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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Well, all I can say is the Board of Labor Statistics should visit our hospital where

Posted By: nm on 2006-06-05
In Reply to: Outlook for MT employment - nobitterhag

an entire radiology department went to VR with Dictaphone's platform and within 30 DAYS were dictating their own stuff without ANY MT EDITING. Including the high-speed dictator, the Pakistani dictator who doesn't even WANT to do it, and the lazy slurring dictator. I think in light of my own experience, the Labor Board is behind the times.  The statement below is no longer true.


"In spite of the advances in this technology, the software has been slow to grasp and analyze the human voice and the English language, and the medical vernacular with all its diversity. As a result, there will continue to be a need for skilled medical transcriptionists to identify and appropriately edit the inevitable errors created by speech recognition systems, and to create a final document."




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Board of Labor Statistics has a generalized view-
would hardly say they have their finger on the MT market pulse.
umm...I hate to tell you this...but further Labor Board stats show wages in 2004

at $29,530. They were $23,500 in 1997. So we've gained $6000/yr in 10 years? Woohoo- you're right-- Medical Transcription must not be in trouble.


"Compensation varies not only among regions of the country, but among types of employers as well. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical transcriptionists earned an average salary of $29,530 in 2004. The average hourly wage was $14.20."


"Medical transcriptionists averaged about $ 23,500 in 1997 woking in hospitals, and about $ 22,600 working in offices and clinics of medical doctors."


She should visit the websites ...
and get the scoop there. She needs to consider what is covered in that price.
That's not true at all. Statistics prove that Americans
work more hours than workers in other countries.  We are not lazy.  We are also faster and more accurate at MT than anybody else.  That's why every single offshored report has to be checked over by an American employee.  However, we won't work for peanuts like EVERY offshore worker out there.  THAT is the bottom line.  CEOs want their six figure salaries and bonuses.  They can't get mucho deniro unless they screwo the employees.  They don't give a darn about anybody but themselves.  You can say what you want to stroke your own ego, but it's completely untrue.  The only thing offshored workers are to anybody is CHEAP labor.
It's not day labor . . .
MT isn't day labor. It's a difficult job that requires experience and considerable practice to reach the point where you have marketable skills, and then more practice in order to improve to the point that you can earn a decent living from it.

You pretty much need to be working consistently to be able to get experience and keep it up to date. Every time you came back to work, you would be so rusty it would take weeks to get back up to speed.

Services typically do not have pools. If they did, they'd be unable to predict when people would work or how much they would work. That wouldn't be very good for business. The work isn't done casually on a "whenever" basis.

MT is not a good choice if you are not able to commit to serious training and a consist schedule.

The Department of Labor website
has tables that should answer your question. There is no absolute answer. There are so many variables that responses from individual MTs would apply strictly to those MTs with their particular skills in their particular locations and not necessarily equate to your situation. Best to check the DoL site for your locale.
Try the FTC or your state's Department of Labor and Industry.
I think the FTC is www.ftc.org
the US Labor Dept does a little blurb on thousands of jobs...

you can see that they certainly don't have their pulse on the MT field like people who have been living it and breathing it for the past 20 years. I've been in it since the 80's, in my first IC job started at 9 cpl, now can't even BID a job for 11 cpl as I get outbid. However my biggest account just told me they are trialing a speech recognition system. I looked at some of the test runs and darned if the thing isn't working quite well. So there goes $100,000 a year for myself and five of my MT's. There's no security in this market. Your service can lose an account **snap** like that and then you scramble to try to get another...so I know you think you've got what it takes, but it's like trying to get an acting job when the rest of the world is watching cartoons...So....I'm in nursing school....


Read ALL the posts on this board & the Company board and you'll
s
hospital pay
I inquired in my area (Southwest Michigan) and one of the hospitals told me they pay $11 - $17/hour.
I want a job in a hospital sm

Do they usually post their help wanted on their websites, or do you need to know someone to get in??  I see ads all the time for work at home positions, but what about office positions?


 


Starting pay in hospital
Any ideas of the pay for in the hospitals?
RE: Starting pay in hospital
Depends on what part of the United States you are inquiring?
hospital transcription

Ok I have looked at hospital MT jobs in AZ and all of them want experience and almost none of them pay well or even list pay in the ad, your best bet is to look on monster.com or try the specific hospital site. for example a big hospital group in AZ is Banner Health, they have their own website and job listings, so try that direction.


