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I read the story and they interviewed people who work in the

Posted By: Just me on 2005-09-12
In Reply to: Maybe it was a knock-off from a mall kiosk. - nm

Luis Vuitton store. They said they had 3-4 of the debit cards used just that day. Other high end stores were reporting they were being used in there as well. One guy on tv was interviewed and said he was unemployed yet he was going to buy a car. That means he'll probably have no insurance, probably no license. Every single taxpayer is paying for these unemployed, young "disabled" people with a bunch of kids who have chronic back pain or <insert whatever disorder here> to go shopping and not for needed things like food and diapers. 


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I interviewed to work in a pharmacy ... haven't heard yet, but -- sm
the company will send their pharmacy clerks to classes and pay for pharmacy tech certification, even though it is not required in New York state. Waiting to hear back from them this week.
I read a story on that
They actually have to boil them alive, so they tie a string around their necks, and paws (so they cannot claw their way out) and dunk them in.  There was a picture of a cat waiting to go next.  He looked so cute and innocent, completely oblivious.  Its heartbreaking, what a difference between countries, I love my cat as my family and they boil them alive on other continents!
Well, I read in the cover story of the TV...sm

I read in the TV book a story about this season of the Sopranos and they did say Tony does get knocked off....but Uncle Jr is the only one in the house, completely flipped out, and Carmela is out and about but about to get in her new car and drive home.  I'm thinking that Tony dies and she has got that new car and perhaps the police will think she had motive to kill him........ohno....


Uncle Jr is totally *out to lunch* at the moment in my opinion. 


Thanks for the optimism though!!! 


What a dreadful story. I am so sorry there are people out there like that.

My people skills are just fine. I just want to hire people who want to work.
I've not been ugly, I've asked questions, legitimate ones.  Please tell me what is wrong with that.  This site is not just for MTs, it is for QA Editors, Supervisors, Service Owners, there's even sections for Billers, Coders, and Nurses.   
Funny, but..if you read a lot or know people...sm
The EX-smokers get cancer...AFTER they quit. Never an issue while they smoke...only after stopping for a few years. EVERY person I know who QUIT had cancer. But then again, we are all predisposed to cancer, it is in our genes. They just do not know the exact triggering factor...just ideas on what it is and things you can avoid to reduce your risk, but again, this does not ensure you will not have some type of cancer. Working 12-14 hours a day...gee, one bad habit, better than drinking and not being able to work. LOL
Attention QA people - PLEASE READ :)
I'm fed up with the company I work for.  Can any of you who are HAPPY with your QA job tell me what company you work for?  I have been looking but it's hard to know which companies offer :1) Decent pay;  2) A relatively flexible schedule; and, very important 3) Appreciation!  I would like to find a smaller company as I work for a very LARGE national company (can you guess who? lol) - I'm sick of feeling ignored and invisible and would like to work for a smaller to medium sized company that actually values its employees.  Please, don't say you can't tell me who you work for - I really need some guidance here!  Thanks. 
If people would read correctly, not a
dilemma. I HAVE CHRISTMAS DAY OFF. My gosh, I asked, being as I have always been someone elses employee until approximately 3 months ago, what THEY did, just to get someone else's views. I have worked long enough, since 1973, in this field to know about confidentiality issues. I wanted to see what others do on the holidays. I am not running scared about what I HAVE to do. A person asks simple questions and gets unbelievable crap thrown at them. I, for one, can walk at any time I please without having to bow down to any company. Thank goodness I have reached this point in my life. I see so much bitterness in the people on these chat boards, unbelievable. If you are so scared about others taking your jobs, why do you not find something else to do?? Why wear bitterness on your sleeves all the time. If my animals can read my reports, then I guess I have to get worried about someone reading them. I am not trying to solve the problems of the world, just asking questions I would like to know for my OWN INTEREST.
2 people to do that amount of work, is she nuts? More like 20+ people - nm
x
People who read this board still apply
at companies they are warned about.  Your book would not only be a waste of time, but no one will buy it. 
but yet you would state someone's else name so freely when tons of other people read this...
that is my point...i am not trying to be mean or spiteful...i was not the original poster that is why my name is not on here...
have you interviewed them?
I always have a ton of questions, and talk with the recruiter at great length about what I am looking for and what they are offering. That might help hone it down.
I interviewed with them and turned them down

but can't remember all the details.  I think they offered 10 cpl for IC and 11 cpl for lines over 12,000 per pay period.   You have to "punch the clock" , which I just won't do.  Sorry I don't remember other details. 


