I would think there would HIPAA issues with that.
Posted By: Most companies report it as stolen property. on 2008-01-28
In Reply to: Has anyone who rented a computer ever asked to keep it SM - just curious
NM
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Might violate HIPAA ... MTs have to sign a HIPAA (nm)
.
This is just HIPAA on steroids. Cant enforce HIPAA
d
HIPAA???
How in the world would you think HIPAA applies here? That is for HEALTH information, not employment information!
HIPAA
fast fingers.
HIPAA
All the Homeland Security stuff you are saying is great, but remember it's HIPAA (not HIPPA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
That has nothing to do with HIPAA
HIPAA
The HIPAA agreement will also protect you. I would never work for a company without one. It is illegal. Voice your concerns to your new MTSO and explain to them you will not work until you sign a HIPAA agreement. I am a service owner and no one works for my company without one!
Its HIPAA.
NM
It is actually HIPPA, and not HIPAA
The contract I signed stated that I could hire assistants at my own expense. My husband is a great techie and also can lend a listening ear. I do not agree with your post. JMO. 
The myth of HIPAA
I'm not sure why we put so much faith in HIPAA even at home. This is a Federal statute that relies on Department of Justice prosecutions. That would be the office of the US attorney for your area. Check this out to see just how seriously it is being taken and who is getting prosecuted for what:
http://www.law.uh.edu/healthlaw/perspectives/2007/(DM)HIPAACrimCharges.pdf
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The myth of HIPAA
I posted this below, but I'll move it up here since HIPAA seems to be the neverending mantra.
I'm not sure why we put so much faith in HIPAA even at home. This is a Federal statute that relies on Department of Justice prosecutions. That would be the office of the US attorney for your area. Check this out to see just how seriously it is being taken and who is getting prosecuted for what:
http://www.law.uh.edu/healthlaw/perspectives/2007/(DM)HIPAACrimCharges.pdf
Requires Adobe Reader
HIPAA compliance, I believe. (eom)
x
Would this be a HIPAA violation?
Supervisor went away for a week, so her husband (not an employee), sent out the work assignments for our accounts. I thought computers had to be secure from access by others, including family.
Question about W9 and HIPAA
I was recently offered an IC position and was supposed to have started already (some on the account have - my computer crashed). This MTSO is hounding me but never gave me a W9 or HIPAA agreement to sign? Is this legal? Any thoughts on this?
HIPAA Stops the the border
x
I stand corrected. It is HIPAA
also s/b HIPAA(hyphen)compliant
x
You signed nothing? Not even a HIPAA agreement? I would think she sm
would be in hot water over that. Generally, you sign the HIPAA agreement and the contract at the same time. DId you talk about pay at all and make a verbal contract?
I agree with everyone else. Until some sort of pay is establishied, I wouldn't work anymore, PLUS, not sure I would want to work there anyway with all of the phone calls and drama that you described. It sounds like you would be signing up for a duty in Hell.
I'm sorry you have gone through all of this. Good luck to you.
I'm sorry to ask this because I should know the answer but what does HIPAA say about our medical
going to foreign soil? I'm sure our info is SUPPOSED to be protected, but is there anything that makes this even at least questionable? I'd be livid of my info going to another country regardless of what my profession is!
Furthermore, I would like to know how the Indians remain HIPAA compliant when there are 27 of them
This is why I say HIPAA is a joke.Edited offshore
x
Got another, unrelated question...speaking of HIPAA...sm
Working for an MTSO, is it confidential who the clients (the clinics/hospitals) are who you are typing accounts for? Or is that just the MTSO's own rule? I have always kept it quiet but I wondered if this is a HIPAA thing or a company thing.
Agree with poster above, not related to HIPAA, but
most MTSOs do not want you sharing their company specifics, accounts, etc.
First, their HIPAA officer is an idiot and says to use MSN messenger for pt names.
ANYONE with any brain knows that MSN is not a secure environment for patient names, but when confronted and asked, she said yes we could say patient names in that. A friend of mine who worked there at the same time told them that she would NOT use patient names in messenger.
i wish she had reported that idiot to the bulldogs!
HIPAA requires damage, not just a loose report...
and HIPAA has basically no teeth anyway. You are talking itty bitty fines like $500. Which is less than $600 a year for liability.Everyone gets their undies in a knot about HIPAA...the only thing ever close to a HIPAA violation was that Indian MT trying to get paid. So let's get reasonable about HIPAA violations.
Satellite is not a stable connection. Not in terms of HIPAA or sm
privacy but in terms of stability of speed and signal. Because the signal waxes and wanes, it can cause disruptions in connection. They might not seem evident when you are surfing the net or checking your bank balance, but a VPN connection such as one that is needed to do transcription for many hospitals needs a solid, stable connection. This connection can be fast or slow, as long as it does not go faster and then slower and then faster and then out and then in. A satellite signal does this constantly, by the second, and it causes disruption in the flow.
