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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

TT has just taken on several HUGE clients

Posted By: that recruited TT instead of vice versa on 2007-11-02
In Reply to: just wondering - - my 2 cents

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What happens, is MTSOs coddle the clients and let the clients call all of the shots.

Then the MTs get stuck with account specs that are contradictory and confusing. 


It should be simple.  When an MTSO is wooing a client, the MTSO should present with a copy of the style guidelines they intend to follow or if it is the BOS, let the client know that.  It should be made clear that with the exception of report format, the guidelines are not flexible.  Either we use apostrophes or we don't.  Don't do it one way for one client and the exact opposite for the other client and then hold the MT responsible when she gets confused as to what account she is typing that day!


I think this could only be done with a huge client base, or a huge number of say only
s
the clients were in NY. nm
s
Maybe not your clients, but many are.
Your clients may be behind the times, but many are not. VR has gotten much, much better, and I've spoken with many, many MTSOs who are moving their accounts over.

The average seems to be about 60% to 80% VR and 20% to 40% transcription. There will always be those you cannot put on VR, but it is growing rapidly.
Not all clients DO know--that's just it!
Yes, some clients DO know, and the almighty dollar is the only thing they think of. But some clients DO care, and they don't know their records are going overseas. They would be apalled if they knew. Come to think of it, so would the patients.
not when the clients have the last say
Do not get me wrong. I do not care for it either, but somewhere down the line, the companies will have to suck it up and so will we. Otherwise, we move to a different field. Unfortunately, that is just the way it is.
Becoming an IC with own clients
How does a person become an IC with their own clients, not working for an MTSO? From what I have read on this board, it seems that is the way to make the most money per line/word/page, etc. so I am thinking about doing this after being an employee for 15 years (with things going downhill now). I would appreciate knowing several things:
1. How do you get the clients.
2. Are there certain types of docs that tend to prefer this situation rather than going to an MTSO?
3. How do you determine what to charge?
4. How can someone get the dictation, type it and return to the doctor without having to pick it up and drop it off?
5. Without QA other than yourself, how does an IC handle blanks? Do doctor's offices tend to get upset with blanks?
6. Is there a particular software system that is better to use when you have your own IC service and want to get work over the Internet and return it over the Internet?

This and any other advice greatly appreciated!
I'm sure they do tell their clients to sm
hide it from the MTSO, just like the MTSOs hide the fact that their clients' work is being generated by VR.
Do you think clients don't already KNOW about VR? That they are sm
being sold it at every AHIMA conference they go to? Being cold-called by companies doing VR already? That doc don't get info about it at their little retreats and conferences?

It's better to be proactive and have VR sold as part of an MTSO's offering (with MTs doing the editing) than being undercut by other VR-only companies.
One would think if 5K was so huge ...
One would not let it accumulate to that.  Only gamble with what you can afford to lose, and letting it get that far was a gamble.  Though, sorry, you only wanted to hear how horrible the MTSO is (which it is horrible) and everything through rose-colored glasses about your friend. 
I know about TT's huge hem/onc
account but isn't it totally VR?  In fact I thought they had 2 big hem/onc accounts and both had gone to VR?  Am I wrong about that?
huge thank you from me, Have done it
and forwarded to all I know. Have already heard back from one senator, and I was the 49th person from Texas to sign that petition. Thanks again. Have you put it on the politics board?
do not forget the clients -
They also deserve to be billed correctly. Sad, sad, sad.
IC - FINDING CLIENTS
Do you have to pick up tapes and deliver the hard copies with your accounts? I used to have an account where they would dictate into my Sony system (a special system that allowed docs to dictate from their phones, pause, rewind, make changes, etc), and then I would just e-mail the completed work back at the end of the day for them to print out in the office.
I wonder if the clients are leaving
because they are being sold and that is why I have no work? I can't wait until they make the announcement - then I will know if I need to pack up and leave.
If you are seeking clients, there is not
NM
Are their clients aware?
If I were a client of theirs, I would look for someone else to do my transcription. If I were a patient of this client and if I found out that the client knowingly supports this sort of crap, I'd look for healthcare elsewhere. Heck, docs come a dime a dozen!!!

It all comes down to the customers--that's US!!! The American citizens who trust that our medical records are (1) kept confidential and (2) are done correctly IN THE USA!!!

There should be a way to inform the customers of HIS's clients. First and foremost, we, as customers, as Americans, need to boycott the physicians first--the ones who are sending American money overseas!!! There are PLENTY of other docs out there who support the USA and want to keep the work at home. They'll gladly take my money!

Persnonally, I don't want my medical record entrusted to overseas folks who, for the most part, hate us to begin with. They barely speak a word of English and they certainly do a pathetic job at trascribing. I've seen the damage these folks can do to medical records.

I think that we should boycott MDs who are paying HIS to transcribe for them.

If we don't stand up for ourselves now, what's next????


