excellent post nm
Posted By: linda on 2009-08-26
In Reply to: here's why people are getting heated... - Deb - sm
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Excellent post, MT! NM
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Excellent post.
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Excellent Post
So much of what you said is true - you commented briefly about how much the leads do for the MTs and so much of what they is not paid for. Medware keeps track of their employees time by Merit Minutes. Merit Minutes constitutes the time spent TYPING in a chart. If you need to research a drug name and spend more than 5 minutes looking for it, Merit automatically shuts off the clock. So you have spend your time researching an item but you do not get paid for your time after 5 minutes. Lately, it also seems harder and harder to achieve the minutes needed to equal 8 hours. I know several people, myself included, who have made comments that it seems like 10 hours are needed before the 8 hours mark is reached. Additionally, if you have phone your supervisor for something, if you run out of jobs and have to email the lead MT (who no longer exists) for more work, that is time spent which you don't get paid for. If Medware's computer goes down or they experience a power outage, you have to make up the time for it later. If Medware performs a maintenance check on Merit, you have to wait and make up the time later. In a real world office, you would be paid for that time, but not at Medware. And taking time off for yourself? That is definitely frowned upon by certain team leaders. Taking sick time? They will actually ask you to make up that time later even if you have accured the sick time benefits!
Even though Medware will tout itself as the AAMT employer of the year, not once or twice, they certainly do not treat their employees well. For MT week the lead MTs positions were eliminated. About 6 months ago the MTs who review the offshore work, listening to the reports word for word, fixing dosage errors, incorrect words, grammar, punctuation, and often fixing complete sentences which were creatively transcribed, found out that their hourly salary was about to be cut in half. They would now make $8.00 an hour plus an incentive bonus for editing over 2000 lines a day. Nothing changed for them, the same quality demands were still in place, the offshore work remained the same, not better, but suddenly they had to produce twice as much as work in the same amount of time in order to keep their salary at or close to the level it had been. Additionally, their vacation pay, which they had earned during the time when they made $14.00 or $15.00 an hour, was suddenly decreased to $12.00 an hour. And this is the company who wins the coveted employee of the year award?
This company looks out for number 1, themselves, and no one else. They deserve to lose their lead MTs and anyone else who is disgusted with the self-serving practices. Maybe if enough people leave, Medware will wake up and smell the coffee and remember that it takes management and employees working together to make a company productive.
Excellent post.
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Excellent post!!
Good luck in your nursing career - and that is something that cannot be outsourced! I have 25 years of MT experience, and I make a good deal less than I did 10 years ago. I think I am going to go door to door to local physician offices and see if I can steal back any work that has been lost to the big nationals. I also think I am going to charge hourly if I am successful. I am so tired of production. Too old for the stress.
EXCELLENT POST!
NM
Excellent post! sm
So many ICs on here feel it's THEIR own responsibility to find a replacement for when they are unavailable, and I've always scratched my head at that one.
Female guilt rears it's unly head!
Excellent post...
but I'll tell you where the SoftScript employee is. The Softscript employees that I know choose to use their time in a more productive manner and NOT post useless repsonses to worhtless accusations and rumors They have incredible work ethics and a true sense of organizational loyalty and support. They love their work, and they are good at it. They know if they screw off on wasteful sites like this, they risk losing a client and we risk losing business. They EARN their money, and they read the headlines everyday where they know how important it is to have a job and make good money in this economy. They don't want to risk that.They also love their bonuses, and extra perks that the company is only too happy to share. They do not have the time nor the inclination to be whining about this recruiter or this MT or whatever aimless, mind-numbing posts that get posted everyday. While some on this site choose to spread gossip, rumors and simply bitch about everyone and every place, in between a Twinkie or a pound cake or two, the Softscript employee is currently speaking to a large group of MT's that are coming over to us from yet another new client, preventing overseas outsourcing (100% American-based, baby!). They are training new grads and helping them become successful and productive employees. They are creating and contributing articles for the company newsletter. They are heading up fundraisers for our company's numerous charitable organizations. They are also taking up collections or baking cookies to send to one of their fellow employees who recently lost a loved one. That's what the SoftScript employee is doing. What have YOU done today that didn't sound like a whine, complaint or rumormongering?
Wow, very excellent post!
I'm tempted to print it out and hand it to anybody professing interest in this field, LOL!
