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Yes, we are paid for templates.

Posted By: Jo on 2007-06-18
In Reply to: I don't know if this can be asked or not, but how does Keystrokes handle templates? (sm) - SP

NM


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You get paid for the templates too
NM
You do get paid for things in templates...sm
Please e-mail me who told you otherwise.  Thank you. 
MT SHOULD be paid for templates. Horrible MDI
x
You probably aren't paid for templates.
Ask your supervisor. And I hope you aren't using your real name. Good luck. I hope you find your answer :)
Here, here, I agree. At one time, I was even accussed of holding MY templates hostage. Templates
L
Templates
The way I handle it is I try to figure out lines I type per an actual document minus the template part.  Then I would adjust my line rate downward to compensate, e.g., if my normal rate is 15 cpl, I would charge them 13-14 cpl OR instead of my usual count including spaces, tabs, etc., I would would try to figure it without counting them. I make clear to the client that there is no way to segregate the pre-printed lines and the lower than usual rate is a way of compensating them for it.  Another way to do it is how some hospitals and other MT companies are doing it - if you're using digital, charge by the dictated minute rather than the line.
Spaces or Templates/Pay or No Pay

Interested in learning what companies out there do not pay for spaces and/or what companies charge per report regardless of line length for use/nonuse of their crappy template?  For those of you who have worked for a company that charges for templates, was that information disclosed to you by the recruiter and/or contained in your contract? Any info (and opinions) in this regard would be appreciated. Thanks.  


Normals/templates
I let my IC's use them especially in my psych accounts.  However there was a time that one of the gals forgot to change the name on the header and I was gone and it went to the doctor directly with the incorrect name on the Header and big, big HIPAA violation and the doctor almost pulled the account since he did not catch it either.  So I understand where your MTSO is coming from but again, I would not keep the help that made these mistakes rather than make the other MT's pay for the incompetent ones and be unable to use their autorcorrect, ShortHand or whatever normals/expanders that they use.  The account stayed with me but we do watch the names closely now.   Why make all suffer for the mistakes of a few.
We can make templates
In Meditech you use the F keys for every little other thing, including their canned text which you have to hit, I think, F4, to pull it up. All the F keys have some laborious function but you can get used to it. As for templates, we do indeed create our own templates for the different dictators. The downside is that once you create one and it's there, you can't go back and edit it or change it, like when the doctor changes some wording and you want to edit it.

Mainly what I'm saying is, ask IT about the MT's creating their own canned text entries for templates. Use ShortHand or whatever Expander for everything else.

Our system used to crash a lot, too, but you could do a Recover and get it back. However, they've fixed that. Meditech doesn't have to be a pain, you can work it.
Good Luck...
With the use of expander and templates sm

basically all the prep work it's definitely possible. 


Reports with a lot of templates...
and very fast dictators.  Also, the MTSO counts lines in an honest manner, i.e., caps, bold, underline, headers, footers, templates, etc.
Read this about VR, templates, etc.

Ok, our profession has been threatened and outright replaced by voice recognition and/or templates which is fill in the blank type forms. Here's what I have found upon interviewing the people at these various places.


Bottom line is by going with VR, you can get rid of the MTs but they are replaced with approximately 1.5 FTE in IT help. So fire 5 MTs, hire 7 ITs. They need people to babysit the computer generated reports with which they have chose to replace us. Same for templates. So if there is any medical provider out there reading this, just beware. You will spend more money by going with VR or templates than you ever dreamed you could save. I hope this does some good but please don't be fooled by these slick salesmen who sell you this VR or templatesoftware and charge a fortune for it. Not only does it take up more time from your physicians, but you will spend more money babysitting the computers and software than ever before.


Especially if you use a lot of expanders and templates.
Then, VR is definitely NOT WORTH YOUR TIME.  If you type 5 lines an hour or something, yeah, I could see it working out for you.  However, if you are a good MT, not so much. 
How about 0.03 per line for templates?
what templates, ones I make or their's. BS
And no pay for headers you type or templates they add
/
Templates and word expanders
Figure out which abbreviations trigger an easy memory response. For instance, I've seen people put pn for pneumonia, but that just seemed to trip up my brain and so I put pne. Do you have doctors that use the same phrase over and over? For instance, nothing to indicate; that's nti. intrinsically and extrinsically is iae. no acute disease noted is nadn. You get more lines by typing (in the above example) 4 letters and getting paid for 22 (with spaces). I organized my templates by first 4 letters of last name and first 2 letters of first name - i.e., John Brown is browjo. (This habit started when I had a large hospital with 2000 doctors and this was the only way to keep them straight.) Then, if it's an H&P, it's browjohp; or discharge is browjods, etc. Seems complicated and you may find an easier way to catogorize, but once it's set in your brain, huge masses of data can easily be sorted through, accessed, appear on your screen, and half your typing is done for you.
companies that have lots of templates

Are there any companies that provide lots of templates and normals and a good rate per line?   This is my dream job, to find this company!


