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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

you will be on the phone the entire time you are typing.

Posted By: Amanda on 2008-02-04
In Reply to: Unlimited Long Distance - Siren

Are you talking about using a Verizon cellphone? I would think you have to have a landline in your home to work.


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you want the admin. to take time out of her entire day


I spotted the entire time of my last two pregnancies
and absolutely it happened every month when I was going to have my period. I delivered healthy babies. Back then if they did serum hCG levels, they did not tell you but with my last two children, it happened every month and the entire first two months of the pregnancy.
Time in as an MT doesn't tell the entire story
I now have 12 yrs in as an MT, this calendar year. I have made 10 and 11 cpl in 2007. The job I love I have 9 cpl, but with so many normals and knowing the job so well, I make really good money and pretty fast.

I was offered 7 cents in October to do OPs. They were told to take hike!

I have taken an employee situation in the last 2 weeks. I am to be paid 8.5, have to work a Saturday, but get 9 cpl for that day. There are incentives and more importantly VERY affordable medical benefits and I choose my plan. There is vision and dental as well, PTO that is more than fairly figured, etc. Because they will match my FICA taxes as an employer does, these things added up to very big bucks in my favor versus IC because I had paid 23% of my income last year in taxes and yes, I have an accountant who is very good, I just do not have expenses much because I have my house paid for.

As I started to say, what type of experience for those yrs is very important too. I have every specialty, but pathology. I am an acute care MT and OPs are my thing. This makes me so desirable on the market, even I am surprised by it. I look at the platform, the hours, benefits or lack thereof, and then I ask myself if that cpl offer is worth it or not.

I have a friend with about 5 yrs of experience. Her specialties are neuro and rheumatology and this is all she will transcribe, period. She can't work more than part time, is about 150 lph and refuses to take less than 9 cents. She has little to offer a company for that 9 cents. To contrast, for my 9 cents I am very flexible, have plenty to offer and because I have such varied experience, I can "plug in" to almost anything.

See what I mean? If the job is full of ESLs who are difficult, you have little QA support, the platform sucks, the people are not decent to work with, etc. perhaps you need to rethink the money issue. I had a job this last year at 10 cents and could do well to top out at $22 an hour, but my 9 cpl gives me $35 an hour.

There are just too many unpredictable facets to say what is a good line rate.
I spent the entire time after the show trying to vote
/
Yes, I always have the notes. One time, it was an entire day worth of clinics except for one!

How did they just get one note and not the rest?  There have been a couple of times when the doctor just didn't dictate on that particular patient, but most of the time I typed the notes, printed and delivered the notes, and then they say they never go them!  And I always have them on my PC and backed up on CD.


Plus...are you typing w/kids home, do you answer your phone, are you distractable, etc. nm
s
typing time
They do not expect you to work 40 hours total typing time. This is the amount of time that you need to be signed into the symptom making production. When employed on an hourly basis, you do get your designated breaks, one in morning, lunch, and one in afternoon. If they are not allowing these mandatory breaks, they need to be reported to the labor board.
First time typing for ESL......
I typed "buttocks injection" when he said "Botox injection". (red faced here) Well, it sounded like buttocks to me!! :)
In-document typing time
I'm an employee (at present).
when typing military time, is it, for ex: 1645 or 16:45 nm

Are you using two speed typing engines at the same time?
Or did I read that wrong. If that were possible, it'd be a breakthrough.
actual typing time mess

I know exactly what you mean. We see it in E-mails all the time where I work. Although they aren't enforcing it, they do ask that we work our full shift AND get our lines in. I know Dictaphone Extext tracks your typing time and you can see that when you check your line count. It gets really depressing on the speech editing because actual typing time is a LOT less, so it takes longer to get my time in.


This is another way to get more out of the MTs. I think it's all crap, especially since if you were to go over 40 hours a week you won't get paid!


Oh it is a lot of extra typing that takes time which I don't get paid for! nm
nm
actual typing time versus hours worked-venting here

I just have to vent about companies that keep track of your actual "typing time" and then say you are not putting in your 40 hours.  I always come up short and not by just a few hours.  They have said I worked only 60 hours when I worked 80.  But they say "their system is not wrong."


For one thing when you look up old reports or do research on-line or if you walk to the fridge, that shouldnt count as "not working" as long as you are getting your line rate.  Also something is wrong because I dont take that much time looking up things.


