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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Well, plain and simple - they just don't care about the MT -

Posted By: MTIAM on 2009-05-23
In Reply to: I am having a hard time understanding why companies consistently overhire when they run an ad. - PAMT

they want to make $$ - meet their turnaround times (for which they get paid more), take on clients, hire more MTs, perhaps lose clients, leave us all hanging with no work and as long as they can make a profit off of us, they could give a darn about all us lowly MTs.  Run out of work, too bad, and they don't need to give an explanation or they can just say they have new accounts coming and please be patient  and string us all along.  Plain and simple, they are in it for more profit, don't care about the MTs, kinda know we are all at their mercy cuz we have to have a job, but plain and simple just giving us all the runaround. 


Somebody prove me wrong - please. But unless you work for a company, can honestly say you never run out of work and never get bounced around on different accounts - spending YOUR  time logging in and out to scramble for work, please don't respond with how good your company is to you.  Yup, you guessed it, I am having a bad day, bad week, and bad past months working for MTSOs.  Unless you are making a decent wage, every hour of every shift - as management and owners are - you are being used and abused.  Feel more like I am on-call lately than an FT employee. 




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OSI plain and simple
Speech recognition, outsourcing, massive turnover, only the beginning. The only way to offset this was to offer more benefits but they also upped requirements to receive them. You can't make more lines if more and more companies are outsourced, and two new ones have been added to that, Mayo and Sarasota--Ochsner already was. They aren't being that generous with benefits in the long haul and as someone said the other day nobody will stick around long enough to actually receive the benefits.
this is a flame plain and simple. NM
NM
No pay. No work. Plain and simple. I have never heard of not paying before during training. You can
bet they are getting paid by their client on the job that YOU did. How cheap can you get. RED FLAG..RED FLAG.. run.. run fast.
Plain and simple, you have to be able to handle the difficult dictators in this profession if..
you want steady, appreciated work by a national company. There are so many hoppers out there who bounce from company to company, and then come here to complain about it. Trust me, we have all had our share of tough dictation over the years. When I started MT over 20 years ago, I cried daily trying to get through those many mumblers, ESLs, etc. to make mere pennies an hour. The experience and skills that I gained by hanging in there made me a successful Transcriptionist over the years. I started out in-house, and then obtained a few local accounts, and built from there. I ran a small MT service with several subcontractors helping me. I am now with a small national, the name of which I don't want to mention. I make a good line count of .11/65 characters with spaces and have absolutley no overhead. If you are an experienced and skilled transcriptionist, there are companies out there who will pay you what you are worth. Don't settle for less. However, if you are new and inexperienced in this profession, do not expect to make a good living until you have built the skills necessary to succeed. If all that was involved in MT was getting the easy dictators or accounts, it would not take much to be good in this profession. A company needs to see that you can tackle whatever comes your way. No one ever said it was going to be easy!
That is just plain sad
nm
A lot of them just plain don't know!
.
It is just plain courtesy...
I'm well aware (as I'm sure most ICs are) that you don't need permission to take a few hours off or a day off but it is just common courtesy to request it off. I requested this Sunday off because I will be out of town for the day, I know my company cannot say no but I did commit to working Sun-Thurs and I can't change my Sunday plans so I have agreed to work extra this week and a few hours tomorrow morning. Again it is just common courtesy to pull your share and to try to be accomodating should you need time off.
Well that's just plain dishonest then.
I wonder if the MTstars quote was actually written by the the recruiter him/herself then.  I think I'll pass on this company then.
just plain dumb!
I have a couple of docs on my primary acct. who start every report with the patient's name and SS#. I can't believe an MD would be that clueless! There definitely should be some laws about those things!
And they do just plain nice things (sm)
like send restaurant gift cards when you've worked hard.  Nice to be given information, too.  The platform could be better, but the lines are really excellent.
If it's mainly plain films, go by page.
If the reports run the gamut of radiology, go by line. You could really jammed up doing long rad reports for a buck and change, especially with a lot of MRIs, CTs, PETs, nuke med, interventional rad, etc.

