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Well, then I come to this board to get both sides of the story

Posted By: newhireMT on 2008-10-04
In Reply to: Actually sm - mt

and I appreciate hearing your experience. The best thing for me to do is be aware of this, keep working at my old IC job, and try this one out. If I see what you are saying, then it simply will not work out for me. What I have to decide about though is do I need the stress of even trying. It has been a bad year in transcription and I am not in the mood for many more of these types of games. Simply put. So do appreciate your feedback and I probably should have just stuck with the IC I have and increase the work load. Now I have to go through this trying out a job again, and ugggg, what a pain in the neck!


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There are two sides to every story. The MTs sm
that commented worked/works there. You do not. So I wouldn't put to much weight to what you say.
There are two sides to every story...
I have worked for Breitner for four years and have always been paid on time.  I have never had a payroll issue with this company.  Just so everyone knows...if this occurred, it does not occur across the board.  Let's be fair.
There are 2 sides to every story. If you were a good employee, sm

if you called the office and told them that you had a medical emergency, there is no way on this green earth that they would lock you out of your account for that reason.  Absurd.  I've had to leave work due to illness.  That's part of life.  TransHealth is extremely accommodating. 


There is more to the OP's story than meets the eye. 


Remember..."There are 2 sides to every story" and "you can't believe everything you read
x
Really? Because I see it on both sides

I see your point about some naysayers, but assuming the ones that are unhappy are job-hoppers and unhappy people isn't the nicest comment I've ever heard either.


I think this is really sad for several reasons. We're all at risk for our skill being replaced by VR and outsourcing, we ought to be supporting each other in ways we can make effective change by preventing that from happening as best we can and getting together and finding constructive solutions about proving that our value is just as important as expensive machinery or labor from foreign countries.


Many people are just realizing this,scared about the future, and trying to shop to find the best deal possible that's still out there, not realizing that they're all about the same at present, it's the state of affairs in the MT world.


If you want to stay with it and keep trying to find a way to beat VR and make a living still, that's cool, but it's okay to realize that some things are more tolerable on the job than others, and to each their own about what should be acceptable business practice. :)


Looking at both sides ..
I recruit and I see both sides of this story on a daily basis.  We provide equipment and we pay very well and are employee status.  I have people lie to me, hold equipment when they decide they are not interested in the job because they actually have to work, and have every excuse why then cannot work.  On the other hand, I have dedicated, extraordinary people who go the extra mile, can actually figure out their own computer and how to turn it on and maintain their QA and really make my life a pleasure.  I know that you cannot have it all .. but I will say this, if you are an MT who works for a company that can't get it together you might want to write to me and investigate working with our group.  We are growing and have no intention of offshoring no matter what, have benefits available that are excellent and for employee reasonably price (family is terrible nearly everywhere though this actually covers you).  I transcribe right along with people if need be and we genuinely care about the people who work with us.  We are on dial up right now but will be going to our web-based system in September.  We have more work than you can imagine and if you are willing to dial up with the rest of us for a fe months, then life will be good .. very good .. come the Fall.  You must be willing to commit to your schedule and do your work .. sounds easier than it usually turns out to be I am sorry to say.  Have a good holiday weekend. 
Not taking sides
Actually I am in the same boat as everyone else. You have to work harder to make more money because this industry does not give raises. Our economy is hurting; however, I would NOT want live in India or any other country that is being sent work because their economy is obviously worse.

Also OFFSHORING is when transcription is sent to other countries. Outsourcing is what hospitals to when they send their transcription to companies rather than being done in house.

Lots of industries are offshoring. I just sit here in my peaceful living room and decide how much money I want to earn today and determine how hard I want to work. Some days I don't want to do it at all. Other days I am grateful I don't have to go wait tables or tend bar for a second job. As much as people complain about this industry, I can't think of anything else I would want to do to make extra money.
not taking sides but...
I completely understand what you mean about the pay...it is quite a long time to wait for a full paycheck.

