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You completely misunderstood me! And see how quick you are to fly off the handle??

Posted By: MQDocQ on 2005-08-04
In Reply to: perhaps you could drop your TC a note... - Elizabeth

That's why supervisors don't like to send friendly Hello emails!! I was talking to you, but saying the OTHER MTs - you have no idea how many of them are nuts, really, and do NOT want to hear from anyone, and even a friendly simple greeting email can provoke wrath from the masses!  I was NOT lumping you in with that, but you totally misinterpreted a simple post!! That's why emails are not worth it unless 100% necessary for job performance! You proved my point!


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you misunderstood me, sorry...
No, was paid $21 per hour for QA, and I agree it should be paid by the hour. Some MTs need 100% QA, others just blanks.

What I said was I went back to working as an MT because it pays more than the $21 per hour I was making as a QA.

I enjoy QA work, however, and said I would not mind doing a mixture of MT and QA.

I think QA is very important. It is particularly important to give feedback to the MTs because they can avoid repetitive errors. Most MTs prefer to get feedback as long as it is done with a kind attitude.
Oh, I'm sorry. I misunderstood! LOL
I'm not sure what is up with some of the people posting on this thread but they are really ugly.

All I did was tell the person starting the thread that IC/SE status is great for some of us and now look at all the ugliness going on.

You have a nice day!


She said it was LOW at 12K. I think you misunderstood her.
nm
Sorry I misunderstood what you were saying - sm
It is possible to "hide" the icons, hence my instructions. But if you redid your computer then you just need to do shortcuts, which I know has already been explained.
I think you may have misunderstood.
Everybody uses a medical spellchecker in addition to ShortHand. What I would expect it would tell you to turn off AutoCorrect. If you don't, and you have entries in there (or the preloaded ones), you will get conflicts. Say you add in a correction for a misspelling of "the," and of course Autocorrect already does that. When you misspell "the," instead of getting it corrected, both programs will take a stab and you'll wonder why it says "ththe" or something.
Sorry you may have been misunderstood
initially, but you are still defending the use of FEAR tactics to teach a child to behave.

FEAR is fear - whether the fear of losing a job or the fear of getting a spanking.

Seriously - are you suggesting this is a good way to teach a child to behave?

I'm not suggesting a parent is a monster for a pop on the behind or the hand, but when you get to the level of a "spanking" you are physically and mentally abusing your child. Deal with it.

YOU didn't like it either - and for the same reasons...

It's a betrayal of trust as well - love from a parent should not involve physical pain.
I think you misunderstood
I think what some were saying is that with their line counts they were barely making minimum wage when it figured out to an hourly rate.  
I think you've misunderstood ...
Perhaps you didn't understand the line of thought between myself and the OP ... the OP was stating that I could have a flexible schedule as an EMPLOYEE.

I stated that companies don't always offer flexible schedules for employees and that was why I loved being an IC.

I understand the definition of IC and SE. I've been doing this for years, thank you.
You've misunderstood......
I'm not talking about the average homeowner who lives 2 to 3 blocks from the beach. Look, we lived in Florida for 15 years, have relatives who live on the MS gulf coast and Houston AND New Orleans.

I'm talking about the big mansions that we see go up right on the beaches, knowing they can't get insurance coverage. I've even heard them brag that they're not worried, FEMA will rebuild it for them. Those are the folks I'm talking about.

I have family in Houston who also had to flee with four children (one a newborn). I do know what they went through. I have an elderly aunt and uncle in New Orleans suburb who sat it out. I've got friends in south Florida who are now without power with HIGH temperatures. By the way, they live on a canal and DO NOT expect FEMA to rebuild their home should something, Heaven forbid, happen to it.

I've got friends and
relatives on the MS gulf coast whose homes are several blocks from the beach and still are ruined due to mold and mildew. HOWEVER, their insurance won't pay to replace all the sheetrock, just where the water level went to, even though mold and mildew crawls all over. WHat are they to do? But they know people who are already getting help from FEMA to rebuild DIRECTLY on the beach!!! Now explain this.
You misunderstood my posting.
I didn't say it's someone "just like me" that will work out. It's that some personalities mesh better with others.

