Good advice -
Posted By: NM on 2006-09-27
In Reply to: Consider yourself a free bird and move on. Lots of stories like this out here in MT land. nm - still wandering
NM
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Good advice, and advice that I'm giving real thought to ...
If I had known that they offshored before I accepted employment with them I never would have gone there to work. I've been here long enough now though to not want to lose my benefits.
Still ... making a DECENT PAYCHECK and making a living without being stressed out over the type of work that I'm doing is just as important as good benefits.
Good advice above
So right on regarding the type of work you do for the pay. There is much to consider, but will they tell you the truth about what type of work you will get for 7.5 or 8 cpl? Am looking for a change because of being in a pool with hundreds of doctors that I can't make macros for or expanders. Very frustrated. And then there is the voice thing.....
That's very good advice. sm
I know when the company I had worked a very long time for sold to MQ, everything changed and not for the better. They took a really great company and ruined it. It seems to happen that way. The only one looking out for you is you.
Good advice
That helps. I will look into that. Thanks for looking out for the newbies.
Thanks -- very good advice sm
That is good advice, so thank you.
One more question -- have you ever been sorry about leaving? I have always had the stick it out and it may get better attitude, but things just keep getting worse, my pay keeps going down, even though I am working much harder. I have a fear of getting a new job that turns out even worse.
Not sure I have anything to add to the good advice you have already been given ... sm
But my doggie is my baby .. to give her up for a job .. never ... to give her up if I somehow became unable to care for, I'd do because it was good for her .... but NEVER let go of things in your personal life that you love. One time I had a great job -- 11.5 cpl -- but my boss told me my job should be more important than family. So, right or wrong, I said goodbye. Unfortunately, my mom passed, so I don't have the family either, but looking back, I wouldn't change a thing. You can always find another job .. you can never get another mom (or other thing you care for .. fill in the blank ).
Good luck to you .. :-)
good advice
Well said!!
VERY good advice
In any event, it is over and now I am wiser and never going to spend more than 8 hours on an acct for anyone ever. MTSOs simply do not appreciate it or remember it.
Now THAT is good advice. It's a shame to say it, but skill, loyalty, seniority, etc. - none of these things matter in this business anymore. And I can tell you from direct experience, when your company gets swallowed up, NO ONE at the new company gives a rat's a$$ how many years or how much seniority you might have had at your prior position. It's not even a consideration. The 1-year girl, the 5-year girl, and the 20-year girl - To them, we're all the same.
Good advice!
Only downside sometimes of being female in this industry is we can get too emotional and take everything personal - I know so, as I do it constantly.Business is ultimately business, and we should all try to look to the future and not over analyze this and kick owners to the curb, etc.
I don’t think your advice is very good
Stand up and demand what you want? People now are hanging onto jobs. I in the past was exactly where they are. Bad advice, especially when you are not in the same boat. I think some let you know that.
I just want some help & advice about a good company
anonymous
this is very good advice, anon. I did the same
sing-song of the voice you are listening to and forget your own inflections. You almost have to adopt that accept and understands that ra means la. Leave those blanks, go back to relisten and you will usually have saved time and some sanity.
guys below have really good advice... c msg
i work from home and receive hourly pay as a remote employee; i would never give up my set pay (not in this field, too scary).
you can supplement with an mtso, and there are many MTSO companies you can test for with better test dictators, and who pay for spaces. dont let this first experience take you down.
good advice from admin above
This is a good recruiting board. Recruiters posing as MTs raving on and on about their company. What snakes!
Thanks. That sounds like good advice.
Good advice! I was holding a grudge
I realized that while I was angry and at home all the time with a grudge, my friend was out dancing and going on with her life. I was the one caught in a trap. Be above all that, forgive, turn the page and go on.
I think that is very good advice but how do you know if a company is going to treat you well?
During the interview they will tell you all kinds of wonderful stuff. Are you saying it is better to look a company offering a lower line rate as an indication of a better place to work? You could be right.
It seems kind of sad though in our industry that in order to get decent management the personal price is to take a cut in pay. Why can't it be good management and good pay at the same time?
Thanks so much, both very good advice, words of wisdom:)
:)
I think your physician gave you good advice
These MT schools are still cranking out the MTs as fast as they can (and taking their money). I am sure they know that there already isn't enough work to go around and no work = no money. Plus the fact that the MT trainee who could ever hit the ground running and make money right out of the gate is far and few between.
