Any ideas who the culprit might be?

• ffor ' MT'.... - x
  • You are so right in everything you say. I beg your forgiveness. - MT
    • Posting in my absence... - MT
      • Any ideas who the culprit might be? - sm
        • Loooooool.... - MT
          • Right. Just keep on telling yourself - that.
    • This breaking news just in. - sm
      • I have read lots of posts here and yours, without a doubt, - Susan
        • Susan. Can I make a suggestion? - ?
  • was that "attitude" really sm - MT 30+ years
    • MT for many, many years, hired, trained - taught school? Wow.
      • so you think its ok to start sm - MT 30+ years
        • Please refer to MT's newest post above - and tell us again
          • To clarify: The you are so right post. - nm
        • Within the context of this forum firestorm - Yes I do.
    • Before responding could I please know - if
    • I think you are sort of in the Kool-Aid - but don't know what flavor....
  • By the way 'x', what does 'ffor" stand for? - Inquiring minds gotta know! Please? GAL.
    • What, and do you the favor - of
    • By all means, when you having nothing - of significance to say
  • Your argument loses all steam when you get to - the CONTRACT! So, don't sign the contract!
  • Wow! I'm gone for a bit... - MT
    • No, you do not understand, otherwise you would agree, see message - x
      • You know something, you can't... - MT
        • That is too much! No, you don't understand, - otherwise, you'd agree! How funny is that?
  • She doesn't care - sm
    • Either she is uninformed or she 'plays' uninformed...sm - x
      • Wow! I see how clever you are with that abbrev - here. You just invented sm for see message.
        • Tell me this one thing. - ?

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Contrary to what offshoring MTSOs claim, offshoring isn't about scheduling; it's about profit ... period.  The third shift and weekends argument just doesn't hold water.  I've been transcribing acute care for 20 years, and I don't know many MTs who adhere to a no weekends or nights schedule on a regular basis.  They know other options are available to their clients and employers and want to keep them happy.  If an MT refuses to work the hours required, there are others stateside, like me, who are willing to do so.  Let's get over the blame the spoiled, lazy American first mindset that seems so prevalent these days and put the blame where it belongs - squarely on the shoulders of MTSOs who don't want to pay seasoned professionals to do the job right the first time. 

to be one of the doctor's wives -- who, doncha know, had worked in the office (or an office) previously and thought herself expert .... 

You need to figure out what result you are looking for. If you were working as an independent contractor, I'd say suing for wrongful termination is out of the question. Most other suits do require you to show damage ...

Since you have all this documentation, consider calling the senior or managing partner yourself ... will you be blackballed in your community?  Quite possibly.

I hope you decide to look for your own accounts.  If you wait until you know everything there is to know about running a home business, you will never accomplish anything.  Do you think every entrepreneur—Bill Gates, Henry Ford, Martha Stewart--knew everything when they started out? 

I have had my own accounts over the years and with some, I have signed a contract.  With a few doctors in solo practice, we didn’t sign contracts and I had no problems.  I sent out flyers or letters of introduction in the area where I lived. I also called every physician office to follow up.  My first account came from the local hospital MT department.  None of the other MTs had time to do the account, so an acquaintance asked if I was interested.   So contact MT departments to see if any doctors are looking for someone. 

If you send out flyers or letters, have someone you trust who is very good at spelling and grammar proofread them before you send them out.  Remember that your language skills are what the client is buying, so be sure everything is letter perfect. 

Try to find accounts close to home if you have to pick up and deliver.  If you have clients who are far away and you have to drive there a few times a week, charge them a little extra.  Make friends with the office staff so they’ll be willing to help you out when you need them to look up patient names, referring doctor addresses, etc. 

As far as what to charge, it depends on where you live.  Remember that you have to pay taxes on what you make, and the physician will send you a 1099 form at the end of the year.  So charge anywhere from 15 cents to 20 cents per line, depending on where you live. 

I use the Microsoft word count to calculate line count, but you can buy software to do that if you like. 

Be sure to have a few backup people to help you out when you want to take time off or if you’re sick or your kids are sick. 

Make macros so you maximize your time, and always use your word Expander software, or Microsoft autocorrect, to the max while transcribing.  I include an invoice with every batch of work delivered and get paid every week.  I had one doctor in the past who was very demanding but very slow to pay.  I had to go see him and tell him I rely on that income and I need it NOW, and would not take any more work, or return any, until I received payment. I finally quit working for him because he would never pay me on time.

Good luck!

OR..if you have a company you can recommend, I would also be interested in hearing about it.  I need to start the process somewhere immediatel (have two children at home and one in college, so down time isn't really much of an option for me).

I do have 11 years experience, and if someone can recommend a really decent company, I would be happy to go on as a referral.

I know it is almost impossible to start a union to protect us against pathetic wages, but if anyone can come up with any ideas on what we can do as MTs, speak up.  I'll fund, start, do anything if the result is fair treatment and fair pay.  The organizations out there are geared for the employers to pat themselves on the back, not for us!  Paying memberships for those as an MT is just pointless.  We need these employers to come to us instead of us sending out a zillion resumes only to be told they pay 1 cpl.  I've been an MT a long time, I believe in it and I like it, but I want to love it again.   According to salary.com, the median salary for an MT is $36,000, well many MTs aren't coming close to that.  We need to do something - Thanks!

already e-mailed me today with a concern over production, as if they're surprised it is so low.  Perfect opportunity to respond with my own concerns.