Also how can they get by with making you work 40 hours when you are paid "production?"  This is wrong.  Either pay me by the hour or leave me alone!!


 


sitting in my computer room, typing away when my boyfriend at the time, called me from work. nm
ss
unlimited phone time
I have Verizon too and unlimited minutes. My grand total per month is about 85 dollars. I think we have unlimited minutes but they tack on taxes, etc. I use it as a deduction on my taxes.
Time for a phone call when stuff like that happens. nm
s
Happens all the time. Make phone calls for more definite action. nm
s
Typing. This is NOT typing, it is transcribing. There is a BIG difference. sm
Transcription includes typing, but so much more.
It's been a long, long time since I've used a C-phone, sm
but I do think jobs can be paused.
C-phone used to call in to dictating systems to receive work. A special phone. nm
nm
I had a lot of trouble with static in my C-phone. I replaced the phone cord and that made a big

difference.  Also, have you tried a different headset?  Also someone told me one time that there is a microphone under your volume control on the right corner of the C-phone.  It's a tiny hole.  If you break off a Q-tip and stick that into the hole that will squelch a lot of background noise and that worked as well.  As far as getting your C-phone service, I heard that Dictaphone is "sunsetting" C-phones at the end of this year.  Meaning, they aren't going to service them anymore as they are considered an obsolete technology.  So, I would contact Dictaphone and see what your options are.


I know very little about Lanier equipment.  I've not used it as extensively as Dictaphone.  Is there a local appliance repair place in your area?  You might ask one of those places to take a look at your equipment and see what they think.  Kinda scary, cause they could do more harm than good, but maybe worth a shot.


Not much help, I know.  But I thought I would share what tiny bit of obscure knowledge I do have. 


I've changed them between an old phone and new phone, but the same company, i.e. Nextel.
x
I use my c-phone whenever we travel. You can hook it directly into your room phone. Be sure and as
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here's the entire MQ article
Press Release Source: Medquist Inc.


MedQuist Announces Preliminary, Partial and Unaudited Financial Results
Friday August 19, 5:14 pm ET


MT. LAUREL, N.J., Aug. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MedQuist Inc. (Pink Sheets: MEDQ - News) announced today certain preliminary, partial and unaudited financial results. Once the Company completes the financial assessment and review of its billing practices disclosed in the Company's previous filings with the SEC, the Company expects that an independent registered public accounting firm will review and/or audit the Company's financial statements, as appropriate. While, at this time, the Company cannot estimate the total costs of (i) the billing review, (ii) defense of the class action matters, (iii) the SEC investigation, and (iv) compliance with the Department of Justice investigation, all of which have been previously disclosed in either the Company's filings with the SEC or the Company's press releases, the costs incurred to date by the Company in connection with the foregoing have been included in the results set forth below. Because the completion of the billing review and resolution of the litigation and governmental investigatory matters are pending, the Company is not certain whether any changes to the accounting treatment of any component of its consolidated financial statements will be required and, if any changes are necessary, whether any such changes would have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. Accordingly, the financial information set forth below is preliminary, unaudited, and subject to change based on the completion of the financial assessment and review of the Company's billing practices and the completion of the review and/or audit of its financial statements, as appropriate.
ADVERTISEMENT


The information set forth below is derived from the Company's internal books and records. The Company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the information presented below. As a result of the developments described above and in the Company's previous SEC filings, the Company's financial statements have not been audited or reviewed by an independent registered accounting firm. The information contained in this press release also has not been audited or reviewed by an independent registered accounting firm. Such information is not a substitute for the information required to be reported in the Company's Forms 10-K and Forms 10-Q that have not yet been filed. There can be no assurance that the results of the billing review, and resolution of the litigation and governmental investigatory matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's revenue, results of operations and financial condition.