So you've interviewed MOST of them?....LOL

Saw a program on CNN or one of those stations, and it was a call center in India filled with hundreds of well-dressed professional-looking MTs and they said:  *average age 27 with a business degree* compared to "average age 49 in the US with no degree"....


Seeing hundreds, and it was a 2005/2006 show, - I believe that show.  You may have interviewed a few dozen Indian MTs IF YOU are in the US but not MOST Indian MTs.  *S*


Have a nice day! 


I interviewed for a job today

Most of it went well.  They pay the same cpl as most the other companies I have looked into.  They pay for headers if you have to type them in yourself, which is better than what I got elsewhere.  The scary part is that all they pay for is the training phone call and then straight production, they really don't give you time to lean the account to build up speed and make money.  I asked the interviewer if the account they were putting me on was busy all the time.   She said yes.  I asked her if it was saturated with ESLs.  She said, "it is out of Texas, What do you think?" 


 


Those were the only 2 red flags I saw was the straight production after the 2-hour phone call and I might be stuck on an account that is saturated with ESLs. I did like the fact though that I will be using eScription instead of ExText.  I never used eScription before, I have always used ExText so I am excited about learning something new.   I do need health insurance and theirs was pretty inexpensive.  I am not sure what to think.  Am I going to be in over my head?


 

I applied to 2 more places and have not heard from any of them yet.  I did hear from one Friday and they said I needed to fill out another application.  I filled one out online and they e-mailed me to fill out another one.
I don't know anything about transolutions, interviewed, tested, and
offered position with Cymed.  The pay is average, lots of ESL, offered 0.5 cpl more if I do more than 1800 lines a day, which I do occasionally, but not often enough that I would have a bunch of extra $$ each pay period.   The person I interviewed with was an HR person and hadn't the first clue about transcription, so her answers weren't very good to questions.  I did specifically ask if the offshore and she reluctantly said they do.  I know they offshore to the Phillipines and probably India, and they are support of the move to offshore to Trinidad.   I was offered 8 cpl and have 20 years' acute care experience.  I was told there were lots or opportunities to earn big $$ in bonus money, but I'm not looking to be chained to my chair another 4 hours a day.   My main decision for declining the position was the offshoring. 
Unless he is being interviewed by another teen (probably not), shorts are NOT appropriate. What is
x
I interviewed for an in-house pathology MT - sm
position a few years ago. What they did was a transcription typing test, so I had actual dictation and of course they timed me. I did okay there I think without any errors I was aware of but speed wise I tend to type a lot slower when being tested as I just freak at typing tests. Then they interviewed me, and I feel so dumbb at interviews, 2 people at once, totally dumbb questions for the most part with nothing to do with transcription. I thought I did well but did not get called back. They gave me a full tour of the facilities, etc, the MT office, the lab, etc. Let me "interview" the MTs there too. It was quite interesting.
well, I interviewed for an in-house job Monday
She said by today, Friday, she would let me know if I got the job.  She told me I was high on the list of being hired, but she was still interviewing.  It is already nearly noon and I have not heard a word.  I looked at the job board and the ad for an MT is gone.  Is that bad news for me? 
Lord forgive me for saying this, but at the start of this, they interviewed her roommates on CNN, I
think. Maybe Fox. At any rate, the girls were rather "smug" about it all, said that Natalee was quite taken with this Dutch kid and had basically "dumped" her friends the last 2 days to hang all over this guy.  When they were asked what was "so special" about him, they said that Natalee was quite flattered that he was paying attention to her, as he was considered the "#1 Catch On the Island"...So, that certainly explains why her friends weren't "covering her back". She had ditched them more or less to be with Romeo.  Happened to me a lot in the "old bar hopping days" with my girlfriends.  One would hook up with some total stranger, and just dump the rest of us "singles" for the night.  Luckily, they all lived, though we did have a scary encounter now and again, this being in Southern Florida.
I'm not happy with my current position, but I've interviewed
tested and me offered positions with at least 12 other companies and none of them have anything better to offer, all less money, all set schedules, etc.  Read the job boards and see what is out there and if you want to test the waters take on a PT IC position - of you can test and interview with multiple companies without making a committment. 
Interviewed last week, 1200 lpd, low pay, lots of restrictions. I said no. nm
d
that should read "and NOT my work pc."