As for the coding, it is pretty obvious that is a huge candidate to be done by EMR and I'm sure it will happen in the not so distant future. There will probably be someone an R.N.? LPN? EMT? who will do chart reviews to ensure that every possible diagnosis that could get another dime in reimbursement is put in the record. That would be a few jobs depending on the size of the hospital. I seriously doubt that these jobs will be offered to former MTs.
Another job opportunity might be that of what used to be called ART (acredited record technician), those people might be allowed to do chart reviews as they have always done it anyway, I even did it myself way back there. The JCAH (forget what they're called now) used to offer a study at home course but you had to be affiliated with or work for a hospital in order to have access to the records that were necessary to complete the course. In some smaller hospitals ARTs (or whatever they are called now) were even heads of the medical record department. I believe it is also offered as a 2 year course at some community colleges.
Sadly I think that those who have put themselves out for the expense and bother of getting and maintaining CMT credentials are just going to be SOL because I think those credentials and a buck might buy them a cup of coffee.
This is the way I feel and I could be wrong but I don't think so.
Good luck with your interview! The best advice I was given before being hired was to communicate.
I had a few vacations planned, had my son about to go off to college and wanted to give notice to my employer. They worked with me and were very easy to work with. I think they send out that letter to weed out those who do not want to work hard, cannot work hard for one reason or another or for those looking for specifics that they do not offer (i.e. IC status).
Good luck!
Are you telling her to work for $5 an hour? That is not healthy or good advice nm
nm
Thanks for the advice. The idea of clinic work sounds good, but I do feel comfortable with acute ...
care. I have a lot of experience with operative notes, DS, consults, radiology etc.. but I am not that thrilled with ESLs. It is just harder to make money on them. I think I will look into clinic work. It was only the lack of work that was bothering me about these companies and mismanaging the accounts they did have, broken promises, and just getting the runaround.. over everything from benefits to work.
The best co. ever! Good work, good people, good pay, good bennies.
x
bit of advice - sm
I have worked in many hospitals over many years, and after a bit of trial and error, I have found that this approach has always worked in my favor -
I STOPPED sending resumes to HR departments. Why? Because I would inevitably end up with a computer generated letter "thanking me for the resume ... on file ... should a position come up ... blah blah blah." I would contact the hospital and say I am responding to the position that is open, what do you mean you don't have a position??? The response would be "Oh, well someone should get in contact with you soon then."
By the time an HR department got off their butt to start calling in people for the position, chances are the transcription department was into overtime and overtime meant loss of $$ and next thing you know, it was being outsourced.
So I cut out the HR department, and would find out the name of the head of medical records and send my resume to that person. The person would either go to HR and say "contact this person for an interview" or would contact me themselves and set up the interview.
I would even send a resume to the head of medical records even if there was no opening because you never know. Hospitals may have onsite transcriptionists as well as outsourcing. But if the hospital realizes that there is the possibility of another Transcriptionist right in the area, they may be able to utilize me. Hence, I would get a phone call.
It's just a bit of advice - don't always rely on the website for transcription positions.
my advice is ask MQ for more than that...
if you have the experience and are 'seasoned' you should start out at least at 9 or 9.5. be firm. they must need MTs. if they say they do not pay that much say you are sorry to hear it but you have other offers, and everybody is paying at least 9 now...(IF you are as good as you say and you tested and passed, etc.)
men do this- they push back a little...
even if they simply will not give you more than say 8.5, they will at least know you are not stupid. if you take it at 8.5, tell them you want a review in the near future and expect to make more than that...
geeze, I started at 9.5 there a year ago...?
if you are good, demand to get paid what you deserve.
Thanks for the advice - sm
It's not a lot of money, but since I was courteous enough to send the equipment back immediately, I just don't understand why they aren't paying me. I am not going to drop it though.
Thanks again!
K
Here's my advice sm
If you are on your own and don't have a spouse or a second source of income, this isn't the job. You've really got to have some backup with Webmedx. This is not the company where you'll be on one or two accounts and have all the work you can do. This is scraping for every bit of work you can get some days and bouncing around on lots of accounts.
However, the benefits are very good. I'm not sure if they take them away, though, if you can't make your lines. Surely not if there's no work, but if there is work and you have trouble, don't know.
