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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Spheris belly up

Posted By: terrylynn on 2008-02-03
In Reply to: India's internet services are down! - Is effecting anyone here?

Tried to reply early..new at this so if duplicate, I apologize. Personally I am thrilled to see India down for personal/selfish reasons only related to Spheris. Spheris is purposefully abusing their good MTs, forcing all difficult work on them at no compensation while they aggressively train India and the grossly underpaid new grads from Career Step at 0.55/line. The US MTs for Spheris are only temporary, but Spheris has not bothered to tell them as they must USE and ABUSE them for a bit longer. Their SEC filings and plans clearly state they are aggressively training and pushing more work globally for the SOLE purpose of saving money and cutting MLS cost. Since 2006 they have lost money, more debt/revenue ratio, so in cutting costs, they are giving up quality for the dollar bill and outsourcing more work overseas. Once India is up and running, another 2000 MTs on top of an already 6000 they are trianing now, the US MT will be forced out. If the laws change, which are in congress now, that a hospital/clinic/doctor must inform the patient that their work is outsourced overseas and the patient given the right to refuse (and who wouldn't refuse?)....and hospitals pull back their India work, Spheris will belly up so fast their heads will spin leaving a large number of US MTs out of work and drenching the market. Personally, I'd like to see all the good MTs quit at the same time, and the clients discover the grossly diminished quality of their document, and search out a reputible company to do their transcription. I'm gone, after nearly 7 years with Spheris...wanting out before all Spheris MTs see what is happening and drench the market. I would never recommend anybody apply with Spheris, unless you like abuse, forced overtime, underpay, and that your quality by 200% better than India so the clients never catch out to how much bad work they are really getting.


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Soft belly (sm)
What I'm saying is the doc feels around for position sometimes and that's probably why he said soft. Contractions make it hard, oh, and also huge babies, like mine. Ouch!!
Little snow globe from Spheris with "All around the world, Spheris
aa
Get a belly band. They sell them on e-bay! sm
There is a thing called a belly band. Breeders use these for their males to prevent them from hiking in the house. It is a band that goes around their belly and you put a mini pad or panty liner to absorb the "wee wee" They are usually between $8 to 10 and are machine washable and you can get the mini pads or panty lines for about $1 per package. I used doggy diapers on my girl puppies when they were small and also when they are in heat. They work great! I especially used them when we went to stay at a relative's house and she had brand new carpet and my shih-tzu was just a baby and not yet potty trained. Hope this helps you. Just try searching the web or e-bay for belly bands or doggie diapers. For a male, you want a belly band.
dog hiking leg - use belly bands
there are many places to get belly bands for boys and prissy pants for girls.

you can use sanitary napkins in them and then toss when used.

feel free to contact me if you cannot find such using google.

janmarie@tampabay.rr.com janmarie @ tampabay.rr.com

janet mills
Pekingese Rescue Volunteer

If you have your belly button pierced, where do you buy
x
Thanks for the belly laugh... almost wet myself with that comment! :) NM

Have ya'll ever had it really help your belly, esp your upper abdomen?nm
x
I am glad you had such a belly laugh, but the fact is...sm

I have been doing this for many years, was paid 11 cents a line (yes as a subcontractor) but left that company because their software was so obsolete it slowed me down).  I am currently making 10.5 cents a line (yes again as a subcontractor).  So I know there are companies that pay well...maybe your attitude is what keeps you from being employed by one of them.  I am not a hateful or confrontational person by nature but I feel I asked an honest question and you simply attacked me, I do not understand why.


No belly. Full coverage, as previously stated.

I did not say I looked like a teeny bopper or hooker.  I said I traded my stretch shorts and t-shirts for denim shorts and a tank top.  Yeah, the shorts are somewhat low rider because they don't come up to my bra like the stretchy shorts do, but they've got a full rise that covers the crack and belly button.


Oh, no!  I must be a wanna-be trampy teenager!  Maybe next I'll go out and get some red satin thongs, a belly button ring and a butt tattoo because y'all are jumping on me like that's what I'm trying to do.  If you can't understand the concept of "full coverage", stay out of the conversation.


Prefer Tarzan over a speedo with a beer belly!
x
Belly button rings just look plain nasty on older woman, trying to act young.
s
Honestly, I send my kids to public school. They've never had a belly ache either.

must you be so full of yourself?