Too bad they mislead their clients about it
That is what is so rotten about the whole thing, the hospitals think the work is all being done in the US when it is not.
RE Acusis Buy-Out, What About US-Only Clients?
Something does not add up here, because many of the bought-out company's current clients vehemently refuse to work with anyone who outsources.  Won't they drop new company outright and have to look for a new MT provider? 
But your own clients bring many of your own
x
*Stealing* clients

You can steal things, but you can't *steal* a sentinent being (client) who chooses to go with you because you offer better service/better price or any combination of the two.  Said client can walk away from you, too, if you don't deliver.  What company does not try to lure clients from a competitor?


If the severance is minimal, you can easily get another job, and you really believe the company would come after you, then maybe foregoing the severance would let you rest easier even if the clause wouldn't stand up in court.  If you really believe the company would come after you, do you want to spend time and money in court, even if you win?


stealing clients
I partially agree, but when a person uses insider information about a client's setup, preferences, etc. IMO that is stealing. You're using privileged information in an inappropriate way. So strictly speaking, a person hasn't stolen the client, but they stole the information they needed to get the client's business.
Clients at fault?
I really think it varies from client to client what is expected as far as unpaid fussing.  Some expect the moon and the stars (looking up the ordering physicians on huge databases instead of passing us that demographic).  I don't understand why a company would agree to contracts like these with the clients - they know no production will result from it!
What goes around will come around and eventually your clients
They see that all the other doctors are hardly paying anything per line for it and they'll expect you to adjust your rates accordingly. This is precisely what happened in my area. All the doctors started thinking they should get bargain-basement prices because they could use the threat to send it offshore. So wallow in the green while you have it, at the expense of your offshore workers (and hey, if they're truly so great, why not pay them US rates and really do something really noble to improve their lives?)

You might be helping the economy in third-world countries (they'd starve w/o you?! Get over yourself!) but you are INDEED helping to lower ours here. You can justify and deny that all you want, and frankly, I don't care that you sleep at night. The fact that you are here defending your stance so vehemently tells me you know deep down.

You can also claim there are no good workers here, but you're wrong. We just don't work for MTSOs with your attitude. And guess what? There ARE plenty of doctors that DO care where their work is being done. You might have found a few who don't care (if you truly told them), but that's not par for the course in most places, my dear. Most ESL clients are the most adamant that the work be done here because the US MTs are the only ones who could clean up their grammar!
I can name 5 more on that list who are NOT clients of theirs. nm
nm
Most of the clients don't allow their work
to be sent offshore because of privacy issues, Americanism, etc. The CLIENT decides.
some clients want those apostrophes
The two docs I edit for want those apostrophes there and you can find just as many reference materials that DO include them as don't.

I agree this is nothing that is going to affect patient care, but bottom line - you have to give the client what they want.
MTSOs cannot pay more than they get from clients
If the clients are only paying 10-12 cpl, you cannot expect them to pay you more than 8 or 9.

The only way to get decent pay is to get our own accounts and cut out the MTSO.
Then your MTSO would have NO clients
Overrated you say? If you saw some of the hair-raising mistakes we have to clean up on a daily basis you wouldn't even THINK about doing away with QA because the people you work for wouldn't stay in business.

How about the MTs who are too lazy to look things up and use QA as a reference source. I know I send feedback to the same MT over and over again without seeing any improvement. That is frustrating and a waste of my time.

I was an MT for 35 years before I became a QA person. I had a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge and felt, (very naively I realize now) that I could actually HELP people. But the MTs don't appreciate the help. They just want us to clean up their work and be quiet. If we send feedback we get blasted by the MT instead of being thanked.

I personally got into QA to help people. Boy, have I been disappointed. This is the most thankless and difficult job in the transcription business. Thank you for reinforcing that point.

I am so glad that I have wasted 38 years of my life trying to help people who just want to use me as their whipping boy.

So yeah, do us a favor, get rid of QA. What a waste we are trying to educate and help people. How dare we?

I personally give up. Do your own research and find your own answers. Don't bother me anymore!
It's not KS's VR. It is the clients and they have had that account for sm
several years. The lines are all counted and the rate is the same as my normal rate. The reason is that it takes a lot to edit these reports and they know that. This is not new for KS.

For those that said they do not do VR, they must not in their department or accounts, but there is VR with KS. They have a lot of Powerscribe accounts for radiology and a few VR accounts for HIM already and have for a while now. The pay is good and has not gone down. I am at 9cpl and happy but the VR editing does take as long as straight transcribing.
That 9.9 cpl is what they are charging their clients
I clicked on that link.  It's completely an off-shore based company.  The 9.9 cents is what they are charging the health care providers.  That's only possible if they are paying 1 to 2 cpl for the workers.
So what are you going to do when "your clients" (sm)
So what are you going to do when your clients decide that they want to pay you anymore and go with someone cheaper? It will happen to you, too!
To any visiting clients

The opinions expressed on this board represent only a fraction of the MTs that may be servicing your accounts.  As an MT who is proud of the MTSO for which she works, I apologize for the appalling Jerry Springer-like antics of this chat board and wish to assure that most MTs that I work with are thoughtful, hard-working professionals who do know the difference between venting a frustration and turning into an ugly mob of pitchfork-carrying villagers. Though I defend their right to an opinion no matter how churlish and embarrassing it is, I also assure you that there are still MTs working on your dictation who realize that there are live patients who depend upon us.  I just thought you needed to hear this.    


