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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Except most secretarian jobs make alot more

Posted By: MONEY! on 2008-01-16
In Reply to: I believe a lot of them look at us as - secretaries!!!




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Yes, I have 2 jobs-- the 2nd one covers what my DH used to make at a side job- sm
more actually. It was our college fund $, now it also covers our life insurance payments---grant I am working more now and he less, but he watches the kids a lot, does all the cooking (I have to clean it all up however), takes them out to give me quiet on 1 weekend day, etc. So if your husband/SO is willing to pick up the slack it is doable. Yes, our house could be a lot cleaner too but once every 2 weeks my husband and I do a marathon clean together, and I stay on top of the laundry so that does not get out of hand.....average 5-6 hours of sleep a night but sleep in on Saturday and Sunday until 8---you can do it but it will keep you hopping!
seems like that happens alot
wow, thats awful, and they didnt even tell the employees? I dont understand why companies lately are so dishonest. Do they not know that if not for us, they would not MAKE any money, since most (not all, but most) of managment and company owners are not MT's and would not know the first thing about being one, at least I have found that to be true so far. We are either replaced by off-shore or Voice Rec...how sad!
My ER docs do it alot

I guess it gives them the right to charge PREMIUM prices,  although I


think ER prices are quite pricey enough.  My friends trip through the ER


the other night was a cool $10,000 and all she got was an aspirin.  (she thought


she was having a heart attack and it was GERD.  But to rule it out they gave her


the works; CT scan, CXR, blood work, cardiac enzymes......and on top of that came the doctors (including the cardiologist, oh my) bill.


 


 


Love this one...thanks alot!!! nm
nm
but you have to be careful. There are alot of sm
them out there and some will charge you a percentage. If you go to the counseling service that is run by the United Way or something, that is reputable. In my town it is just called Consumer Credit Counseling, but it is a United Way Agency. They don't charge you anything except maybe a 5 or 10 dollar a month fee for "postage and handling" and I don't think you are required to do that.

I have heard folks say it will ruin their credit, but it has been my experience that after you get that far, your credit is pretty much damaged anyway. I had a good experience with them.
Alot of BS probably from disgruntled ex
Perhaps you did not read all the posts, yes I did get alot of negative comments and thank you, but I don't need you to tell me to let it rest.  This is a free county, I have freedom of speech and will let it rest when I feel its proper or are you the board medidator? Go ahead its your serve, what witty comment are you going to come back with now, tell me to get a life? That seems to be one of the most popular comebacks.
Alot of companies keep you in QA because

when you're released you start making more money.  You probably are doing a good job and would be out of QA with many other companies.  I don't remember a patient losing their life because an MT put a comma in the wrong place!  It's ridiculous and keeps you from making better money.  On the same note, if you get released from QA then you start getting HORRIFIC dictators that keep you from going above and beyond your required line count so you reach an incentive pay.  It's a no win situation.  Glad I'm weaning out of being an MT and only doing it part time and also work elsewhere!  Tired of the B.S.     


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


This job has changed alot
Hi, new here.

 

I've been an MT since 1997, and there have been ALOT of changes.  I went to school for MT and after graduating, I got a job at a company that let me work at home.  It was sheer bliss. I could be home with my young children, and made a pretty lucrative amount of money, but reasonably for my clients.

 

Now, after being away from it for only four years, that seems to have all changed.  Outsourcing, voice-recognition, big companies, it's sad to me.  Even working full-time, turning over a pretty decent daily line count, I can't make enough to support myself and my kids.  Oh, that is, if I could get a job. 

 

 

