mine and I guess you don't agree with my opinion. For you to suggest that I need social skill and that I a NASTY as you cap it and MISERABLE is provocative and looking for an argument. I will not take the bait but I just will point out that you are overreacting and provoking here.
Do you see what I wrote under the post?
It does not matter what I believe anyhow. The fact is the company believes you have to be a QA person for 5 years. I believe you should to do their accounts, yes, because their accounts are acute care, in depth
called and wrote
x
I already joined and wrote him! sm
I pray that they will get theirs in the end. Justice will prevail!
Yes, I wrote them twice since testing, but got no
s
Somebody wrote in the forum that they did
nm
Wrote this a while back.....sm

Never got published, but maybe you can get some points from it.... 


 


RE:  YOUR CONFIDENTIAL MEDICAL INFORMATION GOING OVERSEAS


 


 


I am a medical transcriptionist, and I am also a patient of several doctors in the United States of America. 


 


I have a story that needs to be told to U.S. Citizens.  I shall remain anonymous, but I do feel that whoever breaks this story to the public will have done them a great service.


 


In an effort to save money, at the public’s personal expense, many patient records (voice dictation) from the United States are going overseas to be transcribed (mostly to India).  This means that possibly even YOUR confidential medical and personal information (such as your Social Security number, address, phone number, etc.) is going overseas.  The world climate in which we are now living makes this is a very dangerous situation. 


 


I do have a financial interests in this issue, but I am also a US citizen who is very concerned about my personal medical information getting into the hands of the wrong people and feel that the US government should put constraints on this. 


 


All people are created equal and I am very sorry for the people who would no longer profit from this business overseas should our government put an end to it; however, I do feel that the US public has a right to know what is happening to their medical records, as they are their legal property.  At the very least, they should have to legally consent to their records leaving this country.


 


Thank you for your attention to this.


 


 


Concerned Citizen


I wrote it and can't find it either

I just wrote in about the MT from MDI asking where to go...I can't find my reply either!  Glad you saw it.  Now I know I'm not going crazy.


Suzanne Gabric


 


If you read what I wrote more carefully
you would see that I said it is fine as long as they tell you up front. Which they don't. Which means it isn't fine.

In other words, I was being a little sarcastic :)
I just wrote my state senator the following..
Dear Senator: You may or may not know about a recent sale of Medquist, Inc. Transcription Services selling 70% of their stock to an India-owned company as of 5/22/08. In 2007, Medquist fired over 1000 employees to prepare for this sale. CBAY is known for firing US employees and hiring employees in India to do US medical transcription. We desperately need your help to address the issue of outsourcing of US medical records thereby losing confidentiality of our medical information, social security #s, birthdates, and much more. including further loss of jobs for US workers. We urge you to pass the following bill:

S. 810/H.R. 1653
Clinton (D-NY)/Markey (D-MA)
Prohibits American businesses and health care organizations from sharing consumers’ personal information with foreign affiliates or subcontractors without consent from consumers. Allows consumers to “opt out” of having their personal information processed overseas and bars companies from denying service or charging consumers more as a result.

Any and all help you can give us in regard to keeping jobs in the US will be greatly aprpeciated.
I misread what you wrote and apologize.
My response below was a result of my misunderstanding!

My apologies, MtMommyof2!

That sure sounds like AHDI wrote it. It sure is
Or maybe even FBI - one never knows how deep their dishonesty runs.........
Dude, I'm poking fun at what you wrote! LOL.
x
I'm curious who wrote that post...
...if they are WebmedX mgt trying to mislead? I know of no accountso f theirs still on regular transcription and I asked as well. I hate editing. Two years later it hasn't gotten any better and I make SO much less it's rediculous. It's easier the majority of the time to type the whole report from scratch and make pennies on the dollar for doing same. :(
Ok. So for each report you wrote down the word count?
then compared it? Just wondering.  I probably won't do it because that would just take up too much of my time but wondered how you did it.
when docs give mtso a check, then mtso pays you?
nm
Based on past interviewed, there is the information I wrote down

I cannot guarantee this information is 100%, and anyone with more accurate information feel free to chime in, but I have interviewed with several companies over the past few months, and here are the notes I have taken on what was offered by Webmedx and Axolotl:


 


Webmedx Acute Care = probably includes ESL dictators


Axolotl Clinic Work = probably easier/better dictators 


 


VR/ASR:


WMX = Starting to covert accounts to ASR


AX = Unknown


 


Insurance (Single):  Axolotl costs more per pay period than Webmedx.


