Home     Contact Us    
Main Board Job Seeker's Board Job Wanted Board Resume Bank Company Board Word Help Medquist New MTs Classifieds Offshore Concerns VR/Speech Recognition Tech Help Coding/Medical Billing
Gab Board Politics Comedy Stop Health Issues
ADVERTISEMENT




Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

My recent experience at my vet

Posted By: mtzone on 2006-02-08
In Reply to: OT: Changing face of veterinary medicine (sm) - catlover

I have been taking 5 cats there for years. They have seen me through a lot of issues with various animals, and I truly believe my animals have all received excellent care. My beef is they also just added on to their already huge clinic, seem to have a never ending supply of support staff, new computers, you name it. One of my cats went in to be vaccinated recently. I just do basic shots these days because all the cats are indoor cats, I know their history, etc. They took the cat to the back this time, and when I got the bill it was for every darn shot you can imagine for cats (leukemia, etc.), plus they charged $15 to express her anal glands (never even asked for that!), toenail trim for $10 (I can do that at home myself, thank you very much), and a few other things. Needless to say I was not happy about it! Never again is my animal being "taken to the back" for anything. They can give blood draws and shots with me right there, just as they have done in the past. I have no problem with them doing that right there in front of me. Guess their bottom line is they need to milk their clients for any bit of cash they can get these days. I am really, really disappointed in them now.


Complete Discussion Below: marks the location of current message within thread

The messages you are viewing are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select the boards given in left menu


Other related messages found in our database

My recent experience
I, of course, cannot comment for other users, but my recent experience with Pam (one of their recruiters) has been excellent.  She was VERY upfront with me and gave me several options of companies and told me why they would or would not be a good fit for me.  If you're interested in finding new work, what is the harm in contacting them?  I can just about guarantee that you will NOT be directed to Spheris or MQ.  Also, even when I asked questions about companies that they did not represent, she was very open and honest about those companies as well, at least the ones that I asked her about....meaning she told me good things about some of them, as well as ones to look out for.  Basically, I'm going with one of the companies that she recommended and I'm excited about it for once. 
My recent job-hunting experience

Two decades of hospital experience here.  Applied at about 6 different large companies.  Some of the pay was atrocious (.07), some was fair (.08).  One offered .085 but had to work the hours precisely as they demanded as an IC with no flexibility and told me up front it was an extremely difficult and high ESL account.  (Now I realize that someone has to type those hard dictators, but would prefer that they be mixed in with an easier account -- been there and done that as far as an 80 percent HARD ESL account).


Of course I didn't take any of them and now I wish I had told them the pay was too low and that it was insulting.  I was not tempted to accept any of those jobs.  The recruiters for the most part acted as if I should be honored to be offered such a cruddy job with them!!  These were all companies who advertise heavily on the MT boards and perhaps that is why they are constantly advertising.


I took a job with a very small company who has decent accounts and were eager to pay me a better wage so I know they are out there.  I had interaction with 2 such smaller companies who offered good pay.


I really hate to see to see good transcriptionists take jobs that offer so little in return for our services as it hurts us all in the long run.


Does anyone have recent experience working with Spheris...

that you wouldn't mind sharing.  I heard that they used to drop your pay based on how many reports you send to be QA'd.  Is it really that way?  Just want to know before I would consider applying.


Recent diagnosis of MS

Hang in there!  You can overcome a chronic illness and empower yourself.  It ain't easy, but doable.  Been that way for 12 years now.


Just make sure you file the disability with a disability attorney. SS is very well known for denying claims usually twice, then court before they grant it.  This waste many many months and tires us that are already tired, out.  You need all your energy to fight the disease, not for your rights to supplemental income you've paid for all these years. 