IF you have benefits through a spouse, I would go elsewhere and be an IC. I would not be here if I didn't need the benefits.
Good luck making a decision!
I appreciate the advice, but would like something a
see my advice
If you have been working for someone else, take a document, do the word count and the line count and see what you would need to charge per word to equal what you want per line. I also worked for someone that did that and lost a lot in letters and consults as I charge by gross line. She paid 1 cent per word also. In medical there are more longer words than shorter one. I would not do it for less that 2.5 to 3 cents per word as I just looked at one of my documents and it would have taken probably 3.25 per word to make what I did off of that document. Good luck. With words no spaces are counted.
I need advice
Does anyone out there know about Entente Health Care. Has anyone ever worked for them? I have been offered an Editor position with them but I was wondering how they are to work for. I hope I am posting this in the right place since I am new to this. Any comments appreciated.
Thank you...I did take your advice SM
to heart. It wasn't an easy decision as I heard just as many negative comments as I did positive comments. After careful consideration, I decided to give them a chance. I think I'm better off having heard all the negatives and positives as I was able to make a more informed decision. I really hope I'll be happy there. I'm not naive enough to believe it will be perfect (what company is?), but I want to start off giving them the benefit of the doubt. Everyone's different. I worked for Spheris and hated it (others I know love it there). I worked for Medquist and liked it (lots of people hate it there). So it's my hope that I'll find my niche with TransHealth.
I really do appreciate your advice, though. I hope that you have found a job that is better suited to your needs.
Take care,
Chickadee
That would be advice. nm
x
Thanks for all advice given sm please
That is what I would love to happen in the long run, but I am pretty certain that at this point I could not handle the potential daily workload myself, and I would not want to mislead them and get myself in over my head... New advice??
My advice to you
Right now things are slow, probably on all or most accounts. Get yourself a backup when it's busy. Then you have it to fall back on at times like this.
Thanks for the advice (sm)
One of the jobs I had in Ophthalmology was at a medical school, but, of course, only in that specialty. I know the job that fits me is out there somewhere, that is, if I lose my current one in August (I really do like the office for which I currently work). Thanks again for your input.
Same advice here, but
I might add that nursing is also emotionally and mentally exhausting. When I worked full time, I basically worked and recouped from work. Not much energy left to enjoy life. I'm glad I learned everything I did, but don't want to go back.
looking for advice
Approximately two and a half weeks ago I accepted a job offer for IC status. It would be another full week before I would hear from them again, and another four days before I was able to train on the platform. As I sit here now, I am losing money, because I still do not have a password to begin work (this being yet another four days after training). It seems like a good job - a job I would like to keep. However, I am getting very frustrated with the lack of communication. I email and do not receive responses. I call and leave messages, and do not receive a call back. I have considered doing overflow work for someone, but if I ever get going on this job I am afraid that I may be spreading myself too thin to do that. I do not particularly want to name the company, but if you would like to know you are welcome to email me. I will, however, let anyone that may come on here asking about this company know.
Thank you for letting me rant.
My advice.
Thirteen years is a lot to give up for the unknown. The current Transcend employee below basically said as much about her own situation, and she makes a lot of sense.
Why don't you try it on a part-time basis? Then if you find it's a better place for you, you won't lose anything.
When I worked at TS, the platform was down every other day and tech support was virtually nonexistent. Maybe things have changed for the better. I hope they have.
The grass isn't always greener on the other side.
Thanks for the advice
x
Need some advice...
Hi everyone,
I just need some advice here. When put on a new account is it common to make stupid mistakes while getting used to how a doctor dictates? Does QA to some degree expect that these little mistakes are going to be made when starting out on a new account?
I was recently added to a new account and I am not making many mistakes, but the VERY FEW I have made make me want to kick myself--HARD. They aren't big mistakes..just something that when I see corrected I say WHAT WAS I THINKING  ...(though, it did make sense to me when proofing at the time)... basically the hear one word and it turns out to be another scenario, regular English words, not medical...the ones that make you feel 
Don't get me wrong, my QA is wonderful and doesn't try to make me feel belittled because of that or anything. She is excellent. I just really beat myself up over things like this.  I certainly don't want to look sloppy!!
Is this the norm for everyone just starting out on a new account?