To any visiting clients
I agree! I appreciate the company I work for and am happy to have a job.
Not small, not huge. When I was there it had 350+ MTs.
x
I think there are a huge number
who lie about their qualifications and experience. The company I contract with has hired MTs who claim to have 10 years experience. Their final product looks like they are recent graduates of IHA who failed high school English.
Because the accounts are huge
Yesterday was a holiday, so many docs took a long weekend. Transtech is not a company to jerk you around, if they promise work, you will have it.
There are HUGE variables
Formulas that MT companies give as average are usually based on average work that a MT is well versed in - which companies do not always make available to MTs then act surprised. Duh. Connections, software, familiarity, accents, account types, etc., etc. are huge variables for production and should be considered. Left on the same work for awhile I used to be capable of producing 2,000-2,500 lines, but that changes if my work is changed or if I'm put on a subspecialty I'm not familiar with. It's why companies that have people on a zillion accounts and are not rewarded for it have unhappy MTs. People making huge counts are usually people who are happily typing away at familiar work. Been there, not there now, and am miserable and burnt out.

It was a mistake and not a huge one...
GET OVER IT! The poster said they were sorry about the mistake twice now (I wouldn't have after the first time), and it's not that big of a deal anyway! What are you this guy's wife/mother/sister or something? I can't imagine getting so upset about a post about some guy you worked with that again was a MISTAKE?

Take a Valium or 12 and settle down, LOL You keep calling someone out for making a small mistake that's is not going to hurt anything or anyone and who already apologized twice! Plus, your getting yourself frazzled over nothing.
huge insult!!

I agree!  This is such a huge insult to our profession.  I started out with Focus on Edit Script at .04 cpl also, and would recommend them to get a start.  The are other companies who pay a little more, but .04 is usually the norm.  Please, do not go any lower than this.  Focus is always hiring, as many people do start there and move on, but I still work for them part time and have never had a problem with them, despite the negatives I have read.


Sue


HUGE APOLOGY DUE HERE
I APOLOGIZE sincerely about my comments regarding Transolutions out of Illinois. All these companies sound so much alike anymore these days that I confused Transolutions with another company (I would say which one, but I believe I've said quite enough)! I'm MORTIFIED to have said what I did above.

To my knowledge, Transolutions DOES NOT offshore. They're really good people, too. The company to which I was referring above is a different company altogether located out of Atlanta, GA.

I don't often post, but I'm zipping my lips for a while. Sorry to have caused this confusion.



That is a huge yes..no doubt about that one.
And since they got their new investors in the last what, year or so, the offshoring has increased. I look for more changes to come as well.
There's a huge difference

The abuse is far worse on-site.  I was pulled to do so many other things it was not even funny when I was on-site.  I'm finally home and glad to make the money I deserved for a lot of years.


E-mails - you can hit delete.  Meetings on-site you have to sit there while they drone on and on...  Boring!  I could get a load of clothes in or clean the litter box out and back to banging out some lines.


Yes the work needs to be done, but gosh it's easier not having to rush to get a shower, head out in the dark in the winter in the early a.m., fight the traffic (none of this is paid).  I'd rather spend that time seeing my children and hubs off to school and work - much more pleasurable...


IMO...  Happy Holidays!


MQ's huge losses
Maybe, as we Los Angelenos say, their karma is catching up with them. Hope so!
I never worked at the Q but TT is a huge
Good luck. You won't regret it and you will wonder why you didn't check out Transtech sooner than you did. Never too late...
no, that should have been a huge red flag,
that the pointed questions were never answered, which was uncharacteristic. Instead, they would answer about a new account request, or schedule change, but NEVER answered the important questions. I have not addressed the new e/m address for concerns, as I plan to jump ship anyway.
It is very possible to get huge lines on VR
but it all comes down to whether you have a good platform to work on. I have absolutely done 500-600 lph with my platform on some days and I could never straight type that much if my life depended on it. When I was put on VR, knowing my pay would be less, I figured up how many lines I would need per day to make the same money I had done with all straight and that is what I strived for. I do think some rules relaxed when VR came in but I read through each and every word. What I really dislike is we were told to leave ESLs reports as is and unable to clean up the reports there.
There are 4 new clients starting over the next month....sm
One of which will need 120 transcriptionists.  That's whassup! 
If you have your own accounts and clients you can make that much $$$$. nm
x
What your boss charges clients isn't
your business. Your agreement is what you are paid for your services.
Fine, You try telling your clients that and let us
know just how long you stay in business. :)

In other words, you do it first and if you are still in business 5 years from now maybe others will do the same.