Your children will also receive dependent benefits until they reach 18, so again, get an experienced dis. atty.  Hang in there


Actually I did get a recent raise...
so I'm sure not complaining about that, and fully expect to be given the harder docs, but how are the former cherrypickers supposed to finally learn how to do 'em if all the Foul Ones are sent to us old-timers? I presume they must be getting SOME of them, hence the bad TAT suddenly - but my raise seems to be dwindling as I am assaulted by a steady stream of "mushmouths" all day! Not 2 mention getting hateful after so many in a row without an occasional "good doc"....oh well - back to the foulness!
I am looking for some recent information on...

Everything that I find in the archives is old.  I have already been offered a position with 1 and waiting on an interview with the other.  I have chosen IC status for both because I just cannot comply with the strict schedules that these companies have now.  I have tried being an employee but after 10 years of being an IC and working when I want, schedules are tough.  Does anyone have any advice please?


See the recent discussion
on page 2 or 3 of the company board.
recent graduate

I just finished school back in Nov. of 2005. I've been looking and looking for a job online and still have had no luck. The only response I seem to get bac from anyone is that I don't have enough experience. Does anyone have any pointers on what I should I do, or how I should approach this field? Please help me!!! I don't know what to do anymore!!


Webmedx will take anyone. They even take recent sm
graduates and pay them to do acute care, with no experience.  I don't think they would care that your acute care was in the past.  Just empathize it, and demand a decent line rate.  It is all going to ASR, anyway, and you will become an editor, just like the other very experienced MTs.
What was that recent movie ...
Something where they were going to blow up a compound in Saudi, wasn't it?
Don't know about platforms, but recent
posts about having trouble getting paid with DeVenture. 
recent graduate

I graduated this year from a community college which used the Career Step program in addition to some other courses.  It was all done online.  I have been working for 3 months, and have learned almost as much from working as from school so far.  The difference is that you are doing 800-1200 lines a day so you are exposed to a lot more information.  However, I don't believe I would have passed the entrance exams without everything I did pick up with the schooling. 


I would definitely encourage formal training of some sort because it is such a competitive industry.  I honestly don't think you could get hired from home, or pass an entrance exam without a good deal of training.  The 98% accuracy they are looking for on their tests is tough to hit without very strong grammar, med terminology, and AAMT/AHDI standards knowledge.  I am not making much money now, but I know within a year it will be different.  I am home and that is invaluable to me!


Good luck! 


 


Experience on top, current experience first. Education second. Leave out ALL fluff.
Recruiters don't need your life story. They need to know if you can do the job. If you want, put your current employer, then state "I have 20 years in the profession doing....." Keep it simple; keep it clean. If you want to go into more detail, do it during the interview. A HUGE red flag is to see that you've worked for 10 different companies, for months at a time. I know that someone who has worked for the same company for 2 years or more is going to have some degree of loyalty and will work through issues rather than cut and run.
my office was not a recent closure
but a few years ago. and it all went very smooth: a change of phone numbers and contacts...but the new office actually turned out to be better with communication and other things. My main account also transferred with me. MQ has the structure and management to do such things smoothly, even more so now than then.

No, i am not management.
My information is from recent research >>>
for an MT's job search directory, and so far less than 1% of facilities, including hospitals, clinics, major healthcare providers and individual practices, have an awareness of AAMT/CMT.    With the current "unrest" even among members, as well as the move toward an AMA-sponsored MT association, I still believe CMT is not of much value - unless things change dramatically and soon.
Some recent posts are lost...
during server upgrade, regardless of the topics or posters.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

http://forum.mtstars.com/company/v/2/932.html
What are you talking about? Most recent IS from today!!
Brenda, what are you thinking today's date is exactly? You have us all puzzled!
my observation on some recent posts

there is the thread about podiatry, posts about companies, posts about cherry picking,  ESLs taking over, this company is the best.     How many hundreds of us are on these boards???   Its a good thing we are all individuals - and there is so much work out there because one type of person could not do all the types of work.  Not everyone wants to work for big corporation  - not everyone wants to run their own MT service.


Some of us hate short little clinic notes, some hate long operative reports.  Some love radiology, others want to type IMEs. Never work for a company that IMs you all day vs  this company never gives feedback.


