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I'm poorer than when I worked an office MT job, but - (s/m)

Posted By: Me, Too! on 2007-02-13
In Reply to: You said it Hayseed!!! - SH

- I'll probably live longer, too! My blood pressure has dropped 20 points (for real!) since I stopped having to deal with the annoying little "management clique" at my old job. I've also lost 10 pounds, mainly because now I only eat when I'm hungry, (usally while still working, so it's a fast meal), and not because I'm ticked off, or because I want to get away from the office. So I'm definitely eating less. If I need to run a quick errand in the middle of the day, I don't have to drive like a maniac and nearly wreck my car (or anyone else's) worrying about getting back to my desk at a certain time. I just work later at night.

It's not that I agree with what most employers think MT is worth, but I made a conscious choice to get out of the rat-race and the back-stabbing office politics, and live a saner, quieter life. Meanwhile, I'm dealing with the added poverty by clipping more coupons, buying mostly generic products, and recycling aluminum. When I start getting itchy about moving out of my crummy, low-income apartment, I just go online and see what I'd have to pay to move up to a better apartment, and it gives this one a lot more appeal. And it sure beats living in my car. ;p


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I sure wish I worked in your office!
We hardly ever get an update, we run out of work, we never get answers to our questions, raises are few and far between.... its definitely an office to office, management to management thing! I hope MQ management reads some of these posts and get ideas on how they could make their office better and happier!
I worked at one job where the office manager would
go to the gas station on Friday afternoons to buy a case of beer for the employees.  It was his version of "corporate culture".  As the only female working there, it wasn't a great place to work anyways.  The guys told me that the only reason I got hired was because I looked good in a skirt and the office manager was going through a divorce.  My resume spoke for itself, but the comments, which got harsher after a few beers, did create a hostile work environment.
Because think of the reverse, when you worked in the office...
did you ever see the director of med rec ask doctors to dictate their old stuff, so there would be enough work for MTs? when we were low on work in the hospital,a deficiency list would be sent out, and then boom a bunch of dictation...

hospitals are doing anything and everything they can to cut costs, even as mentioned above, hiring ICs on the side. health care is purely a business now, and I would bet not a day goes by every hospital in America asks the question, how can we cut back on the cost of dictation?

if that were not true, you would not have the HUGE push for the technology and the HUGE push for outsourcing, overseas or not.

think about this, also. we are only working at home for these companies, because hospitals decided it would be cheaper than paying health benefits for full-time MTs, office space, etc etc.

I do not put anything past people who are 100% money-driven these days.

you do make a great point, though, about the billing and DRGs, etc., but I still think they are told to 'cool-it' whenever they can...
I worked in a physician's office as well.
Normally they get paid only a percentage of that.  If your mother has insurance she can pretty much disregard that initial bill.  The hospital my parents used also chopped off a large amount due to their fixed income.  The worst part about this system is that people with no insurance and who do not qualify for the indigent write-off have to cough up the whole thing. 
Back in the days when we all worked in an office

we got this new manager who I disliked immediately.  She couldn't spell every day words, she had absolutely no background in MT and figured she was doing somebody to get the position.  We had been promised an MT as our next manager.  She said she could type 85 wpm and she believed she could handle the job - HA.  We had an MT come in to interview and test and she had to ask me how to turn on the computer and how to print the report.   They company lost the account and it closed down that office and the manager couldn't get another job and had to move back home with mom and dad.  


I had a man looking for his wife to be able to do something where they could work and travel and he said his wife had a business degree and he felt she could do the job too.   I also had an associate whose husband got fired AGAIN and she called me wanting to know how she could do what I do, like she could start tomorrow.  


I've decided I'm going to tell people I'm a medical langauge specialist from now on and when they ask me what that is I'm going to say I'm a translator.  


May I ask which office your all worked for. Sounds very familiar.
:
When I worked pathology office in a hospital
My experience was that I worked 3 times as hard for a set wage than I ever did as an MT - and in medical records as MT earned set wage plus incentive.

