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No, that's not true. They work with you. Yes, you have to be FT to get benefits. sm

Posted By: KS MT on 2008-07-04
In Reply to: What about if you get one of the accounts from - me

but that is anywhere. They define FT by 12000 lines per period. They average it out. They take into consideration accounts, volume, slow periods, etc. If you are working FT and not getting the lines you need, they work with you to get there.

Someone is just trying to stir things up here, and I am not sure why, but it is very disheartening to see half-truths and lies about so many companies. I love working for Keystrokes. I average 2500-2700 lines per day but I have been doing this a long time and use my Expander for everything. I have an account that is considered a nightmare to some people, but I think that they come into it with a bad attitude. IMO, any account can be great once you get used to it, with Keystrokes or with any company, as long as the line count is accurate.


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Not true. I am 10.5 cpl with benefits
There are positions out there.  You just have to look.
That is true of most companies, not just in transcription. Benefits are usually sm
only for full-time employees. It only makes sense for a business owner to offer to only full-timers; they do not make as much profit on part-timers, so there is less money to spend on those benefits.
As a whole.. nice people to work for, decent benefits but the get off/on the system, work/no work,
is maddening. I couldnt pay my bills or even work the schedule I was assigned. They would ask us not to work until work built up in the evenings and I specifically wanted to work days as I have kids etc. It just didnt work out for me but to each his own. It just seems there has to be a better balance in this business that what is happening.
you have to have work to pay for the benefits
I started with them and had NO work for an entire week. I gave up and quit and then they didn't pay the training bonus pay and I had to go to the attorney general!
No benefits and lately no work...NM
NM
Does MDI-Fl have steady work? Are there benefits
nm
Great benefits don't help if the work isn't there.
It's been a while and maybe they've gotten better. The recruiter at the time was less than above-board with me. Try to find current employees to talk to.
Sounds like you want to work PT, but get the benefits of FT!

There are minimum requirements so that the employee must work in order to get health insurance, PTO, etc.  Why on earth would an employer offer someone a FT employee status, but then not put any kind of line requirement on them?  That's just absurd.


As a manager of a transcription department at a hospital that pays their MTs hourly plus incentive, if I didn't have minimum production standards in place, I'd have a bunch of hourly employees taking a million breaks and surfing the internet all shift long!  And still walking out with a nice paycheck and benefits to boot!  And my minutes would be through the roof with doctors screaming at me every minute of every day!


I feel sorry for the company that gives you a job.  You're looking to get off easy!


May I ask where you who get a decent cpl and benefits work?nm
nm
For IC work? 8 cpl is OK if you are an employee and getting benefits, but for an IC it's awful!
s
I work for them...benefits this year suck
God help us if we get sick. They deductible is sky high and no meds coverage. I can't believe they boinked us that way. I'm checking into other companies.
I work part-time for them, so I cannot help you regarding benefits. sm

The pay scale seems a bit on the low side (I started at 0.0825), but you are an employee, so they take out taxes and such, which is a plus for me, and you can raise your rate of pay according to how many lines per hour you type.  I do not have the tier right in front of me, but it is something like 150-170, add .015 per line; 171-215, .035; 216-230, .05; and so on.   I type 300 LPH on my full-time job but cannot seem to average more than 250 at Webmedx, so not sure if it is the way they count lines, or maybe I am just not used to my account yet.  The sound quality on some of the hospitals on my account is absolutely AWFUL, and no one seems to be addressing that, so that is a down side. 


They have their own platform and supply the computers.  Someone said you have the option of using your own computer, but when I asked, they said I had to use theirs, so I don't really know.  I would much prefer mine, but I did get a switch so I only have to use one monitor, keyboard, and mouse.


They charge a $125 deposit for the computer, taken out in installments of $25 per pay period, refundable when you quit and return the computer. 


The pay is direct deposit and always on time. 


I know they have benefits such as medical, dental, and vision, and a 401k, but I do not know the details.


Hope this helps.


Good luck!



It is IC work, no benefits, make your own schedule. sm

The pay is a bit on the low side for IC work, but the work is easy, the people are great, and the pay is always on time, once a week, direct deposit.  Hope this helps.



