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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Second thoughts re KS

Posted By: Daphne on 2007-11-17
In Reply to:

This week I was offered a job with KS on a new hem/onc account starting soon, which will use the Allscripts platform.  I actually did accept their offer, but after doing so, I am having second thoughts.  The company I am working for now has been very nice to me, but the hem/onc account I am on is a very difficult one with a lot of different dictators.  The new account for KS would not have half as many dictators.  The cpl rates are very close, but I am not sure I want to go through all that new stuff of learning a new platform, new dictators, etc. Has anyone else out there ever decided to stay with the company they are with even though the new account being offered would be much easier.


Would like to get some opinions regarding this.  Has anyone else decided to stay with their present national and not take the new job offer?  TIA




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just my thoughts on it. . .
I'm glad we have somebody to take a second look since we live in a litigation-crazy world and, let's face it, most of the time the doctors aren't going to spend much time reading before they sign. Still,it seems these days our pay is based more on our ability to put all the commas and semicolons in the right place than our experience and knowledge of medical terminology. All I say is give priority to the important stuff and don't over-penalize for the petty things. Maybe some of the QA people are English majors, but most of the MTs aren't.
My thoughts...
You may only get to actually transcribe 3 jobs per day while you wait around for feedback. Once you graduate and are put into the expereienced team, good luck! Most shifts they offer are 3rd and the managment well I've found nicer people at the DMV.
My thoughts exactly. Seems like the ones sm
who have no work or similar complaints are the ones with the most misspellings and grammar dysfunction in their threads. And this is English!! Makes a person wonder what errors are made in medical terminology. It's better to have it pointed out by us than by higher authorities at the workplace. With all the offshoring done now, we all really need to tighten up to keep our jobs here.



My thoughts are... sm
That they actually have too many employees, not enough work to go around! Other than that and the requirement to have unlimited LD, they are great to work for with a very friendly staff.
thoughts
You sound like management. People stay with a company for many reasons. There is no company that is perfect. Someone asked for information and people gave generalized information, positive and negative, not with rose colored glasses. It's better to get some honest thorough answers than some generic snide remarks.
thoughts
The work is hit and miss. Sometimes they are begging for help and other times there is no work available. They shuffle you around from account to account. They have picked up more accounts, but this seems to have created disorganization. The quickest way to get any response is with IM or a phone call.
My thoughts .....sm
This is not an opinion strictly based because I work for Shapin, this is in general....

Yes, we all deserve the best paying rate. But with the economy the way it is today,it just plain ole' sucks! Its not the companys fault because they can't pay top dollar, I blame the economy. We cant even get a decent waged job outside of the home...

Also, I would rather take a lower pay and deal with a company that is very understanding, friendly etc.. Rather than dealing with those holier than tho MT's and QA's. Its not worth the headache anymore... And I at least know, that if something comes up, (personal/emergency) I know that Shapin will be understanding to the situation and I dont have to worry about being yelled at the next day for not being able to commit to the job etc ..

Now, as far as the whole outsourcing matter goes, whether we like it or not, it is there. It's everywhere. We cant do anything about it... Are we supposed to shut off our phone because our CS reps are Indian?? Now before I get bashed for bringing this up, I just want to say that No I am not in total agreement with it, but obviously they are here to stay and we cant get around it....

Thats pretty much my 2 or 3 cents.
my thoughts
I think we pass but when they see how well we did and how many years experience we have, the say we did not because they know we want/deserve good pay which they do not want to pay.  Just my thoughts.
here's my thoughts
I know I'll be shot down in flames for it but, here goes! :)

First, I think base pay should be premium with generous incentives for production, night/evening work, weekend work, specialties, and difficult dictators/accounts.

Second, I think there should be an absolute standard for employers: They scream they want quality and production at the same time. The only way to get this is to hire well seasoned, experienced MTs who have the production capability. I believe all students graduating from MT courses should have to work inhouse in a hospital or clinic (if that is all they want to do) before working from home. It takes too much time and energy to train them. The course is just more of an outline of what they'll need, to make them familiar with what they will see/hear in this work. It does not educate them and prepare them to be even entry level in most cases (I know what I'm talking about - I see entry level new hires).

