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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

But we all want to leave our crappy nationals...

Posted By: anon on 2005-12-31
In Reply to: My new year's resolution is to ... (s/m) - burned OUT!!

and go BACK to the office! LOL. We're TIRED of the peace and quiet!


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Many many crappy jobs for me
1. Emergency Room admissions clerk in a back-woods hospital in rural Western Pennsylvania dealing with drunks, freaks and worse on the 11-7 shift while working with a bunch of angry, nasty shrews who hated life in general and were too busy hating the rest of the staff to pitch in and actually do any work.

2. Working in medical records department of another back-woods Western Pennsylvania hospital (family owned and operated, I kid you not) where the medical records director was the 30-something girlfriend of some 90-year-old racketeering buddy of the hospital's owners and she got hired as MR department director directly from the bangle bracelet counter at the mall.

There are more but these two stick out in my mind the most.
I just think it's crappy to judge m
someone's ability to responsible by their credit report, especially in these times when you can make the same amount of money as you have been and have just the basics (no luxuries) and everything has gone up and you scrape to make ends meet.  I know many people like this now.  I've even read articles on how people are in worse credit card debt than ever because of what I just described and they're bridging the gap by having to charge x amount each month to get by.  It's very sad.  Because one's credit is poor most often isn't because of a lack of responsibility or willingness to pay, just life happening.
Yep they are a crappy school. Unfortunately too

many take the course because it is cheap compared to the good schools, but it ends up costing more when they can't get a job and need further schooling/training.


Have you posted your resume on the job boards? 


Knowing about foot pedals or other equipment is no big deal, what you need to know is the terminology, good grammar, research skills  are things you need.


You can look for a mentoring program.   Some companies will pay you a minimal amount for any work you do.  There are some companies who want you to pay a monthly fee.   I don't know the names of companies, but there are companies that are not legit, so be sure and ask about them.


You could also apply to local clinics/doctor's offices, and hospitals.  You would have to work on-site, but that is the best training you can get. 


 


I'm sorry that you have crappy QA. I wish I had you to edit. sm

A good QA will not do that.  Where are you working that you have such bad QA personnel?  I'm not wanting to go to that company, lol.


Hope it gets better and you get helpful mentors.


I'm not currently in QA, but crappy dictators

isn't the only reason for QA.  You'd be surprised at the crappy work that some MTs do and QA corrects the errors so they bad work isn't going to the client.   Some MTs don't feel the need to proof their work, believe that is what QA is for.


crappy work

Must be coincidental, I just had it out today concerning your posting.  I sent a copy of it to the owner, I got a return message to never email "her" (the owner) again from the original person I sent it to.  Hmmmm, my email with cc to the owner must of sent of sparks!  (about what is really going on).  Cherry pickers they are!


but where do all the CRAPPY VR dictations
come from, then?
I guess, crappy dictators are EVERYWHERE !
If so i bet they are a crappy MT. You have to KNOW anatomy to be good.
;P
downright crappy and unfair!!! SM

MQ paid 30% less pay for ASR reports, and they took just as long to edit as they did to type sometimes, so was very frustrating.  I have heard some companies pay straight line rate difference, i.e. if you make 7 cpl typing, you'll make 4 cpl for ASR.  It is totally unfair, as like I said, it does take quite some time to edit ASR, some more/less than others.  Needless to say, I left MQ for KS, who does NOT do ASR!!!!


somewhat. would help if the quality of the dictation wasn't so crappy. nm
nm
Guess what? There would be no cherrypickers if there were no CRAPPY DICTATORS! nm
x
Yes some crappy India people get this work
But I think it is also a great opportunity to keep this IN the USA.
sick of working for crappy companies?
I have been thinking about starting my own company. I have done some research and it looks like all I really need is an FTP site, handhelds (that the doc's purchase themselves), and to get accounts. If anyone is interested in doing this with me let me know...or if anyone has any other information on starting a company input would be appreciated!

