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I'd gladly take the challenge if there was any freaking WORK to do..!

Posted By: Idle MT looking for more work nm on 2008-10-25
In Reply to: take Amanda's challenge. it's down a lot of posts with a fire tag.NM - mt2

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Still no freaking work!!!!! Grrrr
I am out of Amherst and still no work. I have 8 accounts, you would think in 1 account there would be some work, but no. I am stressed. I will never make my line count.
I will challenge the law. I am paid by piece work and that is excluded.
sheesh
While ER isn't one of the basic 4, I'd gladly
take ER reports any day over acute care. They're very repetitive & good lines.
ick ... I have used the name long-time MT, and this is not me ... I would gladly help anyone sm
in any way I can for no charge.   Thirty-some years ago when I was starting out, people helped me ... it's great to give back.  To charge is kinda slimy, I think.  Just my opinion
I AM FREAKING OUT.....
Here is the deal.... I have worked for a mid-sized company for about 4 years now.  All of a sudden some jerkass MD thought that I was "comma crazy" and picked apart one of my documents and there were a couple of very minor typos, but nothing huge.  All of a sudden they QA me and tell me that I have a little above 97% and that they are going to give me 5 notes a day, until when I don't know.  Well, that is just not going to work for me as we just put a for sale sign on our house and have an offer in on another house.  Do tell them to stick their 5 notes and look elsewhere or do grin and bear this BS?   Mind you, my average QA is well above 98% for my entire period of employment with them.  I also would like to get my own MD, but have not clue as to how to go about this and what to charge.  Thankfully I have another account I work for who said she will give me all that she has until I get this situation resolved, but it is not enough for me to count on.  HELP..........phew........like I said, I am freaking out.
I would be freaking out too. Except, SM
I'll bet if you wrote letter to one of those columnists for the papers, they would tell you to be super sweet to MIL and make her feel she is the BEST MIL in the entire world.
You are totally freaking me out.
Same name, same lettuce, same wine, same seafood for dinner.  Are we living in a parallel universe, or are you stalking me?  Don't tell me, you grew the lettuce in your garden yourself?
Wow, what a freaking idiot.
What is there to back up lady? I am coming to this board to see if anyone get the letter and check. I can't back anything up if I have no documentation. All I know is that there is a statement in IPAY and not a deposit into my bank account. I called payroll and that is what they told me. Came here to post it to see what people are saying. You make no sense and I wonder how you even make it out of bed in the morning.
When I was making 12 cpl, less so. Now would be freaking.
aa
quit freaking whining and do your job
xx
I'm sitting here so freaking annoyed and can't stand it.

My freaking family has got me totally upset that all I can do when I sit and think is cry.  My mom came into a little bit of money and I've sat back and watched all my family members keep going and asking for money.  My brother talked to my son about a truck (my son needs a truck and went and looked at this one), my brother then got the money for the truck from my mom and bought it.  My other son is driving a car that has been dying for a year and is on it's final last legs but keeps driving it, hoping it doesn't die on him, while my mom goes and buys a car for my niece who has failed out of 2 years of college and is failing out of her 3rd year while working a part-time job where she can't even afford the insurance.My mom bought a new car and sold her old one to my sister for a really cheap price.  ALL of this because they run over there with their hands out while I just can't lower myself to it, so I sit and cry because I watch my mom give expensive gifts to family friends for their birthday while my own son got a card, JUST a card.  Perhaps it's jealousy, but more than that I'm feeling bad for my own kids (who I wish I had the money to take care of their problems) but don't run to grandma with their hands out.  Both my sons work hard full-time and by the time they pay their student loans from college they don't have 2 nickels to rub together, but they won't beg grandma's money away.  I'm TOTALLY proud of them for that but just find myself feeling bad that I can't do more for them and that my mom doesn't even look their way to see if she could be of help.  It totally SUCKS and I'll complain here and sit and cry, but I'll never tell her how bad it makes me feel.  I bend over backwards for her, ALWAYS have, and still will, even though my kids get the short end of her kindness stick. 


Thanks for the place to vent!  Maybe now I can stop crying and get back to work.