But...you really should have read your contract BEFORE signing it so you only have yourself to blame for that aspect.
Two sides to the coin
I have worked for Phoenix for two years on both their Emdat platform and a Lanier account. I am delighted with both though I will admit the Emdat was awkward to set up with expanders/autocorrect.

Nevertheless, the folks are a joy to work for, keep in touch enough to feel in the loop, and answer e-mails promptly. Pay is fair, work is steady. Couldn't ask for more.
I understand both sides of the argument...
But I believe that a lot of the posts are from management.  They really should not disguise themselves as MTs and try to trick people.  Just let the truth be what it is, and if you do not like the truth, then do something at your company to change it.  All the effort that is being put into posting on this forum by management from various companies should be put into different programs, incentives, or maybe just a nice word or two to their transcriptionists to try and make the companies better.  I value this forum and believe that MTs need a place to communicate these things to one another to possibly prevent someone else from going through a bad situation.  I do believe that some MTs do need to let it go sometimes, but when you know that it is management posting to try and prove you are wrong, that just makes you more determined to prove you are right.  Just my opinion so don't jump all over me. 
I love it there.. two sides to each coin.
My team is really great. I was so thankful for the nice card, handwritten, and also an unexpected gift card.
I never overreact. I thoughtfully consider all sides. However,
the tone of your continued arrogant, hostile, and rage-filled posts only points out that you are the OP masquerading as management in a fury about an email sent out which by no means can be construed as breeching any matter of confidentiality. Your threats were laughable as witnessed by the counterposts.

You would do us all a favor now if you would go take your medication. Dosages should never be skipped. You should know that if you are an MT.

I don't know. Still trying to figure you out. You seem to be so ugly and hateful. I bet your mama had to tie pork chops to your ears so the dog would play with you.


Agree with both sides to an extent...
I worked as an IC for years before going to work for a hospital and then am now at an MTSO for the majority of my work. I also have had my own conract on the side for over 5 years. They call maybe 1-2 times a week for a missing document. When gas starting becoming outrageous early this year, I started charging them a courier fee since I still pick up tapes and print out documents. They have no complaints and I have no complaints. Seems like a win-win for both of us....and I make great money for 8-10 hours a week of their work since he has gotten to be so easy to do. So, for extra money, this is DEFINITELY the way to go. I know a friend who started her own MTSO and it is a pain marketing/invoicing and doing administrative work and has heck of a time finding and keeping quality subcontractors. If I oould find another client like THIS one, I'd be working 20 hours a week and making full-time money!
I think we DO need to "take sides" on this issue.
This lawsuit, or even the threat of one by an MTSO of an MT, is nothing more than an attempt at INTIMIDATION. It's the big companies' modus operandi these days: 'You're lucky to have a job, so accept that 3cpl and quit yer bellaching.' 'MTs can be sued for typos.' 'Say anything against us, even if it's true, and we'll sue your @$$es.'

MT has become an 'Us vs. Them' scenario, and regardless about how you may or may not feel about this one particular company is really beside the point. This is a large company that represents other large companies just like it, and when ANY company starts to throw its weight around in order to try to 'control' what MTs do, it affects all of us. We certainly wouldn't want them setting a precedent and this sort of thing becoming the norm, would we?

MTs need to stick together and support each other, even if there is some perceived risk in doing so. ESPECIALLY if there is risk. Because when a company acts in such a manner towards a current or former employee, it ultimately affects ALL of us.
I have worked on both sides, Merit and dictaphone.

I think the Dictaphone is better but the account I had you could not view old reports.  You could open up another text client and view them that way, but opening up 2 word documents of any kind messed things up and I had to get out of everything and start over. 


As far as the dictators, I had an easy-dictator account with both Merit and Dictaphone and  yes, there was more than enough work to do on the Dictaphone side but the Merit account ran out quite a bit.    I had encountered 3 different team leads during my stay tere and all were as nice as they could be.


