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

So, MTSOs actually ENCOURAGE the leads.sm

Posted By: Army Brat on 2009-07-26
In Reply to: Army Brat is 100% correct. - Almost a lead

to cherry-pick only the work they want to do -- a wonderful setup!.  This, and their salary, too.  Which doesn't surprise any of us, but where does this despicable and unfair practice leave the regular MTs, who are not salaried and only have the measly few pennies per line for the garbage that they are allowed, even encouraged, to throw at us? 


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

Leads with ANY company NEVER run out of work; that is why the MT's do, because leads pick and cho
for themselves!  TT has so many leads it makes me sick!  We have absolutely no work, but I know those leads and QA are picking out plenty of work that they like to do !!!  FACT !!!
Please don't encourage something like this!
praising. This Company board is notorious for some of the most heartless scam artists and shark recruiters in the industry. I needn't name names, but anyone who has hung here for a while knows. They constantly prey on newbies, use them for a month or two, never pay them, and then toss them when they are done. They are shameless. You have no idea that kk is not one of these sharks. Maybe kk means well, but obviously kk has no idea of the industry, either. If kk were to hire onto a job for 11.5 cpl, or anything per line, and then turn around and farm out her work to someone else, a stranger, who then returns their work to kk for proofing, who sends it in to their MTSO, well, guess what? KK is now a SUBCONTRACTOR. There are lots of legalities to that, the least of which is taxes to newby who is getting paid by KK, not to mention KK's original source of work, who might not allow subcontracting. Remember those pesky little laws we have in MTing?? You can't do what KK is just so casually offering the OP. Let's hope for the best that KK was, indeed, just trying to be nice. But I seriously 100% doubt it - nobody can be in this business enough, and make an offer slick enough as that, to not know what they are doing. PLEASE believe me on this one, KK might not be the saint you would like to believe. I understand your wanting somebody out here to be a good guy, but I doubt this is the case here.
Trying To Encourage You
Sometimes people fire you for reasons they don't want to explain. You mentioned that your company is increasing its outsourcing on a daily basis. That's one possibility. Other possibilities include the proverbial personality clash, jealousy, or just wanting to hire their relative instead of you.

That said, wait a couple of days and then take a deep breath, and go back in and ask to see examples of your reports that demonstrate the quality issues they referenced in firing you. Ask them to show you your mistakes.

If they agree to do that, try to write down the biggest mistakes, then go home and learn from those mistakes before you apply for new positions elsewhere.

If they don't agree to do that, see paragraph #1. You probably weren't fired for quality problems in that case.

Either way, you have already invested yourself in MT as a career. Don't let one person (who may be misinformed, jealous, vindictive, or anything else) take away your dignity. You can and will find a better job, and if you want it to be in MT, it will be!

Good luck!
The owner will encourage you to
talk to her current staff, etc., but that is definitely biased.  An anonymous board like this is is a safer.  
Don't know about platform. They do encourage (sm)
backup accounts.
It might even encourage the companies who care...
to truly offer more for American MTs. If they know we are willing to make them stronger against the Indians, et al, this might be the encouragement to pay a little more for better quality.
Yeah, but the AMA doesn't encourage patients to go
Yes, it happens.  But the AMA doesn't encourage it.  The AAMT on the other hand has done more to systematically destroy the MT profession than any other organization out there.
Careful. If you encourage poster to be proactive & U
x
Does the Medical Transcription industry encourage job-hoppers?

First off I want to make it clear that I am not “bashing” any MTs by asking the questions below.  Also sorry this is so long.  Please bear with me.   -- Spelling and grammar police please take a break !!! 


 


I have been following some posts and just got curious.  So if we all could just take a deep breath, give it some serious thought, stay on point and not get carried away with other opinions, I think we can get some good honest opinions about why the MTSOs are treating their employees like “equipment.”  


 


What I have noticed is that when there are MTs looking for information about certain companies they often get replies such as:  I worked for them but “left after 1 month – 2 months – 6 months,”  Then there are MTSO owners who complain that after offering an MT a position the MT either says “no thanks” the day they are suppose to start working or are never heard from again.   This gives me the impression that there are MTs out there who treat working as an MT like they treat buying a new pair of shoes --- try them out for awhile and then return them if they don’t fit.  No emotional attachment involved. 


