Why does progress mean accepting a lower wage?
Posted By: MTHanded on 2009-02-27
In Reply to: Regarding MDI-MD and transition to VR - Had to respond
I want to point out the contrast between the OP and this response.
The OP says MDI moving to VR is to cut costs. Had to Respond says it is keeping up with the times and says nothing about reducing costs. Is moving to VR keeping up with (sic) technological times or is it being used to reduce costs?
I believe it is the latter, not the former. And if that is the case, Had to respond has no straws to grasp to justify the transition. It is NOT about moving with technology and everything to do with paying less to the ICs.
I am so not impressed with Had to Respond and her big girl panties to accept less money.
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taking a low wage does not lower the pay for a field. The fact that they are offering stated wage
means that is the market. You don't see ads for McDonald's for $36/hour and you don't see ads for A.G. Edwards for $20,000/yr. If they didn't think they could fill a job for $14, they wouldn't post it. Notice MT jobs are now posting at 5, 6 and 6.5. So guess what editors are going to make?
Unfortunately, the "many MT jobs" have very low pay rates, and getting lower and lower. nm
x
progress notes
My company, XXX, has been out of work quite a lot lately and their only explanation is you know how it is during the off-season but the off-season now has been pretty much all of this year. My question is are MTs now all paid the same way for notes as opposed to reports. I distinctly remember that MTs who did progress notes and ER notes were generally paid differently because the notes were so short it was next to impossible to get an adequate line count. I feel like I am getting shafted because I am reduced to doing progress notes on a daily basis and I am generally spending 10 hours a day just to make my 1100 lines. Keep in mind that these are still ESL doctors who either don't know or don't care about putting in demographics so that too still has to be looked up and in the end I may get 5 lines per report. I understand that things do change but if its gotten to this point then maybe I need to be the one to make the change.
it has all to do with the evolution and progress
of technology:
Manual typwewriter
Electric typewriter
Computer
Straight transcription
Voice recognition (VR)
EMR
etc......
That's how movements get started, and progress
nm
My account has all progress notes.
everything was straightforward. I thought I was doing everything right but then I was notified I'm doing certain things incorrectly. One day last week I asked someone in the office how to do something and got an answer but then I got more corrections telling me this way was wrong. It's a little confusing and I hope it's just the new account adjustment. Like I said I'll wait a full 90 days before making any definite decision. What account are you on?
Progress and change cannot be stopped, nowhere, anywhere...nm
nm
Pay for acute care versus ER/progress notes
My company has been out of work quite a lot lately and their only explanation is you know how it is during the off-season but the off-season now has been pretty much all of this year. My question is are MTs now all paid the same way for notes as opposed to reports. I distinctly remember that MTs who did progress notes and ER notes were generally paid differently because the notes were so short it was next to impossible to get an adequate line count. I feel like I am getting shafted because I am reduced to doing progress notes on a daily basis and I am generally spending 10 hours a day just to make my 1100 lines. Keep in mind that these are still ESL doctors who either don't know or don't care about putting in demographics so that too still has to be looked up and in the end I may get 5 lines per report. I understand that things do change but if its gotten to this point then maybe I need to be the one to make the change.
Oh no, I'm thinking about accepting a job with them.
nm
Considering accepting an offer to do
Would love to hear from current QA folks at Sten-Tel. I am concerned because it is an IC position...is there a steady workload? I can't afford not to get 40 hours per week.
The ones accepting these positions must be SM
newbies, cause I can't believe an MT with much experience would put up with it.
Are they accepting resumes? sm
I used to work for them about 2 years ago on acute care and had to quit because everything they had required high speed internet and I only had dialup at the time. I now have high speed and would be interested in working on one of their radiology accounts. What are the line requirements for radiology? Where would I apply? There is no place on their website to apply. Thanks.
ALL TYPE - OFFERED JOB - I'M ACCEPTING
Thank you all for your input, it is appreciated. 
I'm going to accept  . It is wonderful because I will be doing what I love most...training  and QA (don't scream now...I'm old it will hurt my ears!). I owned my own business years ago, and have always been a working MT. I have worked as an MT and trainer for over 32 years; last was for another larger national as a trainer and when I left (the grass is not always greener on the other side, especially going to work for the wicked witch -- made a HUGE Mistake!) shortly thereafter (about 1-1/2 weeks, honestly!!) I realized I wasn't as happy as I was training. To make a long story short (as my oldest and dearest friend told me  ) Your setback was a setup for a comeback!