Interesting posts. It is good to hear both sides

I can understand the employees who want everything and give very little back.  Very frustrating.


But then you have the situation described for the employee where there is no job satisfaction, no family/personal life allowed or frowned upon by management and no chance for promotion.   And then being compared to an Indian who has a completely different social environment. 


I know mothers who are IC and while they do take time off during the day for their kids (how dare they make dinner for those kids and hubby) but then they work long into the night after kids and hubby have gone to bed.  There are no weekends with their family either.  And the work reward is the pay will be lowered because the client wants to pay a lower rate.  It is not exactly incentive to work hard without any breaks and ignore the family in favor of what the company needs.


I remember years ago working for a start up company and the manager did not want the single girls to date at night and instead work late.  She thought they should be devoting their time to their career in transcription.  Well a Transcriptionist could do that but whether she worked harder or not the pay would be the same and she would always be a transcriptionist.  The manager on the other hand if the company did well would receive promotions and raises I am sure.  So that is the difference....management perks vs worker bee perks.  It was easy for her to give up a social and personal life because the rewards but the transcriptionist typing straight for hours and hours would see the same pay day in day out, no advancement or recognition for working harder other than not having a manager angry. 


However after reading that post I will be aware  and really give it my all. I do understand the need for a better work ethic.   I see what the management wants and needs.  Especially when managers are spending Thanksgiving with their families and the transcriptionist is working for 7 cpl with no break.  It is the American way of doing business.


I like Sue but Deb is another story.
She needs to get a life and get out of management.  She is one of the most unfair people I have ever met in my life.  She has pets that get the cream, and the rest of the world suffers.  Just pray she doesn't go back to typing, she is a big-time cherrypicker. 
There is WAY more to this story and I'd like to know what it is.

I received the same letter and I have no qualms whatsoever about posting what it said because I've already consulted an attorney regarding it and know that I can't be held accountable regarding internal corporate privacy issues because I no longer work for them.  I'd like to know if this is a tactic that Transcend is using to either intimidate those who have left or try to cover their own behinds from future lawsuits.


The letter that I received had a release that said:  ""Based upon the above, you hereby release, for yourself and all people who may act on your behalf, Transcend, and its subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, employees, and agents from all claims or causes of action, arising from or relating to your employment with Transcend, including, but not limited to, any such claims or causes of action arising under any Federal or State law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1965 and 1991 or the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended."


Several people I have spoken to received this same letter and were asked to sign the same waiver.  I have no intention of signing this, and in fact, the attorney that I consulted found it very interesting that they would need to be released from any future actions and told me to keep my eye out for future class action lawsuits.  So, yes, there is WAY more to this than is being said, but it isn't on the part of the MLSs.  You may be happy working under those circumstances, but don't bash the ones that aren't/weren't and try to make it look like they're the ones hiding something.  If the MLSs were the ones in the wrong, you can bet Transcend would have had their attorneys on it in a New York minute, but instead it's the other way around.  They feel that they have to have ex-employees sign papers to release THEM from lawsuits.  Why?


More to the story????-sm
It's just wonderful for you to stick up for Keystrokes, but I draw the line at letting you insinuate that there was more to my story than what I stated. HOW DARE YOU!! I have told my side with nothing left out, and you know nothing of the situation, so please keep your slanderous comments to yourself. I took that job in good faith, left my other job, was promised to be paid becasue the "account" didn't go live on the date I was hired for, told "not to worry" I would be covered, and NEVER HEARD ANOTHER WORD. What do I have to do to make you understand that all your excuses for Keystrokes aren't worth a fiddler's fart to me when I don't have a job. Next time, think about what your are accusing someone of BEFORE you spout off for your wonderful company.
More to the story
Melody did not go to OSi from L&H. She has only been with OSi for a couple yrs. Andy, Teresa and Beth were with L&H (Atlanta office). I don't know what happened to them when they started their own company. Down hill all the way. Greedy I guess. OSi is one of the worst companies out there. I worked there for over 2 yrs and left about 3 months ago. Steadily watched it get worse!

