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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

I hear that

Posted By: Mary C on 2006-05-10
In Reply to: If you think you are working for slave wages now... - M

Medical transcription is a dying field for people in the US. Forty dollars an hour indeed. Try $40 a day. That makes me laugh. At one time, I made $30 an hour and I type 200 wpm, but that was before we had to incorporate the fat-cat middle man sucking money out of our checks, and pay for those high-priced computer programmers to do an half-baked job for software that doesn't work 100%. Some one had to pay for that, and it was the transcriptionist.

Madeleine is right, if people have a degree do something else, do something else. Anything else. In fact, I'm thinking a career change to Walmart greeter myself - better hours, less stress, and certainly more fun that trying to work until my head hurts, my hands & fingers are stiff, and I'm practically blind from looking at gnat fonts all day, untangling fractured English. Imagine yourself performing brain surgery on flies all day, it's about the same. hahaha. Very stressful.

In twelve years I have had the rug pulled out from under me three times to outsourcing to every Will-work-for-pennies-a-day country on the planet, had a few companies who bankrupted on my paycheck not paying me, worked 120 hours in two weeks for no overtime because it was "mandatory."

So, I would say to someone thinking of a career in transcription - "Just say no." LEt there be no mistake, slavery is alive and well, they just call it transcription these days. :)


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Brain dead today - or is it hear hear? I'm going to bed.
nm
Marry me?! :) Seriously...hear, hear. Good post. - nm
xx
Hear, hear! I agree with Dakota - sm
The MTSO should be giving feedback to the hospital/doctors who slur, speak too rapidly, etc. They need to pull up their socks! And there's no reason why these doctors shouldn't be given an outline of what is expected from them when they dictate, such as cell phones, chewing food, candy, gum, etc.
i hear you
That sounds like my husband. If he gets "stuck" with the kids the my job interferes with the family life, but when there are too many bills to pay, I spend too much money. I can never win.
I am so sorry to hear about your dog. SM
I know how sad it is to lose a beloved pet.  I have lost many over my lifetime and they all stay in my memory.  My condolences to you. 
i hear it also....

i'm divorced and get told 'how will you ever meet someone if you don't leave the house'.


i also get neighbors asking me to watch for deliveries, let repairmen in, let their dogs out.....just because i'm home they think i'm in front of the tv eating bon bons....when actually i'm posting on this board!!


I hear you
Good for you! Couldn't be more proud!
I want to hear more about this. Seriously.
..
I hear ya - sm
Hard to be the disciplinarian without the support of the husband or grandparents.

Of course, then when they get older and get into more serious trouble as time goes by, it will be YOUR fault for not disciplining them too.

Same old story around here too.

Stand your ground mom. Tough as it is, I know. You gotta do it.
Did you hear or see this anywhere
else besides on this board?? I haven't heard that - that is very scary. Hope it is just rumor.
I hear what you are saying.

My husband is a school custodian for a K-12 school.  My daughter graduated a couple years ago, so I no longer have a kid in school.  There were teachers along and along that I did not agree with, but there are always channels to go through.  There will always be kids who are picked on.  Unfortunately, the parents of the bullies are going to take up for their little angels as well.  One of our first graders held a sharpened pencil to the throat of another student, and made threats to the teachers.  They tried to get the child removed from the classroom and the local board of education would not cooperate.  The teachers walk a fine line.  They are expected to protect all the children, but they are not allowed to do very much with little devils like this.  We had a coach that the parents tried to run off because he tried to teach some of the 16-17 year-old babies some discipline.  I am not talking about slamming them up against the wall.  I am just talking about things like making the guys on the team (heaven forbid) tuck their shirt tails in.  You would be amazed at the little things that can cause such a stink.  I had a teacher tell my daughter she did not agree with my parenting techniques, so it can go both ways. (My daugher was 17) Since my husband works there, I know these teachers.  The teacher is a basically good person, we just had a disagreement.  I was respectful when I talked to her in front of my daughter, and I expect my daughter to behave in a similar manner.  I have noticed that most of the bullies in school have parents that are also bullies.  We have resource officers at the school to help pretect the children.  Unfortunately, these officers have also been called on to protect the teachers from very real threats from students and parents.  While I agree that parents definitely need to know what is going on with their child in school, if some of the parents I know showed up at school every day it would be impossible for the teachers to actually teach classes.  These teachers have to teach the whole class, not just your child.  There is no way they are going to please all the parents and still do their job.  There is also no way on this earth I would be a teacher these days. 


