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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Not dying, just growing!

Posted By: Redpen on 2008-07-27
In Reply to: My doctor said the same thing - Carol-GAMT

First of all, HIPAA does not require EMR for all records by 2009. If that were the case, you would have known about it several years ago, because most physicians do not use EMR and have no plans to use EMR at this point. Most HOSPITALS don't use them, either. Even if they wanted to, there aren't that many viable products they could use!

He may be thinking of other HIPAA requirements which have affected his practice and which he doesn't like. HIPAA did require some privacy and security things which he no doubt found irritating. He now has a need to transmit his claims electronically, which probably annoys him.

I would guess that the concept of paying an MT annoys him, too, so he took it out on you by terrorizing you during your recent visit.

Second, nothing about an EMR means you can't dictate and transcribe.

If you're currently doing only small-office dictation, you might want to expand your capabilities so that you can do hospital acute care. I think that job prospects have been better there since internet-based voice file transfers became possible. There are a lot of jobs available with national services and even with large employers who will let you work from home.






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I had a very very mean dad growing up,
by the laws today he'd have been in jail for abuse.  Outside the home, people knew he was a rough guy, but he was a good guy, always helping people with their cars, not normally losing his temper, etc.  As he aged, he mellowed.  My oldest son know what an SOB grandpa could be.  My youngest son (10 years difference) NEVER understood or believed when we all said how mean grandpa could be.  Grandpa and my youngest son were best buddies.  My dad passed away almost 5 years ago and it hurt really bad.  He and I had become so close after he got over the mean stage and we spent a lot of time together.  I was the one he counted on when he was ill to take him to the doctors or hospital, and he knew I'd do ABSOLUTELY anything for him.  I even talked with him about salvation before he died, as I really wasn't sure and wanted to know for a fact that even though he was a good guy, that he was saved and going to Heaven.  That was really important for me to be able to deal with his death.  So, when he died, I did lose a friend as well as a father and my children their friend as well as grandpa.  Life is short, life is tough, but God is good.
MT dying
I have been working as an MT since 1992.  I started at $7.50 an hour - no incentive - just a flat $7.50 an hour - that company was gobbled up by another bigger company - and the gobbling has continued on.  I went to work for a smaller MTSO and at one point was making $80 an hour transcribing a very easy radiology account that was mainly normal reports - everything was a template and the template was the whole report.  I now make no where near that - and have trouble getting up to $18 or $20 an hour.  I am thinking of going back to school to becomeo a pharmacy tech - besides - it gets depressing working at home all the time and never having interaction with co-workers, etc.  The school is just a thought at the moment.  I definitely would not encourage anyone to go into MTing at this point in the game - not with voice recognition and outsourcing to other countries.
This is part of growing up
I believe they have to start making their own decisions at some point in their life and living with the consequences.  Same as we all do.  I'm not saying he will regret it or not regret it, one way or the other, but either way, it should be his decision.  Take it easy, Mom. 
Growing Companies
Well I know of one company that I worked for an never paid.  How do they get more business?  Well they can undercut everyone else on the playing field because they get newbie MTs to do the work for free.   They charge the doctors less per line and make nearly 100% profit.   It is a win/win situation for the company.  I do not believe doctors check these boards and look for negative feedback.  They just go to the company who offers them the best deal, but that is just my thought on the subject . . .
MT Dying profession

I don't agree with you.  I'm betting that MT is good for MAYBE 5 more years.  Maybe.  Thinking they won't perfect VR is only fooling ourselves....they will.  I wouldn't recommend MT to anyone looking to enter the field.  Money better spent on something with a better future but what that would be, I don't know.  Seems everything that can possibly be offshored is being offshored.  Maybe we should move to China   Then we can be sure to have jobs seeing nearly everything in the U.S. comes from there anyway.  Or maybe, the way things are going we had all better learn to like rice, cuz that's probably all we'll be eating before long.


