Feast or famine. Always a different work load every day, and you often run out if the work gets
Posted By: caught up. nm on 2007-01-03
In Reply to: Pros and cons on companies with overflow accounts. nm - Question
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IC only, work was feast or famine when I was there.
xx
Unorganized, feast or famine work, rude people, AND
Their new accounts are unpleasant to work on to say the least. They are no different than a lot of the other companies now.
If you like feast or famine (sm)
work on their demand and off when they command, evening and weekend work, poor management, poor communication, and don't mind companies that offshore, it might be the place for you. I'd give them a hands down.
Feast or famine with VR (sm)
It seems they are constantly calling you off. I hated working that way.You get momentum and then you are told to stop working. Many empty promises with the VR accounts. Too many I know have had high hopes to be shot down. If you don't mind working under those conditions it might work for you. Good luck.
That's how they are...feast or famine!
nm
feast or famine
The nature of the transcription business, from personal experience, is feast or famine, with usually not much in between.
In other words, learn to get while the getting is good so you're prepared for the leaner days and can carve out a decent average for yourself in accordance with your budget and paycheck you have to make to pay your bills. You DO have a personal budget and know the income you need to pull in on a consistent basis, right?
Having said that, if you're with a company for several weeks, and there is little to no work at all, that's when you begin sending out resumes and executing Plan B (you DO have Plan B, right? And C and D if necessary, right?). Cycles are expected. A consistent bare trickle that never picks up, is not. That means the company has really bad personnel management skills or is losing accounts and unable to pull any new accounts in, and so it's time for you to consider your options because things are not going to change.
If this is really your situation, then you should a) notify your current employer that you're scaling back to part time or per diem (and provide them with the times you will be available) and b) get another job ASAP to make up for it. I know a few MTs that work for more than one company, part time, and between the two pull in a nice paycheck. It's smart, especially if neither of them have guaranteed work for you to fill a full-time schedule and make a full-time paycheck.
Remember, you're working for YOU, not your employer. And you should have high expectations from yourself to meet your own needs instead of relying so heavily on other people, whether they send you a paycheck or not. :)
feast or famine
The nature of the transcription business, from personal experience, is feast or famine, with usually not much in between.
In other words, learn to get while the getting is good so you're prepared for the leaner days and can carve out a decent average for yourself in accordance with your budget and paycheck you have to make to pay your bills. You DO have a personal budget and know the income you need to pull in on a consistent basis, right?
Having said that, if you're with a company for several weeks, and there is little to no work at all, that's when you begin sending out resumes and executing Plan B (you DO have Plan B, right? And C and D if necessary, right?). Cycles are expected. A consistent bare trickle that never picks up, is not. That means the company has really bad personnel management skills or is losing accounts and unable to pull any new accounts in, and so it's time for you to consider your options because things are not going to change.
If this is really your situation, then you should a) notify your current employer that you're scaling back to part time or per diem (and provide them with the times you will be available) and b) get another job ASAP to make up for it. I know a few MTs that work for more than one company, part time, and between the two pull in a nice paycheck. It's smart, especially if neither of them have guaranteed work for you to fill a full-time schedule and make a full-time paycheck.
Remember, you're working for YOU, not your employer. And you should have high expectations from yourself to meet your own needs instead of relying so heavily on other people, whether they send you a paycheck or not. :)
Feast or famine is pretty much a given with
Sometimes you need to take the good with the bad. No employer is perfect, I guess.
Three words.. FEAST OR FAMINE..
That's all I have. Some good productive days, other times Mojave Desert and asked not to log on for a while to let the work built up. Wish I could be more help. 
MTSO feast and famine
After working for a hospital medical records department for over 15 years, which I know realize was a cushy job and not the norm, and now working for 2 services and still not making enough money, I'm curious to know if anyone else is struggling financially because of the constant feast or famine syndrome. I realize that on my FT job, they basically want transcriptionists available 24/7 even though you clearly have set schedule, and being available 24/7 is probably the only way to make your quota with the ups and downs in the work. Unfortunately, I have 2 jobs, 2 children, a dog and a significant other and really can't be strapped to this computer day and night...not to mention I need to eat, shower and sleep....
How is one to survive? Should I be working 3 jobs? I need help.
Feast or famine is all part of this field.
I know that is tough to get used to, but even when you have your own accounts, the workload can wax and wane. It can also change overnight. I have my own accounts that wax and wane. You can never really count on anything being absolute in this field. These companies can only offer you what they have because it depends on the dictator and how much work there is at any given time. Almost any company will tell you this if you haven't already experienced the same. It is unfortunate, however, this field does require some flexibility. I guess that may come with more years of experience and being in the know upfront that nothing is forever. A lot of time these larger companies only can sign 3-5 year contracts. I am an IC (not for Transcend), and when there is a need, boy the e-mails come sailing through asking can I help, but when the work is low, my e-mail is dry. Adapting and adjusting is all part of this field for sure.