Third, I think MTs should take notice and realize that not one single company is in business to give us jobs. It IS a business and it must be run that way. The hospital/clinic/physician is our client and we have to serve them. If MTs do not want to do that and work with their employer, they should simply work for themselves.

Fourth, I think MTs should actually take a professional attitude to heart. All of the message boards are full of the most hateful, catty, snotty, judgemental, whining people but they want to be recognized as professionals. We don't appear to be a professional group because we are not acting that way, speaking that way.

Last of all, we need to realize that the MT industry is not the only one changing -- all businesses are changing. It will not go back, it will not reverse, it will not turn about. We have to learn to adapt, change, and make ourselves necessary for the future. Doing the swollen chest/head routine won't get it. Complaining won't get it. Threatening to quit or unionize won't get it. Making a dedicated effort to be better at our work, difficult dictators and all, WILL get it.

Fire away! I've put on my fire-proof clothes and am leaving the building! Won't bother me.

JMO
My thoughts
I am not a butt kisser. You can do everything right and it still does not get you anywhere in this business. Been in clinic and IC. It is the same everywhere unless you are climbing the corporate ladder, which I am not and do not intend to.
Exactly!!! My thoughts exactly (sm)
That is what I am trying to say in postings above. It is OUR GOVERNMENT and BIG BUSINESS creating this issue, NOT American quality.
TRS Please Let me know your thoughts..

Okay, I am a newbie and I have taken a leap of faith to go with TRS, I have been on and off this board and see that there are some wonderful AND experienced MTs on here.  Any info you can give me on what you know about this company would be great!  I am a military spouse and we have recently gone from a two income house to a one, we just spent 5 years in Germany and we bring back a 2 yr old, a 1 year old and one on the way :)  Because of this I decided to go down the MT road for a second income to be able to stay at home.


Any information would be greatly appreciated!!  I am really just wanting to know I am going in the right direction.  I know there are plenty of 'better' companies out there, but I need to get my feet wet before they will touch me.


All comments are welcome!!!  Thank you for your time!!


V/r


Michelle


Second thoughts re KS

I posted a message on 11/17 regarding having second thoughts about going to work for KS.  If you did not see that message, would you please read it and tell me what your thoughts might be.  I need more feedback before making my decision.


Your opinion is appreciated.  Thanks.


second thoughts about TT

I have accepted a position at TT.  Now I am having second thoughts about leaving MQ.  I was so impressed by all the wonderful TT talk a few weeks ago, plus at the time being miserable at MQ so I applied.  Now my MQ work is getting better and now reading this post, I am getting nervous.  Worried about working 8 hours a day on the weekend, plus what if the work is worse than at MQ??? I am just getting nervous about the change, I hate change.   Just needing to vent, thanks.


Don't have second thoughts

Don't listen to the bipolar people on this board.  I swear ... one day everyone is praising TT ... next day bashing them.  These people are on a constant hormonal pendulum or something.  I have been at TT for 2 months now.  Aside from the insurance going up (and I'm willing to wait this out), I have been thrilled with TT and love the account I am on. 


Is TT having a few communication issues the moment ... perhaps.  They are growing very, very fast (sometimes you have to take the big accounts when you can get 'em).  They are great people to work for.  This will all even out ... they just need a little time and patience. 


People are crazy on this board.  One bad day and they want to throw it all away.  That is just not how life works.  It is like they are looking for an excuse to walk out the door ... anything.  Like the MT who totally misread an e-mail about when to page after hours.  She didn't even read it thoroughly (or correctly) and she is on here blasting TT left and right saying she is quitting. 


People act like they will just leave a job, start another tomorrow, and life will be dandy.  Changing jobs is stressful, and there is always somewhat of a loss initially whether it is PTO, waiting for insurance, or just taking time to learn a new account, creating normals, learning the names of the referring docs in the area, learning city names, etc.  This all takes time (which means money for us). 


 


These people who have a few e-mails that go unanswered or don't get answered as quickly as they should need to realize the GROWTH TT is experiencing, which is a good thing.  Have a little patience or bring your concerns to your supervisor. 


 


TT is an excellent choice.  I hope you enjoy your new position.  I certainly have. 