I use Spellex AccuCount and like it alot. nm
nm
I think alot of people are jumping to --sm
conclusions here about the whole situation, including yourself. You do not know that just because she gave your husband's friend a ride home, that anything happened between them. Since she already had his friends cell number, perhaps he simply left something in her car and she wanted to return it. It could be totally innocent on everybodies parts. She may not even be aware he is married. But any way, that all is between your husband's friend and her. Since your husband told you about it in the first place, I think there is nothing to worry about in that respect. However, your over reaction to it will probably change things between you and him, and calm open communication is the only thing that may change that back. You already crossed the line with a jealous outburst, and perhaps will never be able to cross back. He will always see you in a different light now, and that you possibly do not trust him, and he will be very careful about what he tells you in the future. I have learned through experience that jealousy, anger, and mistrust are the quickest ways to drive your husband to find someone else. Secondly, if there IS an affair going on between the friend and this woman...it is none of your business. Don't confront the friend..don't confront the other woman...and definitely do not call the wife to tell her. If there is an affair going on, she will find out on her own, but if you stick your nose in, and they patch things up between them, you will have lost a friend for yourself, and your husband. Stay out of it. I definitely think you need to sit down with your husband and calmly talk about this. Tell him that you are sorry for over reacting and that you DO trust him. That is the most important. Never bring up the phone call again. Never ask for the number. He probably feels that you will interfere in something that is not your concern and that is why he does not want you to have it...not because something is going on. He thinks you will embarrass him. that is all. Don't start making waves when you are the one who would end up losing in the long run. Trust me...I know. I was jealous and suspicious of my ex husband and all of his female friends. I reacted to every situation with jealousy and anger, and tried to FORCE him to stay with me. If they want to go, you can't stop them from going. I ended up losing him because I drove him away with mistrust and jealousy. He is married to her now, and I hope they are very happy together. I am not angry and I am not bitter. I did it to myself and I take full responsibility for that. I just do not want to see it happen to anyone else, because it can be avoided simply by how you approach things. Take care and good luck to you.
That depends on alot of things...sm
like where you live. Is it hot and dusty? Do you drive alot of miles? etc. I like to have mine changed every time I have my oil changed. That way I do not have to worry about it. Just my opinion.
My take on that is that alot of it is pure FANTASY.
Just to make my minimum lines, I'm working 10-11 hours days, plus at least part of Sat., and am making about $23,000/year. And I'm not a newbie, either - been at it for over 30 years.
I just switched to nights and found I like it alot.
I get a nicer variety of reports so I don't get bored. I keep the tv on behind me but don't watch it. No interruptions, no phone, no kids or hubby, although my kids are all out of high school. They still tend to interrupt. The dogs are sleeping so I don't have to let them out. I do open a window for some of that gorgeous night air. I only need about 6-7 hours of sleep, so I hit the hay when I am done and sleep for around 4 hours, get up and do a few things, then conk out again for 2-3 hours later. It seems to be working out.
I like Laura Bush, She has alot of class.

If we want to get personal about the husband situation, then I mean come on, who can forget all of Bill Clintion's antics??  Ole' Hillary stayed w' him just to further her career.  To me personally, When I look at the current Bushs I can see they they like each other, even DARE I DAY IT< LOVE each other.  With the Clinton's all you got was cold air from Hillary, but then again who can blame her?  But she is the one who stayed......so I don't feel bad for her at all.


THESE ARE JUST MY OPINIONS!!!!!!  Everyone have a wonderful day!!!!


There is alot of fine print to read
in order to receive the bonus.  Many MTs don't stay long enough because these companies are usually deceiving.  Think about it, if it were so easy to get $500, $1000, etc. everyone would be jumping at the chance.  Don't bother, it's a smoke screen
P.S. - I'm alot stronger cardio-wise also
NM
I'd be alot more interested in working weekends, -
overtime, holidays, etc. if what I got in exchange for that actually made any difference. Unfortunately it does not.
Also, don't you think alot of the 'big bux' people say they're
I could get on these boards and tell folks I'm clearing $150K a year after taxes, own 3 homes, and a 70-foot yacht, and who's gonna come check to see if I'm feeding them a line? So that's what I think alot of that '$50-grand a year' is... just a lot of wishful thinking.
Thanks for your replies. I like my account alot but I don't like the pay so that stinks!!
nm
That's alot more polite than grabbing the clock and
ROFL !!!! ;D
Call DELL; they will personalize for alot less money