It's IC work-- no benefits, although they do pay self-employment tax portion.
Technically, we're hired as SE status (statutory employee status), which means that MDI pays our self-employment taxes to keep us from getting that double tax whammy.
Anyone work for Axolotl? Curious as to cpl & benefits
I've been an MT for 15 years with local clinics & am looking nationally now.  Any info would be great....cpl range, insurance costs, PTO, etc.  Thanks!
They had great benefits and little work. I lasted three
nm
Great benefits, plenty of work, pay on time
Depending on experience, slightly above-average pay. I used to be with a company where I would have given my right arm for those few simple things. As for the posts below regarding line count, IF this (or any other concern) was affecting my work, there's a new invention called a telephone that comes in handy when wanting to address concerns (and their phone number is on their website).
Agree. Had to leave. Loved it there but no work and no benefits.
nm
I get no benefits where I work and I do 1500-1700 rad reports a pay period. sm
This is the norm, not the exception. If a rad Transcriptionist cannot do 20-25 reports an hour, they need to look at a different field.
Any current information on Medware such as work load, pay, benefits, etc.
Thanks for anything you have.. the good, bad, and ugly.
Good luck to you. Hope they are lenient with the benefits with all the low work. nm
.
Where I work I was told I had to get them in or be put back to PT status and lose benefits. nm
.
No one said KS was out of work or low on work. The opposite is true. sm
I have heard that every account is busy. My primary is and both my secondary accounts are looking for extra help.

Isn't MDI Florida part of Transcend now? Maybe the work is going to India. They are pretty open about that.
Transhealth editors? Anyone with information on pay, work schedule, benefits, platform
I would appreciate any information before taking their test without knowing the scoop.  Thanks!
This is so true. I bet we all work for the
same company. I still think it is great work and great accounts, just with you and the OP, don't understand how we just cannot at least be made to feel secure in our jobs. Why the constant fear. Catch more flies with honey than vinegar, but then again, fear of the economy is also a threat.
Can anyone provide a name of a good smaller company to work for that offers decent benefits..
I want to get away from the "nationals". I know there are smaller transcription companies out there looking for a good MT.. Hopefully someone will have some good advice for me.
WEBMEDX???? It's a small national, right? Benefits, running out of work, what kind of accounts,

flexible schedule (as in working EVERY weekend mandatory? 


Any opinions on the company would be appreciated.  Found some in the archives but all mostly from 2004 and 1 recent post but not much info.  Thanks.


true, at least they can work in their jammies...sm

That was in the ad that started me in this rant in the first place.  Stay home and stay in your slippers all day if you want.  No gas expense?  No uniform or clothing expense?  (I don't know about you but I do wear clothes regardless if I am working or not, LOL


  In the same paragraph...we are not a work when you want company. 


All transcriptionists are scheduled on a daily duty roster.  If a Transcriptionist is scheduled, then they are expected to be on working.  While working from home does allow for distractions, _______ requires that all schedules be upheld per the scheduled roster without exception.  This is not a “work when you want” corporation.


 


While it is true clients can set forth when the work is available
This particular ad stated these are straight shifts and not flexible. That is a no-no in IC, IMO. They can say when work is available but can't dictate what hours you work, period.
true, tho, would work for the painter. sm
painter - do not back down, have no fear, and stock up on gumption! We are all here with you as you represent ALL of us.


Yes, it's true you do not have to work weekends/nights
They let you choose your own work schedule when you start.  They use Dictaphone with Word.  It takes a bit of patience to get used to what you're supposed to do as far as finding the right visit or if the doctor inputs the wrong work type, etc., but as a program in general, it's simple to use.
True - Regardless of line rate, if the work isn't
flowing like you need/want it to, then you'll not make your goal.


They do not pay the MTs a true line count anyway. Why would anyone work for them? nm.
nm.
It does not matter who you work for, a true QA person
who is worth their weight in gold, will NOT take a position that pays any other way than by the hour. It does not matter if it is regular QA or ASR, there is no difference. I have seen ASR where you have to retype the entire report; of course that also means that you have to take out what is already there. If you are a QA specialist and have 100% listen, many blanks (I see them in every report), difficult dictators (which is no problem with me but is with the MTs), there is no way on earth you will make a wage if you are paid on production and these companies that do this, do not give a hoot about quality and they also do not give a hoot about their QA people.
This is most certainly true. The work ethic has changed
And it is an old fashioned thing to stay, rather than throw away a long-term relationship or seek one out. Looking for something new and better rather than building seniority seems to be the ideal these days. I am not saying not to leave if something is wrong. Any intelligent person would do so. But to want longevity in a particular company that seems to be a thing of the past, not only in this business, but in many. Times change and people change. For me, bird in hand worth 2 in bush. :)
Not true - been doing clinic work for 8 years
and while yes, there are things such as px and other things you can make macros for, my docs say a lot of different things based on who the dictation is going to and what the problem is, also personal things pertaining to that patient. I have found OP notes have more of the same things in them than clinic notes and can make you more money.
Need current info on ETransPlus i.e. work load, line rate (ballpark), cost of benefits, SM
and overall treatment of their MTs.  I found archived opinions but all old.  Is anyone there now that can comment?  Thanks!!
That is not true on all accounts. Mine is always out of TAT with plenty of work.
The teaching hospital accounts are pretty busy all the time. Ask to be put on one.
True but I got news for ya - you aren't going to get steady work anywhere that way.-
An MTSO has an account to cover. Period. She will give the work to whomever is willing to be flexible enough to cover the account. Even an IC has to work within some framework, not just whenever I feel like it, right?
i don't find that to be true, i work there & haven't had problems with pay. sm
never have i encountered disorganization or rude people so far. maybe things have changed or wrong company?
Not true. There are many industries that pay according to "piece work" or commission or any n
employee positions as well. If you are to be paid whether there is work or not, you would have to be a set hourly rate, no extra pay for really good production hours, etc. As an MT, I would lose money if that is the way I was paid. In any given week, I average 26.50 per hour for the 40 hours, but some of those hours I make $40 and some I make nothing.
You can believe those on this board saying NO WORK at Transtech ! Absolutely true !!

