I can absolutely verify this. SM
Posted By: MT2 on 2005-12-19
In Reply to: Here's my experience. SM - MT
Awful work. The worst of the worst dictators. Yes, the platform is great, but that doesn't help much when you have nearly 100% ESL dictators and the WORST ESLs I have ever heard. QA is definitely very rude and if you like getting 9000 e-mails a day begging people to work, then it is your cup of tea. I live in the Midwest and I was not offered employee status ever. I have to pay to get my check sent to me overnight. No direct deposit and no bennies. Nada. So in other words, decent pay, 10 cents a line, for crap work and no bennies. That about sums it up.
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But you do have to verify and look up
ones that are not there.
You'd have to verify
with them, of course, but I know as an IC I let them know how much work/how many hours I will commit to in a day and then the expectation is you will achieve it.
My experience has not been that they insist on 9-5 etc.
you verify what I said, experience=8 cpl or
Of course they're going to try to make you feel grateful for being offered 9 cpl. What's the alternative? We know it's low for your level of expertise, but we're not willing to give you more. Again, MOST companies will pay 8 cpl or above if you have enough experience and/or negotiate well. I didn't say it was a great wage, just answering the OP's question.
Softscript will pay you 10 cpl if you can verify that now.
You'll have to get through QA and meet minimum line expectations, but they'd be glad to pay you that if you deserve it!
I would verify these things - sm
Did you ask when you were hired what the company definition of a line was? Are you paid for spaces, headers, footers, demographics? The DQS platform can only do what people have programmed it to do and nothing more. I worked on the back end with this platform for nearly 10 years. You can break down every single key stroke and assign it various values, i.e., you can make the letter *a* count for 2 strokes if you want and *?* count for nothing. Those are just examples. If you are on different accounts the lines may also be counted differently. So many variables, but look at the suggestions above. 
Here is the story I was given but no way to verify
Here’s the line we got from one of the smaller MTSOs I worked for. A lot of MTSOs have in their contracts with some hospitals that there is a minimum amount of minutes/jobs per year that the hospital promises to send to the MTSO and the hospital had to pay the entire contract even if they did not send that many minutes/jobs. That is so the MTSO has a better idea of how many MTs they will need for the year (like that ever worked !!! They were always overstaffed or understaffed). But I digress. So come the end of the year (usually November or December) we would get slammed with old dictation and a lot of it was work types we usually did not get. So, we were told that the hospital “found” some old dictation. The MTs figured that we were not the only MTSO that that particular hospital used or they still had in-house MTs, and what really happened was instead of being charged for jobs they did not have us type, they cleaned out their in-house dictations and sent everything they had to us. Some hospitals do not have a time limit on discharge summaries and letters so they can be a couple of weeks old without anyone worrying about it.
Some of the hospitals had all their dictations go through their in-house dictating system, and then the hospital would transmit jobs to us in batches. So, another time we got slammed, they told us the hospital was having problems because their in-house system had crashed or something, and they just “found” all these old dictations that had gotten “stuck” in their system and just popped up when they rebooted.
Do not know if either explanation is true, but that was their story. Guess they sounded plausible, because we never asked again where all those jobs came from after the first couple of years. LOL
Could you verify this and let us know, because I haven't seen a word about this...
thanks.
Yup. I can sure verify that story! Disgusting. nm
nm
Verify line count
A long time ago I read on this board that an employer had to clearly define a line telling you exactly how they figured it and how they counted it. The poster said it was a requirement by US DOL. They also said the person being paid by the line had to be able to verify their lines. I have tried to find this post and cannot. Does anyone know about this. Can your employer send you home to work, pay you by the line, and not clearly define what they use to determine a line and how it is counted? Human Resources said it is up to the Department head and they will not interfere. Their attitude is if you don't like it you can quit. Now, they haven't done this to me yet, but the two people they did it to have quit. They paid them 8 cents a line, no headers or footers, in fact, they paid only for the body of the report, and did not even count paragraph headings, even though we almost always have to either take one out because it is not dictated, or draw them together because they are dictated all in one paragraph. We get no pay for anything already on the page, except 2 lines added to each report for numbers we have to type such as job number, dates and times of dictation and transcription. Nothing else is paid for. They say we get paid for auto correct and auto text but they can't show us. There are just two of us left, and only one of us is going to be paid by the hour, and I am low man on the totem pole. If they tell me they will pay be by the line, what are my recourses, other than quitting, for proving to Human Resources that they really do HAVE to define a line and how it is counted, and I really do HAVE the right to check their figures against my own. Please help as the axe is about to fall about this and I am scratching on glass trying to get info about my rights, if any. Thanks.