Thank you again 
I'm in the process of accepting a position with them. SM
They didn't say anything about a turn-around time, thought, so maybe this varies by account. I liked the sound of the account I'm going to be doing and so I'm going for it. I wish the pay was a little higher, but I always wish that! I actually didn't ask about raises - didn't think about it. I'm not really much help, am I? lol
Costs associated with accepting a position do not sm
include purchasing MS Word or medical spellchecker. Keystrokes provides the platfom for the account you are on and if you do not have Shorthand, they will provide it for you.
Some accounts do require unlimited long distance, but I have it anyway as I have 2 college students out of state and a teenager. I went with my local cable company and can call anywhere any time. It is less than my regular phone was.
I'm glad you are happy with your decision, but if you look in the future for another job, don't count KS out as they will work to help you get what you need and the account that best suits you.
TT web site not accepting resumes?
Hey y'all, just tried to send TT my resume by using their website resume sender lol I tried sending it on IE (gave me a 404 error) and on Netscape (it just sat there). Anybody have an email address I can send it to? Thanks! JC
companies accepting satellite connection
Cannot get DSL/cable (no way). Need suggestions on companies hiring with satellite connection. Thank you.
My creditors are just not accepting nice for $$$$ to pay my bills
We continue to get these emails from mgmt about big things in store . . . but we cannot tell you about it now. This has been going on for a number of months now. Who is going to benefit from those big things. We MT's are LOSING money each and every day, but you keep getting the same size paychecks because you are either salaried or hourly employees.
It is very sad you are so accepting of offshoring and AAMT turning a blind eye to the American MTs.
The offshoring would not be a problem if there was not such a huge difference in cost. We are on the losing end and taking pay cuts because of offshoring. Also, I know many who have lost their jobs to cheap labor overseas. AAMT is encouring this. That is wrong. America is slowly become a third world country in itself. If we don't stop it now, there will be no jobs left for Americans. I don't care where you are from or what kind of job you have, the pay should be equal for all so the competition is fair. You will find after some time with AAMT, you will be ignored and will receive nothing but redundant information from AAMT office and local chapters. Anything they offer can be gained via the internet now.
Sorry...lower 7 to 7.5 cpl. nm
x
I already get by on less. How much lower can
Soon most MT work stations will become shopping-carts parked under the nearest interstate overpass.
'Buddy, can you spare a dime?'
Lower pay
I hope that is not true but I bet they try to lower our wages again. I also work for Spheris and I know that we have to meet the QA standards. I do meet the QA and line count standards but I notice lately that I have been having to look up the patient information a lot more, which I know we are not compensated for. Also, lately it seems like I do more reports but my line count does not seem to increase like it should. Makes me wonder.
So what happens if they lower your cpl? With
my guess is lots of people will fall below the $900 mark, and then they get the added bonus of not having to insure you. Where I work they lowered our cpl pay this year, and now it's nearly impossible to make $900/pay period. If we were figuring full-time/part-time status by earnings, even though I work 60-hour weeks, I'd still be considered a part-timer. How do you spell ' R-I-P-O-F-F' ???
Definitely lower than average. nm
s
so if it is not 8, is it higher or lower..(nm)
''
Pay is much much much lower than any other national
/
Isn't their pay way lower than average? nm
s
I think it goes with the MDI post a little bit lower down
/
yes. at new lower rate.
nm
Maybe they're somewhere at the lower end?
I know I'm at the top and mine was cut, so maybe someone on one of the accounts that was only making 7 cents/line to begin with, didn't get cut any further?
Starts you off much lower than her ad shows. nm
s
Generally 3-4.5 cpl. Much lower than transcribing.
s
Lower rate/better dictators
Again I agree with you! The MTSO, hospitals should go to dictators that are bad or hard to understand and ask them politely to clean it up. How are we supposed to do our jobs 100% when we get crap to deal with? You give clean dictation you get clean reports. Any fool can figure that out . . . . well maybe not. 
Not the worst, but toward the lower end of the middle.
I was paid late/wrong often. I always tell people if you can afford to be paid late, then it's an okay place to work. If you rely on them being on time and accurate, go elsewhere.
Several of the shift leads are very nice. However, one never answers you because she's busy looking like the production queen. One had more drama than Jerry Springer. The owner answers you when she feels like it or not at all. My training on my account consisted of me doing 3 notes and then I was on my own. I was told I couldn't pend to verify information if it didn't cause more than one blank. I like being left alone to type, but I like to be comfortable with the account as well.
