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The answer is NO! Things are no better.

Posted By: Honestly! on 2005-10-31
In Reply to: Is anyone happier with OSI now? - Are things changing for the better?

nm


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Maybe they dont answer because there is no work to get.Best way to avoid things I guess.
:
TT management does not answer questions that you ask them; only answer those they want to answer.

I know, work for a long time and tried asking questions, but they just beat around the bush and don't answer the true question that you presented to them.


Maybe it is kite flying weather where you are !!!


I can answer that question with a simple answer!
Strengths - none.
Weakness - all.
No. Expect good things, and good things will come
x
I LIKE MDI. A few little things here and there
but for the most part, they are far superior to the others. (I even like AIM.)
thanks i will definitely try these things

Three things ...
1) I am an SE and I work my schedule, period.

2) I have never been out of work...even when others complain they are.

3) I have been not only allowed to work past my schedule but encouraged to. It's not my fault I'm allowed/encouraged to do so. It's more money in my pocket.

Look, I work as hard as you do. I don't know why you don't have any work but that doesn't mean it is my fault because I'm an SE. I also don't "hog" work. I take it as it comes...not like I can horde it away on my system and keep it in private while others sit without it. I can have only 2 jobs in my queue at any given time, just like everyone else.

Let's band together and not fight, ok?! It's not the IC's fault if the work is poorly distributed -- it is mgmt's fault.

I always ask things like that first, also pay
Make sure to ask before you test. big waste of time
You are right about some things
yes, they are not the greatest company, but do we really know who is. I know it was disappointing to me that they didn't pay for training, though it was only 2 hours. They are paying for spaces now, just since the last couple of months. I understand about the supervisor situation, but I think that is anywhere, and I am almost certain I know who you are talking about, (I thought the same thing) but if it is her, she's gone. I do agree that it does seem hard to make good lines, at least on one of my accounts. All I know is that overall, I am the most happy with them. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and this is just mine
I wonder about these things too...
I can understand the policy of not allowing companies who are dishonest as OSi apparently was to post on the board, but I thought there was a name-calling policy too. Someone below posted a really nasty remark about the Pres. of a co. (and used his name) and it was totally overlooked while a reminder about name-calling was deleted. Go figure.
of seeing the same things over and over with
nothing to back them up. I was sick reading the posts all weekend about every company that someone had questions about.
Look for these things.
What kind of reports are they?  Are they regular films or specialty work such as MRI and scans and special studies.  What kind of dictators are these, ESL or primarily English speaking?  An x-ray is not just an x-ray any longer.  Some can be very involved and it depends on your level of expertise whether you will make money or not.  What system will you work on?  Do demographics load or is it manual?  Lots of variables to watch for.
first things first
Have you contacted your company directly? What did they say?
MTs have to look things up too
You cannot just rely on the Editor to fill in your blanks. You have to look things up in reference books. I fill in the same common drugs constantly. I never knew what an excellent MT I was until I started editing. It's much easier to type.
If you believe all those things
If you believe all those things you said about DRC then why would you think that they are ready to give us all the boot now? Really, the advice and opinions on this subject are ridiculous. Only ME and my JOB matter. I will listen to my new boss with an open mind because DRC IS the best company I have ever worked for and I refuse to believe they just threw all their principles down the drain. Some pretty absurd things have been said on these threads about DRC, their accounts, Acusis and what might happen. Relax and wait for REALITY.
Among other things.......
Don't know who the above posters are that have it so great, but I sure didn't. Wonder how many of us went in and out that door? Anybody else care to take a vote? Count me 1
One of the things that comes up quite
You get hired, but it seems like eternity to really get the ball rolling and working.  Some of us don't have that kind of time to wait.  JMO.
I use both together for different things.
But you could get by without SH if it's an expense you don't need.
Must be 1 of 2 things (sm)
Either they're new to the field of MT'ing, or they just like to complain and whine.
Are things better now at OSI?
They are hiring now and I am considering applying.
One of the best things I ever did was to have the
surgery. Whereas before I could not even see the clock at the side of my bed, I now am able to read billboards, street signs and way far away. Vision before 7 inches in front of my face, now 20/30 or so. So glad but really scared to have done. Your eyes are precious but my only option like I said.
Things are different now sm

It's much better now.  We were asked to give them our top 3 favorite accounts and also the accounts we liked the least and had trouble with.


Now, I get my primary most of the day.  When that is out I get the other 2 accounts I listed as my next 2 favorite.  I rarely get into the cesspool, only when there is no work in my other accounts.


They have also offered bonuses almost consistently every weekend and with no strings attached.


The bonus they have offered the past 2 weeks is awesome!  