Good luck!
You're just plain nuts. nm
xx
MTSO or just plain stupid

The IRS has EVERYTHING to do with this.  IRS defines criteria for employee vs IC status, MTSOs laugh all the way to the bank at IRS and MT ICs because MTSOs have been on the non-legal side, pushing the limits, with little to no work force resistance.  Factor in the lack of employee benefits and although ICs may work as hard and put in as much hours as employees, ICs  make significantly less per unit than MT employeese.  Company owners have taken the risk that we are all just so grateful to have any income, that we won't fight IC vs employee status.  In fact, these company owners make millions of dollars annually filling employee jobs with IC employees without benefits, confident that no one will blow the whistle.


IRS laws clearly distinguish between independent contractor and employee status:
 
ICs:  Enter into a signed contractual agreement with Contracting Party, providing service of completing projects (work). 


-  Contracting Party CAN define begin/end deadlines, length of time IC service is required, basic guidelines, definitions of project and expected outcome.
-  If Contracting Party demands IC adhere to step-by-step instructions, supplies training, or insists IC work during specific hours of the day, specific days of the week, 30 or more hours per week, IC is an EMPLOYEE, entitled to all benefits afforded by definition, INCLUDING UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION.


ICs: ICs purchase, procure and use their own tools, equipment, software, lbooks and other learning materials and training programs to carry out contracted project. 


- If Contracting Party loans, sells, leases, provides or pays for arrangements for loan, sale, or lease of tools, equipment, software, reference materials or books necessary to the project IC is an EMPLOYEE entitled to all benefits afforded by definition, INCLUDING UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION.


ICs invoices Contracting Party for payment of services, arranging for CP financing, up front partial payment with final payment at completion of project, or payment submitted @10, @30, @60, day terms. 


- If a Contracting Party pays ICs on a regular biweekly or bimonthly  basis, through scheduled direct deposits, ICs most probably are employees robbed of the benefit of matching employer funds contributed their Social Security funds, as the law provides for Employees.  ICs (business owners and other self-employed) are solely responsible for payment of their individual quarterly state and fed tax installments, their own Social Security with no SS contribution by employer.


The IRS has EVERYTHING to do with this and by collective silence, MTs continue to allow MTSO's continue rob them.  After the lack of appreciation MTs have suffered, loss of jobs to VR, overseas, I think it's time to stand up and demand what is rightfully ours. As they've already dropped our wages to 0.06 - 0.08 cpl, and turned us against each other as we have to fight for our share of the work, we can only benefit from saying, Enough is enough.


(To poster:  You've been ill-advised.)


And being rude is just plain rudenss. No need
for it, either. 
Wow, either your comment put her on a pedestal or you're just plain mean
I'm guessing that you're mean or bitter. I read her ad, and it makes sense. MTSOs don't have firm accounts, or maybe very few of them do, but they lose accounts all the time and get new ones all the time. Nothing is stable baby!
IN PLAIN LANGUAGE, IT'S KNOWN AS "LOSING FACE" fm
Don't see how an MTSO can inspire faith and loyalty in his/her employees by blowing sugar up their collective behinds 1 day & all the while sticking it to them.  Call me sweetie pie, sugar cakes all you want, but don't do it in the same breath as telling us we'd all have to joint a 50% salary cut club, telling us that the low work for MTs is because of the Huge responses we got for our VR takeover and that because these brand-new VR'rs are so very productive all of a sudden -- (Why not chuck the euphimisms and say straight out, There's no work because it's gone to VR - in addition, we had to overhire a bunch of newbies as prophylaxis to a lot of expected resignations - added benefit, we don't have to pay any more bonuses to keep work in TAT - but you guys (you really do rock!) did pester us about low/no work, but will just have to FLEX until November when the new accounts (Ugggh) show up...hope your landlord, grocer, hungry kids are as understanding as you are, sweetie, sugarplumb - You're all the best! 
You can have 2 sets of headings in ShortHand, ones that are bolded and others that are plain. I had
accounts like that also, one using bold headings and the other not. For the bold headings, I would put maybe an x or a number behind the shortcut, such as HPIx for bold and HPIxx for without bold, whatever suits your fancy.
And this is why every company overhires - MTs don't stick it out - the plain truth
nm
AMEN! All this stuff about being nice is just plain silly.
nm
Why personally attack this poster? That is just plain wrong.
Every post I read by her is good-natured. The only people taking things wrong are the ones listening to the green-eyed monster. IMHO.
Any companies offering just plain Word and upload to FTP?
nm
People do make mistakes sometimes. Maybe it was an oversight or plain ole mistake
on someone's part, an unintentional mistake. It is possible.
Didnt think of it cause I dont care. Wouldnt care if
x
It is simple...