Where I  recently worked - we always used to leave behind certain reports for the late shift person, stuff we all thought she loved until one day she complained - how come I HAVE TO DO ALL the _____ studies..  Its kinda funny- you might think someone is cherrypicking all the CT's and they think they are doing you a favor by leaving short reports. 


Of course NO ONE likes the really awful individual dictators, whether it is ESL or chewers, the accounts that have a million details or QA that keeps changing. I think most of us know you have to take some bad with the good and when you TRY to do the tuff stuff, the good stuff becomes easier.


So  when someone comes to vent - cut them some slack - who cares about typos here - we all know that when we are working, we use our spellchecks and pay attention to details. 


When I take time to answer on this board, it is never with judgement - I always try to say "in MY experience, psych reports are bad because ..."  or when I worked for  XYZ company, they did not count lines correctly.  You cannot make generalities about  a profession as varied as this one. 


I come here for information AND entertainment - it does take a certain type of person to do this work -  that has nothing to do with the skills involved - and I think we share an understanding of each other, even as we argue over everything.    We all saw a part of ourselves in the recently posted "You Might Be a Transcriptionist If..." and we all laughed as we shook our heads. 


Sad to say I am about to make the decision to try a career change - I cannot push myself anymore (after almost 30 years) to produce enough lines to make the money I need - thats not to say it can't be done these days, just that I don't want to/can't  work that hard anymore. 


Have you tried the recent job board listings?
xx
Very interesting. In my recent job search,
I've been trying to decide how to eliminate this problem (being unable to use my time effectively for my own purposes). It seems that would be the same as being on call, and I would either expect to be paid for it or free to use my time however I desire until I do actually engage myself, i.e., no work available at the start of my shift frees me to leave the house to take care of personal business, to work at another job, or to keep clicking the button, whatever. But I wasted incredible amounts of unpaid time "trying to get a job." I won't be doing that again. You want me to actively wait, pay me by the hour, and my shift ends when my schedule says it ends. Anything else is unreasonable.
anyone else upset with recent changes at DSG and so-called pool changes?
I am definitely upset with the recent changes, and don't trust management when they say it's for the MTs benefit. All I can see from these changes is a HUGE decline in the quality of dictators I am getting, slowing me down big-time, almost like all the decent ones are missing. Does anyone know what's really happening at DSG lately?
At recent financial aid seminar, I was told...

Although I am married and it doesn't pertain to me...


The financial aid officer told all the parents there that if their child is 22, living with them or not, their finances will be looked at and considered when the kid goes to college.  So if you boot your kid out the door at 22, consider the fact that if you make too much money, your kid may not be able to afford to go to college without your help because their student loans, scholarships, etc. will be based on both the student's income and the parents.  If they are married or have children parent's income is not a factor, only the student.


read a recent interview with the stars
I recently read an interview with the stars.. can u believe that one guy lied about his past to get a sympathy vote! check out the article..http://www.savvymiss.com/no-cache/living-entertaining-do-it-yourself/living-tips-home-entertaining/entertaining-archive/article/the-next-food-network-stars-share-what-every-kitchen-needs-most-2483.html
Recent study done... excerpt..see link ...

I read this just last night, as I too have been researching and gleaning information regarding the future of MT and pondering making any career changes.


http://govhealthit.com/Articles/2009/01/07/Spending-on-health-IT-would-generate-212105-jobs.aspx


EXCERPT:


The analysis found that a $10 billion health IT stimulus program would create or retain 43,410 jobs directly, most of them in areas such as software and hardware sales and system installation. Another 115,670 jobs would be created or retained indirectly, in areas such as sales of trucks and food to those holding the new jobs.

And the availability of new and improved networks and information would create 53,025 jobs, the foundation reported.

Stephen Ezell, a senior analyst at ITIF, said in answer to a reporter’s question that the analysis did not take into account the potential loss of jobs in areas such as medical records management and transcription of physicians’ notes.


