So, MTSOs actually ENCOURAGE the leads.sm

• At TT, can I really make as much money with VR - as I do with MT'ing (assuming there is work).nm
  • this is nucking futs. - nm
    • wow TT hires alll kinds... - they have no work - so they post. LOL
  • No you can't. TTer down below is hogging all - the M&Ms. sm
    • No, many of us cut it....Just you fail, apparently. - TTer
  • no - njmt
  • Why would TransTech and others use VR if it was for the MT's wallets to become fuller???? - Don't believe anyone who says you can make more
    • Ignoring all the wrongful usage of the apostrophes in the - it
      • I could only make more with VR if the cpl were the same as straight.....nm - it
    • NO FAIR-WORK SHOULD FLOW NATURALLY - sm - Bayou MT
      • They sent an email asking for leads a couple of months ago - Just Wondering
      • Please clarify how leads take the best jobs.... - Hmmmm
        • DON'T GET CAUGHT IN YOUR OWN LIE. sm - Army Brat
          • yes, I second this, and it happens everywhere.....nm - it
          • My goodness, your ignorance and paranoia - Hmmm
            • Army Brat is 100% correct. - Almost a lead
              • So, MTSOs actually ENCOURAGE the leads.sm - Army Brat
                • Perhaps instead of whining and complaining - Hmmm
                  • WHO ARE YOU TO TELL US WHAT TO POST? sm - mt2
                    • Hmmmm has no right to voice things like that...sm - it
                      • CONSIDER THE COURSE & IGNORE.nm - Army Brat
                        • Sorry - meant, "Consider the SOURCE.NM - Army Brat
                      • Are you women or little girls? Free speech.. - Hmmm
                        • Opinions are one thing, but you - - mt2
                          • No sore spot at all. I simply do my job, - Hmmm
                        • But telling somebody to look for another job - it
                          • I see your point, however, the MT - Hmmm
                • Where does it leave regular MTs? - Almost a lead
              • No reputable company would allow - Hmmm
                • I didn't say the company was reputable. (sm) - Almost a lead
            • Why take it so personally? No one - mt2
              • Forgive me, but... - huh?
              • As usual, another one who knows - Hmmm
        • I really doubt this! Who and how are the jobs - ?
    • Yawn - Bored
      • OMG people!!!! - enough is enough!
  • Short answer. No. - nm

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First off I want to make it clear that I am not “bashing” any MTs by asking the questions below.  Also sorry this is so long.  Please bear with me.   -- Spelling and grammar police please take a break !!! 

I have been following some posts and just got curious.  So if we all could just take a deep breath, give it some serious thought, stay on point and not get carried away with other opinions, I think we can get some good honest opinions about why the MTSOs are treating their employees like “equipment.”  

What I have noticed is that when there are MTs looking for information about certain companies they often get replies such as:  I worked for them but “left after 1 month – 2 months – 6 months,”  Then there are MTSO owners who complain that after offering an MT a position the MT either says “no thanks” the day they are suppose to start working or are never heard from again.   This gives me the impression that there are MTs out there who treat working as an MT like they treat buying a new pair of shoes --- try them out for awhile and then return them if they don’t fit.  No emotional attachment involved. 

I am fast approaching 60 years of age and have been an MT for over 35 years.  I was one of the first to take the CMT test when AAMT first organized way back when.  My first MT job was transcribing from cassette tapes, using a typewriter and sticky paper for clinic notes and sheets of paper for hospital reports.  So obviously I have seen a lot of changes in the MT business.  Personally over the past 35+ years I have had 6 employers (4 inhouse before MTSOs offered working from home and 2 national MTSOs for the past 15 years).   Personally I am TERRIFIED of having to find a new job --- interviews, equipment setup, new platform to learn, loss in earnings during training, and so forth and so forth.  That being said I have a feeling I will need to be looking for a new position within the next six months and I am curious as to what type of employment search atmosphere I will be encountering. 

My curiosity stems from my impression that many MTs are comfortable “job-hopping.”  When they state they only stayed at a company for 1-2-6 months it is presented as matter-of-fact – no-big-deal.  I can see why they feel that way.  With several hundred MTSOs out there and most constantly looking for new employees, even the worst MT in the world could start working at age 20, work for a different company every 6 months and still not work for them all by the time they retire.  In my opinion that is what is causing the MTSOs to treat their MTs so badly, offer them less and less as starting wages, and not be responsive to questions or problems.  The MTSO invests quite a bit of money into hiring a new employee.  They either have to pay someone in their HR Department or a Recruiting Agency to do the initial resume search, testing, and interviewing.  There is a ton of paperwork.   If the MTSO supplies the computer, their IT Department has to set up the computer and ship it out which means shipping charges for the computer or paperwork.  And someone has to train the new MT.  All those expenses are incurred by the MTSO before the MT even starts to produce.  I can see why some of the MTSOs are resorting to questionable “bait and switch” tactics.  They probably also send out the oldest computers to the new MTs to cover themselves in case the MT quits and doesn’t ship it back in a timely manner.  It seems to me that the majority of complainers about type of work, amount of work, or computer problems that they are experiencing are the newly hired MTs. 

