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

Same with me. I've had to learn to live with much less money.

Posted By: Flibertygibbit - nm on 2007-09-26
In Reply to: How do you do it? - wondering

..


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

LIve and learn...
her name?  Isn't that a little unprofessional and childish on your part.  Too bad you got a bad deal, but you chose her.  Maybe she's making more money doing something else or had a family emergency.  Did you have her sign a contract because if you didn't then you really have no leg to stand on.  I just personally think it is poor taste on your part to try to smear her name.  I wish you would produce your full name so that I don't work for you in case I want to quit - you won't smear my name.   Grow up and quit  !  Just find someone else!
lol Live and learn. If I only would have worked more....
xxxx
Aw, thanks. I've been in the biz forEVER and in order to learn, you HAVE to be priased...
I know some QA who never do anythnig constructively but for one to learn, you cannot beat them into submission like the Marines do. I had an MT one time who was on 100% review for 6 months. The other QA would complain but I would say to her, 'Fran, you are doing a great job, but you need to remember that it is venous stasis not venoustasis' (not her real name and not a word she necessarily missed) She learned it because I didnt say it nasty. I've had more than my share of bad QA and thats why I know you have to be praised at some point. It is just easier for me to try to help. Kind of like first grade, ya know - if you have a good first grade teacher, you have a desire to learn. If you have a QA that cares, then it is easier for everyone.

Happy New Year and hopefully good QAs all aound!
You live in a dream world if you think that MTSOs are making money hand over fist. Overhead? Add i
Banks charge about $200 a month for a business account plus .10 for every check deposited and written.

Ten people in an office? At $30k a year, that's $300,000 per year IF you can get them to work for only $30k. Add in 2 editors, an IS consultant, an accountant, a lawyer, rent on office space, checks, stamps for checks, software upgrades, phone lines, equipment for MTs, equipment for office staff, lightbulbs, toilet paper, a copier, a printer, paper, ink, pens, pencils, long distance charges to call MTs and customers, recruiting ad costs, taxes, benefits because most MTs are employees now because the IRS says most should be classified that way, high-speed internet, internet service provider because hotmail and yahoo are free but not professional, email encryption, fax machine, fax phone line, staplers, staples, paper clips, file folders, file cabinets, etc etc etc.

I am not whining. I am just stating facts. Add that to the headache of juggling schedules based on unpredictable workload due to unpredictable amount of people needing medical attention, the headache of billing clients who pay when they want regardless of what your terms are, covering for people who get sick or need time off, and it is not an easy thing to do. I am lucky that I am a workaholic and love what I do. Am I rich? No. Will being an MTSO make me rich? Probably not. Do I make more than I did as an MT? Yes, but at a higher price.

Don't judge until you walk in someone's shoes. I bought a new vehicle this year, a 2005 Ford Taurus, trading in my 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee and actually had comments made about how it must be nice to be able to buy a new car.
I've 2 children and live in TN. LOL
I can see that it bothers you very much for anyone to be anything less than employee, but frankly it is a CHOICE for us!! We do it for a reason!!!

You sound very much like a recuiter! LOL

Thank you for your advice but I've been there and done that and I will not go back. Thanks though! Just don't worry - we all have options in case we change our minds!!!

Because it's EZ MONEY. You've done one gallbladder surgery, SM
you've done em all (for the most part).
I don't know! I've heard people live longer with a healthy sex life.
n
Decent money won't be there until you've had years of practice. Maybe do
s
I've worked for other nationals. I make more money at Amphion.
The difference in dictation quality, work availability, system stability, and easy platform more than makes up for the lower line rate. They don't micromanage or bully either.
Money, money, money, mmonnneyyy. Singing the Apprentice song.
:+
why no, i don't live in snobville. did you think you knew me? i live in heritage hills a suburb
it takes a little longer to get to work and shopping but thank god i have some privacy and am away from the congestion.  lovely trees and lakes all around.  maybe about 20 minutes to a large shopping mall.  but no, i don't even know where snobville is.
why yes the quality of air where i live is quite different than where the city people live.
Lots of pollution.  That's why everyone is moving away from the city and areas zoned for multiple housing units and low income housing and trailer parks.  Population is dense and near manufacturing.  So yes, the air is different but millions of people pay a little extra for the quality, the space and privacy afforded to those who move out of polluted crowded areas such as you defend.  There is always a reason why some areas and housing is cheaper than others.  Maybe it is the air and maybe it's something you can't quite put your finger on but you know you would prefer not to live in certain areas.  You know what I mean or are you living in one of those areas?  They tell after awhile you block out the sounds, the smells and get used to the pollution.  I don't know.  I didn't stay long enough to test the theory.  My mental and physical health is way too important to me. 
I know they live a long time, so if there is a chance they will out live you - sm
make sure you make provisions for them in your will. I have only had cockatiels and some finches, so don't really know anything about the bigger birds. I love African Grey's but they are very expensive.
Make money? I'm not making any money because of my decision. You read my reasoning
You can agree with me or not, but don't make false assumptions please.
You're working to make money, not to spend money.
These people should be ashamed of themselves taking advantage of people this way!
I also blew some money signing up with Quixtar... The only way to make any money is to bug everyone

you know into signing up.  I felt like a snake oil huckster.  I hated it.  I was flushing money down the toilet from the moment I handed over my money. 


