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I was mid summer this year.

Posted By: sm on 2008-12-10
In Reply to: How long ago was that? - Happy MT

I used IType.


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good point!!!! summer off plus 5 weeks during the year
if i had my life to live over.... a teacher has the best life
omg-heat of summer

I meant heat of summer!! not head--sorry


Last summer? see inside
They do not keep anything that long due to privacy. Their recruiter was let go a few months back, so it definitely is no longer there. I would send it directly to them at KeystrokesHR@aol.com and let them know that you had sent it before. I know that the process is smooth now, based on talking to a few new MTs, so if you are interested, that is the way to go!
thank you - I'm hoping by summer to

nix the Q alltogether, unless by some miracle things get better. I think my biggest peave with the Q is that stupid time clock. I never wanted FT or benefits, so I don't see why PT with no benefits has to punch a clock. Give me IC any day!


The new company I'm going to only requires me to meet my daily quota on the days I say I'm going to work. If I need off, I just let them know I won't be working that day. No more holidays, no more cesspool and no more TIME CLOCK!


I hope things go well for you at KS. I've heard a lot of wonderful things about them on this board, especially if you want FT and benefits. Good Luck!


There is no summer slump at MDI. Its a
permanent slump situation, as its been going on for a long, long time. Something is way not right about this company, and I'm not sure what's going on, but its not good. Look below, and you'll see more eager new hires ready for training, every single day. I was bored the other day and browsing other MT sites, and I was shocked to see a thread and battle, just like here every day, of MDI-MD MTs with no work, MTs who can't get the 5 training jobs a day, yada, yada, and I saw the EXACT same letter from the recruiter and also from the tech person, whom many claim does not set them up at the agreed upon time, etc, and does not help with tech issues. The shock to me was that all were dated from Spring of 2007. That's how long this exact scenario has been happening, and it was creepy to read what looked like sincere posts here, as they were copied verbatim from a year earlier, and probably more before that had I wasted my time looking. There is something WEIRD and wrong about this company, and why anyone would waste 1 minute of their time with them is beyond me. And it was so hurtful and hateful a few months ago when those who posted that they had no work and something wasn't right were bashed and flamed for it being their fault somehow. Inferior MTs or whatever. There is a boatload of BS going on at MDI-MD, and I have personally experienced that boat, and its not gonna float for anyone. I truly believe they have their original staffers who get work, but forget the rest, and they are always, always hiring more and more, and with no work. If I were with them now, I would be MAJOR pissed and demand work. But there isn't any? I would also be demanding to know why they keep hiring. They have no answers, and they have no work either.
TTS - When I applied last summer
nothing more than an insulting subcontractor rate for 30 years' experience. Are you making at least more than 6.25 cpl?
Here's a review from last summer.
http://forum.mtstars.com/company/v/1/74751.html
Anyone else running out of work this summer?SM
I have been with this company for quite some time, and this is the first time I have run out of work.  It has been slow since June, but pretty much the whole month of July has been hunting for work and getting lucky if there's any there.  We've been told it's just an unusually slow summer.  Anyone else with this problem? 
I was with MQ for 11 years and left last summer.
The changes after 1/1/06 were not to my taste. And from what I can see over on the MQ forum, it hasn't gotten better. I started with TT last October and have really liked it. I've only run out of work a few times, and have had work in my backup. The office staff is wonderful. It was a very good move for me.
They added several new accounts this summer
so I don't know which one you are talking about, but I have been out of work for 2 days too and despite asking for a back-up account I have yet to get one.   I do know that another account is coming on-line next month, though they have hired people for it and those people are probably working on the other accounts in the meantime, taking work from the estabilshed MTs. 
How do you know new accounts are coming on in the summer?

I have not received any email saying such to us MT's.  I hope so, because work is really low during the week, a little more on the weekend usually.  More and more of our work is going to voice recognition, leaving low volume of transcribing left to do.


This is an excerpt from a press release by Transtech management that I saw on the internet.  Maybe those 20 MT's love the system, but the other 280 must not.  I know I hate Dictaphone ExSpeech editing platform (and hate the pay that goes alogn with editing on that platform).


We started using the Enterprise Express Speech System in late October of 2007 and have already seen a 500 percent increase in speech-recognized drafted
reports. While just 20 members of our team of 300 transcriptionists
are using the system now, we plan to expand its use significantly. In
only 60 days we've seen dramatic productivity climbs and our team
loves the system.


Info about Wordz from this summer.
Wordz was not the job for me, but I have nothing bad at all to say about them. Here is some recent info from this summer, hope it helps:

Pay on time by DD.

I worked on 2 platforms. (Winscribe and Transnet) Both use your version of Word and your Expander of choice or autocorrect. The platforms were just for management of voice files and attaching/uploading documents, no demographics were filled in.

All demographics were manual, and you download pt lists (some in notepad where you can copy and paste names and some fax copies where you have to retype everything).

Provider/address lists were provided for letters.