Spheris. nm
..
SPHERIS
I applied with Spheris last week, had my interview on the phone and she never got back with me. I called her and left a message, she called back and said she did not have any work for me. It was posted in the Sunday Paper here, lots of work.
MQ vs Spheris
I was with Medquist before it became Medquist- It used to be Lanier. Then they were sold to Medquist. Then again they were sold to Spheris. I had nothing but problems with the two prior operations, but as Spheris- when I called and asked for a copy of my W2 because I had never received it... I was faxed a copy within 10 mins. /shrug Hope that helps.
Do you mean Spheris?
Or is there some other monster national that is being touted as the next Great Satan?
spheris
Yes, meant Spheris.....
Spheris

If no one has access to our E-mail address and this is the only place that they could have gotten it, how did they as I just got an E-mail from them about applying for a job?   So somehow our E-mail addresse are not protected as they say that they are on this board?  Did anyone else receive it?   I have never posted my resume, or applied for a job throught his board as I own my own MTSO.   Makes me wonder about how safe our E-mail addresses are.


 


 


Spheris
Hi, I am just about burned out on the Big "S". I have nearly 20 years experience MT'ing. Have worked for edix/spheris for several. I am finding that although I am leveled high I am consistly stuck with a lower level client. This, by manipulation of the Big "S" reduces my income.

Are there any companies at all who are decent to work for, who pay a flat - good - line rate? I AM SICK OF THE MANIPULATIONS.

Line count runs at 1100/day (it is probably a lot more,not sure because Spheris has a way of making it all their way)

I can go to work immediately. Cable, WinXP.
Spheris
I have a gut feeling it is Spheris. 
Spheris
I think Spheris can afford MQ and really do not believe MQ is in the position to buyout Spheris but I guess time will tell!
Spheris
Where did you get this information from? Seems rather outrageous to me.
Spheris and MQ
They have made it plain that they want to buy out MQ and say they are going after them. I applied to them but turned them down.
Healthscribe was heavy on outsourcing to India and they bought them out.
Spheris
NO, not a newbie and quite an assumption on your behalf! Would just like to know where this original statement came from or was it a personal statement without any backing. Yes, know Spheris outsources but the assumption that they will go with all Indian MTs is far fetched and would really love to see your source on this. Think you are generalizing here.
Spheris
Can someone tell me anything about how Spheris counts lines?

I've been working for them for a few months now, and I just cannot get my lines up. I've been told it's a 65-char line, including spaces, but I'm not so sure. I've been an MT for nearly 8 years and the least I do is 200/lph. Now, I'm fortunate to make 75/lph.

I also do IC work for someone at 8.5/cpl and never do less than 280/lph with them (and most of the time 300+). I wanted to work with Spheris as a back-up account (part-time), but it doesn't look like it's going to be worth my time, as I can get extra work most of the time from the other company.

I was sure I'd be doing better than this by now! Has anyone else had this experience with Spheris?
How is Spheris?
How is Spheris to work for?  Flexibility?  Pay?  Benefits?  Good workflow/steady accounts?  Currently with MQ and it's been getting scary.  Please give me any info!  I'm really interested in health insurance benefits and cost for a family per month.  Thanks MTs!
Well, Spheris does some of
Cleveland Clinic (OH) and Cleveland Clinic (FL) accounts. I, for one, have worked on both.

They do a percentage of each, what percentage I'm not sure of.

Does that help?
Spheris is better than that.
aa
Spheris
Hi Margaret, I worked for them for one month and couldn't stand it.
Spheris
I worked for Spheris when it was Edix and it was awful. Their QA reports make you feel like a 5-year-old, and what consider mark as a "patient care" errors are ridiculous. Here's an example: The report repeatedly stated the patient had problems with RIGHT eye -- must've mentioned right eye 15 times. At the end of the report the patient was sent home with eye drops and because I typed something like "2 drops to the eye twice a day" and did not put RIGHT eye, I was cited for PATIENT CARE error. This happened all the time, I got fed up and quit!
Spheris
My friend worked for them and they cheated her on her pay many times.
spheris
have you heard anything back Terry? I was looking into them as well
Spheris...

is not a company I would ever recommend, especially for a new MT.  They have a lot of acute care work and some clinic notes, BUT (and isn't there always a "BUT?") in my experience, as well as that of many other MTs I know, you most likely will have a primary account that has hundreds of dictators on it.  You just don't have a chance to ever build your macros/word expansions or normals when you don't hear the same dictator twice in the same month. 