The Trans-Tech folks were out of the Houston office of L&H.

The Dallas office was one of the best offices of L&H.
My story
My process went smoothly, over about a week's time.  I spoke with recruiter and then spoke with the transcription supervisor, which was nice because you can ask specific questions about the accounts, etc.  I delayed things several days until I made my decision, but then gave two weeks notice to my other employer and started promptly after that.    
And there is so much more to that story. sm
The field is changing.  Why pay a good experienced seasoned MT 10 cents a line and benefits (what I used to get) when an Indian MT will do it for 2 cents and then pay 3 cents to have it proofed.  Small MTSOs can't compete and are selling out.  Some are holding by their fingertips to the chasm that has opened at their feet, competing with the larger companies who underbid them because they can.  Offshoring has ruined this business and it has hurt a lot of people, not only in the MT industry.  Those who defend it have sold out a whole lot more than they may ever know. 
Same story with me -
Been with them nearly 15 months and now cannot meet my line counts because of constant NJA. Not a single e-mail I have sent to my supervisor concerning workflow has been addressed. I am keeping my end of the deal - high QA scores, working when I say I am going to work, and up until just recently had no problem AT ALL meeting my line counts. I am also looking elsewhere. What a huge disappointment they have been!!!
Try this story. sm
Article published Thursday, April 27, 2006

Manor Care's profit drops 39% in first quarter


Manor Care Inc., the nation's largest nursing-home operator, reported yesterday that its first-quarter profit dropped 39 percent, largely because of accounting for stock rights given to many of its workers.


This month, many companies will begin accounting quarterly for costs of stock options for executives.


But Manor Care said only a small portion of the $11 million accounting hit for employee stock in the quarter was related to options. The majority of the one-time charge involved stock awards for non-executives.


The firm also said it is getting out of the medical-transcription business, resulting in an additional accounting charge of $7 million. It said it is in discussions with third parties to evaluate alternatives for that business segment.


Manor Care reported profit of $24.5 million, or 30 cents a share, for the first quarter, after one-time charges. That compared with $40.4 million, or 46 cents a share, in first-quarter 2005. The firm also said its revenues in this year's first quarter totaled $869.3 million, down slightly from $879.2 million a year ago.


Excluding the one-time charges, the firm earned 51 cents a share, a penny above the consensus of analysts polled by Reuters' Estimates.


Several analysts said Manor Care did well despite significant cuts in Medicare-reimbursement rates.


Despite the one-time charges, First-quarter operating performance was particularly strong, Paul Ormond, chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement. He noted that occupancy rose to 90 percent, the firm's highest in more than a decade.


Geoffrey Meyers, Manor Care's chief financial officer, that Manor Care decided to leave medical transcription because it had not been consistently profitable.


The company's shares closed at $43.41, up 16 cents, in New York Stock Exchange trading.


Manor Care reported in its proxy statement this month in advance of its May 9 shareholder meeting that five top executives made about $19 million from exercising stock options in 2005 and were granted new stock options worth an estimated $9 million.


The company declared a cash dividend of 16 cents a share yesterday, payable May 26 to holders of record May 12.


Contact Homer Brickey at:
homerbrickey@theblade.com
or 419-724-6129.

I think you have not gotten the whole story - sm
I still have a team lead and shift leads.  I cannot speak for other teams, but for my team this is the case.
same story with me

I had to purchase a C-phone - $150 (used). switch cable providers to get unlimited long distance ($40 a month higher) which includes installation fees, not to mention the hassle of coordinating that.  I already had an Expander program or that would have been another $100.  And then I start on an account where there was no way to go above 100 lines an hour.  Believe it or not; as you wish.  It happened to me also.