My thoughts sm
I have used both Bayscribe and Extext. I use Smart Type, can use InstanText, but like the ST much better (I am faster and more accurate). Extext is a Word client, Bayscribe is an internet platform.

I had trouble with capping the first letter of each sentence with Bayscribe. IT would not do it for me THERE no matter what I did. ADT info is easy to find relative to other platforms, but Extext is somewhat easier than Bayscribe. For ME, Bayscribe had too many slots that I had to put the mouse on and put my cursor there. I hate using my mouse and I feel it slows me down significantly. On the plus side, you get a line count of a document just as soon as you send it. That is wonderful, but the companies I worked for on it didn't pay me on that line count, it never matched. I didn't work for MDI at all, so I am sure it is different there. They have an excellent reputation and the companies I worked for do not.

Extext, if you know it, that is a plus. You won't spend any time fighting its ins and outs. I have to say that EXT is much more user friendly in the document. You can't number in Bayscribe, not the way you can in EXT, which is what you see is what you get.

The most I ever got in an 8-hour day on Bayscribe was 850 lines. The most I have gotten on EXT for that time was 1900 in more like 9 hours. Productivity was better FOR ME.

You are an individual and you have your own thoughts and needs with regard to a platform. This is MY experience. Now, if you really dislike EXT, go with the other. If you don't mind it, I'd say that was a better bet for you. Bayscribe is unweildy as far as I am concerned.
My thoughts exactly..
my husband started out 24 years ago with his company at right around minimum wage and has worked himself to a six figure income by HARD work, working overtime when asked, putting forth more than the guy in the cubicle next to him and not whining about it and being a valuable employee. Sure, he could lose his job tomorrow, that's why we don't live like we make a six figure income. I was fortunate enough to marry a man who has a terrific work ethic and his income shows it. We pay our fair share of taxes and then some; we have a right to complain about it. We are tired of supporting people who can't, won't or don't know how to take care of themselves or better themselves.
My thoughts......
If you only have 2 years experience, a hospital may be exactly what you need. I started out in a hospital position, fresh out of high school. There is someone sitting there, who can answer all your questions. And I agree with the other poster, when you are typing in an area you live, you just know things, like doctors, places, stores, etc. Maybe you can do both. Good luck.
My thoughts on this

Say I'm happy at my job.  I come across someone asking questions about my company in general, so I take a quick minute to answer.  That person emails me privately, asking a zillion questions.  I try to answer their questions to the best of my knowledge, rooting through my manuals for answers, looking up my production figures, etc.  This takes me a good long while to answer all their questions thoroughly, and throw in a few extra facts that I think of in the process, trying to present an accurate view of the company, pros and cons.  I know my company is offering a $500 bonus for me AND anyone I recruit - so we both get a bonus if they mention my name.


You're saying I should not mention that bonus?  I should take time out of my busy schedule to help a stranger, and then I'll get accused of greed if I mention we can both profit from our correspondence?  Wow, that's gratitude! I guess I'll just ignore any private emails from now on and refuse to help anyone.


Some thoughts
Is this top person you are dealing with the owner or just management. If it is not the owner, go over the person's head (to the owner if necessary) and discuss what is happening. Maybe that person would put a stop to it.

Have you spoken with other top employees to see if this is happening to anyone else? It seems odd that the company's pay/benefit program is such that it is not worth it to them to have top producers. You would think that is what they would want!

If there is BS going on, maybe you can find some proof if you fish around a little bit and have some sort of legal recourse.

Good luck and let us know what happens. I wouldn't just walk away yet. Maybe this can still be corrected.
Your thoughts
have the same problem on the weekends with them
My thoughts exactly...sm
And when we are told something, it's at the last minute, no kind of warning. I don't think it's for sale. I think the managers are told to keep their mouths shut. I can't believe I still work at Spheris.
My thoughts exactly, thank you
xx
thoughts
First, only you know how important it is to have equipment provided to you. Other than that, i'd go with the 2nd offer. Because if you are doing work types that you are not that great with, you will be going a lot slower and probably making less money anyway. Plus, you may be less happy doing you job because of the difficulty/stress factors involved. Now if you really love a challenge and would prefer that over being bored, then you may chose the former offer. Good luck!
Some thoughts