supposed to be, after people lose their jobs, they are forced to take part-time, lower-paying jobs..
with little to no benefits. service jobs. where are you going to work in a few years, when Medical Transcription is replaced by technology? McDonald's, Walmart? you really going to like that?
Several jobs on Monster & CareerBuilder for inhouse office jobs down there through an
s
I did 3 jobs for a while about 3 years ago, you burn out quick, I was doing 3 MT jobs though...after
10 months I cut down to 2 as I don't like to have all my eggs in one basket.  But I am considering going down to 1 in September for my sanity, its a good steady job so financally it should not be an issue.  I have 2 right but have not worked the 1 in about 3 weeks due to some problems at their end, supposed to learn a VA account but not sure if I want to pursue it right now or not, they are waiting to hear from me at this point. I still have a lot going on with chemo, etc. so am mulling things over.  But if you have a full-time day job, then I would just go with 1 part-time MT job at night, unless 1 is during the week, and the other weekends only, then of course you will be working 7 days a week, very tiring I know.  I have been working 7 days a week for 3 years now but I do slack off now and then of course to recharge and get sleep etc. But burnout happens fast and I doubt you want to lose your day job so be careful. Good luck.
Two jobs very common, 3 jobs not unheard of.
x
Yup! Not only short jobs, but also jobs from
extremely difficult dictators, bad sound files, jobs that need lots of ADT info added, and anything else that is not "easy" to do. I also questioned them about this and was told the same - they do not allow cherrypicking. Definitely not true!
You spending 3K in gasoline to make 4K plus all that time on the road?That doesn't make sense Pat




How nice that the world revolves around what you make and no one else could possibly make more. sm

Marla in So. California pays 11 cpl for a 55 ccl, Oracle pays 9-1/2 cpl, MDI-MD 11 cpl, JLG 10 cpl for gross line, etc.


Of course, these are rates negotiated and paid to qualified MTs.


When I see mistakes I repeatedly make, I make a quickcorrect for it (sm)
for example if I type we plant o instead of "plan to" I have a quick corrct so that if I type plant o, it replaces it with plan to, etc. It is hard - I was with the same company for 8 years. I do not work for anyone with an accuracy requirement though.
When you make the copay, make them give you a sm
receipt for the amount you pay them.  I know they don't like to do this because it takes time, but if you are really stern and insist on a receipt they have to give you one.  Then, the next time you get billed for something you already paid, tell them to look for their copy of the receipt and let THEM do the work. 
Yes, unfortunately you do have to make a pest of yourself to make it work, but.....
as the years went by that is why I stayed away from those type of companies.  BTW, Noni is a fabulous product, I absolutely do not care for the "marketing techniques" they use.  One of the facts of this type of industry is you cannot just recruit to make it, you have to retail.  Ever since I "overhauled" my techniques and system...I never had to ask another person to some on board again.  Well, nuf for now.  Take care and have a blessed week!!
lol cut myself off. Anyway, I'll make close to what I used to make with MQ,
ddd
MQ R jobs
the R stands for Reserved.  My office will call me to tell me they are reserving a job for me, for instance, if a doc calls them asking where a report is that he needs asap (don't they always) or if a doc forgot to make it STAT.  The coordinator can then reserve the job for you, used to be just simply assign in the good ol days
other jobs
I think that if you were unhappy at your job and you weren't making money then it was a wise decision to get another job. I wish you well.
Where are the $20-$30/hr jobs?
Just wondering if they are out there.  So far I make $10/hour or LESS and it's not going to pay bills. thanks.
no. of jobs
take some 20 files in the begining for working for 8 hours.

that is sufficient.

regards
aroun2000@gmail.com
Jobs
Like you, I've worked over 30 years in the medical field. Seems a shame to waste that knowledge sliding groceries across a scanner but what the hey, why not? At least you are working, getting paid and have some benefits. It "ain't" all that bad, is it? Our so-called "profession" is becoming a joke! I'm still working here and there but got dumped by my own group of doctors after 26 years--I think the bottom line is they didn't want to pay me big bucks any longer--even though I knew the ropes, obviously, knew more than the girls they hired, etc. Bottom line. . . money! They want to keep it all for themselves. I didn't even have sick leave for years until I screamed loud and clear! I did get a huge pension and profit sharing, though, for my grief so I guess it was worth it. I just didn't like being "dumped" so unceremoniously when I came to their rescue years ago because their Transcriptionist quit. Oh well, such is life, I guess.
Other jobs can be the same too...
I agree it is stressful to always be watching the line counts, but other jobs have stress too. I worked as a physical therapist assistant for 7 years before becoming an MT and it was all about numbers and paperwork at most places. Even had to keep a number chart at some places with how many patients seen and how many hours worked doing patient care, etc. The director wanted us to double up on patients, seeing 2 to 3 at a time. I feel lucky now to work for a supervisor who puts quality above quantity. We get paid by the hour, so lines per hour is not in the forefront, but we get bonuses if we go above what is expected. This job is much less stressful for me and easier on my back as I was lifting patients and injured my back in the process doing the physical therapy job. I also love working from home, so that is a wonderful benefit too.
Second jobs
I tried that for awhile myself.  The first job picked up and I had to stop.  The important thing is that you meet turnaround times for both jobs.  I made it clear up front with the second job that it was a second job, and that I could not take on as much work for them, since I was full-time with the other company.  However, whatever work I agreed to do, I was expected to get finished on time.  It got to the point that I was not going to be able to do both and meet deadlines, so I had to give the second job up.  I have worked a second job several times for various lengths of time.  You just have to make sure you can realistically do both. 
I'm going to try two jobs and see what happens...sm