 


Pay Days:


WMX = 26 (every 2 weeks)


AX = 24 (twice monthly)


 


Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance:


WMX = Eligible after 90 days


AX = Eligible after 30 days


 


Flexible Spending Account:


WMX = None


AX = Eligible after 90 days


 


401K:


WMX = Eligible after 1 year, with NO MATCH


AX = Eligible after 90 days with partial match 


 


Eligible Tuition Reimbursement:


WMX = Unknown


AX = $2,000 per year 


 


Working Holidays:


WMX = You are expected to work the holiday if it falls during your regular work schedule, unless you request it off in advance and there is enough coverage.


AX = Rotating.  If it falls during your regular work schedule, they try to spread it out so no one is working all the major holidays. 


 


Yearly Bonus or Pay Raise:


WMX = never heard of anyone getting a raise


AX = Anniversary $500 bonus (minimum)


 


ISP, incoming dictation snafu, or Acts of God preventing you from working:


WMX = Full-time:  you have to make up the time or take PTO, preferably the same day


AX = Depending on the circumstances, you may still get paid and only have to work your regular schedule


 


Full-Time Status:


WMX = If you fall below 35 hours per week for three consecutive months (no matter what reason), they automatically drop you to part-time status. 


AX = Unknown


 


I wrote this email and sent it to the Toledo Blade newspaper.
Dear Mr. Zerbey:

I wanted to make you and your readers aware of the situation that took place at Heartland Information Services (owned by HCR Manor Care-parent company-Toledo based company) today, Monday, May 8, 2006. In a mandatory conference call (for the chosen employees) Kathy Clemmons, VP of the US based operations and Colleen Neidert, HR Manager promptly told all of the US based medical transcriptionists and some Quality Assurance employees and auditors, that we no longer had jobs with Heartland Information Services. Kathy Clemmons stated that over the past 4 to 6 months Heartland had been looking at ways to become profitable for HCR Manor Care by increasing their business through new contracts with hospitals and physician practices. Apparently, according to Kathy Clemmons, VP, that did not happen and the company decided to look at ways to cut costs. Kathy Clemmons, VP stated that it cost Heartland 5 times more to pay the US based medical transcriptionists versus what they pay the medical transcriptionists in India. So, needless to say, here I am typing this email to you as one of the employees given a permanent layoff as per Colleen Neidert's (HR manager) words in the meeting. All US based MTs are employed until July 7, 2006 at 2:00pm, at which time, all computers are to be turned off and work as a Heartland employee ceases. They are offering the computers that employees used to work on from home offices for an astounding deal of $800. They are going to show the $800.00 on the time sheets as income and then deduct the federal taxes and then we will also be responsible for the state and local taxes on the computer. This is the severance package. Of course, we can opt not to take the computer and send it back.

Noticeably absent from this mandatory conference call was Dennis Paulik, President of Heartland Information Services. I thought that was rather professional and courteous of him. He destroys the lives of hundreds of employees and their families and then does not have the courtesy of firing his own employees! Great guy he is!

How many more jobs are we, as United States citizens going to lose to India or China? How much longer are we going to turn the other cheek? What is it going to take to stop this raping of our own country of jobs and lives for that matter? Who will have the nerve and strength to say enough is enough?

What will the hospitals and physicians' think when they learn that all of their dictation (legal documents in a court of law if there were to be a lawsuit) are being transcribed by nonEnglish speaking individuals? What will the patients of these facilities think? How is the HIPPA law being enforced overseas to protect the rights of patients?

The bottom line is money obviously, for Heartland and HCR Manor Care, but if given a choice, I know without a doubt, the American patient and American physician and hospital and healthcare facilities would choose quality and accuracy 100% of the time over an underpaid, nonEnglish speaking, half the world away individual listening to and transcribing their vital information pertaining to their actual lives in some cases.