Because of all the “short-term” complainers, someone looking for information about a particular company is often given incomplete or misleading opinions based on limited information.   Can anyone honestly with 100% accuracy adamantly state a company is “#1” or “the worst on earth” when they only worked there for 2 months?  I would love to see any MT who posts a positive or negative comment about a company to also admit to how long they actually worked for the company and if they are currently employed there or not.  I think that would give their opinions a lot more weight. 

Obviously, not every MTSO is the “dream job” for every MT and for any MT to state they work for the “best company” is hubris and can even be fighting words to employees of other good or even great companies.  It can also lead to disappointment when an MT applies to the “best company” only to find out it does not fit their needs.  I feel that if the MTs on this board would try to leave personal opinions aside and give relevant information about a company it would be easier for an MT to find a good fit with ONE company and not have to “job-hop,”   If more MTs would work for a company for at least a year before quitting and moving on maybe the MTSOs would actually be willing to offer newly hired MTs the same respect they offer the MTs that have been working for them for 5-10-15 or more years.  

Finally to my questions.  I am curious to see if my opinion is based in fact.  Are there a significant number of MTs who “job hop?” 

These questions are primarily directed at employees of MTSOs, large or small, but  inhouse hospital or clinic MTs are also welcome to respond.  I realize IC MTs have a whole different set of guidelines they go by and often have multiple clients at the same time.  But if you are an IC and wish to give your opinion, please feel free to do so – just state that you are an IC so there is no confusion.  

Please answer as many questions as you feel comfortable giving information about (I hope you will answer most because of the anonymity of this board):

1.  How long have you been working as an MT?

2.  How many DIFFERENT companies have you worked for (even if it was only for a few hours) in the last 10 years?  (If you left but came back later that is only 1.) 

3.  How many companies have you accepted an offer of employment from but then never actually started working for them?

4.  How many companies have you quit working for within the first pay period?

5.  How many companies have you quit from? 

6.  Have many companies have you been terminated from (I guess the word “fired” from is no longer politically correct)  i.e. you were not meeting line requirements, QA requirements, time commitment requirements (signing on late, leaving early), or being told you don’t have the necessary experience/expertise for the accounts assigned to you, etc? 

7.  How many companies have you left because they were bought out by another MTSO and you did not like how the new MTSO was treating you? 

8.  How many companies that you were working for completely went out of business (was not bought by another company) and told you that you had to find a new job yourself? 

9.  What is the shortest period of time that you have worked for one company? (Even if it was only for a few hours)   What is the longest period of time that you have worked for one company? 

10.  Have you ever continued working for your former company while training with a new company? 

11.  Have you ever worked for two different companies (2 part-time or 1 full-time and 1 part-time) during the same time period?  For how many months/years did you work for two different companies?

12.  What is your primary reason for applying to a certain company (pay, insurance, flexible schedule, equipment provided, sign-on bonus, referral from another MT, etc)?

13.  What is your primary reason for leaving a company (cannot maintain minimum required number of lines, not assigned accounts or job types as originally discussed, running out of work too frequently, difficult platform,  computer slowness/crashes, management conflicts, QA conflicts, other “bait and switch” type of issues where the MTSO said one thing but you ended up doing something entirely different, personal, family, etc)?

14.  Are you really happy at your present company or are you just working there because you are afraid if you try another company it will be worse and not better?   How long have you worked at this company?  Do you plan to continue working at this company for at least 1 year (of course barring unforeseen personal or professional events).  Would you be willing to give the name of your present company?    

15.  Do you think you will retired as a Medical Transcriptionist (or in the Medical Transcription field, such as an Editor, Supervisor, etc) or do you think you will switch careers at some point before retirement?  

Thank you for your time. 

If you would like to e-mail me with any questions or responses, I would be happy to hear from all of you. 

Thank you for satisfying my curiosity and giving me some insight as to where the Medical Transcription field is heading in the future. 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS. 

If you've decided to join us in the fight to keep our confidential health information and MT jobs in the states and not sent overseas, PLEASE let us know and help encourage others to do the same.  I recently have and currently work for MDI-MD.  We really need to keep encouraging each other to make the move.  If you're not sure if a company outsources to either Pakistan, India, or the Philippines, just ask here.  We'll help figure it out for you!

Let's not quit and let this just remain a hot topic for a week or so!  WE HAVE TO COME TOGETHER!  Remember, if you take a cent less in pay, it's well worth it to help an American MT-based company prosper and help these companies that are more concerned about money than Americans' jobs lose MTs and possibly large accounts that these American MT-based companies could have a chance at acquiring.