RUN, do not walk away!  I do an entirely different side business now that I really love (in addition to my MTing, which I also love!)  Find something you're good at and that you truly love doing.  Then make a business out of it.  That's the best way to have a side business.  Selling discount toilet paper through Amway/Quixtar?  Not so much. 


The CMT exam is overrated. Don't waste your time & money. Use that money on
paid anymore just because you have it.  There are a few CMT cheerleaders that post to people like you but they are pretty well sucked up into that association.
Live and let live. Don't force your lifestyle on me.
x
I used to live in MN now I live in MS and they were both cold last night!
Will take MS cold over MN cold any day, and I don't miss the snow. I miss the Mall of America, though!
I live in PA, can I help? If they are close to where I live, I would go check them out for ya!
Where in PA is this company?
Yeah, money, that's it. I paid $20.00 for my dog. Money is NOT THE ISSUE
walk him daily, play ball daily, he sleeps in my office daily while I work. Yeah, I got a lot of money, NOT HARDLY. And, my dog is HORRIBLY HORRIBLY ABUSED because he wears a collar around his neck. It's people like you that make me sick. I am done defending my use of the shock collar. I am going to continue with it and my dog will continue to be pampered , educated, fed, kept warm, and love me for everything that I do for him even when I remind him that his barking needs to stop. So, with that said, I will not respond to any more of your CRAP in reference to the shock collar.
I use EXText with my current job and I've used at a couple of other jobs I've had. I've ne

used DocQscribe, but I have used Meditech, Cerner, Vianeta, the Precyse platform (I can't remember the name), Dolbey, and  Lanier platform I think was called Cequence (?). 


Out of all the different platforms I have typed on, I have liked EXText the best.  In my opinion, it's very user friendly, easy to learn, and I really like ESP which is the built in abbreviation expander.  Plus it is very easy to create your own normals which I love.  My fingers literally never leave the keyboard because there are macro keys for everything.  You can use your mouse if you prefer or learn the function macros.  I love it.  I think I'm more productive on EXText than with any other platform.


Money is money and most people will do whatever it takes when in need. sm
if you do bring it to the attn of the office manager, why not offer her a raise to compensate. it is obvious she just needs or wants more money than your office is paying her. I agree, it is a free country and although it seems odd, unless you had it outlined in contract, she can work for whomever or whereever she pleases on the side. at least she is typing and not at a strip joint, lol. I see no conflict of interest, she has experience obviously in whichever field you are in and what is wrong with doing extra in that field. i agree with MYOB "nicely" and concentrate on your reports than looking at older reports and seeing who they are typed by.
You must live where I live. I ran into the same sort of SM
situation when I was the president-elect of the local chapter and the VP-elect of the state chapter. I bailed out. There was no fighting it.
LOL! Don't live in NH. Live in ConnectiTAX. LOL NM
NM
Can you live on 7.75 cpl or do you need 9.5 cpl. If I could live at the lower, that is what I
:+
Each state has different laws. Where I live, if I have clients in the same state I live in, yes I ne
have clients from another state, no I do not need a license. Every state is different. I checked with my attorney and the State Business offices.
No need to wonder..It always means less money for the MT and more money for MQ.
z
Money, honey, money!!!!!!.
nm
learn something new every day - thanks
See - learn something new every day. Thanks. I just knew about some laws passed locally last year on a city/county basis.
Did you learn
on the job, or were you taught by a friend, or self-taught?

Most of those tests nowadays are geared toward grads of official MT programs.
Learn something new every day don't
you.   A consult is similar in format to an H&P, but 2 different things - for example, an elderly patient with diabetes breaks a hip and needs surgery.   Most likely they are admitted to ortho, but need an endocrine of internal medicine consult to determine if diabetes is stable enough for surgery and no other medical problems that might be a contraindication to surgery, or need treatment prior to surgery. 
You will never learn to do them...
unless you tackle them head on. You do what you can with the report, and you do what you can with the next report. You cannot avoid difficult dictations. If you don't learn to do them, you will never make any money and will probably get into trouble for abandoning too many reports.
Why would anyone want to learn it???
nm
Learn something new every day...sm

Outlook and outlook express are two different things I guess.  I never knew this, but that's what I am being told.  Outlook has a calendar option but outlook express does not.  Very interesting indeed.  Let me know if you all hear anything different from this. 


Thanks for all your help.  I have decided to try the yahoo calendar for free and see how that works.  So far, it's perfect!  Thanks for the info everyone! 


thats it! You have to learn the sm
hard way to understand. For my own personal experience, I have gone through a horrible illness and I know more than ever the importance of medical records that are perfect. I have seen some really bad stuff out there in medical records, my own included that not only is a disgrace but downright dangerous! I have always done my job with the idea that there is a patient behind all of this and they deserve the best we can give them. With all the ruckus about the state of our health care system these days, why would any MT not understand that this is not about us and lines typed and cpl etc. ITS ABOUT THE PATIENTS!!!!!!!!! you are right, the money comes later. Its a career long learning experience, one that I hope never ends on the learning part. Sounds to me like you have also been through enough life to understand all of this. The younger ones won't get it until they have been at this for many years. The only problem is, with some of the attitudes of "I won't do this and I won't do that" they won't be in the business years from now!
Learn from history

and think very carefully about this person and his sob story. Boo hoo! 


