Response to HD Wallen et al

I am the person who accepted a job with this company and then moved on to clients who offered higher pay.  I am writing for a couple of reasons, the main one being that the type of negative responses posted below really demonstrate how fractured this industry has become.  People are at each other's throats because of low pay, long hours, and general frustration on both sides of the coin, the worker bee and the company.

First, I would like to say that the person I dealt with at this company was nothing but honest with me from the start, and I think I was straightforward and honest with her.  Yes, the compensation was a good deal lower than I wanted, or needed for that matter, but my interaction with her was so good that I thought that perhaps we could make it work.  Sometimes, as you know, you will get a great dictator whose dictations you can zip through, and the faster you type, of course the more money you make.  The dictators I was given to transcribe for were, for the most part, extremely good.  And when I came across one who was so slow that I would have made no money at all, they offered to give me other dictators.  They were trying and so was I.  Had things not worked out the way they did, I think I probably would have stayed with the company.  They seemed both honest and willing to try to accommodate my desired work schedule and workload. 

I am a single parent and have been in this business for almost 18 years.  This job has allowed me to stay home with my kids and raise them and support them.  Looking back, I do not know what I would have done without having had this job.  Paying for daycare and a daily commute certainly would have made things more difficult for me than they already were. 

I am certainly not a job hopper.  I worked in my first job as a medical Transcriptionist for free so that I could learn the business.  I stayed at my second job for about 14 years until voice recognition shut down our small group.  I have been with my current, small company for a couple of years now and they, too, are good to work for but do not have enough work for me, having recently lost a large account to escription.  In somewhat of a panic, I responded to several job ads I found on this site, after recently doing a 200-piece mailing to local docs hoping to land some work.  Having been in this industry for so long, and wanting to continue working from my home with some flexibility to accommodate my children, I really felt that at this point in the game, my marketable skills were limited in terms of working outside my home.  I am the only player in the band here and being away from home anywhere from 8-10 hours a day would be very difficult for me, yet I have to work full-time to support my family.  Working outside would mean paying for more gas for my car, not being home for my kids, and all the other expenses that go along with working in an office, which is all I know how to do. 

I accepted the job from HD Wallen's company fully aware of what the compensation was.  I started out in this industry making .06 per line years and years ago and certainly felt that for .07 per line, this company would be getting a very good, solid, reliable transcriptionist to work for them.  Of course I feel that my skill as a transcriptionist is worth more, and it truly is a skill.  I care about the work I produce and do lots of research when transcribing in the hopes of being as accurate as possible.  Paying the mortgage and having Christmas for my kids, though, takes precedence, so I told them I would give it a try, hoping that, in the long run, things would work out.  Personally, I would prefer to work for a company because when you are on your own, you have all the additional responsibilities of billing and dealing with the clients, which can be very time-consuming and difficult.  I have had my own clients as well as worked for companies, and working for a company is certainly easier. 

Shortly after starting with them, I received two responses from my mailing.  Having given up hope, I was quite surprised to receive these two telephone calls, and even more surprised when I was offered a substantially higher line rate.  I had no choice but to call this company back and tell them that I would have to go with the higher rate of pay.  I offered to help them out if they found themselves in a bind over the next few weeks because I felt badly about agreeing to take the job and then reneging.  I tried to handle things as professionally as possible since I don't like to leave any job on bad terms.  I am pretty sure the person I was dealing with understood my predicament because she even offered her company's services to help with any overload I might have in the future.  In all, I have to say my short experience with this company was quite good and I think they would be a very nice company to work for.  I am going to hold on to their number in the event that I need to call them back for work.

In their defense, I must say that I think they, like the rest of us, are struggling in this business.  The competition is so fierce with outsourcing and escription and voice recognition that we are all looking at lower rates of pay simply because there is always someplace else to go where hospitals and doctors can pay less.  They often don't care as much about the finished product as we transcriptionists and smaller companies do because they are slicing their transcription budgets down to bare bones.  That leaves us worker bees forced to work for less and the companies forced to charge less and, therefore, pay less if they don't have a huge volume of work.  Other than the larger, national companies, I really don't see these smaller companies lining their pockets any more than we, as transcriptionists, are lining our pockets.

I really believe that, as an industry, it is time for us to fight back.  Rather than being at each other's throats, it is time for us to work together to take our work back.  Unfortunately, money always seems to be the bottom line, for all of us -- the transcriptionists, the companies, the hospitals, the small, private doctors' offices.  They want to pay less; we need to earn more.  HIPAA rules and regulations, to me, are almost laughable.  We have to sign privacy agreements, yet much of our personal, private information is leaving the country.  Voice recognition and escription lack much in terms of quality and accuracy, but they cost a heck of a lot less.  So where does that leave us?  Hating the powers that be because we can't make a decent living and they can't offer a more equitable wage.