Where did you hear this?
Do you have anymore information regarding this?  I tried to look up on the IRS website, but couldn't find anything.  I think that would be great for everyone to donate 1 vacation day, that would add up to a lot!!
Sorry to hear that you and your...sm

husband aren't getting along!


LOL...I hear that! sm
Used to work for YOG/MQ...glad I got out when I did.  Talk about stress...yikes!!!
We need to hear more
About the Teamsters in LA who said they would take us on. Back last week I believe the question was asked about unions and a reply came back that LA Teamsters were interested in us, but no more details were given. Maybe that should be Monday's job, track them down in LA and see what's up.
Where did you hear that it
doesn't start until January?
I hear ya...

...all the songs you mentioned..."Something", too.  Don't get me started either...LOL  


In my 10th grade English class we had to pick a poem to read in front of the class...I read the lyrics from "Lucy"...a few people were looking at me like I was crazy & I just thought "Oh well, you just don't get it." 


Yep, we sure could use his humor these days, that's for sure!! 


At least, if what I believe is true, he's in a much better place...I can just see him looking down & shaking his head.  Just imagine what kind of songs he'd be writing now!


Oh, where's a peace sign emoticon when you need one...LOL


I hear ya!
Yeah, except we don't get $50,000 after eating the slime and rotten fish.
I hear ya
Crap, crap and more crap being left. Don't these little cherrypickers know how to do HARD LONG REPORTS???
I hear ya!

Just two months ago, I started to IC for a large cardiology group.  The in-house wanted a day off during the week, so I was going to fill in for her at home.  Let me tell you, she was a nut and faxed me corrections for the weirdest stuff.  Needless to say, I quit that place after two days of filling in!  There is always work out there and I found a much better office where I am averaging around $200.00 per tape!


Best of luck to you!


I hear ya.........
I'm in the same position. Left a great IC position (small company) for employee status but I can't seem to find what I had before with the big guys. They all seem to lie and treat their MTs like slaves. Wish I could go back to the old position but I need to work as an employee for many reasons. Suks, huh?
I hear ya.
Next time invite them over for coffe and let them listen to a few ESL dictators!!!!  HA.  See how fast they run out the door........ LOL
I hear you!
My response to all is asking them to spell esophagogastroduodenoscopy. My aunt is the worst! She still calls me a stay at home MOM!!!
Don't need to hear this
Oh my God!  This is the frist year I've worked as an IC and had deductions for it. I also owe the IRS a lot of $$ for other reasons and I'll be paying it off for years and years..  It is scary to hear this.   I haven't done anything wrong but if they audit me I'll shoot myself.  But just think--Exxon paid NO TAXES this year..  I guess that is why the IRS needs to go after the big bucks from us MTs.   
I hear ya
I am in the same boat. I have been working two jobs and working extra on both due to finances and such. I too am the only one who can. My BF thinks it is terrible when he has to work an actual 8 hours (his job if he is done he works however many and gets paid for 8,sometimes 5 or 6 but with the holiday an actual 7 or 8). They think it is just awful if I ask for extra help. I am worn out. Today I just finished one job fixing to start the full time one and have a roast cooking, clothes washing, and candy chilling in the fridge. Teenage stepdaughter keeps coming in her asking what I am doing and talking chit chat. I have said a million times what I am doing. I am also eating lunch in here somewhere. Oh and I am having some endometriosis flare up and a cold. I am about to blow my top. I can feel your pain.
I hear you!
I had a dream last night in which I asked my family physician whether carrying 30 lb extra weight could be any worse than my 3/4 pack per day smoking habit. The dream ended without an answer. But, seriously, this occurred to me - starting cigs again until I realized I could start smoking and be a smoker AND 30 lb overweight! At least without SOB, I can attempt to increase metabolism with cardiovascular exercise. Considered Phentermine too but it would probably send me to the convenience store for a pack of smokes since they make you very fidgity.

I pulled out the pressure cooker for fast steamed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots) and bought potatoes for baking. Tea and fruit juices for in between meals.