 


Management is a joke. I've seen recent
posts where they pay 8 cpl, which isn't very good for the accounts they have. 
Recent postings about "no work and so forth"

Quite a few posters who have been MTs for a number of years (myself included) have come under attack recently for comments posted here  -- what those of us who have done this for years are seeing is "I only want to work certain hours, won't do weekends, don't want to be on call so on and so forth"  Guess what?  I got an email from my supervisor on Monday asking me to cover a certain work type while that person was on vacation  -- I did it!!! -- She also called me today (Sunday and asked me to do 3 STATS  -- I cover STATS on Wednesday)  -- however, I did it because it it my JOB  -- since I started this job in October, I have NEVER run ouf of work  -- if the work type that I do runs out, I do to a differnt work type, it is similar to learning a new account which I have done in the past as well.  All I want to say, is be grateful right now that you have a job and if the "work does not fit YOUR FAMILY SCHEDULE" then learn to adjust  -- think PRIORITIES


Not that I know, but you can open 200 on the page and it's easier to find the most recent ones.
x
Check recent posts on Company Board. nm
x
Check the Company board for recent comments. nm
s
I have to say I am just sick over the recent round of school violence

My daughter's Middle School implemented some new safety measures this year. Visitors have to be "buzzed in" and when the kids go from building to building they must use their ID cards to enter the doors.


But one day my daughter forgot her clarinet and my husband took it to her. We are talking about a "country-boy" looking man carrying a small black case. A teacher and her class was exiting the main building and the teacher actually held the door for my husband to enter as they were exiting. She had no idea who he was. Scary.


Anyway, it seems the Amish shooter targeted that school so he could avoid the security measures that have been established in most schools in recent years.


My heart goes out to the families who lost and for those sitting at the bedside of the remaining girls. I hope and pray they will recover.


Thanks for letting me ramble. This has really been on my mind a lot lately


 


 


 


I have the most recent version of Corel WP, but it pales in comparison to (sm)

Microsoft Office Small Business 2000 (MSWord, Excel, Outlook, IE5.0. ) This software works as flawlessly as the day I purchased it.  Patches never required.  No hang-ups or crashes.  The only alteration I have made to it, is that I am running the most current version of IE.  However, most of the time I use a tabbed browser for my web experience. 



Answer to all recent posts . . . sm . . . and my own summarization of reasons as to the first post -
To the poster accusing me of lying (SEE MESSAGE):

I am not. However, I have to mention that I have been working at least 20 hours of OT a pay period. My end amount for the month before taxes is about $2200 (give or take a few hundred depending on how much OT I can work).

Thus, I take home from that about $850 per pay check. That is $1700 a month of take home pay. Like I said in my first post, my husband is able to bring home some money. So with his help, our monthly income is about $1900 after taxes and benefits.

Below is the list of our expenses in a month. Obviously, we are not living comfortably and are pinching ever penny we have, but we are still making it.

House - $1350/mo
Phone Bill - $80/mo
Electric - $125/mo
Heat - $110/mo
Diapers - $40/mo
Gas - $50/mo
Food - $140/mo

Total - $1895/mo

I know the food amount seems low, but we grew all our own vegetables during the summer and have a connection with relatives on farms for eggs, chicken, and beef. We have made an effort to keep our bills as low as possible.