MedQuist Inc. - Preliminary and Unaudited Financial Information (in
millions)

Years Ended
12/31/2002 12/31/2003 12/31/2004

Revenue (1) $486 $490 $456

Operating income (1) 71 61 23

Cash (3) 103 162 196

Debt (3) <0.1 <0.1 <0.1



Quarters Ended
12/31/03 3/31/04 6/30/04 9/30/04 12/31/04 3/31/05 6/30/05

Revenue (2) $121 $118 $114 $113 $112 $108 $106

Operating
income (2) 13 13 7 6 (3) (2) (6)

Cash (3) 162 180 183 192 196 199 198

Debt (3) <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 -

Notes:
(1) Information presented for the twelve months ended
(2) Information presented for the three months ended
(3) Information presented as of the date

Twelve months ended December 31, 2003

Revenues:
Preliminary, unaudited results indicate that the Company's revenue increased from approximately $486 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2002 to approximately $490 million for the comparable 2003 period. The increase was largely the result of twelve months of Lanier operations being reflected in 2003 results as compared to six months of Lanier operations being reflected in 2002 results, as the acquisition of Lanier Healthcare LLC took place on July 1, 2002, largely offset by transcription service volume declines as well as declining pricing from both new and existing transcription clients.

Operating Income:

Preliminary, unaudited results indicate that operating income declined from approximately $71 million, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2002 to approximately $61 million for the comparable 2003 period. The decline in operating income is largely the result of transcription service volume and rate declines, partially offset by the result of twelve months of Lanier operations being reflected in 2003 results as compared to six months of Lanier operations being reflected in 2002 results, as the acquisition of Lanier Healthcare LLC took place on July 1, 2002.

Balance Sheet Highlights:

At December 31, 2003 the Company had $162 million in cash and cash equivalents. At December 31, 2003, the Company had less than $100 thousand in total debt. Other than minimal exercises of stock options, there were no additional issuances of capital stock or other securities for the twelve month period ended December 31, 2003.

Twelve months ended December 31, 2004

Revenues:

Preliminary, unaudited results indicate that the Company's revenue decreased from approximately $490 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2003 to approximately $456 million for the comparable 2004 period. The decline in revenues includes the impact of decreasing transcription service volume from existing and lost clients, partially offset by new clients, as well as the impact of pricing declines attributable to a competitive pricing environment. Additionally, the Company has recognized declines in revenue from its front-end speech recognition products as it transitioned from TalkStation to SpeechQ for Radiology.

Operating Income:

Preliminary, unaudited results indicate that operating income declined from approximately $61 million, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2003 to approximately $23 million for the comparable 2004 period. The decline in operating income includes: 1) the impact of approximately $11 million in costs incurred in 2004 related to the ongoing billing investigation and associated litigation, 2) approximately $4 million in costs associated with separation and replacement of the Company's management team, including members at the executive level and 3) approximately $3 million associated with the write-off of intangible assets associated with products no longer being offered. In addition, the base business, as described above in the Revenues section, experienced a decline in transcription service volume from existing and lost clients and a decline in transcription service rates charged to customers. The impact of the revenue decline was partially offset by several cost saving initiatives including reductions in telecommunications costs, office consolidations and associated staff reductions.

Balance Sheet Highlights:

At December 31, 2004 the Company had $196 million in cash and cash equivalents. At December 31, 2004, the Company had less than $100 thousand in total debt. Other than minimal exercises of stock options, there were no additional issuances of capital stock or other securities for the twelve month period ended December 31, 2004.

Six Months ended June 30, 2005

Revenues:

Preliminary, unaudited results indicate that the Company's revenue decreased from approximately $232 million for the six months ended June 30, 2004 to approximately $213 million for the comparable 2005 period. The decline in revenues includes the impact of the result of reductions in contracted transcription service rates from existing clients, further affected by new transcription business service volume replacing lost transcription service volume at a lower average price. Management expects these pricing pressures to continue and for revenue in the second half of 2005 to decline from first half levels.

Operating Income:

Preliminary, unaudited results indicate that operating income declined from approximately $20 million for the six months ended June 30, 2004 to an operating loss of approximately $8 million for the comparable 2005 period. Operating income includes 1) approximately $16 million in costs incurred in 2005 related to the ongoing billing investigation and associated litigation, which represents an increase of approximately $11 million over similar costs incurred for the comparable time period in 2004 and 2) approximately $3 million in costs associated with separation and replacement of the Company's management team, including members at the executive level, which represents and increase of approximately $2 million over similar costs incurred for the comparable time period in 2004. In addition, the base business, as described above in the Revenues section experienced a decline in transcription service rates charged to customers. The impact of the revenue decline was partially offset by several cost saving initiatives including reductions in telecommunications costs, office consolidations and associated staff reductions. The Company continues to strive for improved profitability through service and technology enhancement initiatives, along with other cost reductions.

