Agree with both sides to an extent...
Posted By: Another midwest MT on 2008-09-03
In Reply to: Well maybe I live in fantasyland but (sm) - midwestMT
I worked as an IC for years before going to work for a hospital and then am now at an MTSO for the majority of my work. I also have had my own conract on the side for over 5 years. They call maybe 1-2 times a week for a missing document. When gas starting becoming outrageous early this year, I started charging them a courier fee since I still pick up tapes and print out documents. They have no complaints and I have no complaints. Seems like a win-win for both of us....and I make great money for 8-10 hours a week of their work since he has gotten to be so easy to do. So, for extra money, this is DEFINITELY the way to go. I know a friend who started her own MTSO and it is a pain marketing/invoicing and doing administrative work and has heck of a time finding and keeping quality subcontractors. If I oould find another client like THIS one, I'd be working 20 hours a week and making full-time money!
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I would agree to a certain extent.
I've worked here at Transcend for years and it has been up and down. I've given lot of my extra time and effort, have volunteered on several accounts, and have had my primary account replaced numerous times without a word of complaint from me. But, sometimes it seems like the more you give, all the more is asked in return or not even asked at all, just assumed you'll agree and go along with the change. I guess I'm from the old school and feel that the compensation we receive is given in return for our skills and expertise for a job that we commit our best to. It seems like lately our skills and expertise is thrown by the wayside in favor of corporate financial gain for both the company and the clients, i.e. the advent of VR editing at half the line rate despite multiple problems, loss of needed tools, bad voice quality, and 100% editing as compared to QA editing. I realize that this is the future of medical transcription, but it seems that the MLS is expected to shoulder the burden of the glitches and quirks until the "future" arrives in all its glory. The MLS is somewhere in the middle and hung out to dry, especially the MLS who has devoted a number of years to Transcend.
It's beginning to feel like the MLS who has devoted a lot of time, energy, and skill into making Transcend a good transcription service isn't valued as much in the way of compensation as the newbie who is offered the dangling carrot in the form of bonuses and incentives that long-time employees wouldn't even know about except for the grapevine. IMO a longevity bonus would go much farther for a company than a sign-on bonus because word of mouth spreads like wildfire. A company who consistently rewards loyalty and longevity is going to be the company most people want to work for, and that would eliminate the need for the ever-enticing dangling carrot. If you compare the MLS workforce to a machine that is vital to your business, the machine works best when maintained properly, which takes monetary investment. If you keep investing in things other than the machine, before long the machine wears out and you have to replace it with a new one, which is more costly than the maintenance. Take care of your machine and your machine will take care of your business. Spend your money on things other than the machine and you'll always be replacing, fixing, and dangling that carrot.
I agree to some extent, but some of these MTSOs are SM
competing with others too. The possibility of losing an account is very real.
They use Dictaphone Extent platform. I am not
sure what the Expander program is, but it comes with the Dictaphone platform. They gave me 12 hours of paid training at $10/hr plus lines typed. I know its not much, but you pick up the platform pretty easily. They have both VR and straight typing. I only do the straight typing, but form what I've read on this board the VR for Dictatphone is not that great.
Really? Because I see it on both sides
I see your point about some naysayers, but assuming the ones that are unhappy are job-hoppers and unhappy people isn't the nicest comment I've ever heard either.
I think this is really sad for several reasons. We're all at risk for our skill being replaced by VR and outsourcing, we ought to be supporting each other in ways we can make effective change by preventing that from happening as best we can and getting together and finding constructive solutions about proving that our value is just as important as expensive machinery or labor from foreign countries.
Many people are just realizing this,scared about the future, and trying to shop to find the best deal possible that's still out there, not realizing that they're all about the same at present, it's the state of affairs in the MT world.
If you want to stay with it and keep trying to find a way to beat VR and make a living still, that's cool, but it's okay to realize that some things are more tolerable on the job than others, and to each their own about what should be acceptable business practice. :)
Looking at both sides ..
I recruit and I see both sides of this story on a daily basis. We provide equipment and we pay very well and are employee status. I have people lie to me, hold equipment when they decide they are not interested in the job because they actually have to work, and have every excuse why then cannot work. On the other hand, I have dedicated, extraordinary people who go the extra mile, can actually figure out their own computer and how to turn it on and maintain their QA and really make my life a pleasure. I know that you cannot have it all .. but I will say this, if you are an MT who works for a company that can't get it together you might want to write to me and investigate working with our group. We are growing and have no intention of offshoring no matter what, have benefits available that are excellent and for employee reasonably price (family is terrible nearly everywhere though this actually covers you). I transcribe right along with people if need be and we genuinely care about the people who work with us. We are on dial up right now but will be going to our web-based system in September. We have more work than you can imagine and if you are willing to dial up with the rest of us for a fe months, then life will be good .. very good .. come the Fall. You must be willing to commit to your schedule and do your work .. sounds easier than it usually turns out to be I am sorry to say. Have a good holiday weekend.
