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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Good point. Welfare abusers, govt program misuse gets PR,

Posted By: which is why the world thinks we are lazy. nm on 2007-02-06
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Has anyone had good success with Weight Watchers flex point program? sm

I tried South Beach for about 10 days and have lost 10 lbs but I want something that is lifelong and to me SB is too strict....Thinking about switching over to Weight Watchers...Anyone have good long term success with it?  If so, how much did you lose and how fast?


 


Federal Govt program (sm)
I am going to ask my tax person about this. I am currently working for a company as an IC, but now I'm thinking it should actually be called SE status, since they withhold, what looks like, about 7% of my income for OASDI and medicare. I also worked for MQ as an SE and they took out FICA, so I think I'm okay for now. However, if I switch jobs, I will need to make sure this is taken care.
good ole' govt
I was shocked to find that Pres. Bush states that offshoring helps our economy. Was all over the news last week. Was going to take some time out to read more online about his thoughts, but realize, I have too much work to do and would prefer to read up on who is running next year, so why give him anymore of my time. I am one of many hardworking Americans trying to raise my family and provide for them, I do not need him or anyone else telling the US that outsourcing is good for anyone.
Point of Care Program
Hi: I worked for a clinic as the only Transcriptionist with eight full time providers. My clinic opted to go to Point of Care program and I lost my job. I could have stayed working but not as an MT. The "point" of these Point of Care programs is to eliminate the MT job. That was about four years ago. I still hear from friends at the clinic who tell me the docs are not happy with the program, some of them are continually two weeks behind on dictation. It is a lot of extra work for the doctors but they are now stuck with it because of the high cost of investment!! Beware of Point of Care programs. I would go immediately to your supervisor and ask exactly what the plans are and how you as an MT will fit into those plans. It is your job on the line and you have a right to know. Good luck!! Chris
It will count everything if you go in the settings and program it to. Good program!
Sylcount is an awesome and accurate counting program also. That will count everything if you "tell it to".
The ER program is specific to ER and is point and click. nm
It is not applicable to the basic 4.
Being a stickler about the misuse of the
English, I wholeheartedly agree.  The younger people don't have a clue about the English language, making up words, using words in the wrong context, but I attribute to the "dumbing down of America."  And, it isn't just the MTs, but teachers, doctors, even journalists / broadcasters on the national and local news, just atrocious.  Read the scrolls at the bottom of the TV news sometime...filled with punctuation mistakes.  So, how are the children supposed to learn correct English / spelling / punctuation if even journalists don't get it right?  Dumbing down, indeed.
Of course MTSO will misuse MT. If they can get
x
Um, Welfare? Don't think so..
Here's a good example of Americans not paying attention to what CONGRESS is doing on a daily basis: Welfare assistance has significantly changed and will not "pay the bills" for long if at all.

And another example of not paying attention: Two years post Katrina and the government which PURPOSEFULLY ignored the levee situation in LA has also NOT done anywhere near enough to help the citizens they were willing to let drown. This government would much rather spend your tax dollars trying to colonize another country and fix IT than to work on infrastructure HERE.
Have you been to the welfare office?

There are programs out there.  Forget about pride, everyone needs a hand up now and then.  You'll be able to "pay it forward" some day.  There are housing, utility, job placement, telephone, foodstamps, medical, TANF, WIC, and other programs out there.  The Salvation Army and other places donate clothing and household goods.  Check to see if there's a YWCA women's shelter, or have you already?  Your assigned caseworker will be able to help you with all of it.  They know what's out there and what you can use.


If your husband is mentally ill, he should be able to collect SSDI.  Your father should be able to qualify for Medicare, Medicaid, and home health care.  Honestly, you need to stop giving to others so much.  You and your kids are your very first priority.  You can do this.  You're strong enough to raise your kids.  Find a place for you and the kids.  You'll qualify for more without the husband in the household.  This is only temporary.  It doesn't mean the relationship is over.  It just means that you and your children come first.  You are a good mother, and you know it.  You need to get yourself and the kids established with housing, food, and a job for you.  Set some boundaries.  You can't help other people if it ultimately ruins you and your children.  That is giving way too much of yourself.  Whatever you do, hang on to those kids for dear life.  You love them so much, and you can do this for them.  Things will get better, I promise you that.  {{{{hugs}}}}


Good point!
nm
Good point.:)
nm
Good point!
.
Good point
m
Good point!
Several times I have figured out a blank in the body of the report because they say it again in the impression.
good point
When I was a waitress during college and had to stay for a dead shift, I think I remember something about getting paid minimum wage if I had no sales/no tips. We normally made $2.13/hr as the base pay so without any sales we were below minimum.
GOOD POINT ....

