Used service for years. sm
Posted By: NMT on 2008-01-09
In Reply to: Long distance and a Dictaphone - Carla
The nice thing is if something cheaper comes along, can switch services. Have never had problems with them.
http://ld.net/?6040
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In over 10 years at a service (sm)
that had over 80 tape accounts, we only had one that used minicassettes, two to three who used standard size and the rest used microcassettes. In my experience, the minicassette players are expensive and hard to get service for. After 15 years and 5 players, we ended up with only one survivor that would work; even the Lanier guy couldn't revive the others. We finally had to tell the stubborn account that we were not going to guarantee that we could transcribe the minis in a timely way anymore and they (amazingly!) coughed up the money to get their MDs new microcassette recorders. Snort.
However, even those days are waning, I understand, since digital recorders are becoming very affordable. It may be that you won't need tapes at all.
Used Cognigen service for years. sm
Cognigen at http://ld.net/?6040
Used Cognigen service for years. sm
http://ld.net/?6040
I was making 6.5 cpl in 1975 at a service -- 30 years later most jobs
Talk about PITIFUL.
Have had Hughes for 5 years (used to be Direcway) great internet service sm
but truly hate if I have any kind of problem and have to call in. Luckily that is rate to nonexistent.
Early in my career I worked for a service in the office. I gave my notice after almost two years...
with them because I got a job with a hospital that paid better and had better benefits. I gave my notice and the office manager made my life heck for my remaining two weeks. He gave away my desk, my chair, my transcriber (we were still transcribing cassettes back then). I spent the next two weeks shuffled between workstations and using the crappiest equipment they had. He also refused to give me any help on my account. It was a huge family practice from which I would get at least seven 90 minute tapes a day from them. Before I gave my notice, I was the lead on the account and had three other people helping. When I gave my notice, he couldn't spare anyone to help me and I got several tapes behind. I kept telling him I was behind and he would just say do what you can.
Long story short, he tried to stiff me on my last paycheck because he said my account was way out of turnaround time and I had cost them money. He had told the owner of the service that I had never asked for help and that I purposefully held tapes back to screw them. I ended up taking them to small claims court to get my money.
Some people are just ugly people that take EVERYTHING personally. You can't win with people like that. They are unprofessional. I wouldn't worry about your boss' attitude. In a couple of weeks, he'll just be a memory.
We have decided to add this to our current service not have a new service. It will be easier to sm
keep track of and will just be a different department.
It looks like we will work out details over the next 6 months, talking with community college program directors as well as a few of the distance-learning course leaders to work on the recruiting end.
We will train current staff to mentor if they would like to do so and want to work in the office.
We are still working on production requirements, goals to set, pay, benefits and other fine details but we have 6 months to get it all in place with three months to pull it together after that with a tentative start date of 09/01/06. We need to build the building as well, although that is already at the blueprint stage in a spot next to our current office.
We did not want to cause flames and bashing by listing the company name as there are always so many negative people on this site, but we are national with over 200 transcriptionists, located outside of Chicago (40 miles west) and have the best team of transcriptionists around!
We will have an "official" announcement after the first of the new year.
Thank you for all of your feedback and suggestions!
My telephone service is VOIP, but it s through my cable service, along with my cable internet. .
We have had VOIP for about a year now and I love it. I really can't tell a difference in traditional service, except the price. One of the best calls of my life was to Bellsouth to cancel our service!
I am not asking for a service, I AM the service looking for recorders
nm
58, AHP/self-taught, trained at hospital 5 years, now with 2 of my own accounts for 10 years, employ
Also worn out 2 keyboards in 4 years. I will never retire. DH will come home some day from work and I'll be slumped over my keyboard. I put in 14 hours a day 7 days a week.
Pack years = packs smoked per day x years of smoking - sm
25 pack-years = 25 years of 1 pack a day, or 12-1/2 years of 2 packs a day.
I don't think pack-years applies to someone who smokes only cigars. But I don't know for sure.
I worked for Cbay for 3 years. I was also part of their lay off back many years ago. sm
Even though I got stuck in a lay off era, I still love the company. They paid well then. The people were nice (exception of 1 person) and if I had the opportunity I would go back again. Fortunately (or unfortunately - depending on how u look at it), I have a great paying job right now, so I am not looking for a change. I do know that at one time, they asked management to accept late paychecks, but never sure of the reason why. My check was never late.
I know it used to be 5-10 years back, but the laws changed within the last 2 years. They can only g
x
6 years legal then switched to medical 17+ years ago. sm
I don't mind doing legal and will do it now from time to time, but be prepared to be totally bored out of your mind.
At least that's the way I feel. I love to transcribe, learned legal in college, went on to get my paralegal degree, etc., etc., but I did temp work when the kids were younger, which was about 90% medical and I would never go back to legal except for once in a while.