I've been in this industry for 20+ years.  What I have seen is a lot of fudging around from other companies about how they interpreted AHDI's old guidelines on what constituted a line. This has led to tremendous disservice to the MTs who are working on production. It's also made it hard for ethical companies to compete with the big guys who have looked for loopholes in the previous line definition (read up on the class action lawsuits against one of the largest MT employers if you aren't aware of this). So I think Jay is on the right path in doing this to keep the company competitive with the others that aren't as ethical and to get ALL of the MT companies on the same page with regard to what a line is. There needs to be one standard. This needs to be absolutely clear in contracts among MTs, hospitals, and the MTSOs out there, or the MTs and the good companies will suffer.


M-TEC is a great school. Their graduates have been awesome. A partnership with them will be a good thing, I think. I can't think of any way in which it won't. Current employees don't lose their jobs. Now the best students don't have to start with some of the sweatshop mentality companies out there like some of us old timers did just to get a foot in the door. Remember those times?


No, I'm not in management. I'm in QA with Webmedx. There is no perfect company, but this has come as close as I've ever seen any MT company. This one has gotten better over the years as they've hired new management and replaced some old. I have been in admin with other companies, and I have seen a whole lot of dirty dealings. I'm not seeing that at Webmedx. I don't get to see everything admin does, of course, being in QA, but I do see some things. What I can say is they're functioning much differently and more ethically and honestly than any other MT company I've ever worked for. The culture is different. There's no feeling from management that they're out to take advantage of the MT.


There are things they can improve on, of course, but I truly think this is as good as it gets in the MT field, and you don't even want to know how many MT jobs (IC and employee) I've had to compare it with (too many!). Too many of us can relate to having the long list of employers. We had to do it because we had to keep rooves over our heads, and we only barely did that with the way they took advantage of us.


I think this company is doing the right things and heading in the right direction.


My thoughts s/m

I'm retired now partly because of all the changes that are taking place in the industry.  I did MT for a very long time and I still care about the MTs who are working.  My feeling is that it isn't so much the off-shoring anymore.  My  understanding is that some of the better schools have an apprentice program for their graduates.  I think that they are using the new grads who will work for less money.  Same thing as nurses being replaced by new grads who will work for less.  I know one MT company  has actually bought one of the schools.  Experience is no longer an asset.  Most likely it's going to get worse.  One thing is certain, there is no longer a shortage of medical transcriptionists.


my thoughts

Gourdpainter (so glad to see you here; missed you)!


I absolutely agree with your post.  I have been a MT since 1981, beginning in an orthopedic clinic and in 1984 working as a Pathology MT since then.  I currently work for one of the largest HMO's in the US (starts with a K); and the MT's here are being phased out by voice recognition.  The union who is supposed to represent us has been sleeping with management who decided that 'we make too much money' - our contract is up in 2009.  To show how much they care, as far as severence pay; for example for an employee who has worked over 20 years they would get 30 days severance; less than that (i have been at this particular company since 1999), I would get 2 weeks severance.  Crappy. This industry is so crooked and would no more care about our experience, quality of work or dedication than they would a stranger on the street.  You are absolutely right that many of these hospitals/clinics are hiring new grads because they know they can pay them less.  At times I feel as if I work in a sweat shop and it's a sad state of affairs.  I still have a job (and I am thankful) but at any time the other shoe is going to drop and we will be out the door.  The union has 'promised' to find us other positions but I am not holding my breath.  That is why I have decided, at the age of 51, to become an x-ray tech.  It is a two year program but it will be two years that I have invested to have a better chance at staying employed as opposed to the way us MT's have been treated.  It's sad because I love what I do yet I know that I gotta get a move on and bolster my education some more.  I truly pray for all of us, not just us MT's but all of us in this country because we have to help one another if we are going to survive not only this deprecession all else that comes with. 


 


My thoughts exactly...sm
Don't mean to sound ungrateful, but the do-it-yourself cookbook seems pretty cheesy.

And the typing gloves from the year before makes me think of the guy who gets his wife/girlfriend lingerie as a gift. Who's that gift for really? Got to keep those wrists a-working, though.