At pathology lab, we were responsible for getting there first thing in the morning and transcribing all the micro before 10 a.m. so the pathologists could then look at slides and dictate the gross report. Doctors tried to get the gross reports back to us by 1 p.m. -- because they had to be typed by 3 p.m. so the doctors could sign the reports, and get them back to us so we could get them sorted and in the mail before we went home. In addition, we fielded phone calls, took messages for pathologists, searched for and mailed slides when other labs requested them, provided courier coverage to transport slides and things between our lab and hospital lab in the next building, and when we had a spare minute, we entered Pap smear results from precoded sheets used by the technicians reading the Pap smears (like between 10 a.m. and noon, if we had all the micro typed)!!! Every day was hurry up and meet this 2-hour deadline, then hurry to meet the next 2-hour deadline...

I learned a lot of terminology -- but I would have to be very hungry to do it again. It is hard to describe or comprehend a pathology secretary job unless you have actually been there, done that -- you will either love it or hate it... good luck.
Started in 1979 when I was 18, worked in office at MQ while it was still
.
I worked in house in a doctor's office and it was the same for me...
and I had to answer phones, make copies, et cetera, basically was an MT/secretary...and I hated it...I am making much more money now working at home part-time...
No, I've worked in doctor's business office.
That is what the insurance company allows, not what they dictate.  Who is to tell the doctor how long he can sit and talk with his patient.  It is up to him.  True insurance companies get together to decide what is the appropriate amount for the doctor to "charge" for a service but I've literally seen where the doctor sees the patient all of 2 minutes after patient is worked up by techs, but they still get paid for that visit.
I know a lot of people it helped (I worked in a doctor's office) SM
BUT you have to really want to quit before you start it. It doesn't make you want to quit - it just helps you w/ the depression and the withdrawal symptoms that come along w/ quitting. Good luck.
I started in the file room of the urology office I worked. And I was not
going to be a file clerk for the rest of my life. I only had 2 semesters of terminology, no other professional schooling. They had a fresh from a Mayo Fellowship peds urologist coming in and needed somebody to help with the typing. First it was half file-room and half transcription. Finally he was so busy, I became full time. I was there from 1990 until 2003. I then left to free-lance and start my own business. He has since moved to Arizona and I still type for him after all these years.
Early in my career I worked for a service in the office. I gave my notice after almost two years...

with them because I got a job with a hospital that paid better and had better benefits.  I gave my notice and the office manager made my life heck for my remaining two weeks.  He gave away my desk, my chair, my transcriber (we were still transcribing cassettes back then).  I spent the next two weeks shuffled between workstations and using the crappiest equipment they had.  He also refused to give me any help on my account.  It was a huge family practice from which I would get at least seven 90 minute tapes a day from them.  Before I gave my notice, I was the lead on the account and had three other people helping.  When I gave my notice, he couldn't spare anyone to help me and I got several tapes behind.  I kept telling him I was behind and he would just say do what you can.


Long story short, he tried to stiff me on my last paycheck because he said my account was way out of turnaround time and I had cost them money.  He had told the owner of the service that I had never asked for help and that I purposefully held tapes back to screw them.  I ended up taking them to small claims court to get my money.


Some people are just ugly people that take EVERYTHING personally.  You can't win with people like that.  They are unprofessional.  I wouldn't worry about your boss' attitude.  In a couple of weeks, he'll just be a memory.


Have most people had good luck with their MQ office closing and moving to the regional office. Have
things gotten better or worse for you.
Yes, I lost mine. I upgraded the Office 2000 package to Office 2003. sm
I have over 2000 autocorrect entries and lost them all as well as my supplemental dictionary for my Stedman's spellcheck. Lots of grief!

Maybe you will be lucky and not lose anything. Good luck to you.
Might be able to rent one from an office supply or office machine repair shop
s
I gave a tin of toffee for each office and a Lia Sophia necklace to each office manager. ~nm~
x
I gave a tin of toffee for each office and a Lia Sophia necklace to each office manager. ~nm~
x
Office politics. That is why I enjoy working at home. In the office,
people are in other people business. Just mind your own business.
Can anyone suggest an office in MQ that is not run like this Amherst office. They are absolutely
pathetic. I wonder how many other MTs are in that office in the same situation.
Just DQS from my office was transferred and the rest are getting on DQS before the office closes.
:
Pay kids work around office, renovate office.
x
Every company is different -- I worked FT for one as an employee but worked a split shift - sm
So I never took breaks. I would work 5 hours, break for about 4 hours then do another 3. Another company I worked for did not care what hours you worked (IC) but wanted a min. amount of work each day, 500 for PT and 1000 for FT-- BUT they paid you by how many lines an hour you put out, the higher the lph the higher up the scale you made per line in pay; they have since changed everyone to a flat rate with incentive. But bottom line, if you are an IC it does not matter what hours you work, though many ask for a schedule and ask you to stick to it, they just want you to meet line requirements daily, i.e. 1000 per day, 1200 per day, whatever it is.
Office 2003 so far, but going to Office 2007 as soon as I can. nm
nm
I got up early, worked during naps, and worked when DH got home.