Anyone work for publishers? Please read...

I'm very seriously looking into working with one of the medical context publishing companies.  I would be so delighted to talk or e-mail with anyone who works with these companies -- what do you do, what time frame are you working in, how does it pay, is it steady work are just a few questions I have.


Please e-mail me. 


Thank you.


I work for both ... my comparison (LONG READ):
HOURS/CLASSIFICATION:
MQ: You have a choice of FT with full benefits -- 39-40 hours producing average of 150 lines/hour minimum; FT with limited benefits -- 39-40 hours with less than 150 lines/hour average but more than 100 lines/hour; PT with limited benefits for 8-16-24 hour schedules all averaging 100 lines/hour.

Spheris: FT is 37 to 40 hours a week, with 10,200 lines required by payperiod's end. PT is 20 to 36 hours a week, production is 5100 lines/payperiod minimum.

OVERTIME:
Both companies structure overtime the same way; averaged in the same manner; requires approval, must be in addition to 40 hours WORKED (PTO, DT do not count).

SCHEDULES:
Both require a schedule with the offer of "flexibility".

TIME:
MQ: Time sheets are used; MTs fill them in manually and submit.

SPHERIS: Galaxy is used -- you clock in and the system punches your time for you. Day's end, you see how much you've worked and allocate your time accordingly (productive time, PTO, meeting with mgrs, etc.).

BENEFITS:
MQ: You see the benefits in the Harmonization booklet. The employee's cost of insurance benefits is assigned by the state you live in (as well as which/if coverages are available to you).

SPHERIS: Med/Den/Vision are offered. Employees all pay the same amount for amount of coverages (EX: All employees wanting EMPLOYEE ONLY coverage pay the same; all wanting EMPLOYEE+ONE CHILD pay the same). It is available to all employees. Cost is not region-specific.

EQUIPMENT:
MQ: Use your own or they will provide. The current rental charges will no longer be effective in January; as well, the internet reimbursements will not either. I don't know if there will be a deposit for those just coming into the company after Jan 1.

SPHERIS: Must use their computers. No rental fee but there is a refundable deposit. You can pay it at once or have it taken out in 6 paychecks. Refunds to you when equipment is returned in good working order.

PTO:
MQ: You see the new PTO offered in the plan and can read online the PTO calculation formula.

SPHERIS: Same type of calculation formula; averaged quarterly and you receive a notice of what your new downtime/PTO rate is and what period it covers. Limit is $20 an hour tops for PTO. Lowest is $7.50. Amount of PTO depends on status and length of service and ranges for FT from 11 days to 21 days a year and PT 2.5 to 7.5 days a year.

HOLIDAYS:
MQ: You can read in the Harmonization booklet.

SPHERIS: Thanksgiving and Christmas are designated holidays. If you are scheduled to work on it, you can take PTO instead. If you work it you will earn double lines those days.

QUALITY:
Both require 98%.

PAY CYCLES:
MQ: Pay WEEK is Su-Sat; pay PERIOD is bimonthly 1-15th and 16th-end of month with paydates on 10th and 25th. Direct deposit available.