Why are we working as IC's and the companies are making profits off of us? Lets cut out the middle man and make the money we deserve!!
I wouldn't hire you with that crappy attitude either.
nm
Pretty sad when you have to settle for a crappy company because all the rest are no better.
f
How true, I have one very crappy doc that drives me nuts, just got done 10 minutes of him that is-sm
riddled with blanks.  I go through it once more, then the office mgr goes through it and fills in what I cannot get. We have an understanding that I do what I can then send it in luckily on him.  It is an all-around non-money making account....I waste my time, she wastes her time then the owner proofs it. This doctor even has horrible residents who dictate for him. If there was not so much background noise I would do a lot better but they somehow manage to find the most horrible place to do their dictation and go to town with it........surprised I still have hair left.  I told them that if we continue to do this guy (the doctor had decided to stop using the service but changed their mind recently) that I should be paid double (I get the bulk of this twit) and they should charge more to do him due to all the heck he puts us through. ------Can't wait to see what happens with that one!
Venting session = so tired of crappy MT companies...

I have just about had it!  I mean I have over 14 years experience as Transcriptionist and all I can get is crappy pay rates, which now I am okay but could be better....And I am tired of getting crappy accounts!  Whenever I ask to switch over to a different account, they tell me no.  And these companies want PERFECTION, even though noone is perfect, for peanuts!  I have seen places where they want you to work set hours even though you are an IC.  What is up with that?  Plus these places never off any good benefits, if any.  What are we supposed to do.  I am ready to go to a retail job or fast food. Somewhere where I can get out of the house, do my job and not have to worry about it all day long - not have to worry if I get an 9 hour shift worth of VERY BAD dictators.  I bet I could surprise myself at how many hamburgers I could flip in an hour because I sure am tired of seeing how much crappy doctors I can type in an hour.


Does anyone else feel this frustrated?  What happened to this profession?


She got booted because she sang a country song really crappy.
nm
Actually, it is retranscribing from scratch, because the software is so crappy. Same work, sm

less money.


any encouraging words for a newbie with crappy line counts?
Today is my 3rd day of "real" work (not school) and I did 482 lines in 5.5 hours. That averages out to about 87 lines an hour.

How many lines per hour did you average at first? How long did it take to get faster?

I accepted an acute care position to get more experience, but now I'm wondering if I should have gone for a company offering clinic notes accounts ...

Please tell me it gets better!
If you work from a pool, it's when others are leaving you the crappy reports by skipping over the
s
Why would I go backwards? Simple thing is to fire the MTs whose quality is crappy. Weeded out abou
I get paid rather well, but I really should not have to do an MTs job. The point is I DON'T WANT TO TYPE!! Why would I want to be an MT and type ALLL THE TIME?
I felt crappy for 8 days..while coming off carbs..but now feel great..don't forget calories still
for those who are carb sensitive..its a godsend and a lifestyle. I really like this site: http://www.lowcarbluxury.com

there are TONS of wonderful recipes. I made the chicken cordon blue for the whole family and mock mashed taters..yummy!! Obviously not the same but I was a happy camper to have mashed again. Good luck!
What nationals?
What nationals or hospitals have this policy of showing doctors how to dictate better?  I have worked at 11 hospitals, clinics and trans services in my career, managed a few, was lead transcriptionist at a few hospitals, supervisor at another and also just an MT at times.  Never have I ever heard of a policy like this.
There were no nationals
Nobody had ever HEARD of outsourcing.  We were all in-house, regular employees, got a REAL SALARY with benefits including LOTS of PTO time, etc.  We were treated with respect and appreciated for our hard work and MT was an actual profession to be proud of.  Then after computers came along and the "want it on the chart 5 minutes before the doctor dictates it" mentality, somebody got the brainstorm that they could make tons of money off of us by getting rid of the in-house departments, "allowing" us to work at home, and only paying us peanuts on a "production only" basis.  The bottom line of "the cheaper the better" took hold, the nationals took over, started outsourcing overseas, and you have the mess we have today.  I guess that about covers it----
Do any other nationals have 10,000 MTs?
Maybe that's why it is talked about so much.  There are 10,000 MTs affected by what they do.
Nationals are no better

