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Did you start with hospital experience?

Posted By: You may want to start with a TASP OP sm on 2007-06-12
In Reply to: System lease or buy? - Harika

instead of investing in equipment, or start with a small system or a used system if you want your own call in equipment.  Bytescribe seems to have the best deals on dictation call-in systems.  But if you are just starting out, you may decide to go with a TASP instead so that you don't have to invest in equipment.


The hospital experience is crucial.  That way you have a sound base.  You have the knowledge and the experience.  And you have contacts and references from a hospital, which is going to get your foot in the door.  That's why I say that is my #1 recommendation.  Start with getting experience working IN a hospital and be the best MT they have.  Work hard and prove yourself to them.  Go the extra mile and impress them.  Don't be a whiner.  That's the best advice I can give you.  When you send out flyers and you can give local hospital MT supervisors/HIM managers as references, it opens doors for you.




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You have plenty of experience to be an Editor. Start applying everywhere.

u


Just wait until you start racking up some more years experience
You will be just as bitter as all the rest of us MTs who've been in this business for 10, 20, 30 years. It will happen to you, too. Slowly but surely, 7 cents a line will become the prime pay for experienced MTs. Forget about 8 cents, forget about 9 cents and 10 cents will be nowhere to be found let alone more. You may even be forced into VR and then only receive 2 to 4 cents a line for all your experience and knowledge of MT. It's not pretty. It hasn't been for quite a while. When you're new, it seems like it's a good choice and you're making good money. That will change, mark my words. Sorry but it's true.

Signed,
Debbie Downer
Absolutely, hospital experience...
I think it must be rare to be able to take advantage of these days. I would not trade those years for anything.
I would start with hospital websites in the surrounding areas to whatever facility you type for. SM

Hospital websites usually have a pretty good physician directory you can search through by name or by speciality, which is nice.


I also use the AMA website which has a sound alike search feature which is helpful.  Here is URL for the AMA doctor finder.


http://webapps.ama-assn.org/doctorfinder/home.html


Also, some states have websites for the medical board licensing or professional licensing where you can look up doctors with licenses in that state.  You might do a Google search for whatever state your facility is in.


Another good one that I use is the WebMD physician finder.  Here's the URL for that one:


http://doctor.webmd.com/physician_finder/home.aspx?sponsor=core


Hope this helps you.


I had a similar experience, had a cow when I got the bill from the hospital - sm
I did not know I needed PERMISSION to go the ER (any ER).....I had taken a bad fall while skiing (back in 1995) and had my friends drop me off at the ER when we got home as my leg was killing me and I had hit my head too. Got a bill for $1500 or so saying it had been denied. I promptly called up the insurance company found out my "error", explaining that I did not know I needed to get "authorized" before a trip to the ER, etc. I had to go through a little red tape but was able to get them to resubmit it and have insurance pay for it. --So it may take a couple phone calls and maybe a letter, but it is worth the effort!
The best place to get experience is in a hospital. I think it is near impossible
to work from home without the valuable experience of working onsite with others around to listen and train.

The schools all hype everyone up on working at home, but it is not that easy!
in-house hospital is the best learning experience. sm
and is accepted with anyone. at least a year or more. there nothing like having someone right there at hand first time out.

good luck, you'll do fine.
The easy answer is to go to a local hospital and get experience.
The other answer is to ask anyone and everyone out there to give you a test, prove yourself, put your best foot forward.

Be very careful tough, because in your post you even used a wrong word "there" for "their" and I just wanted to bring this to your attention not to give you a kick but to caution you that you really need to "know your stuff" to get into this business. What you put out there tells about you, so make sure it's your best.
I have 13 years experience and just started a hospital job working from home making $16 an hour

and with a really good incentive plan.  I live in the Kansas City area.  $10 seems like a low starting point even with only two years experience which is the usual benchmark for hospital MT jobs. 


It's been my experience that the low end of the pay scale for hospital employed MTs was around $12 an hour.  Also, it's been my experience that the pay offered is usually based on years of experience and how well you perform on the transcription test.


I would say if their pay is that low, they should at least be making it up with incentive and it doesn't sound like they are.