How do you verify your line counts
I like to see the reports typed so that I can do a check against my list that I write on a tablet for myself. How are you doing this? CTRL I does not give an accurate count, because it shows every line/character in the report, which we do not get paid for.
Please share with us how you double check your handwritten list by the number of jobs/job #'s you get paid for. I have never worked a job where this is not available to the MT.
I want to see a list of reports by job number that I have sent/transcribed showing the number of lines for each individual report.
I can verify my lines at Spheris, but not all
xx
Newbie, mind sharing your name so I can verify this?
nm
It is easy enough to verify by doing a Google search
it is not unfounded rumors.
tell me how you verify your line count with TransTech
I had that problem as well and I was not anonymous about it and I came here and was called a liar and was told I was paranoid. I eventually found employment elsewhere and they also use Ex-Text and I-Chart. I was told by them that I would be paid on a 65-character line that includes black characters, spaces, and hard returns but no headers or footers which was the exact same thing I was told by TransTech. On the whole right now I am making less cents per line but my paychecks are bigger with them because unlike Transtech I am actually paid on a 65-character line that includes black characters, spaces, and hard returns but no headers or footers; and this is a true story.
Keystrokes Can verify up to the minute via cntr I
report by report
Did you call WebMedx to verify that they have the account? NM
NM
Whatever company you work for, you should verify that it counts correctly. sm
Take the document, cut and paste it into Word, count it that way. No way I would take the word of a company or a program unless I can verify my lines.
I do not work for Keystrokes but had to give my 2 cents, whatever it's worth!
A company is ONLY supposed to verify that someone worked there, what dates they worked, whether PT o
and last date worked. It opens everyone up to a lawsuit if more is given, so most companies are told by their attorneys and business advisors to verify only.
No one has a right to a reference, only verification of employment.
Absolutely not!!!
MTs make more money than migrant farm workers. We work fewer hours. We get to sit on our butts inside the house with air conditioning while they're outside doing physical labor in the hot sun. Our supervisors don't threaten us with deportation. We're not exposed to harmful chemicals and pesticides that cause cancer and birth defects. Believe me, migrant farm workers have life a lot worse than you do. I would suggest you try it out for a few months if you really think MT is that bad.
Absolutely!
Got 1300 lines in today so far, how many you got?
Absolutely . . . sm
But there's no need for personal attacks and insults. And while I have looked to this forum for info on companies, I'm really not interested in someone's daily nonstop personal vendetta against a company. And just because someone else doesn't agree, that doesn't make them "crazy" or "management." Those remarks are ridiculous and uncalled for. If you want to be the playground bully, go find a playground.
Oh, absolutely!
"Kuddos" is a very important medical word.
Absolutely not
.
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!
Depends on your acute - on my training account I was typing 300 lph - now, they put me on the other hospitals in that same account, with TERRIBLE dictators, etc. - and I'm lucky to get 100-150 lph. It's disgusting. Now today - after the big incentive all weekend for my account - after weeks and weeks of backlog, there is absolutely no work. Isn't that special?
You absolutely sure?
no more
Absolutely NO.
You wanted me to make something up, so I did. :-)
Use your tools! Google it! do your homework. Ask professionals.
If people don't answer you here then you need to look elsewhere. None of needs to be called to task because we didn't take time from our lives to address something you could have found on your own (which is probably why you didn't get responses until you got pushy). Be grateful and thankful that some people finally told you where you should already know to look.
You know the saying, give a man a fish....teach a man how to fish....
Absolutely! nm
x
absolutely not.....
