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In all honesty, the whole reason they need the MT

Posted By: is because of the client. on 2008-01-06
In Reply to: "They" ALL overhire; it's please the client first; not the MTs. - giddy pc guru

With no clients, there's not a need for an MT.  I think it's great the companies put the client first because after all they are the butter for the bread. 




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Appreciate the honesty! Thx. nm
m
Thanks for the honesty!!

It's obvious that you don't have a horse in the Transcend race and that you're objectively describing what really happens with this technology.  If you don't mind my asking, as a hospital employee, are you paid on a per-line basis or an hourly basis?  Because I think that also makes a difference.  If you're paid by the hour, you have the "luxury" of taking more time with a particular job to make sure that job quality comes first and are free of worrying if you're making your line count. 


I can't wait to read these boards about six months from now.  I want to see if all the Transcend cheerleaders are still cheering.  I believe it's human instinct to want to believe in and be loyal to and defend the company that employs you.  Two months ago, I was still a cheerleader and very loyal to Transcend, but when you are working as hard as you always have and suddenly, without any warning, you find your income has dramatically decreased and have problems paying your light bill, something is drastically wrong.


How about some honesty for once
Office staff = loose lips.  The name of outsourcing company starts with the letter N.  Do you want me to continue Romey??
Well.. in all honesty..... they were my ... sm
favorite national that I worked for... and believe me.. I've worked for most of them.. the only reason I left was because I was offered an editing job somewhere else... (lets say.. a Soft place in H E double hockey sticks) and at Transcend I don't think you can move to editing until you have typed there for a while.. Anyway.. my biggest gripe with them could only be that they were still using the Voicewriter phones which were a nightmare for me.. for some accounts becasue those hospital accts felt if they were getting their work done for a certain price using what they had.. why should they get something newer... Well.. those phones .. at least mine..was possessed or something... if my roommate even sat in front of it.. it literally would shut down and not work for a half hour.. anyway.. others were using voice wave files and I was dealing with this antique phone with bizarre set up.. which eventually i lost 10 days of work becaseu of. they have an awesome tech support team... and a good software platform.. .. i thought....
looking for honesty :) thanks.

Right now, I am employed as a full-time psych. Transcriptionist in an office.  I currently make 25k a year.  Before I make the plunge to invest in my MT training, i really need to know if I can realistically make the same amount of money my first year. 


i would really love to get into med. transcription, but my family's financial situation requires that I make no less than 25k a year.  I do understand that you make the least in your first few years, but im not sure we could afford that right now.


Is it realistic to expect 25k a year my first year? or should I wait until my family can afford less?


I reallu appreciate your honesty! if youo would like to reply by email, that is fine too.  Thanks so much!


Honesty please
Is it necessary for you to work at home or could you work in a doctor's office or hospital or outside the home? I was thinking a temp agency that specializes in medical personnel like Diversified Medical Staffing. I worked for them and learned a lot of different branches of medicine, drugs, etc. Granted the jobs are not permanent with bennies, but if you are looking to educate yourself without having to fork over $5K to someone else, I would try it and see. I also made a lot of useful contacts that I was able to utilize when I started my own business. I had 13 years of urology when I started from home but but was able to get into some temp jobs when I was downsized and enhance my employability. You can also get Stedman's books that will help you out along with the AAMT BOS.  I guess I would say do what you have to if your family depends on your salary.  Good luck to you.
Thanks to all of you for your honesty.. sm

Those are the things I needed to know.  I will keep looking and not give MQ another thought. 


Honesty, No Way!
Well, they can't be honest because they don't know how to problem solve. If these companies could learn how to manage, fix the problem where the source is instead of dumping all of it on the lap of the MT, they could level the playing field and well, it'd be a whole nother ballpark. If they kept track of how long it takes to transcribe Dr. Can't Speak, they could have a case to charge the hospital more who would, in turn, counsel the physician. But, as long as they are think the only way to get business is to tolerate any and everything, then, they can't be honest because they aren't willing to accept the responsibility for any of it. It doesnt cost them anything (except ridiculous turnover). Very immature managing in this industry.
Thank you for your honesty!! nm.
nm.
Thank you for your honesty.
nm
She asked for honesty
if you need to learn other MT lingo, you will not make close to what you are now, for a while.
Honesty is not the best policy?
I had an interview with a company who I know is hiring yesterday and when they asked why I left the company I was with, I was honest with them.  It was a simple error on my part and all of a sudden the mood changed in the interview and they didn't have anything right now...try in a couple of months! It doesn't pay to be truthful any more, I guess, but I'm not so sure I would want to work for a company anyhow who doesn't feel it is worthy of taking a look at me, even though at times I may have flaws.
Honesty a problem for you?
Or harsh reality?