 


I think everyone needs to consider a few things here. sm
It may take longer to get started with KS than other companies, but they are a better company than most out there and believe me, I have tried many.

When you start at a hospital, it can be 2 months between application and first day to get started. If you start a government job, it can be 6 weeks.

They might seem disorganized to some, but they really are not that bad. Pay is correct and on time. There is a lot of work. They know each person by name and care about the person behind the name, not just turning everyone into an employee number. They work with you through personally trying times and will work with you on schedule and account.

They pay better and have more work than some of the bigger companies but they are almost as big as those companies already. The difference is that they do not hire suits who have no clue about transcription or transcriptionists. They hire real people who care about something other than just the bottom line.

I would rather work for a company that does not have a bunch of over-educated, over-qualified people with six-figure salaries who sit around and decide how to further cut my pay to increase theirs.

Disorganized? Working on it. Growing? Constantly. Worth it? DEFINITELY!!

They treat us well and work to keep it that way.
HMO things to know and consider

Q. What does HMO stand for?
A. This is actually a variation of the phrase, 'Hey, Moe!' Its roots go back to a concept pioneered by Dr. Moe Howard of The Three Stooges who discovered that a patient could be made to forget about the pain in his foot if he was poked hard enough in the eyes.


Q. I just joined an HMO. How difficult will it be to choose the doctor I want?
A. Just slightly more difficult than choosing your parents. Your insurer will provide you with a book listing all the doctors who were participating in the plan. These doctors basically fall into two categories those who are no longer accepting new patients, and those who will see you but are no longer part of the plan. But don't worry, the remaining doctor who is still in the plan and accepting new patients has an office just a half-day's drive away and that diploma from a small Caribbean Island is very fresh.


Q. Do all diagnostic procedures require pre-certification?
A. No. Only those you need.


Q. What are preexisting conditions?
A. This is a term used by the grammatically challenged when they want to talk about existing conditions. Unfortunately, we appear to be pre-stuck with 'pre and now' meaning the same.


Q. Can I get coverage for my preexisting conditions?
A. Certainly, as long as they don't require any treatment.


Q. What happens if I want to try alternative forms of medicine?
A. You'll need to find alternative forms of payment.


Q. My pharmacy plan only covers generic drugs, but I need the name brand. I tried the generic medication, but it gave me a stomach ache. What should I do?
A. Poke yourself in the eye.


Q. What if I'm away from home and I get sick?
A. You really shouldn't do that.


Q. I think I need to see a specialist, but my doctor insists he can handle my problem. Can a general practitioner really perform a heart transplant right in his office?
A. Hard to say, but considering that all you're risking is the $10 CO-payment, there is no harm giving him a shot at it.


Q. Will health care be any different in the next century?
A. No. But if you call right now, you might get an appointment by then.


Things = think
x
not going to tell . . . things are very very LOW where I am now also nm
nm
Things at MQ
My best advice is for people to set up Google alerts, ask their own financial planners and advisers(mine said he would not invest in MQ on a bet)and stay informed. I wish things could be okay at MQ for all of my friends who stayed;however, I truly could not recommend this company to anybody now. Before the New Rewards, I loved it. And so it goes.....Now I am with a small regional MTSO and am really happier. Above all else, stay informed. You want to make your move before MQ makes its move, much like Heartland did some time ago.
This is one of many things in our S/M
society that just make me soooo angry.  What an employee does on his/her own time is simply none of the employer's business unless it is such a business that the employee's behavior would have an impact on the credibility of the company.  What about the work that is off-shored or the foreign workers who are brought in to work for cheaper wages?  Do they get the same invasive investigations?  I doubt it.  I think it is just one more way to devalue the American workers.  Shoot, the MTs don't even know who their co-workers are anymore.  We are very isolated, no one really KNOWS us.  If one applies for a LOAN from a bank or a mortgage company, then by all means, they have the right to investigate one's credit worthiness or maybe even their employees, but in this MT business where we are nothing to the hospital except a number or perhaps 2 initials, what the holy heck legitimate reason could an MTSO possibly have to invade one's privacy in this way???!   Reminds me of a company I worked for years ago.  One of THE best MTs had a habit of getting out on the weekends and getting drunk and disorderly.  Monday a.m. the MTSO owner would go on down to the jail and post her bail so she could get on back to work.  But...........that was the old days......and a different breed of MTs.
Wow.... so all the things said above and
That's SCARY, dude.
What things?
Anything maybe someone here can help you with?  Or things that someone else should know?
Um, a few things...
You don't get fired as an IC; your contract can be terminated, however. And look at your contract. I imagine it'll say in there that the relationship can be terminated for any reason by either party at any time. If you were instead an employee, it would likely say the same thing anyway.