I have always had my eggs in one basket.  I recently picked up a second job and so far I really like it.  When one job had no work, I just started my other job early.  My first job has a set schedule, but my second has a 24 TAT, so this is beneficial to me.  Originally, I was going to quit my first job after a couple weeks, but I'm going to keep both just to be safe.  I have to make a certain amount in order to pay bills and I can't have my account running out of work (which happened three times last week).  I just can't risk it.


Just an idea.  I might actually pick up a very very part time third job too.


2 jobs?
Has anyone ever successfully worked 2 FT jobs?
2 jobs
Been doing this since 1976. Never had two jobs, but my first work-at-home job in the mid-1980s offered endless transcription. I, too, was a single partent. Before I knew it, I was working 12 hours daily (sometimes longer) 6-days-a-week on an IBM Selectric. I would work at times until midnight or beyond.

After my shift, every single day, I would pack up my reports and make about a 12-mild round trip to deliver them to the company which at the time was being run out of a residential home. I shopped cooked, cleaned and gardened in between. I would go months and months at-a-time with my only human contact outside of my home being with cashiers in the store. The only voices I ever heard (except for my son's) were electronic, from dictation and the TV.

Five years passed without a vacation. Can't remember too many holidays when I wasn't typing. It didn't seem to take much time at all before back pain was making it take longer to type the same amount of work, thus stretching my work day from 12 to 16 hours. By the time I was 34, I was diagnosed with DJD at multiple levels in my back. At age 42, I had a physical (and mental) collapse, and for the next 7 years I could not do transcription. I lost my home and my car. My son went back to live with his dad and I had to move in with my elderly mother. When unemployment ran out, I ended up on food stamps and at the door of the Texas Rehabilitation Commission. They told me I wasn't "handicapped enough" to warrant assistance or job skills retraining.

I had to figure out my own physical therapy because of the public health care system was such an abdomination. That was a long and painful process. I learned how to take care of myself again and how to restore balance back into my life.

Ultimately I ended up back behind the computer cranking out medical reports again. I work 5 days, not six, and I type 8 hours over a 10-hour window, allowing for plenty of "stretch" breaks and time out for lunch. When my shift is over, it's OVER


2 jobs
Been doing this since 1976. Never had two jobs, but my first work-at-home job in the mid-1980s offered endless transcription. I, too, was a single parent. Before I knew it, I was working 12 hours daily (sometimes longer) 6-days-a-week on an IBM Selectric. I would work at times until midnight or beyond.

After my shift, every single day, I would pack up my reports and make about a 12-mild round trip to deliver them to the company which, at the time, was being run out of a residential home. I shopped, cooked, cleaned and gardened in between. I would go months and months at-a-time with my only human contact outside of my home being the cashiers in the grocery store. The only voices I ever heard (except for my son's) were electronic, from dictation and the TV.

Five years passed without a vacation. Can't remember too many holidays when I wasn't typing. It didn't seem to take much time at all before back pain was making it take longer to type the same amount of work, thus stretching my work day from 12 to 16 hours. By the time I was 34, I was diagnosed with DJD at multiple levels in my back. At age 42, I had a physical (and mental) collapse, and for the next 7 years I could not do transcription. I lost my home and my car. My son went back to live with his dad and I had to move in with my elderly mother. When unemployment ran out, I ended up on food stamps and at the door of the Texas Rehabilitation Commission. They told me I wasn't "handicapped enough" to warrant assistance or job skills retraining.

I had to figure out my own physical therapy because the public health care system was such an abdomination. That was a long and painful process. I learned how to take care of myself again and how to restore balance back into my life.

Ultimately I ended up back behind the computer cranking out medical reports . I work 5 days, not 6, and I type 8 hours over a 10-hour window, allowing for plenty of "stretch" breaks and time out for lunch. When my shift is over, it's OVER. I have a life now.