Sorry, if you think it's okay to turn down positions with the current economic situation and then have someone whine about turning down a 'wonderful' job because it inconvenienced her, YOU have the problem.

There are countless MTs that would love to have the opportunity she just turned down. I'm delighted one of them will now get the position they're willing to work for.

I suspect you're REAL problem with my post is that I'm not a Bible-thumper, hehehehe.


Honesty, Loyalty, and Integrity! sm
A company that will be honest, no matter what the cost. Integrity to keep our records and work in the USA. Loyalty to your entire staff, let them know how important they are to the company, as well as loyalty to your clients. Keep your TATs and promises to your clients. Keep your promises to your MTs.

A decent line rate such as 10 cpl or above and flexibility!

Hope that helps!
Thank you and to poster above for the info. I appreciate your honesty.
the info and your honesty.
Blunt honesty is needed
We need to be blunt and honest with each other.  There is no time to sugar-coat or beat around the bush.  It was good advice that was given to you by the previous poster.  The truth is that you cannot make money by waiting.  I know that I delayed searching for another job, and now I am paying for it, because it does take a while to learn a new company, new platform, and to receive the first paycheck.  I waited for my original company to come through; all that happened was my bank account bottomed out.  Hindsight being 20/20, I now wish I had moved on much sooner!! 
Your honesty is refreshing,Tonya.
Thank you for posting, and thanks for being so forthright.
I applaud your honest reply. You will go far with your honesty! sm
I observe many coming on this board and bashing companies, but never once blame their lack of skills for not being happy or quite yet competent to do the work. We were all new MTs at one time. Hang in there and keep working hard; you will be rewarded. I just had to say how refreshingly honest your reply was. No, I don't work for Spheris.
Let me ask you this, please. In all honesty and not being snarky, how could/should we prepare ourse
for something like this? I've been an MT for 15+ years. This is really my first experience working for a large company though. I typically have local clients. This is really a new deal to me. What would you suggest to prepare ourselves and for future reference if we're working for another company, how do you prepare for this possibility? Thanks in advance.
Please read the post honesty is the best policy about ATSI
The post is  on this board and will tell you all you need to know.
Gosh..thanks for your honesty. I have not found ONE positive about them. I'll pass. You saved me
a lot of trouble it sounds like.
You can be fired for any reason or no reason at all.
No one HAS to employ you. No one MUST keep you in employment.

As an IC, your unemployment isn't coming from the account of your contracts! It comes from YOUR tax payments!


Maybe there's a reason for that.
I find it hard to believe that it's just a coincidence that so many people are having so many problems with so many different companies for it to be just the fault of the ones you call complainers. A lot of people really do something about, but it's still a big upheaval in their lives and I don't hold it against them just for looking for someone to share it with. 
The reason they are doing this
like the other person said is to be more competitive with the market but what they are actually doing is lining the pockets of the big shots they just hired with the savings they don't have to pay their employees. Goodbye!
The reason I'm asking sm

I just wondered what it would take to make that kind of money per line. 


I have close to 20 years experience in acute care and I was not offered even close to that, with only a half cent raise after the 2 week period, which still does not get me to what you are getting.  How many years have you been with them? 


 


Reason for U

Here is a reason, the owner of Omniscribe goes back on her word.  She will tell you one thing, then do another when the mood suites her with no thought to you as an MT whatsoever.  Is that a good reason for ya?  BTW do u work for her?  Why do you need a reason when someone tells you to beware of a company?  Isn't that reason enough? 