As ICs you can get unemployment, but you weren't fired. Your contract was terminated.

Maybe if you go into your next business relationship looking at yourself as a business and conduct yourself that way, you won't find yourself in this situation again. She somehow felt that she had the freedom to talk to you unprofessionally about personal matters in others' lives. I think if you're conducting yourself very professionally and businesslike in all dealings, you're not going to be sending out that signal that you're just like her and, therefore, a welcome person to discuss things of this nature.
With things like this from VR
head piece zoster which cleaned up is really

herpes zoster

We are not going anywhere fast.
You keep saying things like this.
If you're so knowledgeable, how come yours lost 40%?
My take on things

I recently had to go to the ER with some stomach pains.   By the time we filled out the paperwork, I was feeling slightly better but decided just in case to have a TALK with the doctor.  Unfortunately, my husband has insurance and I do not so we had to give them a good faith payment with our credit card.  Went in and saw the doctor, had a chat with him, told him I was feeling a lot better, explained what led up to me being in the ER and then left.  The ONLY thing they did was take my BP.  We got the bill a week later.............(here is where you insert the dramatic music).......$126 for the visit and $150 for the doctor's services.


Now, I had a vacation to the Caribbean in 2007 and fell (will not say what I was doing....hmmmm), but suffice to say, ended up in the ER there and well.....got a x-rays, got a cast put on my wrist, got pain meds, saw the doctor (a specialist no less) and guess what the cost was.......FREE.......they have government run healthcare system.  That 3rd world country.....


Now, I don't expect to get things free.  That is not my point.  My point is I expect when a doctor just smiles and nods while I explain to him what is wrong with me, HE not charge me an arm and a leg for services not rendered.


things are different now
Congress/senate dem. Lobbyists are on their way out as well. That game don't play anymore. These wheels are spinning fast and although I don't expect this to impact us tomorrow, this is not business as usual. This is not a stagnant administration. This IS going to happen.
How do you even know all these things

apply to this one particular poster when he/she did not even give her name?  Even if these things did all prove to be true, how would a team member, a fellow employee, know all these things unless management was so unprofessional than to talk to other employees about internal personnel issues?


I'm sorry but your post sounds like management trying to back pedal their way out of a lawsuit.  If not management, then someone who is taking this issue way to personally. 


I don't know... I can think of a few things I would do

that are ILLEGAL before I'd work at MQ again!! 


Hey, from what I see on Cops, most are making at least $20 an hour, which is more than I am making these days! 


My take on things...
This is just my own opinion. I am getting quite scared about my situation as an MT. Not only do I see posted on this board about no work for the straight typers, but also seeing posters with no VR work either! I am pretty confused about that...is this truly an overhire? Is it truly due to so many quitting because of the VR? I know for myself when my alarm goes off, I DRAG myself out of the bed to get in front of the computer to start my shift. It just is not fun anymore, and I am constantly worried about if I will have enough work. That creates quite a bit of stress on a single mom who has kids to support on her salary alone...I try not to worry too much about it, keep telling myself it will be okay and will all work out, and I do know there are slow periods...but I have been in a slow period every day of every month for about a year now, and at this point that fact is glaring in my face. When I first started with this company, I was thrilled with how many times the MT was offered a bonus to jump on and help. I thought, this is HEAVEN!! I made a ton of money. But no more. I even tried working a full shift this past holiday and couldn't make it. It is truly disheartening but I am at an age where a career change would not make any sense, so I really don't have a choice but to stress every single day for the rest of my working life. Not good, doesn't feel good either. The stress of it all is truly effecting both my physical health and my mental health, but I feel there is really no way out. My one option I have thought about is court reporting, but there again would be schooling, meaning more money out of my pocket.
It's either one of two things...
Either majority are on 100% QA because the work has been so bad in the past, and some errors slipped through this time, which was the final straw; or, the account must be new if so many are on 100% QA, but then why would the client be upset if this were a new problem?  Either way, QA should not be relied on solely.  I agree, again, that only certain MTs should be punished.
So what? I don't have to answer anything.
And by the way, MQ does not know that I work for Spheris. :) They are very much aware.

It is amazing to me how many of you people just want to screw someone. You're not happy for whatever situation.

It's NO ONE'S BUSINESS whether I work for 1 company or 3 or 6. I could care less what you think. I'm no more in danger of losing either job than anyone else. Furthermore, it's no skin off my nose if I DO lose them. I will be employed shortly thereafter. I have plenty of money. I'm not worried.