So it isn't the worst company out there but it certainly is not the best.
Rates are lower than 20 years ago. nm
nm
I dont find it much much lower its about the same 8 and 4 nm
nm
The new KS insurance is only $250 a month. That's MUCH lower. sm
It took them over a year to get a decent rate.
You should try to go back if you miss it. I did and am glad I did and grateful they took me back. The grass was definitely not greener on the TT side.
Yeah, if THAT. Some offers are even lower. You
However, it can be a good tradeoff if you're tired of the headaches of own accounts, plus you might get benefits if you find employee status. Be prepared, though. I've got 20 yrs experience and I've had offers as low as 6 cpl. For real! It's a shock coming from having your own accounts, but do your research. There are good companies out there. If you've had acute care experience in a hospital setting, you will have better luck finding higher line rates, as well. If you've done mostly clinic work, the rates are quite a bit lower for that.
Higher? I don't understand ... it is lower
Why do you think it is higher? It is quite a bit lower from what I can tell. I have the family plan and will be saving $238.00 a month over what I was paying before with the mid-range plan I am getting, and the difference between a 25, 35, or even 40 dollar copay isn't squat when look at the lower premium ... that is where the big cost is with premiums .... unless maybe you have to go to the doctor every week or something.
lower pay rate for templates
Hi folks, Has anyone heard of getting a lower pay rate for templates? The company I work for is lowering their pay rates for what comes up as templates to 2 cents per line and say they will continue to pay the 8 cents per line for what we actually type? I have not heard of this before and was wondering if this was a common practice? Thanks for any feedback you might have.
Elizabeth MT since 2001
well...your bottom line is lower
than I would accept. I currently make 10 cpl and will not go lower than 9.5 for transcription and will not go lower than 5.5 for edit.
Now, someone making 7 cpl currently will say....yeah, I will work for 8 cpl, that is a raise for me.
Also, there are some out there making 3 cpl for edit, if they were offered 4 or 5, they would take it.
How can we set a standard like this?
Work's lower in some regions than others. Need sm
evening/nights and, as always, weekend warriors.
Also wanted to add that the lower pay started (sm)
way before this economic crisis came into effect. Cutting our wages has been going on for years.
Her ad lower on the job board states
pay/benefits: $7000.If that's weekly, that would be great! LOL  Don't know what she means by that.
The top ad wasn't even completed. Is it that she is frustrated and overworked, or just plain old rushing through the ad? Seems very confusing.
Actually, they pay well and with the lower or tax-free status
I responded above that I know several MTs and others who have worked at that hospital.
They each one extended their contract. They each one were able to save almost their entire income and enjoyed quite a good savings cushion on their return to the US. They each one enjoyed the experience of another culture temporarily. They each one recommended it then and have always given the advice of trying it to me and others.
EditScript and lower rate
I don't understand how you can think it's all right for a company to pay less because the VR system is good. Shouldn't it be a given that a company would have the best system they can find and not dock you? Seems like they are paying for having that system on your back and you think that's OK. That is really, really sad.
I happen to use EditScript (or Escription) and think it is an excellent program, though still prone to humorous errors. I make 4 cents a line for VR and wouldn't mind making more.
Min. wage
That isn't even minimum wage in San Francisco, where it's something like $9.25+ per hr.
Min wage in NY
In NY minimum wage is now $7.15, so that is not min wage here either.
Min wage
I thought I had read something recently that stated Nuance/Focus was developing some software that would completely do away with transcriptionists in the next few years. I worked for Focus 5 years ago and they were a terrible company then to work for, I see they have just kept getting worse. You are entitled to minimum wage if you are an employee. If your line count does not come to that contact your local DOL and apply for unemployment benefits. if you don't you are hurting yourselves and other MTs who come after you.
Oh please. Now my "age visual" of you is sinking even lower!
What are you, 12? Yep, you sure told me, and I'm sure gonna go away now on this free public forum open for anyone to discuss a company! Yep, I'm gonna go away now fer sure!!
I would say it's a little lower than average depending on your experience
but I think with them the more you type the more you get paid. For each level there is a range. My advice would be that if 6 cents is the most you can make with them, there are other MT jobs out there. I was offered a job with them too so I know that the benefits to me were impressive. It was hard to turn them down.
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