JMO


Depends on what kind of hospital? Large urban hospital or small community hospital? SM

Also, is it a large teaching hospital? If so you have to consider there will be A LOT of different residents dictating, usually a lot of ESLs at teaching hospitals, and the residents rotate out and new ones rotate in every summer. So you can't expect to get the same dictators and build up your macros because the dictators change all the time.


I would say 9 cpl would be a pretty good offer for a small to medium community hospital where you will be doing the same dictators on a daily basis.  But for bigger, urban or teaching hospitals I would want at least 12 to 15 cpl. 


Experience on top, current experience first. Education second. Leave out ALL fluff.
Recruiters don't need your life story. They need to know if you can do the job. If you want, put your current employer, then state "I have 20 years in the profession doing....." Keep it simple; keep it clean. If you want to go into more detail, do it during the interview. A HUGE red flag is to see that you've worked for 10 different companies, for months at a time. I know that someone who has worked for the same company for 2 years or more is going to have some degree of loyalty and will work through issues rather than cut and run.
Well then, don't start at the beginning, start in
x
Hospital. I wish I'd never left my hospital job.
They'll only take me back if I start off working nights and weekends again at the bottom of the totem pole.
If you work for a hospital - how come no one from the hospital
called you?? Were they in the dark, as well?? How sad, that no one in your hospital communicates with the at home staff.
How is one going to get experience, when no one will hire without experience????
I constantly see all these job openings asking for experience.  How can I get experience, when no one will hire me without experience???
Do you need to have 2 years full time experience or just 2 years' experience? nm
..
How about we start one? Here are a few ...
TransHealth - 0.08 - .10 per line. Employee status. Benefits. Does not offshore.

QED - 0.06 per line to start.

First Choice - 0.10 per line, IC only, no offshore.

Keystrokes - 0.08 per line, $1.08 for radiology to start. Both IC and Employee. No offshore.

TRX - up to 0.09 per line. IC only. Not sure on offshore.




does her first name start with an L and last name a T?

Hey, maybe they should start (sm)

a legal secretarial organization and screw that up for half a million people.  They've done enough damage in this field.


I say start looking elsewhere...sm
but don't leave this job until you have something else.  In the mean time, call these people and ask what the problem is.  It could be something that they are unaware of.  It happens to me all the time.  And unfortunately, usually one e-mail or call to any company works.  You have to be persistent.  Get on the phone and call them and don't stop until you get a reply, and while you are waiting on work and a reply, start applying eslewhere.  Good luck to you!
Start out with
having your lawyer send a letter asking for prompt payment to avoid legal action. That might just be enough. Plus, having your lawyer write a letter doesn't cost TOO much. If that doesn't get it then you will have to sue. I hope it doesn't come to that. Good luck!
Why don't you start
by calling the funeral home/director who handled the original burial. I am sure this will not be the first time he has dealt with this situation. If you don't want to deal with them, find a funeral home your are comfortable with to handle the arrangements.
I'm not trying to start anything, but (sm)
what would this organization do? I've never really understood what AAMT does/did and why I should be a member. How would AAMT or any new organization benefit the MT?
Start looking around...
My department has gone from 20+ to 3 in the last 2 years. In part due to voice recognition and the addition of EMR.
Hey! I know! Maybe you could start up your
own blog or something to cover all these big issues - you, the American MT. Oh, but that's right - you did that and its a dismal bomb. All 7 (?) people who agree with you can keep each other company, dissing everyone. The only thing I did like on your blog was the bag over your head. Quite appropriate. I remember you, too, as the one who thought it was just so precious when your kid was using your work computer and your Expanders kicked in. Yup, a real pro. Gotta run now and work - sure hope I don't forget my compound modifier hyphens...snicker...snicker.
Where to start?

How can I get an idea how much I want to deduct for the year, not what but how much money I should be trying to deduct or can.  I need to get better prepared and deduct what I can this coming year. 


Thanks in advance for your help!!


Everyone has to start somewhere.

My mom was an LPN for 30+ years and she came home one morning in tears.  She (a devout christian) admitted to me (then just a little kid) couldn't believe how mean she was to a nurse's aid who was just starting out on HER floor.  My mother's ego was bruised because this "kid" (even though she was a lady with kids, she still called her a "kid") had the same type of training my mother had but yet had a different initials on her name pin and my mother felt she had no business giving shots or doing something or other....it was so long ago I forget what the problem was. 


