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Bait and Switch, tired of it! -
Posted By: mtfor2long
Oh, I just had to come here and vent. So, thanks in advance for listening!
I have had 1 employee job and 2 IC jobs since Christmas-time and have been bait and switched up and down in all 3! Applied for certain types of work type, certain types of benefits (the employee job), and got zip. Then, went IC and again, applied for certain work types, certain accounts, hired and promised the world, and then never ever got the work types, instead got all the ESL and all the resident's ESL discharge summaries and that is it.
What is the deal? These places think that when we don't get the benefits promised, the paycheck promised, the work promised (I will do all work types mind you and am very flexible, just hired for certain kinds of work and then only put on the very worst ESL discharges at all jobs), we will be broken down because we are afraid of not having a job, or not having the ability to get another?
I am truly burnt out at this. I worked for years at one hospital, and when they cut incentive and sent work to outsource, since I have been in the world of MTSOs, bait and switch up and down. And this includes the very well thought of and highly rated companies here from last fall (you probably can guess the ones).
Of course, perhaps they think the MT needs to be quiet and be happy to have a job (which by the way, all 3 ran out of work and slim pickings recently) since everything is going to India. Is this some kind of scare tactic? Shut up and put up? Really. I am interviewing as an employee again, and hoping to stay because I just cannot take this bait and switch, no promises kept, demeaning treatment anymore... Thanks again for listening, and hope there are people on here who do not have the same sob story, who actually get the pay, benefits and work types they were hired for and promised! Have a nice day.
Need Laser printer recommendations -
Posted By: At Home MT
I may need to purchase a laser printer as the SOAP sheets that the office I work for sends to me are jamming in my HP ink jet printer. It has to be due to the writing that is being done on these SOAP sheet pages at the top where they fill in pertinent patient info, i.e., name of pt, vitals signs, birth control, etc., as well as how much the paper is being handled, shuffled, corners getting bent, etc.
I have a new ink jet printer and have always had a problem with these sheets in every ink jet printer I have owned but my newest (and nicest printer thus far) it is happening more than ever before. It is very frustrating and time consuming to deal with this.
I was told that laser printers do not cause this problem as they utilize a different mechanism in printing. So, I may need to purchase a laser printer but would like some recommendations. I cannot afford a lot. I am hoping if I have to do this I can find a good one for around $400. I would appreciate your suggestions.
Thanks so much.
Medical transcriptionist melts keyboard with fingertips -
Posted By: Fun Story!
Ryan sez, "We have a medical Transcriptionist on staff who has been using the same keyboard for the last 8.5 years. My co-worker replaced it yesterday, and when he first showed it to me I thought someone had taken a blowtorch to it! The most frequently used keys have been completely worn through, exposing the mechanism beneath. Zoom in and check out the indentation on the Backspace key! The keyboard still works fine, so there's something to be said for durability. BTW, it's a NMB Technologies model RT2358TW."
Some people are hard on keyboards -- I tend the blow the contacts on the left side of the board really fast, knocking out the Ctrl, Alt and left side of the spacebar. Charlie Stross's keyboards lose their lettering in mere months, and my pal Seth Schoen types like a machinegun, but I've never noticed any particular wear on his keyboards.
Hey everyone, I have a huge amount of strawberries from my -
Posted By: garden & this year I really (SM)
want to make a different kind of dessert with them. Every year I always wind up making strawberry shortcake or strawberry ice cream and well those are great but I'm such a creature of habit that I really want to make something completely different. If you have any great ideas, PLEASE let me know!
Thanks!
Glad to see MT Week recognized here. My company did nothing this year. We have always sm -
Posted By: sm
received a nice gift in the mail in the past. I'm not saying I expect an expensive gift or anything, but a thank you of some sort would have been nice. I waited to post this, holding hope that maybe they were late like last year in sending stuff out, but I have pretty much given up now. Thanks MT Stars!!
