I don't do crummy work, but I am quite disgusted with what I see in this industry.

I don't know why we put up with it.  They lower our pay, send our jobs overseas, expect us to be on call for no pay at all.  They dance around the IRS definitions of employee, SE and IC.  I've been threatened before, verbally or email abused by supervisors, and even had to resort to legal tactics to get my rightfully deserved pay.

All they care about is production.  I've mentioned to my supervisors a few times when I found errors in medical records or extra spaces showing up at the end of paragraphs in people's work.  I wasn't tattling or trying to get anyone fired, but I felt the errors should have been fixed.  Nothing was done.  The people churning out those reports make more money than I do because I take the time to look things up and properly format everything.  It doesn' t get me anywhere.

I am most definitely NOT sloppy.  I am disillusioned because we are treated as nothing more than sweatshop TYPISTS.

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You're not without company!  I wanted to reply because I feel your pain.  Part of being an MT (for me) is I can't stand the "rat race."  The way some companies handle themselves is unexplainable.  To me, employment should be a win/win situation.  Instead, they act as though they hold the almighty key and we should take it, gratefully.  I would like to know what my working situation will be before I begin.  Don't I have the right to interview them back?  Afterall, isn't it a joint effort?  Maybe I'm being unrealistic, but I hate the rat race and glad I work from home.  I'm just not cut out for these office people. 

I'm just totally disgusted when clinics call me inquiring about service. I always ask to receive copies of transcripts before I quote a price.  The quality of their transcripts is just a complete joke, and that's putting it mildly.  Run-on sentences, no punctuation, etc.  It just really looks like a fifth grader typed it.  You'd certainly think that with all the years of education the docs have had, they wouldn't tolerate this slop to save a dime.  What a joke!  I really feel sorry for the health care in our country. And you know what the problem is with this?  The docs don't call directly to speak wtih the MT Service owner - they have "their girl" do it, who doesn't know a hoot and a holler about medical transcription -- just the bottom line - "HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE?"  I do believe once the docs take the time and interest in their patients' notes, things may change.

What's your opinion on this? 

Has this happened to anyone else?  Once you learn an account, get pretty decent lines, making decent money, boom -- your account is switched.  Then, when requesting downtime, oh no, we are not paying downtime, we had to take work from you because of your low QA (up until then QA was 99+ or better) hummmm???  (P.S. I have 22 years experience, not at all new to this game).  I am receiving corrected reports for mistakes in THEIR macros, which I had informed them about and was told to leave them.....???  I was told, "Oh sure, we have LOTS of work, then run out almost daily....

I read a post from an MTSO wondering if there were any good transcriptionsts out there (you bet there are!!), well I am wondering if there are any decent companies left out there.  I have worked for a couple different ones now, seem to me they are all shady characters.  They promise you the moon, then once you are working for them, everything changes.  Nothing is the way they promised!!  Seems like once a Transcriptionist starts making some really good money, they do everyting they can to take it away.  I need to win the lottery!!!  or a new job. 

I saw this *** and wanted to share this with other MTs. What is your interpretation of this? Are we going to be out of work for good because I'm thinking electronic medical records are going to replace us, or am I misinterpreting this statement?   What is your take on this?

"...President Obama has also talked about the need to computerize all medical records in five years, creating a huge opportunity for information technology jobs and data entry jobs."

Obviously, you work some place that pays very well and you might even have secure employment. If so, that's great.  Some of us worked for companies that were sold or sent all their work offshore and we had to take jobs where we could get them.  Don't be so quick to judge other peoples' choices.  It's true that in some companies, wages are lousy, but do you really think you'd be a fry cook at the clown's over working from a home office?  If you are earning great wages and have a good job, I sure hope you're able to help other MTs find something as good as what you've got.

MTs for the most part have always been treated poorly, no respect and low pay.  We have to stand up for ourselves and not back down from our line rates because no one is going to look out for us but us.  No, not even the docs and/or the OMs, surprise, surprise!  I say she should go for the full monty.  They get to see more patients and therefore have a higher income.  Why should she have to settle for a lower income because they're smart and use time-saving macros?? 

I have worked with a guy here and there.  It amazes me that they are able to make more.  In one position, there was a guy in a position to distribute work who funneled the canned op reports (vasectomies primarily) to one guy on my account.  Another is one I am working with now who somehow convinced those hiring him that he required a certain amount of money to raise a family.  And he gets it.  Seems to me that this is favortism.  The "it's a man's world" frame of mind.

Has anyone else experienced this? 

now I would not recommend this field to anyone, but I am not worried about not having a job, at least not in the next 5 years.  I am good at what I do and can do any work type, can do ESLs with little problem, have done QA, so I feel like there will always be a job as long as I want it.  The pay may never get any better though. 

There aren't that many jobs available, but there are so many people looking for work that a lot of companies don't feel like they need to pay to advertise.   Check with employment agencies or temporary agencies.  I worked for  temporary agency years ago and got offered full-time positions with every place I worked.

Not sure what your career of choice is in, but you can get just about any degree on-line, or at least do all the basic courses. 

Not sure of your financial situation, but if still paying for technical school, going part-time probably won't work for you so you could go to school or get in some type of internship for whatever you wanted to do.   

You can sit back and wait for someone to knock on your door and offer you your dream job, but you'll most likely die waiting, or you can get your goal and work towards it.  If you aren't willing to do that, then you are stuck where you are. 

we've been sold up the river!  Can anyone say OFFSHORE?! That is the very reason our rates of pay have gone down the tubes. How COULD anyone maintain a good attitude? What I post to newbies here is just fair warning. No one can make any kind of living on 5 cents a line. Newbies are also fodder for crappy MTSOs.  It may sound negative, but it's the absolute truth.  It's pretty sick when offshore companies are now training US MTs.  My suggestion to anyone thinking about going into MT....don't.  Find another line of work.  There are other things out there you can do.