But it is a good idea to consider similar goals, interests, etc.
I misunderstood what you meant.
I attach one file with gmail then down below click where it says to attach another file.  I am certainly no expert, so there may be a faster way of doing it.  With Yahoo you "browse" for the files to attach.  You may still have to select one at a time, but I am not sure.  I thought you meant that you wanted to attach more than one before sending the message.  I have used Outlook Express, Yahoo, Gmail and the address with my local ISP.  With all of them I have attached more than one file before sending, but have never tried to like "select" multiple files at one time to attach. 
sorry, you misunderstood second post...
I meant that in my first post, I said if IC's had charged correctly "in the beginning."   Anyway, my whole point is that there are so many questions and misunderstandings on this board about IC status.  If people are going to function as an IC, they need to understand they are in charge of what they are paid by the MTSO.  Personally, I tell an IC what I am willing to pay and if they accept it great, if not, I can negotiate.  She should be telling me right off the bat what her charges are, not wait for me to make an offer.  I also think you would be very surprised if you knew how much most MTSO are charging.  Yes, the small businesses have a tougher time, but the large services are doing just fine.
Forgive me if you misunderstood..
I agree that you must be a fast typist in order to make a decent financial living. I just do not think that speed should be placed above accuracy just for speed sake. Speed comes with knowledge, knowledge is obtained by looking over your reports and transcribing correctly.
I am sorry, but I think you totally misunderstood--sm
this person's response. Some computers come with a *trial version* of different programs, such as Word 2003. When the trial period is over, you have the option of purchasing the program from the trial version. This is where the one time install comes in. I have the student/teacher version of Office 2003, which does allow me to place it on up to 3 computers. If one of those computers crashes, you can call Microsoft for another validation number to install it on a new computer.

I really do not see how you got that this person was illegally wanting a download CD from anything. I totally understood what she was trying to say. Perhaps you misread and over reacted? mellow mellow...
Think my post is being misunderstood
I love VR but what I am asking is why if you do say between 500-600 lines per hour the company who puts the VR platform out there wants you to be sure and use their keys instead of the mouse which I was taught on when I first started? There is no way humanly possible if your audio is on fast forward can you speed it up faster, no way. I am wondering why they are so interested? I am not a poke along so use keys, use mouse, what difference? None that I can see- audio on fast forward all the time working. Cannot go faster than the audio.
Think I misunderstood on another board sm
I probably read this backwards before. For hemat/onc as you know, a lot of chemo and radiation involved. With radiation onc, it would be terms found in a radiology wordbook but you certainly would have to know the radiology terms and dosages, i.e, cGy, etc., all your basic anatomy and physiology. As with anything in this business, your basic knowledge plus speciality interest. Get a good radiology terms book and study up. With your hem/onc experience it will be a big help. Perhaps there are some sample reports, just Google and follow through with basic radiology terms.
They aren't. I think everyone has misunderstood.
It looks to me like everyone was wanting them to act as a union, which they were never designed to do.

When everyone realized this, they wanted the American taken out of the name. They did so.

It is an association that has now broadened its scope in realizing how many roles are involved in the medical record.

Considering that offshoring is here to stay, I would think everyone would be happy that they are trying to reach out to those individuals and at least secure some standards for education, etc., for ALL records.

AHDI Misunderstood?
I do not thnk AHDI is misunderstood at all. I think it is very apparent what they are doing. They are embracing the global atmosphere to make more money for themselves just like the big MTSOs. I personally believe it is time that the Dept. Of Labor get involved with the way American MTs are paid in this country and institute a standardized method of counting lines for all MTSO companie which would include using the same software for all of them.  I think that MTs who are paid by the line should have a baseline line pay that is in dollars and cents just like factory workers do who are paid doing piecework. I would bet there are many many MTs in this country who are working for less than minimum wage for these MTSO companies because they pay so little and expect so much.
you misunderstood some things

about my post. It is mandatory, not my choice to do this. I'm not new to the MT world and other companies, or the working world in general, and this is a first for me. This is degrading. I'm an excellent MT and employee in general, and that's possibly why you state my 1-1/2 months is long enough to learn this: I actually check my work and grammar to make sure I'm turning in a professional legal document.


The reason I was forced to take a job with such a low rate is because I was a victim of severe domestic abuse psychologically,emotionally, and financially, and was forced out of my home by my supposed new Chistian and godly husband having control of all the money and hiring an attorney and my having none, which was strictly a control issue. I had no job and was living in another state from all my family and friends. I was put out abruptly in a job market the likes of which have not been seen in...ever?


So, I am a very hard worker and do not mind doing extra, but I do very much mind--after this experience--being abused by anyone, my employer included.


You misunderstood my note.
I meant to actually work doing MT, either transcribing or editing, in vertical portrait. You turn your monitor 90 degrees.
You misunderstood my whole post (probably the way I did it - in 2 parts)

Here is what I mean.  I learned in 1965 with no training.  Then several years later, someone told me I was spelling Fahrenheit wrong.  Now fast forward to 2006.  I've been doing this for 30-40 years, very few medical spelling errors, and NOW is when my company nitpicks.