Emdat platform ??? -
Posted By: Elizabeth
I did a search on archives regarding this platform and was surprised to find so many negative reports on it. Is there anyone out there that actually likes it and able to get good line counts? Also, how long does it take to get used to it and do you need to use a special foot pedal for it? Thanks for you help.
Google going downhill? -
Posted By: Jeanie
I have been a faithful user of Google for years, but lately it seems like I get alot of "junk" when I want to search for something. anybody else noticing this or is it just me? any suggestions for an alternative search engine? I have been using Yahoo occasionally.
Unrelated to my work, this morning I was trying to 'diagnose' my cat with cough and rattle in her breathing - I never could get it to come up with a good site for pet health, just alot of personal web site junk, some of which had absolutely nothing to do with cats even.
There was a posting regarding a black list -
Posted By: about a month ago - sm
The poster was having a hard time finding employment because she had a disagreement with her supervisor and got fired. I was having the same problem (although I quit and didn't get fired) so I removed them from my resume. Guess what? I start a new job (outside the home and NOT transcription) next week. I'm excited to be inching my way out of this business. The money in transcription sucks and I'm tired of paying my own taxes, insurance, etc. Bye ya'll.
Dilemma! Tomorrow is picture day and my 5 yo just went wild w/a jug of blue food coloring -- -
Posted By: MadamX
both hands and the entire lower half of his face are now bright, royal blue.. Will this wash off by morning???
Headphone preference -
Posted By: IndyMT
I'm looking to purchase some new headphones and am not sure which ones to get.  Does anyone have a pair they really love?? Or really hate?? Do you prefer regular ones or noise cancelling?? Thanks!!!!
20 years as an MT - now I am on strike...sm -
Posted By: on strike
After 20+ years as an IC I have seen my salary go down, down, down! Not because my speed has decreased, no, it has in fact increased dramatically due to the availability of shorthand programs. No, my salary has gone since the inception of AAMT and their "standards" and practices. The organization that was going to help MT's become more respected has done the opposite. Yes, there were doctors out there who initially thought of me as a "typist" but I quickly showed them the difference between a typist and a "medical transcriptionist" (medical language specialist). Some of them were unwilling to pay for the difference, but most were pleased to pay a bit more for someone who knew when he was making a mistake and was willing to call and get it right. Today, however, the large MT companies have driven the IC out of business. They offer 4-hour turn around at ridiculously low rates. Many of these companies outsource to India, Pakistan, the Philippines, etc. Some of the outsourced work is done perfectly. Most is not. I am hearing this from office managers who cannot convince the business owners that it is "cheaper" to have the transcription done correctly the first time rather than have more time (money) spent doing QA.
Most of my work has been for large radiology clinics. Conglomerates that own upwards of 100 to 200 radiology clinics across the country own these clinics. The bottom line with management is the "bottom line". Their bonuses and hefty salaries are dependent on keeping costs down...therefore cheap transcription is a "must".
Finally, the reason for the steady decrease in salaries for MT's is the availability of cheap foreign and (yes!) American labor. MT's in this country are becoming more desperate and accepting the lower line rates. Yes, of course you need to in order to pay for food, etc. However, if ever there was a time for us to organize a "strike" this is the time. It will never happen, however, because we are too busy just getting by. And where has the AAMT been during this time (in particular the last ten years when salaries have been eroding the fastest)? They have been telling us the "proper" way to do transcription. In the "good old days" if we did not transcribe correctly we were fired. If we used poor grammar, we were fired. That simple! Meanwhile this group (AAMT) purporting to be working to benefit MT's has instead been working to benefit themselves. They benefit themselves by touting their CE courses and the need for us all to become CMT's, that we can only do through their courses and their tests. None of which are free.