If you are up to the challenge
with SS
OH. Now you want more challenge...
But you also state it was a small account. Why do they only assign you to ONE account? Cross training for others is out? Is it a small account and "NOT ENOUGH WORK" as you initially stated, or now it's because you can "DO IT IN (YOUR) SLEEP".

LOL
Now, that is a challenge
it seems that going into the petites section gets you into the clothes that are made for the younger kids. I totally feel your pain. If anyone out there has any suggestions that would be great. Like you, I'm short and small-boned. Finding age-appropriate clothes is a real toughy! :-)
It was the challenge
Used to be, I felt like I was playing some sort of computer game, trying every day to "win" by increasing my line count, overcoming the ESL's and unintelligible speedtalkers. But when the greedy companies and corporations took over, they started stacking the odds against us, the game was fixed and it wasn't fun anymore. Set yourself some new goals, financial or imagination-stretching. Remember, you have a life, and this is not it, just the means.
A challenge to all MT's....sm
I feel that we've said it all - the rest is just blah, blah, blah!  Yeah, we need a place to vent but how about we challenge ourselves - each and every one of us try to find someone in the public eye to whom we should all individually write!  If someone, say, at 20/20, 60 minutes, etc. were to get hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands of well-written and well edited letters enunciating each and every point; from why all off-shore transcription should be illegal (it is against HIPAA), to how little we (the transcriptionist) is really getting paid, to how much each IC or at-home employee actually saves the physician or hospital or clinic, etc. than we will have some attention put on the industry.  Another big point to investigate is just how much these national (and international) companies pay their chief operating officers, etc.  What used to be a viable career has become nearly impossible to continue.  If anyone thinks that a national effort to attact the necessary attention to our problem is a good idea, respond here and let's see if we can get a letter written that we can all forward to our state senators as well as to the media.  A MEDIA BLITZ will either make us or brake us - we'll either get what we deserve or we'll all lose to off-shore transcriptionists (which we're doing anyway)!  A one day work strike nationally would work well too and would get a lot of media attention!  Particularly on a Wednesday (middle of the week) but all need to agree to lose one day's pay...but don't worry, the companies will be desperate and put us all to work on the weekend to catch up (at our regular rate, of course)!  What do YOU think?
You like to challenge?
Ridiculous ego.
Challenge yourself - sm

One of the four doctors I do has an accent - Indian - and the others "speak English". I would much rather do the accent than put up with the sloppy, slurry, lazy way the others dictate. I have found that once you do an "accent" the next one is easier. Don't be intimated - give it a try - challenge yourself - it's part of life.


A challenge...

Okay folks... I like everybody else have seen my pay go down lately and have been complaining about having to work more to get the work done; I also see people talking about how many hours a day they have to work to get their lines for the day and how it equals minimum wage, etc.


Well, I went to the store and bought a cheap timer.  I set it every hour for 55 minutes and I would take a 5 minute break at the end of that 55 minutes.  I did not move my butt from the chair during that first 55 minutes - just typed.  No phone calls, no surfing the web, no answering people's yells, no TV, no laundry, no dishes, NOTHING, NADA, just typing.  Here are my results -


165 minutes (2 hours and 45 minutes) and I got 1129 lines.  That averages out to be 410 lines an hour.  For my pay, that is $41 an hour.


My challenge is to each of you who say you are not getting your work done to try this yourself and post your results and let's see what happens...


Should we all take an MT challenge?
We all realize that our situations are different and within our own accounts can be so very different on different days. (Oh, how I hate those days when I would swear my line count will be great and it turns out to be lower than the day before when I felt I didn't work nearly as hard!)

But what we can do to see how much time we are wasting is to do the same challenge for a week straight. We will likely have a variety of work to deal with and can see how much different our line counts end up.

I have noticed I tend to get up from my chair more, out of stress and frustration, when I am having a tough dicatator or subject matter. I tend to want to check my email after sending a job because there are several seconds before I can open the next dictation. I probably lose some time there (beyond the pause time).

It would be interesting to see how much different things turn out for us all. Not the acutal line counts (since situations are so much different), but the increases we end up with.