This is US TAKING A STAND!  I just want to encourage you all to truly consider this. 

The companies I know of that definitely don't outsource offshore right now after THOROUGH research are Keystrokes, Axolotl, MDI-MD (where I work).  I'll keep researching.  Just remember to post here if you are questioning a company.  I'm still researching others and am including Pakistan and the Phillipines in my searches.

I'm contacting medical facilities in my area (Pennsylvania) to let them know that their confidential medical information could possibly be outsourced offshore and to consider helping keep jobs in America by researching their MTSO and hire a company that doesn't do this.  If you feel inclined to reach medical facilities in your area/state, PLEASE do this for all of your fellow MTs.  I know there is at least one of you in each state on this board! 

Hi, Thanks for your input. I did get a chance to read it before the deletion. I am searching again __________. I really wish I could find a place, where the pay is decent, with benefits, enough work and where the staff responds to account related questions. I am so tired of testing, thinking I have found the perfect place and then....................... Sorry just needed to vent a little.

Have a good Day!

Nope, I was called by my former Indian team lead in the begining of this week asking if I could come back to work for them. 

That being said, I had no problems with any of the team leads being Indian, was able to understand them and they were friendly.  My only problem was that before everybody left after being told they had to go employee, there was no work.  It could take all 3 shifts to get enough work for even part-time work on some days and we were told they would not pay down time if we didn't have work so a lot of my scheduled shift as an employee could be sitting refreshing queue without being paid for that time. 

I know that right now, there is pleanty of work but they are more than likely going to overhire.  They don't like work in queue at all.  If there are any reports sitting in queue on the weekend they want you working and threaten to hire more people, thereby taking work away from you.  I was shocked when I changed companies and found how much work stays in queue for my current account, very rarely running out and when I do I have a secondary and a tertiary acct.  Up until now I was always told by Focus that they couldn't do that so when I was out, I was out.  And, my QA is always excellent so it is not my quality that keeps the work from me. 

When I worked at Focus my team leads and technical support were in India, but they have just recently changed this.  Your team leads are now Americans.

when they don't type during the times they are acting as leads? Work does flow according to TAT and has nothing to do with assigning so-called crappy jobs and dictators to anyone. First in line, first in time is the way it goes.

are keeping track of line counts, right?  Then they should be quite aware of who isn't getting their count in and contacting those people to find out what the problem is.

in the U.S. by summer along with the QA team.  Come May, I was canned along with a bunch of other QA and management people.  Strange dontcha think?  Now they are singing the same tune to a different audience.  See ya at the unemployment office...

But I don't suppose this is a new issue, is it?  Leads have to get in their lines, too, which I was surprised to learn - however, it shed light on a lot of things, like getting all crap/ESL, difficult work, this was before good work went VR and we actually did have some good dictators. 

But as soon as one of the good jobs turned up in the MTs queue (after a while can often tell by MD ID#) - it disappeared just as fast, replaced by a piece of ----.  Had asked lead a few times after this happened, who rudely answered that, what difference did it make to me - I hadn't started on the job yet, anyway.

In all fairness, work should flow naturally - first come, first serve, with the next available MT for the next available job.  But as long as the Leads have control over this, they'll continue to get the best work.  Lot of complaints also on this board re. Cherrypickers and blaming the MT (who get blamed for most everything, anyway) we need to look at WHO has control over work distributed and who benefits from having that control, and it's not the MT.

I remember that well -- SUDDEN HURRY to get paperwork turned in to new company (same paperwork as a new-hire wound fill out).  Then the new payroll company did a horrible job of putting the data in, and made horendous mistakes in our personal info, etc.  I remember that HURRY very well !

No warning whatsoever to the MT's; just unbelievable mistakes made by new payroll company, and am sure it was due to the BIG RUSH put on them. 

They are absolutely stealing money from our pockets!  The work has dwindled down to nothing because of the leads/sups (all those micromanage people they have recently hired) taking the best work and dropping the most HORRIBLE in our queue.  They will deny the ability to do this, but it is an absolute LIE when anyone at TT tells their MT's this.  You can watch jobs line up in your queue and then POOF -- pulled out by those leads, etc. taking the job out.  TT thinks we MT's are too dumb to see what they are doing.  NOT !   I watch my jobs coming and GOING OUT!!!!!   Very disgusting to be treated like that.  I don't care if leads have to get their lines or not -- LET THE WORK FLOW AND QUIT TAKING THE CREAM OF THE CROP FROM US MT'S so that we can no longer make a living at Transtech.  We have to make our lines, too, and we have to PAY OUR BILLS, too !!!! 

What a mess TT has gotten themselves in, but it hasn't affected management's checks YET, so no matter to them.