No, I am not an AAMT hater. I hate the hypocrisy of the AAMT. I hate the fact that experience counts for naught in this field. I hate the fact that the moment corporate America realized that medical transcription was an income producing product mostly male executives realized that they could take over with large companies, offer work at a much lower price than an individual could, and force the medical Transcriptionist to work at the prices they foist on us. That is what I have seen over the past twenty years.
Don't bother flaming me for telling you what I have seen. Most of the flamers will be from large corporations or IC's who have accepted their fate. Yes, you are making good money typing thousands of lines a day at a few pennies each line. Yes, you pay your bills doing so. I am not putting you down for doing so. What I am saying is that over the past 20 years the medical transcription field has changed (been hijacked by large corporations) and as such the bottom line is "how cheap can we get the transcription done". Such is corporate America. Get it done cheap or someone else will get the contract.
So, what am I suggesting? I don't know for sure. Perhaps there is no answer for most transcriptionists other than to accept their fate. As for me, I am lucky enough to have an income so that I can go on "strike" until I find a job that pays me what I am worth. Or, until I go back to school to find another career! Which is the most likely course of action a lot of us will be taking no matter how much we love what we were doing.
If you have any useful insights I would love to hear them. Flamers will be ignored. 
Question about night sweats... -
Posted By: sbMT
Hey everyone,
I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this:
My husband is 25 years old. He is not really overweight, more of a beer belly from 6 years of college :). Other than that he is pretty skinny. But at night he sweats horribly! I had the A/C down to 70 degrees last night, the fan on, and he still soaked the sheets. We are still waiting to hear about insurance so going to the doctor is kind of tough right now. He says he feels fine. We attended one of those fairs where they do all the blood tests for like $20 awhile back and his only problem was his HDL was a little low.
He works construction and is outside a lot, but he drinks a good amount of water (at least he says he does lol)
I just don't know what to do! I mean we have only been married for a year and a half so I don't really want to sleep in another bed, but I can't stand wet sheets!
TIA!!
Need tech help with DocQScribe -
Posted By: Just Me
I just started working for a service that uses DocQScribe and for another service as well and use the same foot pedal for both. However, I noticed that when I log into DocQScribe and start to play the dictation file, it will start to play and then suddenly jump back to the beginning of the dictation. The footpedal that I currently use is an Infinity IN-USB-1. Or is DocQScribe the type of program that tends to conflict with other programs?
TIA
What do you think of this? -
Posted By: CrispyCritterMT
I was offered an employee job with a hospital, hourly rate with benefits a month ago. This would entail working in-house for 3-6 months for training and then coming home. The hospital is 3 hours away so would have to live there temporarily. I told them upfront I have wireless high speed from Verizon. No access to cable or DSL. I sent in all my paperwork a month ago and have yet to hear back from HR concerning what my pay rate will be. Anyway today, a month later, the transcription manager calls and tells me she doesn't think my wireless will work. She says they have 2 others who work on wireless and they have all kinds of problems with it going out, etc. I have had no trouble like that whatsoever and I told her that. I'm using VPN with it. I was even going to use eScription on it but decided I didn't want to do VR. 
I can't understand why it took her a month to call me back to tell me this. Anyway she is going to talk to some other people and will let me know. This is the same place where I was offered a job in March and then 2 days later told they had a miscommunication and had already offered the job to someone else before they talked to me.
I don't know. Its almost like there is something else going on and they just don't want to hire me. Maybe its because they would have to pay me too much. Maybe its karma trying to get me not to take this job.
Anyway would appreciate your feedback. Thanks!
electronic medical records -
Posted By: anon
Does anyone have info regarding EMR rules for doctors. I was told by a physician today that by 2010 that all doctors were supposed to be EMR. What will this do to our transcription jobs? Any info appreciated.
those of you that have independent health -
Posted By: dcc
insurance, what companies are the policies with? i've done the quote thing with a couple online services that quote several companies, but i've heard of very few of the companies that reply. does anyone have mega? or heard of nase?? or even which companies to avoid would be extremely appreciated. (i'm in indiana with 1 child). TIA!!!!
