I'll give you sm
Posted By: My opinion on 2008-10-09
In Reply to: Recession proof job - Wondering
With the advent of EMRs that allow you to fill in the blanks for exams, clinic is on its way out...to some extent. It is not as easy to find jobs in clinic work as it was.
Acute care is another matter. You have a couple of regional companies who have shut down their VR departments and let all their MEs (medical editors) go. The company I work for ramped up the use of VR over the spring from about 30% on many accounts to 90% on many accounts...then back down to around 50% of the work on the same accounts. The reason is that MEs DO NOT do a very good job, they edit in every way imaginable other than how they are supposed to do it. You are to listen WORD FOR WORD and edit the text in front of you. The programs are not at the point with accuracy where they need to be. Unless we go to faster computer processors and we have pretty well maxed out the current computer chip technology, and unless or until we can write programs that learn better as they go along, the quality of VR is not going to get much better than it is currently. I don't care what the VR software companies say.
The need for VR is something we have created ourselves, as MTs. There is more and more need for our services every year. The problem is that there are relatively few of us who have the necessary skill sets, who will actually show up to work when we said we would be there and get our minimum lines or better. Most of the platforms out there are NOT conducive to higher levels of production, no matter what recruiters say about them. There are just not enough of us to go around. What else can be done? This business takes years to learn properly and to get to where you make a living with it.
I do QA and I MT. The work I QA from so-called trained graduates of programs is horrendous. Even MTs who seem to have experience are often not much better. They don't care about the quality of their work, only the lines they produce. They either don't know or don't care about their accuracy.
A QA person can help teach an MT...if they even know what they are doing...if they have the time and moreover, if the MT is willing to learn. I am the one who recommends that someone be released from QA and I have input into firing MTs who don't make the grade. It is my call as to whether an MT is willing to learn or if they should be let go. We have a small staff and in the last 6 months, I have recommended that one MT be retained and worked with (it turned out very well) and suggested 4 other MTs for being let go and they all were, because not one of them would take constructive criticism. I have about the driest feedback style I have ever seen because I don't want anyone to feel personally attacked, but they still would not listen.
My biggest gripe about MT training right now, since I have your ear, is that no one is trained to use an expander! If you want to see less VR you have to see bigger production numbers with traditional MTs. An Expander is the only way to do that. It is critical to making a decent income sooner, critical to accuracy, critical to job satisfaction and therefore critical to this industry. The best way would be to teach by system (body system and specialty) and include expansions for that system while you are at it.
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Thanks! I'll give that a shot....nm
nm
Please, give ME a break! Just do your job and you'll be fine!
Why, if you were doing what was required of you, would Transcend single you out to treat unfairly and why would you be afraid to post publically if you were not stirring up trouble? This what the rest of us wanna know!
GIVE ME THE NAME OF A BETTER PLACE AND I'LL APPLY!
PLEASE, PLEASE, I'M BEGGING!
They can give you what you like, but it'll depend on what Their need is at the moment. nm
s
which one? give a short description and I'll let you know if Im one of many
.
I'll give you an honest answer
I've had many, many years experience in all specialties and doing all work types, as well as radiology, pathology and autopsies. When I went to work for TT in 2003 the best the recruiter could give me was 8.5 cpl despite the fact that she knew me and knew my work. When I retired I had the occasion to be talking to someone I had worked for some 15 years ago. He also knew my work and my production. He offered me 10.5 cpl which he said was the top out pay for their MTs. He said the usual starting pay was 8.5 for experienced MTs. I didn't take the job because I wanted to stay retired. When I left MQ I was making 11.5 cpl plus bonuses. It had become unbearable when the MT supervisor quit and her replacement was a control freak. I don't know the person who said they had been offered 9 or 10 cpl but I think if he/she was offered that amount, there were other factors in play so don't feel bad. I should think that while CNAs do hard work for low pay, you would be better off. MT was good to me but it is not a career I would choose these days.
I'll give you an honest answer
I've had many, many years experience in all specialties and doing all work types, as well as radiology, pathology and autopsies. When I went to work for TT in 2003 the best the recruiter could give me was 8.5 cpl despite the fact that she knew me and knew my work. When I retired I had the occasion to be talking to someone I had worked for some 15 years ago. He also knew my work and my production. He offered me 10.5 cpl which he said was the top out pay for their MTs. He said the usual starting pay was 8.5 for experienced MTs. I didn't take the job because I wanted to stay retired. When I left MQ I was making 11.5 cpl plus bonuses. It had become unbearable when the MT supervisor quit and her replacement was a control freak. I don't know the person who said they had been offered 9 or 10 cpl but I think if he/she was offered that amount, there were other factors in play so don't feel bad. I should think that while CNAs do hard work for low pay, you would be better off. MT was good to me but it is not a career I would choose these days.
Okay..I'll give ya that one. I came from the MDI side as it merged with Transcend so...