I agree that some people have it, and some don't. Also, this is not a profession where you can just graduate, get a job and coast through your day, its always a challenge, always learning, and often a struggle, but some of us enjoy that. Its about challenging yourself and beating your personal best, and of course you have to have a professional work ethic.
Many people have a lousy work ethic, and it reflects on their paycheck. My boss actually told me that she has to call and nag/beg my teammates to work their scheduled shifts! Their loss is my gain, there's always work for me.
Personally, I never want to work a job that doesn't pay production again - because finally I now I get paid what I'm worth, I work hard and I have the paycheck to prove it. If I get lazy, down goes my paycheck. I've met many folks like you described, there's always envy, excuses, and a thousand reasons why they can't do what I do. Maybe they can't, but they have equal opportunity to do it. Its up to each of us to maximize those opportunities instead of wishing we could be better.
Excellent Post
The biting your hand analogy--perfect.
EXCELLENT POST!
I feel for you all. My company is a small one, having financial difficulty, lost some accounts - one to Transcend - and I am sure we will be one of the next companies to be sold to a large MTSO. When that day comes, I am done. I WILL NOT work for a company who will screw American workers all over the almighty dollar.
And I hope these clients enjoy the half-ass work the Indians are giving them. You get what you pay for.
Here! Here! Excellent Post
Very well thought out and well stated.
Truly an excellent post, but with
You're assuming they want to reduce hiring and improve employee retention. I don't believe that's the case, unfortunately.
While I wish the WMX executives would take what you've said to heart, I think the whole reason they won't is that overhiring is a deliberate WMX strategy.
Hire an MT with little professional experience, perhaps straight out of MT school, and you can pay her a lower line rate.
You don't have to pay her benefits for the first 90 days of employment.
You do get to charge her installments on the equipment you send out. And with brand-new netbook computers retailing around $350, I very much doubt refurbished no-frills desktops really cost the company $250 each.
You don't have to budget for sick time or vacation time.
You do have to pay him or her a training rate for the first (15? 30?) days, but this is more than made up for by not having to pay medical, vision, or dental.
If s/he quits in frustration somewhere around the 90-day mark, you can just fill that vacancy with another warm body to whom you don't have to pay benefits and from whom you will be pocketing $250 in equipment fees, less the actual cost of said equipment, which I expect is much lower.
Finally, overhiring helps WMX by reducing the amount they spend paying employee bonuses (with so many MTs chasing work, it's become increasingly difficult to reach the upper bonus tiers). Overhiring can even bump full-time employees out of the minimum bracket, at which point they, too, become employees for whom WMX does not have to pay benefits.
Anyone working on Enterprise will see this happening just by accessing e-chart: The names of the transcriptionists change constantly now. There are always new names, but they don't stay long. Enterprise MTs have probably also noticed the decrease in the quality of reports they find in e-chart, or at least I have. More and more I see newbie errors, errors I made myself back when I was just starting out, errors that would be understandable coming from a newbie MT but unforgivable coming from one with any significant experience. There are errors now that a truly professional MTSO should be horrified to send out to clients.
I would even imagine that such low-quality reports are then used to persuade clients to adopt voice recognition. You'll see fewer errors with voice recognition, because the software transcribes EXACTLY what you say!
Maintaining executive profits by decreasing worker costs is a deliberate strategy on the part of WMX, and likely on the part of most other MTSOs. They do not care about quality, so long as they can maintain it just slightly above the level at which clients start to complain. They do not care about employee retention, since employee retention costs them more than accelerated hiring & firing does. They do not care about anyone but themselves, period.
I hope some other organization implements your excellent suggestions, though. That would be an organization for which I'd be PROUD to work.
Webmedx is not that organization.
Excellent post...
Let's see anyone who tries to claim it is merely ''typing'' actually sit down and produce -- from dictation-- an accurate medical document (that could potentially be used in court).
Excellent post MTness
I'm with you all the way. Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me.
Excellent post -- thanks Amber!!!! - nm
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Excellent post! Congrats to you!
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Good job...Excellent Post!!!
You could not have said it better or more straight forward.
An excellent post and ditto, right there with you. nm
nm
excellent for you to take time to post. sm
It does not apply to me but it WILL inform many I am sure.
Thanks for helping other MTs find their way through a difficult process. Why should anyone need to accept that term, MISCONDUCT if innocent as you and many others have clearly been. GOOD JOB reporting.