 


I know there is more to THIS story. (sm)
Maybe that person was someone who had to be chased down to work.  They only put up with that for so long.
SAME STORY!!!
That I got!!! The first check they finally overnighted to me was way below what they owed me so they sent me a second one for the entire amount without taking any taxes out. My head is still spinning!! How do they stay in business???
my story...

I, like so many others, thought this would be my dream job and eagerly took a course and unwisely left my 40,000 a year job to go headfirst into MTing, and am still trying to make enough to survive.  My husband is a physician, so I thought it would be okay to take a paycut until I learned the ropes.  I became obsessed with doing more to earn more, and he started to resent the time I was spending on the computer and not understanding what it takes to be an MT, even though he is a physician/dictator and should know the skills involved and the learning curve. 


My husband and I are now separated and I am still struggling to make ends meet, now with even less security.  I have moved in with my mom because there is no way I could afford to pay rent, but still have a car payment and credit card bills.  I am beginning to think my husband was right and I have made a big mistake.  I still love this field and would do it for years, but as a second job.  I am now looking for other employment since I am physically and mentally exhausted and wondering how I got here.


My story
Well as I said I work on the Cardiology account which covers a large cardiac practice, I would say about 14 doctors, a couple of nurses & PAs that dictate. There are 2 ESLs I believe, although one of the other dictators is much worse than the ESLs. The rest are good or average.

I know Probity has many hospital accounts, but I don't know anything about them. You should ask before you leap. They are very good at responding to questions even prior to you accepting the offer. They told me what account I was hired for right away, I only took the cardiology test, so I assumed anyway.

If I can answer anything else let me know.

Same old story
Do you get your kicks from posting about TTS about every week or so? You have nothing better in your life than this? I am sorry you did not measure up to their expectations. Why don’t you just drop it? Not everyone feels like you.
different story then. If they have sm
changed in the middle then I don't blame you. Just out of curiosity (I am IC myself) if you ignore their notes, etc. etc and just keep doing what you have been doing, will they lock up all access to your work or will they just ignore it? If you are going to take the risk of losing your job anyway, I think I would just go ahead and try typing my own schedule, ignore their e-mails and see what happens. I have had these threats in the past too and I always ignore them. Nothing has happened yet. I won't say something won't happen but so far so good. I am prepared if and when they do decide to can me. Like you, I am an IC and nobody is going to tell me when to work.

I just started to apply for a job yesterday and when they sent their application, that was one of the questions........what schedule do you plan on working. I put on there that I was IC and would give them a certain number of lines per day but I WOULD NOT give them a certain schedule. They may call back, they may not, I don't care.

Another poster stated that because of all these schools and their promises, the money MTs have put into them, etc, MTs were willing to work for nothing just to be working. She is correct and the cycle needs to be stopped. I understand when you are backed in a corner and don't know whatelse to do, but somehow this has all got to stop and it takes folks like yourself and myself to put our foot down and say no more! We take a big risk of having no job, but who else is going to do this? After 32 years in this business, like yourself, I am fed up with the way things are going in MT and will not tolerate it any longer.
That was the same story for DRC - which
Then they burped and spat out most of DRC's great management people, many MTs, an account or two, and a large chunk of cpl change.
Same old story. Sorry for you.
Ofcourse they are not going to tell you that you are about to lose your job until THEY are ready for you to go.  Absolutely SUX!  It can happen to any one of us at a moment's notice.  Really stressful.  I started with a company about 6 months ago.  After training and getting going good on the account, the work dropped off.  I wrote to ask what was going on.  Was told vacations.  I gave the indication that this **vacation time** should not last too long or I would be looking for another/second job.  Couple weeks later work picked up and we have not run out since (on my 1 account that is).  I think management shifted people around so everyone would have work.  Scary thing is, when you lose a big client it affects everyone.  I know this is discouraging to you.  Hope you land something good.  Keep us posted on what the testing, interview, pay, etc. is elsewhere.
RBJ story on EXECUSCRIBE

Anybody read the Rochester (NY) Business Journal from 7/22 story on Execuscribe??? 