I betcha it IS HIPAA regs that rule out wireless
Doctors etc. cannot use cell phones to dictate their reports, right? If this is true, I bet the use of wireless to deliver their dictations to at-home transcriptionists is considered potentially not secure. Well, two modems it is for me and I am really glad I asked this question. Thank you all for your feedback.
HIPAA protects the patient; you can mock employees
Unless they were saying something completely fabricated and the employee was identifiable, at which point you might be able to make a case for slander, they can pretty much have a field day at the expense of their employees. As pointed out, though, working for people willing to have a giggle fest over their dismissal of employees leaves a little something to be desired.
EXACTLY! HIPAA protects the privacy of your health information IN THIS COUNTRY!
Once your protected health information leaves this country, your privacy is no longer protected. So while you may not trust your neighbor to know your medical history, you can trust that if they breech your privacy, you have legal recourse and you can have their jobs! In India, if someone holds your health records hostage and threaten to publish them on the internet because they didn't get their 2 cpl, you are basically screwed!
There were post on another board about test dictations violating HIPAA regs. sm
Some people seemed to think they were using actual dictations, with actual patient info, in their test dictations. I would leave them alone, way alone.
Again, what issues ............
You are the one who asked me to get a grip just because I pointed out that Transcend had a 74% revenue increase this last quarter and accused me of being a "MDI cheerleader", which I am not. How can my pointing out that Transcend “ain’t doing so bad” financially make you so defensive?
You are the one who said that MDI had issues that Transcend needed to “Fix” or you were leaving MDI, and now you are saying your experience has not been bad, but there are issues with management. Again, I ask, what issues?
I don’t think my post was assumptive in any way, merely factual from my standpoint. I would certainly not assume that everyone has had the experience I have had with MDI. I am sure, especially from some of the post I have seen on this board, that there are a number of MTs who have issues with MDI, I was just stating I am not one of them.
You got issues? Deal with them or find another job! It is as simple as that.
My issues ( ignored)
First off, I like my accounts. I do. That's why I'm still there.
However, the QA people I've worked with have MUCH to be desired.
On my monthly reviews, the QA person scores me, but don't even give the sentence, much less the entire report, to give context on the errors. They only give me the word I presumably used incorrectly. The WORST error I made was not putting a capital letter in the middle of a word, i.e. BuSpar. Though other errors were even more minor, there is no way to refute or explain that if it's only a word, is there? I've asked for context, asked for an explanation. Zero response. I've stopped asking.
I've also repeatedly asked for instruction on how to do something right that I'm presumably repeatedly doing wrong because it doesn't match the stated convoluted format. It's only a matter of learning the keystroke, and I can't find the answer. No response despite repeated requests.
There are discrepancies between account instructions say and what the QA person insists you do, which are completely opposite of one another. Asked which is correct? No response. So, when I'm dinged for this on the next QA review, I certainly won't get a response THERE, either, will I?
Errors are counted off that are so completely and unbelievably miniscule that no medical professional would even begin think they are wrong because, in truth, the aren't (he was seen 1 time versus he was seen one time). But because Amphion has its little oddities it's wrong. DING~
And being wrong means that you are kept out of the money. I've always passed my monthly QA at over 99%, but that just isn't quite enough to get to you making more than a tenth of a cent more per line. It's a bit like needing to be an MT Stepford wife in order to win.
I will stay there for now, but I'm no longer as enamoured as I once was. I think top management is okay, but they ought to take a close look at some of the people who are running their ship in their name.
I usually don't post here, but I certainly can't take my whining to management. The bell would toll, and it would toll for me. Maybe one of their people will read this and pass it along.
Serious issues that had nothing to do with
nm
TTS issues
I previously worked for TTS. She has recently just started her own company to provide employee status. prior to that she was a company that was subletting work from other companies. In the beginning the work was great and the pay was never late, but then she had issues. Decided to pay when she wanted to pay. From what I understand things with that issue have gotten better there, but make sure to stay on top of it.
TTS Pay issues
IMO - Linda will NEVER have this 100% perfected and I would warn anybody to stay away!
I have never had these issues
When I first started a month ago, I was provided with a TON of information. I printed it all out and have a binder with pages and pages of physician's names, spellings of cities in the area my hospital is in, and even sample reports for each of the doctors on my account. Also, if I have ever had to email my lead with any questions, she has always gotten right back to me in a timely fashion.
Pay issues...