 


I am fast approaching 60 years of age and have been an MT for over 35 years.  I was one of the first to take the CMT test when AAMT first organized way back when.  My first MT job was transcribing from cassette tapes, using a typewriter and sticky paper for clinic notes and sheets of paper for hospital reports.  So obviously I have seen a lot of changes in the MT business.  Personally over the past 35+ years I have had 6 employers (4 inhouse before MTSOs offered working from home and 2 national MTSOs for the past 15 years).   Personally I am TERRIFIED of having to find a new job --- interviews, equipment setup, new platform to learn, loss in earnings during training, and so forth and so forth.  That being said I have a feeling I will need to be looking for a new position within the next six months and I am curious as to what type of employment search atmosphere I will be encountering. 


 


My curiosity stems from my impression that many MTs are comfortable “job-hopping.”  When they state they only stayed at a company for 1-2-6 months it is presented as matter-of-fact – no-big-deal.  I can see why they feel that way.  With several hundred MTSOs out there and most constantly looking for new employees, even the worst MT in the world could start working at age 20, work for a different company every 6 months and still not work for them all by the time they retire.  In my opinion that is what is causing the MTSOs to treat their MTs so badly, offer them less and less as starting wages, and not be responsive to questions or problems.  The MTSO invests quite a bit of money into hiring a new employee.  They either have to pay someone in their HR Department or a Recruiting Agency to do the initial resume search, testing, and interviewing.  There is a ton of paperwork.   If the MTSO supplies the computer, their IT Department has to set up the computer and ship it out which means shipping charges for the computer or paperwork.  And someone has to train the new MT.  All those expenses are incurred by the MTSO before the MT even starts to produce.  I can see why some of the MTSOs are resorting to questionable “bait and switch” tactics.  They probably also send out the oldest computers to the new MTs to cover themselves in case the MT quits and doesn’t ship it back in a timely manner.  It seems to me that the majority of complainers about type of work, amount of work, or computer problems that they are experiencing are the newly hired MTs. 


 


Because of all the “short-term” complainers, someone looking for information about a particular company is often given incomplete or misleading opinions based on limited information.   Can anyone honestly with 100% accuracy adamantly state a company is “#1” or “the worst on earth” when they only worked there for 2 months?  I would love to see any MT who posts a positive or negative comment about a company to also admit to how long they actually worked for the company and if they are currently employed there or not.  I think that would give their opinions a lot more weight. 


 


Obviously, not every MTSO is the “dream job” for every MT and for any MT to state they work for the “best company” is hubris and can even be fighting words to employees of other good or even great companies.  It can also lead to disappointment when an MT applies to the “best company” only to find out it does not fit their needs.  I feel that if the MTs on this board would try to leave personal opinions aside and give relevant information about a company it would be easier for an MT to find a good fit with ONE company and not have to “job-hop,”   If more MTs would work for a company for at least a year before quitting and moving on maybe the MTSOs would actually be willing to offer newly hired MTs the same respect they offer the MTs that have been working for them for 5-10-15 or more years.  


 


Finally to my questions.  I am curious to see if my opinion is based in fact.  Are there a significant number of MTs who “job hop?” 


 


These questions are primarily directed at employees of MTSOs, large or small, but  inhouse hospital or clinic MTs are also welcome to respond.  I realize IC MTs have a whole different set of guidelines they go by and often have multiple clients at the same time.  But if you are an IC and wish to give your opinion, please feel free to do so – just state that you are an IC so there is no confusion.  


 


Please answer as many questions as you feel comfortable giving information about (I hope you will answer most because of the anonymity of this board):


1.  How long have you been working as an MT?


2.  How many DIFFERENT companies have you worked for (even if it was only for a few hours) in the last 10 years?  (If you left but came back later that is only 1.) 


3.  How many companies have you accepted an offer of employment from but then never actually started working for them?


4.  How many companies have you quit working for within the first pay period?


5.  How many companies have you quit from? 


6.  Have many companies have you been terminated from (I guess the word “fired” from is no longer politically correct)  i.e. you were not meeting line requirements, QA requirements, time commitment requirements (signing on late, leaving early), or being told you don’t have the necessary experience/expertise for the accounts assigned to you, etc? 


7.  How many companies have you left because they were bought out by another MTSO and you did not like how the new MTSO was treating you? 


8.  How many companies that you were working for completely went out of business (was not bought by another company) and told you that you had to find a new job yourself? 


9.  What is the shortest period of time that you have worked for one company? (Even if it was only for a few hours)   What is the longest period of time that you have worked for one company? 