Regarding MT being a dying profession...
I have actually read in numerous places that MT is a job with future opportunity, in light of the baby boomers beginning to get old and sick.  That's going to supply us with a lot of medical reports for a very long time.  As for voice recognition taking over...I'll believe it when I see it.  I know an MR who does VR and I've seen the gobbledegook that it comes up with.  Eventually all these companies will realize that they were sold a bill of goods by these VR vendors, but because they've invested so much in this technology, they're going to stick with it until the bitter end.  Just my opinion of course.    Finally, outsourcing.  I'm  pretty confident that  something will happen that will put the kybosh on sending private medical records off to Calcutta for transcription.   I think that practice will also stop eventually.   I could be totally wrong and maybe I'll have to put away my rose colored glasses, but for now, that's my prediction.
MT Dying Profession
Sad when you work for a company that you thought was great and all of a sudden the work is yanked away and you sit with nothing yet you see the company advertising multiple times. When you look at what many posters say, that seems to be one major problem with this profession. The companies have no loyalty to transcriptionists. The best places to work are small local services, if you can find them. I don't recommend to anyone who asks me that they get into this profession. I used to, but not any more.
MT dying profession
I totally agree, Dano. They have absolutely no loyalty to MTs OR QA for that matter - we are nothing to them. I don't feel like a respected professional who is rewarded for her expertise and hard work anymore; I feel like a factory worker in an assembly line (no disrespect to those who work in factories, BTW)who just has to pump out the work as soon as possible - it's all about numbers to them. That's why in addition to working in this field, which I have been doing for 10 years (and would have quit by now if I could!), I am going back to college to get my degree in dental hygiene. I can't wait to get out of here. Used to make good money - no more. Used to be respected -no more. They only want cheap labor. Anyone looking to get into this profession - don't be fooled by the lies - do something else!
Is transcription really dying?
I have another question for all of you...is transcription really dying out?  I haven't seen that where I'm located, we are pretty much in high demand.   I didn't even go to school and I got a job in-house at our hospital starting at over $13.00 an hour.  But, now that I am reading all of these posts I'm starting to wonder what the chances are of me being able to continue this profession, esspecially since we are thinking of moving to a big city in the near future.  I am really considering going into coding school starting in September so my husband and I will both get our degree at the same time.  I'm just wondering if I should get out while I'm ahead.  Any advice is appreciated.  Thanks!
MT is a dying profession??
Hmm...
I don't think it is dying, I think it is changing sm
There will always be a need for a hand typed medical narrative. Having said that, how much need is anyone's guess. FOR NOW, many companies are moving towards at least some VR. I have watched my company ramp it up and now ramp it down again. Why? The quality isn't there and part of that is the MEs who are doing them.

Being an ME usually only appeals to someone who can't actually type the report with any speed and accuracy (not a real MT in my book) or an MT who can longer tolerate the wear and tear on her hands (a real MT). The pay is less, which might not be a problem IF the software didn't require so darn much editing! Either the software needs to be a LOT better or we need to be paid more, if they want to the best quality, so that real MTs are doing the ME thang.

What I see happening, even now, is that companies who will hire a traditional, old-fashioned typing MT want the very best they can get at the best price they can get her. It is and will be increasingly a buyers market for our services. It will edge out any MT who is marginal...in speed, in accuracy, in attitude, in work ethic. That is to say, those of us who can stay glued to our desks and produce 99.5% or better accuracy AND do it with speed, will still be around for quite a while yet. The tolerance that some companies for not showing up on time, not getting your minimums, not producing very good work, is decreasing. I see this as a trend.

Less work? Not for some of us. No work, as in we don't need the chaff of this industry? You bet, and it is happening already.