I'm glad you brought that up.  You are absolutely right.  What a major slap in the face to the city.  So here's what these brilliant show people did:  not only did they NOT use local talent, they didn't even use AMERICAN talent, and they didn't even use YOUNG American talent . . . they used an OFFSHORE DECREPIT old name. (Can't even use the word "talent.")  I should clarify about "young," because had they used Smokey or Aretha well they are not exactly teenyboppers but they are COOL AND AMERICAN AND WAAAAAAAAAAY TALENTED!  They are giants and legends and Mickey could not hold a candle to anything Motown had to offer. YOU MADE AN EXCELLENT POINT!!!


LOL...good point! nm
nm
That's a very good point!
However, the doctor should be aware of what the dictations contain before they go onto a chart, right? This is so scary.

Another thing that's just wrong is the fact that these administrators are dictating to the docs how medical records should be managed and many of them are not competent.




Good point
That is very true. I didn't think of that as I have never done these types of reports before. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be. I do regular VR editing and even then it is impossible sometimes to hear what the doctor is saying and he is at least TRYING to talk clear (if he is a decent dictator). I can only imagine trying to listen to a bunch of mush-mouths talking all at once. :)
Good point
nm
Good point, D. ....sm
Personally, I have lost a few accounts to India. The funny thing is that I was typing for a large cardiology office who decided to go to India except for one doc, who is from India. He saw firsthand how many mistakes were on the reports, and decided to fight for me to continue doing his work. I try to explain to the offices that regardless of the "cheaper" rates, how cheap is it, really? I mean, by the time they have to go through and edit the report (thoroughly), present it back to the doc for his review, and then get it back to India to correct the numerous mistakes; what's it really worth?
Good point.....
Isn't that both amusing and interesting?  In all my years in the MT field, I've only found a few physicians who actually care about their transcription and where it goes with many stating "we'll just have to like it."  I guess when it comes to a hospital or clinic purchasing new MRI or CT scanners transcription just takes the last back seat in the yearly budget.  It's always been about money and that will never change.  With each year that passes, I only hope that someday we will all hear of a reverse trend and India will have to re-outsource our work back to its "country of origin!" 
Thank you so much, very good point. sm--

I found it difficult to try to include all types of transcription.  Per project transcription is so much different than regular or medical transcription.  I will change the 50% fee up front to state that it is for per project transcription (not for medical).  I do not want to accept a transcription project from someone I am not familiar with without covering myself with getting at least 50% of it up front.  For that type of transcription I do not think it is an unreasonable request.


I've also tweaked it using suggestions from the other MTs here.  I added no job too big or too small, took out some of the petty charges to make that simpler, added a couple of pics (will tweak that more later), and included a paragraph about my rates as compared to other companies who may send work overseas.  I lowered my rates 1 cpl and added that they were negotiable, but generally I think that what I am asking is fair and I do not want to lower my rate, as I want to stress quality and would rather have a few accounts paying that rate and be able to handle them well than be overwhelmed with cheap paying accounts.  I feel like if more MTs stuck with charging what they are truly worth, it would help all MTs and the MT profession, so I will do this as best I can. I also did change it to a standard 24-hour TAT. For that I had been thinking of projects possibly taking longer, but I could put that on the estimate if need be.


Thanks again all who replied for your assistance!


I think you have a good point
I was there once. Where I lived at the time was a small town. Those commercials make it seem like it is so easy to get work as an MT. Not 15 years ago in a town with 1 small hospital and maybe 6 docs it wasn't.

I absolutely hate those commercials because they are not realistic.
good point.

Old dog . . . . . new tricks.


The Smartype Expander doesn't work in Bayscribe, so I type in Word and then cut and paste.   Plus, if you have all your stuff, say in a Bayscribe expander, what happens when you leave that job and go onto another one.  Do you lose your shortcuts?  How does that part work?


Typical welfare mentality, just sit with
your hand out and do nothing to help yourself. Let the taxpayers take care of you. Never take any responsibility for your own welfare or the welfare of your family, just collect the welfare bounty that everyone else pays taxes to provide. Why shouldn't people be prepared?
family works for welfare
and sees financials and knows they can afford to help themselves.  If you were without electricity for more than 24 hours you qualified for food assistance.  I was without electricity for more than 24 hours but I did not go stand in line.  Did not feel I needed to and I make a lot less than doctors and lawyers.
Tax refund is NOT abusing welfare. If you
x
Get yourself a good tax program. sm
I use Turbo Tax Home and Business. Helps with all the deducts and also helps you with quarterly taxes the next year. I've been using it for about 6 years and love it.
Good point, ours have never gotten that bad as yet, hope they never do! - nm
x
Good point re: insurance, but also...sm
remember they collected $50 per month for computer rental from SE's, but not from FT employees.

