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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

this was maybe 20 years ago valid, but not nowadays

Posted By: a on 2009-05-09
In Reply to: I always found that if I took the time to research - MT9

with such a low line rate and VR, when transcribing's speed has to be tripled to get the same pay.

Newbies can still learn and profit from the answers given on the word help board.

CHANGE is inevitable in every field.


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No, you're not alone. Almost all TV disgusts me nowadays. nm
nm
It is sad, but that is the state of this "profession" nowadays.

So true! Nowadays a B.S. Degree is just that --
hee
I think microcassettes are used more often nowadays then minis.
``
CEUs don't cost that nowadays!
NM
No big bucks for docs nowadays
So true. Compare it to the union thing. Just my take on it. I've worked in-house & at home, and have seen this thing slide down the hill big-time!
Hey---Nowadays we NEED a Dept of Pubic Health!!
ROFL
Doctors nowadays are in it for the money and "superiority"...

It is my opinion that there are very few docs left that truly care about their patients.  In working with them and as a patient.  Having a sickly child, I have been through 6 peds in 11 years for one reason or other.  Only had one truly great ped, he saw sick children even on his day "off" and still saw them in the hospital and if he couldn't treat whatever, he wasn't afraid to send you to a specialist.  He saw patients until he died.  I believe he was in his 80s.


Nowadays that's a pretty mild word....... -nm

Nowadays doctors are little more than glorified puppets. sm
The suits in managed care tell them what hours to work, how many patients to see per day, what to treat and what to ignore, and what treatments they can or cannot prescribe. With the office visits cut shorter and shorter, and more and more patients seen per day, ('run 'em in/run 'em out medicine at its best), they don't have much control anymore. They just look at their watches alot (like throughout your entire visit), and gallop down the hall from one exam room to the next, trying to keep up with the quota management has imposed on them. Management snaps their fingers, the doctors jump. Lots of them dont even dictate anymore, their nurses do it. No wonder the quality of dictation has been going steadily downhill, just like the rest of healthcare. I'm sure most of them don't have the slightest clue their hospital's work is even outsourced, let alone offshored. They live in a pretty cloistered little world. I'm sure the doctors where I used to work still think their hospital has a transcription department!
unfortunately, you have a very valid point sm
and unfortunately, there is nothing we are going to be able to do about it. Of course, we can choose to shop at American owned stores-I do-we can choose to speak to Americans only-never tried asking for an American, but in the end, this is all a futile effort on our part! It's the wave of the future, and the bottom line is all that matters to corporate America! That's why we have to bring up our children with good values, excellent work ethic, and high moral standards, so that when they get out into the "real" world, they can out perform the, um, what do I call them, foreigners!
Is this a valid thing? sm
All of a sudden one day this box appears at the bottom of my computer stating....Repair Registry Pro has found 466 errors, click here for more information...I clicked it and it wanted to charge me a lot of money for this...I think maybe it is something not like a virus but not anything good either.  I clicked on Microsoft website to see if I could find anything about this, and while there ran some tools to see if I had any errors which it did not report any.  Has anyone ever came across this and is it legitamite (sp?)?
Another very valid reason
First let me say, I am so sorry for what you have been through.  I hope and pray you find your child.  This is just one of multiple reasons credit reports should be personal.  The next thing you know, they will want sexual histories before hiring someone.  It is just PERSONAL and PRIVATE and should be respected as that.  I wonder how many companies that do credit reports for potential employees would like to have credit reports pulled on their business practices.  Really, again, it is private and very personal.  I believe every one has good intentions until proven otherwise. 
Your concerns are valid, unfortunately : (

EMR and voice recognition has put me out of a job.  On my former job, there was one other Transcriptionist besides me.  Because she had been there longer, she got what was left over after most of the docs jumped on the voice recognition bandwagon.  They use Dragon Naturally Speaking.  I have seen it at work myself and it is quite accurate.  There is no editing being done on their work.  Now, I'm doing a job that is just that, a JOB.  I enjoy transcribing and am looking for another job, but MT jobs seem to be few and far between where I am.  I can't get high speed internet where I live, so most services are out.  I may move onto a different career if something doesn't come around soon.  I thought about legal transcription.  Anyone have experience with that?