Express Scribe -
Posted By: maryann
I am starting a new job soon. We'll be using Express Scribe, just wanted some opinions on it. Like it, Love it, Hate it.....I wanna be prepared, so throw me some hoensty, THANKS
hypersend problems anyone? sm -
Posted By: TXMT
I have had problems with hypersend all day today. anyone else?
Insurance/change of status -
Posted By: MQMT
Did all MQ offices receive the e-mail regarding loss of benefits (insurance, PTO) and change of status to statutory if you don't make the line count quota immediately - or was it just Atlanta office?
Do any Co. Pay good on Emdat -
Posted By: just curious
It seems that every job I have seen on Emdat/Inscribe is only 7 cpl. Why is this? I have 10+ experience and am sick of being offered only 7 cpl!
productivity help -
Posted By: Cathy
I need any advice, tips, cheats that you can offer to get my daily line counts up. I use Instant Text and autocorrect but I still work about 12 hours to get about 900 lines. I'm supposed to be working 8 hours and getting 1080 lines. I am really frustrated...can anybody help, please...
Let's try again.....Does anyone -
Posted By: watch Days Of Our Lives?
Just trying to get some opinion on the Bo and Hope situation......I am frustrated as heck with it. Let's get your opinion!
home office lighting -
Posted By: in the dark
 Any advice about the new full spectrum lighting that supposedly resembles daylight? I rent my house, so can't install ceiling fixtures; can only use floor lamps and desk lamps. I also have pretty severe seasonal affective disorder and need as much light as I can get here in the gray midwest. The regular (incandescent) lights I've been using put off way too much heat in the summer and really don't provide good light in the winter. The compact flourescent bulbs don't seem to be bright enough. I'm thinking of trying the BlueMax full spectrum line. Any experience from you guys out there?
Dictaphone Enterprise Express Speech Rec. SM -
Posted By: RockinMT
I am supposed to do some practice speech rec jobs tonight during my shift. I'm all set to go except that in my Dictaphone manual, I do not have the chapter pertaining to the speech rec function keys, etc. Now, I could wait to start training tomorrow and call my supervisor and asked for the missing chapter or I am hoping one of you wonderful ladies can give me a head start and let me know the important function keys I need to know so I can get going on this. It has taken me weeks to get this far. I had to have a the training Editor installed and a upgrade patch downloaded and if one more thing stalls me, I'm going to lose my ever lovin' mind!
So if you can help me out, I would really appreciate it!
Thanks!
Large Macros -
Posted By: Still trying to get faster!
Can anyone tell me how to monitor whether making a whole report macro is worthwhile? I have quite a few, but I cannot decide if it is worth it or not. I end up having to make changes and delete things. Often seems like kind of a toss up and wonder if anyone has any guidelines for this or has experiemented with any specific result.
Thanks for any help you can give me! 
Poll-Daylight Savings Time -
Posted By: WiMT
Like or dislike?
Personally I dislike it very much. It changes everything with my sleep cycle, work cycle, and even my emotions. It is too much of a bodily adjustment that I personally would wish not to experience twice a year. Anyone else???
Using both headphones/speakers -
Posted By: frances
On the same subject sort of, I have my headphones plugged into speakers so that I can unplug them and listen through speakers. How can I do both, i.e. have internet radio in the background while I transcribe with headphones on? Thanks
Testing comment -
Posted By: LG
I have taken a test with a company (not mentioning the name) they told me I missed 5 questions on the circle this item. Now I just have to say that I have gone over the test twice with a dictionary and besides things like shoddy or shotty (I picked shotty) I am right on all but 2. Now what do you do when you have done your research and you know your right. Needless to say that maybe this is a company you just do not want to work for.