There are two sides to every story. The MTs sm
that commented worked/works there. You do not. So I wouldn't put to much weight to what you say.
There are two sides to every story...
I have worked for Breitner for four years and have always been paid on time. I have never had a payroll issue with this company. Just so everyone knows...if this occurred, it does not occur across the board. Let's be fair.
Not taking sides
Actually I am in the same boat as everyone else. You have to work harder to make more money because this industry does not give raises. Our economy is hurting; however, I would NOT want live in India or any other country that is being sent work because their economy is obviously worse.
Also OFFSHORING is when transcription is sent to other countries. Outsourcing is what hospitals to when they send their transcription to companies rather than being done in house.
Lots of industries are offshoring. I just sit here in my peaceful living room and decide how much money I want to earn today and determine how hard I want to work. Some days I don't want to do it at all. Other days I am grateful I don't have to go wait tables or tend bar for a second job. As much as people complain about this industry, I can't think of anything else I would want to do to make extra money.
not taking sides but...
I completely understand what you mean about the pay...it is quite a long time to wait for a full paycheck.
But...you really should have read your contract BEFORE signing it so you only have yourself to blame for that aspect.
Two sides to the coin
I have worked for Phoenix for two years on both their Emdat platform and a Lanier account. I am delighted with both though I will admit the Emdat was awkward to set up with expanders/autocorrect.
Nevertheless, the folks are a joy to work for, keep in touch enough to feel in the loop, and answer e-mails promptly. Pay is fair, work is steady. Couldn't ask for more.
I understand both sides of the argument...
But I believe that a lot of the posts are from management. They really should not disguise themselves as MTs and try to trick people. Just let the truth be what it is, and if you do not like the truth, then do something at your company to change it. All the effort that is being put into posting on this forum by management from various companies should be put into different programs, incentives, or maybe just a nice word or two to their transcriptionists to try and make the companies better. I value this forum and believe that MTs need a place to communicate these things to one another to possibly prevent someone else from going through a bad situation. I do believe that some MTs do need to let it go sometimes, but when you know that it is management posting to try and prove you are wrong, that just makes you more determined to prove you are right. Just my opinion so don't jump all over me.
I love it there.. two sides to each coin.
My team is really great. I was so thankful for the nice card, handwritten, and also an unexpected gift card.
I never overreact. I thoughtfully consider all sides. However,
the tone of your continued arrogant, hostile, and rage-filled posts only points out that you are the OP masquerading as management in a fury about an email sent out which by no means can be construed as breeching any matter of confidentiality. Your threats were laughable as witnessed by the counterposts.
You would do us all a favor now if you would go take your medication. Dosages should never be skipped. You should know that if you are an MT.
I don't know. Still trying to figure you out. You seem to be so ugly and hateful. I bet your mama had to tie pork chops to your ears so the dog would play with you.
Well, then I come to this board to get both sides of the story
and I appreciate hearing your experience. The best thing for me to do is be aware of this, keep working at my old IC job, and try this one out. If I see what you are saying, then it simply will not work out for me. What I have to decide about though is do I need the stress of even trying. It has been a bad year in transcription and I am not in the mood for many more of these types of games. Simply put. So do appreciate your feedback and I probably should have just stuck with the IC I have and increase the work load. Now I have to go through this trying out a job again, and ugggg, what a pain in the neck!
I think we DO need to "take sides" on this issue.
This lawsuit, or even the threat of one by an MTSO of an MT, is nothing more than an attempt at INTIMIDATION. It's the big companies' modus operandi these days: 'You're lucky to have a job, so accept that 3cpl and quit yer bellaching.' 'MTs can be sued for typos.' 'Say anything against us, even if it's true, and we'll sue your @$$es.'
MT has become an 'Us vs. Them' scenario, and regardless about how you may or may not feel about this one particular company is really beside the point. This is a large company that represents other large companies just like it, and when ANY company starts to throw its weight around in order to try to 'control' what MTs do, it affects all of us. We certainly wouldn't want them setting a precedent and this sort of thing becoming the norm, would we?
MTs need to stick together and support each other, even if there is some perceived risk in doing so. ESPECIALLY if there is risk. Because when a company acts in such a manner towards a current or former employee, it ultimately affects ALL of us.