 


valid point
This is a valid point and I am not happy with the cut in pay either. On the other hand, I do love what I am doing and accept that it will take some time for me to reach my full earning potential, although I am not too sure it will come to the 41,000 I made in the past. The point I am making is that although it is a cut in pay, I am still paying the same household bills I was contributing to with my other employment, although it is not as easy and I have never been the type of wife to rely on her husband for pocket money---I have always had my own and this has not changed.
It's a really valid question.

I've seen a lot of posts on this board from MTs who said their accounts went to EMR and they were out of a job.  I haven't experienced that, though.  I worked in house for an oncology practice that had a software program that was designed for EMR but everyone still dictated.  The account I'm on now has EMR and they'll put things in the dictation for the meds, and review of systems that say "detailed review of systems in electronic medical record" or that the meds have been updated and a full list is in the EMR. Other times they dictate the med list and dictate a review of systems.


Personally, I don't think it's ever going to completely get rid of us.   There are still too many variables in some reports.   We may end up not typing things like cataract reports, or some surgical procedures which are pretty routine, but things like H&Ps, consults, discharges, and office/progress notes are still going to need something more than point and click.


That's my experience, anyway.


Definitely not...how do you know if it's a valid complaint?...(SM)
This happens very often with abuse claims. A case is started, the claim is false, someone's reputation is wrecked, and it costs them a fortune in legal fees to restore it. If you are worried she is not getting help or advice, the only discrete way to find out is fake a spontaneous meeting and get into conversation with him/her and go from there. You could never let it be known that you read her/his records...records that she thinks are confidential. (Boy, are a lot of people in for a shock.)
I think the majority of families in America are dysfunctional nowadays!
I have yet to find or meet a functional family.

My little family of 4, meaning me, my husband and 2 children are functional, but when you add in my side of the family, 5 siblings, and his side of the family 5 siblings, it becomes totally dysfunctional. Go figure!

I can only do the best with my own little family of 4 and keep us a functional, caring, productive family giving back to society in a positive meaningful way. I can not control the siblings or extended cousins, etc.

It is my goal to keep my little family of 4 functionally intact forever!
My license is valid again. Yay! I called the

numbers on the suspended license notice this morning and was told to go to the courthouse, which I did. I told them I was contesting the ticket because it was not me who got it but I know who did get it. I explained what my sister did and the lady told me to go to DMV and file identity fraud charges where I fill out a form saying someone is using my name and give their name if I know who. That's done! She also cleared my name in the computer and gave me a copy of the ticket which says issued in error. The ticket was issued at 3 in the morning so she's lucky she didn't get a DUI on my name. The ticket shows her car and her license plate number. Gee, wonder how that happened? I now have a court hearing middle of September where I explain my case and the officer who wrote the ticket will be there. You can bet I'll be bringing life size photos of her to show that it wasn't me. Now I can breathe again, at least until September.


There would never be a valid reason to go to her clients - ever. sm

Remember - those clients are her bread and butter. HER business is to protect HER BUSINESS. Late TAT one time would not be enough reason to stop using your services. Late TAT enough times that SHE is getting uncomfortable with the client is ample reason.


You have no business relationship with the clients. Your business relationship was with the MTSO.


Tried to e-mail and said addy was not valid.
Most likely you would need a USB pedal or an adapter to convert any other type of foot pedal.  There are numerous options available as far as internet - cell phone, dial-up, WiFi, satellite, air cards.  It depends on how you will be traveling and where you will be staying.  You need to have a primary plan and a backup. 
You make some valid points; HOWEVER,
telling an MT to use the BOS is not really helpful. Many of us transcribe "verbatim" accounts where we are told to reference the BOS. Scuze me, what's the line between verbatim and the BOS? And if the BOS says one thing but the client specifics say another thing, then what? Pretty much NOTHING in this business is standardized. Not pay, not line count methods, verbatuum vs nonverbatim...

As far as looking things up, I will look for a name or address (if I'm given enough information to do so) for 2 minutes. I'll relisten to a potential blank 3 times on its own and then in a final run-through of the entire report to see if I can get it by context. But this is a PRODUCTION job and I do not get paid to spend all that time looking things up.