Three months ended June 30, 2005

Revenues:

Preliminary, unaudited results indicate that the Company's revenue decreased from approximately $114 million for the three months ended June 30, 2004 to approximately $106 million for the comparable 2005 period. The decline in revenues includes the impact of the result of reductions in contracted transcription service rates from existing clients, further affected by new transcription business service volume replacing lost transcription service volume at a lower average price. As noted above, management expects these pricing pressures to continue and for revenue in the second half of 2005 to decline from first half levels.

Operating Income:

Preliminary results indicate that operating income declined from approximately $7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2004 to an operating loss of approximately $6 million for the comparable 2005 period. Operating income includes 1) approximately $9.5 million in costs incurred in 2005 related to the ongoing billing investigation and associated litigation, which represents an increase of approximately $5.5 million over similar costs incurred for the comparable time period in 2004 and 2) $1 million in costs associated with separation and replacement of the Company's management team, including members at the executive level. In addition, the base business, as described above in the Revenues section experienced a decline in transcription service rates charged to customers. The impact of the revenue decline was partially offset by several cost saving initiatives including reductions in telecommunications costs, office consolidations and associated staff reductions. The Company continues to strive for improved profitability through service and technology enhancement initiatives, along with other cost reductions.

Balance Sheet Highlights:

At June 30, 2005, the Company had $198 million in cash and cash equivalents and no debt. There were no additional issuances of capital stock or other securities for the six month period ended June 30, 2005.

About MedQuist:

MedQuist, a member of the Philips Group of Companies, is a leading provider of electronic medical transcription, health information and document management products and services. MedQuist provides document workflow management, digital dictation, speech recognition, mobile dictation devices, Web-based transcription, electronic signature, medical coding products and outsourcing services.

Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

Some of the statements in this Press Release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are not historical facts but rather are based on the Company's current expectations, estimates and projections regarding the Company's business, operations and other factors relating thereto. Words such as "may," "will," "could," "would," "should," "anticipate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "estimates" and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this Press Release include, without limitation, statements about the Company's results of operations and financial condition. These statements are only predictions and as such are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions as to future events of the Company's future financial performance that may not prove to be accurate. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecast in these forward-looking statements. As a result, these statements speak only as of the date they were made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The Company's actual results may differ from the forward-looking statements for many reasons, including any direct or indirect impact of the matters disclosed in the Form 12b-25 filed by the Company on August 19, 2005 on the Company's operating results or financial condition; any continuation of pricing pressures and declining billing rates; difficulties relating to the implementation of management changes throughout the Company; and the outcome of pending and future legal and regulatory proceedings and investigations.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: MedQuist Inc.
Even when they deduct your entire (sm)
report if you make one error that QA doesn't catch and the hospital does?

Seems to me like QA should get dinged, not the MT.

TRS is your typical admin-heavy, treat the MT like a number company, made more offensive by their assumption that everyone in America is "Christian" and will adore prayer requests and other off-topic crap on the company email.


I think this entire season is going to be -
while he is in the hospital and how the business continues without him.  We won't know if he makes it until the last episode.  Gotta feelin' he won't.  The show will die with him.  - 
been this way my entire life ....N/M

Fox is going to show the entire
fourth season this summer. Two episodes back-to-back every Tuesday night. Maybe you can see some of the ones you missed. :-)
There is an entire section on this

