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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

If we all refuse to do VR at low rates, we may see an increase in pay.

Posted By: nm on 2009-03-19
In Reply to: editing - sa




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they don't REFUSE to hire new MT's. They REFUSE to hire them at 6-8 cents per line.

mostly because you can now hire experienced MT's at 6-8 cpl. In the near future, you will be able to hire experienced MT's at 5 cpl. Then people will start getting out of this business and new people will stop trying to get in. I had a job opening and asked people to bid what they wanted per line. One very smart young lady was a new grad and bid 3 cpl. I hired her a year and a half ago, she has been terrific! and I was willing to spend my time training her because a) time is money and she saved me money so I could spend my time and b) she had definite potential!. In another six months, she will be the MT with 2 years experience applying for jobs. AND she will get them because she will test well and essentially "bought" her experience. So use Economics 101...


 


Has anyone kept a list of line rates, report rates, benefits, etc for sm

the different companies out there?  I feel lost and confused.  It seems like everything is changing daily, and I am not being organized enough to keep up.  I am about to actively look for full time employment again but if there was a list, I would be able to sort through a lot more quickly. 


Can anyone help?  I am going to start keeping a chart myself in case anyone needs this in the future.


Line rates in the Northeast - can anyone advise as to what the going rates are in the NE part of the
country? Specifically Connecticut. I want to make sure I am on target here. Thanks.
I refuse
I have a second job and their information is on there as well. I could see it if it were company provided email, but to randomly want to look through email and files. I have medical information on my computer for my family and they have no business looking at anything. As a requirement of employment, we had to show we have antivirus and spybot protection or we had to download theirs. They delete work done about about 10 days, so no files remain and during that period of time, nobody could access those files without the proper log in as they are part of their own designed typing system. I don't believe for a minute this is regards to protecting their information as the statement mentioned sending out information about the company via email.
If we all would refuse to do bad dictators - what can they do about it?

Let them do them themselves or have their fair-haired Indians do them. 


Let the mush-mouthed doctors get back mush-typed dictation.  It would be fair.


Tonight I had so many questionable lab values it made me sick.  I also got a non-ending stack of bad, foreign, indistinct, unable to speak English doctors --- you know the guys who end up at the bottom on last day of the payperiod.


I have gotten to the point that I want them to say "This isn't right!" and stomp their feet, because I want to go nose-to-nose with these jerks.  Just mess with me suckers!  I'm ready.  I'm premenstrual and I'm ready.


If you have 25 years of exp and refuse SM

to be on the supervisory side of things, that's your problem and not your service's problem.  You sure think you are important if you expect the management to consult you on every supervisory hire they make to see if it meets your requirements.


 


Actually one now, but some people refuse to let go of the old way. SM
It took me forever to train myself! I finally made a macro.
Do you honestly think that you can get MTs to refuse to go to
People have enough problems getting to the physician of their choice due to insurance hurdles!

Your idea is very admirable but in today's economy (especially with all the moaning and groaning about NOT making enough money to live), you are more than unrealistic. Perhaps a handful, literally a handful, of those MTs who have husbands who provide very well might opt to do that but who/what is that going to serve? The well-supported MT club?! lol

You've waited too late. Besides, what are you going to use for your platform to reach the masses? These message boards where only God knows who visits (ID and numbers) -- eventually the owners will tire of your use of their services and probably charge you. Of course, you have television - a very, very expensive medium. Perhaps some trade magazines, again advertising costs. And what will the members who live far away get in return for their hard-earned dollars?

What product/service are you going to offer?

Everyone's just full of these ideas but no one is putting a reality in there anywhere.