Thanks for listening and for any words of wisdom.
Jess
advice
being a new myself, and getting an oncology account, which I know nothing about, makes it really hard, plus, my doc is ESL and talks like he's got a mouth full of marshmellows. I make mistakes all the time, dumb ones too! But, never, but never kick yourself. Just learn, if you spend your time kicking yourself, you're not focusing on the learning aspect. Just calm down and learn. Bec
Need advice
Can anyone tell me anything about Phoenix MedCom? I have a choice between them and a local physician's office with an hourly pay of $14/hour. Please tell good and bad, consistent work flow, easy platform, if its hard to get time off when needed. Also have always been an employee, so any tax info about ICs would be greatly appreciated as well. Please email ASAP. Thanks.
advice?
Can anyone tell me about Phoenix MedCom. Have a choice of them and a local physician's office with hourly pay of only $14/hr. Please tell good and bad. Also I have never been an IC before, so any tax info appreciated. Please email ASAP. Thanks!
Need Advice
Need some advice here. I have been doing transcription for over 8 years the old- fashioned way with microcassettes and regular cassettes and am now wanting to go with a national account, which uses things like .wav pedals and different updated equipment. I need to start testing with some of these companies, but I need to know what equipment I need so that I'm prepared to take this new step. I assume wav pedals are different than these outdated pedals that came with my transcription machines. Where do I start? TIA
I better take your advice
I am starting to have bad luck with this company. The workload is very light when I log on to type. I request more work, but they never seem to respond back. I think I better start looking somewhere else. Thanks for your advice.
My advice would be to look for a job
Take the experience from this other job and put it into a medical center and work onsite for a while to learn all you can, around here most let you work from home after 30 days of working on site. Consider yourself lucky that you didn't stay with this company as they don't sound very professional, and you deserve better. Good luck. :)
You mean some ADVICE?
x
Need advice!
I have been a very depressed MT lately working for a company who never pays me on time. The accounts are fantastic and the work is the type I love doing, but I do not get excited whatsoever anymore because I cannot guarantee my pay to be on time. I communicate with the manager this issue and she says she understands, but she is not fixing the solution. I told her I wanted to resign because I was offered another position and that I need to be paid on time. I have bills to pay and MTs or any employee at any company does not work for free.
My question is, if you were in this type of situation, would you just continue doing work for this company and start working for the new company and see how things go? I know it's not good to quit a job whether you are not sure about how the new job is going to turn out. However, this new company says they always pay their MTs on time and even have direct deposit.
What would you do in my situation? I am so nervous to give up this job I am doing now because it might not be like the new one, but on the other hand, do I just try out the new job for a month and work both jobs part-time and see how the new one comes out and if it is a match? Of course the present job is just sending me tons and tons of work to do, but I will not be able to do all of that work if I am concentrating on learning another job. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Need advice
Does anyone know of a company hiring part time (20 hours per week), who works via VPN using DSL or cable modem, provides equipment or requires little additional equipment other than own computer, foot pedal and MS Word and does not require you work weekends? My current full time employer's set up is that I dial right into the hospital's computer system and I would like to find something similar. Is there such a company? :o)
I need your help and advice please...
I have almost 20 years' experience with acute care and multispeciality clinic transcription and have been with the same company the past four years. Unfortunately, work flow has been slow the last six months or so, and I am having to check other options. I have taken several tests for various companies and have heard back from a few and have heard nothing from others. These tests were completed three weeks ago! The one offer I did get was 6 cents per line!!! I was shocked to say the least. I was told my testing was excellent, so what's with the rate? Of course I told them I couldn't possibly accept that position. Anyway, I guess my question to all of you wise transcriptionists is whether there are companies who are willing to pay for experience and quality? I have been working as an employee, but am not able to do the line count (1500 lines per day) to acquire benefits. I'm wondering if I would be better off being IC status. If so, what is a reasonable line rate for my experience? I'm sorry this is such a long post, I'm just terribly frustrated and needed to get some input. Thanks for listening.
Need Advice Please
 I am thinking about testing with Cymed. I know they merged with another company recently. Can anyone tell me do you type in Word or in some other sort of platform? I absolutely hate and cannot tolerate emdat. I wish to stay away from that program at all costs. Do you run out of work? How do you feel about the company? I am not at all happy where I am now. It is time for me to move on.
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