Exactly!! And that is the reason
work is being offshored!! People crazy enough to accept something ridiculous as 4 cpl!!
Some MTs will try to think of any reason why they just are
not hired. They totally overlook the actual problem, that being themselves! I guess they need an excuse so why not make up something called a black list? That's as good a reason as any to deny that you just lack the qualifications of some companies or just are not a good MT.


Any reason...
Yes, I believe you're right there. It is always easier to blame the other guy than to be accountable for our own shortcomings. The reality is that there ARE some good companies out there, not all are bad, and yet it seems they all take the heat with things like this. I find that unfortunate and would hope that any recruiter of those good companies would weed those folks out in the interview process.
For what reason?
Have you not returned equipment?  Do you still have a foot pedal, computer, etc.?  What else in the world would there be to bother you about?
This is the reason why (m)
it's impossible to get any real info here. You can't be honest unless you have only good things to say. I also would not be shocked to learn that people from the companies themselves post some of these questions just to see what kind of responses they get, then axe the people who respond in a way they don't like.
Because there's no reason..sm
..for the OP to want/need to know anything personal about us, let alone our SO.  And it doesn't matter why WE decided to get into the field.  Everybody has their own reasons, the way I see it, and why I went into it or why you went into it may be different than why he/she goes into it, so what difference does it make really.  That was the way I took it.  Seems very personal, just in terms of the asking about your SO part and the benefits.  I tend to think it's MTSOs trying to find out info on us and why maybe they don't need to offer us benefits.  Just being paranoid maybe, but you never can be too cautious these days.
Yup....that's the reason I went with them! (nm)

The reason I am an MT- sm

I have done this for 25+ years.  If I was choosing a career at this point, I don't know if I would choose MT - it has changed drastically in my lifetime.  However, I would like to tell you why it is chosen and why we do continue.


When I first started doing this, I had no clue regarding the enormous amount of information I would be required to learn.  I did not know that it would be an ongoing and never-ending process of learning.  I just thought it would be cool to type medical reports and wondered how hard it could be to listen to someone talk and type what they said!  When I started getting a clue it became a challenge.  I was already hooked, learning new things every day, feeling important because I had doctors talking into my ears, and knowing things about health/medicine that I had not known before.  After a few years of striving to learn medical terminolog and hours and of hours of research in books and online trying to make sense of what I was hearing, I decided I had invested too much time/effort to do anything else.


For every medical report that is typed, someone behind the keys has had to learn terminology, lab values, physiology, anatomy, medications, proper style/grammar, and do it all quickly. 


It is not the companies or the nickel/dime antics they play that keep us doing this.  It is a geniune love for what we do - at least for me.  I don't feel superior because of the knowlege I have gained over 25 years; however, I have worked hard to learn the things that make me a good medical transcriptionist.  I am happy with my job/life because I choose to be.  I could complain about the companies, MTSOs, etc., but I have worked at other jobs and had complaints.  If it was not a job, I would not get a paycheck. 


I love the field.  I enjoy typing medical reports.  I enjoy the research.  I am good at what I do.  By the way, if you ever find yourself on the receiving end of our work (in a hospital bed), think of your chart as the medical transcriptionist's gift to you - hopefully it will be typed by an experienced MT who stayed in the profession and knows how to do it right. 


ITA and my #2 reason I'm looking for another job. nm
 
I know the reason...

It used to be that the only abbreviation anything you could use with Lotus was what you could enter in MS-Word...no abbreviation Expander was compatible (for a lot of reasons I'm not going into just now).  In any event, there was a compatibility problem with Lotus not counting all the characters expanded by abbreviation programs and the transcription manager was having to go in and manually count the characters to give the MT the proper pay.  You can imagine that was a nightmare!


They have finally found a compatible abbreviation program that is fully compatible with Lotus...it is the only one compatible.  Good company, honest people...They WANT you to succeed.


The reason for that
is because OSi has a difficult time staffing and then the workload gets way behind. That's also why they offer such a big hiring bonus. Unfortunately most MT's don't stay there long enough to collect it.
I have no reason to lie.
I make copies of my report prior to uploading when they must go to QA. I have been an MT for many years. There have been times when I have left a blank in a sentence and after seeing what QA has done..they deleted the entire sentence. I had no problems whatsoever hearing the other parts of the sentence.