SPHERIS: Pay weeks are same as pay periods and are Su-Sat with every other Fridya as paydates. Direct deposit available.

BASE RATE:
MQ: With the new plan, you have your current base rate and it is the same on all work (unless you do part radiology or ASR).

SPHERIS: Your base rate depends on the level of the account you type on. If you type on a really easy account, you will get less pay; more difficult accounts, more pay. Each account level has a new-hire hourly associated with it. Levels go from level 3 to 10 with line rates 0.065 to 0.102. With Spheris, if your production earnings do not add up to at least minimum wage for the hours you worked, they will pay you minimum wage. However, you will not stay with them long if you cannot produce enough to keep you off the minimum wage payments.

INCENTIVE:
MQ: We know that incentive is achieved on a daily basis -- after you produce 1200 lines. Tiered so that you earn incentive ONLY on the lines produced AFTER 1200. It barely puts change in your pocket for mid-range producers. Only rewards high producers.

SPHERIS: Incentive is base on each week's production (Sun-Sat). So you can have a really bad week and only get your base and then next week have a great week and get incentive. Once earned, incentive applies to ALL lines typed and ranges depending on FT or PT status. FT: 5200 lines start at 0.002 and increases up to 7000+ lines getting 0.015 cpl incentive. PT: 2700 lines = 0.001 and increases up to 7000+ lines = 0.015 cpl. Whatever incentive you earn that week is applied to ALL LINES PRODUCED THAT WEEK. Spheris also has special teams that pay higher base rates.

SHIFT DIFF:
MQ: 11pm-7am = 0.01 and 3pm-11pm = 0.005

SPHERIS: 4pm-8am CST daily = 0.005.

NO WORK AVAILABLE:
MQ: This is not specifically addressed per se; however it is not listed under downtime definitions at all. I doubt MQ ever pays for no work situations.

SPHERIS: Has a policy: "MTs will not receive compensation for "No WOrk Available" situations. If an MT runs out of work, the MT should immediately notify their Supervisor or follow th eout of work situation guidelines for their team."

Hope that helps.
that should read "they ended up sending all the work"
x
I work and do not have time to read such long posts, do you?..nm
nm
FT people usually get work before it goes to PT
people and that is probably the situation here.  You could ask but you'll probably get a response similar to above, that FT get the work first.  
Do you MDI-MD people have enough work? sm
I saw an ad on one of the other boards, thought I had seen mention here not too long ago of not enough work for those who were there.  Just wanted to find out what the situation is now before I go any further in pursuing anything with them.  TIA!
People really do think we don't have to work don't they? LOL
I have a friend who is off this week and she called assuming I could just go do stuff with her...no wonder she always asks me for so many favors...apparently people think we get paid for doing nothing!  I bet they wonder why my house is such a mess if that's the case! LOL
Read between the lines. When a company starts saying work more to make more
and you have to work in assembly-line fashion like an automaton, they are having a cash crunch.  They held out one salary to you to get you to do the job, then they turn around and cut your pay because you make too much.  They don't sound financially stable.  If you've only been on the job 2 months, start looking elsewhere for a more financially stable company.   Send out your resume and see what other companies have to offer and check out references for those companies.  I and a friend in the past have gone part-time with a new company before resigning from the old one in order to make sure the new company is going to be compatible with us. It's hard to do, but it's short-term for only 1 or 2 weeks.   
I know people who went to work for Cymed.....
The ones who say they are happy are the ones that don't really need a good pay check (older ladies who basically work for the insurance and a little extra cash). The others say that they can definitely tell a big difference with them not paying for spaces. They all say the people are nice though and offer good bonuses for extra work on the weekend at times. I've also heard that there are a lot of ESL doctors. I tested and was offered 9.5 cents with them, but everyone else I've heard says they were offered 8 to 8.5 cpl????
Too bad for all the people that go there and have no work. I am not the least bit impressed with
Dixie. Maybe she had better refer people to offices of MQ where there is work before she tells everyone how great MQ is across the broad. Maybe we all have gone and gotten other jobs because we have no work at MQ. Maybe you if you arent Dixie can enlighten that lady about the other side of MQ she seems unwilling to talk about. How about that.
People don't tell because they like having enough work, I imagine - also, sm
Josie Blowsie over there may not make the same line rate I make. That's subbing, of course. I don't tell what I charge my local contracts because I don't want to be underbid.
DH has one through his work, but he's in charge of over 100 people. Can't see
x
Obviously these people don't have to wake up and go to work EVER
x
If you don't want to work for 8 or 9 cpl, don't. But people know what they will be making when
:+
I'm with you! So I work the hours people don't want
to work. Much too stressful to fight for work. Life is too short for me to take the money I already earn to spend on a physician prescribing nerve pills.
read the whole post - good lord- you act like I am telling you to work for free--
The fact is "YOU ARE NOT TYPING THE LINE" So why get paid to type that line?