Excellent post. Agree wholeheartedly. sm
The dictator must take responsibility for what is dictated. In addition, today's MTs aren't as adept at editing as those of us who had proper training, use the appropriate resources, and do not use Google as our exclusive resource.
If you frequent the word boards, you will see what I mean. A couple of days ago, an MT posed a question that her ESL doc said that the patient worked in a laundry. She wanted to change it to laundramat. The MT admitted she did not know that a laundry was a place! These new MTs don't even own an English dictionary.
I initially had a hard time dealing with the verbatim concept. After seeing several reasons for its initiation, I've happily resigned myself to light editing as client allows. I got over it. Look around you and you will also see how this industry has changed in the last 10 years. It ain't what it used to be. Time to roll with the changes.
Bravo!!!!! Excellent post. 30 years here.
I just wanted to be left alone so I could do my work. I came in on most calls to help out. Quality meant everything as did TAT. Did that matter to management? That I was not talkative on the telephone (Small talk eludes me for some reason) during chats with these people has cost me a fortune. And pretending to be someone I am not is just not something I am capable of though I must say I wish I could be a talkative person just so my personality would be more obvious in this so often unfair telecommunation job, where after all I have given, I am treated no better than a newbie, even with disrepect, biting e-mails by moody unprofessional management.
Excellent post? She misunderstood the whole issue...nm
nm
Excellent post with great insight. (NM)
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Excellent post, Tech Support. You nailed it. nm.
Sigh.
EXCELLENT post. Thank you for a balanced point of view. nm
see message this post is excellent a fair representation of KS..I copied it from below.
You know who I am. I'm the one who hooked up the Foley at the beginning of my shift. I'm the one who worked extra each and every time I was asked. I'm the one who went into the office to transcribe when it was needed. I'm the one who went on site to help with a new account (and this account actually wanted me to work for them!). I'm the one who transcribed tapes when asked. I'm the one who did the 3-page reports and the docs that no one else wanted when you cut our pay. And I'm the one who worked an 8-hour shift when my air conditioning broke down last summer during one of the hottest days of the year. No one just handed me that huge paycheck, I worked for it.
And now I'm the one who works on two accounts that consider my transcription excellent. As a matter of fact, one account doesn't want anyone BUT me. During my career I was told by one manager and one MTSO that they wished they had 10 of me. I also came highly recommended to you. That speaks volumes about my reliability, stability, flexibility, and quality.
You offer some flexibility. Zero tolerance would be more like it. I had to take three days off for jury duty, my electricity went out twice, and workers cut my cable line, all of which were out of my control. I took five days off in a row once in two years for a very good reason and it was not a vacation. If I had to take time off during my shift, I made up my time that same day. Unfortunately my dentist doesn't have hours on Sunday. I also worked when I was sick. Is that what you mean by not a good fit? I was an IC not an employee.
The kicker for me was when I found out that your coordinator went to the client to find out if I was skipping reports. I have never skipped a report in my entire career. I don't have to. I love what I do and I love a challenge. She also told another employee that no one can do that many specials. I could and I did until she made certain that I didn't.
This field is stressful enough. I certainly don't want to work for someone who places more stress on me, especially when I'm already giving 110%.
When it was all over, I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. It was then that I decided I would rather be appreciated than used and abused.
Amen Sister, Amen! Excellent post. (nm)
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Excellent cpl for right MT
Transcription Systems of Illinois has an immediate opening for an experienced acute care MT (hospital dictation). This position requires a minimum of 4 hours a day, Monday through Thursday, 8 hours on Friday, with the flexibility to do more if necessary. No weekends. Employee status. Only MTs with a strong background in operative reports, discharge summaries, H&Ps and consults will be considered.
This account requires a C-phone and has a high percentage of ESL's as well as a few difficult English-speaking dictators. No long distance charges. We provide many samples and lots of feedback. Our MTs like this account, once they're over the hurdle of the learning curve, and reap a very nice income from it. We guarantee no cherry-picking and you will not be switched to different accounts. A line is defined as 65 characters with spaces, and you calculate your own line count.
We are a very stable company who has been in business for 25 years in Central Illinois. Our MTs are so content with our company that we will be happy to provide MT references to serious applicants.
All resumes will be reviewed and responses sent promptly to those who qualify.
