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Lots of factors..

Posted By: sickofit on 2007-12-17
In Reply to: So, a federal law - Lillybelle

Overtime laws are federal/state. Federal law is 40 hr/week. States can supercede that to an 8 hr/day, etc. Company policy doesn't matter. Classification of employees is key. Some employee classifications do not quality for OT pay and can be required to work 60 hours a week with no additional pay. Company policies/collective bargaining agreements can grant benefits not required by the law (sometimes including, but not always the ability to grant comp time in lieu of OT), but cannot offer less than the minimum required by law. Example: If you are in a state that requires OT after 8 hr/day, then you cannot be offered comp time in lieu of OT. If you are in a state that required OT after 40 hr/week, you can be offered comp time SO LONG AS it is taken in the same week. Some employee classifications have different requirements, which may allow the comp time in the same pay period (2-week, month, etc), but for the classification that MT (not supervisory, just plain MT/QA classified as employee - not IC, SE is gray area) fall into, pay period doesn't matter. For those, comp time must be taken in the legal period, whether it be day or week in order to be in compiance with the law, which we all know not all companies are.


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    Lots of promises, no follow through. Lots and lots of internal sm
    problems. She is recruiting heavy right now as she has a CHANCE at getting a big account back. Even if they get it back, they'll blow it again from poor management.
    other factors . . .
    I think besides the server being busy, my slower processor contributes to the slow word appearance on my screen from time to time. My computer is on my long list of things to replace around here!
    too many factors here
    are people giving net, take home?  How much are they contributing towards taxes, 401K, health ins., equipment rental, on and on....how many hours are you working, what are you paid per line, employee or IC (big one), etc.  You can't just ask someone how much they make.    And it's just causing a big feather-raising ruckus. 
    There are a lot of factors...
    But I think also if you can get up to $15/hr, that would be okay because it will be dependable. You also need to consider how much driving is involved each day, will you have to pay for extra daycare, how much the benefits cost, etc. If you can get $15 and all of the other factors are good, I would probably take it. You can always get an IC MT job on the side to make extra money.
    Pay plan factors
    Those factors include monthly QA score, production (lines/hour), and how much you send to proofing for help. Also if you have the CMT there is a differential. It really does put us in control of what we can make and the potential for increases is there as you get more familiar with what you are doing. It's been a great plan for me to work on! Insurance is with Blue Cross, rates would depend on whether it's just you or a family plan.
    It depends on a lot of factors for both.

    How big is the page? In other words, how many lines define a page, and how many characters in the line? Or, if paid by line, how many characters in the line? Are spaces included? For both, are headers and things included. I assume you're referring to Silent Type. I have always heard they paid archaic wages per page. There are posts on Company Board about them - I would search back a few pages. I know they make you travel to their offices for 2 or 3 days, and even though I live in NJ, I would never stoop to that in this day and age - not very high tech.


    Here are the factors in my opinion...$1.10 is okay if...sm
    ... they pay for links meaning if the CT chest, abdomen and pelvis are dictated together which most radiologists do it gets counted as three reports.

    Some companied including Medquist counts this as one report now.

    Also if the account is not a teaching institution - no residents only attendings dictating then that means better usage of macros/word expanders.

    If the account is a teaching institution with lots of residents and ESL attendings and does not pay for links then it is definitely way too low.

    Hope this helps.

    JMO
    Could be any number of factors
    It could be any number of factors.  For someone to be on actual QA hold for 15 months sounds a little odd.  How do you know the account requirements do not specifically call for 100% review from the service.  I think you answered your own question.  If someone needs actual QA hold for that long they'd be released.  I think there is more to this behind the scenes that you are unaware of.  If you're making your lines and an income, who cares how anyway?  I can assure you the QA person is not making any extra money and enjoying the power by having to review each and every document.  I suspect it's more of a client requirement for it to be going on this long.
    All of these factors depend on the
    x
    Some other factors to ponder Maggie...sm

    I've been in the MT field for 16+ years now, produce quality work that I have always taken pride in, and my work ethic, well let's just say I do not think that there has been one weekend, Christmas day, etc. that I have not worked in 16 year iin this profession, and those times being mainly at night.