I merely suggested hourly pay. Good Grief!! If you people didn't have something to argue about, I think you would all go bananas.
people sometimes goof off at work, nothing wrong with that
 It doesnt take up THAT much time.
Most people don't have that many backups for no reason if they have enough work so I wonder about
your response.
You can work those machines harder than a lot of people do
x
Those people obviously do not work full time or want to
make a good living. I would work at McDonald's before I would let someone take my house. If someone is not making enough money in this field, it is them, not the industry. Tired of everyone tip-toeing around this issue. The money is there but you need to buckle down and do the work. Stop whining and start working.
Thank you, sounds like you work for good people....
I think no matter where you go it has its little ups and downs. Have a good day and thank you for responding.
How much do most people charge for doing IC work for doc offices, just

What program is good to use for line counting?


I was thinking 13/cents a line?  Is that undercharging?  I have to remember that I have to pay my overhead so even though 13 sounds high, I have to pay equipment,  equipment, equipment.


help


Add me to the people who favor at-home work. sm
There really are a few companies an MT can count on for reasonably good benefits.

As someone who has no children, no husband, boyfriend, or parents, if you have what I don't, CHERISH IT! The people you love are far more important than PTO! Enjoy the beautiful office your husband made for you. It obviously was done with love. You're a very fortunate woman.

Don't forget to count your blessings every day!
Mistakes found in other people's work

I work on a platform where we can pull up previously-transcribed reports for samples.  I have worked for this company for about 7 months now and have never had a QA done on my work.  I like to know if I am doing something wrong or if there is a better/easier way of doing things.  While going through some reports to get samples I have noticed things that are not that big a deal, but more along the line of somebody padding their lines, i.e., in the laboratory section writing out the number seventeen, in extremity examination writing out plus-two pedal pulses, cranial nerves two through twelve, things like this.  Also, things like sclerae IS instead of are.  Our accounts are not verbatim.


I guess my question is what would most of you do, leave it alone or say something about it?  I have left it alone for this long, but it just doesn't sit well with me.  I'm sure I do things that are wrong too and that is why I wouldn't mind getting reviewed every now and then to ensure consistency and quality.  Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions. 


Yes some crappy India people get this work
But I think it is also a great opportunity to keep this IN the USA.
People (& animals, too) will work harder to get
nm
Slow work and people not going to the doctor

I have been transcribing for about 20 years, but took a break from it for about 1-1/2 years.  Now I am working for a service.  Here is my first question to you guys:


1.  How long has it been slow like this?  There does not seem to be that many jobs, and the response is slow when applying.  I use to get calls almost the same day with just posting a resume (a few years ago.)


2.  Also, this economy is so horrible.  I was thinking, people are losing their jobs - losing their health insurance.  Do you think that is really cutting into our industry, because people just cannot afford to go the doctor unless it is an emergency? 


You need to talk to the people who pay the bills where you work. nm
x