No need for anyone here to be upset or angry about my situation. It is shocking how absolutely miserable most on this board are. It's becoming quite amusing! No matter what ANYONE says -- everyone raises that shrewd eyebrow and turns their mouth down and mutters and mumbles, "just you wait". You sputter warnings out like you've been imprisoned and are angry someone is not held captive like you are. TOO BAD.

I have a great situation - it has been that way for years. If it goes on until I leave this business, great. If it doesn't, I'll just find more work. It really isn't that big of a deal to me...why in the world would it be so bothersome for anyone else?!

It really sounds to me like some people don't have enough to do in their lives! Well, I do and I'm thrilled with how things are going! It's a lot of hard work, yes, but it's very rewarding.

Everyone can go one with their lives. Hahahaha What I do in mine has NOTHING to do with YOU!
here is your answer
her replacement has been working for WEEKS training to do her job and nobody has said a word. Check your QA.
answer
CPT will be a 5-digit number. 99201

ICD-9 will be 3 numbers dot and one or 2 numbers after the dot. They add new numbers every year after the dot to make a total of 5 instead of 4 so it will be more specific.
401.9

Here's a good reference for you.
http://icd9cm.chrisendres.com/index.php?action=contents
Anyone know this answer?

If you were transcribing a 70-character line with spaces at 9 cents/line, how many 1-page to 1 1/2-page reports would have to be transcribed to equal $100/day (about how many)?


Thanks.


Your answer is......
DQS - AKA DocQScribe - is a program that transcriptionists use to transcribe their reports.
Answer (SM)
If the Reply-By-E-Mail option is not available for the post you want to reply to, you need to make one in your post and ask the poster to e-mail you.

To use this option in a reply (not starting a new thread), scroll on down until you see the Post A Reply To This Message button on the right and click on it. You will have a field to enter your e-mail address.

Just using the Quick Reply link does not give you the option to enter your e-mail address.
they have an answer for everything
even when it hurts our pocket.  I use to think that they treated us fairly but now I think we are just another number to them, and they could care less.  Like you said, too many policy changes, seems like something every week.  Also, I hate it now when you call the office you talk to custom service  That should tell you something right there.  We are not employees now, but customers, only we are never right, as in the customer is always right.  Just venting, but it is really upsetting when my paycheck was half what it was 4 weeks ago.  They also do not pay downtime if your QA IA under 97%, did you know that?  
Answer for ya
Both nationals I have worked for had me put the files on my desktop for them and do virus scans and such and then they tapped into my PC to finish the installation. I hope that helps.
That I can answer...sm
According to the person I spoke with, one of my past colleagues (a supervisor, actually) gave her my name.  What's odd, though, is that I haven't spoken to or had any contact whatsoever with this person for about 10 years!  Seemed very odd.
Can anybody answer that for us?
I'd appreciate it - I've been doing this a long time but there are so many companies out there it gets confusing.
To answer you ...

If you already have a computer you will perhaps need to purchase some equipment, depending on the account(s) you work on.  I only work on accounts that use DVI VoiceWave.  If I were to work on an account that used a different system, I would have to purchase the new system.  But to make my life simple, I stick to just the one I originally purchased.  X-press did not gouge me for anything.  I lost my long-time job due to voice recognition and I knew that I had to make some important financial decisions regarding setting myself up as a contractor. 


One thing I will say regarding X-press not hiring too many people:  You can be a good Transcriptionist and not make the cut.  There's a difference between being a good transcriptionist (one who knows her English, grammar, punctuation and terminology), and then there's the great transcriptionist who is proficient in all the above PLUS knows all the nuances of transcription - knowing radiology inside and out and knowing when the doctor is in error, knowing a cut off word rather than leaving a blank because of experience.  I work with a small handful of women.  We all have extensive radiology experience. 


You can't just fall into a job with X-press.  But I think it's worth it to work hard to get in. 


Because there are no benefits working with X-press, it might not be the best place for a single person or single mom.  Because my husband has benefits with his job, X-press is a good fit.


I work two accounts.  One account pays 9 cents a line and the other pays 16 cents a line.  If I worked weekends on the 9 cent account, the pay would be a little higher.  And if we end up working a holiday, you do get holiday pay.


Vacations are worked out amongst co-workers.  I've never had to cancel vacation plans.


X-press is nice because you get your own accounts.  Like I said in my original post, I have worked with X-press a little over two years.  I have worked the same accounts the entire time, so I have had the same doctors the entire time - I really appreciate that.


answer
i dont work on touchtype platform but the other platform they have.  do you work there currently?  i am on one of the oldest accounts that they have I believe.  i really like it.  i believe the owner is in charge of the account that i am on.