10.  Have you ever continued working for your former company while training with a new company? 


11.  Have you ever worked for two different companies (2 part-time or 1 full-time and 1 part-time) during the same time period?  For how many months/years did you work for two different companies?


12.  What is your primary reason for applying to a certain company (pay, insurance, flexible schedule, equipment provided, sign-on bonus, referral from another MT, etc)?


13.  What is your primary reason for leaving a company (cannot maintain minimum required number of lines, not assigned accounts or job types as originally discussed, running out of work too frequently, difficult platform,  computer slowness/crashes, management conflicts, QA conflicts, other “bait and switch” type of issues where the MTSO said one thing but you ended up doing something entirely different, personal, family, etc)?


14.  Are you really happy at your present company or are you just working there because you are afraid if you try another company it will be worse and not better?   How long have you worked at this company?  Do you plan to continue working at this company for at least 1 year (of course barring unforeseen personal or professional events).  Would you be willing to give the name of your present company?    


15.  Do you think you will retired as a Medical Transcriptionist (or in the Medical Transcription field, such as an Editor, Supervisor, etc) or do you think you will switch careers at some point before retirement?  


 


Thank you for your time. 


 


If you would like to e-mail me with any questions or responses, I would be happy to hear from all of you. 


 


Thank you for satisfying my curiosity and giving me some insight as to where the Medical Transcription field is heading in the future. 


 


HAPPY HOLIDAYS. 


 



 


 


 


 


 


 


If you've switched companies, encourage the rest!

If you've decided to join us in the fight to keep our confidential health information and MT jobs in the states and not sent overseas, PLEASE let us know and help encourage others to do the same.  I recently have and currently work for MDI-MD.  We really need to keep encouraging each other to make the move.  If you're not sure if a company outsources to either Pakistan, India, or the Philippines, just ask here.  We'll help figure it out for you!


Let's not quit and let this just remain a hot topic for a week or so!  WE HAVE TO COME TOGETHER!  Remember, if you take a cent less in pay, it's well worth it to help an American MT-based company prosper and help these companies that are more concerned about money than Americans' jobs lose MTs and possibly large accounts that these American MT-based companies could have a chance at acquiring.


This is US TAKING A STAND!  I just want to encourage you all to truly consider this. 


The companies I know of that definitely don't outsource offshore right now after THOROUGH research are Keystrokes, Axolotl, MDI-MD (where I work).  I'll keep researching.  Just remember to post here if you are questioning a company.  I'm still researching others and am including Pakistan and the Phillipines in my searches.


I'm contacting medical facilities in my area (Pennsylvania) to let them know that their confidential medical information could possibly be outsourced offshore and to consider helping keep jobs in America by researching their MTSO and hire a company that doesn't do this.  If you feel inclined to reach medical facilities in your area/state, PLEASE do this for all of your fellow MTs.  I know there is at least one of you in each state on this board! 



So you are saying that QAs & leads
I am a top notch MT too and was still asked to QA BECAUSE I am a -valuable- MT. Get over yourself.
job leads
This may be weird but I keep a list of companies in a favorites folder to check out if I find myself looking in the future. Going through MT Stars for old posts is a good place to start. Then I would check the company out on their web site, and if I thought I was interested I would either call the recruiter or test depending on their requirements. Personally I would not wait for a company to advertise before applying.
Job leads
Here's a few links to aid in your searching. I've heard a lot of people have gotten/accepted jobs from applications they put in long ago.

http://www.mtjobs.com/profiles.cfm

http://mtcompanies.proboards.com/
leads/bosses

Hi, Thanks for your input. I did get a chance to read it before the deletion. I am searching again __________. I really wish I could find a place, where the pay is decent, with benefits, enough work and where the staff responds to account related questions. I am so tired of testing, thinking I have found the perfect place and then....................... Sorry just needed to vent a little.


Have a good Day!


Why do KS mgrs and Leads do this?
Why do you guys insist on coming to this board in an attempt to defend what idiots type? Then you have the gall to post 'KS MGR' or 'KS LEAD'. Your posts just make you look dumb and seem quite unprofessional when you do this. When you identify yourself as a KS MGR or KS LEAD, whatever you post reflects on the company as a whole. You stated 'you need to stop spreading lies'...is there not a better way to say this? Ignore the trolls. I doubt very seriously that people who are interested in KS will be swayed by these posts.

