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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Difficult dictation = higher compensation

Posted By: Absolutely no favoritism at all on 2009-09-14
In Reply to: what would you like to see? - cj

If management would manage supervisors, we would all be happier people. Morale suffers greatly when there is an uneven playing field - especially when money is at stake.

Do you realize how miserable an MT is when she is struggling to hear a single word, wondering if she can meet her lines (and her bills) to keep her job, knowing full well that others are making so much more money and gaining admiration by cheating? That is what kills me.

Good luck in your endeavor.


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The percentage of offshoring is higher than 15%, much higher - sm
Two more points - the Indian transcriptionists seemed to get the easy American dictators while the US transcriptionists get the Indian doctors and other ESLs.  Never made sense to me.  Also, a poster said the work is QA'd before being sent to the client - not all the time and if was then QA needs better training. 
New MT compensation
Does anyone know what the range is with the new MT compensation package?
SPI compensation
Was an MT at SPi, but gone now...you MTs who are still there for some unknown reason and who are fighting for work need be standing up for yourselves. If this company expects you to commit to a schedule and sit there until the work shows up (or doesn't show up until your shift is over and the night person gets it), then they should be paying you unemployment....call your local labor department in your state and they will tell you this. This just isn't fair. AND, if you think this new line rate increase they gave you is a raise think again - they did that to try to make up for what they've taken away, making it a less bitter pill for you to swallow....makes me gag, quite frankly and sad that you guys sit there and take it. You can rest assured that if they realize their profit margin is still not what they expect with this new plan, they will be taking money out of your pocket another way either in the way of benefits of some other behind the scenes change in the counting configurations, or they will pull you from your primary account and putting you onto a more difficult one that they charge more on. Do the math....just more smoke and mirrors, in IMO.
SPI New Compensation

Wondering if other SPI MTs are seeing a huge difference in their lines with SPIs new compensation plan.  Even without counting the headers, which I previously did get credit for, it looks like at least a 30% decrease.  Is that possible or am I missing something?  I certainly did not get enough of a bump in my line rate to cover this.  


compensation
5 cents a line??? you have got to be kidding!  How can you make a living on 5 cents a line??
SPI New Compensation
Now that it has been a few weeks since SPI announced their new compensation plan, I am wondering -- Is anyone at all making more money than they were before?  Also for those who are not, how much of a cut has it worked out to be per hour?  In my case, it has been at least a cut of a few dollars an hour.  This is not my main job (thank goodness), but I am wondering how it is working out most of the MTs who have stuck with them through all of the chaos of the last year.   
your compensation? You get sm
your compensation in the form of your paycheck. Your employer expects the best you can give and I hope your employer hires the best MTs out there. Also what about safety to the patient? Somewhere it seems to me that some MTs are forgetting that there are actually real PATIENTS behind these reports! You have a bad attitude!
UE compensation at 50% - that's just a bit - SM
higher than having to go to VR from MT (4 cpl from 8, 8.5, 9) which is 45% to 50% of regular pay.
transcend compensation..sm
Would anyone be willing to share what Transcend starts pay at for employees and independent contractors?
Compensation not listed

Has anyone else ever emailed a company when they do not list their rate of compensation only to be ignored?  This really irks me.  Why can't they just list what they are offering so we don't have to waste our time?  This really annoys me. 


Compensation Plan
I actually did not expect to make more but did not expect to take the hit I have taken. I expected a wash money-wise at the very least. They were already scrambling to try and keep people, so I just cannot understand the logic on their end. They say they need an American staff but their actions show another direction.
WHAT IS THE COMPENSATION FOR 'GIVING THE BEST I CAN?' ..sm
Error-free reports?
Are you planning to eliminate QAing and raise the cpl rate for MTs?

Awaiting your answer.
Unemployment compensation
Has anyone been able to collect unemployment due to lack of work? This is towards those who are employees and not ICs.  I was just wondering if we are eligible for something like that.  I've never collected in my life and was just curious if anyone else had. 
Hmm. Wonder what the "incentive" compensation is for?
Could it be a less inflammatory euphemism for a a bonus given for driving out the pricey US MTs, thereby self-fulfilling the 'No MTs in America justification for offshoring?

Those of you with a little bit of a memory may recall that the same thing was done to our IT/CS people back 10 years ago. A lot of people either shrugged and said they were overpaid anyway or figured it couldn't happen to them.

What's that poem about First they came... We all should have stood up against the offshoring years ago. Now they've come for us.
Question about unemployment compensation

I work for a national that introduced a new platform several months ago that has had problems virtually daily, ranging from bad sound, jobs not showing up on line count, to long jobs actually being "taken away" from someone and given to someone else after the original person completed most, if not all, of the job.