How about not trying to be so creative and just give something you know everyone can use?
Thank you, my thoughts exactly

I have had very negative experiences with unions also. All of what you say is true and I beleive a union would push all our jobs offshore for sure.


my thoughts
I see two main motivations for changing all MTs in your service from ICs to employees. One is because too many of your MTs are unreliable and you want to hold them to more of a schedule for work coverage. The other is because you want to sell the business and you are more valuable if you can show you have a certain number of employees that put in a certain number of combined hours of work a week versus ICs that come and go as they please.
My thoughts exactly...sm
I have 2-legged boys and 4-legged boys!  Couldn't give up ANY of them!! LOL
my thoughts exactly
and that's why I am asking this. I am willing to pay for the best but just kind of wondered what people would be looking for and what they have to offer in return. You sound like exactly the kind of person I would want to be working with! In our area I know of MTSOs charging as much as .24 per line and then paying out only .08. I think that's wrong. I have heard one of them say she has to do this because of the amount of time she has to spend doing QA and fixing work and that in order to pay more to the MT they would have to produce a higher-quality product. This is the double-edged sword. Many MTs let the quality slip because they are not earning enough but they can't earn more because the report is substandard. I would be willing to pay considerably higher than .08, but I would expect the end product to be near perfect. My goals as a business owner would be, obviously, income, but I would also like to help return MT to being a credible workforce, one that has earned the respect of the entities we provide services for. I would like to have a business that contributes to providing an accurate patient record and also one that would provide job satisfaction and pride plus security to the people who do the work
Here are my thoughts...
I actually was thinking about the hostility on the boards this week and wondering where it comes from. Unlike someone else said below, I did see that in an in-house MT environment, too. The key seems to be when people are hurting, financially or otherwise, they will lash out at each other. When they have a good work situation and feel safe, they don't do so as much. It's stress over things like worry about living paycheck to paycheck. It's boredom with work and a ceiling that is very low. It's seeing many companies owned and/or managed by men who have no MT experience. I'm trying to get out. It's been like this for the 20-some years I've been in this field, and it's not going to get better.
My thoughts on this...
Electronic medical records are reports that are able to be accessed by computer as opposed to the traditional reports that were printed out and placed in a notebook or chart. When I transcribe a report on my computer at home and send it to the hospital, it is considered an electronic medical record, but a human being still had to transcribe it.

Voice recognition is another story. In that case, a computer program actually transcribes the report, and then a human being edits the report and corrects any errors made by the computer program. Voice recognition programs are supposed to learn by the corrections made by human editors. However, it remains to be seen how well these programs actually learn, especially when transcribing a dictator with a heavy accent, a dictator that sounds like he/she has marbles in his/her mouth, or one that is dictating at warp speed.

Another option is a computer program that allows the doctor to point and click at diagnoses, medications, symptoms, etc. and has canned reports programmed in for procedures and examinations that are often repeated word for word. In this situation, the doctor creates his/her medical records by just pointing and clicking on the appropriate information. The question is, how many doctors are willing to do this extra work, especially the old-fashioned doctors who are used to dictating narrative reports and expecting them to be transcribed.

The main reason the government wants to have everyone use electronic medical records is to allow doctors the ability to access medical records from any computer anywhere in the world. Therefore, if you have a heart attack while vacationing in California, your doctor can pull up your electronic medical records from anywhere you have been treated in the past, allowing immediate access to important information that could affect your medical care.

I hope this makes sense and is helpful to you.
Just for thoughts --
Two years ago, my son wanted to change schools to another district and I would not let him; therefore, his dad stepped in to sue for custody so he could legally put him in another school (at 17-1/2 years old). In steps the lawyers....

The child support modification paper was filled in by the lawyer before I ever saw it and he had 50,000 as my income. When I asked him how in the world he came up with 50,000 he said, well, 5 years ago you were making 40,000, so it stands to reason you have increased your pay -- he did a double take when I informed him I actually worked longer hours and was now only making $30,000 and had my proof for him!

Yeah, it sucks!!!
Thoughts
My thoughts are the company used me to fulfill their needs and once they found another sucker to fulfill their needs, although at a much lower cost, they no longer needed me and discarded me in their own means. Thanks for asking.
Exactly my thoughts. I would not like to see
how she and her house look!
A decent person is always decent, no matter if she/he is watched or not. She/he does it for onself. This is called 'self-respect.'
Just another MT - my thoughts on this.