There are 2 sides to every story. If you were a good employee, sm
if you called the office and told them that you had a medical emergency, there is no way on this green earth that they would lock you out of your account for that reason. Absurd. I've had to leave work due to illness. That's part of life. TransHealth is extremely accommodating.
There is more to the OP's story than meets the eye.
I have worked on both sides, Merit and dictaphone.
I think the Dictaphone is better but the account I had you could not view old reports. You could open up another text client and view them that way, but opening up 2 word documents of any kind messed things up and I had to get out of everything and start over.
As far as the dictators, I had an easy-dictator account with both Merit and Dictaphone and yes, there was more than enough work to do on the Dictaphone side but the Merit account ran out quite a bit. I had encountered 3 different team leads during my stay tere and all were as nice as they could be.
Interesting posts. It is good to hear both sides
I can understand the employees who want everything and give very little back. Very frustrating.
But then you have the situation described for the employee where there is no job satisfaction, no family/personal life allowed or frowned upon by management and no chance for promotion. And then being compared to an Indian who has a completely different social environment.
I know mothers who are IC and while they do take time off during the day for their kids (how dare they make dinner for those kids and hubby) but then they work long into the night after kids and hubby have gone to bed. There are no weekends with their family either. And the work reward is the pay will be lowered because the client wants to pay a lower rate. It is not exactly incentive to work hard without any breaks and ignore the family in favor of what the company needs.
I remember years ago working for a start up company and the manager did not want the single girls to date at night and instead work late. She thought they should be devoting their time to their career in transcription. Well a Transcriptionist could do that but whether she worked harder or not the pay would be the same and she would always be a transcriptionist. The manager on the other hand if the company did well would receive promotions and raises I am sure. So that is the difference....management perks vs worker bee perks. It was easy for her to give up a social and personal life because the rewards but the transcriptionist typing straight for hours and hours would see the same pay day in day out, no advancement or recognition for working harder other than not having a manager angry.
However after reading that post I will be aware and really give it my all. I do understand the need for a better work ethic. I see what the management wants and needs. Especially when managers are spending Thanksgiving with their families and the transcriptionist is working for 7 cpl with no break. It is the American way of doing business. 
Remember..."There are 2 sides to every story" and "you can't believe everything you read
x
I agree, absolutely agree
and I might say, this is keeping updated in ALLLL specialities and subspecialities, drugs, instruments, and on and on. It is not a good profession for sure and sadly it is the MTs who are being very definitely HAD
Agree 100%
STAY away!
Nobody is going to agree anyway. LOL
And nobody has worked for every company in the U.S. to be able to offer an informed opinion.
Agree
I agree also. I do think that each company has its MTs that have not one thing good to say about the company and on the flip side, there are many that love it. I have worked at a few different companies in my time and find through experience on this forum to be true. I absolutely love Transcend. There are a few things that aren't perfect in my book, but the good far outweighs the bad. The thing that I hate, though, is if you have anything good at all to say about your company, you are either management, lying, or a cheerleader. I think that people love to believe the worst.
I also have found out through my travels that things can vary greatly from one employee to another even though they may work at the same company. There may be a rule for you that does not apply to another, example - below one says Spheris would not allow someone to work at MQ also but there is an MT who is doing it with permission. An MT can get on here and argue all day long that this or that doesn't happen at their company but it may very well happen for another MT. It is so humerous to me to see that we believe that being employed at a company, in our remote homes, that we think we know everything about that company and how it operates with the other remote MTs - MTs that more than likely we don't even know.
I agree 100%.
I agree 100%
I don't agree entirely.
When offshore outsourcing first began many clients began jumping on that bandwagon thinking they were going to be able to save money. That resulted in a great number of clinics and hospitals eliminating their in-house transcription departments because of 1) reduction in overhead expense by outsourcing a whole department and 2) realizing an even greater reduction in expenses by using foreign labor at less cost than domestic transcription wages. The trend is beginning to come full circle now and because of quality issues and the higher cost of risk management more clients are demanding that their medical records information stay in the United States. A lot of MTSOs now advertising are stating right in their ads NO OFFSHORE MTs NEED APPLY. Clients are beginning to see that it wasn't as cost effective as they thought it would be because it actually ends up costing more in the long run either in quality or risk management. Some hospitals and clinics are actually bringing work back in house again and only using domestic vendors for overflow work. I think sooner or later unless the quality of VR improves it will have the same result.
i agree
I also had a similar experience last year and did not like it at all. It was a total mistake.