Booooooring.
Only 3 years away from reaching total years for retirement
but if I had to do this and raise a family, would feel exactly like you do. The pay is terrible compared to what I used to make. I work 32 hours a week, hope to be able to continue even after full retirement age. I have worked on VR now and unless places get to where they really do not care about how their reports look, think they will need MTs. I very seldom do a report and it is 100%, just cannot remember 1 like that and most take a lot more editing. Working now because want to, not have to anymore, thank goodness!!
It is a service job and they should
help parents with small children and also the elderly. I think a normal healthy person with "more than a bag or 2" should not have them help them out to the car. It causes the cashier to have to bag, therefore delaying the progression of the line.
PS on Cox service
Did anyone ever receive any surprise charges from Cox, as this is what I plan to use to offer online service to others, i.e., long distance, etc.?
Do you have your own service? I ask because
that it is possible, especially since she has some educational background in the medical field. I certainly would not waste money on an MT course in this day and age (at least not if I am gauging the career opportunities available to MTs by what is said on this board).
I am NOT saying that just anyone can sit down and type, and being an MT is as easy as that. We all know that it is not. However, I was able to break into the field almost seven years ago by having a mentor from a local transcription company (I am in GA too, btw). If you are planning to provide her with work and review her work, provide feedback, etc., then there is no reason why she cannot do it, unless she is just not cut out for it, which you would both know pretty quickly. If she is cut out for it, then it sounds like it could be a great opportunity for both of you, if you are wanting to grow your business. If you are not going to do this for her, she will likely have a really hard time finding a job, unless someone else is willing to do so, and if you are working for someone other than yourself, then you likely do not receive a high enough rate to be able to pay her a decent wage and still earn something for editing/mentoring. (Certainly not saying that you don't -- I obviously have no idea what you make, but not many people who are transcribing for others make enough to share that way :).)
My service is actually going to be (sm)
Comcast here in the next couple weeks. Verizon is offering a 30-day free trial. In the meantime I will keep my cable internet just in case I'm not happy with Verizon. My cable internet service has been very frustrating for me, as far as not being available at least once a week for a couple of hours, always during my normal working hours. So, I guess it's worth a try.
ASP Service
Finally :-)I am negotiating with one doctor to be my direct client. For that I need some ASP service where he can dial in as toll free and I can get dictations thru FTP. Anyone please recommend some best ASP with minimum per line cost & reliable. Thx!
do you still do this service?
If so, are you happy without the middle man? Right now I don't have extra money to fall back on so maybe I should work PT with my present company and try do 1 account for now until I feel comfortable doing my own.
So what service do
you use for your car?
Could you tell me what the name of the service is?
You know, if it's "AT&T Small Business Plan" or something. I just want to ask for the right thing. About how much do you pay total for it? Thanks so much for the help!
Which service you are using?
I am interested, if it's .07/min.
Every service does it different.
I have found what is correct with one account, is wrong with another. Also, I try to give them what they want. They hired me for my help with their work and they are the boss. If I feel I am making good money, they can have it the way they want. If they want to be that picky, go ahead, as long as it is worth the money for me.
Have been looking into another service as well (sm)
I have Comcast and it is on and off sometimes, depends on if they are working on it. I am dreading the winter weather, because its out more than its on it seems. I looked into FiOS with Verizon, it is not available here yet, but their high speed is and they want a 2 year contract. Won't go that route to lock myself into something I may not be happy with, if u find something, let me know, but Comcast isn't the answer in Bucks County area
I don't know if it's possible with a service. nm
s
How's that for service?
A strange thing happened today. My husband, who is a hospital-employed MT who works at home, got a phone call from a doc at the hospital. It seems the dictation system was down, but he needed to dictate. He proceeded to dictate over the telephone while hubby transcribed. He dictated both an H&P and an OP note.
It was strange, but kinda cool. 
LD Service
You may want to try magicJack (visit www.magicjack.com) - the service is $20 per year for unlimited long distance. Phone plugs into your PC via USB port.
For the fax service on your
computer, you have to pay a monthly fee which can add up. If you do a lot of faxing, it may pay off. If you do not fax often, just buy a fax machine. Bought one for $39 recently, saved 70% at new egg.
I dumped my ex 20 years ago, but got lucky 13 years ago
It would take me all night and pages and pages to describe what a bad person my ex-husband was. After six years of putting up with his OCD, verbal abuse and alcohol, I left him the house, took the kids (5 and 1) and didn't look back. That was 20 years ago.