I am one of those unfortunate individuals fired today. I worked my heart out for this company as did so many. We worked weekends, holidays, overtime, we worked when others were sick or on vacation or to cover shifts when individuals did not call in to work. We worked and worked, always grateful in the most humble of ways, grateful for our jobs with Heartland.

Heartland, the name itself, the heartland of America, not India, but America, all of the great American cities such as Toledo, Ohio; Madison, Wisconsin; Omaha, Nebraska, and Rockford, Michigan. What will happen to us now? Where do we go from here? Sure, we will all find ways to continue on, we have to, but what about the next company, the next American citizen working hard to live the true American dream, what happens when it continues to happen? Where does it end?

God Bless us all. May we be blessed with great, American based jobs.

I would be most grateful to you if you would place this email on the Editorial page or even the front page of the Toledo Blade. I am a full-blooded American just telling my story and the story of hundreds of others today. May you find it in your heart to hear the cries of the American worker, simply trying to live the American dream, only to be replaced by the Indian worker, trying to destroy the American dream.

Thank you for listening not only to me, but I hope my words expressed what so many of us former employees are feeling tonight here in the Heartland of America.
I wrote AAMT, the President, and my senators tonight...sm
I'm also going to write my local paper and contact some news organizations.
To Mary K - I totally agree...I thought you wrote a

great letter and I hope you get some response to it on a national level..the public needs to know about this as is concerns THEIR medical records!  I applaud your efforts and hope something comes from it!



Oh Geez- i didnt read what I wrote - correction in msg

Has anyone else gotten late paychecks from Meridian in the past. 


 


I was up working half the night.  So please dont hound me.


I didn't see that in her post at all. In fact I wrote something similar...please sm
I believe what she meant was similar to what I wrote which was that I felt a majority of the nasty posts probably came from isolated people that take crap all day. These types normally get walked on because they aren't outspoken enough in real life to say what they feel. Then they anonymously come here (or other boards)to take out their pinned up frustrations. It's merely an opinion and you know what they say about those.:)

The reason I believe this to be true is because I've encountered way more nasty people on-line than in real life. If some of the posters said the same nasty remarks to a person's face that they do hiding behind a screen name, #1) They'd get fired. #2) They'd have NO friends.
#3) They'd lose a few teeth.

Think about it.
I wrote to their HR department, which is the only contact I could find for them, last week, but no r
x
I'll say! Wrote off $82 million as "goodwill impairment"
NM
oh geez "always... all the time" I should read what I wrote before I post. sigh
.
Isn't she an MTSO owner - which MTSO ? Just curious. n/mnn
nnnn
Actually .. let me clarify ... lol
They call it Statutory Employee and in describing it (in the contract) stated that "...because a statutory employee works as an independent contractor..." -- so that is where I was getting the IC. Sorry for the confusion on my part.
Can you clarify?

I don't understand what you mean by "in the office." The only people "in the office" are techies, some senior management types (but not even all of those), payroll in Pitts, etc.


I'm thinking through all of the "supervisors" (MT supervisors) and they all work from home. Sorry to hear that you've had a bad experience, but know that they DO have some really good transcription supervisors, and that it's totally an incorrect generalization that a 'bad one' will "be supervising you." 


And, no, I don't work at Webmedx any more. Used to, knew all of the supes very well and worked with them daily. I saw how they dealt with their MTs. All had their strengths and weaknesses.


Try to not generalize in such a negative fashion, okay?  If you have issues, speak directly with the supervisor, or at least say "I have worked with a couple, I didn't enjoy the experience, but I can't speak for every supervisor there." Post responsibly.


I can feel the flames already!


to clarify
I realized when I re-read my post, it might have come across as catty. Didn't mean for it to. I think we're all going to be forced to go with the program or be out of work. It's a shame, but with so many companies going with it, it's either enter a different field (and there are no guarantees anywhere these days) or live with it. I really don't think the politicians on either side are going to fix things anytime soon. Too much money involved.
Just to clarify again...
Employees are statutory, not IC.