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Moderator


It isn't quite that simple...

Thank you for your input; however, it is a deeper issue than that.  It is a major opportunity to teach the offending MTSO a lesson.  Speaking for the collective MT group, we are human beings and we deserve the same respect as any other human being.  It seems that MTs have, for too long, allowed themselves to be doormats.  Obviously, there is an exception to every rule, but I am not referring here to those few exceptions.


It is that simple...

There is no deeper lesson to be taught.  If you feel that you are being treated as a doormat and do not want to be, then do not accept the position and move on.


Moderator


Simple
If you type 100 minutes of dictation for this company and their operative notes are 1-2 minutes maximum (I worked for a company that paid like this) and they add up to 30-40 lines per report, you would be typing anywhere from 3000-4000 lines for 100 minutes, which equals $100.00 for this amount of lines, which in turn equals about 3-4 cents a line. Believe me, they pack the dictation in this amount of time. The company in turn charges the hospital or clinic per line and they pay you the minimum.
It isn't that simple
It isn't just whining! These people are taking MONEY out of the other MTs' pockets! While an MT with integrity does all the jobs that are assigned to her and gets hung up on an extremely difficult dictator, while the other MTs are taking all the easy dictators and making money hand over fist. That is NOT fair to the MT with integrity who makes chump change because she refuses to stoop to that level.

It is not fair and it is up to management to put a stop to the practice.

Don't judge others until this has happened to you. It isn't fair and this is the only place MTs can come to vent their frustrations over it. If you don't want to read the posts, just skip them, but don't tell people they are acting like children fighting for candy. This is FAR, far more serious an issue!
Simple solution
As long as Cymed can continue to find MTs who will put up with this crap and accept their positions that don't pay for spaces, they will continue to do what they're doing.

Why would a quality MT accept a job that doesn't pay for spaces. Why would a quality MT stay there?
SE versus IC. I know there is s simple

but I'm a math retard.  If an SE made 10 cpl and an IC also made 10 cpl, and everything else were equal, then the SE is actually making more because half of the 15% social security tax is paid by the employer.  So the SE makes 7.5% more than the IC, correct?


Now here's where I'm a math retard.  If you take that 7.5% into account, what is the SE's *real* line rate?  Sure, it's still cpl but when you figure the employer is paying 7.5% of the taxes then does that make the line rate actually more like 10.75 cpl?  Or am I off on my math?


Simple -- 5 steps
1) Do NOT answer the phone if it is not about your child or your husband, period. Get an ans machine and check it on your breaks. It is your responsibility to treat your job with respect and spending your time on personal calls is not respecting your job, your pay, your finances. You're an adult; you can do this.

2) Try to arrange your appts during nonworking hours.

3) Make an alternate schedule for yourself that you can commit to when appts or emergencies call you away.

4) MAKE everyone aware that you are working during ## hours and that you are not to be interrupted, then do not ALLOW them to interrupt you. If you answer - you are allowing it.

5) Define what really constitutes an emergency to TAKE YOU AWAY FROM WORK and stick by it.