Job lists come out 4x per day. On at least one platform you have to check the job list for your work and manually enter the dictator# into the transnet platform to download jobs (you are not routed jobs automatically on the Transnet platform).

Pd training. You get about 4+ hours of phone training your first day, 3 modules. The longest module of training is administrative, paperwork, file management that you are expected to do and the other modules are on the transcribing and audio platforms. The administrative/paperwork/file management is the longest for a good reason, you spend plenty of time wrangling voice files, job lists, and pt lists every day.

QA was outstanding and very helpful. Quick relevant feedback and even a good job here and there.

There are set hours - sort of! They do ask that you set range of hours they can count on you to be there every day (maybe 8:00 to 3:00 for example) in case they need to reach you for stats or whatever, but you do not have to necessarily be working all that time, and you are not monitored. You are just expected to complete your account assignments within TAT.

Pay is low (it was 7.5 cents), but they justify that by the fact that they match transcriptionists to doctors....no pools. (That did not turn out to be the case for me, I was up to 20 dictators with more to be added on, although I know many are assigned to a small # of stable dictators...just get as much specific info during your interviews about exactly what accounts you would be on and how many providers so you can make an informed decision.)

Good luck!

Grandchildren keep me young. I have had 2 FT this summer (sm)
and occasional trips to town for teenaged grandson who has stayed at home this summer. Sometimes it is hectic and I feel stressed getting my hours/lines in, but then I take my mother to the Senior Center and watch all those people with so little to occupy their time and I feel really lucky.

During school year the 2 youngest still catch the bus here and come here after school. I am able to adjust my schedule so I can attend school functions/lunches during the day if their mom can't.

There may be a lot of problems with MT work anymore, but these are the reasons I and many other stay with it.


Well, I left MQ after 8 years last summer to go to Keystrokes (sm)

so I would have to say Keystrokes.  I have plenty of work and love my account and Keystrokes gave me primarily what I asked for as far as what specialty I wanted to type. I work in Meditech but there are other platforms there, it just depends on your account. MedQuist was a great place to work for about the first 7 years.  In January 2006 they introduced what they called the Rewards Plan and after that my work dried up in a hurry and I lost a LOT of money by staying there. But there are still people at MQ who have plenty of work and like it there, the way I felt about it in the old days. Both places have positive qualities but I am happier now at Keystrokes. It also depends on what you are looking for as far as how large of a company you want to work for...MQ is a big national, KS is much smaller and more personalized.  Good Luck!



It was slow on one of my accounts this summer but picked up. sm
If I were you, I would go to Karyn or Becky, not Martha. Both of them will help you. I think Martha is too busy with new hires but the other two are great with back-up accounts or at least getting the names in front of Martha. Just a friendly tip, not meant to offend or cause flames.
Talked to them last summer. Very nice people.
CPL depends on shift worked and how well you do on the test.
They have overhired for the summer. We will ALL be running out of work!

They thought they had a new account and it was not a go, so overhire again.  They are just running this ship TOO TIGHT


 


 


knew something was up after the paycheck fiasco this summer . . . sm
this DOES not surprise me, and I am sure there is more coming in the future.
I have not run out of work, except for about 2 or 3 hours late in the summer. sm
While I am NOT management, I do know both sides of this story...that of the MTs and of management. The side I pick? MY SIDE! The side with work in the queue, the side that I get paid for. So, even though I know both perspectives, I am not picking sides or defending management.

I will only observe that those who come here to bash a very nice company could be producing their lines. Given that I have consistently gotten over my minimums each and every day for the year I have been with TT says to me (remember I am on my side) that the work exists. If I can have it, so can you. Of course, every hour you are here spreading your ill-considered opinions could be, should be spent doing your job.

I am here, it is my day OFF!
I have to second that statement. Wish TT would not overhire during the summer months, as we get so
low on work now -- it is frightening to think about the summer months and then the holidays that follow.  Ouch !
Well, mine have even less today than yesterday. I don't know what is going on. I know summer te
to wax and wane, but I've only seen wane this summer, no wax.  Usually it's up and down, not steadily down, in my experience.  I'm becoming very concerned about being able to make ends meet.
It was during the summer, I think. Maybe you can access old stories from your local newspaper on
s
What season is THAT? Late spring/early summer? .. sm
or the figment of some MTSO's imagination or latest line of BS?? 
Couple of posts here on page 11 near the top and then back during the summer, you should find a
s
my first year I made 16k. Doubled that second year. Going on year 6 with (sm)

two local accounts I earned 23,000.00 and a national I earned 35,400... 58,400 this year.  Don't ask me how many hours, though, I really have no idea.  I'm pretty motivated.  (When people ask me how many hours I work a week I reply as many as it takes  I'd say 40-50/week.  I am also a fitness instructer and personal trainer, about 5 hours a week or so.  Decent money (sometimes under the table!) but mostly I just do it for fun and to be social and wear cute work-out clothes. 


that first year was a rough one... but I consider it part of my education. 


 


I'm pretty motivated. 