Pay during training is for the lines that you complete during training; there is no hourly training pay or anything like that. You may start at a lower rate and then increase within a couple of months. You would have to talk to the recruiter about this. They kind of do everything on a case-by-case basis rather than have blanket policies as far as pay rates go.
I would clarify that as well...sm
I would be difficult for you to keep up with keystroke count if they are limiting what Keystrokes are. Where I work, everything is a keystroke, even the demographics we fill in, spaces, and headers, if we have to add them in. At the 0.001575 rate, you'd be making good money. It's always better to ask questions and clarify what's covered as a keystroke, what's not, and what the daily and pay period quotas are, so if you think it's realistic enough to achieve. Where I work is very fair with that. Once you understand the formula, figuring your paycheck out is easily done.
just to clarify

I have a hard time feeling sorry for someone who fraudulently receives unemployment benefits while working.  Two wrongs don't make a right.  I've had a real rough past few years here trying to recover from Medquist, but I'm proud to say I have been honest in all my dealings on my end.  I work hard and if the company doesn't work, for whatever reason, I move on.  Everyone should realize by now that THE ACCOUNT MEANS EVERYTHING.  Not the company.  Not the line rate.  Not the communications.  If you are on a crappy account, you won't make money.  You can have a low line rate with a great account and make great money.  You can have poor communications with a great account and it doesn't make a difference because everything on the account is crystal clear and you don't have to ask for clarification.  You unhappy Keystrokers got the bad account.  You happy ones have good accounts.  Simple.  Keystrokes probably should unload the bad account, but does any company ever actually do that?  I don't know the answer to that. 


 


could you clarify this a little more for me, please?

Now, my production put me making the same as full-time in each one but I was officially part-time in each company


Do you mean you were able to produce full time work in parttime hours at both jobs?   I thing I'm going brain dead from job hunting and working.  Forgive me if I am sounding dense here. 


Let me clarify
My figure is based on the fact that Keystrokes does appear to hire MTs that can work independently and are very experienced. Also, compared this with others on the same platform. That could also factor in, so you have a good point as far as platform, differences, etc.
to clarify
They don't really give you holidays off. You can choose to take the holiday off but you have to use your PTO time to cover it.
Let me clarify, since you all don't get it..sm
FLEXIBLE is that I will LEARN and WORK on MANY accounts so that I have plenty of what I want to do! So many will have a primary account and only one secondary. I have TWO primaries and TWO secondaries, and I work all of them in any given week. They are all different with regard to formatting and rules.

Considering that this is FOUR sets of rules, not one or two...considering that this is HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of dictators...and every single specialty that has anything to do with surgery...yup that is bending over backwards because MOST of you would never try it, let alone be able to do it! It is also flexibility because I AM willing to work extra hard to learn my accounts and get it right even if I have not seen that account in a week. Because I can be asked to work on XYZ account at the drop of a hat and manage it, you bet they appreciate me and you can bet I appreciate the fact that this is a two-way street.

I know about a lot of you out there. I have worked other places and I am the MT who ends up cleaning up after you. I do the doctors you won't, I pitch in on my days off because you don't make your line counts or don't show up or didn't work your entire shift. This is NOT every MT but believe me I have seen it all.

I get tired of being accused of not working very hard, of selling myself short working for TT and I am rather offended that I am accused of not being a very good MT. I have been the punching bag for people who are not bright enough to understand my meaning and I am left wondering just how it is that such people call themselves MTs, let alone human beings. I have also been accused of lying because I am here and claim to make my line counts. What, are you jealous that between my 2 jobs I have racked 42,000 lines so far this month and it isn't over yet AND I was here?