For myself, I am worried.  Yes, I took on two accounts that pay a lot better, but so far the work has been scarce.  The holidays are around the corner and my mortgage is due December 1st.  At the moment, I have no prospect of a paycheck for the first time in 17+ years.  However, I am tired of sitting back and waiting to see what is going to happen.  I have to make something happen.  And I think that, as an industry, people need to band together.  Technology is the future, there's no way around that, but in our small corner of the world, we need to take back what rightfully belongs here.  I do not wish to take work away from anyone because I know how that feels and what the consequences can be, but when there are perfectly capable, hard-working individuals right here in the United States who want to work and want to earn, I think it is really unfair that we are being pushed aside.  We need to fight back.  But we cannot fight back if we are constantly fighting amongst ourselves because then all of that energy becomes negative and accomplishes nothing; it needs to be redirected to affect a positive change.

Like a lot of you, I am tired, too.  I have worked many, many long, hard hours in this profession, more than I ever would have worked in an office.  I have gotten up at 3:00 in the morning to work, worked long into the early morning hours, worked on Thanksgiving and Christmas, worked just about every weekend, and worked all through the summertime when many of my friends were on vacation.  No coffee breaks, no real lunch breaks, no paid time off, no sick time, no benefits that were affordable.  I have worked when I was sick and when my kids were sick.  But still, the benefit of being home with my kids has meant everything to me, so I have chosen to stay in this field, accepting the good and bad that comes along with it.  I have been very lucky to have employers who were good to me, though, and appreciated the work quality and volume I produced.  But I really feel that we are at a point in this industry where we need to get together and fight for what we know belongs to us and stop fighting with one another.  This site would be an excellent forum for that.  Yes, people in India need jobs, too, and I certainly have no ill will for anyone, but we, in this country, need to live and survive as well.  In this time of terrorism, however, it boggles my mind that our personal information is being sent to India.  If HIPAA regulations are to be taken seriously, we need to bring our work back home.  In all honesty, though, I simply don't know how we can accomplish that other than to band together and form a campaign.  On the other hand, all the technological advances available are difficult for we transcriptionists to compete with.  I honestly don't know where that leaves us; well, yes, I do: right where we are.

I am sorry that this is so long-winded.  I just felt that it was necessary to point out what may be some misconceptions about this company and to reach out to those of you who are as frustrated and, yes, I'll say it, afraid, as I am.  Hope you all have a good day.

Trish

• Why (Some) MTs have a bad name... - HD Wallen
  • Response to HD Wallen et al - Trish O'Neil
  • Just a thought - hangingon
  • Great post! Keeps us all grounded on what the MTSo has to put up with. - zzz
  • The state of MTing - MTness
    • Off Shore Folks - HD Wallen
      • But in the meantime, what are those of us - sm - There are just so many hours in a day...
      • I might add . . - MTness
        • It's that 'ol GREED factor, again! - no/msg. - You could never pay me enough to work in India!
    • So very true and I think sad at the same time...Nuff said...nm - Wow
    • MTing - anon
      • Interesting posts. It is good to hear both sides - Charlene
  • Job hoppers, undependable, drama queens SM - oh I know what you're saying
    • MTs become 'job-hoppers' because of a 3rd-world pay-scale, - sm - FedUp
      • FWOW - HD Wallen
        • I work 12 hr/day, 6 days/week, and my take-home pay - sm - NOT a 'McTypist'
          • if your take home is $6.50/hour and your doing quality MT work...sm - unbelievable
            • New? - Tammy
            • My, aren't we the Holy One. Talk about judgemental and - McTypist
              • if you are still working there for that particular wage...sm - unbelievable
            • make that you're doing, not your. sorry - unbelievable
              • I'll bet this one's a real joy to work for..... - NOT!
  • Hi HD. - Mel
    • Hey to you too! - HD Wallen
      • The pay cut I was asked to take was a reason I left. - Mel
  • I have been a recruiter for 4 different companies over the past 15 years. sm - BTDT
    • Why (some) MTs have a bad name - appreciative
    • If the good ones are so few and far-between, then - SM - FedUp
    • good post, but in response to 'why apply if you don't want the job'.... - zzz
    • I think you are getting what you pay for (sm) - MT
      • So true! - Jenn
      • AMEN to the max !!!! - nm - NOT a 'McTypist'
    • Willing to work - MT with 4 months of experience
      • If I were an MTSO, I would hire you in a minute! - zzz
      • Bravo! You are a smooth cookie! - see inside
        • I meant to say smart cookie! Sorry, heard snow on - the news in my area! NM
      • If the school was A or M, you would have SM - my 2 cents
        • Which school did you go to? - It was not C
          • What you are asking for is for - sm - the world has changed
    • You mention job hoppers in your post... - ..............
      • 4 companies in 15 years is not job hopping. sm - BTDT
        • I think the OP was stating that she got some - shifty people that wanted the work.
          • Offered - HD Wallen
    • It sounds like you may be a little jealous. - see inside
      • Well said . . . - MTness
        • Here is another side to look at. I am a transcription who is also an MTSO. sm - MTSO Input
  • Well can I just say - sm
  • Ack! - HD Wallen
    • LOL - NM
  • Thanks for making these points. - Always 2 sides.... nm

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I'll stick with MQ too!

their MAXIMUM line rate is $.05 gross line...... so much for that.