That was on MedRite when I was there, but do they charge computer rental with their new platform (DQS?)? If they don't get that rental money anymore, they might be eliminating SE's. Just a thought.
I concur. Good point...
The entertainment value is what I question. Who is being entertained? I'm mildly amused by the ridiculous nature of the shows and the strange ideas they come up with, but I don't live for them. I will admit, I do like Survivor. Don't they lose their punch when the people come back and tell what "really" happened? I hate that.
Well, IF I still had an appetite (good point below)
then either than Mexican food and margarita that someone mentioned below, or some sort of seafood or seafood/pasta.
I concur. Good point. (nm)
x
Very good point here about memory - XP uses a lot - sm
you would probably be better off just buying a new computer. Many offer their credit card and 6 months no interest. That is how I bought my Dell 2 years ago, paid it off in 6 months, no interest. I love those deals, we buy all our major purchases that way, have never paid interest yet.
Ooooh, good point!

You make a good point
Keeping track was doable but you have to keep track. I still am not making that much hourly counting lines though. I'd better invest in some new tools.
Good point. I had another thought also...
I was wondering if maybe some of the work is actually being sent overseas for cheaper labor for a few days or so to help save the company money in this ailing economy.  Have known this to happen with a couple other companies.  But, as you said, if something major were to happen, there would be an MT influx into other companies and maybe back into the hospitals.  I have mixed feelings on this...it's nice to work at home, but hospitals usually have decent/reasonably priced benefits that do not depend on line output.
Good point - I'd rather spend my
time than my money on clothes, gas, etc.
Very good point! I say go for more characters!

Good grief. The point is that it
isn't 'whining' to state that MTs have to have much experience & knowledge, and there are a lot of physical effects and mental strain, and considering all of that, the pay is really lacking in our profession. Those are the facts. An IC at 8 cpl is AWFUL pay, by the way. Just because you don't think you deserve any better than that doesn't mean the rest of us feel that way.
you brought up a good point. sm
Sometimes we would get compliments back then. I remember the first place I ever worked at. We had a neurosurgeon who was known to be horrible (and was). We kept samples in order to be able to do his dictation. I came in one day and there was a handwritten note on my typewriter from this doctor for a job well-done! I still have it all these years later. Today it seems like the "human factor" is gone from this profession and it has all become about production and money and the patients have been forgotten!
It's a really good program. I use Shorthand with it.
Instant Text also works
good Spyware program

Ewido:   http://www.ewido.net/en/

My husband learned about this from one of his college professors. We both tried it and discovered that it found stuff on our systems that other Spyware programs such as Spy Sweeper and Spy Blaster missed.


WW is a good sound program (sm)
that nearly anyone can follow because it involves "real food" and no restrictions. I don't know about you, but when I'm told I can only eat this or that and not to eat this or that, that's when I start to fail at a "diet."

I see someone else suggested Atkins, and from what I've seen of a lot of people on that, usually it's not a lifestyle choice. They lose weight but if they change their eating habits, pounds come back with a few friends. South Beach, from what I understand, is also along the way of Atkins but they do promote good carbs, I'm guessing whole wheat/grains as opposed to simple sugar grains.

If you are currently not overdoing it on calories and following a fairly healthy diet, I would suggest upping the amount of time you walk, plus making sure you are getting in plenty of water. I walk 5 miles per day, takes 60 minutes, and in my weight loss phase, I lost on average 2 pounds per week. Sometimes 2-1/2, but averaged per month about 8-10 pounds. Do you have an extra 30 minutes to add to your walking regimen? Also, I did light toning, which also helps burn more calories, even at rest.

I don't know what your budget is like, but you could probably drop that extra 20 simply by walking more.
If it's using Escription, I would go for it. Very good program. nm
xx
good encryption program
MEP-- see http://www.deturi.com/oldsite/mep.html.

Also WinZip (the purchased version) has encryption.


What is your point? These folks have a perfectly good right to use
VR if they want to. People have been telling us for years the technology was improving. I don't see anything new here.
yea, good point, I'm nonpublished, been 4ever..NM
x
Good point. If she left then she is taking the

younger child away from HER father and there is much less chance of finding a third man who is going to love and raise both children the way they should be raised.


I think it's best to try to work through it, maybe try some counseling and try to make DH realize that he has to fill the role of "dad" for both children.  If he is basically a good man, then this is not the end of the world. 


Also, OP states she's not making much money.  She would be putting both her children in a situation of financial disaster, plus no father for them.  Bad idea.