DSG sucks in so many ways it is not even funny. There are no checks and balances in terms of the QA staff. I have no idea what their requirements are but I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THEY HAVE ENTERED RUBBISH IN THE BLANKS!!! Terms that could not be referenced ANYWHERE!

SOOOOOOOO....while you are wasting time reading this board...why don't YOU go work on a plan to do audits of the QA staff. And, since you want to be so informative...what happened to the QA manager who was recently hired and now is gone???????? Huh????
she will want to know the reason
I think your liason will probably be willing to move you to a new primary, but I would guess that they would want to know the reason why you want to move. Just explain it in basic terms in a professional way.
Is this the only reason you
are thinking you might not stay? I am thinking about applying, but I would like some input. It seems like it could be worth waiting for pay if it is stable and on time. It might be a wait for the first check, but after that pay would be twice a month, so it seems like there is something else that you don't like. Is the line rate good? Since you have had a week or so, maybe you could tell me what their dictators are like and if you get put on a bunch of accounts or just one. How about the platform, easy to use or not? Any information would be helpful.
There is no reason to take this job...
There are lots of other jobs out there - apply to those.  Check the company board and you'll find reputable companies.  I've even applied in the past to companies that weren't advertising but actually did have positions available (just no need for 100's of applicants).  There's just no reason to torture yourself with this company.
This is the very reason
that companies overhire to keep their word with their clients regarding TAT.  They give the client their word the work will be kept in TAT and then the MTs do not work if they do not feel like it and what is the end result.  Same old story of how a few bad apples make everyone pay the price one way or another.
I think the reason
that they had to change it to the 7th and 22nd because we were needing a certain pay date. I know when I first started it was there like the next day, and then it went to two or three days. The more people they added plus the manual counting plus us always worrying is probably what prompted them to saying hey, it's just going to be the 7th and 22nd now.

Plus it does say in our contract they have up to 7 days after the cut off date.

(Maybe our banks should quit screwing around and just let the money go in there as soon as there is a DD, I know that would make things A LOT better! :) )
One reason
My experience with AllType was one of serious email communication problems.  Then, when the paperwork was finally sent, it did not reflect the information discussed during the interview.  Seemed like it would be a hostile working environment.  Just my opinion, but was enough to cause me to call a halt to the process.
One reason
Focus is not the same company that they were 2 years ago.  They were sold to Nuance in 2007.  They used to be nicer to their current employees, too, but that changed.
Here's one reason why :
In a word: * QA *.

You do a good job. You research. You proofread. You turn out a correctly transcribed medical document.

Then some Editor who is paid a low, per-correction production rate gets hold of your work for *random QA*, and since there's nothing wrong with your work, takes it upon themselves to make changes, so they'll get paid more.

And voila. Now you have a report that's a piece of crap, and you never know it until it goes to the doc, and the doc complains to the MTSO. Then you get called for the *mistake* and docked for it.
There is no reason to tell them you
are working PT for someone else.
There is really no reason to tell your
FT job you work PT for another company. The only conflict would be if your FT company supplied your computer and you used it to work PT for the other company.
another reason would be
that they should not to reduce your pay rate if you are more productive in order to save the MTSO money--your gains in productivity are their gains. An MTSO would have to hire fewer employees (less costs of doing business for things like benefits to employees) to get more work done. You are saving them money by doing VR at the same rate as straight transcription, so why should you have to take a pay rate cut as well? Doesn't seem like it should be necessary.
for whatever reason we tried for sm
a month and they could not get the software set up. They said it was on their end, nothing to do with my computer etc etc. Everytime things didn't work, then they would say it would be 3-4 days before they could try again. I was disappointed but couldn't keep fooling with all that. A month is long enough. Plus they got into my computer and messed it up and I had to get it straightened out. The account was going to be a good one though is the only thing positive I can say for my own experience.
I don't think that is the reason we were

asked to not copy and paste.  We are allowed to do that in Chartscript, just not Meditech. 


But it makes sense that it can be a HIPAA issue.