I wasn't looking to get married again, but I did. After 13 years I only complain when hubby doesn't see things my way. :)
My older kids, who were 5 and 1 when I left, are married and have kids of their own now. My husband gets the Father's Day cards. Their "real" father sits alone in the perfect little house I left behind and let him have and he drinks himself into oblivion every night because nobody is "perfect" enough, including his kids and his grandkids that he never sees.
Sad, but true. So glad I smartened up and got out of there when I did.
We have been supporting other countries for years and years now.
What is the big deal. Look at your clothes, cars, items in your house. You will see mostly China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan etc., etc. We have not supported our own people like we should have for years now!!!!
Only 2 in 13 years for me. First Edix for 8 and now Webmedx for nearly 5 years. nm
.
When I trained, back years and years ago
We did not have spell checking nor the internet (Google for instantaneous help). OMG, how did we do it? We used Correcting Selectrics with the lift-off tape to correct errors- you only had dictionaries, both English and medical, to look up things so yes we did have to learn to spell all those big longgggggggggg words.
MT: 24 years. Same company: 11 years same co. after buyout.
x
Grammar Question: 9 years' ago or 9 years ago? *sm*
 I have a terrible time trying to remember this rule! HELP!
Worked inhouse for years and years
Inhouse transcription from 1973 to approximately 1992 and we had no downtime for answering the phones and when the physicians came into the room (or others) needing some assistance, just part of the job. I did not feel bad about doing it then and I dont see why you would either. You don’t realize that probably you are making right now more than if you are outsourced, right? You have hourly salary plus incentive. Guess how many of us have that now? Probably inevitable about outsourcing so I would say just enjoy while you can. The pay our here now sinks further and further. I make, for instance, 4 cents a line for voice recognition and 8 for straight. Now, more complaining?
AT&T is the worst service, but what else do you
expect. It is all handled by those dumb east indians that think they have everyone fooled by making up American names.
Not in the service but hubby is...sm
Im sorry that your husband is in such a mess but there are other ways of handling it. My husband is just finishing up a 20-year career and I know very well the things that go on. Your husband should have used his chain of command...that is what it is there for. My guess is he will get a court martial, probably go to the brig for a while, and get a dishonorable discharge.
Okay to work for more than one service.
Is it okay to work for more than one service at a time? Do you have to be IC to do that, or can you mix and match with employee status? Is a small service better to work for, generally, than a national? If you work for a clinic can you also work for a service at the same time? Thanks for any input.
Working for more than one service.
Thanks for all the input. I appreciate the help. I don't like to put all my eggs in one basket.
Sale of MT service
Can you please post contact info? Possibly very intereted here. Thanks
Looking for dependable DSL service
I have had Adelphia and now have Bellsouth both with connection problems. It seems everytime I turn around my internet is down and not in my area but with my puter. I have to use Bellsouth webmail cause my outlook is always getting hung up. I call and they have to set me up with a new ISP# to get connected again. Very frustrated. Anyone out there have a good DSL to recommend. TYIA.
Is this service in Wisconsin???
x
IC vs SC vs Service continuation see sm....
I was reading the posts below....I've been an MT for 14 years with 22 years of medical experience. I am working for less than 9 cpl on some of my accounts. I would love an explanation of what the difference is between IC and SC. I take work from another small company..they do not EMPLOY me nor do they offer me benefits but I have always assumed I was an IC in this case. In reality I am subcontracting from them as they do not pay any taxes or anything for me, right?
I would love tips on how to increase my production. The company I was working for lost my major account so I need to make some changes and would love to email with other MTs who could offer me some advice!
Thanks in advance!
That's all I will do. Every service I work for. nm
x
Unlimited LD Service - sm
I use Verizon Freedom. I am wondering if anyone who uses this service and has had it for quite a while has had any problems with them, as in not wanting to cover their usage or receiving an expected phone bill for usage. I use about 8 hours per day.
I use an independent tax service myself.
He charges by the form and I have the usual business use of home and other deductions. It has never been more than $200. I can do it myself, but I like the fact that he guarantees if there are any questions or audits HE WILL represent me and be present for any questions. He has some sort of extra certification but I would have to pull out the old papers I have to know exactly what they were.
I had a doc tell me the other day that they were paying a service 7 cpl...
x
customer service
We tried for five solid weeks to get signed up with Vonage. Wasted well over six full hours over the telephone (we just have a plain old residential house, some question of a second line coming out of the house, but no other complications) with 99% ESL's who could not communicate properly with us. The savings were the carrot in front of our face, which is why we were so patient with having them try to get us set up, but because of one fiasco after another with JUST TRYING TO GET US SET UP, we decided it was not worth it. We will wait until it has been perfected. Also the 9-1-1 was a very important factor, as was Privacy Manager for us. Weigh your options. Best of luck to you.
Why is that so surprising? If the service SM
is $100, $20 is really 20% (a normal tip).
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