You have been doing for an entire 3 years and
never made $31,000? OMG, I am so surprised (NOT). Those days when the salaries were really good (except for 1 here and there) are mostly over. Unless willing to work about 24/7, weekends, overtime, etc., etc. you do good now to just eek out a living and many on here complaining about not even doing that.
I think you can dial into most systems that require C-phone without having a C-phone nm
.
I am wondering if there is a way to use your C-phone with Vonage phone service?
??
May have to change phone companies, have switched to job using a C-phone. sm
Currently have Embarq (formerly Sprint), and my usage will be going up about 12,000 minutes a month.  What phone companies offer really unlimited for a flat rate?  TIA.
C-phone and ATT. There is no problem with the C-phone, but ATT wouldn't let me use unlimited.
nm
I have cable phone access and my C-phone works - sm
I am not sure about you problem, because it sounds just like I have mine hooked up.  The only thing I can think of is that mine has 2 line hookups in the back of the phone.  If you have this too, I would just try the other one, which you probably have already done.  Sorry that was not much help.  I wish you luck
Yep, sometimes an entire dollar cheaper...
x
And to think there is an entire country above Montana! No
zz
I have entire reports in SC, though not many. Is it limited? nm
x
what is the shortcut to take out an entire sentence? sm
I know ctrl backspace takes out one word at a time, what is the key to take out a sentene at a time?  I have an MD is is just awful about changing his mind.  Thanks in advance!!!!
Article? As in one? This is an entire industry, and
has been going on for decades - I believe it was the 1960s when the food processors and dog food conglomerates figured out their partnership would profit them both. Its not an article, and to think so is honestly just ignorant. Also most huge dog food producers are actually other companies that have no interest in dogs at all - Del Monte and Heinz are in the dog food biz. Have you seen labels lately of the name brands that now claim to have some tomato enzyme in them? I can't recall the name, but it is literally a tomato enzyme that they claim is a new discovery for being great for dog joints. Its literally the tomato swill that Heinz and Del Monte use to have to throw out as its the slop that lands on the floor after Ketchup production, etc. Now, they just hose it into vats and throw it in the kibble ooze with a fancy label that most consumers fall for- tomato enzyme. I only wish I was making this up!! And its not a scam industry nor are we extremists. Most of us don't promote any brand at all - best thing for Spot and Fido is boring old meat, marrow bones and a few veggies steamed, and brown rice. The leftovers that our parents and grandparents and great-grandparents used to feed their dogs - table scraps - were fine! Again, do the research. Decades ago, dogs used to have an average life span of 20 to 25 years  - now its 10. Cats used to live longer - 30 years - now its 15. And our parents and their parents would have laughed hysterically at the thought of spending good $ on Gravy Train or Alpo. We have been "had" as American consumers, and you are actually gonna argue about it! Your vets - bet they support Pedigree, too, which is absolutely garbage - dead animals and loads of corn filler, which, by the way, most dogs are intolerant of. They don't digest corn well. But its cheap for the manufacturers!  Pedigree is well known for keeping lots of vets on its payroll to praise its products - gee, ya think they might like the $$. There are thousands more vets who know Pedigree and the like is garbage and are finally getting the courage to speak up about it. They are getting sick and tired of treating the animals who are NOT benefitting from this dog food. Nope, sorry, but way more than 1 article - its knowledge, and knowledge is wisdom, and wisdom is priceless.
Are you saying you left the entire report sm

blank because you could not understand the dictator?  If so, no company will put up with that. Even if you can only understand every third or fourth word, you are expected to transcribe those, and put in blanks as you need.


No one will put up with you leaving an entire report blank and sending to QA.  They are not supposed to transcribe, just try to fill in the blanks.


How do you know you missed 2 on the entire exam?nm
nm
I've never been fired by anyone in my entire life.
I hate MQ and I'm happy to tell everyone why.  However, every MT is different and every MTSO is different.  What works for me may not work for someone else.  I found my fit elsewhere.
Actually, I lived in California my ENTIRE life...
until moving to Utah for the past several years.  Utah state tax is ldefinitely lower, but I NEVER paid 40% while living in CA.  We're moving back after the first of the year, and our biggest worry is the cost of houses, not the taxes. 
It depends on where you work. I have always, my entire career, been SM

in the 2000+ range. I now do that in much less time than it took me as an in-house employee with no shortcuts or anything.


However, when I went with EDiX my highest day ever was 1900 something and I had to kill myself to get that.


Those company platforms are the devil's work where MTs are concerned.


I go through the entire dictation first, then go back and relisten
for any blanks.  Sometimes by the end of the report I've learned the accent and can fill in the blanks. 
Pergo - I have it throughout my entire house and love it!
x
I can flex some, but I cannot make up an entire day of nearly no work!
:-( They do not want any excuses as to why people cannot work, but those of us who are here and WANT to work have nothing to do. Really makes me feel loyal to them, 'ya know????
You've missed the entire point!
Duh!  It's the docs who don't want to pay my dear. You're really expecting to get blood out of a turnip, aren't you?  Quit blaming the MTSOs and look at the entity who's calling the shots - The doctors/clinics who hire the MTSO.
Great! Now if we could only get the entire corporate world
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