    I agree with some of what you state, however with that said, you may want to ponder a few other things. I have met many, many hard working, highly experienced MT's who likewise produce quality documents, take great pride in their work, and even have a stronger work ethic than I.  I hear the same story, over and over from MT's such as they, the lack of respect in general for this profession declining over the years, along with declining wages, outsourcing, etc.


    Another thought that you may want to ponder is regarding outsourcing. There are subskilled and substandard MT's in the US, however they are in a minority. By far most are intelligent, hard working and dedicated individuals.  The reason that this industry is being outsourced has little to do with the quality of the US MT. The industry is being outsourced strictly due to the ability to procure cheaper labor elsewhere. Period. Yes, the Indian MT, etc., works hard and does not whine as you state. They are paid 3 or 4 cents per line for their work. I don't know if you are aware of the cost of living in India, however it is far below that in the US; for example monthly cable television is $5.00 per month, etc., so the rate that is being paid there furnishes that MT with a nice lifestyle, thus nothing to whine about, as this industry used to provide to the equally hard working US MT.


    It is often convenient to point one's finger at a small handful of people in a given profession and state that to be the cause of an industry that is declining in the US. Even if that were the case in the MT profession one also then needs to take a look at other professions such as engineering, the IT industry, support centers, etc. that are being outsourced, and likewise in those fields the jobs are not being outsourced due to the incompetance or lack of work ethic of the American worker.


    MTSOs have no control over the factors that would make this
    :+
    You're omitting some very important factors.

    1.  The cost of living has increased drastically since 1992.  That $15 an hour was worth far more than it is today. 


    2.  TIME, which to many is the most important factor.  You really can't put a value on what you're losing with your family when you have to work *that couple more hours* to make what you made 15 years ago.  In fact, if we had worked that *couple more hours* 15 years ago, we would have been paid time and a half as overtime.  Also, 15 years ago when I worked in house I was paid hourly.  If it took me a little extra time to find the address for a copy the doctor wanted sent, I was still paid the same.  Have you figured the percentage of lost work now working production and trying to find the addresses, first names, correct spelling of referring physicians, etc., for the hundreds of different doctors from multiple accounts for multiple national MTSOs over the 15 years? Our job requires the same, if not more, amount of unpaid time...yet we're not paid hourly anymore.


    3.  I really liked your phrase *the benefit of working from home.*  LOL  Sure, we don't have to buy business clothes or pay for gas, but what is the employer saving by having us work at home?  We buy the computer, buy the printers to print out the hundreds of pages of account specs, the ink, the electric, the internet access, our research materials, and in some cases even the software.  In fact, this brings me to the next point you never considered.


    4.  IC status.  More and more MTSOs are asking for IC status.  When I started working at home about 14 years ago, I was an employee making 12 cpl WITH the best health insurance I ever had, weekends off, all holidays except 2 off with pay, AND 2 weeks paid vacation.  Here it is 15 years later and the MTSOs not only want us to work for less than we did then, but they don't even want to pay benefits, taxes, disability insurance, or unemployment insurance.  They want us to pay all that for less than what they paid us 15 years ago...AND THEN, they want to tell us what hours to work, what days to work, and how much work we have to do in a day.  In other words, they want to treat us as employees, but put the price of all the employee *extras* on our backs. 


    And you're content with all this??  Maybe I shouldn't use the word content.  You're used to all this and accept it?  Now I see why posters have made the correlation between battered spouse syndrome and our profession.  The more you become used to the abuse, the more you accept it.