Not what I want to hear!
I may be needing a hysterectomy soon -- going for second opinion next week. Hoping I can get by with an ablation. I'm an MTSO -- definitely don't have time to be off my feet for that long - was hoping I could be proofing and editing at least by end of first week if I have to have a hyst.  Maybe not, huh??  Maybe it's easier to live with the bleeding!!!  NOT!  Best of luck to you all!!
I hear YOU!

Remember, you must FORCE yourself to be "up."  You must think positive and above all else, say prayers once a day at least and thank God for ALL your blessings.  Most of us have so many blessings to be grateful for.


HANG IN THERE!!!!


 


Yep, I hear ya
I posted something similar a year or so ago, was making 10 cpl, seldom ran out of work, could name my own hours and production quota, plus I had another, 12-mo contract for 18 cpl -- and I still asked if this is all there is to my life? I know exactly where you're coming from.

Here's what I did:

When my 18 cpl contract expired, I quit my other service and swore myself into retirement out of sheer frustration at the constant demand for production. I worked "people jobs" for 6 months - deli, sales, anything away from a keyboard and computer. I responded to a med facility ad for purchasing and ended up in the med recs department, expecting to learn coding but wound up transcribing 6 hours a day instead, and filing for $20/hour. Ugh! I've since given notice and plan to take up where I left off at my own MT business and, this time, relax and do only what I enjoy. No more huge line counts or threats of "or else" for me. I'll find a service that's flexible, pick up the odd contract here and there that doesn't require me to be on the keys 12 hours a day, and get some gardening and kayaking done.

At my age with more than 25 years in this business, I'm finally realizing I don't have to compete with the newbies, nor do I have to put CMT after my name, although I did it once. I work for ME and from now on, it'll be as I enjoy it since I obviously am meant to be in this business.

I wish you gooooood luck. You may just need a break to gain new perspective. It's done wonders for me. :-)
I hear you! (sm)
Yes, as another poster said, you /can/ ignore them, but . . . maybe it's only me, but I always feel this niggling bit of discomfort.  Am I absolutely, positively sure it's not me?
I hear ya
Just be careful with the shoulder thing if you keep at MT. I ignored some shoulder pain for quite a while and ended up with a frozen shoulder about this time last year, couldn't put my arm behind my back, woke me up at night when I would turn wrong on it, etc. Very painful and annoying, had to do PT for 2 months but got almost full range back, not quite. Doc said it was probably a result of continued strain from something I was doing wrong with typing. I'm trying to save up to buy a new desk that is more ergonomic. Also, if you keep doing MT, I think it's important to do some strength exercises to keep from atrophying from the sedentary work. I can't believe how much my body has deteriorated in the years I've been doing this, and even more so since going more full time, let alone the wide butt! It was one of my New Year's resolutions to get back to a regular training program, but here I am still not doing it due to changes with my job and schedule, looking for other jobs, testing, let alone any family life, basically too exhausted right now, although I know if I could just get started, it would help so much!  Sorry for the long message, just wanted to tell you to listen to your body if something is hurting!  I don't really miss the office politics and drama, having to dress up to go to work, the commute, but sometimes I do miss having someone to visit with. Good luck to you!
I hear ya (sm)
My little boy wasn't gaining much weight so the doc wanted me to nurse q.2h.-- even through the night. And not 2 hours from when he was done, 2 hours from when he started. I'd no sooner than get to sleep and my daughter would wake up. WHAAAAAA!!! But, hey, I lived through it :-)
sorry to hear this
But, from someone who has been in this business for a long time, I can tell you that many MTSOs both large and small are not charging more for transcription services than we were 5 or even 10 years ago.  The price of transcription has diminished that's for sure.  Technology, outsourcing, etc.   The list of things to 'blame" is very long, as you know!
You have to hear these!!!!
These are absolutely hilarious!!!  And all SO TRUE!!!!  I thought about letting my husband hear, but I don't think he would understand.  Only true MTs will get these!!!
I hear ya (sm)

I've been at home full-time just a little over half a year.  I don't think it's drained my sense of humor or anything, but I find I am much less tolerant of annoyances.  I get really antsy being alone all day, but a good weekend usually relieves all that.  Then I have to jump back into it again.

Not sure I have advice, per se, but I hear ya!


I hear that (sm)

They do seem to have a clue and have no problem with pocketing your extra cash that would otherwise go to insurance, car payment, dental expenses, etc.