You would be exactly right BUT (big but), a lot depends on the number of accounts you have, number of doctors on those accounts, and the number of MTs.  The pooling happens because of vacations, illnesses, unreliable MTs, etc., etc.  So the company wants to guarantee full coverage, always meet TAT, and that all MTs can type on ALL accounts and be switched around as needed. 


I am on 1 single account, and we still assign doctors to certain MTs on the account.  This works so good, production goes up, $$ goes up, and TAT is better, but when that MT is out who does Dr. Jones and Dr. Smith exclusively, it is sent out to the rest of us.  This is only occasional and does not cause too many problems.  In the perfect world we should all do this, but it is what it is and I really do think you would be shocked at how many unreliable MTs there really are out there.


My thoughts on this...

I agree to an extent, but I don't necessarily agree with exclusive doctors and being assigned a certain amount of work, meaning the service assigns a certain amount of work exclusively to you.  I think the ideal situation would be MTs sticking with just 1 account and possibly being routed only specific report types that they transcribe.  In other words, working from a very limited pool. 


I know some may think, but who is going to do the discharge summaries or the ESLs?  Well, there are, believe it or not, MTs who love discharge summaries and don't mind ESLs (I've met some) - that is where pay becomes a big factor.  Regarding the ESLs, they are not bad if you consistently transcribe their reports.  I think that is the key, consistency.  The problem is that many MTs are forced to bounce around several accounts and so they don't get that consistency and end up doing the same ESL maybe once month.  Not only is that bad for production, it is also bad in terms of quality. 


Now, how is this all kept in TAT?  It may take a short period of time to figure out how many MTs are needed to keep the working flowing correctly, but it is not an impossible task.  I think the key here is having the MTs commit to either an approximate number of minutes per day/week/month or a certain number of lines.  Minutes would be ideal based on the fact that many services can see how many minutes of dictation are available for transcription at any given time.  As far as I know, it is within legal rights to require an IC to commit to a certain 'project.'  It would simply give the service an approximate amount to work with.  So, in other words, instead of the service telling you how many minutes you will transcribe, you tell them how many minutes.  They will compare that against how many minutes of dictation they have available and hire accordingly.


Anyway, I think a single account with a small pool is great, maybe specific work types, committing to minutes or possibly lines, and paying a higher-than-average rate because QA costs will be reduced is the ideal situation.  This could also work for an employee-type situation, just adjust for committed lines per hour or minutes per hour.


My thoughts exactly! (nm)
nm
My thoughts...

I feel this all comes down to personal responsibility.  Regardless of whether an MT is paid per line or hourly, there will still be a requirement as far as how many lines need to be produced per hour or per day.  It is the MT's choice whether they want to produce a quality document or not.  If they are paid by line, they need to understand that just because you can go faster and can make more money, does not mean that you should.  What must be understood is that there is a person behind each one of these reports.  This report will be used to provide care for a human being. 


It would help if all MTs had access to hospital EMR (I think this should be mandatory) and if dictators did their part (and that is a whole different topic).  Right now, we are responsible for ourselves... and MTs need to do just that, be responsible, not greedy.  And if you feel you cannot make the absolute necessary basic amount to survive on, then you need to find a different job.  But it is never okay to rip through reports and put patient care at risk.


Regarding other production-based jobs, some truck drivers work on a production basis, and they have regulations regarding how many hours they can work for safety reasons.  Some medical coders also work in a production environment. 


My thoughts as well nm

My thoughts on this
It is a sorry state of affairs when AMERICANS must work more than one job in order to hopefully have a job.  Where  has the quality of life gone?  With all due respect, no wonder you don't worry about tomorrow if you're busy juggling jobs trying to make a living.  If no one worries about tomorrow what's to happen to our kids and grandkids?  Not to get into a faith discussion but doesn't the Bible say there will come a day when it will take a day's wages to just pay for a day's food?  I think we're getting pretty close.
My thoughts

On the surface I see nothing wrong with this ad provided they are willing to pay a living wage as it applies in the U.S.  I notice they want 1 year experience TRAINING MTs.  This says something...like maybe they aren't really importing MTs but people who can train their own people.