    I would go back. The factors that made it difficult to work there before are no longer there
    Clear expectations, documented style guide, friendly and helpful staff from the top down, consistent QA. They put in writing what they expect and if you do your thing within those expectations, you will thrive!
    (I'm only a lowly MT, not anyone in a position to profit from these statements!)
    I agree. Big factors- ease of dictators, length of reports, platform. NM
    .
    I totally agree, your story is mine and lots, and lots of others, please
    believe me when I say Keystrokes has been honest like we used to have in this profession. If I can help one Transcriptionist avoid what we have, this will all be worth it. I worked parttime for Keystrokes at the time I was fulltime with ____ and quit, 2 years later I begged them to take me back after once again my paycheck was cut in half, and they did with open arms. I don't mean to run down anyone but a lot of these transcription companies are getting obscenely rich while paying below minimum wage to transcriptionists, playing with dictation and after working for a couple of them you know who is honest and who is not. Sorry I came down so hard but the reality is there are single mothers out there that I bet cry themselves to sleep not able to give their children a decent life because it is easier to steal from us. When companies have millions of dollar to pay for other transcription companies, open transcription schools in other countries, ect., ect., you know there is a lot of money in it. That is all I am saying.
    I don't think we work at the same place, but I have been working lots and lots of hours.
    Very thankful to have a decent job.
    Lots and lots of recent stuff in archives.
     
    Lots and Lots of info about them in the archives. nm
     
    Lots and lots of work. You will love
    XY?Z
    Lots and lots of posts in the archives.
     
    Lots and lots of info in archives and several
    posts just down the page.  Open your original post and near the bottom click on the blue see related posts and you'll get the most recent posts. 
    Lots lots, cuz I prefer
    the OP/PR notes over any report......
    Call them. I have lots of work, had lots of work
    during the holidays too.   I don't know who routes the work, but one of the office people is on vacation this week.   I occasionally have to call to get work depending on what hours I'm working, but I have never not gotten work when I've asked for it.  
    lots of ESL
    This company works on VA and other accounts. The accounts have LOTS of ESL MDs on them and they are HARD ESL MDs too....the accounts are truely not worth the pay!!
    lots of ESL's do not do it
    You will never get out of the program and a certain mentor will grade you only on ESLs and you will not get out.
    Lots of changes still going on there.
    //
    lots of ESL...sm
    They are a pretty good company to work for. Pay is on time. The only thing is all the ESLs...and different doctors every day....really messes up your production, as normals are impossible.


    LOTS of ESL

    ESL - Chinese, Indian, Russian, Hispanic, British and many really awful english speaking newbie residents in the process of training. 


    Yes, you can have (and may often need) the 12-hour window.  Workload is not consistent, had to ask for secondaries before I was there 3 months; when OT is approved other people come charging on there and take all the work.  Overstaffing appears to be a problem (though not a huge one yet).


    I hope you can avoid the RadNet program, which atrocious and you are expected to be the unpaid go between for Webmedx techs and client techs, neither of which will own the problem.  Main platform, Enterprise, is slow and often slower.  Expect to have to drop what you're doing due to system freeze-ups and reboot a couple times a day.


    The supe is very nice.


    lots of lines on DQS
    I've been on DQS about 2 months. I am averaging about 280 lph. I have been an MT for 1-1/2 years. I make use of InstantText and I set up a standard for almost every doc I come across. It can be done.
    Lots of calculating there each day.

    nm


    Uh, lots of red flags here. I'd be looking elsewhere.
    nm
    lots of ex-mq mts go to that board and
    she might read there 2

    other on that board may know who she is 2

    what's ur problem with it?
    Lots of information.
    Google it.  There are many hits for E-Dictate. 
    lots of work
    I got bored and tired of MQ not ever having any work, and I have found 2 part time positions that allow me to work whenever I want so long as I can get the required lines within a certain time frame. So far, I have worked for one platform for one month and the other for 1 day and already I am averaging more lph than with MQ. Think DocQScribe stinks maybe? Then add to that the time it takes for that stupid Etime logging baloney. I can't believe it took me this long, but it seems pretty plain to me.
    You will get lots of replies of
    keep in mind that is an average and includes everyone from the newbie to the ones that have been doing this for years. There is so much to take into consideration including whether the work is done for a national, whether you have your own accounts, work hourly at a hospital/clinic, etc. It does sound average to me for what its worth.
    I have lots of work on my
    If you don't already have a secondary...ask for one.
    lots of ESLs
     
