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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

MT is just like any other business, - supply and demand -

Posted By: Milli on 2006-06-05
In Reply to: I hear ya... - Experienced MT

if India is doing it at 8 cpl do you really think America is going to hold at 16? Yes, eight years ago, 16 cpl was not unheard of. Today, many MTSO's do not dare even raise rates. We have not raised rates for 3 years and don't intend to. Which means MT's don't get raises either. But you either deal with it or you get out and get into another field. "if wishes were horses, even poor men could ride"


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Not necessarily. Supply & demand...
If prices are stable, quality will begin to count again. It's simply a cost vs benefit analysis. Just like some US MTs stink on the quality scale, I hear some Indian MTs are quite good. When the cost is stable enough that docs can't "settle" for poor quality (which many of them really don't care - it's just another requirement they must fulfill), then they'll look for quality again. Those of them who are quality MTs, will be able to compete, and with the increased competition based primarily on quality, the substandard MTs will go away, both Indian and US, but with cost being the sole driving factor, it's my belief that the quality of the average US MT is no longer much better that the average Indian MT.
I don't know about demand sm
I think is far more important to be good at whatever it is you do and enjoy it.  The cream always rises to the top.
HBO on Demand works for me....
Sex and the City, Six Feet Under, Sopranos episodes over and over and over....I never get sick of them!
DEMAND FOR FAIR PAY
I think we all need to stage a walk out! It adds insult to injury to know these companies will still charge the same amount to these hospitals and they will pocket the money, while we see a decrease! RISE UP EVERYONE!
you go ahead and demand that $75K
That will leave your position open for another person who doesn't think they are the MT queen. That "level of expertise" has been achieved by many hard-working individuals. They are out there with excellent skills and might be happy to take your place. Then you can spend your time pursuing something that will make you happy and allow you to feel fulfilled. I feel sorry for you that you are so bitter about your choice of employment. You still do not need to go out insulting other people and calling someone stupid. You do owe her an apology.
naw - it's only the control freaks who demand....

and I cannot tolerate control freaks on any level anywhere in the life


been there, done that (control freaks in the life)....


Dud you send a demand payment letter? sm
You can find a sample one by Googling.

If you do win in small claims court, the judgement will give you legal ways to collect. For example, having the sheriff put liens on bank accounts, using a collection agency, etc.

Good luck to you. I have been in your shoes and, fortunately, the demand payment letter worked for me.
Tell him for demand jobs you charge .02 more a line - sm
maybe that will cool him off, or if he wants 12 hour TAT .01 more a line.
You certainly demand a lot and are so aggressive. Hope you cool down when you are with your family.
x
What future demand is there for higher-skilled MTs? Inquiring mind wants to know. SM
Seriously--with computers taking over the keyboarding and the electronic medical record replacing much (just HOW much?) of the currently dictated verbage, what need will healthcare providers have that we can train to fill at least the same remuneration if not better? What potential is there for remote work? I confess I'm very fond of my current commute down the hall to my office, and googling MT in England, which has had the EMR for some time now, suggests it's high time I figure out how I'm going to keep it. Any thoughtful or knowledgeable answers would be greatly appreciated.
Send a letter of demand payment (check Nolo Law websites) - sm
to find any legalese you may want to include on it), and send it via Registered Mail, so that she must sign for it and you will get a receipt proving she received it. If she doesn't pay by your demand date, file a claim at Small Claims Court. Very inexpensive, and if she doesn't pay, and doesn't show up at court (in your state), you win by default. If still no payment, you can return to Small Claims and put a lien on her car, her house, anything you want, which can be forcibly confiscated by the Sheriff and then you can sell it to recoup the money owed to you.
Unfortunately it is legal..so yes it is business and they will continue with bad business practices
x
not only that, but most co's do not supply...sm
supply any of the equip, have 800 access (pay your own internet) etc, etc, very little financial help. AND the biz about "not enough MTs" is bull, the ones that know better, don't want to take the cut. This is all due to GREED, of the biggies, creating a ceiling price for us, but not for them, just bigger profits in their pockets for the deal when they leave... very well taken care of. CRUMMY deal for us.
its all about supply.
hahahahahahaha
furthermore, when companies as us to supply ULD....
they are in essence asking us to do something ILLEGAL because we are not allowed to use ULD from transcription.....PERIOD!  I wonder if they even realize this?  It's time they did!
All my docs supply their own
paper, letterhead, envelopes, etc.  I did have one doc that wanted sticky paper, but the office supplied it to me at no charge.  I would give them a copy of the receipt when you purchase it.  Attach it to the bill with a small charge for having to go and buy it for them.  Could you perhaps speak to the office manager who could maybe have their person who purchases supplies order it for you? 
Car power supply.
I use a power converter that you can buy at Wal-Mart for about $35. I keep it in the car all the time.
When you want work they do not have to supply any
So, if they do not like the fact you jump as soon as it comes in, or if you get a headache and they get annoyed, for example, they do not have to supply you with work any longer. This leads to the IC jumping at the client's whims and rules, or flat out finding another client. These days, though, IMHO, it is hard to find a client which does not withdraw work if you don't meet their criteria. Guess it is part of the TAT, competition going on everywhere.
Go to Sally's Beauty Supply
I use the Wella color-- comes in a small bottle. Buy your own developer. It is professional quality stuff and the sales people are knowledgeable.
It's been maybe 4-5 years since I worked there, but no ... seems like they supply it to you. nm
x
Can you supply the link to read it? nm
n
Buy a bark breaker from pet supply catalog (sm)
PetEdge (they are also online) sells a couple of products for kennels that issue corrective noises for barking. You can install certain models outside aimed at the nuisance and it might train him not to bark.
A lot of the refineries that supply the south are in Louisiana.
x
No, she does not.She will be asking us "the govt" to supply her necessities
and we will do it.  You and I, who carry Wal-Mart purses (speaking for myself, of course).  Makes me mad too.  I also noticed the Budweiser can.  Jaundiced eye?  I think not.
We keep a 2 week supply of canned food,