Templates are created by the IT people or

The MT usually does not have access to these things.  In my day, we had to put in a request and hope to heck they got it right.  Plus, we had to wait a while.  I think they're called dictionaries (templates) believe it or not.  It has been about a year, and I don't miss that system at all.  Clunky, slow, and lost many of reports due to it going down in the middle of typing.  Grrrr.....


Keystrokes and templates question (sm)

I see Keystrokes has an ad up on the job board.  I presently work for a company who fills in every possible heading that the doctor MAY dictate throughout the report and calls it their template for each work type.  They do not pay for any of these lines.  In some cases we are expected to delete headings if not dictated.  These deleted headings are now subtracted from the total line counts because they take the total number of lines in the template and subtract that number off the top of the line count.  Any missing lines would actually be subtracted from lines that the MT typed.  It would be so much easier for all involved to just let the MT type what the doctor says, headings and all.  I'm wondering how Keystrokes handles headings and templates?  Do they include them as part of the template or do they just let the MT type as the doctor dictates them?  If they are part of the template already, how are they counted or not counted? 


Also, what platform do they use and is it MT friendly?


TIA


The built-in templates for the ones you create
nm
lower pay rate for templates
Hi folks, Has anyone heard of getting a lower pay rate for templates? The company I work for is lowering their pay rates for what comes up as templates to 2 cents per line and say they will continue to pay the 8 cents per line for what we actually type? I have not heard of this before and was wondering if this was a common practice? Thanks for any feedback you might have.

Elizabeth MT since 2001
I worked for one company that did not pay for any templates.

The client had many templates. When I started I received pages of templates with the codes.  It was after my first paycheck that I was informed that the company did not pay for any templates.  You know they were charging the client full price and guess who was pocketing the profit?? 


Anyone know of a company that uses a very easy platform with templates...
and lots of fill in the blanks? I am trying to find part-time work that doesn't require a whole lot of typing because I have pregnancy-induced carpal tunnel syndrome. I still have several months of pregnancy left and I still need to work, so my only option is to find work that requires a lot less typing! I am just happy that this CTS is usually only temporary! I do wear wrist splints and take frequent breaks during my shift but this provides little relief. If you know of companies that use easy platforms with templates, fill in the blanks, cut and paste, etc - please let me know! Thanks in Advance!
Line count involving templates
I need advice!! I am typing in a template that consists of 205 gross lines before any typing is done in it. The client isn't questioning the body of the template where we add the meds, past history, etc., but there is an area of a preprinted form that is added that consists of about 85 lines. The client doesn't want to be charged for this, as this is not part of the typing. How can I bill for this exclulding this preprinted form? I would have to get the total number of characters for the entire document including the form and divide by 65? Help!!
I don't know if this can be asked or not, but how does Keystrokes handle templates? (sm)

Are they prefilled by the platform and if so are they paid to the MT as having been typed by the MT or does the system subtract for the template? 


I have no problem not being paid for template characters; however, I have found (with a couple of services that I have worked for) that the platform (or client or maybe even the service) will fill in absolutely every heading that MIGHT possibly be dictated by the doctor.  We, as the MT, have then had to bounce up and down the template looking for the heading that is being dictated and in some cases, having to modify the template by extracting words to fit how the doctor is dictating that heading.  In both cases, the line counter was set up to deduct the characters from the ORIGINAL template (which we were not paid for).  If the doctor dictates a shorter heading than was prefilled by the system, we are essentially losing lines.  (I hope that wasn't too confusing.) 


It's just so much easier to type as the doctor is dictating and use my expansion program rather than jumping up and down a template.   I'm wondering how Keystrokes handles their templates.  TIA


Shine templates take too long to load sm
Isn't too bad if you can go straight into it and start typing, but the account I do you have to go in and fill/fix the template after it loads before you can start typing, so it can be time consuming.
The majority of places have you use templates and software platforms. Maybe someone can suggest a
s
Training on the system, not paid, but if you are physically typing reports then you are getting paid
nm
Oh, yea -- PAID, too. Grandmother PAID LEAVE would be a great drawing card to TT !!

Just love that PAID TIME OFF !!


Any company that makes you wait to get paid until they get paid by the client
is not a company you want to get involved with. That's part of being an MTSO, figuring out how to cover your payroll while waiting to get paid. I would stay away!
Is this a live count of lines paid for or same as CTRL I that we do not get paid for ?? nm
m
Me too.. the outsourced company was paid for and paid me for headers, but OSI does/did not.
x
I have always paid yearly and have never paid or been assessed a penaltly. nm
nm
Be glad you get paid tomorrow. We are paid on the 1st and the 15th, so sm
since the 1st is on a weekend, we don't get paid until Monday.  It will happen again on the 15th of August …sigh.  It is the only thing I do not like about the company, though, so I guess a few weekends of poverty a year is not too much. 
Lori never paid me and now ETC has not paid my friend.
What is WRONG with these companies?    
Is it still being paid on time if you are paid on the 1st and 15th.....
and if the 15th falls on a Saturday getting paid on the 17th?  My bank is open and posts on Saturday that means I am not being paid on the 15th doesn't?  This has happened a lot lately. 
At least you get paid, I would rather be paid late than not at all. Just my 2 cents.
nm
Yea, at least u got paid. Everyone who worked for TSI is STILL waiting to be paid

I don't understand how Jayne cannot pay us.  We have christmas coming up.  I bet her family has a fantastic Christmas because she is using OUR money to pay for it.  I worked so hard for her and I know the other girls did too.  How insulting that she will not return phone calls or emails or PAY us.  How does she look at herself in the mirror knowing that the MTs who did all the work FOR her did not get paid.  She even sent me an email saying I give you my word HAHAHA her word is nothing, obviously.  Well, I will call the attorney for the THIRD time and see what is going on. 