The truly top-notch MT will always be needed. Do you have any idea how very few of us there are? I have not talked to a company who has more than 1 or 2 of us that they consider the cream of their crop. If you want to stay, look at what you need to improve, be it work ethic, speed, accuracy or scope of knowledge. If you don't, you'll be in one of the first groups out of this business.
Yes, and also what did HE do about the growing threat of islamofascism?
x
Hiring because they are growing, have some hard
left (with the company's blessing). Now they are much stronger and better and in my experience, the most professional company I have dealt with in 10 years.
No extensions..he's been growing out his hair

I've seen other pictures of him on some of his Unicef trips and he's been growing it out. I just wanna get my fingers in there...looks so silky and smooth.


Oh, your poor baby! I had one of those growing up
even with a DOCTOR performing the excision. I can't even imagine -- nor do I want to -- what your poor little guy went through. I'd tie your ex down and burn the soles of his feet to let him see how he likes it! Grr!

Okay, on a less violent note, I agree that your ex had no business taking this into his own hands. I would definitely get something in writing legally saying he can't do anything like this in the future. That's just horrific to me. I can't believe he actually thought this was a good idea!

I've had some experience over the years with plantar warts and will tell you that sometimes they even disappear on their own (my son and I both had a couple after a vacation that just went away on their own). The doctor only treated that one of mine because it had gotten too deep and was hurting when I walked. Otherwise, he would've used treatments, probably similar to what you're doing, and just monitored. I recommend getting something in writing because plantar warts usually will recur (not always) and your son may get another later after these are cleared. I'd be darn sure you have some kind of recourse if the "genius" tries this again.

I realize he thought he was doing a "good" thing for his son, but in any other circumstance, that would be considered abuse! Yikes! I hope your little guy is feeling better and that his foot heals up soon.
No way. It's a huge wave that's just going to keep growing
s
the reason it is the fastest growing sm
industry is because of the schools out there selling MT training! The schools don't know what they are doing, they are just ripping prospective MTs off.

This profession will NEVER be something that can be learned totally in a classroom setting. If you go to school then you have to be willing to work in a facility for several years. you ahve to be willing to learn to transcribe any and everything and the worst of the worst before you EVER EVER go home to work especially on a production basis.

I don't care who it ticks off but at least it can't be said I didn't tell you the way it was.

The poster "hot pink" is telling it EXACTLY how it is but she words it better than I do. Im sorry for the folks who are losing their jobs (especially the MQ folks) to VR and India etc. But I think alot of the MQ employees used MQ as their very first job and didn't get the experience they really need. MQ should have been after you have worked for several years in a facility. With the training in every kind of work type and every foreign accent, etc. etc you wouldn't have a hard time finding a job now. They are still out there.
Whisperers. Ugh. I can do any accent thanks to growing up (sm)

with my mom who had a cleft palate AND a very strong Brooklyn accent!  But why do they whisper?  Like they are embarrassed someone might hear how badly they dictate? And why can't ESL's at least TRY to improve their speech pattern?  Like the poster below who had the dictator making everything plural except when it really was plural, then suddenly it is singular.  I mean come ON. 


Good venting post Wannie.


Anyone else dying for school to start? (sm)
Grandchildren had been going to the LatchKey summer program, but they closed for the last 2 weeks before school starts to get the schools ready.  So guess what?  You got it.  Memaw is trying to type with children.  I have to totally admire those of you that do this on a regular basis.  My hat is off to you. 
My monitor is slowly dying...sm
I have a Dell computer and monitor, but my monitor appears to be on its last leg.  I'm already looking for its replacement but instead of ordering another Dell, does anyone know of any other brands that are compatible or not compatible with Dell?  I'd really rather not pay the shipping from Dell, but I do remember when I originally purchased the computer my printer was not compatible.  Thanks for your help.
So, if you were dying in the bed and needed a STAT
You wouldn't mind that the person behind the document only cared about the money? You wouldn't care they put a post on this board like "why does anybody do this?"
Patient would feel slapped in the face.
That would be dying you slapped in the face.
I am really shocked and saddened to see who we serve is forgotten for the sake of money. Yes, we have to survive, and we do well. I have 3 jobs, am exhausted, but proud to say I am behind the document to help a very sick child or dying person, or recovering person, or person who was saved from suicide. I guess the idea of self rather than others is prominent around here, but not where I come from. After 27 years in the business I am proud to say I work behind the scenes and give the best I can for the patient, the doc, the nurse, my boss, the patient's family and so forth. After all, I would expect the same for me and my little boy.
Wow! You and I have a lot in common! Growing up in HI and having a Japanese grandmother who
practically raised me, I learned soo much on how to cook oriental and my "American" family loves it!
I can teach you all kinds of tricks - though you sound like you know most of them. Fried rice and fried noodles are super easy.

