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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Volumes are high and we are asked to work

Posted By: overtime. Three days? on 2008-02-09
In Reply to: Workflow - sm

xx


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Low work volumes
Hi all! I work for a transcription company (which I won't bother to name) and for the last 2 months they have been very low on work such that when I start my shift in the mornings there is no work and I end up having to wait a couple hours until more work is sent. I am wondering if low volume of work is an issue for everyone or just the company I work for. I've been there over 2 years and every year previous we've been on mandatory OT through the summer, and work is only slow like this in the winter. This is starting early this year and I'm beginning to wonder. Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
They have tons of work, no low work volumes at all - sm
They are the only company I have worked at that has no slow times. Granted if they overhired then that might be the case, they don't, so there is as much work as you may want. They are a good company though, pay is always on time. As I said on the company board, no, they do not pay for spaces, but nor do they charge for them. They have other qualities I think that help overcome the fact that you do not get paid for spaces. It is a true IC job and that is one of the great "benefits" of the place; you have a 24 hour TAT, no set schedule. They don't care when you do the work as long as you make deadline. I need that flexibility and it is very hard to find an IC job where you actually have it and not a "window" of 8-12 hours to do your work. You do what you are supposed to do; they will give you as much work as you want, 60, 90, 120 minutes a day. I think in the 5 years I have worked there that work has gotten slow about 2 times, and it only lasted for a couple days each time. Most of the doctors are good too; there are a few bad apples but that is to be expected. I did this one guy today who I absolutely hate, but Sheila rotates the bad docs about so no one person gets stuck with the bad one all the time. But I had not done him for probably a month; and now I won't see him again probably for another month. it is not hard work either. It is all hospital clinic work for the most part and trauma ER.----so your "hearing" about low work is not quite the truth of the matter. If you don't know the facts, don't print them.
Been asked to speak to local high school ....sm

Our local high school is trying to gear curriculum towards the medical industry.  My husband is a biology teacher there and they have asked me to speak to students about Medical transcription.  Any ideas?  I have been doing this for many years but I'm no expert and never really had any actual school training except a secretarial course in a vocational school years and years ago.  Mostly on the job training at local hospital.  Should I discuss where this industy is headed?  Please help.


nm would you mind if I asked where you work and what type of work hosp, clinic ?
x
and that speaks volumes (nm)
.
You get what you pay for. Your attitude speaks volumes. nm
nm
IC being asked to work OT weekends
I'm new to the IC business, always been a employee in the past.  Can a MTSO ask you as an IC to work overtime on the weekends if that was not what you signed up to do originally?  Do labor laws require an employer to pay overtime over 40 hours a week?  With the summer months and the other MTs obviously on vacation, we are backed up  at work but I don't want to work every weekend when I've put in a 40 hour week (my regular scheduled hours).  I have always volunteered but its getting old and since they cut our pay scale for ICs 6-7 months ago, I'm really not motivated to break my fingers as it were.  Does anyone know the legality issue of an IC being asked to work more hours?
I would work extra if it is not asked of me
too often. Would you rather they hire extra help and then there may not be enough work to go around?
Has anyone asked for a raise lately? How do you go about it? Work for a national and have not
increase for five years.  Just pumped some gas and realize my cost of living is going up but my pay is stagnant.  How do you go about asking for a raise?
All MTs are asked to work a couple of hours
if they can to keep the clients covered. No one is "assigned" holidays. Normally, this takes care of everything.
High pay for labor-intensive work is not always better

I would make more money, taking less money, doing work that I really loved and could do in my sleep (figuratively) than taking more money to do work that really was not my preference and was very labor intensive (crazy hard dictators, a field that I might not be as proficient in - so spend a lot of time looking up things - VA or teaching hospitals for instance - with so many dictators and different "ills" that come into there - high pay is a must because its going to take a good bit of time to  get your chops down) then I would rather take the lower pay and work I looked forward to.


Also its true - if they do not outsource the work - *and the client does not care who they use - just that its at X cpl* then it might be the only way the company can employ stateside help and still be profitable. 


*shrug*  I dunno - transcription is what it is.  The whole thing has gone downhill *I know, dead horse beating* and I am not sure what is going to pull it out of the dumps. 


But I do know I would rather do work I REALLY liked and get paid less and therefore make more money, than more money to do work I had to talk myself into wanting to do every day.


I mean - if you have your druthers.  Often you do not and the work you get is the work you need to do, but its nice to have a choice, if you can.