Interesting story from court records on company's history of fraud convictions.  She SHOULD be "giving back to community" as she squeaked by jail time and/or community service on a technicality. 


Thanks for making it that much tougher for the rest of us !


Just my opinion. 


Just read story - WOW
Amen to that, OldBroad!   Hope her clients look at company a bit more closely in future.  Praise to RBJ for running her truthful business history!  Her sons actually own company ??? Gee, I wonder if they are CMTs......
An UNTOLD Story
An UNTOLD Story
There is WAY more to this story than this poster is saying.
Don't believe everything you hear about Transcend. The GOOD MTs like this company!
CorTmedical Story

I know all of the facts around what happened with CorTmedical a few months ago. One of their clients did not pay them as scheduled and a few checks didnt clear because of this. It was a very unfortunate circumstance but the key principals and owners of that company paid back every cent plus any fees those employees suffered as promised. is was simply a bad time but everyone that i know that works for that company loves working for them. they are honest, compassionate and they treat there MTs and QA's extremely well. The are also growing very fast and are increasing they cpl rates to their workers by the month.


Story of my life
ESL city!!! I got to the point where I just couldn't take any more.  Other than Bonnie Monico who is top notch and a sweetie, it was a rather horrible little experience for me.
I'm not buying your story at all. Besides,
speech therapy, pain clinic, wound care are all not acute care. How many YEARS did you have in acute care and ONLY acute care? And how long ago? Also, how did you do on the test? You're not telling something.
You need to get your story straight then. You said
you talked with her for two weeks and she wasted your time because no one was hired for that position. Get your story straight. I am not her daughter but would be proud to be her daughter though I believe I am old enough to be her mother.
I think it means same old story, different day. nm
nm
Sad, but it is the same story all over. Try to find a
zz
No, different company but same story. nm
nm
Well, true story here
I was shocked to work for 5 days, take 2 days off and find out I had been locked out of the system.  I had not quit nor been fired and no explanation was forthcoming except this was the policy if you had not worked for 2 days.... huh?  I was unable to view my line count myself but was finally given my line count, which I assumed to be correct and did invoice and was paid.  I've never heard of being locked out of a system before - if they did not want me to work anymore they could have emailed me and requested this - it was rather shocking.  I understand there are misunderstandings but this definitely left an unpleasant taste in my mouth! 
funny story
I was IC for almost 10 years - local first then national.  Had to go to employee status to stay with company.  Along with city taxes I have to pay a tax to the local school board.  This year when she got my money and forms (I have no idea who she is) the person at the school board who handles the money called me and asked me why on earth I went to a full-time employee.  Thought it was funny - she knew what an ideal situation it was and couldn't imagine why I would change.
That seems to be the story with all the companies.
xx
get your story straight

all they cut is hourly QC SWATs who were too busy sucking the company dry with overtime and doing now work good for Focus, Im personally glad being a regular MT that they are gaining more business best company I have ever worked for


***Mr. Liptak:  Please refrain from pretending to be an MT.  You are the Sr. Director of Recruitment at Focus and posing as many different posters (MTs, at that) here.  Enough of this charade.  Cher/Moderator***


Same story, different dance.
I worked for them before. Problems with Enterprise is nothing new. It can be a rather clunky system at times.
It'd be a different story if the CMT were not a bogus,
fake 'credential' dreamt up by a coupla women with a get-rich-scheme in mind, not the betterment of the MT industry. It a CMT were worth getting, that's one thing. But it's not, and the money people are paying this organization to send them phoney 'certification' initials is going right into siphoning American work out of America and straight to other countries. And that has served only to make it nearly impossible to make a decent living as an MT in America anymore. If you think that's cool, then by all means, give 'em your hard-earned money and have at it. But do so knowing you're contributing to what will ultimately be the end of this profession in America if AHDI/AAMT isn't thoroughly investigated, and preferably stopped.