My mother was so upset at her own behavior she vowed to take all the new people under her wing and show them not all people were bitter, and that we all have to start some place.  It really did her heart good to do that.  Now mind you, I'm not preaching here, because I'm an atheist (boy did that really frost dear old mom's patootie!), but I do belive in life's lessons.


Try not to be so hateful and bitter towards her.  It sounds like you kinda already have her discounted before she's even had a chance to begin.  You said it's a high-volume office, so maybe you could use the extra hand.  Try, at least try, to be a little tolerant and kind is all I'm saying.    


start looking for another job
Longevity means nothing anymore in this business. I know a couple of people that this happened to. The first one was jerked around so much she finally just gave up when told to come back to the office to work, would have been over an hour drive each way for her. Another person is still hanging in there working at the office once a week. I think companies would rather jerk people around instead of firing them. Not saying this is what is going on in your case because I don't know all the circumstances. Maybe youve been with them too long, making too much money?? I had the heave-ho once myself for this same reason. It was obvious they were pushing and pushing until I finally gave up and left. The situation was very hostile and not one I wanted to stay in. Best of luck to you whatever you decide. With your 16+ years experience Im sure you would have no trouble picking up right where you left off somewhere else.
Seems like not right at the start but
when you are in the middle of a 10+ minute report. I will try the logging out and coming back. I will also try the other, just letting it set for a minute or so. I really appreciate the assistance!
it is a better start than most of us have here.....
but knowing anatomy and terminology will not be all you will need. Learning the equipment is also secondary.

first and foremost, you have to be able to type at a relatively quick speed if you want to make any money in this field. Second, you have to develop an ear for foreign accents, and that is what seems to be difficult for most.

Good luck in your pursuit. If you battled your way through enough school to be a dentist, you will find your way in this field as well. It is just not as easy as a lot of people seem to think it is.
Start with irs.gov and
The first 2 results are a start. I can't say if they're everything you can deduct, but it's a good start. Also, I've noticed a very common misconception on this board that only ICs can deduct home office, but the first sentence of the first result of that search says you may be able to take a home office deduction whether you are self-employed or an employee. Good news for the rest of us!
why don't you start nm
nm
Oh man, where do I start? SM

1.  Space heater (in Winter) or fan (in Summer) at my feet, heating pad on my lap to warm my hands (all year long).


2.  My Harley-Davidson mug with ice and three cans of Coke.


3.  Chair must be centered in relation to the monitor and my butt has to be centered in the chair!  It takes me at least 10 minutes to make these adjustments.  My chair is always at the right height, in my house if you adjust mom's chair you DIE!


4.Back scratcher.


5.CNN or Headline News on in the background.


This question made me smile.  All my years working in the office I have met more MTs than I can tell you that are so particular about their work space.  God help you if you had to share a desk with one of them!  Then you realize you ARE one of them! 


I got my start in OPs...
...exactly how the above poster states.

My supervisor had asked me if I could do a stat OP for her. She then quickly realized I had never done OPs before and was stuck finding an MT. I told her we were all new to OPs at one time and I still wanted to try at least to learn them. I used to send them to QA requesting full reads and corrections. It took me about 2 weeks to feel confident and comfy with OPs, from there I just stopped sending them to QA and straight to the hospital.

My supervisor was happy to oblige my request and OPs are now part of my daily workload.

Good luck to you, hope you get the same opportunity to learn them.
Don't even start
As a 23-year MT, currently working for an MTSO, I feel betrayed by the profession.  I really made a mistake leaving the hospital position I once held.  I'm making half as much as I used to.  I'm single and self-supporting, and I wouldn't encourage anyone to choose this work, sadly.
Where do I start?
One of the things that is bothering me lately is dictators who not only talk for hours, or so it seems, but constantly ask you to go back up and insert here and there and not just 1 time, but many times during the dictation. We have to be mind readers or know a lot because dictators change their minds all the time and we have to know what they want put in where. I hate the cell phones/phones sitting close to the dictator/beepers going off, sometimes they are answered, sometimes just ring and ring and the screech in your ears. OMG! I hate the smacking or swallowing of saliva some do when dictating. Are they eating, are they drinking or just swallowing down a gob of goup? Ugh.
start looking ?
With the kind of attitude that this doc and wife have, are they any good to work for anyway? Do you have other job possibilities where you live? LPNs are really in demand and you should probably start looking. You might find someone who will REALLY appreciate you as these people obviously do not. Good luck to them to find another LPN that can and will transcribe while performing LPN duties as well. If they are good people and you want to stay you could do as the other poster said...calm and cool and don't break your neck ! I think the doc and wife are bluffing. Good luck.
I see. Usually, people start with
snide names when production is brought up.