    Probably everything you said. I have lots of work.
    Lots of companies overhire probably because they need the work done and there are always a few MTs who have issues and don't work regularly or don't do their committed lines, so they hire more to make up for it.   It is possible they may be offshoring too.  You can ask about the company here and if they are offshoring someone may know.  Unfortunately there isn't anything you can do about either situation. 
    lots of work?
    So which company is it you work for that gives you lots of work?
    Lots of changes there right now, not good. nm
    .
    Lots of work.
    Software productive and becoming more so as enhancements are made to the program.
    I should have said just ask lots of questions
    especially which exactly which account you'll be working on and what is the percentage of ESLs. There was 1 hospital that was the 80% ESLs, and the other 2 I worked on didn't fare much better. I'm not saying stay away, just be well informed when you interview.
    Lots of boards on here. ..
    Guess I'm confused. . .I asked this question on the Gab Board and someone suggested that I ask it on the Company Board.
    There are lots leaving and not just
    mgt. I think some MTs leaving will not be on a voluntary basis either. Last time work got this slow they let a lot of the ICs and part timers go and that was right before Christmas time. With work being so slow, wondering how long they are going to keep paying insurance benefits when a lot of people are not making the line requirements anymore.
    They do have lots of work. That is plus.
    x
    Lots of macros
    Don't forget to macro your English phrases - wtp=with the patient, adtth=admitted to the hospital, etc. I have thousands of these.

    Make up a system of that works for you - and don't be afraid to put a word or phrase in 2 or 3 different ways in your Expander - i.e., give it 3 different names.

    I have found that some terms that I can't remember I just type phonetically and left the macro do the spelling for me. This is especially helpful with the syndromes and diseases that are rather rare. I use tooey for Tuohy needle.

    Also, use the expander for all your drugs; that way you will never to worry about whether they are generic (not capitalized0 or brand (capitalized). Just type them in lower case and your expander will take of the capitalization.

    Terms and drugs that are hyphenated or have capital letters in their names should be in macros as well. Any time you have to reach to use the Shift key, it disrupts your rhythm and costs you money.

    Concentrate on one thing at a time and soon you will have a huge macro file to work from. First week, do your drugs, next week, syndromes/disease, etc.
    Lots of maintenance going on lately, plus

    recent ExText upgrade, always Ichart maintenance, service maintenance, little server glitch, recent downtime.  It is unfortunate that we do not know what is going on, but I guess it is none of our business . . . just business.


    In my experience there are lots of ESL

    psych dictators and they are really bad.  It makes you wonder how they are supposed to home someone with mental issues when you can't understand half of what they say.   The absolute worst dictator I've ever had was an American psychiatrist.   Okay now that I said that you can probably be very productive because you can use macros and there isn't a lot of medical terminology so if you are weak in that psych is for you.  I enjoyed psych at first for the most part, but after awhile it got to be very depressing.   I started 20+ years ago at 6 cpl so 6 cpl now seems like a slap in the face, but if you don't have a lot of experience that is about all you can expect. 


    I hope I didn't confuse you. 


     


    Look through the archives. Lots about them, all bad. nm
     
    Lots of reason
    I got to be at home with my kids when they were growing up. My youngest was 2 when I started. He is now 18. It wasn't always easy, but I did it.

    Working in my PJs.

    Lunch time in the swimming pool with a good book!

    I can work on my deck in the summer.

    I can snuggle with my puppy any time I want to.

    Nooners!!
    Lots of times
    There are many times when I want a hard copy of something, be it emails, articles, etc. I have been around long enough to know computers do go down and information lost. It is also a safety net.