a Coleman stove, propane, water, etc.,  in our basement because we live in an area that is prone to heavy snow and blizzards, low temperatures, and we cannot always get out in wintertime, but I sure don't see any long lines of the politicians here pretending to help us. They would free their backsides so, thankfully, they stay out of our business and we stay safe.  I have quit sympathizing with those who know they are in the path of storm and do nothing about it.  The idiots in Cancun knew that area was directly in the path so now they moan and groan because they can't get out.  Too bad! 


As far as Florida goes, you go through this same thing several times a year, so you have been through the drill.  If you don't like the weather, move somewhere else.  Don't stand in lines with your hands out waiting for sympathy.


 


the supply slowly dwindles, and you give up and go elsewhere...sm
what is the point of making a high line rate, when there is so little work available, you have to find two, three and four services to make the same amount that you did at ONE! This is a very sad biz!!
Go to a beauty supply store in your area and ask them.
You can buy the professional stuff even if you're not a beautician. My SIL says not to use the box stuff. She buys tubes of coloring and uses two or three different shades to get more highlights and lowlights so it looks more natural instead of being unicolor. She's a licensed cosmetologist/beautician or whatever they're called nowadays.
I agree with medical supply company .../sm
I just finished staying with my uncle during his last few months of lung cancer. The motorized lift action was a godsend the last few weeks when he had trouble standing up to get into his walker and move around. We were fortunate in that one of the relatives had a relative who had a relative... etc... anyway, we were able to get a used lift chair in good condition for a lot less, but even if you have to pay full price at medical supply store, it is definitely the way to go if your mom has mobility problems or you think she will in the near future.
installing an uninterruptable power supply (UPS)

I am preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.  What concerns me is a power outage causing me to be unable to work for long periods of time.  I have just purchased a generator but also am wondering if anyone has any information on installing an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) to their computer which is apparently a battery that will run your computer.  I work for a national and wonder if this is permitted?


Anyone?


I made my business your business by posting and...
I totally respect everyone's opinions. It is easier for others on the outside looking in. That's why I pushed the "post reply" button yesterday. I trust my fellow MTs and I know the more I read from you all, the more confident I am becoming. I just need that final push, not from him though. I also wanted to let you all know that the physical abuse while I was pregnant was documented by my doctor and the hospital. I only wish I had known then that it is a felony to abuse a pregnant woman. I also photographed my face from a couple of weeks ago and told several people in my circle. I had such high hopes for us. Now...not so much. I'm not saying that I won't try to get him to church, but I realize that God can only do so much for someone who isn't listening. j
Business is business. Internet forums are
.
Atlanta medical book supply store?

I would so appreciate some help.  I just started an IC job.  I wasn't told I would need a word Expander and medical spellcheck.  Every other place I have worked for provided these.  I need to get something fast, i.e., in person now if possible!, as I am already working and not very productive without these two items.  There was a store I went to years ago in downtown Atlanta where I got some medical books near the Fox theater.  Does anyone know if it is still there and the name of it?  I don't have any yellow pages and I have not been able to pinpoint anything on Google.  Thanks so much!


It is useless to supply facts because they don't matter, only emotion. NM
x
With mail order I paid $15 for a 3 month supply,
the same as I would pay in my local phamarcy for a 1 month supply, so saved $30.00 going through the mail versus buying locally.   It was with ExpressScripts  (sp), which is the drug program that comes with our insurance. 
Your company should supply you the pedal or the adapter. I've
s
I would just supply one digital copy, either send the work back
via an FTP site or email attachment or whatever, or keep addending to a CD, but let them keep their own archives. And why can't they print when you deliver the CD or the work in digital format? I don't do any printing at all. Everything goes back digital and they keep their own copies. Once I bill for the month, everything gets deleted, as it should be under HIPAA.
Any tattoo shop mostly, hot topic, sally's beauty supply...SM

Any place that pierces, head shop, etc. Hope that helps.