You have to be disciplined to make yourself work when baby is napping instead of maybe watching TV or doing housework, etc.   


I might also go the route of having a teen come into your home, or either trying a mother's morning out program at a local church/daycare.   I've been home since my youngest was born and he has never been in all-day daycare, but I did have him in a mother's morning out program 15 hours a week at a local church.   It didn't help a lot with my work schedule because I had an older son in school and was a room mom and tutored other kids, but that might be an option.  The only problem with the mother's morning out program is they are around other kids and tend to pick up every germ.  I finally took my DS out of the program because he stayed sick.  You were supposed to keep them off if they had green nasal discharge and I did, but no one else did.  Every time I got him well after 2 to 3 days back he would be sick again.  Other than that it was very good for him because he would not have had a chance to be around kids his age otherwise. 


30 day TAT in this office ... office politics at its best

I have kept in touch with an MT I worked with at the last in-house job (radiology).  This was inpatient radiology and also an outpatient radiology clinic the hospital operated.


One of the girls, a person who at one time folded towels but who was hired as a clerk, was just discovered to ahve not mailed out reports for 30 days.  These include both in house reports and outpatient reports.  They have been sitting on her desk because she "has not had time to do them." 


What do you make of this?   The lead MT is close to this girl (hence her being moved from housekeeper to clerk) and is trying to minimize the impact that not having the reports mailed to referring physicians' offices, as if it is a minor problem (how they found out about it is a doc's office called the MT's supervisor and asked why 30 days worth of reports were mailed to their office yesterday.


They were keeping it from the director of radiology.  I think this is BIG and that heads should roll for negligence.


What do you think?


at home vs office - i am in office
well, I really was referring to the MONSTER MANAGER that I have, who has her favorites here, and she assigns them the easy doctors who say the same thing over and over, you know.  I have to do something.  I am losing my SELF at this point, with no church and no family.  The stuff on here about running out of work, my lack of computer savvy, all  has me just frozen. MOre about in-office.  Do you have little habits like talking out loud to the dr?  Someone will complain about you.  Do you ever say a cussword?  Someone will complain.  Do you ever sigh?  Complaints.  About age - I was offered 2 trans. positoins in San Diego before I came here.  I had gone to a seminar about how to look for work over age 55, had revamped my resume and my "presenting" self, and it made all the difference.  Things are way different than they were evern 10 years ago, you will be judged by someone younger than you, but in this line of work they do appreciate experience and reliability.  And the computer doesn't care if you're pretty.  It's not your age unless you are sickly.  Don't give up!!  if that's what you want. 
I worked on that system when I worked there...
The thing that chapped my hide about that TWS was that they designed it so that all the headers of each section of the report were canned and thus you were not paid for them, even though you had to take your hand off the keyboard and mouse down a list of paragraph headers to chose the one you needed.  Just racking up more profits for themselves.  Ticks me off.
that is what is being worked out, and has been worked on for the last few years already...only
why are we just hearing this now? I know voice recog has been around, but this is entirely different. This will also make coding and billing obsolete.

Don't know why, but it just bothers me that one of our 'own' is the one pushing this...and she is also connected with AAMT. Do they support this, and if so, what is their advice I wonder to the MT?

Perhaps that is one question for their website (I do not subscribe to their mag or credentials...)

Thanks, for the input!
What office are you out of
and how long you been there?
not with every MQ office
It is on the list of "dangerous abbreviations" and is to be coverted to mL.
all along with the ATL office also
and just now trying to enforce all of the sudden. I have only met quota a handful of times since starting DQS over a year ago. NOTHING has ever been said to me directly. Even contacted the office numerous times concerning this and just get blew off. So frustrated!!
Is this every MQ office?
I have been with them 8 years and I have not seen or heard anything about a check other than on this board.
my office

My office is also my study room.  It is lovely with a nice corner-style desk.  I have a nice music set-up with cd changer, etc. and a nice sofa with a really pretty pine cabinet that holds all my extra "stuff".  I have nice wall grouplngs with pictures of the grandkids and other things that make me happy on the shelves that are amongst the photos.  It has a large window looking out to the front yard and a ceiling fan for a breeze. 