Can someone tell me where you post your resumes on here. I dont see a place for them. -
Posted By: MT
:
Okay everyone, how can I do this? -
Posted By: D
I am going to try in the near future to get one of my local doctor's offices to stop sending work overseas (and of course offer my services!). I know that he will not do it unless the price he pays is equal or less. My question to everyone here is - does anyone know how much some of the companies actually charge the doctors? I would think that the doctor probably pays somewhere around 10 to 11 cents per line and then the overseas transcriptionists get maybe 3 or 4? But I really am not sure. I honestly cannot afford to put in the time and effort to research this if, in order to beat the company sending work overseas, I have to charge 8 or 9 cents per line. I do need to make money too!! What are your thoughts?
This is a neat trick, if you don't already use it...sm -
Posted By: GAMT
I'm sure many of you have heard of this already, but for those who haven't...it sure helps me when I'm typing AND reading back over my work. You can hold down the control key and turn the roller wheel up a notch on your mouse to enlarge the print on your screen. Then just hit control and scroll it back down to make it smaller again. This has made it "easy on the eyes" for me. Hope someone can benefit from this as I have!
NEMT, Inc. -
Posted By: SL
Has anyone worked for or does anyone currently work for New England Medical Transcription, Inc.? I am looking for information on this company regarding pros/cons.
Has anyone worked on Allscripts EMR system?..sm.. -
Posted By: Diane
Do doctor offices use at home or in-house transcriptionists when they use Allscripts EMR system?
This is what my client is trying out
Well I'm doing this full time and ouch !!! -
Posted By: Newbie Here
How do you make any money???? Typing and shortcuts is not the problem but trying to figure out some of what the dictators are saying is time consuming... How do you make money????????????
Though I love the research and find this interesting 40.00 a day is not going to cut it... Does it get better????? I feel stupid !!!!!!!!!!!!!
word 2003 help -
Posted By: shawna
When I am typing, all of a sudden my cursor goes away. It is really annoying! Every time I get on a roll with something I have to stop and click the mouse to get started again. Do I have some kind of virus or what the heck is going on?
HELP WITH C-PHONE PLZ -
Posted By: Laura
I have a C-phone dictaphone that is not taking the program key to enable my foot pedal...?? Does anyone have any ideas as to how I might get this working?
I have the headset programmed and that works, but the footpedal is not cooperating....Thank you in advance...
Handheld unit software question. sm -
Posted By: CCAL
Is there a software for the Olympus WS-100 and other units with USB ports that copy from the unit to FTP or designated site for file transfer, store a copy onto computer, and then delete from unit?
If so, please advise. Thanks.
Thank you, ProScript, for useful MT week gift (sm) -
Posted By: adh
desk clock/calendar/calculator thingie, with alarm and timer.
Too bad it doesn't have a 3-minute timer button (for those who get distracted online, to limit their search time) instead of the button for the time in Karachi. (Look it up -- I'm so confident this service will never offshore, I can laugh about it.)
Please see msg. TIA!! -
Posted By: Carole
There is also decreased signal lesion seen adjacent to the left facet joint at T2-T3, which may represent an osteophyte s/l "osteo-mem-in-in-ja-meli-synovium" cyst per the radiologist. (This was an MRI of the cervical spine.) Any ideas?
OMG! Pulling my hair out here! Venting... -
Posted By: gmg
I have an ESL who speaks very fast, but when I slow him down, he sounds like a very drunk ESL. He tends to speak rather softly until the last 3 or 4 words of his dicatation, when he actually speaks into whatever he dictates into and I can hear those few words very well. This guy has been a pebble in my shoe for far too long!
Ok, venting over. Ignore the crazy lady. 
Question re: certified mail -
Posted By: nervous!!