You are wrong. An IC can refuse
someone else.  The OP should not have to make-up work.  Also, anyone who is committing to lines or hours should then be paid as an employee.  I don't get how these companies can force an IC to type a certain amount of lines.  That is wrong.  An IC has every right to do as much or as little as he/she wants to do.  I know these companies don't like that and some MTs allow it, but I for one am an IC and am not expected to transcribe any amount of lines and when there is no work, there's no work.  That's it.  If there's work, and I want to type, I type.  I can also refuse even the accounts I am so-called expected to be doing without any problem.  There are other ICs that work for the same company that are able to do the work if I cannot.  This is how it should be.  The OP is not wrong in her thinking and no she is not overloaded due to her own fault.  A contract that states a certain amount of lines in a certain amount of time is considered employee.  Check the IRS site if you think I'm wrong.  There should be no control in that form at all. 
Maybe if refuse to do bad dictators, they will
x
refuse to quit
I told him of some of the posts on this board, even the few that were leaning in favor of him, and he says I am not painting a true picure of his concerns. He said that I have given up a good job with benefits and healthcare to now be a contractor and have to pay more for benefits and not even have a retirement plan with the company to fall back on. His company does not offer much in the way of benefits to spouses, so I had to get my own. I admit, I did have better benefits in my old job and this business is not as stable. He feels he is only being concerned for my welfare and that I am misjudging him. We just do not agree on the situation. But even if I go back to my old field, I will still do MT on the side because I love it. I have worked too hard to give up now.
IF MQ LETS YOU GO, ARE YOU GOING TO REFUSE TO TAKE $$ FROM THEM?
Be honest.
REFUSE to do QA work for CPL
Notice to all greedy MTSOs out there: I will NOT work for cents per line in QA. You will not be making money off of my knowledge and painful hours I have put into this profession.

I will be a Wal-Mart greeter before I let you make another dime off of my back and I hope all experienced QA people do the same.

This is ridiculous and insulting!!
I refuse to do it. I have research papers, etc.
get in the habit of doing INCORRECT things just to please AAMT.  If it means I can't be an MT after 25 years of MTing, then so be it.  But I learned English many years ago and every other facet of my life still requires PROPER English/punctuation and I'm not going to learn a bastardized version for AAMT.  AAMT can kiss my hiney!
If I were married, my husband would not refuse to let me do anything
of this nature. I had a husband like that. I got rid of him very quickly. I am who I am and if I want to go back to school, I would tell him I am going back, which is what I did. He demanded I stay home with the kids at all hours of the day and night. I told him bye.
I agree and I refuse to do any sort of
make up time because I feel if the work is not there, they cannot expect me to work the hours I said I was unavailable. They better not say a darned word about my not getting my lines in this pay period due to no work situations constantly.
And when the US MTs refuse to work for that guess
where the work will go? 
I refuse to do tapes but have a possible solution for you.

I have eliminated tapes completely--just not worth the aggravation, gas, time, etc. I only do digital and the docs have two options. One, buy their own recorder and pay a lower line rate or have me supply the recorder and they pay $0.02 more per line. The digital recorders are as easy to use as the tapes recorders.Stress that improved quality of recording will allow you to hear what they're saying more clearly and will result in fewer blanks. Also, they will experience an improved TAT and there will be no more broken tapes. You may find that they are willing to give it a try when you stress the benefits.


Let the next MT refuse him also. Be open bout
I dont consider this cherrypicking.  Just straight up refusing to do a doctor who has no regard for me or his pts if he is going to dictate in a manner that is indecipherable.  Again, I am in this for the money just like MTSO.  I am not here to work for mere pennies an hour.  There are plenty of jobs out there.  The MTSO can get rid of me over 1 crappy doctor or keep me, knowing I know the platform, etc.  If MTSO would rather have 1 crappy doctor or a darn good MT, whatever.  Again, it is hard to find a good MT, crappy dictators are a dime a dozen.  Let the next MT refuse him or not. It is here decision.  Mine is to ask to be taken off so I can make money just like the MTSO.
no and I would refuse to work for that company. nm
nm
If experirenced MTs refuse to do VR, then the services will not
find enough workers, and perhaps will decide to go back to straight transcription. Hard to make any money off VR. You do not get paid for inputting demographics. Are you typing one space or two spaces between sentences? Some VR programs are set to add only one space, so you are being short-changed there also. No extra for bolding or underlining. No numbering allowed. No tabs allowed. The signature line is not being counted toward your line count. The only way to make money with VR if you have taking a 50% cut in pay is to crank up the speed as fast as possible, let it play, and basically read and not have to fill in too many blanks. Otherwise, you will not make enough money to survive.
When US MTs refuse to edit their garbage
xx
Actually, I can REFUSE to have a breast exam done on
me by a doctor, and I always did. For me this procedure is much too intimate.