That's probably why they never called me back once I addressed to them when they called me for rehire if they had straightened out their payroll issues. I told them I would not even consider about coming back unless they pay me on time!!!! Of course they said they have a new payroll department, but after that conversation, I never heard back from them. The company really sounds screwed up in the head. I do not think anybody needs to work for them.
lag issues
Yes, this is definitely a hospital problem. I have had extreme problems with this, but they were supposed to have fixed it on Friday. I worked yesterday and only got kicked out once. I know that KS is working diligently on this. I really don't like this about the Meditech platform, but I do like the fact that it is straight typing. I use PC ShortHand and like that as well. I also think newbies (I've only bee on this acct. a month.) have a learning curve as far as physician and patient names, looking up, etc. Hang in there - I think it will be worth the wait.
I think it was TTS that had pay issues. sm
If you search for TTS, you'll see a few MTs had issues there with pay not being on time. It's possible people are confusing TTS, which I think is Transcription, Technology & Support or something like that, with TT, which stands for TransTech.
They don't pay well and there have been issues in the
past with not getting payment in a timely fashion. You can check the archives for more info.
no issues with pay
i don't know who posts these messages about gant transcriptions, but its very easy to read into the negative remarks and get a bad impression. i have worked for this company for quite some time and have been very happy in doing so. the issue of pay should be addressed with the one writing those checks, not with disgruntled people leaving snide comments when it's likely they are hurt for probably being fired for poor performance or something and want to get back with any digs they can. it's a great company if you give what you expect to receive!
Sorry to say, I am having the same issues
Wow, I feel like you just stepped into my world! I haven't been with them long and I am beginning to notice a lot of inconsistencies in policy just like you mentioned. I thought I was just being overly sensitive. I am trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, but if things don't change soon I will have to leave.
You have serious issues.
Oh no, I am not nasty and rude! I posed a comment like that because it is true! Would you seriously work at this job if you could only do 41 lines per hour? Even 80 lines per hour?
I never mentioned how many lines I type per hour, therefore never *puffing myself up* as you said.
The pay in this profession is certainly not what it used to be but even if the OP was making 13 cpl, at 41 lines per hour, that is only 5.33 an hour! Come on. We are supposed to be here to help other MTs. I am helping her by stating this job is not for her. It is obvious!
Get your panites unbunched and get over yourself!
You have some serious issues.
x
VR issues
If you think for 1 minute that VR is making you a plain old typist, you will have a lot to learn. It is not for a newbie because you have to be an excellent Editor to watch each and every word. Now that might not be for you but I happen to love. I was outsourced, did not ask for VR but that was started inhouse at the hospital where I had worked for 12 years. After we had learned (some did not like by the way and left), then we were outsourced to a company in town working at home. You have to know transcription or you WILL not be able to do this. If a physician says he prescribed a patient 750 mg of aspirin 4 times a day would you not question this? A newbie would not know. This can go back and forth and seems like it has. I had an Indian physician the other day and she said food and VR put in foot but you have to know the sentence. When a dictator changes their minds and they do, VR puts in this and that and if NOT an MTer, you would not know what fits. I now have been working for 48 years and frankly I love VR because I work straight through and when dinner is done (my hubby cooks for us) I can sit at my desk (work 12noon to 8 p.m. shift) and eat while I am working. I have been told some at my company make really high salaries (by the way I also straight type because work for the same hospital as when outsourced, now have 19 years working for them) and we have interns and they are on straight typing, never go to VR). When I first started doing VR I asked my daughter (I am very poor at math) how many lines per day on VR would it take to make X amount of money per day and she told me the number I would need and that is what I strive for, some days more, some days less but it averages out to what I need. I work only 4 days a week now, am 66 and I make $500 per week which is what I WANT. I have worked so much in years past that I do not WANT to work full now. In the 80s my salary was close to $60,000 but then we were paid salary, incentive and that went out when outsourced. I do not know what the company wants to pay the people here, Transtech I believe is the name of the place but I heard something about 3.5 cents a line? My last day working was 3245 lines of VR and at my 4 cents that was $129.80 and at 3.5 that would be $113.58. I would not like to do for less than I do now. Some like, some don’t but I really think the big companies sooner or later will go this way and if people jump ship, unless working for say private office, then probably are going to be jumping ship often. When we were outsourced, I had spent from 1974 to 2002 in a hospital setting doing transcription. I had no idea about all the companies out there, we did not work on the internet and I was in my 50s when outsourced. I love the hospital I have worked for (I do not like the influx of all the ESLs and we have loads now there) and I have made enough in years past to retire if I want to. I read other posts on her about companies they work for, such as MQ and the stories are horrible. My job does not bother me, no micromanaging and what is not to like? If I wanted more money, then I would work a full week or even do like I hear others do, work 2 jobs or weeks and weekends. I am just past all that working now. I hope I have answered some of your questions. I love my work, have always worked in the medical field even before learning MTing and just do not think when you get a certain age it means sitting in a rocker all day long.