You misunderstood - I left the bad company...sm
You misunderstood the post, evidently, or might have possibly bought into your company's hype. We had plenty of "indoctrination" about India where I worked.

I tried to avoid job-hopping, but after 2 years of abuse, it was time to go. I could not make quotas required because I was getting all the crap work that no one else could transcribe ALL the time, not some of the time; then the benefits were reduced every time we turned around, and that I depend on with a terminally ill spouse.

When you start messing with people's money, whatever job you're in, you're going to lose employees. If you have a good Indian-based or owned company, you are one of the few I've ever heard of, and I'm happy for you. As for this MT, I refuse to work for them. No matter what, they are taking work from the U.S. MTs that need and want to work.
Maybe I misunderstood but you said they pay you "off the books" -- so you don't report THAT
.
I didn't mean to sound touchy. You misunderstood and
whether or not you MEANT to reply to my post, you did. What else was I to think?!

I don't have all the answers but I was quite aware of that information already.

No offense taken by me! Just felt like you misunderstood, that's all!

Wait. I misunderstood. MS4 = student, a Mr. - R4 = MD, but not finished SM
with residency in his specialty.
Aaaaawww! I do not think that you are insensitive, you are misunderstood and you should not apologi
nm
Maybe I misunderstood the OP's concern. Pardon if my response doesn't pertain. nm
x
OK, I misunderstood. Didn't know there was another way. I'll check out Google Desktop. Thanks.
`
How do you handle
Your first year as an IC regarding taxes? Should I go ahead and set up some type of payment plan like that?
What? That's what you can't do - handle someone else having a
Take your own advice, please.

here's how i handle it N/A
when enrolling my son in high school they wanted all sorts of information like that about family history...i left all blank with N/A....

They also wanted his social security number....N/A There is no reason in the world they should need his social security number and I asked about this.. They said it was for when he signed up for college loans etc. I told them he's not in college yet and I would not be furnishing that information to anyone.

In a post below someone said something about ppl being over paranoid these days....I had my identity stolen a few years back. It nearly destroyed my credit, wiped out my bank accounts, and took me literally years to clean up. In this day and age you can never be too careful with privacy. You just cannot be sure what anyone is doing with your private information. Better safe than sorry.

How do you handle if you are an IC??

You need to know how to handle these people. sm

They will try to get you to work like a dog, your fingers to the bone.  You just tell him no.  I will work x number of hours a day and that is it.  That is what I did and it worked out fine.   They will try to push you to work 24 x 7 if they can.  That is the way they are (men from India).  Just hold firm and they will accept it.   You need to be "thick-skinned" I think to be able to work with them. 


 


My DBF can't even handle the 2 hours
that he watches them every evening. They drive him nuts. He doesn't help with the cleaning, cooking, laundry, and like I said-those 2 hours from 8pm to 10pm, I don't really get much done cause they are in the next room screaming-him included. It's not fun. He does his best with them....when he takes them places in the evening, but of course, this can't happen every night. (I'm ready to bail in the relationship anyway) Just be so thankful to those of you who have "adult" spouses, he's like a big kid, leaves clothes all over, etc, doesn't know where the garbage can is. He is still in the dark ages I'm afraid when it comes to "women in the house, barefoot and pregnant" attitude. He's only 39. Blames it on the way he was raised. K. It's 2005, get with the program. It's a lost cause.
easy to handle

Merely sent an email. In the subject line put MTSTARS (company name) so when you get a response you have the details.


 


Merely say, I have a couple of question prior to sending in a resume or testing taking.  This saves time on both sides. 


 


May I ask, what is the lowest to the highest rate of pay. What pay rate formula is used, for example, by the line, by the minute, by the word, by the gross word.  Are spaces paid, ALL spaces.


some in their ads say "we pay for ALL spaces"  so I guess some companies pay a percentage. 


For instance Medquist does not pay for the demographic screen, the CC notation or the headings. and prob more that is not known. .


You need to know how to convert this to an hourly rate so you know how much you actually are making.


Below is a quote from a company in Texas TSI and I sat down with the calculator and figured some of the hourly rates.  For the most part, way too many lines for most MTs


Below is the quote in email from TSI.  The calculated figures are mine.

.____________________________________________________

Less than 1000 lines per day average = 6 cents (these we consider to be part-time positions and we really prefer to work with full-time employees.)