I was offered more than 4 cpl per line on editing and I'm not sure why if everyone else prior had been given 3 cpl. There is no way I would do editing for 3 cpl and trust me..coming from MDI into Transcend was not happy days for us. The biggest problem that I did have was when I found out our work was getting sent to India. Nothing is worse than being told we share work with our overseas partners and have too many days of no work. I have no doubt where it was going. So, never having come from the Transcend side, where you came from, I'm only going to relay my experience and apologize if that is what actually happened there. Yikes..I rely heavily on the MTs and supervisors who came from MDI because I know they watch our backs.
Give it time, they'll get to you. The grand plan is
my shoulder, it's a block(head). The games they play, the excuses/reasons are old, worn out, and it's aggravating to sit there staring at that NJA cyclops when others are getting the work. Dog-eat-dog is not conducive to a good work environment. We didn't create the situation but we bear the brunt.
Thanks, I'll give it a shot! Hope they are hiring PT. nm
..
They don't give a hoot - they'll take the poor quality for less money.
It is clear nobody is held responsible for poor quality medical transcription - do you often hear of lawsuits for errors on dictated reports? How about JCAHO failing a facility for errors on reports? Rare. And as an auditor I have seen what gets through. Either nobody checks or nobody cares. Part of the problem with MT rates. Very unfortunate.
I'm glad you're going to give it a try. I think you'll like it. I can't imaging giving
only 3 days, especially since we did have the 4th slowdown. They will work with you to get you a secondary account if your primary is not enough. Good luck to you.
If you'll read through past posts you'll find lots of
recent info. Why do you need menitoring if you already work as an MT. Unless you do clinic work most companies will require you to work at least one weekend day, at least initially.
If you'll read the archives you'll find out everything
you want to know, none of it good.
"warned" by someone who won't give facts or sign her name. Give me a break! nm
x
Nationals give at least a week to learn program. Give
xx
Probably figure you'll want Way more than they'll offer, whatever it might be. :) nm
s
If you'll read more carefully you'll see
I was referring to AFTER she's missed out on a job, having a friend do sort of an audit to tell her what what was wrong with her test she submitted -- not cheating.
They used to give out $25 Amex cheques -- give them time. :-) nm
I get what you are all saying about them not having to give give you work, but...
I guess I just figure that as an IC, I am basically my own business and it is my responsibility to make sure that the work is done when it should be. I just think that if the standard of the company is 24 hour TAT then that is what I am agreeing to do when they hire me. There are advantages for both of us to the IC senerio, they do not have to pay benefits, or take care of collecting and reporting the taxes, and I have to adhear to the 24 hour TAT (or what every thier standards are) but can do that during hours that are convenient to me. Of course it is better for the company if they know exactly when I am going to be sitting at my desk and typing that is why they have the option of hiring employees. Just my opinion and wanting things to be like they used to be.. I guess I have to get out of my time warp or look a little harder for a company who really knows what IC status means.
Give it time, sweetie, give it time.
...................
I'll take that hat!
Take ur hat off to me cuz I work at MedQuist, have plenty of work and make a lot of money - and they do leave me alone which is kewl. Been with 'em for 8 years too!
hey, it's ya'll
Yu'll
No, no, no, it's Yu'll for "you will"
I think you'll like VR
I work for MDI on the eScription VR platform, good accounts, good pay, and I need team mates to help with the backlog of work (I'm on 2nd shift). I highly recommend it. I have been on VR for 3 years and have found it more profitable than straight transcription, and much easier on the wrists/hands.
now I'll be looking for one
because I think the hours thing (except so they have an idea of when you work to regulate work flow) is bull.
I'll try.. sm
I am happy at OSi. I've been with them for two years now. I've been doing well with them. My main account was a little low on work over the summer, but is back to being pretty busy. Even when it was low, I had my backups. I've been there long enough and have worked on enough accounts that I can grab backup work from several different accounts but usually don't need it. We use the Extext platform and I love it. The best part of it is being able to pull up samples, past reports, etc. That is what helped me move into being able to do op notes which I hadn't done before but now do plenty of. On my main account, I barely have any ESL and the few I do are very easy. I've worked on VA and there are a few more ESL on those, but only a few were very difficult. To compensate, you are allowed a couple of blanks on those anyway, and like I said, when you can pull up other reports for these dictators, it helps a lot anyway. Compared to what I see in some of the job ads, I feel I'm compensated pretty well. There are frequently incentives offered. For the most part, I'm left alone to work and am not bugged. I'm able to do above my 12,000, lines per pay period and also work as an IC with another company to boot. I am paid by direct deposit on time, every time. Never ever a problem with that. The couple of times there has been a problem with my check, say an incentive having been left off or something like that, I've had a manual check cut and in the mail right away. Hopefully this post will be allowed to stay and won't be overrun by those that weren't happy at OSi, but I couldn't be happier there.