No company should take that long to pay. Even those in other areas of work who get paid once monthly, get paid at the end or the first of the month, not 2 weeks after the fact. That is ridiculous. I would come right out and ask them why the pay is taking soooo long!
The only reason (or excuse) would be they can't get paid any sooner from their clients, which means they should renegotiate pay schedules with them.
No one I know has ever had to wait that long, either at home or in a private facility, to get their check, or else no one would be working.....they would go to someone else where they get paid and can PAY THEIR OWN BILLS ON TIME!!
Absolutely NOT
IF you love nursing, there is definitely a shortage of nurses. GO...GO.. GO!
Absolutely!!!!
I just started the overnight check thing this week and was curious how it worked. I hate relying on it to come by snail mail, need it to be a little more dependable. I have been with them for about 6 months now and really do enjoy it. I have my own accounts and just have to meet the TAT (48 hrs). The pay isn't the best but I finally like what I am doing again so it's worth it.
I left my e-mail address this time, so you can email me if you want.
Absolutely, consider it done!
This is my mission right now! Damn it, we did not deserve this and now the poster above is right, no email to give us our final resting instructions. I called out sick at Heartland last night due to my state of mind and Melissa Carr, my former manager sent my email to Kathy Clemmons and Colleen Neidert, guess you can't use your sick time either!
I am no longer mamacarolina, but Mary Kirkpatrick, ex-Heartland employee, standing up for all of us at Heartland. I want our voices to be heard. I want this to stop!
Absolutely Nothing
Zip, zilch, nada. She probably doesn't even know it's MT week. Sad, isn't it?
ABSOLUTELY!! Go for it! nm
x
Absolutely
Have to find something else. I heard a lot of good things about this particular company I am with on the board and thats why I went to work for them, but this is really awful. I figured even with a line rate increase$$ its going to make very little difference.
Absolutely.
No need to waste your time or theirs if the pay isn't enough
Absolutely!
I OFTEN email the reporter on a story - have even been interviewed as a result.
I ALSO like to follow the links/google jerks like this Acusis guy and email them as well. I have NO beef with poor people in other countries trying to improve their lives, BUT I have HUGE beef with cRapitalists in this country sending our WELL-EARNED, decent paying jobs overseas. Wake up people! Don't Americans see what is happening? By shipping good/high wage jobs overseas, we are now forced into a lower stardard of living. PROTEST IS PATRIOTIC. Lift your voices and let your public officials hear from you: FAIR trade, NOT free trade.
And BOTH parties are equally guilty!
Absolutely run
I edited quite a bit of work that she contracted out to an Indian company, which was horrible, and got paid the wrong amount. Although she did make it right, I decided after just a few days this place was not worth my time and effort. She talks the talk (looking to make a difference in the MT business, values people, etc.), but she does not walk the walk.
absolutely right ...
Independent contractors set their own hours, IRS will hold a companies feet to the fire for that. I work Saturdays for Transcend and I gave them my hours I want to work and they accepted them. I think the weekend hours asked for is dependent on the account you work. At least that has been my experience with Transcend. All is negotiated when you are hired.
yes, absolutely.
xx
ABSOLUTELY
I will continue to be a cheerleader as well. I agree with all the good things you said about TransTech. I simply couldn't feel happier with my choice to go with them 2 years ago.
absolutely
I have written emails stating why i deserve the raise and have always gotten one that way. Plus I would always ask for more than you expect...bump the request up to 1 full cent so that if they give you half, you got what you wanted but you could get a bonus too.
Absolutely not. SM
Only the Administrator (owner of the board) and myself (main moderator). There are a couple of other moderators for the political boards, etc.
If you have questions about how the board is run, discuss them via email with us.
Goldbird
Absolutely do it
I did the same approximately a year ago. I've got everything you mentioned, plus they pay my cable bill, plus I get generous PTO allowances, plus they don't run out of work, plus the pay and benefits are great, plus I have the same doctors all the time. What's not to like? Also, I'd think being an IC is not dependable like it used to be. I think you should go for it and fast.
Absolutely too low sm
Considering I am paid 12 cpl for VR and 17 cpl standard transcription. The amount you stated is terribly low.