Next poster (My Take):
Yes, $11.50/hr is very low. However, if I were to go outside the home with my education, I wouldn't be able to find a job at more than maybe $16.00/hr. Yes that is quite a bit more than $11.50/hr, however, that does not include the $$$ that I would be having to pay to put my son into day care and does not include the $$$ that I would be spending on gas (would have to travel about 100 miles a day to find a job that pays that much). All that added up, ends up making my horrible pay of $11.50/hr equal to or greater than the $16.00/hr pay. I do not consider myself to be working for peanuts. I could make more if I wanted, but I chose to have family benefits, an employee status, and produce work that I can be proud of (not that I am saying those of you making more money than I aren't producing good work, I just know if I rush too much, I tend to miss things that I wouldn't had I slowed down and took my time). In the position I am at right now, I can easily make $24/hr, but because I tend to make more mistakes at this pace, I choose to slow down and send out great work. I wouldn't want my medical record to be incorrect. I completely understand that there aren't many, who would like to be in my situation, I am just trying to show people that you actually can live off of lower pay, whether you want to admit it or not. I do know that where you live makes a big difference, but if I have to chose between a roof over my family's head and food on the table versus living in a certain area, you better believe I will chose my family.

Next Poster (Hawaii MT):
Hawaii is a much more expensive place to live. I don't think I could be an MT and live there due to that fact. However, I wouldn't put myself in that situation. Your post is correct, I don't think you could live off of $11.50/hr down there, which is why if that was all I was bringing in, I would have to move. Better to be miserable and support my family than be happy but not have a house or food to eat. IMHO. In regards to clothes, I am lucky because I have my sister, who gives me the stuff she doesn't want any more. I haven't bought one article of clothing for myself in 5 years now. In reference to your next post about moving and then moving back, that is was your decision to put yourself in that situation of living in a more expensive area. Thus if you aren't making enough to survive, isn't it your fault then? Why complain about the industry? Granted, I am not sure if you are one to be complaining, but just my thoughts.

Next Poster (MTT):
I never said I was doing well off of $11.50/hr. In fact, I am not doing well at all, just getting buy, but I am able to make it, so that is why I am happy. I can't believe you make almost as much as a nurse. You must be awesome. Nurses in my area make $35/hr minimum. I do, however, agree that the lack of pay raises in this industry is frustrating. The more experience I have, the less my pay seems to be. I went from making almost $14/hr with a local hospital to $11.50/hr with an MTSO, but didn't have a choice, so made it work.

Next Poster (MT):
I know you can't live in California or New York on my wages. However, if I were living in those areas and making what I make, I would be working 2 to 3 jobs if I felt I absolutely had to continue to live in those areas. I doubt I would do that though. I would much rather live a more comfortable lifestyle somewhere that is less expensive.

Next Poster (thought about moving?):
My thoughts exactly. For those complaining about their wages and the cost of living being so much, I don't understand why they complain, when there are other options. JMHO.

Next Poster (50 miles inland):
Florida is cheaper than California, as well as a lot of the southern and east coasts.

Next Poster (income):
My rent went from $500/mo 3 years ago to $1350/mo once I bought a house. This was my choice, but I know what it is like to feel a shock from rising payments. I have adjusted to this though, and actually since our payments have gone up, our income has gone down by over half of what it used to be. Not much fun, but the whole point of my original post was to let people know that it still can be done, just that sometimes drastic measures have to be taken. I don't know of many who can get their income to go up, so instead of complaining about how low it is all the time, why not do something about the extra expenses you do have?

Next Poster (I would be happy at $25/hr too):
If you can't afford to live off of what you are making and you live in a high cost area, then what I meant by reevaluate your lifestyle might actually be that if you want to continue as an MT because of all the other perks, you might have to sacrifice and move so that you can afford to live while working as an MT. That would be one way of reevaluating if you can't afford to live like you currently are on your pay. Personally, I wouldn't be moving. I would be finding a different job or getting more jobs. I like where I live.

The basic point of my post is that there is no point in complaining about how "little you make". If you don't make enough money to "survive", then you should be looking at either a new job, another job, or finding a place where you can "survive" off of what you currently make. There is no point in coming on these boards to complain about your "horrible pay or no raises" when you are making twice as much as a lot of people. Besdies with the economy right now, anyone with a job doesn't even have a right to complain IMHO. I know too many people laid off right now, who are struggling to keep their house. So to see people complaining about what they make when they have a job is not fair.