I have not heard anything back. 

What kind of platform do you type on?  Is it strictly internet based or do you have to have C-phone, extra phone line or other equipment? 

Thanks Again!

.....Could you tell me how flexible they are when it comes to putting you on accounts?  My absolute favorites are Radiology first and then Neurology second.  These are the accounts I would want to do.  I absolutely detest OPs and would not want to do these at all.  Would they be able to put me on the account I want?  Also, what is their pay rate? 

I too have worked in the hospital setting and at-home with several different companies.  I was happy with my first at-home company (Edix n.k.a. Spheris) until they sold the company and everything changed.  Since leaving them I have been working (if that's what you can call it) with InfoPro as an IC.  The work is never there ( example:  I only made $6,000 last year).  I won't get a paycheck this pay period because there hasn't been any work available.  I absolutely cannot make it like this and desperately need to find another job.  One that I know I will have the work available and also one that I know I will be typing what I like and not have to force myself to try to type what I don't like. 

My only problem is that I don't have a DAC-126 or C-Phone. 

Thank you again for your information and help, it is greatly appreciated.

I keep trying to post a response, but for some reason it won't post. 

I know a couple of people that have worked for the company - they were newbies.  They said it was awful - low pay and LOTS of ESL doctors. 

HOwever, I'm assuming that you are new to the industry, and this is a company that does hire newbies.  So you might want to use this as a learning experience to get your feet wet.  Or you may want to try a local hospital or clinic - I found that to be the absolute best experience around - because I had the help of other transcriptionists around me to ask and for feedback.

Just stay away from that company.

I applied one time and got a call from the owner.  It was not the job that scared me away, it was him.  He told me how he was taken someone to court about who knows what but I wanted nothing to do with that kind of thing.  Imagine someone calling to offer you a job and having to hear that non-sense.

Run, run stay away is my advice to you!

Several of us working there thinking the same thing.  It is a pattern and has not changed.  Several looking for other positions, but I think it is the same all over and nothing done about cherry pickers and never will be.  As long as there are in-house (hospital transcriptionists) it will continue and then you get the message that they are the client, but yet it is all outsourced to Keystrokes.  It is hard to trust or believe anyone in this business anymore, they are looking out for themselves. Just be sure this is what you want to do and don't give up something good for something you think may be better.  Wouldn't it be interesting if companies started giving their turnover rates? 

I was trying to stay within the guidelines of the original question which included being realistic. I think line rates should be at or above the level they were 10 years ago (I know . . . lot to ask). However, if the MTSO is working with a specific amt of dollars, the MT willing to slog through the difficult and slow dictators should be paid a higher line rate than someone transcribing ERs or appendectomies and C-sections.  I disagree with your statement that everyone is highly skilled. I could train high school students to transcribe ERs in three weeks that would be every bit as competent in them as someone doing ERs for 20 years. It is a narrow skill set. Don't let your ego get in the way of the facts.

I started out in ER but quickly transitioned to acute care.  I miss the ER - there are so many more normals than in acute care unless you get lucky with the op notes.  I will still get asked to do a chart here and there if they need a stat on ER.  They have good audio files.  I have never had a problem meeting the line count requirement for ER or for acute care.

Yes, they have a radiology team. 

No, right now you cannot access past charts, but they do have sample files/charts that you can refer to, and you can ask for a copy of whatever chart you have typed that you feel you would like to have for future reference. 

Took 14 days to receive check.  Could been the mail delivery system. Could not tell me date it was mailed.

No I don't.  The work just stopped.  I am still owed a check which should be going out on the 1st.  She mentioned she had major knee surgery and her husband mailed the checks but he was out of town and she couldn't tell me when it was mailed.  You could always call the physician you did the work for and ask them if they paid the company and them mention if you have to get legal representation that they may be a part of it.  Good luck!

xx

Yes, it was a job that was posted here, I believe, on 09/06, and the test was of the very doctor that was going to be the client. That was another clue to me that the applicants were being used to transcribe work for this recruiter.  That is way weird that she would send you a report with those names not bleeped out!  Definitely NOT HIPPA compliant!   

An incredibly nice lady from there actually called me just a minute or two ago to at least let me know she received my resume and answers to their questionnaire.  I just sent out a crapload of applications and this is the first company out of all of 'em that actually did that!  I'm very impressed with the genuine friendliness factor and hope they call me back with something that might be a good fit.  I haven't interviewed in years and I felt completely comfortable just chatting away for a bit with someone other than my husband and critters.