I guess you can refuse and be fired and then
be making no money.
I refuse to validate the idiot Cruise
or to enrich him with one penny of my hard-earned money. I will not be seeing his movie or any other project in which he is involved. I feel the same way about Johnny Depp since the horrible, hateful statements he has made about America and Americans. They are free to speak their minds, but I am also free to choose not to reward their hatefulness.
Training on secondary accounts. Can you refuse?
I have a great primary account. I realize I need a secondary for slow times but the secondary account blows big time. It is laborious (many fields, special requirements that are tedious, etc.). Can I say, "No, but thanks." I reach my required line count with what I have on the primary account even though I am not working a full eight hours. I have taken on a PT job and just fill in empty space by turning around and typing on the other computer when it gets slow.

Any feedback or advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Maybe it would work with deadbeat ex-spouses who refuse
to pay child support.
Good advice but some people refuse to
split "amicably." I know for a fact in my case it would be a blame game and a huge mess. Been there many times and resorted to other ways of handling it. I wonder if what you suggested would still work for me?

Not the OP but helped by your advice.

Thanks,
me
This is getting ridiculous. I REFUSE to buy yet another edition of the BS of Style.

Those broads at the AHDI or whatever it is called now have too much time on their hands!  They need to get real jobs.  Get back out there in the trenches, have someone QA the crap out their work, and see how they like every changing quicksand of MT.


I refuse to go to Imail...I've gotten a virus from there and so have many other people. nm
,,
Geesh! What's up with you people who refuse to work holidays?
Don't you think people get sick, have accidents, etc on holidays too? What about the doctors and nurses that have to work holidays? Did you forget about them too?

How about police officers, firemen, paramedics...

Do you think you are the ONLY people out there with family and would like to spend time with them during holidays? We would all love to do that but this chosen career requires some sacrifices.

If you can't give a little you should have never started doing this kind of work.
I refuse to work for a company who outsources. Period.
nm
True. Just as I refuse to deal with cust. service
x
You have really seen an increase?
I am not on ASR, just curious - maybe I should ask to be.
ASR increase
I've been on ASR a year and have seen no increase. I practically have to type the entire report over and start from scratch. IN fact I think they take me longer since you really have to read them very closely because of the dumb words and grammar the computer puts in. I want everyone on ASR who got the "letter" to write back Ms. Barbato and give her your 2 cents on the matter. I'm not taking this lying down, have been kicked around enough by these jerks.
no increase - again!

Hi Ladies,


 


I work as an IC MT and I have to say I am getting pretty discouraged.  I have not had an increase in my cpl in two years.  I did ask recently for an increase but to no avail.  The answer was simply "no, we can't give you an increase at this time."  Wow - where do you go with that?  I feel I work very hard and I am a good transcriptionist.  I love my work but right now I'm down in the dumps about this line of work.  Unfortunately, it is all I know.  Just needed to vent a bit. 



Thanks for listening.


Let us know if you got the increase.
.
not EVERYONE can increase their pay
Don't take for granted that you have the opportunity. When my doctors don't dictate, there is nothing I can do... lets be serious.

I know this is a slow period so I will just wait it out, but don't assume that we are "lucky" to be able to increase our pay, some of you may be, but that is not always true for others.

Good luck to everyone though especially now during the Holidays
Should've held out for the candy bar and refuse to leave till you get it!