VR issues
I'd like to know what platform actually learns. I've been on same one for over a year and it (or docs) haven't changed or learned one tiny bit. It even still gets the dictating docs's names wrong! The gibberish is still in many reports, etc. Several posts have suggested that it's QA who wouldn't catch reports that are shot through in a hurry. Where I work, QA only gets reports specifically sent to them. It's the client who catches demograhic errors, such as wrong admit date, wrong John/Jane Doe, etc. They don't read the reports. Only a few docs actually read reports. They use electronic signatures and don't bother. Maybe the only people who'd notice might be Joint Commission but they only choose a few randomly (I think) to check thoroughly.
so she should already know about the issues.
nm
I have not had issues until recently and
with you I would; however, I don't! FYI, I am dealing with my issues and if they are not resolved to my satisfaction, I will leave. Thanks for your concern and have a great day! DVW
Pay and benefits are two different issues.
You are still being paid as long as you work for them. MQ has every right, as does ANY company, to define what amount of work qualifies the amount of money THEY spend in offering you benefits. If you don't satisfy that requirement, they do not have to offer you benefits and have the option of putting you into an SE status -- but you are STILL BEING PAID. They are not getting free labor in any way. You haven't produced enough to qualify for benefits. Benefits COST the company and they have to be able to have enough work produced by each MT to justify that cost.
As an SE, the wage and labor board is out of the picture. Hours do not apply. Neither does the ability of MQ to force you to work a set schedule.
Yes, they or any other company for that matter, can let you go for any reason. Any company in the US can do that. There is no contract - direct or implied - to guarantee you employment. If a company so chooses, they can let you go without any statement as to why. Smart? NO. Rarely will companies do so. States do not regulate companies other than to force them to follow their own, self-defined policies and procedures. That is why policies and procedures are so important to both the company and to employees. If a company makes a policy that their termination procedure will include warnings, etc., then they can face legal action if they do not follow their own policy. Short of that, they can let you go anytime for any reason they choose. At the same time, you're not tied to them by a contract either -- you can quit any anytime for any reason. It is called employment at will...ask the labor board about that. Hahaha
The spin you are putting on your posts is that MQ is big bad ugly monster doing anything to jip you out of money. Absolutely not. They have set guidelines -- clear guidelines -- and you have all the information you need. If you do not or cannot meet those guidelines then you have to follow the policy and be changed in your employment status. The company cannot afford to just lose money on MTs who do not make their production requirements.
Will they immediately change someone? No. There is a mechanism of making the MT aware of the discrepancy and giving them more than ample opportunity to rectify the situation before action is taken.
If you work as a FT employee being paid on an hourly basis at a hospital but you continually do not make your 40 hours a week, you will eventually be written up. You will go through whatever mechanism they have for making sure you are aware you are failing to meet FT employee status. Once that is exhausted, they have the choice to fire you or, if they have positions or want to, place you into PT status or perhaps p.r.n. status if they have such positions. You are STILL getting paid...you simply do not quailify for benefits because you are not making your position worth enough to them for the company to spend their part of revenues for your benefits.
It's not rocket science. It is not unique to the MT industry. It is simple business practice. It is the most misunderstood process I see on this board. MTs and most people who have never had any business experience whatsoever believe companies are made out of money and they just sit around thinking of ways to jip employees, they just pull wages/line rates/production incentives/bonuses out of the air. Not true. There are budgets, plans, processes -- all to be projected for the future then reconciled with actual expenditures. Companies have boards and stockholders. Their chief goal is to make those people happy because they are the ones providing what is necessary to even have the company and provide the jobs. If those people are not happy and are not making a certain profit, there will be no company and thus no jobs.
No, I'm not management. I'm just an MT. One who has been in business before and one who has a little more insight as to what it takes from both sides to make a successful operation.
Instead of doing all the back-biting and complaining on this board, why not ask actual questions to your company? Why not find actual answers with an open mind to understand how all of these things are determined?
Yes - you have a right to your opinion. I do as well. I completely disagree with yours and am stating so.
Don't read the posts if you don't want to. I wanted to respond to yours and have!
Spheris - HR Issues
I am a new hire with Spheris and can't seem to get ahold of the HR department. Has any other MTs had this issue? Do you know if they are understaffed and thus leaving the MTs hanging? 
No issues here, except never got paid
I never did get paid and gave my notice, and am still waiting for it, I am glad it is well for you, but a few of us it did not work out except for free work
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