Yes, I agree
Thank you for posting this! I am also very happy with Amphion. It is nice to hear a positive experience for a change. I hope your post will help other MTs searching for work realize that there really are some good companies out there!
I agree--
They will make your life miserable with every nit picking thing they can think of to get you to quit. Again, this was my experience, no one has to agree with me.
Agree
but I thought that she was referring to simply putting it in a diagnosis, not coding.
Agree
LOL......I understood that she was just transcribing the numbers as they're dictated. And, we all know the docs don't always give the "dash" (-) or "slash" (/) word when it needs to be typed in.
I wasn't trying to help code, been a while since I did that, just trying to help make sure her question was answered. (No offense intended.) :)
I agree with QT
QT EASY platform -- a few mushmouths -- mainly PAs very few ESLs -- also FutureNet is a good company -- direct deposit as statutory by they will express mail checks and good cpl rate -- sorry for the typos -- just got done for the night and no fingers left
I agree..
I left after sitting for five hours and getting 2 reports, this was Transcend who bought MDI. Then, there was the sound issues.
The staff was just great though!
I agree with everything you said....
It just seems like Transcend is the company to bash this month, but I am extremely happy
I Agree.....
There are so many "cherry-pickers" on the account(s) I work on, it makes me crazy. Some of us get stuck doing the hardest jobs and the others breeze through.
I agree 100%. (sm)
Someone here had a bad experience and has made it her goal in life to run this company down. Maybe she didn't come up to par....actually you can tell that by her messages. I have only been with OSi about 6 months, but will be staying till I retire.
I agree!
Definately the meanest on this board. Always has something to say, whether it pertains or not...
I agree
the swearing on the boards and making fun of other people, pathetic. I thought we were all grown ups here. I can't believe that some of these grown women sound more immature than my 11 year old.
Agree! LOL (nm)
.
I agree
No I don't work out of the Amherst office -- have heard so much about them on this board.... I work out of the Orange CA office and last week except for 1 day -- it was like pulling teeth to get enough work to keep me busy during the day. Now, I am face today with either sitting babysitting my computer all day just waiting for work or taking the day off either unpaid or burn some PTO. Can't really afford either, but this is just stupid. If I get my butt out of bed and "at my job" by my start time.... I should get paid whether there is anything to do or not.
Agree, besides, what one co does, the others will
zz
I agree. sm
Not a very good place to work. Communication was horrible when I was there.
Agree with above
Yes, they pay for downtime. The only time they do not is if is due to something on your end like electric failure or internet failure. If there is no work or if their computer breaks or system is down, they pay $12/hr downtime. In my experience, there is also the option of making up the time if only a few hours or so (which equates to more than $12/hr for me, so I have always made time up if I could).
I agree with aa
Here are the good points: They do apparently pay for spaces now. I would confirm this if you apply.
They seem to have plenty of work - you definitely won't be sitting around for days without work.
They pay approximately 5 days after the end of the pay period, which is actually pretty fast as payroll goes.
They do seem to have some interesting accounts, although I wouldn't know how you get on them.
If you can ignore the goofy emails that get sent out on a regular basis and try to ignore the inconsistent QA, they pretty much leave you alone. If you need benefits, though, look elsewhere.
Have to agree
I quit two weeks after training.
I agree
I am dealing with the same thing right now. It is frustrating to my family life. They call me at night a lot to work.
I agree..
Get rid of the middle man, the MTSO, if you can!
I just landed a fantastic opportunity with a clinic who has done exactly this and can afford to pay me twice the highest rate of the online companies, and I still work from home with a super flexible schedule. I also didn't need 10 years to land this job. I am closing in on two.
I suggest searching the ads for clinics and hospitals who are looking to hire you directly. That, or land your own account locally. Most of these online companies are really taking us for a ride!
I will never go back to 8 cpl knowing what I know now while the MTSOs are vacationing on the other half of what should be my pay
I agree!
Who would want 2 work 4 someone like that? Is this where MT is heading??? Sheesh.
I have to agree with you.
This is getting old. There are tens of thousands of MTs, many of which have the same thoughts. You need to get a grip on reality. Enough already.
I will agree with you there.
x
I would have to agree
The Indian typists work extremely hard. They work with rare breaks. I also found the managers to be very kind people. What I don't get is it's okay to work HERE for a foreign company, like Toyota, but how DARE anybody work for a foreign transcription company! What about Sony? Hyundai?
I have to agree...
I'm also disgruntled with this steady diet of acute care. I wouldn't mind a mix of acute care IF there were some easy stuff like chart notes and ER to blend in. I sometimes regret having listed all my experience, since I think the lesser qualified MTs could be making much more money!
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