For anyone interested: Just boil 3-4 Ramen noodles for about 6-7 minutes. While that is cooking, combine 9-5-1

9 T of soy sauce
5 T sugar
1 teaspoon of fresh garlic
Mix all together. Mix may have too much sugar, in which case add more soy sauce or use less sugar.
Then add strained noodles to frying pan and the sauce - after stir frying for about 5 min. add frozen mixed veggies. You can also add a cooked meat such as chicken too! Family's fav.

Fried rice is super easy too. Cook 3-4 cups of white rice or brown rice. Let it sit overnight. When you are ready to fry them for lunch or dinner, use 2 T oil, 2-3 eggs scrambled and then cold rice - to this add approximately 5-6 T of soy sauce, cook, and then add frozen mixed veggies and fry for about 10 min.

I can make home-made sushi WITHOUT the raw fish and we love that. I can also make homemade beef broccoli.

I have tons of super easy oriental recipes. Cheaper too!

Neat sharing recipes like this...
We only have one go around in this life, don't spend it growing roots
x
The service area is limited, though growing.
I don't know if they are talking about WiFi or an Air Card.   WiFi connectivity is cheap, but unless you live in a large city you'll find limited access.  An Air Card (called different names depending on the company selling them) I then they start at about $249.00 and the fees are pretty hefty.  Not sure how good it works though I've heard people who loved theirs and they traveled a lot and said they never were unable to get a signal. 
It's the "fastest growing" industry in the THIRD WORLD,
And a low-paying one, at that, with few to no benefits.
Fast growing does not mean high paying nm

Not on my budget. I usually can find something on if I am dying to watch T.V.
(NM)
Call, please. The rest of us are dying to find out something. nm
.
The main problem with this field is it is dying
And there isn't anything that we (as MTs) can do about that.
how did you give up cigarettes, I am dying to quit.
nm
Is medical coding a dying profession like MT?
My income is in the crapper and keeps getting worse and worse. I love working at home, been doing it for over a decade, so looking into something I can do at home. So what about medical coding? Offshore problems? Technology advances pushing out the "real person" coder? Any disadvantages? Worth learning and getting into at this point?
A lot of girls growing up with privilege like she had turned skank.

If your definition of skank is a female who is openly promiscuous with no regard for others, low morals, and is proud of it, there are a lot of them.  Paris Hilton, Nicole Ritchey, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson (claims to be a religious girl -yeah right), Jenna Jamison, etc...there are a lot of them out there. 


Considering all that you mentioned, the fact that the economy is growing is amazing. But,
f
Or.... how about the famous line "we're growing!!!"
and you see the same ad week after week after week after week. I can think of 3 places that continuously have ads out. I have worked all 3. I now know firsthand why they advertise all the time, they probably can't keep anybody more than a month or two.
Over 100. Burnt my bare feet on concrete. Plants are dying.
dd
I am feeling so stressed by changes at my company, holidays, friends dying,
not sure where to turn next.  I really feel like I need to dump my whole situation and start from the beginning by doing a job where I am around people during the day instead of the curt phone calls from the office, and not having enough time to even talk or go out of the house to do anything.   Why can't these companies have a little time to just say hello, thanks for a good job, or just something nice once in a while.  Everything in the communication is negative, negative, and more negative.  Team leaders are the pits, too.  It is jusd do more, do more;  they  don't care if you are sick, and it means nothing to them to pile on more stress and more demands so they look good.  They want you to work every day of the week, but they sure do take their days off, don't they. 
Dogs dying from 'miracle drug'. Heads up, doggie owners
Marketed as a miracle drug for man's best friend, Rimadyl is one of the most popular painkillers available for dogs. And it's killing dogs by the thousands.