It sounds as though the phone is your biggest problem. Simply stop answering. Let everyone handle their own problems...they are adults, too.

If you take control of your phone calls and have an alternate schedule for true emergencies (I mean - child/hubby sick, etc.), then you'll be able to handle unexpected/unplanned pressing needs such as your cousin (going to Iraq) dropping by!

Make YOUR time the most important time in the world. Because it is!!!
Some simple feedback for you..
Just wanted to say I think it was your tone with your suggestions that angered a few. It sounded bitter, angry, and downright nasty the way you spoke/typed it. We have all had our run ins with recruiters who make promises and do not follow through irregardless of the resume itself. I think you just hit a sore spot. :)
radical yet simple

Pay based on knowledge and difficulty NOT production.  This will raise the howls from those on the board who want all ops -- but you reward knowledge not limber tendons. Higher line rates for those willing to slog through ESL Discharge summaries and medium line rates for flying through ops and ERs.


 


Simple solution -
email me.
The rationalization is simple...(sm)
I'm laughing here because it's so simple you're gonna laugh at yourself for asking! Of course they're now trying to sub-contract to other companies, no one wants to work for them. So, if they hide behind another American MTSO, they can get American transcriptionists that way!
Anyway, thanks for the warning. I hope everyone who is contacted by or contacts another National company does what you did and ask where the work is coming from.
I use ChartScript and it is very simple. The only
demographics I fill in are ptient's name and doctor's ID # if there are any CC. 
A simple solution...

get a fake email address.  go to hotmail or yahoo and just make something up.  i will never know who you are.  :)  I do understand your hesitation.  I wouldn't email me either.  LOL  I'm safe, I don't work there anymore.


Line counts?!  Um, yeah.  Encouraged to be dishonest to the MTs regarding that also went against my grain.


And here are even more simple facts about
I have been with them for 2 years. I work PT (6 hours/day). My average for last pay period was 163 lph. Yes, I exceeded production for PT (6000 lines/pp), I always do and did even when I was FT. I don't understand the complaints or the inability to meet production. The DI honestly takes all of 2 seconds on MOST (I aint saying all cause I don't work on all) accounts. I have worked on 6 different accounts and all but 1 have ADT feed...I am sorry it didn't work out for you because Amphion is one of the best nationals out there...good luck!!
Simple answers
Okay, simply put, I work for SoftScript, the workload is steady, the supervisors, etc., are great communicators; they pay within a few days of the end of the pay period by DD.

Now I'm off to work. :o)

PS .. the reason you don't get a lot of response is because we're all happy with our job and not having to hang out in here with all the negativity.
Simple solution:
Don't work for them. 
Simple solution:
Don't work for them.  I don't.
How about a simple - Let the supervisor
they can bypass the supervisor and just let other workers know?  Unfortunatley by accepting their IMs and working based off that you pretty much made your bed. 
a simple solution
Next time it happens ... just invite the person over to your home and give them a shot at actual transcription. Try to give them a dictator who is midway between fantastic and a nightmare. Don't leave any medical books around for reference. Tell them they have 15 minutes to do as much as they can.

And then post the results here. Should be good for a laugh.
In simple lay terms...
If the post in question is the post that culminated in this lawsuit, the OP went into great detai about how TT received work only through what Dictaphone chose to essentially spoon-feed them and this was resulting in the lack of work for many posters at TT.

This was not prefaced, to my recollection, as an 'in my opinion' type of format. It was done as OP had 'inside information' or was somehow privvy to the internal workings of TT. HER POSTS WERE PRESENTED AS FACT AND NEVER INDICATED IT WAS SUPPOSITION OR HEARSAY. THE POST WAS WRITTEN AS HARD, SOLID, IRREFUTABLE FACT.

Presenting something as factual that is in fact NOT based on fact is the entire premise of a libel suit.