 


k


I don't live where the hospital is looking - sm
I actually have two hospitals to recruit for - one in NY and one in Maryland. I will have another soon in Minnesota after I fly up there on Wednesday to find out their needs and look at the surrounding area. These would be for people wanting to relocate. Relocation would be paid.
depends on the hospital
There is hospital near me who will take on beginning MT's who have typing and medical terminology skills. They work with you for up to a year before you go on your own. They pay about $11.75 an hour to start. But, then there is another hospital that requires years of experience. You need to check with you local hospitals to see what their requirements are.
No, it's not your job - when I worked in a hospital (sm)
I was paid hourly with bonus for production.  Therefore, we could occasionally do other work (like the charting) if the clerk was off, answering phone, etc.; but being strictly on production, I would say, no it is not your job.
working in a hospital
I work for a hospital and have for 20 years. I am an at-home MT.. I am a full-time employee just like anyone who has to physical go there everday. The pay is much better and benefits too.. There are some still out there.
VA Hospital transcription

Does anyone know any MTSO who has VA hospital accounts?  I ran across a great ad looking for MTs last year, but did not have enough MT work experience yet to be considered and was told to reapply when I had more experience.  I don't recall who this company was, but was intriged by the ad for MTs and would like to follow up and at least apply.  I saved the ad, but can't find it at present.  One of the things that interested me most was that the company sounded like it really valued its MT workforce.  I am looking for a company to move to and stay with for the long term.


I would appreciate any information anyone can give me.  My experience thus far has primarily been with hospital accounts and I am currently doing ER editing and standard.  Thanks.


 


If work @ hospital is low SM
and they have their own transcriptionists, they are probably saving the work for their own people.  In the priority list is making sure the hospital transcriptionists have work first, then the service.  Probably if you are fairly new and their are other MTs working on your account at the service, they may have priority over you as far as work distribution goes.
working in a hospital

If you have the opportunity to work alongside another MT in a hospital, TAKE that opportunity.  It will be much easier to learn with someone available to help you right when you need it instead of waiting on e-mails with corrections or using IM. 


in-hospital positions
You may have already, but also check out indeed.com. They have sometimes in-house positions also.
So I'm still not sure ... but the MT is a hospital employee, sometimes they will "weight" m
dictators so you get a little extra credit for unusually bad dictators. But that may not be a common practice everywhere.

If you are an IC, or at least once you are experienced, you might be able to negotiate a better rate for a particular MD if nobody else can or will do his dictation.

But have faith - some dictators who sound just horrible the first few times will suddenly be a breeze once you "crack the code." You will probably do that much more quickly if you have an experienced MT helping you out, listening to the difficult spots.


Have you tried your local hospital or physicians?

I work for my local hospital and my supervisor hired "newbies" all the time.  However, some clinics or hospitals require you to do a little onsite time before going home, at least mine did.  I had to meet a certain productivity rate and QA rate before I was "turned loose". 


I'm not sure if you are wanting to work for a national company or not from home.  Since I have no experience with that someone else may be able to guide you in that direction.  I just know around here, having tons of experience isn't really needed to be hired locally. 


Only if this hospital will employ you when you're done. That
s
The "affilation" with the local hospital may or may not....sm
...hurt you for future employment with other companies. Make sure you check out whether this school is reputable with other employers. I do not think the price is too high, if you consider it as an investment toward future income. Good luck! :)

It's hospital work. The basic four.
because the larger companies can handle the larger hospital accounts.  Acute care just means hospital work as opposed to clinic, which would be physician offices, i.e., family practice, cardiology, nephrology, etc.
I had to start out in the office of a local hospital sm

for a year, then went home.  I didn't want to go home to be honest, too many distractions and my twins were babies at the time, but they were sending everyone home.  I really don't know what to tell anyone when I see these posts.  There are lots of companies out there needing help and you'd think that if they are willing to send their work overseas to people that don't even speak English as a first language, then they would be willing to hire a new graduate.  I would be a little more pushy, offer to do 30 days at a lower cent per line then have a review, something like that.  Keep pushing, someone will see potential and take a chance on you.  Honestly, these companies that don't hire new graduates I just don't get it.  I work for a small local company that is always behind on their work and I always suggest they hire some new graduates from the two local schools, but they never do it, they just sit and wait for people to apply.  Good luck! 