If you insist on posting remarks to defend KS, don't make it known that you are a KS MGR or KS LEAD. Sheesh!
OSI team leads don't do QA at all
All we do is monitor workflow and assign jobs when the coordinator is off - I get $14 for a few hours a week and then do transcription for a line rate. Line requirement is less than regular MT's.

Not a bad setup for us.
It's so they can hire even MORE leads, CEO's
for some reason that top-heavy management is good management.
With the exception of the Leads SM
Always seem to have plenty of work when work load is light/low.  Pretty unfair advantage, if you ask me. 
not sure what happened but this is down under Eliminated Leads below.. nm
nm
Correct...my team still has leads. sm
The truth is, most of the team leads were eliminated because they WEREN'T an asset to the teams. Many of them got the job because they were the only ones who applied. Many were not confident in site formats and rules, giving incorrect information on team mail, and many of them spent entirely too much time chatting with each other about their personal lives on team mail instead of editing. They were the cause of their own demise.
Now 1 AC and 2 team leads are leaving OSI
Not only the MT's but also 1 AC and 2 team leads are leaving OSI.  If you haven't applied elsewhere time is running out before the good jobs are gone.  The only person who will be left when it is all said and done will be the QA manager who will never go anywhere else not only because she is attached at the hip with the great policy makers but also because she couldn't get a job elsewhere if she tried.  After all you have to actually pass the transcription test. 
I would, except the tone of some of your posts leads me to believe
?
Which leads? I asked my TL and she knew nothing of this. sm
But, leave it to MW to pave the way of utter cheapness.
Any Cardioscribe team leads here?
If so, please email me or post here. Just wanting to know if the hourly rate is fair and would like to hear what you think about your job.
Yea and what's the deal with getting rid of the team leads?
nm
They still have Indian team leads.

Nope, I was called by my former Indian team lead in the begining of this week asking if I could come back to work for them. 


That being said, I had no problems with any of the team leads being Indian, was able to understand them and they were friendly.  My only problem was that before everybody left after being told they had to go employee, there was no work.  It could take all 3 shifts to get enough work for even part-time work on some days and we were told they would not pay down time if we didn't have work so a lot of my scheduled shift as an employee could be sitting refreshing queue without being paid for that time. 


I know that right now, there is pleanty of work but they are more than likely going to overhire.  They don't like work in queue at all.  If there are any reports sitting in queue on the weekend they want you working and threaten to hire more people, thereby taking work away from you.  I was shocked when I changed companies and found how much work stays in queue for my current account, very rarely running out and when I do I have a secondary and a tertiary acct.  Up until now I was always told by Focus that they couldn't do that so when I was out, I was out.  And, my QA is always excellent so it is not my quality that keeps the work from me. 


All of your team leads are India
nm
Team leads not in India

When I worked at Focus my team leads and technical support were in India, but they have just recently changed this.  Your team leads are now Americans.


My leads are great but if you are having a problem...
email Lee...she will take care of it!!!
leads don't have line requirements
nm
Leads actually are expected to meet
a certain quota like everyone else. Otherwise, they'd starve. Leads have to pay their bills like everyone else.
Please clarify how leads take the best jobs....

when they don't type during the times they are acting as leads? Work does flow according to TAT and has nothing to do with assigning so-called crappy jobs and dictators to anyone. First in line, first in time is the way it goes.


I'm sure the team leads and mgmt SM

are keeping track of line counts, right?  Then they should be quite aware of who isn't getting their count in and contacting those people to find out what the problem is.


There's no time clock but the leads monitor who is on and who isn't. sm
The account I am on has very strict shifts because of being radiology. I have heard that others are more flexible.
I totally agree, the KS leads and KS managers
the negative posters.  Boy the defenses sure are up if this has gone all the way to management and even the owner.  Take a deep breath everyone.  Keystrokes is asked about on this board all of the time.  If something negative is said, then so be it.  Do we not all take any of these posts for what they truly are, which is an opinion.  Some posts may contain facts, but you must be aware that a message board is also full of opinions.  I have seen Transcend bashed on this board, and I had quite a lovely experience with them when I worked for them.  To each his own.  I try to comment in a positive manner when asked, but I do not know all of the facts.  I still would like to be able to post my OPINION.  I do not however feel the need to defend them every chance I get!  My goodness.  We are adults here, but you really could not tell from some of these nasty posts especially the ones claiming to be in a managerial position.  
But the newbies can handle being team leads?
Give me a &%$) break!!!
I was told last January all team leads would be

in the U.S. by summer along with the QA team.  Come May, I was canned along with a bunch of other QA and management people.  Strange dontcha think?  Now they are singing the same tune to a different audience.  See ya at the unemployment office...