The newest problem it now has seems to be that you can't access work on this program when work truly does exist.  However, it's impossible to tell if the program isn't working or if there truly isn't any work.  So you never know just what's going on.  Tech support can't fix the problem, and if management cares, they sure don't show it.  In addition to all this, my account has suddenly been overstaffed, so I'm constantly fighting for jobs.  I can't tell if the new person is being played as a favorite, if the program is malfunctioning or if there simply isn't any work.  As a result, I can't earn enough money to pay my bills, and this is through no fault of my own.


If I quit under these circumstances, can I collect unemployment (until I can find another job)?  Does anyone know? 


TIA.


Yes, that is the way I read the email. MORE than adequate compensation
lllll
Come on gals...the compensation..ah...putting it tamely...>>
IT stinks! It's becoming worse, if that is possible. There is a better way of compensating MT employees, take into consideration, naturally primary, education, et cetera. I think I mentioned it here before, but I do not recollect having received a response.
Some thing HAS to be done, and soon. For we, the ole' timers, like the actual hands-on approach, and it is still FUN! That's what it's all about and really should be, Job=Fun, as it also appears to me. Let's not lose it to a bunch of unpredictable terminators. javascript:editor_insertHTML('text','');
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QA compensation - anyone happy with what you're making?

I'm sorely tempted to look into a QA position and I was wondering how the compensation compared to transcribing.  I would love to be paid hourly, but it seems most offer by-the-line pay.  I know there are variables (platform, ESL, etc.) but I'm trying to come up with some type of comparable compensation formula just as a jumping-off point for negotiation.  Anyone care to elaborate on what they're earning, how they're paid, and how this compares to their transcribing earnings? 


I agree with youl, but be smart enough to ask for this compensation in advance!
x
Excellent! Congrats on finding an employee status job with decent compensation! nm
nm
OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE A HIGHER UP
OR A SUCK UP THAT CHERRYPICKS ALL THE GOOD WORK AND GETS PAID FOR YOUR SPACES.  Get a life and leave us poor people alone.
They have at least 1 very difficult

account that is hard to get lines on.   They also have a weird platform.  There are 3 files for every dictation, 2 of which you have to open.  They supposedly give you a percentage of lines to allow for that, but I think it is a bunch of garbage.   I currently work where there is no platform, we type in Word or WordPerfect 5.1, whichever we are most comfortable with and we have a macro to put in all the demographics - all we have to type is patient's name.   I don't understand if my company can make it simple why the others can't.  


You didn't ask, but Precyse offshores, if they tell you something get it in writing because there is little truth in it.  Communication is very poor. 


Not too difficult
With someone with your mentality--like shooting fish in a barrel. (Do try to get over it.)
Very difficult to say unless
you know what the system is like, the dictators, the quality of the MTs, etc.  3.5 is not a great line rate but you can make some money if you are only filling in blanks and can get in and out of the reports pretty easy.  I was offered 5 cpl once but the dictators were so horrible and the MTs so horrible and the system so slow I went broke immediately and quit.  There is a learning curve obviously but sometimes you know immediately it won't get much better. Good luck!  The very best way is an hourly rate but most companies not willing to pay that.
Higher?
They won't if you don't know how to spell hire.
higher
SS pays higher than that for QA.
higher than DQS
but I get paid for everything whether I type it or not, headers, footers, ADT, etc.
they can higher new MTs
nm
My pay is much higher
I do VR and straight and what you quoted lots lower.
I did it! It is not that difficult...
a lot of it will probably come back to you. Allow yourself a week or so to pick up speed, but I think you will be fine.
higher pay does not mean better. Try them both.
nm
Same here. It's very difficult to get anymore than 200 lph
Am considering quitting also. Have averaged 300-400 lph at any other place I've worked. I also agree with you about the emailing bit. After every update about how much work is on the system, it's ALWAYS followed by an email from the owner about a minute later telling you to either stretch more or threatening you with their PRN Program or that you'll lose the work to offshoring, etc., etc...