To clarify, the dictation is likely recorded at a hospital...
and all the C-phone or Lanier does is access that system. Any hospital that uses a Dictaphone system can be accessed by a c-phone. Seems to me there are some electronic units on the market that can be either Lanier-compatible or C-phone compatible though you would have to ask around about that. Yes, their only purpose is to access dictation that is stored somewhere else...though you could use the C-phone as a regular phone, if you wanted :>)    So there are two types of data format nowadays, .wav files (or .dss files) which the file can be transferred via internet and dictaphone/Lanier format which the file has to go through a phone line. And perhaps a few microcasettes are still kicking around.  Any other old-timers have anything to add?
are there no more in-house hospital jobs left?
it seems to me that way too many of talented MT's are settling for these low-paying companies. Is that all that's left out there for work?
doesn't anybody work in a hospital anymore?
Our local hospital group has a few people in

radiology and pathology, but the rest has been outsourced for about 25 years.  Hospitals are looking to cut costs where they can.  There are still MTs who work for the hospital, just not in-house.  


If you need a job you do what you have to do.  If the US MTs don't take the jobs guess where they will go.   I make more working at home per line than what any hospital pays that I have seen.  I don't have insurance (because it is outragenously priced), but I do have some benefits.   Also working at home you have fewer expenses, so it pretty much equals out. 


 


Try hospital accounts with psych units
The only psych reports I've ever were through hospital accounts that had psychiatric units. Whether the psych report come through the ER, a consult or the unit, I find psych notes are always interesting. Good luck. I hope you find a great psychiatric account.


local hospital versus national
Hi,
I was with a national company and, like you, only did about 1200 lines per day at 7.5 cpl with 18 months in. I felt like I was never going to make the big bucks!

In May, I resigned from the national co. and went to work locally. After a short 1-month in-house training, I am working from home again. This hospital has some great normals to use and yesterday, I did 2200 lines!!!!!

Finding a good fit is the hardest part. Thankfully, I think I have found mine!!!!! Just keep in mind that there are other options out there. GOOD LUCK!!!!
Try to get a job in a hospital. Don't try to work at home for a few years of doing this full-tim
x
since you already have a little experience, go apply at a hospital. They have benefits, mentoring,
etc.  In a few years time, you'll be on your way to really cleaning up.
I think only for those who plan on an in-house job at a hospital. At-home options won't even be
m
Mostly inpatient hospital dictation - H&P, DS, Consults, Ops, some include ER
and progress notes. Acute care is usually inpatient dictation from hospitals.

Hope this helps.
Local hospital pays hourly + production incentive

I was lucky enough to find a job that gives me the best of both worlds.  A decent hourly base and then incentive pay on top of that.


GOOD LUCK!!!


you have to call the hospital/clinic line to connect with the dictation machine on their end
so you get a dial tone, that means it is working. Next you dial the number of the dictation system, and it says something like "welcome to bla-bla hospital. Please enter your user ID followed by the pound sign." Then you enter your ID and it starts giving you work in your queue or asks for job type or whatever.
Hospital work: Op notes, Discharges, Consultations, History and Physicals. nm
s
Acute care is considered hospital transcription - discharges, history/physicals, consults, and op
s
Basic 4 hospital work - history and physical, discharge summaries, operative notes, and consults. nm
s
most psych work is included in multispecialty hospital work..sm
contracted to a medical transcription service that requires multispecialty experience because of the hospital work. Unfortunately, very rarely can a medical Transcriptionist these days be given only one specialty when working for a service or hospital. We have to be well versed in multi specialties. The Turn Around Time on demands have increased, and thus the service or hospital gives the MT many different types of work. Learn as many specialties and gain as much experience in different specialties, which in turn will make you a more valuable MT and more apt to gain employment.
Then tell me what the appropriate board is please
Because I go to the job seekers and all I see are employers, not people soliciting jobs.  Please help.
Bet someone on the technical help board can help. nm
x
look at Job Seeker's board for ads
!!
try on Word board
x
Arizona board

Please see Arizona state board....


If you are the same MT Hopeful up and down this board,
nm
Please search the New MT board. There
:)

Job Seekers Board?
My apologies, I'm new at this. Should I post it on the Job Seeker's Board?
Jenn