I gave up looking for a part-time IC job because I was never really an IC.  Best to find your own accounts, even though you don't have much freedom, you will make more money.



I hear ya!
Especially with this world we are living in, I like the comfort and "safety" of my home as well.
I hear ya, but there's more to it for me.

Nobody loves my kiddos like me and I have been home with them since their birth.  We read together, do crafts, ride bikes, swim, take trips, and do lots of things during the summer, but my kids need the structure that school gives, as well as the fall activites such as soccer and gym. 


Summer is a busy time for us and when school starts, it seems to slow down a little.  I need that slow time and I'm not ashamed to say so..lol. I'm sad when they leave the first few days, but once they come home with stories about their day and tales of fun, I'm ok and happy too.  They miss me and I miss them.  As for work, I work nights during the summer to have the days free but when school starts I go back to days and my system is back to normal as well.  


I hear ya!
 
Where did you hear about this?
.
I hear ya
ESLs put me to tears almost daily because I can't stand to have so many blanks in my reports. I try to struggle through them the best I can, but it is so difficult. I usually have to walk away for awhile and then come back to it, which hurts my line count as well. I am sure most of us here can feel your pain.
I hear ya! nm
x
I HEAR YA
AMEN SISTER!! Exactly why I am leaving the company I am with now.
So sorry to hear that (nm)
:-)
can you hear me now????

One of my funniest memories was when I was training in-house in transcription.  The doctors' office was next to transcription.  It was a smaller hospital with a laid-back environment.  There was a spot in the dictation that the doctor mumbled and there was no way you could make out what he was saying.  I had the woman training me listen hoping she would know since she had worked there for years.  She couldn't understand it either so she picked up the phone and buzzed in the doc's office and asked the doc if he could step over.  He came right on in and I played the section that I was having a problem with on speaker.  As soon as my foot pressed the pedal to start playing, he said, "Darn, my phone", and ran out of the room.  He came right back and I started playing it again.  Same thing.  As soon as the dictation starts playing...."Darn, my phone", and he runs out again.  Well, the third time he did that it dawned on me what was going on and I was laughing so hard by the time he came back I couldn't even get a word out.  I was motioning to him trying to say "don't leave, wait".  My co-worker finally had to tell him the phone was "in there" so he wouldn't run out again.  I know he thought I was nuts but I couldn't contain myself.  I had a terrible case of the giggles.  Apparently when he was dictating his phone rang in his office and so when I played it back it sounded like a phone ringing in the distance and he thought it was his.  I was doubled over laughing--it really struck my funny bone in the worse way.  I still get tickled when I think about it.  Everyone in the department enjoyed that story too!  He was always playing pranks on people and we could have never planned it any better if we tried.  And I always wondered how many times I could have kept doing that to him before he figured it out. 


I hear ya...
Heading near 25 yrs of service...MTSO's want to treat us all as "newbies"...I for one will not stand for it...we must seek out other positions and find the services that will pay for our experience.  Let these MTSO's learn the hard way...it is their businesses that will suffer!  As MTs we need to refuse work at these poverty wages until they get the message loud and clear!
I really don't think it would be hear
to start another one.  We certianly know that American members are dropping like flies from the AAMT right now.  Why not North American Medical Transcription?  Starting a nonprofit is really quite easy to do, but it would take more than one person as I am sure we all have bills to pay.  We could certainly offer cheaper membership rates and maybe negotiate some of the same, or better, benefits.  If anyone is seriously interested, e-mail me.  :)
I think others would like to hear

"I have some ideas for you, but you need to e-mail me."


Please share your ideas!


I hear you. There's no way I could

do everything by myself. I'm lucky in that my husband wants to help. Sure he sits on his behind and watches TV sometimes while I clean up after dinner and cooking. There are times when I work late though that he gets the kids ready for bed, makes lunches, cleans, etc. If a man wants me to do everything, then let me stay home and be a housewife. I'm working though just like he is, and I believe everyone in the house should share the responsibility, even the kids.


That is very sad, sorry to hear......
I once got a GYN report on my sister in law (on husband's side) and during the process found out she had genital herpes. Ouch. Not a good experience. Then I got another on a childhood friend I grew up with but hadn't kept in touch with in years. She had IVF, was almost 7 months along with twins and both died in utero. Sometimes this profession really sucks : (
We hear ya!
:-)