Disagree, no matter whether you are an I/C with own accounts or with a national or even small MTSO, we are all at the beck of the doctors.  If they are off or do not dictate, there is no work.  I do not think that the majority of you realize how hard is to balance out having enough staff to do the work to keep the accounts and also keep them busy when the work does not come in, especially when the help does not think twice about someone in the family being acutely ill when they are not, taking off for children field trips on a whim, children being sick or whatever the excuse is not to work.  It takes quite a juggline act to accommodate both employees and acounts themselves.   That said -- flame me as I have already been burnt many times by people who do not have a work ethic or want to work when they want to and not when the work is available.


 


Nationals are no better....sm
Every group has people who don't come through when they should, doesn't matter what job, etc. but most of us are professional enough that we don't leave our employers in the lurch, certainly not nearly as often as most of them do us, no work, computer down, etc., etc. but, if someone refers to me as "the help" I wouldn't feel too kindly toward them. I would do the job, but don't ask "the help" for any favors.

Sorry...that's a sore spot. Makes me feel like we should be kept in a corner somewhere until we are needed to "help"
If that happens, no more nationals for me!
nm
Big nationals and MTs

I have been in this business over 20 years.  I started when we used IBM Selectrics and tapes.  I have seen this business changing over the years, some good, some bad.  One thing in particular is the very large national companies getting more and more of a monopoly in the transcription business.  This has had an impact on the MT.  I am making less per line than 15 to 20 years ago, and I seen that is widespread in this industry.  I see it is getting more and more impersonal. 


20 years ago many MTs were getting 7 to 7.5 CPL.  I see that still happening.  Adjust that for cost of living increases and inflation, and I feel wages have gone down.


Now we must compete with overseas work and if an MT wants to do VR, they must take a pay cut, at some companies of up to 50% of your line rate. I remember many years ago when they were talking about implementing VR, we were told we would not have pay cuts, just be able to type more.  I knew then that they were lying, of course they would cut our wages.  They will squeeze and squeeze to get the most money for themselves.  Many of these CEOs make millions, but what about all the unethical business practices.  Remember Enron. 


I feel most of these changes are because of the a few very large nationals changing the nature of the business.  Of course, they want to make as much money as possible.  Everybody does, I cetainly do.  But it seems to me they are doing it at the expense of the individual MT. 


Did you know many transcription companies actually train the MTs in India and then give them a job.  If you are in the good old USA, you pay for your own schooling and are lucky to get your foot in the door because of no experiernce. 


I think if there were fewer nationals and more smaller companies, maybe the MT would benefit.


 


 


Nationals can pay much better
than hospital jobs. If you are capable of 1500 lines in a hospital setting, you can easily do the same at home. With experienc (which you seem to have) you can make at least .95 or .10 per line. Most hospital MTs do not make $150.00 a day. If you want benefits, there are some good national companies with good benefits.