My whole point of my original post had nothing to do with how much I make (trust me, I am not proud of it, but it does pay the bills, so I am grateful for that). It had to do with the fact that you should be happy you have a job.

To those of you that said I was happy making $11.50/hr, the reason I am "happy" is because I can support my family. I don't like the amount and think it is quite low, but I am so happy right now just to have a job it isn't even funny. This is why I am happy with my $11.50/hr. Seriously, with the way the economy is, I would be happy as a peaches pie just to be making anything over minimum wage.

Also, I like being an MT and being able to work from home and be with my family. I think the fact that I am able to be home with my family everyday is well worth my lack in pay.

I do understand that we aren't getting paid what we should be and that the wages are continuing to go down, but that is happening everywhere. Just be happy you have a job. Seriously.

Any more comments . . . I am just trying to make those who are complaining realize how lucky they actually are to have a job and to be making as much as they do.
AccuStat of Wisc. uses Lanier, not sure how part time it is. Had a recent job posting here. Go
x
Who IS this gung-ho recent graduate of the Board Police Academy? Lordamercy! nm
x
Recent Article on the Time Warner Cable rate trial

I saw this article yesterday in the news.  I back tracked and found a link to it:


Time Warner Cable to Trial Usage-based Billing Scheme for High-speed Internet


I've used it as recent as a mont ago (for a year and a half total) with no problem.

In my exeprience, it has been MT friendly.  I did have some start up issues because of Vista, but that was easily resolved if you get a cust. svc rep with a little knowledge.  My issue was with getting word to run inside of the scribe program like it was supposed to.  It kept opening outside of scribe.  By Vista being so new to the platform, It was registry problem that needed some tweeking. 


Most recent Consumer Reports magazine did an article about this. Most effective was hormone replac
.
Lots of recent posts if you do a Company Board search. Good luck! nm
.
Talk to an attorney. The bankruptcy laws have changed considerably in recent years and you need to s
x
How is one going to get experience, when no one will hire without experience????
I constantly see all these job openings asking for experience.  How can I get experience, when no one will hire me without experience???
The so-called "reality show" is the lowest form of so-called entertainment in recent years
I hate them. They've ruined TV.
read recent posts on this board and on the company board
/
Do you need to have 2 years full time experience or just 2 years' experience? nm
..
In my experience,

ratio is about 3 to 4 on a large hospital account doing all specialities and report types.   I think it would be closer to 2 or 3 with clinic work.   


In my experience, I had to (sm)
allow the company to access my computer by clicking on an icon on my desktop.  After they were done, I had to click "out" of the program, thus they cannot access my computer unless I give them my "permission" by accessing the program on my end!  Does that make sense?
in my experience, (sm)
work always slows down in the summer, especially after a holiday.  Hang in there, it gets better!
I had such an experience
It was years ago but I woke up laying on my stomach with head turned to the side and arm up by my head, couldn't move then saw a transparent arm coming back down into my arm and when it was completely fused with my arm I could suddenly move. It was very weird, scared the crap out of me, but in later years read about what actually happened and like you said, my spirit body wasn't quite back into me yet when I woke up - astral travel, yes. We all do that when we sleep.
My experience...
I personally found many of the Texas hospitals had a lot of ESLs. My two primary accounts were in Missouri and Washington State and there were very few ESLs. The platform I was on was not difficult (TWS I believe it was called).
experience
I had a very hard time trying to understand the guy trying to train me. He would tell me he would call at a certain time and he wouldn't. It would be the next day or 2 hours later than what he said. Told me you have to work until the jobs are cleaned out of system. I don't think so!!!!!
My experience (sm)

The most I have made working for another service was 11 cents per gross line.  That was 3 years ago and that company sold, I couldn't work for them anymore anyway.


Now I am ALWAYS offered 8 cents per line when looking for part-time.  I think this is low, considering they charge 14 or so and want to see perfect documents and never proofread.  Truly, I think that is a total ripoff.  No benefits either.


 


Never in my experience. - nm
xx