Excellent
Post - those are my exact feelings!
Excellent! Thanks so much! nm
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excellent all around! nm
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Huh? I do excellent at 9 cpl.
I have 2 great accounts and am able to do well over 2000 lines per day. I usually average around $200 or so a day, so I don't think that's bad at all. No food stamps needed here.
Wow - most excellent - sm
You obviously spent a great deal of time on your post. If only all of us could have you as our representative when we apply for positions with companies you treat us just as you have written. Thank you for taking the time to come up with the list and sharing it. What a great job. Kudos. You hit it right the nail right on the head. 
Excellent! ... :-D ... nm
nm
This is an excellent tip
Many times at the conclusion of the report the dictator will repeat whatever word/phrase was unintelligible earlier in the report and you'll save valuable time spent chasing your tail trying to research it.
Once I started blanking the first time around I probably saved at least 50% of the time I spent on research and my production went up as a result.
My post should say the post above not the post below, Sheryl's post to be specific. nm
nm
eTrans plus is EXCELLENT!
love my job at ETP! Good folks, good benefits, good pay, good accounts, feel like I'm in MT heaven!
If you are an excellent MT, call me
I don't really care about tests and stuff like that.
We have got a great recruiter in Deb Hull. BUT.........
I have been in transcription for such a long time. When I talk to an MT, I can tell if she knows what she is doing or not.
If you feel you have trouble getting hired by MDI-FL, honestly, please give me a call.
Thank a lot,
Liz McGrogan
800-205-7047
They are an excellent co to work for as QA.
I have no idea why they are still looking, but yes they are a really good co to do QA for as they pay hourly and have benefits.
excellent company
If you're referring to what's known as TSI, in Decatur, Illinois, yes, they are an EXCELLENT company. Jayne is the owner/operator, and she started this business on her own 25 years ago, when they were still using typewriters. :) Her employees stay a long, long time. She has great benefits and great pay. She wants to provide medical insurance, too, and is looking into that. Currently, there is no insurance, but if you can use your husband's insurance, then Jayne's company is the way to go. :)
TH is a excellent company but seems to run out of
shift to get your required lines.
Excellent Company!
Pay always on time and always accurate payment. My account always had abundance of work, I seldom went into backup. I cannot say enough good about Spheris and especially my supervisor who was the greatest. I miss working very much.
Yes, *most* definitely. They are an EXCELLENT company. They also have DD. nm
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For me, it's been an excellent fit. I have no info about
insurance, I don't use it. You must time in and out, very easy and quick, no problem. Great supervisors and QA.
Excellent point
I really do think some MTSO's are missing this - base cost of transcription rate to rate of dictation difficulty, and pay premium to MT. Just one really lousy dictator can make the difference between a fair day's production and pay, and a mediocre or poor one...
Yes, they are an excellent company...sm
Very friendly people. Great Pay. Pay is precise and on time. There benefits are some of the best I've seen for the price. Very easy, easy platform to learn.
I didn't work there long due to a family situation, but wish I was still with them.
I honestly can say only good things about them. Small MTSO.
Now, the part I had trouble with was that I hadn't done ER in a while, so I was having to really study up and get an ear for the ER talk. I had been doing clinic for years. Yes, the dictators are US but speak very, very fast. My hearing is going bad, very bad actually on 1 side, so I just was really, really having to dig samples and play and replay. Just very frustrating to me personally.
Anyway, two thumbs up for this great company. Oh yeah, if you need a lot of hand holding and QA feedback, it wouldn't be a good fit, but if you're a seasoned pro, this would be a great choice.
I know a lady who made $$$ this past year. She is a work-a-holic, though, (Unlike me nod-nod-wink!))
Good luck!
Excellent company
Excellent company to work for. Supportive staff. Emdat platform great. Pay anywhere from 7 to 8 cents per line with spaces depending on experience.
excellent advice! :-) nm
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excellent point
about not updating to internet connection instead of using C-phones. I guess they do it because they find people who will accept it. It also seems odd to me that they are willing to risk the reputation of an at least decent company to keep one account that is ruining their image.
You have an excellent attitude - sm
I will remain anonymous but I am a supervisor with another national MT company. Your attitude is AWESOME. You've hit the nail on the head about ASR, changes in pay, etc etc. I only wish more MTs would see it your way.
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