I can tell you this much. When I look back on those years, my regrets are not because of what happened to my house, my car or even my body. I was able to get all those things back eventually. But I never figured out how to have a second chance to be there for my son more when he needed me. I was usually too exhausted to help him with his school work. Missed a bunch of soccer games. The TV and video games were his babysitter when he was younger. He was a latch-key kid and during his junior high and high school years, he and his friends (usually other latch-key kids of workaholic parents) virtually ended up raising themselves.

I was lucky. He turned out just fine. But I can say without hesitation that the extra money, the good house and the new cars were most definitely not worth the price I paid to get them and I am a whole lot happier (and better off) without them. I indulge myself in simple pleasures that money can't buy and live a full and satisfying life now.

If I had it to do over again.......


2 jobs
Whoops! Sent this incomplete message by accident. Completed message posted abov.
2 jobs sm
I did not lose anything, but for the grace of God, but you told my story work-wise. I had to "retire" because of the back pain and each day that goes by, I think of returning to the same work because that's all I know after all these years of 100 hour work weeks. However, the posts on this board are very discouraging as to who to work for, etc. If I had it to do over, I probably would not have "killed" myself the way I did, but then again, my son would never have gotten his master's degree. Can't win. I am using a laptop and can't do much else for too long without wicked back pain. Paying the price for being an over-achiever but still have high hopes "repairing the damage"  myself once again and doing this again soon. I thank God to still be here but pray the back pain will go away. Tried PT, heat packs, all kinds of gadgets, but the damage is done - overuse to say the least. A rheumatologist had the brass ones to say he sees "nothing wrong" with me. Good God, I wish he could feel the way I do just for one day. I sure am relating to others today. My gift, I guess, there's always someone worse off. Take care of yourself. We all need to share to help others not make the same mistakes we did. Don't overdo it and do it ergonomically correct or the damage will be permanent. Thanks for sharing your story today.
That would be 2 FT jobs....nm
s
jobs
Check online on MT Jobs...there are quite a few services on there that are hiring, most of which are asking for only 5+ yrs experience. I've been applying past couple weeks. I have 24 yrs experience, & got the definite impression that they're nearly desperate for us seasoned pros!
JOBS.

I hear people complaining from the big companies that they hate their jobs or that they are low on work and etc.  So, it brings me to this question; I have been working for a small MTSO and was thinking about trying to get on with a big company, but then I read all of the bad posts about them.  What do you think is better?  Dont the Big Nationals offer benefits? 


Thanks tonz for all then INFO!!


 


jobs
Hi,  I apologize in advance if this is posted in the wrong spot.  I live in Grand Rapids, MI, and my husband has been looking for a job since September, to no avail.  If anyone knows of anything open around our area, could you please send me an email?  I would greatly appreciate it.  My husband has 10+ years experience in customer experience.  We aren't even getting any unemployment, so it's been very difficult.  Thanks so much just for reading this, and God bless you.
Some of the new jobs are second and third
jobs obtained by people whose primary job doesn't pay enough to take care of basic needs - thanks to corporate greed and the government's complicity in absolutely ruining the middle class little by little!!
There might be MT jobs but only 1 for every 10...sm

I've been in the field for 25 years and been watching very closely what is happening with outsourcing, VR and EMR. I bought a VR program and became proficient with it to see if it can be done. I went to the hospital in the next town when I heard they had a VR program that in 30 days, had the docs doing their own radiology transcription, without proofing. I went to the EMR conferences to see what the programs can and cannot do. If you think you have 30 years of MT work left until you retire, you will be in for a big surprise...There is a huge push to automate. The only work left will be crappy ESL's that the machine can't understand. Oh, there might be jobs, but 1 job for every 10. Wages will fall, and it will be cutthroat. Only the most shrewdest MT's will survive. Dictaphone is a million dollar company that will only exist if they can convince doctors to keep dictating. Yet they know the cost has to be competitive. Solution: Speech recognition. They put their smartest engineers on task to find a way to make it work. They consulted with MT's to find out how to make it efficient for editing. And guess what? They were successful. As far as India taking the work, in a few years, there will be experienced MT's that can do the work.


Best advice I can give is to at least get a bachelor's. It will get you in the door somewhere doing something you like.  I'm getting mine in a field that is growing and can't be outsourced...nursing. I LOVE working from home  but I don't have my head in the sand.