Anyone want to try this for a week and see how we end up next weekend?
I agree. I would see it as a challenge. I took a
college class where they posted everyone's ID# and then grades for each test/assignment, etc.  You could see where you stood.  It was a self-paced course and seeing that a couple of people had already whizzed through and were almost done, and with HIGH scores, made me want to pick up the pace and make sure MY scores were presentable.  I didn't want anyone looking at my anonymous scores and saying "What is that person's problem?"  I ended up not at the top but near the top.  Some people just didn't even turn in assignments at all and had big fat 0s and poor scores on the test and I was thinking "Uh, what was the point in paying for this class if you're not going to try to get a decent grade?" 
I took your challenge today
and I buckled down as well and I got in 1 hour and 28 minutes 824 lines!!!!  Yes, it was an easy doctor, but that is all the work I have today is from him.  That gives me $43.95/hr.  Wish I could have him all day.  I'll try to average out the day if I get anyone else in.
Okay, I took your challenge, Amanda. SM
ME: Below-average typing talent. Sad but true. I'm a clutz. Use an expander, though.

I'm paid good but not top-level industry rates.

I work 35 hours per week, not 40.

So-so account, lots of ESL, mixed transcription and editing.

CHALLENGE: Worked in my usual manner for two hours of average work flow, i.e., not fast or slow. One coffee-refill break.

RESULTS: 291 lines per hour X my pay plus incentive = $32/hour = $56K/year for a 35/hour week.

IF I worked 40 hrs/wk, that would be $64K, but I prefer not to. Like you, I do prefer to work fairly intensively while I am working as a tradeoff to a shorter workday.

Good post, Amanda! Back to work now.
Amanda's Challenge
Until two days ago, I had several accounts. One of those accounts I used to smile and call "butta." (As in butter). I've been an MT for close to 30 yrs, Amanda, and this account that was taken away from me had tons of challenging ORs, not colonoscopies, etc. I made great line count--now I have an account that is populated by physicians who don't organize their thoughts before they start dictating, open their mouths and spew absolute nonsense (and the patient's safety is OUR responsibility-HAH). One doc in particular says each sentence at least three times and changes each version subtly (on a verbatim account, yet), leaves sentences dangling, hops all over the place and in general is a pain in the butt. You know, Amanda, I challenge myself every working day and with this latest smack in the head by my employer, I'm thinking of asking my doctor for antidepressants. You're a Republican, Amanda, and you have to act like this general mistreatment of MTs over the last five or so years is our own fault. Sorry, honey, the Obama sign stays on my front lawn.
What do politics have to do with this challenge?

I feel bad that you lost your account, but you don't need to be taking your anger out on other people and start calling them Republicans and blaming her for your belief of the mistreatment of MTs.  This was a simple challenge on how to make more money and spend your time wisely.


Definitely challenge it - I've heard of others who have
asked for a review and they were then found to have passed.  Go for it.
OP notes are a challenge - just depends if you are determined enough

to learn how to do them.  After doing DS, HP, CR and Clinic Notes, I was asked by former National to try to do about 20 OP reports. I was terrified !!  Thought I had a good grasp of anatomy, physiolgy, etc, but I'll swear I ended up looking up every instrument, suture, needle, forceps, retractor, etc., & hate to guess how many hours I spent doing those 20 reports (that was before internet resources & my salary was dependent on how much work I did !!).  Going from Clinic Notes, etc., to OP reports is not an easy transition - there is a vast difference. I did struggle in the beginning & know it took me a good 6 months before I became comfortable transcribing them. For me, it has ended up being for my benefit. That National, from that time on, only assigned me OP reports. Having since left original National & having searched for a job with different companies stating that I specialized in OP reports, I received unexpected offers at a higher than average cpl pay !


Don't be disillusioned thinking that you can apply for a job doing OP reports after doing Clinic Notes if you have no experience doing such.  If you don't have an opportunity to try to learn them in your present job & you're interested in learning such, you might consider getting the SUM practice tapes that have original OP dictation.  Just depends on how much you want to learn their terminology & how much effort you're willing to put forth :o) :o).   