 I have another picture that I picked up at a yard sale last week that I also want to put up.  It's a neat and quite large original pastel that looks like something you's see on Antiques Roadshow.  In fact, if they ever come to my town I'll take it in and hope it's a treasure.


which office?
what region are you in and did you have to ask for it if you don't mind telling?
Office

For tax purposes I have my own office.  Also helps me to be able to "go to the office" and shut the door when not working as it seems I get more done this way.  It might be small 8 x 8 or so but is large enough.  I also will not keep any of our household finances in my office -- strictly for work related items only -- others are kept in a small office in the spare bedroom.   That way I do not feel I am at work "all day long."   But that is just me.  Still work in sweats the first few hours, start to work within 15 minutes of getting up with coffee.  Tried the other way with office in spare bedroom or living room and just did not work as I felt that the work was always there with me.    Patti 


 


 


 


I have my office,
x
Not in my office
If you hang up or get cut off for some reason, you go back to the report you left off with.  OP, can you tell us which office?  I am in Chicago and hope it's here.  I get stuck doing all of the ESLs and 20+ minute reports too.    
why not ask? if you were in an office,
would you ask your friends there their thoughts/opinions?
What does your office look like?

Redecorating my home office..Maybe a newer/nicer surrounding can get me more motivated.. going kind of retro decor.. what does your work environment look like?  Just curious..


Office
Mine is in an extra bedroom (converted to office).  Working very well for me.  Away from distractions, can close door if I need to.   
Office
I started off in the bedroom, moved to the dining room, then as our family expanded from 2 to 4 kids, I divided the dining room in half (It was huge! Have sat 27 people down at one time, the largest room in the house), had walls built and what do you know, I know have my own space!  With a door and a window!  My two older kids are in their teens and I have been finishing the basement and moving them down there.  I thought about going down there myself, but I like my little office and I can hear the little ones and the window leads right to the backyard too.  Nice and peaceful!  But it wasn't always that way!
The last job I had in an office the office..sm
manager seemed to think we would not see this take over for a long, long time and that many were trying it and going back to using transcriptionists. Let the doc know you will be happy to help him out should he decide it is not working out for him. I am so sorry for you, hang in there.
office pet
Awww - thanks for sharing the photo of your kitty and in reading your "blog" thanks for reminding me why I enjoy working at home so much.
Office Pet

I hope this link works.  I wanted to show you who keeps me company every day while I transcribe--unless she runs off to sleep half the day, which I wish I could do!!!  When she's not around, the birds visit the feeders in the window.


http://mtblab.blogspot.com/2006/08/office-pet.html


 


office
An 8 x 10 room, with window seat for my dog, big light colored L desk with bookcase and armoire.   White walls (which i hate!) and lots and lots of photos around of family and friends.  
Does it actually ask you about one office or is it about
Curious?
My office--sm
Spare bedroom. The second boy moved out and I grabbed it. Big enough for my L-shaped desk parked right next to the window so I can catch a breeze and peek outside. Just outside the window I have my flower garden with my giant pink hibiscus and sunflowers, all in bloom at the moment. I have a shepherd's hook with two hangers for birdseed.  I painted the room blue and stuffed the closet with my computer junk and have some of those plastic take apart, put together shelves that I have sitting around for odds and ends, coffe pot, etc. My bookcase is in the corner.  The dog's pillow is under the desk. Quite cozy since I spend the majority of my life in here!  I also keep 2 of those plastic stackable drawer sets right under the desk to my left for my most used reference books and keep the receipts in the drawers.  Quite handy. 
We had a day like that at my office, too!
We always have trouble with the faxing console working properly, but today, out of the blue, it started faxing random OLD reports INSTEAD of the reports it was supposed to fax.

We blamed it on the software company having a wacked product (which they do), but maybe there was a full moon last night.
I have 2. One from Office Max and one
I ordered on paperclippy.com.

The tote from paperclippy is big and allows the foot pedal, headset, etc.

The slimline from Office Max is really cute but trim and slim and I only carry power cord in it.

Office
During the winter my office is in a spare basement bedroom, during the summer I have a folding portable desk I use in the main living area as I have my granddaughter daily and we feel we are more "together" than nana being downstairs.