You'll get it ----
 It won't be the correct amount, but you'll eventually get it. I'm outta there. Today was my last day.
Thanks. I'll do that. NM
o
You'll never know if you don't try.
I would just go for it. Make sure though that you are checking and double checking everything, and look up anything you don't know for sure. This will take a while but eventually you'll get used to the job and you'll be glad you tried it. Good luck.
I'll bet
and you've never made a typo?
I'll 3rd IT
Allstate Transcription started a mentoring program that is very much needed in our industry, and I am pleased to say that I have been a team player for two or three months now! In this program, Deb, the owner, gives people who have gone through some kind of course an opportunity to work on real accounts with real TATs. In addition, she provides MEGA feedback with all kinds of documentation to sites for the interns to read. Deb nor the editors can make anyone do anything. The intern has to WANT to learn more and improve and has to have the capacity of breaking a habit of doing things their way versus the AAMT BOS way. Deb will do flips backwards just to help someone succeed with multiple second chances. In the real world, if you can't produce an accuracy of 98% and above, you will be terminated. In Deb's defense, she cannot continue to allow a person who is not progressing to fill a slot when she has others begging to get into the program. It seems that everyone here has a clear understanding of the bigger picture ~ producing 98% accurate work to a client so that they can provide the BEST care to the patient - afterall, it is the patient whose well-being is at stake here. Carla
I'll try them both. Thanks.:)
x
Thanks - I'll try that! - nm
nm
I'll second that!!!
The reason I work for my current company is that they keep all work in the US! I am so glad that I found them!
I'll bet that you do.
You'll never see
10 cpl from MQ even if you truly, truly deserve it.
I'll second that
at least animals are honest about their dishonesty.
I'll second that!
I was hired by Cymed in the fall of 2005, and it really wasn't a very bad place to work, although not the absolute best, but then SPi bought them out in the summer of 2006, and the changes REALLY became evident in the fall of 2006. I started running out of work more and more each day, the account managers were constantly changing, my pay checks started getting screwed up (they stopped paying me my second shift differential that I always got with CyMed), and the office staff was just plain RUDE. I finally got completely fed up and left back in February 2007 and went to Keystrokes and have been 1,000 times happier!
i'll second all of that!
x
I'll second that!
Love, love, love it there! Never been so happy with a job before!
thank you, I'll try it!!
I'll bet this is TT
Nah, you'll probably have to pay THEM
.
It won't fly. I still don't believe they'll ever
so many hospitals and doctors don't even know what a CMT is or have never heard of AAMT or whatever they call themselves these days. Why would any sane person push for forced credentialing when it doesn't even increase our pay rates? You'll never gain any extra esteem in the eyes of physicians unless you actually have M.D. after your name. If they ever find a way to implement this (which I highly doubt), I will cease to MT, not because I am incapable of receiving credentials, but because it is completely ridiculous. Yet one more way to force liability on the MT where it should never exist, too. Any MT who falls for this has obviously been brainwashed by AAMT, the organization that changed its name because it had MT in it! They aren't for us in the least so please wake up to that fact. They have and will continue to harm MT more than they will ever advance it. The only ones capable of changing this industry are the individual MTs by not accepting BS, either from pseudo-organizations, MTSOs, or clients. End of story.
I'll tell you what I know sm
They always pay on time every 2 weeks (26 times a year). Reasonable benefits after 90 days if you maintain 11K lines and 80 hours per pay period. QA people are wonderful. Tech support is supreme. Management is nice, polite, available.
The way to be happy at TT is work something other than 8-5 and to agree to having a primary and at least 1 or 2 secondaries. An attitude that work is work and it has to be done, might as well be you, works very well. Being punctual and consistently working your shift will go a long way for you too.
I love it and will continue to stick with it.
I'll just bet MDI
would love to talk to you if you have the experience in acute care they require. Go to mditrans.com for more info. They are great to work for.
Thanks...I'll try that...n/m
x
not all they say- I'll say!
The reason why you can't get any work after 10 pm. is because the supervisors who are scheduled to work into the late evening and early a.m. aren't on and do not send the work to the MT's. Operations will tell you that they are on all night, but they are not, and everyone knows it. You will only be hired for midnight shifts even though there is plenty of M-F, 9-5 work available (they same those for fav's). You will never get a schedule change, regardless of the promises. Your personal situation will never be considered. All of the execuitves are convinced that every MT is stealing from them and they will ALWAYS be treated like dirt. They are convinced that they pay the highest in the industry when studies have shown that they are in the lower 40% of pay. This is what a company is like when you scummy people running it.
You'll fit right in...
at MedQuist. Why not give them a try?
If you want the best, you'll have to pay for it.
That's just it. Many MTs aren't the best and expect to be paid for it.
I'm a little surprised that you are only now, as an IC, dictating what your rate is. That's what IC is... INDEPENDENT contractor. What took you so long?
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