I wasnt home today when the mail arrived, but the mailman left a postcard that my husband has a piece of certified mail to p/u. The sender is listed as from the Clerk of Courts... What do you think it could be? Nothing good I am sure!!!
mt week -
Posted By: donna
is MT week next week?? thanks
how long does it take to find an MT job with 15+ years of experience? -
Posted By: in need of work
Need advice about changing jobs. sm -
Posted By: CrispyCritterMT
I've been an MT for 33 years. I lately have been working with a vocational person through the rehabilitation services who is trying to find me a different job doing billing/coding which I have no experience doing although I have taken classes and I would eventually like to get into coding. I broke my wrist last January and now find it difficult to do more than 800-900 lines per day. I have an MT job now making 10 cpl as an IC. I'm doing okay, but no benefits. I also don't have a mortagage or rent as my dad owes the place where I live. I am single. I am 54 years old.
I have been applying for full time jobs at hospitals and doctor's offices since July with no success. I had one interview in August for a part time (4 days a week) front office person at a medical office for $8 an hour. I live in a very rural area and some of these jobs I'm applying for involve traveling up to 1-1/2 hours one way. The vocational person is really pushing me. She thinks I should take ANY full time job with benefits even if the pay is low, like $8 maybe $10 an hour which she thinks is a fantastic wage with benefits. She even suggested I take a job in a hospital 1-1/2 hours away as a housekeeper just to get my foot in the door. She also suggested taking a temporary job and just "not do my other job for awhile." 
In these economic times I think it would be foolish of me to give up a job I have for a low-paying full time job just because it has benefits. I think any new hire is subject to being laid off first. Plus the expense of gas, clothes, food, etc. of working outside the home would further reduce my take-home pay. Plus you usually pay at least part of health insurance coverage anyway (I have no health insurance now though). I have emphatically told them I'm not giving up my MT position. I told them I would be willing to accept a part time position just to get some experience in billing and coding. They just think I don't have confidence in my knowledge and I suspect they think I don't want to work. Let me tell you I have worked up to 3 jobs at a time as an MT and I'm not afraid to work.
I just don't think now is the right time to make a job move and actually right now there are pretty slim pickings. I also really don't want to outside the home and work. Am I wrong? Any suggestions! Thanks for your feedback. 
Imagine that!! -
Posted By: Mom-CMT
My DH just got a promotion at work. It is a pretty big promotion. He sat down and talked to me and told me how happy he is to have me at home working, because he feels he is where he is because I pick up so much of the slack with the kids, etc. and he gets to focus on his career. For a while I was considering getting out of the business (major burnout), but now I'm here to stay!!! He told me now that he is making more, not to worry about working so hard -- take some more time off for myself!!! Am I lucky or what!!!!
Well ok then!! ENTER NOW!!!! HUGE PRIZE!!! -
Posted By: See full details inside
MTSTARS MT WEEK GIFT GIVEAWAY!
ENTER NOW TO WIN!
(Pulling numbers 307)
Click on the Reply by Email blue link or email to freebie@mtstars.com to enter
One entry per person, only one email address allowed.
Please give your name, city, and state for when we post congratulations.
You must enter each giveaway to be eligible to win.
All entries are put in a hopper and the number shown above will be pulled.
MPWORD MTSO!!!
Value $2,495.00
See full details here:
http://www.mpword.com/5mtsoindex.htm
GIVEN COURTESY OF THE GREAT FOLKS AT:
MPWORD
www.mpword.com
GOOD LUCK!!!
pay scale -
Posted By: radtype
I'd like to know which is the best way to charge for radiology, by the line or by the report. If by report, how much? TIA!!
Fed up - Going on my own! Advise please! -
Posted By: Typer
Ok, I've had it! I'm going on my own. I need advise about how to find local clients, what to charge, simple dicatation systems, etc. Essentially, I need to know everything about starting my own business. I'm confident in my skills and am tired of being put up down and told when and how much I need to work. I'm dependable to the point that I have been tottally taken advantage of. I know there are better ways to make money doing transcription than what I'm currently doing. Please Help!
Help, cant remember classes and stages roman numerals??? -
Posted By: nm
tia
Ant problem...please help. -
Posted By: RaeMT
x
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