2 years experience and you passed the CMT? That speaks volumes about the AAMT... SM

I've been saying it for a while now.  The CMT test is not an assessment of an MT's skills and knowledge medical terminology, pharmacology, anatomy and physiology knowledge you are, but how well you've memorized the BOS.


Well, congrats anyway I guess, for memorizing a bunch of useless rules and regulations that will undoubtedly change in the next five years when a new "updated" version of the BOS is published.


I would charge more per line for working holidays or if asked to work scheduled days off. SM
But did you address that in your contract? 
every question asked on here could be documented in some book. So? cant a question be asked?
x
We met in high school. My high school sweetheart
introduced us in a discussion over Ford versus Chevy versus Dodge. I used to race my Dodge Coronet with oldstyle 318 V-8 engine against the guys on the back roads and old highways. High school boyfriend had a Chevy truck. DH had a Ford Fairlane and later an AMC Javelin that just made me swoon. We didn't actually start dating until three years later, and my old high school boyfriend was a bit surprised at that since he introduced us.
Okay, you asked for it

Multivitamin - prenatal (as directed by GYN dr, I'm perimenopausal)


flaxseed oil (1,000 mg) once daily)


Chromium picolinate (500 mcg) one daily


B-150 vitamin one daily


Green Tea capsule (315 mg)  one daily


Calcium, magnesium and Zinc (combined tablet)


I can skip a few days and can really tell it. My energy level really decreases.


 


 


 


How many of you get asked how to get into it?

I have people I do not know that heard from someone that I work at home and want to know what it takes to get into it.  Until this discovering this board this year, I would tell them that I lucked up into the job.  I worked at the hospital and because of a sick child I was allowed to go home to work aftering working in a clinic setting for four years and hospital for two years.  I also tell them it takes a lot of discipline to work and not do other things that needs to be done around the house.  I don't mind explaining to them.  I give them the pros and cons.  What I can't understand is why do they think they can call me during working hours and keep me on the phone with questions?


Have you asked her vet?
Thats strange. I'm not sure why, i wouldn't think its a disorder in anyway. Have you asked the dog's vet? That might be your best resource. Is being around the father new for her? It may just be that she is still adjusting to the new person in the house or her new environment. Once she becomes adjusted, I'm sure she will be fine. But Anyway I would ask the vet- they would be the best, most reliable & accurate resource.
Again, I do not believe she asked you anything!!!!!
nm
I asked the same ?
a few earlier posts as I am in the same boat. I am leaning towards the local job which is pretty much the response I got from other people. The reason being that I would have the same dictator over and over and can use macros/expanders to work less time and earn more money which sounds good to me.
Thank you. That's all I asked. nm
.
Well since you asked here's.....
I would never have anyone treat my neck if I were having problems like you have. One wrong move and you could get paralyzed.

I've seen 3 chiropractors over the years and only 1 was worth a toot. The other 2 were just out for money - trying to see how much they could get me to come in so they could make the money. The only good one I found works out at my gym and has a reputation for being an honest guy - and that was my opinion as well. He helped me when I had some lower back problems and I'd go back to him in a nannosecond for that if a problem arose again.

Make sure if you see one that you ask friends, family, neighbors, etc for recommendations of someone who's reputable.

The biggest quack I saw was right after an automobile accident when I had a muscle spasm in my shoulder from where the seat belt grabbed me and the lunkhead thought he saw the equation of automobile accident + another driver's fault = tons of money if he kept me coming in. Clue #1 he was ruthless was on the first visit he was wanting to know who my attorney was and insisting that I needed one. Good jiminy crickets - it was just a muscle spasm!
I have asked him about why?
He says, he loves her. He said it doesn't matter to him if she is a lesbian. He loves her and her kids. The kids are not his either. He simply likes what she has to offer him. He is constantly in fights with her other lovers who lives with him and her also. HELP
I would have, had I been asked. sm

My mother, God bless her, was adamant in her wishes to be placed in a nursing home when the time came so that she wouldn't be a burden on any of us, although we all would have taken her in.  She took care of her mother who was very ill for a long time and she told all of us that she did not want any of us to take her in because of what she went through.


She lived on her own until she was almost 80, despite failing health and my dad having died 15 years before.  When the time came that she knew she didn't have much longer she insisted on the nursing home and stayed there for a short time until she passed away and was buried next to my father on what would have been their 60th wedding anniversary.