Well ladies and I use that term loosely, I am GONE. You are a jealous, rude, nasty group of women and I don't care to be associated with you any longer.
and to clarify
there is a difference on these boards between OSi and OSI, 2 different companies
Pls clarify, OSI or OSi..
These are 2 different companies... OSi is one, OSi is another.  OSI, who knows where they are... OSi is in PA....
Let me clarify
that I in no way mean to cast MDI in a poor light or deter anyone from considering working with MDI.  I am still with them because I think they ARE such a great company, and intend to stay with them for a long time, and I think this work lull will pass soon.  I really don't think the lull is MDI's fault, and I think they have been trying to juggle people so everyone can get some work.  I am here because I think they are a great company to work for, I love my liaisons, love my schedule, etc.  This lull has not been the norm in past years, not that I recall, so it has been a surprise to me.  The fact remains that it has been very REAL on my accounts, and very frustrating, and my paychecks have taken the hit to prove it, at a bad time with the crappy economy and soaring gas prices.  So it really irked me to have someone state that it was nonsense and imply that it never happened/isn't happening. 
Can you clarify
I don't understand ... do I literally type what you have typed here? - then went to start-run-type in cmd- and when it comes up type ping *space* www.google.com ?

Thanks for further claification. :)

Oh please let me clarify,
I am not questioning their line count, only my own ability on most days to achieve it.
Please, let me clarify.

I totally agree with you, but it is getting harder and harder to find non-VR jobs.  If MTs have to do VR, then the only option may be to become as proficient as possible  just to survive.  I recently found a job doing staight typing  because found VR to be a losing proposition.  Being paid considerably less to make a sometimes totally worthless VR program look good is not my idea of a good time.


Sorry, could you clarify?
Is it a 3-cent per line cut or is it a cut TO 3 cpl? 
Just to clarify
I'm not looking. I read here and see so many people unable to find secure, satisfactory employment, and I was wondering where they were getting their job leads from.

The ads on here seem to be recycled weekly so that sort of lets you know that those companies have a pretty active turn-over.

Thanks for the reply tho and sorry I didn't expand the purpose of my question.
Can you clarify
Do you mean pre-made normals coming from the facility/doctor, or normals made by the MT in the expander.

I get paid for both now. Not concerned too much about not getting paid for their normals, but certainly would want to get paid for mine. I can still do 350+ straight typing with my expanders.
Please clarify

Are you saying if we don't catch all the errors (as in correcting everything), we shouldn't be an MT or are you saying we should just accept gobbledy-gook word salad from VR and be happy to deal with it?


I agree with the catching errors, but not with the expectation that every report will be a piece of garbage to be cleaned up and I should be happy to clean it, ectstatic to get 1/3 or 1/2 the pay or I shouldn't be an MT.  No, no, can't agree there.


To clarify...
To clarify how the fraudulent resignation worked is this.  Everyone who works on the account I do knows my first name, last name, and my email address just as I know theirs, as we are sent it along with each and every email we receive from management's cc's.  Therefore, the person created an account with yahoo, as that is where my account is, the person then, knowing my first name and last name, created it to be showing on the outgoing from line.  The person then used my exact email address, but simply left off one number at the end.  I have to say, when the team leader emailed a screen shot of my supposed resignation that she received from the account manager, I sat her scratching my head and staring at it, I knew it was not from me and then of course it wasn't from me, as it wasn't my email address and it showed first and last name on the from line, which I only use my first name on the from line.  Hope this clarifies on how anyone can be a victim of fraud, it is very easy to do once you know the person's name and email address.  Point is, when the company is made aware by me that is not my email address nor did I send in a 2 weeks resignation, why would they choose to accept it?  I can only come up with one reason, they wanted me out!
Sorry-to clarify-$80 or more PER DAY - sm
for that particular day to get calculated into UE benefit eligibility.
Perhaps I should clarify
I asked the question (riddle) to make a point, not to challenge people to say where they shop or don't shop.

In other words, if the shoe doesn't fit you don't need to defend yourself. And if it DOES fit, you still don't need to defend yourself.

I was merely pointing out that the whole issue is VERY complex - trying to give examples, etc.

P.S. When I speak to customer service, if the PERSON on the other end of the phone can help me, I don't refuse to let them do so merely because they are Indian ?? If you want to hate something, I strongly encourage you to direct that passion toward the laws your Congressmen and women have enacted which have created this horrible system we are experiencing.
Posts from April said everyone gets 8.5 cpl/newbie or experienced. Recent posts said
s