NO FAIR LEADS TAKING BEST WORK - sm

But I don't suppose this is a new issue, is it?  Leads have to get in their lines, too, which I was surprised to learn - however, it shed light on a lot of things, like getting all crap/ESL, difficult work, this was before good work went VR and we actually did have some good dictators. 


But as soon as one of the good jobs turned up in the MTs queue (after a while can often tell by MD ID#) - it disappeared just as fast, replaced by a piece of ----.  Had asked lead a few times after this happened, who rudely answered that, what difference did it make to me - I hadn't started on the job yet, anyway.


In all fairness, work should flow naturally - first come, first serve, with the next available MT for the next available job.  But as long as the Leads have control over this, they'll continue to get the best work.  Lot of complaints also on this board re. Cherrypickers and blaming the MT (who get blamed for most everything, anyway) we need to look at WHO has control over work distributed and who benefits from having that control, and it's not the MT.


Most leads are compensated for the extra duties.....
like answering emails and watching TATs, etc. There is no OT, and no huge salary, and leads are expected to reach quota like everyone else. I would know, I work there, and I am a lead. We don't cheerypick, and work is first in/first out unless work has to be assigned for a particular platform. Geez!
They sent an email asking for leads a couple of months ago
Did you try and weren't chosen, or for some reason not want to be a lead?
I think the problem is that the owner of KS herself does the same thing. She clearly leads by examp
Ugh!
I have gotten many solid, good job leads and offers from the board...sm.
I have never received any Spam or undesirable mail, only solid offers from companies, and I have gotten a great position through this and many other back-up offers. Just be sure to post a good resume, it will represent you, and always do research through board or Google, whatever, to see if this company would really be worth pursuing.....best of luck to you! There are a few other sites that you can post to for medical transcription, posting resume and such.
Questions about payroll, et cetera should be brought up to your leads...
not to the board...If this was strictly a Keystrokes board, then I would understand but it isn't. I have been there for over 2 years...Please don't feel like I am bashing you or anything. I just think it is inappropriate to bring up payroll questions on a public board.
As I have stated repeatedly, although very unfair, leads have line counts too.
nm
TransTech leads and QA have enough work anymore! Are you either? Re payroll co. change,

I remember that well -- SUDDEN HURRY to get paperwork turned in to new company (same paperwork as a new-hire wound fill out).  Then the new payroll company did a horrible job of putting the data in, and made horendous mistakes in our personal info, etc.  I remember that HURRY very well !


No warning whatsoever to the MT's; just unbelievable mistakes made by new payroll company, and am sure it was due to the BIG RUSH put on them. 


Talk to your leads or call the main office to see if you can get a backup account...
I have been there for over a year too and have always had plenty of work...
Keystrokes....very flexible, tons of work, great leads, good pay...
I love it there...
I repeatedly tell you leads and QA have quotas obtain dictation too. That is where the good dictatio
nA
TransTech leads/sups/QA/others beta testing new software ROBBING US OF THE BEST DICTATION AND WORK !

They are absolutely stealing money from our pockets!  The work has dwindled down to nothing because of the leads/sups (all those micromanage people they have recently hired) taking the best work and dropping the most HORRIBLE in our queue.  They will deny the ability to do this, but it is an absolute LIE when anyone at TT tells their MT's this.  You can watch jobs line up in your queue and then POOF -- pulled out by those leads, etc. taking the job out.  TT thinks we MT's are too dumb to see what they are doing.  NOT !   I watch my jobs coming and GOING OUT!!!!!   Very disgusting to be treated like that.  I don't care if leads have to get their lines or not -- LET THE WORK FLOW AND QUIT TAKING THE CREAM OF THE CROP FROM US MT'S so that we can no longer make a living at Transtech.  We have to make our lines, too, and we have to PAY OUR BILLS, too !!!! 


What a mess TT has gotten themselves in, but it hasn't affected management's checks YET, so no matter to them.


That is a BIG problem at TransTech is leads assigning work, rather than letting the work flow
This TT MT just admitted to that fact.  It has been very obvious, as so easy to tell how work comes into our que and then gets pulled out as fast as it came in and replaced with YUKKY dictators.   VERY frustrating to us other TT MT's who take the JUNK that is NOT assigned to other MT's, such as this poster. 
Too bad they got rid of Indian team leads. My US team lead is the worst.