 

1000-1100 average lines per day = 7 cents

 

(this is $70 for 8 hours ($8.75 hr)

 

1200-1399 average lines per day = 7.5 cents

 

This is $90. for 8 hours $11.25 hr and 150 lines an hour about almost 4.5 pages/hr.  This is a lot of pages/hr.

 

1400-1599 average lines per day = 8 cents

 

This is 1400 X 8 = $112 per 8 hr.

8 divide into  $112=$14/hr

1400 lines divide 8= 175 lines/hr

Figure 34 lines/page+ 5.41 pages an hour.

 

No way I could do this. I would not work for 6,7,8,9- no less than 10 and this is not really great.  You cannot predict what you will end up with. You could be on target and lose it all, wham. .

 

1600-1799 average lines per day = 8.5 cents

 

1800 or greater average lines per day = 9 cents  So then this would be:

 

225 lines per hour, about 6.61 pages

 

112 lines 30 minutes, 3 1/2 pages

 

56.2 lines 15 minutes 1.65 pages

 

greater than 14,625 Keystrokes per hour

 

nearly 4 lines per minute

 

Well over one million keystrokes/8hr

 .

Here's how I'd handle the situation...

First off I'd tell my mom that he's a pig and what he has done. 


Secondly I'd never be around him without a recording device turned on in my pocket so that way you can record his comments, and if he touches you or flirts then get a recording of your asking him to not touch or look at you that way and his response.  Then play the recording for your mom and other relatives.


While it may be true your mother may go into denial you need to stand up for yourself.   My mom was a fool and protected my father when she was told about his untoward advances towards women for years.... and then something happened that made her realize that she had been a fool for years and that he was the one with the problem. 


Here is an even nicer way to handle it!
I totally agree with having her over in YOUR space and being nice to her. Tell her you can hear everything through the walls and celings (blaming them was a good idea) Tell her other things BESIDES her that you can hear. Tell her what you do for a living and what times you work, and how those "other" noises are so distracting. You don't have to tell her she is too loud; she will surely get the picture if she has any sense at all. If that doesn't fix the problem, then I would go to the manager and ask if there have ever been other complaints about her first. He/She may already know this is a problem. You never know how people will react if you tell them you would appreciate it if they would be quiet, no matter how nice you say it. I would have her over for snacks and a "chat" real soon though or you will go insane!
And another one who can't handle reality.

/


The reference I handle THE MOST - sm
is my Medical Phrase Index - I happen to use the 4th edition and I mean I use it often. It really comes in handy for mush-mouthed docs and ESL docs.
How do you handle no work?

I have not had work for most of July.  I am an IC and have been doing this for years.  This is the slowest I have ever been and I'm stressed out.  Luckily, hubby pays the majority of the bills so I am not starving!  I have applied several other places with no luck.  Is this just a summer slow period or what?  How can I keep from going a bit crazy?  I am getting rather depressed.  TIA


How would you handle this situation?

I picked up some extra IC work back in May, and since that time have covered for the owner by editing for her while she was on vacation for a week, and then taken extra work as the MT with whom I share dictation from this doc was on vacation for a week, then sick for a week just after return, the next Friday had a family emergency, etc.  This was supposed to be part-time work, and has turned out to be more than I would expect for part-time . . . to the point where when this doc was going on vacation, I was trying to hold out and not say anything about it being too much, thinking that I'd be caught up and fine to take on the work when he returned, but wound up "breaking" with one day left to go, and told the woman it was too much, and she asked if I could just hang in there with her as she was testing another MT, and would reduce the amount she gave me if this girl worked out. 


Well, the doc returned from vacation and I did not get any of his work for about a week, and then the next week (this past week), I was given slightly more work than in the weeks prior to his vacation, although I had already told her it was too much, and it was still the same girl working the account with me.  At the end of the week it seemed that she had hired another girl, but did not reduce my work, just switched from girl 1 to girl 2. 


Sorry so long, but here's the BIGGER problem . . . in the early part of the week, the owner e-mailed with an attached voice file, requesting that I download the voice file and listen to a blank she was trying to fill-in.  I listened (over and over) could not find her sentence, so responded with what I was hearing in and around that area.  She then gave me another location and said that she had two counters on her program and did not know which one my program used, could I listen at xxxx location, so I did, gave her the fill-in, but was a little bewildered as to why she would request my assistance in that way as SHE IS NOT PAYING ME FOR THIS KIND OF HELP. 