Getting worse and worse every day.  They are going to VR at a VERY FAST PACE, which pays so little you cannot survive on the money UNLESS you work 60 hours a week OR are one of the supe's fav's that get the better dictators.


There is always an excuse by TT as to the low work, but remember that doesn't pay our creditors.  Work disappears in large chunks when were at getting almost out of TAT (if ever) so it is going somewhere.


TT is turning out to be like every other MT company out there - more and more executives/supervisors to pay and not a single penny raise for the MT -- much less provide work for the MT's on a consistent basis -- not near consistent basis.


very true... MT wages won't cover holiday work and sm
grocery stores, nurses, those people usually VOLUNTEER and are not forced into their shifts. Some people want to work on holidays and get DOUBLE or TRIPLE pay, not 9 cents a line to do an ESL that makes you $10 an hour. And what does Obama have to do with it?
NOT TRUE! I worked every account and all work types and couldn't
nm
That's not always true. I have been editing a Powerscribe account for 2 years. The work sm
has actually steadily increased due to fewer and fewer radiologists self-editing their own work.

I know of at least 4 other Powerscribe accounts at Keystrokes that are also increasing in volume for the same reason.

I am sorry that the account you were on with Webmedx went to total self-edit. I know that Keystrokes had a few that did that too, just not all of them.
Glad that's true for you for 8 years. Not true for many. I love the company, but I do run out of
as do many others. Wish I were as fortunate as you.
Not necessarily true. That is not a true test of skill.
Do you know how many people get others to take tests for them? It happens and it happens more often than you might think. The only skill that shows anyway is that you can do it.

We are actually more than a transcriptionist. We are specialists in our field and we are supposed to know some things regarding anatomy and physiology as a working base. That's how we can judge if a physician dictates something in accurately and many do because they can't pronounce or just are not thinking. That's why our skills of basic knowledge come into play and that means basic knowledge of body parts. If our job was just to sit there and type without thinking about what we are transcribing, then all patients are in trouble and this is just based on what I see as a QA person.

It's more than just knowing how to transcribe and some of the companies have discovered how to know what your basic knowledge is based on what you have picked up with your experience by utilizing your references etc. Hopefully that utilization of your references has taught you something that does stick in your head.

Beliefs like yours are just so far off base. You have to know what you are doing. It's not just about being able to listen and type. Base knowledge is a very important thing and the services have to find a way to know that knowledge base that is there in your head.


This is true. Shift does matter. I work 2nd shift and really have not had any issues with not havi
x
This may be true... and that is philisophically true, but
and pay bills while being screwed? This is what I think the OP is scared of... I certainly agree and honestly think it is unfair to put people in this precarious position... on one hand be grateful you still have your job, or a job, and on the other, immediately there will possibly be a cut in pay, for which you may have to give up your home, or medicine or reduce your budget for food. I don't know if I am the only one, but I think the OP still has a good head on her shoulders and that may be the problem...at least for employers out there who are switching to VR.. and their employees
Sad but true. You're asked to work NOW, then asked to stop NOW, then go again and then stop
If you dont get off the minute the hospital asks, even if you have no idea that they have requested that your to be off, then the hospital MTs steal your work right out of your queue and I mean reports you have already done. I dont understand the concept of having a contract with a hospital and then having to fight for work with the hospital MTs. We should have guaranteed work during our shift and enough of the the hospital wants you to help right now and then a few hours later they want us to stop working as the work is too low. It is crazy and I couldnt work like that so I had to quit.
Also looking into them. Do they have benefits?

TIA.