Vince Sharkey was faced with the decision every pet owner dreads, whether to euthanize his beloved dog King Billy.

Arthritis and deteriorating bones made it too painful for the 8-year-old golden retriever to walk.

His veterinarian recommended putting the dog down.

"He had so much life in him. I said, 'I just can't do that'."

Then Sharkey discovered Rimadyl, a prescription anti-inflammatory drug heavily marketed to owners of older dogs. Sharkey says Rimadyl saved his dog's life.

"Before I had him on the Rimadyl he was not even able to walk. He would drag his back half of his body. The moment we got him on Rimadyl, he was back to being his normal self again.

But Lynne Bradburn tells a very different story.

Her Saint Bernard, Honor, was just 22 months old when he died after taking Rimadyl for a sprained knee.

"He'd been sitting in my lap. And he looked up at me, and he died," Bradburn said.

Honor died after taking just four doses of the drug.

"They tell you it's as safe as aspirin. But it's not. And yes, I'm angry. And I will always be angry," Bradburn said.

The FDA reports some 12,516 complaints about Rimadyl dating back to 1997, including more than 2,300 cases where the dog died or had to be euthanized. The largest number of cases involve liver or kidney failure or internal bleeding.

Rimadyl's manufacturer, Pfizer, maintains the drug is safe, saying some 10 million dogs have taken over a billion doses of the drug, with less than 1 percent of them experiencing any negative side effects.

"There are side effects just as there are benefits with all medicines, with all medical procedures and certainly with Rimadyl. The good news about Rimadyl is that for the overwhelming majority of those 10 million dogs, plus, it has provided safe and effective pain relief," said Pfizer spokesman Robert Fauteux.

But the FDA approved Rimadyl after it was tested on just 549 dogs, raising the question, were the rest of the dogs that took the drug acting as guinea pigs?

Retired veterinarian turned attorney Paul Mabrey says a drug for humans would never be allowed on the market with such a small sample.

In response to continued concerns about the drug, Pfizer sent a letter to veterinarians across the country warning them that some side effects may "occur without warning" and, in rare situations may result in "hospitalization or even death."

Still, veterinarians continue prescribing Rimadyl more than any other drug in its class. But they're careful to warn dog owners looking for a miracle cure.

"There's a lot of people that want the medication not fully aware of everything that's entailed with that but we make sure to do everything we can to educate before they go on the medication," said Dr. Deborah Feltz, a the Elliott Bay Animal Hospital.

It's a warning echoed by those who know first hand what happens when a miracle drug proves imperfect.
Hey New Yorker! I am a former Yorker myself growing up in Rome, NY! So, how is it UP there?? sm
Man, I sure do miss that place!!!! I graduated from high school in Rome, worked in Utica, shopped in Utica (Sangertown mall - ring a bell??) and basically have the GREATEST memories of that place. I then attended college in Syracuse where I lived for 3 years, met a guy from a military base in Watertown, NY, and left the area.

I'm remarried now (haha) and would absolutely love to bring my family up there - especially in the fall. I've been living in the south for over 10 years now and let me say this: THE LEAVES NEVER CHANGE COLOR DOWN HERE!! :( They turn ugly brown and then just fall on the ground the die!

My husband, who is from GA, has never left the area and has no desire to drive to upstate NY or VT where my grandparents live. My kids want to go really bad..

Anyways, I loved Syracuse and would love to come back one day.....
This is our profession -- a profession which is dying, I might add. SM

So I should get a hobby so I won't care, like you?  A hobby isn't going to pay the bills.  I can't afford a hobby because in addition to working for a living, I also have to study in a different career field in my spare for fear that eventually transcription will be strictly an offshore operation!