His child is cruel toward animals, chances are this child is being mistreated in some way by someone. This is a red flag that something in not right in this child's life regarding the adults. Children are NOT naturally violent--it is learned behavior.


Be friendly, but takes things very, very slow and think of the safety of yourself, your children, and your pet (s). Better safe than sorry.


newbie trying to learn

I have recently finished an online medical transcription course.  I have been reading the posting on this website and I'm very intrigued by some of the information.   Not to sound stupid, but what are word expanders, auto correct, and shorthand?  I have macros on my computer, but I never used them.  I am trying to find my first medical transcription job, but it is very difficult as a newbie.  I would love to be a productive, accurate medical transcriptionist, but it seems that no one wants to give the newbies a chance.  Any thoughts of how to get started?  thanks!


It is your job to learn the ESLs and if you can't/won't then you need to
find a new job because you are in the wrong one.
However, once you learn it, it's great!
I averaged $21-23 an hour doing radiology, about $15-17 doing acute care. If I were to go back into transcription, it would be doing radiology.
Thanks, i'd be interested to learn more

welcome; love IT and sure you will too when you learn it. nm
;
It depends on what you need to learn. Sm
Right now I have a gal starting Sep. 1 who has absolutely no med. training whatsoever so we are starting from scratch. She is paying for textbooks, cd's, materials, etc. I am having her pay as she goes along. I am not making any profit on any materials, but when she gets to the transcription part, I will have to start charging minimally for my time. Not sure yet how to go about that.

The second gal has some formal training and needs dictation practice and I am actually in the process of working with a company getting copies of microcasette tapes with approximately 800 minutes of dictation on them and will give those to my students.

I have a few accts. myself so when my students show that they are ready to tackle digital dictation, I may consider "hiring" them in the future. Right now, our goal is to get them trained and ready with my help, and to be able to pass a co. test.

I don't know where that box is to place my email address is and I don't want to post it in this spot. I will try to get my email available for anyone seriously considering getting into the field and being trained with an experienced MT who is willing to mentor them along the way to meeting their career goals.
It was very frustrating to learn but

after 3 months, I have grown to like it.... well maybe I have grown not to dislike it so much.  I would still rather work in MS Word.  It is NOT the best platform out there to be certain.  The spell check is awful and I copy everything into a Word document to double check.  You cannot copy back into Emdat though.  If there are any changes to make you must type them.  For some reason if you copy from Word, although it looks okay to you, on the physician's end it is wrong.


It is nice not to have to worry about the line count.  It is VERY nice not to have to save each patient separately.  It is nice to have the patients name available (although that is not always the case).  Overall, I give it a C. 


Hope this helped.


I had to learn the same program sm
Whether it is worth it - is only a question you can answer.

Personally, the platform is so easy; however, I do not get the high line counts I am used to even with their expander. I am so used to working in a Word-based platform with over 5000 auto-correct entries. For me, the transition was not worth it. I could only average 240 lines per hour compared to my usual 350 - 400 lph.

You have to realize, every one is different with different needs and wants.

The packet of policies you mention really is no big deal. Just print them out and read them over and within a week you won't even look at them again. Starting any job is overwhelming at first, but then it becomes routine.

I would suggest you give it a shot. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

As for the ESL account, I have no idea which one that would be - mine is a good mix of all.
Thank you! Learn something new everyday!
.
I like it. Once you learn it, it is easy.
x
Is this so you dont have to LEARN which is which?
If so, no, theres no way.

If you need a shortcut, just put the nongenerics in your Expander as capped. Put your others in like ddiphenhydramine and it will catch on spellcheck and you will know it is generic.
Yes. Use MT while you learn something else. It's never too late. nm
x
Was very difficult to learn and there are
still some things I cannot get the hang of. But, it is the only Expander I am permitted to use so had to bite the bullet after resisting for a few months. Takes about three months go use it effectively. Try using it for a few hours every day. When you get frustrated, close it and type everything out. On short-fuse days, skip it altogether. Over a few months, with this method, you will begin to develop speed and each new problem will be solved one by one so your line count will not get suffer greatly. Using IT requires doing a massive amount of reading initially. But, I have to say, I love it now (and am still learning how to use it six months into using it).
That rate is better than most. You do learn

the ESLs.  You just have to "train" your ears.  I remember my first day on my current account.  I had all ESLs and I had so many blanks and was so stressed, but now I would rather do these ESLs than some of my American docs.  I still have times when I will have a blank with these docs but it is rare.    When you get corrections back print them and keep a file for future reference and if you can relisten to the report once you get corrections and see if you can hear what they are saying this time.