 


 


 


take Amanda's challenge. it's down a lot of posts with a fire tag.NM
no message.
I challenge you all to host a Halloween/Fall party at your house this year! sm

You will have an eyeball! I mean, ball.


This will be my 1st, usually my sister-in-law does it. I picked up A Taste of Home's Halloween issue and if that doesn't inspire you to do something this fall, then you might be dead...pun intended.


For dessert I am going to make little witches that will make a neat centerpiece. Here's how you do it: Take 16 large marshmallows, oreo cookies, coconut slivers (for the hair that you dye green with food coloring), Hershey kisses and peanut butter cups (miniature) that will be the top of her hat (place candies on top of oreo chocolate cookie (minus one side of cookie and the frosting).  Use pretzels for her broomstick. These things are so cute I can hardly stand it.


2. Spider cupcakes. Use chocolate EVERYTHING and for the legs use 8 small pieces of licorice dangling from the cupcake and anything small and red for the eys (M&M minis) or red icing.


There are tons of ideas and recipes. The main dish will be Witch's Brew Stew and it looks awesome! If you want the recipe, email me. If not, then drop dead.


Oh, and for the kiddies, I will be playing games like pin the stem on the pumpkin and bobbing for body parts (will probably call this game something else), but you fill up a large tin bucket, stain the water black and put things in inside. Each kid takes turns using their hands to try to find 3 things you tell them to find in this nasty mixture of stuff using their HANDS, not mouth.....


So, get your invitations out, dust off your printers and have fun! I'm doing this mid-month, not on Halloween since I am a Christian and we don't celebrate Halloween.


 


 


LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL


I get my work from an FTP site that they load the work to, however I don't have pool work so to
speak, but I tell them how many minutes a day I want.  The work is generally put in my box by 5 pm every day, then I have until 10 am the following day for some priority work, or 3:30 pm for the rest, so TAT is not too bad. I would like to work less at night though, but I working on that. My downside is I do not get the same dictators day to day, there are a few I do on a semi-regular basis though, some generate great lines but take longer to do that other doc's and are not "money-makers", I also do not get paid for spaces so that hurts a bit too.  This is WP5.1 too.....so very antiquated but that is what the hospital uses, so not much choice there. But I understand what you mean about the C-phone. I was just doing another job with C-phone recently...they incidentally did not tell me how to get off of the system, which was very simple.  I'd finish a job, then hit stop and hangup if I wanted to get off or quit working.  That is what you need to do if you want to sleep, eat, etc.  Don't feel guilty, do what you signed up for, believe me they watch the pools and will get others to do the work you don't finish.  If they get on your case remind them that you are only PT and only want 500 lines a day, etc.  It's not worth killing yourself over.  Good Luck.
You go by your schedule and have no work. Everytime I get on to work, there is always work.
x
Then you would have no life at all except work, work, work if you did that. I wouldn't do it. nm
.
Same thing with nationals. You work all the time to keep the account caught up when others dont work
and then when they decide to put a whole lot of extra people on your accounts and run you out they could care less about how much you worked.
Have a hospital I work for and they consistently change work types and do line counts. (sm)
Management just doesn't understand in order to crank out the work you need to be proficient by typing the same accounts. Go figure, they just don't get it ??
Usually work "live" on a Cphone, while connected. There are ways to record & work off line, bu
s
steady work...gearing up to start new account....but there was no work on Tues as it was a holiday
Be patient with your eyes open....
I work for Warminster at MQ and I am sick to death of being jerked around with no work all the time.
I would like a job where I can depend on the work and it does not seem to be in this office of MQ.
Speaking of offshoring MT work, who does not directly send work offshore?
Just curious.  Has anyone got a list of companies who do not send work offshore?  Precyse?  MQ?  Spheris? 
Becky you work in a great place. With no one hovering, I bet you get a lot more work done w/o agoniz
wants what. The only people qualified to do QA on my reports are the dictating doctors and the rest is just pure waste of money and time. If I have a question fine. But this random QA bites and hurts everyone. BTW, I don't have random QA for those who seem to think I may have an ax to grind. No dog in this fight. Just common sense.
Good. Why dont you send some our way. What office do you work for so I can call and get your work.
:
Before needing to work, I did volunteer work through the Junior League where I am from in Texas. lm