Help with rate increase, please
Good morning, everyone. May I have a little advice on a rate increase I am thinking about, please? I have been transcribing for a clinic here in South Florida for 4 years. I started out at 0.06/line and have never raised my rate for this client. However, I would like to raise my line rate to 0.08. Is this unreasonable? I work from home and feel very isolated when it comes to knowing if I am way too low on my rate. Any advice you can give me would be most appreciated. Thanks!
ASR production increase?!?!
Anyone want to know how MQ came up with the figures to say we have a PRODUCTION increase because of ASR?  It will surprise you!
IC Rate Increase

I would say work with them a little.  I would say try and increase to $2.50 per page in the hopes you get an increase of $2.00.  I had a physician do this where I wanted $2.50 from $1.50 (6 years ago), and he offered me $2.00.  I took it. 


I am now, same physician, looking for a way to increase as I get paid per page $2.00 (typing from handwritten forms/not dictation), but I think he may go for it.  I, however, am looking at whether I am making more with him per page as opposed to per line and with him it seems I do better per page.  I also make deliveries.  If I were you, I would not go 4 times a week if they are not willing to compensate you a little more for that time.  Production is production, but the time spent making the deliveries needs to be worked in. 


Is this a client that could possibly go digital?  You may want to stroll that avenue.  Just a thought.  E-mail me if you'd like and have more questions.  I am having the same dilemma.  No one wants to go digital, but they are flexible with pick-up/delivery. 


I read an article on www.mtworld.com about transcriptionists not making what they should because they do not want to "rock the boat", well my boat is sinking somewhat as everything has gone up but my income!!!  HAHAHAHAHA


Rate increase...

I just this done several months ago and what I did was put a little "blurb" at the bottom on the current invoice that said "Effective xx/xx/xx line rate will be $x.xx", with the effective date starting the next month.   I never heard anything back so have been billing at increased rate ever since.  I did make it large enough (same font size as rest of invoice) and put a couple of ******next to it.  When you get a bill from your water, electric, gas or whatever company, they don't even tell you,they just raise it, although sometimes the cable company will tell you in advance that rates have changed.  Anyway, that's what I did, didn't feel I needed to justify it, especially if your rates have been the same for a long time, like mine!!  Good luck.


Increase speed
Crank up the speed of the dictator as high as you can while still understanding it. Learn all the keyboard shortcuts and don't touch the mouse. If you hover your mouse over the buttons, you'll see the shortcut.
How to increase productivity

The more targeted your glossaries are, the faster you get to your words and phrases. Are you using doctor- or specialty-specific glossaries combined with your own base glossary?


Are you concentrating on phrases rather than on words? The big keystroke savings kick in when you concentrate on the phrases your doctors say all the time.


More about productivity at the link below. I hope it will give you some quick tips.


Marianne


Where do you work where you can increase
I wanted to work all hours this week and make a good check for the holidays. I am actually getting half, because there is no work at any time of day. I am working 12-15 hours sitting and waiting for work. If you can share any where that has an abundance of work to get incentives it would be very appreciated. Glad you can make up for your loss, but I am sorry you are going through this.
Sorry. Got cut off. Nothing I do can increase the font size.
x
To the person asking whether to increase her rate sm

check this website out.  These are the vendors and what they are charging for New Jersey Medical Center.


http://www.umdnj.edu/purchweb/employees/employ16_transcribing.htm


To all of those MQ MTs,  check it out, they are charging up to $0.20 per 65 character line. 


Hope this helps.


Min wage in WA is 7.63 but they are proposing a $1 increase. nm
$$
My plan to increase my income
Real estate. I just took a new MT job during second shift hours. I'm going to real estate school (doesn't take long). My plan is to do the real estate thing during the day.

They even have a program that is certified (Georgia) that I can take online. I know it will take time to start getting listings and closings once I get my license, but at least it's a ray of hope.
my plan to increase income
Hi - Unfortunately, you will have to have some money in your savings to pay your bills until you become established. I went to real estate school with "the dream of more money", almost easy money. I didn't survive long enough to make any money. It is another one of those "lure you in with lies" profession. Sorry - but no better than MT