Also, you have set hours (with a time clock), as well as minimum line requirements early on.  You are not allowed to take longer to get your lines, so you will have a very difficult time reaching what is required of you.  New MTs need TIME to get up to speed.


However, that isn't what really turns me off with Spheris.  They offshore and are not very open about that; in fact they are rather secretive about that fact.   So guess where the best and easiest accounts go? 


I do know M-Tec has groups of grads going to Spheris.  Personally, I don't think that is doing them a favor.  In fact, I know it has caused many a new MT to rethink their new-found profession. 


Also, Spheris has tremendous turnover.  That says something in itself. 


 


Spheris - are they as bad as MQ?

I hear a lot of bad things about MQ and Spheris, but why is Spheris that bad?


MQ and Spheris
Have worked for both. Will never go back. There are other options so keep looking.
Spheris
I couldn'the agree more. Snakes in the grass. They lie and cheat and keep you hanging on with excuse after excuse. Supervisors are not transcriptionists and do not understand our special needs. Never, ever would I go back there.
Spheris
Always work available if you are a little flexible? Do you call working on 4 different accounts in one day a little flexible? However about switching accounts every other day? That's going way beyond being a little flexible. You cannot make any money doing that.
Spheris
Does anyone work for Spheris - What platform do they use ?
Spheris
I work for Spheris and I am on the Meditech platform. They do have others like TWS and a couple I have never used. I do radiology so that is what I am using right now. I do think each account is different.
Spheris
Does anyone have any experience with Spheris. 
spheris
It took the second day of training to tell me this wasn't for me. This was a few years ago. There is so much involved, so much one has to do before one can get down to typing. There are things called "defys" which refer to blanks, if you have to use them, there are several different ones that you have to specify, etc., such as ESL, garbled, etc. Also, one has to punch out and in, even if you take a potty break...too much clerical, no time to type, and I thought the whole thing was terribly complicated. I would advise you to try another service.
SPHERIS
I worked for Spheris and they are VERY strict on their scheduling even when you get your lines out before your hours are up and they docked for QA also.
Spheris
Does Spheris provide you with their own transcription equipment including a PC? I just signed on with a company that does provide all this, but in case it doesn't work out, I am looking ahead .... sort of creating a backup company to go to as you never know how good or bad the doctors' dictation is going to be until you actually do it, and there may be something about the company that I might not like. I could have went to work for one company but they had no openings except for ones starting at 5:00 p.m. ... NOT. I can't ever get the lighting right to be able to type night shifts. Guess I would HAVE to if I couldn't find another company but have always been a day person.
Spheris
I work for them. I have been with them for 6 months now, and I love it. I have plenty of work and I get paid well and I love being at home watching the snow fall while I am snug as a bug transcribing. I think it's a great company to work for!!
Spheris.
:P
Spheris
What a load of crap ! I've been with Spheris almost 5 years and what you are saying evidently was pulled from your butt cause there's not a bit of truth in it at all. If you have not worked at a place, don't bad-mouth them. If you have, you must not have been good enough and either quit or got fired and now you're upset and hope to "get even." There are 5,000 MTs there and the business is growing by leaps and bounds with 1500 more to be hired this year because of many new accounts being acquired - yeah, real bad place to work I guess.
Spheris
Question.  I have a friend (who I cannot seem to reach) that mentioned this company.  Do they supply the computer, etc?  Do they hire part time and/or full time and offer decent health insurance?  What about the other beni's.  Any info is helpful. Oh, also, can their system work without high speed internet? Cannot get where I live, only a satellite - but no wireless or DSL.
spheris
What information does anyone have on Spheris, good or bad?
Spheris
They dont pay worth a squat and work your fingers to the bone
M-F for Spheris and that is quite
a
Spheris
I am taking the CareerStep course right now so i don't have any specific info. on companies. That said, I have a friend who is working for Spheris right now (is in her third year with them) and really likes working for them. She pays her bills just fine. She's also the reason I decided to sign up at careerstep.