Of course, this is my own account; however, I can tell you the going rate for companies is 8 cpl standard, 4 VR editing and I have also seen 10 cpl and 6 cpl VR.
Absolutely! nm
nm
Absolutely not, not the MTs (sm)
They brought in a doctor to manage things (can't remember her name - things started to change then) & then for me anyway they drove out my excellent and professional super sweet and hard working terrific account liaison and put another MQ upper person in her position and it was never the same for me after that. So, I guess I shouldn't exagerate and say a bunch because I have no idea how many but I saw the whole mentality of the company change to exactly what I had experienced at Medquist and it was sickening. So, no, it was not the MTs, the leads, the management. They are snotty and started treating everybody like take it or leave it - that was the end of work on your specialty- it was the end of ever receiving a reply to an e-mail question. I could just go on and on but I just don't have the energy left. It's sad but true and I'm over it...I just hope the company can get back to what they used to be but I don't think it ever will be or could because they don't acknowledge their issues so how can they fix it? Just like MQ would overhire and make you just sit there waiting for work...is it deja vu or what working for MDI now? People who have been hired anytime in the recent past (and not counted as one of their favored long-time MTs) is simply and plainly being used as overflow disposable MTs and they want to pay you less and less so pushed out the people they hired at 10-11 cpl back when we had to pay for unlimited LD and dial in. Now they are .wav...MTs who want to work for them are a dime a dozen..they want to stay on top of TAT instantly so ipso facto overhire and keep overhiring and they get what they want and you get whatever you can get and good luck! Back in the day, you could write D. directly and she would answer and address it immediately and satisfactorily and caringly...good luck ever hearing from her unless it is just a form email rah rah bunch of fake (and misspelled by the way) crap sent to the masses. People used to be treated so well...now you are just a number...their era of greatness is over IMO. IT was good while it lasted but you can only survive on memories of greatness for so long before you have to face reality.
Absolutely should say something--
nm
ABSOLUTELY!!
Old dog, I'm probably an older dog, and I participated in the first credentialing cup challenge. I was so nervous the entire time because I just didn't think I was going to be able to learn every little minute detail. The course walks you through each body system and also grammar and punctuation, HIPAA regulations, etc. It will definitely prepare you for your exam.
The book you need for the course (The CMT Review Guide) wasn't very helpful to me. Someone recommended Davi Ellen Chabner's Language of Medicine - 8th edition. I bought that and it was the best investment I have ever made. She has developed a wonderful system for learning the information.
I absolutely recommend the CMT prep class. Make sure you get the LOM book - I bought mine online for a very decent price. Make sure the one you get has the CD, that has many chapter quizzes, learning tools, etc.
When I got to the testing site for my CMT exam I was a nervous wreck, but once I sat down and started taking the test, most of the answers just came to me.
You will not be sorry if you take the class, believe me. They will reimburse your exam fee if you pass, too!
Good luck to you! I'll be rooting for you!!
Yes, I absolutely do believe that.
I have had some seemingly unfortunate things happen that turn out to have been for the best. We all have. Miss a plane and the plane goes down. Leave a job and find out those who stayed didn't get paid for the last month. Lose out on a job and find out that was a pretty good thing. Now you're still looking and available for some other opportunity. It may take some time to pan out, but I'll bet you will eventually find out that it was a pretty good thing.
My niece was running very late for work one day. Very late. Thought she would get fired from the hospital. Turns out if she had been right on time she would have been on that bridge in Minnesota that collapsed. Good lunck/bad luck. It is not always so immediately apparent, but I do believe things often happen for the best.
Hope this helps!
I absolutely do not...
work for MDI, nor would I ever. I would never work for a company that paid 3 cpl, NEVER! I have more self-respect than that.
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT
I have 20 years in this business and I would NEVER EVER WORK FOR A COMPANY THAT SAYS THEY ARE HIRING IC's AND THEN DEMAND SET DAYS AND SET LINES FOR THAT MATTER.... Stick by your guns!!!!!!! Tell them like it is on here because IC is self employed and not employee! Until they are hiring employees they cannot set your hours or your line quota. You are right, right, right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
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