What I do find wrong is Americans traveling to foreign countries are expected to respect THEIR culture (perfectly reasonable) but foreigners come to OUR country and we are expected to respect THEIR culture (perfectly UNreasonable) here in our own country.  They are even allowed to fly their own flags.  I seriously considered taking a job in Saudi back in the early 90s when there were plenty of jobs here in the U.S.  I don't recall all the details but I do know it was for an American run hospital.  I think that company may have been called Raytheon or something like that but I don't remember for sure.   Things have changed so since the early 90s that I would not even consider TRAVELING to a foreign country in this day and age, let alone living there.


My thoughts

I agree with most of what has been said.  I have not worked on DocQScribe, but have worked on several platforms.  I like my current platform, very easy to use.  I have worked in Word for years as well. I am willing to learn any platform as long as it is user/MT friendly.


My wants/needs list would be:


-Flexible schedule - as in x lines during a 24-hour period, no set hours.  This is very important for me.


-Pay rate.  I haven't  made less than .10-.12 in 10 years, but would consider going to .095 or .09 to help start up a company.


-Working via the internet.  I have not had to use a Lanier or long distance for several years and the freedom working via the net has afforded me has been wonderful.  I can pack up  my laptop and work anywhere there is DSL, so I would not want to go back if I could at all avoid it.  And this is good for my MTSO, as I can work whereas being tied to the phone, Lanier, etc., I would have to take the time I'm away from home completely off.


-I prefer SE or IC so I can claim all my home deductions, but would consider PT employee status if I could still have my tax deductions, which I think may be allowed now by the IRS with so many telecommuters, not sure.


-Communication!  Being treated with common courtesy and respect, not being ignored.


I am always willing to learn new accounts and new work types to keep myself valuable.  I would not hesitate to take on new things.  But it would be nice to have a steady account with work types that I have experience in while learning those new things to balance out the ability to make money.  I prefer acute care and psychiatry, but have done clinic, Workers' Comp., and nearly every specialty.  I prefer some specialties/work types over others same as most, so would be happier if I could work the types I'm best at, but always wiling to learn more.


Bottom line, work with me on flexible scheduling, decent pay rate, and hopefully via the internet on a decent platform, and I will learn whatever you need me to, flex my hours to help your coverage when asked, work some weekends when needed and even some holidays when needed.  It's a give and take and I'm willing to give a lot if the MTSO is as well.  I think it all comes down to communication and respect for each other's needs and wants as coworkers and human beings. 


If you get this endeavor up and running, please contact me!


It's thoughts like these
that make point-n-click, VR, offshore, etc all very reasonable alternatives.

Why should a doctor care where you live? Yes, polite dictation practices would be wonderful, but isn't that what makes the difference between being a typist and a transcriptionist?
Thanks for your thoughts!
What should I expect at MQ with regards to pay, schedule, management and workload? Do they leave you alone and let you do your job or do they micromanage? Do MTs work holidays? Is there opportunity for paid time off? I know I would get experience with MQ or any other company for that matter, but aren't I getting experience with the company I am with now too?
Thoughts for you...
3 cpl is low for editing on eScription.

Some transcriptionists make more with editing and others don't than straight transcribing. Typically transcriptionsits who are fast typists will struggle to break even with editing because you are not able to get a lot of productivity gain with editing; however the average Transcriptionist who types 1000 lines a day will make more money because they are typically able to edit at a rate at least double their transcription rate.

When it comes to editing a lot of it boils down to how picky an account is. If you have to correct every tiny little mistake on the draft, even if it doesn't change the overall meaning of a sentence, then it will hurt the productivity gain. If on the other hand the client will allow minor errors to go through then you will find yourself being very productive.

You will also need to see how well the drafts generate. Overall eScription does a great job of presenting great drafts to work with, but no system will be perfect (drat I know!)

Good luck to you with whatever you decide.
Transcend..thoughts?

Just curious as to thoughts on Transcend at present. Thanks.:)


Thoughts about Heartland....

Has anyone worked for this company? What are their strengths and or weakness? I have been offered a position with them. I need an honest answer please!


Thank you! My thoughts exactly. I earn more
than that but if I could not get it, I would not do the work.