I give ours gift certificates to the local teacher supply store.
One year, we also gave a teacher a gift certificate to PetCo (for the class bird!).
Honey Bee Wax, microwavable formula, sold at Sally's Beauty Supply for $9.99 (plus the strips for
sold at Sally's Beauty Supply for $9.99 (plus the strips for $9.99).
Foot pedals break easy. You're lucky they supply one. I have SIX different ones gathering dust.
nm
get a Belken control switch box - about $20 at office supply stores. Use regular printer cable. NM
"
For a business ad?! A business that deals
''Transcriptsis'' x2

''with good track record''

''serve our clients of all sizes'' (I know what they mean, but I just think the wording is funny)

''strive to achieve highest possible quality'' (once again, they never met an 'article' that they didn't hate)

''all departments including H&P...'' (or a comma, for that matter)

Might be able to rent one from an office supply or office machine repair shop
s
Is that really any of your business?
I would think that it would be very wrong of you to spread the information you found on Google while searching for the patient's name. Are you 100% certain that it is the exact same person you are transcribing? Even seemingly oddball names can be duplicated and how would you look spreading around gossip? Even if it is court-documented, it really is not your story to tell, IMO. I would love to know who is telling you to put it on the news. That is about the craziest thing I've heard in a while, although quite good for a laugh.
MT business
It depends on how large a business you want.  There are still some small accounts, (10,000 to 18,000 lines) per month that are still on tape that you can get.  Also the digital is not that hard but I will not pay for anyone to transfer my files, I can do that.   I do not have a phone in system but if someone were to ask I would probably start out with the ones that charge so much per minute and use their system until I knew for sure the account was staying.   Where are you located, have you networked with anyone in the area?  Are you set up for tapes as well as digital?  If you start out alone, you have no back-up, you have to do everything.  When you hire I/C's sometimes they are dependable and sometimes not.   You will not earn much off of them if you want to keep your accounts.   You will not be able to charge as high as the larger companies nor go after the larger accounts at first.   It is a fine line as to having enough help and enough work and that is why you hear the complaints all the time, "We have run out of work" as you have no control over how much or when a doctor dictates or if he takes time off.  But would I give it up, probably not as the money is good to me.   You can E-mail me with any specific questions, I have been doing my own small MTSO for over 20 years.   Been through it all, ups, downs, good times, bad times, and everyting in between.   My accounts have been with me from 6 years to 20 years so I feel that they are pretty stable. 
Well I am sorry that you are using this business as sm
your excuse, but hospitals pay their people for holidays and if by chance you have to work them, they pay you time and a half.

I do not know why a business owner cannot take these things into consideration when setting up a business. This is a business just like any other business and if you have employees, those employees need to be given the same consideration as any other business. IC status is different, but I find using the nature of this business as an excuse just a little weak.

A good business head would enable you to provide benefits for your employees and if you have already made up your mind it does not, then I think probably it is because maybe you need someone else to do that figuring for you.

I am not being mean in saying these things, but even small business owners I know are able to work it out that a holiday is a holiday (whether you have to work it or not) and an employee needs to be compensated in some manner. To me, there is no excuse for not doing so.
new business
My opinion would be to let them either work at home or at the company.  I prefer to work at home, but some people may not.  As far the pay issue--when I started doing transcription I made .06 cpl and I think that is a fair rate.  Hope I helped
This is really none of my business, and I know that,
but the more I read of your story, the more absurd it becomes to even think of staying with this man.  I'm truly sorry.  I know how hard it is to leave, as I had to that in my former life, and believe me I wanted my marriage to last "til death do us part," but that ain't always possible.  I too TRUST in the Lord with ALL of MY HEART and SOUL, and as I said, sometimes it just ain't possible.  The Lord will guide you through this.  Guess it is just that as an outsider it is easier to see the forest for the trees.
Been there on business
I used to work retail management and my company had a resort there. I have been there several times to meetings and we always had some time to do things. I always enjoyed it and would like to go some day just for pleasure. There is lots to do there.
New business
I have a small transcription company that kind of fell into my lap, luckily.  It has been a year now, we have five girls and are doing a really good job with one large account.  I had tons of experience as a transcriptionist, but never as a business manager, so I took my time.  Now I am looking to get more work.  Anybody have any thoughts as to how to reel them in?
I have been in this business for
always been cherrpickers and probably always will be, just like bad drivers,  you can't get away from it.  I have given up and just do what comes up.  Saying anything doesn't seem to help.