To the poster, at least you got paid even if it was late.  I sincerely hope you get your last check.


Spaces, paid or not paid. Do you know? sm
I just started with a company and when I asked specifically if I would be paid for spaces, they said yes.  When I started using their program I noticed that the line count for each job did not include spaces.  I checked it with more than one program.  I called them and they said there was a glitch in the program that would be fixed.  It has been almost two months now and that glitch is still not fixed.  My checks do not include spaces either.  No one at the company knows what is up.  I can't believe I am the only one at this company who has deduced that they are not paying for spaces.  So, do you check your line counts to see if spaces are included?  You might be in for a surprise.  Man, I am tired of being burned when I am a reliable and honest IC.  Maybe time to do something else.  Thanks for listening.
You get paid when SHE gets paid from the client...sm
I don't like that at all.
Getting paid
You're absolutely right. Since it is part of our jobs, that means we should be paid for it. I'm in total agreement, we are ending up providing a lot of "freebies" MTSOs need to be aware that transcription involves more than just typing lines; there is "research", and the research part, which is actually bigger than the typing part, is not being compensated AT ALL. And GOOD MTSOs and GOOD MTs recognize that. BAD MTSOs and MTs that are truly "lucky" to be employed don't get it. Frustrating, isn't it?
it did say that we get paid if
DEP goes down (at a reduced rate of course to be found on Qnet or some such place). But no mention of what happens when we RUN OUT OF WORK which will be a daily occurrence when everyone starts sitting 39 hours or 24 hours and holidays. You could at least count on work the week after a holiday, not so anymore I guess.
you get paid for
stuff going wrong with DEP platform and you have to go on Qnet to find out the specifics. This packet doesn't address running out of work, if I am wrong someone please come on to correct me.
Not being paid
Wow!!! I was not paid my last paycheck too! I was assured that this NEVER happens and they were very sorry, etc. When I asked where my paycheck was - their response was what pay are you expecting? I did get may pay, and since then I have not had a problem... but now reading what you said about MTs not getting paid on other boards that makes me very nervous - family to feed, mortgage to pay, on and on and on.
Do you mean not paid at all?
nm.
Getting paid
Hi Everyone,  I'm new to this forum and very happy I heard about you.  I work for a company who has a big problem paying on time as well as the correct amt.  The initials are BT (maybe the same B listed in a previous posting). They advertised for a $1500 sign on bonus, but I cannot get anyone to return my Emails or phone calls regarding this.  They also advertise 24/7 Tech and management support, that's a joke.  The manager has never even been an MT.  If you want to discuss things with this manager, they blow you off.  But the company advertises that they care about their MTs.  Obviously, I'm looking elswhere, but cannot believe this continues to go on with these companies and nothing is done.  When I find something else, I will write to MT Daily and tell them what happened.  They are a reputable website and I do not think they would appreciate all the false advertising this company is doing.  Any suggestions and/or advice is welcome.
Really? They paid me 9 cpl (sm)
this past September, but it was still impossible to make any money given the horrendously bad platform, IMO.
They paid 9 cpl (sm)
to my friend, but it was a horrible place to work: NO communication whatsoever (she was without work for 1-1/2 weeks, unable to contact anybody via email or phone), had to work on clunky DOS program via the hospital with laggy web server, so unable to do more than 100 lph, and they paid with paper checks, often late. Couldn't understand how she could be considered an IC with the company calling all the shots like that (ICs use their equipment, programs, not the hospital's), so I told her to file the forms with the IRS and Dept of Labor to get the situation reviewed; don't know if she ever did.
I get paid...
3200/mo (hourly/incentive) as a remote hospital employee on 1 job. Approximately 2800/mo (production) on another job.

Dang, doesn't look like any of us sleep.
How much are you getting paid per cpl?

That seems like an awful lot of money to be making unless you're getting a high rate. Most offers I see are avg .07-8. Highest I've seen is .10. What companies pay high rates? I'd really be interested. My company went out of business. I was making .13 cpl, but at 80 characters w/o spaces, which is still higher than .075 for 65 characters with spaces. I just accepted a position at that rate and am concerned about my income. I was earning about $25 an hour, which will now be cut 20% at this new rate plan. I only have 2 years experience with medical transcribing, but have been a typist for many, many years.


Any direction would be appreciated.


I'm not a CMT, but I get paid as if I was. nm