P/S: I was a employee at one time for Transcend, but I do believe they are offering contracts at this point to IC as I did see a recent post.
My solution to the feast or famine syndrome
I work part-time with a daily number of lines to complete, no set schedule. My work is usually pretty steady, but over the holiadys when things slowed down, I decided to get another part-time job. I ended up in direct home sales. I make more money at it than I do MTing and I get to set my own schedule. I usually do 2 shows a week, averaging about $150 to $200 per show. The shows take about 3 hours in total and the computer work is about an hour or less.
It also gets me out of the house and gives me a break from my kids. I will say that I'm pretty fortunate that my husband has a M-F 8-4 job, so he's able to be home with the kids on the evenings I do these.
I keep a separate checking account for my business and it's really neat to watch it grow. I'm saving the money for a rainy day (or famine) and when I get to a certain amount, we're putting in a pool. I'm halfway there already.
No way would I stay attached to my computer. If things are slow, I put that time into my new business and work on getting new shows booked or party games or invitations. There's always something productive to do.
Three words..Feast or Famine.., disorganized, and bad communication, anything else??
I wish I had more positives other than pay is on time. That is about the only positive at all. 
Don't know about radiology work load, but we have been scratching in the dirt for work for a numb
of months now. They hire, lose account, hire again before new accounts comes onboard, then have overhired, having to put new MT's on the current low workload.
3rd shift radiology can be like that. Feast or famine. Same with 3rd shift sm
ER work. Sometimes the doctors are too busy to dictate, so they do it at the end. Why don't you talk to them and ask about a different shift?
Anyone work at Diskriter, who can tell me how it's like, pay, work load, supes, etc. Thanks
nm
Used to work there? How would you know what their work load is like now? I transcribe
150 radiology reports a day in 8 hours and there is still work in the system when I sign off.
Any MTs here work for Proscript, and how is your work load? NM
xxx
Can anyone tell me how the work load is at MDI-MD? nm
nm
QA/work load
I too was with them for about 1-1/2 months. Their QA people were great, easy for me to work with, very helpful. The owner is easy to work for. I left for personal reasons, getting out of this field for awhile. I would go back if I did this work again.
Work load at TT
Crystal...how long have you been an MT? Why I'm asking is that if you've been an MT for any length of time you KNOW that there are certain periods during the year that things will slow down JUST briefly. Labor Day and school starting times of the year is one of them. Another is Christmas and Thanksgiving. Transtech usually has an over abundance of work and all you have to do is take advantage of the times when the work is really booming with the bonuses they offer, etc. and these times when it's a little bit slow you can sit back and relax a minute...and I mean a minute, because it's going to pick back up with a quickness.
How's the work load been at MDI -MD lately? Enough or
s
TT work load
Maybe they're expecting. I work 2nd and have only run out of work twice in a year for a few minutes at most.
Work load
I personally almost always have work, although this morning was very slow, it picked up in the afternoon. I know work flow has been an issue for some though.
Work Load
Oh for goodness sakes, don't you know that work flow varies from day to day. As a rule TT usually has plenty of work if one is willing to work on more than one account. So many seem to complain but if they would get out of that little comfort zone and learn other accounts they would have more than enough to keep them busy for 8 hours. TT has a really good track record. The ones that complain probably don't want to work. They'd rather get their lines on message boards.
Work load
Well, have you ever considered moving to the shift that DOES have work then? Geeeeee, what a concept.
They only want FT MTs but the work load sm
for me was a PT load and of course at the lower end of their tier system. I had to jump ship.
When the work load is low how to you still manage to
You're here just like the rest of us. Are you one of those that manages to work in addition to your 8 hour shift to get it when the work is low?
Spheris low work load
Thought I would respond to the post about Spheris at the top as soon we would be booted off the page. Yes Healthscribe did outsource to India all along. As a matter of fact they were very proud of that fact. They did not send all of the work over there and seemed to keep plenty for their US MTs, however, that is exactly why Spheris took over Healthscribe is because of the India link. That is the main reason they bought Healthscribe, which is exactly why they are letting all the good MTs go and not paying them, etc. They want them to quit. Cheaper than paying unemployment when they eventually let them all go as all they ever wanted out of that deal was the link they had to India and India employees. That is no secret and is exactly why they are all being nudged out of work. The work is there. Your work is there, it is just being sent elsewhere and where as it should be illegal, well it is not. It is just morally wrong and not very American but I think those types of things such as morals and being proud to be an American get thrown out the window when these companies see $ in their pockets. Good old fashioned American pride is not important to these people anymore and thus the results we are seeing. It will be lost for our children and even worse for our children's children. That is why it is so important for us to stop going to hospitals or write to our hospitals that outsource and to get everyone you know to do it as well and make a big stink. That is why it is important for every American MT to rebel and not work for these companies, for their slave wage, etc. They will always need some American MT for that one account who does not want their work overseas and I know Spheris has a few of them, and if they cannot get an American MT to work for them, well, ....I guess they loose that account eventually, and as they get more that want their work brought back to the U.S. and they have no MTs from the U.S. to provide that to them, they lose another account and so on. Eventually the work will get sent to the companies who do promote strictly U.S. work, where it belongs, and the goal of being the largest company, which is what Spheris is striving to be will slowly start to shrink and then American people, we have one. Give that some thought!!