I do work 5 days a week about 3100 lines a day...but truly I'm not a whiz. I am very fast but more than that I stay very steadily at it.
Start slowly and try this ...
Proof 3 out of 4 reports for the next day or two. Then, proof 2 out of 4 reports for a couple of days. Then cut that down to 1 out of 4 reports. Keep yourself abreast by proofing 1 of 10 reports. Proof the reports and let them go -- don't sit and worry!

Two things will happen:
1) You will become more comfortable with your own level of skill
2) Your lines will increase

I meant to start with
This was meant to start with at a new company.  I have never been an editor before, either.  I have a friend who has been an editor for many years (nearly 15 with 23+ years as an MT) who makes some $30 an hour as an average.  Do you know anything about this company, Soft Script?  I need all the information I can get. I know they need editors, and you don't have to have experience apparently because I didn't.
start with this link
www.learnthat.com/tutorials/freetutorials.asp?cat=29


There are better companies out there. I would start looking.
dd
Not wanting to start a war but sm
it just really gets old reading the same ole, same ole about SS.   As far as I'm personally concerned, there are usually 2 sides to every story.  If  I happened to be in SS's shoes,  I believe I'd be talking to a lawyer about something called "slander" and I'd be telling some folks to put up the proof or shut up.  Nope, I don't work for SS, never have and probably never will.  If I happened to be in the market for a new job, I believe I would give them a try just to see if they're really that bad.  If they were......well, I'd move right along.
best advise is to go to Help on the start
menu, type in copy as the question, and then follow the directions.
the start up $$ is ridiculous

That's what I think is so sinful.  They sucker you in telling


you can be an employee, you can make 12,000 a pay period


easY!


None of that is true.  And then you are left trying to figure out


how to pay the insurance, pay for the computer you sunk money


into buying and meeting their requirements, reference books,


the whole 9 yards.


And do they have a conscience about leaving a mom and her children


with no food?   I really doubt it.


And NO a new MT is not then ready for the next job because


all over again he/she will have to INVEST in the new stuff that


THAT particular company to meet THEIR peculiarities.


I'm sick of transcription now.  When they sent us home - that relinquised


the responsibility of these nationals from providing equipment and


turned all the $$ over to profit for them and ate $$ out of our income - not to


speak of the extra utilities run while home.  This computer heats up


my house terribly in the summer - it helps in the winter but it still makes


a considerable dent in my bill compared to my neighbors who work during the


day. 


Start your own company
See if you can get doctors to pay you more than 10 cpl (when they can send it to India for 4 CPL) and see how much you can pay your MTs.

6-8 CPL is the current industry standard. If you don't like it, it's not the MTSOs fault. Start your own business and get your own clients and you can make those couple of extra cents for yourself and deal with all the rest of the headache that goes along with it. :)
It's time for the fun to start once again!!!!
Lady, you reign it in. No one sounds like an adult complaining about their job day in and day out. That's what people do who work at McDonald's for minimum wage or as a cashier at Wal-Mart. They complain because they don't make a lot of money for the work that they actually do.

So, why don't all of you who want to sit here and bash me and everyone else who actually like working for Medquist get up off your dead behinds, take a shower, maybe do your hair for once, put on some makeup, take advantage of the rest of the day. Don't complain for once. I know it may come as a shock, but there are people who don't complain all the time and really enjoy their life. Maybe you really have an issue that you need worked out in counseling about being negative all the time. Let me know how that works out for you.
What rate will they start you at?
x
was hoping it would be a start though :(
..
only 9.99 to start out? You got to be kidding.

Does this co. start with Medi....nm
x