I took in my grandmother (my mom's mother) for 3 months back when my mom and dad wanted to go to their winter home. It was hard, as gram was so sick, and I found myself at times wishing I hadn't agreed, but it was one of the best experiences of my life taking care of my grandmother and I'm glad that I had that time with her.


Would I have taken my mom in if she had asked?  You betcha.  In a heartbeat.


Been asked before
When will that buzzing noise stop.  Am off of here until it does.  I  know that this has been asked before but it has been 3 days since it has started.   Driving me nuts.  Will try again next week to see if it has stopped. 
I think I asked for too much...sm
I applied for a FT position with a large hospital in my area.  I have 7 years experience doing the "basic four".  On the online application it asked what I would want for a salary and I said $17.00 p/h.  Then, when I thought about it, I wondered if I had asked for too much and maybe they wouldn't even contact me.  I looked up the median income for my area and for working in a large hospital it said $25,000 to $29,000.  So, any advice?  Should I reapply with a lower demand?  I figured if I gave them a higher number they would have something to work down from, but I think I went too high.  I would really love to get back into a hospital and away from working from home.  So....should I reapply?  Any advice?  Thanks in advance!
This is asked so often; wish there was a way to have a
nm
I should have asked for more lol
They didn't blink at $26. lol. Oh well, next time I'll know to charge more. I'm excited to be doing this project though.

There are a lot of "closet" Montana gals around here. :-)
Someone asked me to do that once -

I had almost forgotten - it was the worst thing I ever got into - and I have done textbooks and all kinds of MT.  You couldn't tell who was who, some was not audible.  Total nightmare. 


Yes but you asked for her to tell you.
You can't fault her for knowing your dx when it is her job to type it up.
I asked my doc...
and she had no idea who did her transcription?! I think a lot of doctors are completely clueless, as their office managers/hospital set all of this up and the docs just sign the notes when they come in.
I asked here because
I felt I could get some sound opinions, but unfortunately, there is always someone who thinks you are doing something wrong. I am a single mom, have raised her without any help from her father or anyone else, have worked for 30 years as an MT and a large chunk will go to my church. I respect and value the opinions of fellow MTs (the majority of them) and I thought that was the purpose of this board, to ask for opinions and help when needed. I do know enough to speak to a financial planner but I wanted opinions on how I should handle the work situation.
Only asked for them once..

... several years ago after losing our first child I asked for all records from during my pregnancy.  He was missing half his heart and somehow it wasn't noticed on any of the 3 ultrasounds I'd had.  Also, I went in with my water broke 8 days after my last ultrasound and it wasn't in my chart that day, which I thought weird/unacceptable.


Found out they did not see the half of his heart but just wrote it off as being at a bad angle along with me being overweight. 


Nothing that could be done about it after the fact, but I just had to know what happened and how such a thing was missed.


OK I THINK I asked this but anyone using a MAC

to work as an MT?  If so, does it work seamlesssly with WORD?


When I get a new computer, I'd really like to toss PC for good. 


 


I get asked how to become an MT a lot. .
The RN around the corner from me called me a couple of months ago and said that she wanted to ask me about that "little" job that I do at home. After biting my tongue, I just told her I went through a good medical transcription program that took about 13 months online, and the pay isn't that good at first. She said that she shouldn't have to take any classes because she was a nurse and knows how to type. I told her if she thinks she doesn't need any training to go ahead and apply. I gave her a list of companies and haven't heard from her since. Most people I have talked to just want to start working and think it is easy. I was a medical technologist for 20 years and most people thought all I did was draw blood. I figure this is along the same lines and don't really bother any more to explain what I do. They don't really seem to care anyway.
I would think that someone had asked for more --sm
work and that it had to come from somewhere..you. This happens, a lot, unfortunately.
You asked sm

ChartScript and Careflow:  Terrible stuff, slow demos, weird font attributes.


MedRiteXL:  It is okay.  The demo screen puts you through a lot and there are not multiple ways to search for something.  You can look up old reports, but that is a bit slow and cumbersome too.  The actual document screen is nice and user friendly.  I found it fairly fast.


MTWorld:  I don't think there is anyone still using this.  I have worked for 2 companies that did.  If you have to look up a pt or other information, put in a cc or change a work type, it is awfully slow and you really do have ot know what you are doing to make it user friendly.  I have to say, I thought this was the fastest platform I'd ever work on.  I am wrong.