Have nothing against anyone there, but I very rarely ever break 200 lph working on their hospital accounts. Bayscribe definitely gives low line counts.
That is for pay; what they charge is much higher. sm
They are not cheap. Our department went with them a few months ago, and they were higher than all but one other company. My manager and her higher-ups really liked them. We have met the owners and two of their managers and I have to say that I was impressed too. They were definitely the nicest company that came in. They are doing a great job too. I am going to work there part time evenings, so I would recommend them.
If you only do 100 lph cause of a difficult doc then its a whole 8.80 an hour...
tt
Difficult dictators?
So MDI-FL and WebMedx both have decent health insurance for a decent price? And what do we have to do to get that? Are they all ESL? Or do they truly have decent dictators where you can make some money.  I have done very few ESL. What typing speed are they looking for?
it's difficult, but it comes down to self-discipline
Like you, I started at MT when I had my first newborn in the house. He's 18 now. All told, I have three boys, ages 18, 17 and 16 living in my house, and my husband. My home office is in my walk-thru pantry. We have a straight-thru house, so one has to walk through my work area to get into the kitchen, and all those growing males have to visit the kitchen often. In addition, I apparently have the hang out house, and there are usually a good number of other young people at my house most afternoons and weekends. That is one thing that I love, though. It's good to know what my boys and their friends are up to.
Over the years I've worked hard to establish boundaries. It WAS hard in the beginning to let the phone calls go. It was difficult to turn friends and family away from the door, but it had to be done. I had the same problems as you. I was up all night, production was low, etc.
I didn't resort to renting office space, I just got mean, I suppose. My answering machine message said that I was working and would return personal calls after business hours. These days, I have caller ID, so I can check the number of incoming calls. I answer calls from school, work or from my children and husband. That's it. Other calls go to voicemail. I changed the locks on the doors, and did not give keys to my family or neighbors. I had a few arguments with them, and used a very stern voice. I'm busy. I'm working. It's no different than anyone else who works in an office away from home.
I do, however, get up from my chair fairly often to avoid edema problems. I will throw in one load of laundry, wash a dish or two, run the vacuum in one room, or even scrub a toilet. But I get up and do only one quick chore at a time. No t.v., no radio, etc.
It's difficult, and it takes some perseverence and certainly self-control to establish boundaries and good at-home work habits.
Good luck with your new office. For me, though, I would not want to work to pay rent for an office when I have free office space at home.
Not really. I think the average is higher than that. That's on the low end.

I would not take less than 1.25. Just my opinion though.


I agree with you. It's not that difficult IF - sm
you TRULY are an experienced MT.  I am not talking about the I have 20 years doing neurology or I have been doing op notes for 15 years. MT.  I mean the MT who can, no matter what comes up next, DO THE WORK and do it well.  Everyone has to leave a blank every once in a while, but I believe there are a lot of people out there doing this job who cannot turn in even 1 job without a blank in it.  They have limited experience, trying to pass it off as acute care/teaching hospital experience and when they get the actual work, boy does it show.
so if it is not 8, is it higher or lower..(nm)
''
I find this very difficult to believe.
//
I am with Axolotl. There is nothing difficult sm
about using Notes. They also have Speed Type with it for an expander.

Please apply! We have so much work! Seems so many places have been slow since Christmas and New Year, but it has been the exact opposite for us! The account I am on used to just be discharge summaries, but we have now taken over their consults and ops as well.
They are difficult accounts, and they have not
been able to hold anyone on these accounts for some reason. They've had these accounts for quite awhile, so I'm thinking that in order to keep the client happy, they must be offshoring the account again. They will do that from time to time. I'm glad I'm off of it. I was not making my lines on the Michigan account.
VR and difficult dictatoirs
I saw your post and would like to tell you and anyone else, do not get your hopes up high that VR will not work because of difficult doctors. I know for a fact. I work on VR and some straight and I would have never believed it but I personally think VR works even better sometimes with most of the difficult ones than with our better speaking dictators. Why, ? who knows. I myself was under the same thought when we were told were going on VR, oh, it will never work with so and so. It does and very efficiently on the VR I work with.
98.9% QA is NOT that difficult to attain -
Nor should it be if you are a quality-minded MT. I don't understand the negative about this company just over the QA. Their rate may seem low, but the 7 cpl rate is for clinic work, which in my opinion is much easier and deserves a lower rate! The acute-care rate is comparable with other companies nationwide.

I must point out that there are pros and cons to every company nationwide and that no company is a fit for all MTs. Compared to other nationals, however, this one is way above average, in my opinion. I'm sure I'll get bashed for this, but that's okay - I'm hauling money to the bank each and every paycheck!
Are you the KS Lead that goes to the higher ups?

If the higher ups are telling you they are getting 20 accounts, they are probably counting each dictator on one account!  Would that make sense!  I'm being sarcastic.  Is it working?  LOL  Think, people, think!!!  LOL  - laughing at this whole thread.  It is hysterical!  I LOVE THIS BOARD!!!   


If Keystrokes was so fantabulous, they wouldn't need to post on here to hire!!!!!!! 


not a difficult transition
Having trained MTs from DQS to ExText I can safely tell you that it is not a difficult transition. There are many similarities and it is doable. Never be afraid to take a leap of faith, it could change your life. It changed mine.
They pay higher than most and their communication
I though they were very professional and the Beyond TXT platform was not half-bad.  They treat you like a person and not someone from far, far away.  LOL  - They have my vote as well!     
nor that smart especially the higher you go LOL
.
Of course it is too low. Will you get higher rate?
x
How difficult is it to get 100+ reports
for radiology on Meditech with ShortHand Expander in one shift?
I would think pretty difficult

IMO..... I think it would be pretty tough, unless the reports are very short (then hopefully you would get paid per report).  I used to work in Meditech and I spent more time filling in the demo screen than typing the reports!  I don't think MediTech is Radiology-friendly (IMO) unless the reports have some meat on them!  Also depends on the version of MediTech, some have the autofill and some you have to fill in every blasted box.