I'm not here to argue with you or anyone else. Everyone has their panties in a bunch about the OPs freedom of speech, with which I agree 100%. However, there is a vast difference between saying, 'I THINK TT GETS THEIR WORK ASSIGNED TO THEM FROM DICTAPHONE BECAUSE...' and I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE IS NO WORK AT TT BECAUSE DICTAPHONE IS NOT GIVING THEM WORK.'

Do you see the difference now? This was a VERY lengthy series of posts between 4-6 weeks ago perhaps a bit longer.

Apparently, the powers-that-be at TT take exception to this poster's assertion of their internal operations, and what the OP led us all to believe must not have been factual or no lawsuit would be in progress because there would be no grounds on which to sue.

I do not know why, with a group of professional, educated woman such as at this forum, people cannot seem to comprehend this has NOTHING TO DO WITH HER FREEDOM OF SPEECH; IT HAS TO DO WITH MISREPREENTATION OF FACTS.

If TT was running around suing every one of the MTs that trashes them on this site, EVERYONE would have a summons. But, no, that is not the case. The only one who has a subpoena is the OP, the one who professed to know exactly why there was no work at TT.

And obviously her facts were not facts at all; hence, the lawsuit.

C'mon, people, research is part of our job. Does it make any sense to you that TT or any company would randomly select a poster to arbitrarily sue?

No, it doesn't.

What DOES make sense if the OP apparently overstepped her bounds of knowledge, posted erroneous information as fact, made TT look terrible with that information, and TT has decided the misinformation and malignment were sufficient to warrant legal action.

Search the archives, find the original posts about Dictaphone and TT. NOWHERE in those posts will you see any disclaimer that is is the OPs opinion or theory or anything remotely similar. It is all presented as FACT. Presenting misinformation as FACT is illegal and punishable by law.

This is my last post on this subject. If the pack mentality would rather prevail and defend someone for spreading misinformation as fact, so be it. No amount of common sense will change your minds.

I'm a staunch support of our freedom of speech; however, I am not a supporter of libelous/defamatory information towards ANY entity.

Flame away; I couldn't possibly care less. I've done my homework. I've done my research; and I've seen with my own eyes the posts I believe spurred the lawsuit.

And you'll all really hate this. TT is on firm ground and will likely prevaill.


simple terms
Transcend bought MDI. MDI employees unhappy because they have not been given many details about their pay scale or flexibility of schedule. Also, many MDI empoloyees are angry that MDI sold to a company that oursources to India. In a nutshell, that is what is happening.
It's pretty straightforward, simple, not
a lot of messing around, MT-friendly.  Good luck!
Simple answer, because companies lie!

I'm well aware of the fact that boards come with both good and bad.  However, the reason I don't go to the company or just read their website is because companies lie...they do it all the time.  You are much, much more likely to hear things that are bad about a company than you are from the actual company.  They sugar coat everything in order to make themselves sound great, right down to completely lying about things like compensation, work availability, etc.  I have had it happen to me more than I care to mention. 


Thanks for replying though.  I appreciate it. 


Pure and Simple Exploitation
These companies are in the business to exploit MTs and make money. Bottom line. If there is a dispute, believe me the MT will take the brunt of it. It's very sad, but after 15 years, I'm leaving transcription. Enough is enough. For all I care, they can continue to pay those new transcriptionists that bottom wage who type garbage like, LUNGS: Crackles in the BASIS.
You just type in Word. Very simple. nm
xx
Only guilty of asking a simple question
:(
Here's the simple facts of Amphion:
I used to work there too. Could not meet my line requirement either. I moved on and am now with a company with a HIGHER LINE COUNT REQUIREMENT and just as difficult QA but I consistently EXCEED their line requirement because their PLATFORM IS MORE FAIR TO MTs. I am not yelling at you, but this subject is being defended by current Amphion employees who are loyal to their company but are not listening to the facts. There are better companies out there who have platforms that are FAIR FOR MTs. Keep looking, and I wish you luck!