Bayscribe:  In my book, this is a SICK JOKE.  I found the ADT screens to be time consuming and confusing.  Some companies have a ton of fields for it and some don't.  The Expander in it is ridiculous.  It won't cap the first word to save your life.  You can't see how much work is available.  You can look up old documents, if they are yours.  It will give you a line count at the end of every document you send.  I never got up any speed on it.


Winscribe: I think that is what it is called.  I really liked this.  I think the company I worked for who used it could have maximized it more.  Some of the things you can do with it they didn't utilize and that was too bad.  It could have been so much better. 


Extext:  FOR ME, this is the fastest easiest platform there is. I have had no issues getting the minimum line count and in fact, I started getting bonuses for production after the first 3 weeks I worked on it.  I continue to love it. 


Whatever it is that Keystrokes uses I didn't like very well, but that might be because I wasn't trained properly.


There is NOTHING a Word like or Word based platform can do that wasn't faster with WP5.1 for DOS.


Sorry I even asked

To all of you who have absolutely no heart - I AM FOLLOWING THE ACCOUNT INSTRUCTIONS!!!!   I have no probem following the instructions - makes my job a lot easier.  It is when the high-and-mightly QA does not follow the instructions and I am marked off for it that I have a problem.    


With people like all of trying the "help" others, no wonder this profession is going down the tubes.  Guess you all really have nothing positive and nice to say, so really I have nothing to learn from any of you.       


I have asked that but never get a name. I can't believe I would be the only one so off.
nm
Well, since you asked
All the lucky MT's that have M-F day shift in Bangalore are probably on the system them and we can't have the pesky US-MTs slowing down the server, can we?
How about a High Five??!!
nm
high 5!!
...Right on! I think many people who are gay bashers are really terrified of the unknown, terrified because they link gay people with sexual criminal behavior - pedophiles, rapists, you name it. I would not expect less of a gay person than I would a straight person when it comes to character and ethics. It is sad to see how many people are terrified of gays because they believe they have an "agenda" - out to turn the world gay!! haha!

It should be pointed out here that many gays have desires and needs just like us straight people - want to be loved, want to belong to someone, want to be committed to one person, want a home and family just like us. That should tell us something, right? Hey, for that matter, there are lot of straight people who will never want to settle down, love sleeping around, live a promiscious lifestyle, but it is only when that occurs in a gay person that it is magnified.

People can be so naive. Throughout time there have been gays in every walk of life - high ranking powerful politicians, ministers, high ranking military men, etc. Some just choose to keep it a secret. Just as I expect my straight friends to have character and ethics, so do my gay friends.

Judge people on their character, their morals, their ethics, not whether they are gay or straight.


high 5!!
...I knew there was a reason I liked you... fellow Leo

P.S. - coincidentally just before I came to the board I just popped in a CD of the 5th Dimensions - remember "Age of Aquarius? That's too funny!
HIGH
RICHARD C. LEE NEW HAVEN, CT
*High-Five*!!! LOL!
x
Very high indeed!
I've never heard of anyone making more than .02-.03/cpl off of their subs. I'd say for you to either make some rules (times they can call, etc) and define exactly what you are willing to do for them. If they say no and you really don't care for the account any longer, then just let it go. If you really do want to keep it, the only thing I can suggest is to concentrate on how much YOU are making (and if it's worth it) instead of concentrating on how much THEY are making.
50% to me is very high
I could not look in the mirror if I took 50%, even beauticians when they used to work in a shot got 70/30 and they used the equipment of the shop.   If she handles everything but the invoicing I feel you are taking advantage of someone and hopefully you can live with yourself and look in the mirror.   I usually do 80/20 but then I pick up the tapes and deliver them to the IC, proof the work and invoice out, do all contact with the account.  But to each their own. 
wow... is it that high?

I'm making 10 cpl with my hospital and 12 CPL for my doctor's Office


which is 65 character line including spaces


However my office is now deciding they want to pay me a different way since we are completely switching systems and there is no way to do a line count... and now I HAVE NO idea how much to charge because he is thinking by the "minute". well I make almost ALMOST $2.00 a minute and haven't had a raise in seven years, so I'm really at a loss of what to do.


Oh I work for companies in California.  Do you live in FL or CA or I don't understand... i mean when I look at the big companies they offer 7 or 8 CPL... am I missing something?!  LOL
good luck :)


Glad you asked
Brach's Chocolate Stars
rofl. MD just came in and i asked, here's what he said
the pt has a "sort of meandering gait"   LOL
The OP asked for their platform. A (sm)
platform is what you type on, which is word, NOT EXtext. That is the expander. I know, I work there!!