You just need to decide how much your in house job means to you versus staying at home. I work in a hospital during the day and at home in the evening. I make more money at home but I need to see other people so I love going to the hospital 6 hours a day.
No, they don't. Maybe Spheris or the big nationals
that actually send you equipment and take the time to train you, but the little MTSOs don't do anything except set up your user ID and password to get into their system and fax you their contract.  Ooh, 15 minutes out of their lives are gone.  Dreadful.  They expect you to have your own equipment, be proficient with the computer and software, and know how to transcribe medical reports.  Reasonable enough, but it does NOT cost them anywhere near the figures you quoted.
$18.5K two smaller nationals. nm
x
nationals vs working for yourself
Regarding the post below about how to avg 1600-2000 lines per day, someone posted they make about 12 cpl and about 3500 lines per day.  I'm assuming this person works for themselves.  To all of you wonderful ladies who are so lucky to do this, where the heck do you get started???  I'm soooo jealous, thats a dream living right there.  Seriously, where to look, how to get started, what equipment.  Any pointers from you gals?  I work no less than an 8 to 9 hour shift to scrape in my 1300-1400 lines, work until my fingers get stiff....!!!!
Probably why the larger Nationals have their own
qq
OH! One of the nationals I worked for did that.
Of course, the supervisors had been on the accounts before getting promoted, so they had tons of macros and expansions already.  However, they'd work a few hours and get these astronomical line counts while I had all the leftover garbage dictators.  Between that and the frequent shortage of connections available, I quit.  The supervisor not only got her supervisory wages, but she also cranked out about 2,000 lines a day in less than four hours by taking work away from the MTs.  Why did they hire me and the other MTs if she was just going to hog the good lines and the C-phone connection?
YES! nationals have turned

wife's kind of job......need a second income to live.


It is no longer a career


It is no longer a respectable job.


They have lowered it to _drop in_ make a few bucks_go to bed


But don't expect or receive RESPECT, A LIVING, OR ANYTHING ELSE


from a transcription company.  They are there to make the profit


OFF OF YOU.


 


Bows sounds real darn good - when do we start - I'll make the


wagon to sell them from - I'm pretty handy with power tools now since


my husband left because I had to type 26 hours a day!  Stupidly he thought


we should have a life.


I won't work for nationals. Been there, did that.
I got hired on part time at the local hospital, then gained one account on my own. I continue to work for the hospital PT, and now have five accounts and two subs who work for me.
what about nationals where you use THEIR expander....
never thought of that...couldn't they just glean your normals from the Expander without even telling you? I am going into it right now and change the NAMES that I associated with those normals I slaved for free to create!!! (doctor names) Thanks for the tip.
I agree about big nationals
Ridiculous. They pressure you, but leave you high and dry with low work available and expect you to work. Thank goodness for the smaller companies. They are getting the cream of the crop of good MTs!! I switched from a big national to smaller company too!!
Smaller nationals are way to go...
It seems you get treated like dirt by the large nationals, i.e., Medquist, Spheris, no communication, etc. Many experienced MTs have gone the way of smaller national companies simply because of the better communication among employer and employee, more warmth among the company, etc. Spheris tries to give off this impression they are a warm company much thanks to the CEO, but the organization itself is not a good employer to work for.
Nationals: Sometimes the hospitals have their own MTs sm
and pull the MTSO off the account when work is low to keep the hospital employees busy.  This probably happens more often than one might think these days.  IMHO
I want to look into Smaller Nationals.

I am hoping to get some names of some good Small National companys to work for. 


Thanks in advance for your help!


Small Nationals.
I guess just not the huge places like Medquist. I would like a little bit smaller. I am even interested in any companies that are great to work for and pay okay. I am not having that great of luck working for MTSO and getting paid good.
Thanks!!
Not the OP, but it's what the nationals are willing to pay, not what they charge. Most of us out
s
Did you ever work for nationals? nm
..
obviously then you don't work for nationals..nm

HATE Nationals
It is terrible what these large nationals are doing to our industry. I have worked for several and they all start out saying, "We really care about our MTs" Bull feathers!! What they care about is making money off our backs and not paying us a decent wage. And sending our work over to India, Pakistan, or whoever is the lowest bidder. I hope hospitals, clinics and doctor's offices here in the US quit using them so they just go away. I will take a small MTSO any day of the week over these megamonster money machines!
Any other MTs for large nationals getting the

Exactly! What are the big nationals providing?
except a tasp and a salesman to land the account?
If IC, use which ever you prefer; most of the Nationals
xx