Junior League was like a full-time job sometimes, but I loved it. Now that I have to work, even though it is from home, I still volunteer through my son's school.  I am a school teacher in my previous (pre-MT) life, so I volunteer my tutoring services for children who need the help beyond what the schools are able to provide but whose parents cannot afford to pay for private tutoring. I also know how you felt about being afraid.  I was strangely afraid before I joined the Junior League.  It was just the unknown. But I was SO blessed by being able to help.  Honestly, I am sure that it helped me just as much, if not more, than I helped others.  Go for it.  You won't be sorry.  (Just remember that you have to say NO when you have to say no, okay?  Remember that and you will be richly blessed by the experience!)


nm would you mind if I asked where you work and what type of work hosp, clinic ?
x
All I know is it caused the company I work for to be unable to do all work due today and the rest
:+
Just return the work, submit your bill, the scurry and find more work elsewhere. sm
They will never meet with you before next week. It is Thursday, already. Be prepared to sue for payment, because you will probably need to. But, most of all, find other work elsewhere, because I have a feeling this final payment will be a long time coming.
I work on Escription platform and the adapter didnt work for me. I tried it on my laptop though
and the foot pedal would just not play correctly with the adapter. I think others have tried it and done it but it just didnt work for me.
IC sets their own hours. As long as the work is done by the deadline, you decide when to work.

Glad I work somewhere where you cannot cherrypick....our work is divvied out by minutes and - sm

the office manager (who does not normally transcribe) dishes out the work, so some days are easy, others are a mix.  So no cherrypicking is possible.  You type up what is given to you, period.  She will alternate the tough one's out so no one person gets him/her all the time unless they want him/her and are used to that doc, or everyone gets a little piece, etc. There are days when I ask for easy work (tired, chemo day, Jen sick, or a lot going on, etc.) but not often, generally I get a mix but they all get easier the more you do them.  I am not working as much as I should be of course, every week is different here so I adjust my limited work schedule accordingly, so sometimes it hard to get better at certain docs.  I used to have a lot of blanks with the Trauma ER unit, but I have been doing that a lot lately and now and very good at it, still a time consuming account but at least I am improving. -----------------------  But I believe the OP was stating she did it to clear out the log, not to make more lines, and only when she was asked to do so.  At an old job I had #s meant everything, everyday we would get report (2=4 x a day) of the backlog, and emails pleading us to work, work, work.  The QA rules sucked  (MQ probably is basing their new plan loosly on this one), however we did not get penalized, just chewed out if you sent in too much work to QA (over 5%, and was 80% ESL), I would imagine eventually fired if you continued to do it. They were a great place to work for until they re-organized....it all went downhill from there.  This is why I prefer smaller MTSOs, it's not all about the #s, yes, they want production too but at least it's not so cut-throat. 


i used to work for a company that divided the work types up and i loved it. sm
there were only 4 of us working a major teaching hospital. someone was assigned surgery, different assigned discharges, different admits, etc. we all had the backup work type in case the original assignee wasn't available and were cross trained. it made us much more efficient, ability to get used to dictators, set macros, and in the long run we were all much happier.
Used to work in Cooperstown, NY - and on the way to work is a huge turkey farm
It made me never want to eat turkey again - seeing them all cramped up against the fence and cages, packed tightly, no room to move. Actually, it made me want to do some harm to the farmer who found this acceptable.
Do not work for Amherst if you can work for any other office in MQ. It is terrible. They overload
accounts terribly. We are always running out of work or need to have 8 or 9 backups to get lines in. This is the way it is. There may be a few out there that it is different but I do acute care and was just transferred there along with my office and everyone in my office is in the same boat. Not a good deal at all.
An MQ recruiter told me yesterday if work is low they "cut off" the work

SEs are doing it.  She also told me that it is written in MQ policies


that MQ can let go EMPLOYEES without notice (I'm not saying statutory employees here, I'm saying employees).