And there are a lot of words that really are not words that doctors use. What do we do with those?

I've been doing this 12 years and still occasionally run across things that are wrong that I was told to "do it this way" by one client or another along the way and the "wrong" way just stuck. I'm always happy to have those pointed out so that I can correct any old bad habits...

But here's another thing. If we, as so many of us are, are required to work on 3-5 accounts to get the equivalent of full-time work, and those 3-5 account all have different specs, then it should be expected that screwups are going to happen.

Again proving my point that NOTHING is standardized and the BOS is, at its best, a fundraising tool for the former AAMT and, at its least, a very general sort of guideline.
Know is old post - but valid concerns

I don't kow what they could do to help you RE: Katrina but companies need to verify the NEED to cut back or do it across the board, at least in the department / job level. I worked for this company for 6 yr & had several cuts in my take home. The platforms used became slower & slower because of the amazing amt of data in the programs. I had 3 gig memory & STILL took forever & you aren't making a dime for that several minute while a report is sending & the next coming in & then doing the demographic page.


I've been trying to find out if there was anything of that investigation - I never did get that paper that so many other employees got. And I had a definite beef.


you raise such a valid point...
"If money is your goal"...

I too thought about the nursing program... It's really the only other thing I could see myself doing long-term... but I don't want to give up MT because of all the freedom I have. Granted, I get no benefits, it's hard to scrape by sometimes, but I basically get to do whatever I want as long as I meet my TAT...

Money, however, is my goal for the things I want to continue doing. Plus all the money I'd go in debt for for schooling... will it ever equal out. I just feel like I'm too old to start a career, by the time i want school over with i would hope im married with a baby. HAHA

Oh I Hate being indecisive!!!
FYI - Internet petitions are not valid in most
x
Plenty of room here! Your thoughts are as valid as all the others.
.
Her points are valid, true, and very appropriate to discuss here.
The only thing I would add to that is that in addition to discussing this age-old medical "dirty secret" here, it should also be discussed with anyone and everyone, until the issue can be brought to the forefront in the medical industry. A lot of terrible medical mistakes are being averted because of skilled MTs catching them.
We are an important line of defense in the medicolegal risks every doctor & medical institution faces every day. Yet because very few people know this profession even exists, we're continually being kept in the medical industry's darkest closet, and many of them get their hides saved from financial ruin every day -- literally at our expense.
Bitter? I think the recruiter/owner had some valid points. nm
x
Check the MT jobs available. Nowadays 8 or 9 cents a line is considered good for experienced MTs.
x
so many people was wishy-washy nowadays...love to see people make
a stand for what they believe in...

it is kind of wierd those statements have to be made in the first place but guess we are an ever-transitioning country and are still young. so many different beliefs yet not much tolerance.

I found your post respectful, and right on as to how you feel. it does not seem that difficult to sift through to read and respond to messages someone might not care for...
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!!
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
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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?
19 years old...married 26 years. nm
n
they've been doing this for years and years (nm)

IMHO


People have been saying that for years and years - SM

however, I am working fewer hours and making more money. I think maybe the answer here is working as an IC for a one-owner company. MTSO was an MT for many years and she knows the secret to making lots of $ is putting your MTs doing what they do best and leaving them alone.


I don't think it is the "national" part of services that hurts. I think the low wages can be gauged by the number of suits in the company. More suits = less $.


And why pay QA? Just hire people experienced/good enough to do the work correctly the first time.


I have been doing Radiology only the last two years after several years (sm)
of acute care. I love it and find it easier although not as interesting as acute care. I was told by those who hired me that a good medical Transcriptionist will be able to do Radiology even with no experience in it. There are some specialized terms but easy to learn. I would never go back to acute care unless there were very good dictators and good sound quality.
30 (!) years; OTJ (don't think there were schools 30 years ago) nm
:)
Years ago it was 7 years. Not certain as to status now.

10 years here, too, and making 8.4....same as i was 5 years ago. nm
f
Shame on me.. Am I the only one with 4+ in 2 years, but with my last one 2 years.

Lots of little "stints" in between, just trying to keep my head above water.