Last year, there was a letter sent that told us what we earned the previous year. sm
In the past, it has been all or nothing; if you did not hit the lines for full time for the year, you did not get PTO. I talked to my lead this morning about a last-minute vacation and she told me that the yearly packets are going out in a week or so and that the new policy will acrue PTO by the pay period or month. I like that a lot better, but she also made it sound like they are upping the amount of lines needed to acrue PTO. I normally get between 15 and 20,000 lines per pay period, so I am sure that will be fine but I am worried about the periods that have lower volumes, like most of January every year.
Webmedx lets you carry them from year to year sm
You can accrue up to 140 hours (I think) before you stop the accrual process. Don't have to use it all in one year.
I would stick it out, most places are slow now through the end of the year every year (nm)
x
Last year $36K part time, going to make more this year full time BUT sm

I AGREE it IS getting harder to make money.  I used to make $24 very part time 10 years ago and now...well it is Word and platforms versus WP5.1.  I got 7.5 cents a byte line then and I get 9.5 cents a character line now.  That IS a huge different in point of fact.


OH I WANT MY WORDPERFECT 5.1 BACK!!!!! Bwaaah!


Have been with them for over a year...sm
and have no complaints. Pay is always on time and they have direct deposit. I have rarely ran out of work on my main account, but when I do I have a backup account to work on. There are incentives offered often as well. I don't see a high turnover rate...the reason they are hiring new MTs is because they have new accounts. Good luck in your job search!
Been on it for over a year and
still struggling. My lines went from 1,500 to 2,000 a day down to 800 to 1,000 if I am lucky. Still haven't found the courage to quit :(
Yes, they were. This year and I believe one other year. nm

Last year
Last year when I worked there I live in Texas and had BCBS of Tennessee through them since they are located in TN. Just FYI. Good luck!
Well over a year..nm
xx
first year pay
I was lucky to make 15000 the first year.

I am making it now but hard in the beginning.
Wow, a year?

 That's great!!  I know of one that is $3000.00! You have a great deal there.


Been with them almost a year
I've been with SPI/Cymed for almost a year (at the beginning of March) and the benefits seem to be okay, but I have never had to use them. When I first started with them last March, it was still just Cymed. I did hear that since they merged with SPI that the benefits were supposed to be less expensive when they go to get them again this year.
No, it's DURING second year (after 1)
nm
From 1 year ago...
Left because of having little to know work.  Seems like they way overhired.  They might do better now as I am seeing more than just clinic work
It's over a year old.
nm
Been with them over 1 year now - sm
as a statutory employee. I would say scheduling is flexible depending on your account and what you and your manager work out. They have been an excellent company to work for and the people there are terrific. If you need support they are right there with you and if you don't they don't bug you and let you run. Their pay is very comparable and always on time. I plan on retiring with this company!
year-old
{Bksp}-year-old
year-old
You would type 41 yo for the expansion to work.
year-old
But I use ESP expander. What I have started to do is build expansions with every age as they come up in reports. For instance if patient is a 41-year-old, I make an expansion of 41yo. I figure I will only have to do it around 105 times at most! If it turns out I have already made that expansion, I then create 41yof or 41yom expansions for female or male patient.
This was from a little over a year ago
so not sure if it's changed, but someone said it was about $75 per month for single coverage (just yourself).  Not sure about the employee plus spouse or family coverage amount.
Nothing this year . Not yet anyway nm
nm
Yes, have been there a year.
They pay based on a 65-character line with spaces included. They pay more than most other nationals and care very much about their employees and treat them very well. They are always looking for ways to improve to make us happy. I have 2 accounts and have never even come close to running out of work on either one, even during the major holidays. I have always made excellent money there. They pay by direct deposit on the 1st and 15th of the month. They have been continuously growing since I first started and have been constantly getting new accounts and expanding the ones that they already have. Hope this helps.
Every year it is where is my W2. They have until
1/31 to mail them.  If I get mine early great, but I don't start looking for it until the first part of February. 
You will pay the same but just throughout the year
If you made that much as an employee, you just would not have had as much in your pocket as they would have withheld it for you throughout the year.  As an IC you need to me strick enough to do that or have your husband hold out more to pay for your income.  You will only pay 7.5% more in the social security which you should somehow be able to find enough deductions to make that up.   But again, have your husband with hold your taxes.   You pay the same it is how you pay it.   Pretend you are the employee and withold 20% like they would from your check and put it in a separate account.  Then you have enough to pay your taxes.  Again it is not MORE taxes it is just how you pay the taxes and being able to put that money aside for it. 
I have been there about a year
They are nice people to work for and I enjoy my TM.  We have plenty of work and I heard we are starting a very large hospital in a few weeks.  The health insurance is with Aetna and it is a good plan with a low deductable, plus they pay by direct deposit every two weeks.  I came from another company as an IC and always seemed to be chasing a check or two, so having direct deposit is nice.  I would say that as a company I am happy at MedScribe. 
I have been there for a year and never got one
I was started at 9 cpl when I started a year ago. I was never told anything about a raise then.