Here we go again, yesterday she sends an e-mail with some voice files attached and some sentences with blanks, and she is requesting the same thing, that I listen and fill-in the blanks.  I am just not sure what to do here.  Early on, a couple of weeks after she returned from her vacation, she asked me if I could "proofread" the other girls files for that day as an appointment she had was "screwing her up".  I e-mailed back that, due to my heavy workload, I would not be able to EDIT work for her.  (The girl's work requires editing, not proofreading, which I quickly found out while covering the owner's vacation.)  I thought that I had let her know then that I do not work for free, in a nice way.


I would like to keep the work, but only what I am being paid for, so . . . How would you handle this situation? 


How do you handle burnout as MT? Any
suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I've only been doing this for 7-1/2 years and I've about had it with all the junk.
How do you/your company handle this--sm

Once a report is typed and checked in by you and someone else accesses the report be it QA or another Transcriptionist adding a line or making a change per the dictator, is that second/third person required to indicate in some way that your report has been altered?  Thanks


Need advice on how to handle this --sm
I am an IC and have several accts -- One of my accts has not pd for services since early Nov 2006.  I have given notice that will no longer be providing services as of 02/09/07 -- Should I continue to provide services, knowing that I may not be paid -- or can I just give notice saying that since I have not been pd -- i can no longer continue.  I have no written contract with physician.. pls advise Want to do right thing as this is small area but also want to be pd for work performed. ...
Question ... How would you handle this?

I have 44 clients for my business.  I charge 18 cpl.  I pay 7 and 8 cpl for my MTs (ICs).  With the 10-11 cpl left over, I have to pay all my overhead.  Sometimes, I have no money left over to even pay myself, and have even put in my personal savings to make sure the MTs get paid.  Now, I have a company that has offered me to do work for 5 cpl but it is offshore.  I have to say, tho, that the extra 3 cpl would allow me to sometimes even pay myself something.  My contractors are complaining about wanting more money but I will go under and close down if I do that.  Also, this company will do the work overnight and return it in the mornings when I have to constantly juggle with my current contractors because they only want to work days.  I don't want to cut my contractors but I don't see any other way around it.  What should I do? 


See the dilemma?  It's not as easy as you think.


 


how to handle -- be sure and dot your I's and cross your t's
First you need to be able to substantiate what you are saying.
you need to know who is signing off the report? Is she??? or is the physician???? or is she signing the report off by another physician???? If she is how is she doing it.

You need to get all your ducks in a row so that you dont go to administration and look like a troublemaker making things up.

Personally I would gather all my proof and turn a copy of it in to adminstration anonymously (make sure that cannot trace it back to you because when the fire starts you dont want to get burned in the aftermath).

If doesnt take care of it take that same info, write a letter explaining what you have witnessed and that you reported to administration but it continues and anonymously submit all of this info to JCAHO.
Complaint Hotline
800-994-6610 complaint@jointcommission.org
How do you handle your mistakes?

I am an IC and for the past 5 years have worked for the same doc.  He still uses tapes so I deliver on a daily basis.  I already load the work on his PC and make sure the pages line up etc. and do not get paid extra.  I also convert some reports from WP to Word and e-mail to him at no extra charge.  Now he starts calling me after I leave the clinic and expect me to either turn-around and come fix the mistakes/changes (15 minutes later) or I must wait in his office until he is finished with a patient consult, can go through the work to check for mistakes/changes for me.  The mistakes range from doctor's names misspelled (workmen's comp with lots of different doc names, impossible to search and find as no clue where the doc is located) or template changes etc. and sometimes silly mistakes which is totally my mistake.  Am I fair in stating that I do not mind doing the corrections when I return the next day but that I cannot wait around in his office for him as he does not pay me for that and I will also not turn around after I have left the office to go back when they call me? How do all of you handle this type of situation? 


 


if you get a handle on the situation - let us know, k? NM
x
How to companies handle?
I understand that completely, (this is not the case, but something I just thought about), BUT let's say that a relative or your friend decided to bring about a malpractice case.....how would it look that you typed your own note, your family's note or your friend's note.  I know when I worked for a hospital, we were not allowed to do that and I am just trying to set a standard for my independent contractors.  I was just wondering how other companies handle it.
I do op reports and I have more than I can really handle.
My work has increased at least 25% in the last two months.
How can you handle so many hours?
I can barely stand having an 8-hour shift and have thought of trying to add a day and cut down on hours.

Don't you get exhausted?

I have been at this a couple years and find it very mentally draining (so many things to learn, keep track of, and difficult dictators). If you have any good tips on how to not let it exhaust me, I would be so grateful!