Amphion Work Load/QA
I have never been on these chats before but in checking all of them out I am in quite disbelief. I see people complaining about having to do OT and QA issues if you have a bad QA. Are you seriously kidding? You have a job at home, a computer given to you, and you are there if your kids need you, are sick, etc. You don't pay for gas, don't have to worry about the weather, or OT at an actual office. Most people out there are looking for a good company and now people are complaining about having too much work. This is a first for me because in my situation I always have bills, things cropping up for school and X-mas coming up as do most people I know. Remember what do you have and how good you do have it.
Work load is back up.
Most are too busy to post, I guess.
How's the work load at TransTech? Have there been
nm
What is work load and pay like for Diskriter?
nm
Extremely low work load right now
Supposedly new accounts are coming on board soon.....I sure hope so!
How is the work load at Transhealth? I'm thinking of
nm
Focus Infomatics...low work load
I have been working for Focus Infomatics since January....just trying to build up my experience. Hard to make money at this at 8 cpl and often no work load whatsoever. Anyone know anything about them?
I know the MTs that work this acct. load them from a pool. However, sm
I think that is a very good idea - batching docs and/or specialties together. I wonder why they don't do that, and I am going to ask! Thanks! If you saw my post above, there are a total of 37 specialties on my list, made up of approx. 4-5 docs in each specialty, so I'm looking at learning well over 100 doctors in only 40 hrs. of training? That's a joke.
Many variables affect work load
Sometimes I have run out of work. Sometimes my accounts are swamped with OT, while other accounts are caught up. Some platforms have more work/accounts than others. Some specialties are overstaffed, some are understaffed. Its pretty much the same at other companies. Its just that people speak in absolutes on this board about their experience. You have to take it all with a grain of salt. I have come to understand that everyone's situation is so different that maybe we all should put a disclaimer that my situation is this and not make blanket statements using words like always and never, nor argue with one another about who's reality is valid - they all are.
Economy affecting work load
Is anyone else out there who may be struggling for lines thinking like me; that it may be people are just not going to doctors or electing for treatment they can possibly put off because they cannot afford it? My accounts have been pretty slow over the past 6 weeks or so, and when I hear that some people, especially the elderly who lost or suffered a huge reduction in their retirement when the stockmarket went down the tubes, are forgoing medical care in order to buy food or heat their homes, it makes me wonder how huge an impact this could eventually have on our jobs as MTs.
No, you won't make more money unless you do triple the work load. sm
Instead of transcribing 1200 to 2000 lines a day, you will need to edit 4000 to 5000 lines a day.
That is very difficult most days, the most I did, and this is with 5 years experience, was 3800 a day, and that is not consistent.
So, 3800 lines x what are you being paid 5 cpl = $190. I have to tell you 3800 lines of editing a day is tough to do most days. I had days where I could barely get 2000 done. It all depends on how recognized the dictator is and how many small errors are in the report.
So is the work load at MDI-FL picking up? I've talked to them before....sm
about coming to work for them when it does. They said they'd get in touch with me and so I really don't want to contact them back first. However, I'm probably going to move on if I don't hook up with them soon. I've seen here that their work load is down and perhaps they've overhired (?), but they'd be my first choice of where to go from here. So is their work picking up, especially the VR?
Anxiously waiting for work load to pick up -- LOW, low n/m
n
Every time the work load goes up substantially, they SUBCONTRACT..
The past 2 days are a perfect case in point. ***** work yesterday, scrambling today--with 5 accounts...While we all know MT companies could not care less about their typists, that 2-faced CEO of ours, who was the head of whatever morphed from AAMT, MUST BE TRYING TO ELIMINATE US...BUT KEEP HIRING, BABY. Fortunately, many people in India speak English.
Old posts show they want 1200 lpd and that the work load was very uneven. nm
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Downside is that there's rarely a steady/even load of work everyday unless there's always a ba
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Is Lee Perfect hiring, and how much do they pay? How is the work load. I'm tired of running out o
work with the present company. It's getting old and I cant survive on low work.
Ah, a random work load can really kill production. Can they be routed
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Any current information on Medware such as work load, pay, benefits, etc.
Thanks for anything you have.. the good, bad, and ugly.
Why is work load at Webmedx suddenly low during peak flu/RSV season? sm
Accounts that were on OT for a couple of weeks now have single-digit jobs pending, not all, obviously, but most.
Friend has been there for years, only makes 7 cpl, work load very uneven. Looking to leave,
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Need current info on ETransPlus i.e. work load, line rate (ballpark), cost of benefits, SM
and overall treatment of their MTs. I found archived opinions but all old. Is anyone there now that can comment? Thanks!!
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