thinking about switching too...sm
Posted By: nn on 2006-09-27
In Reply to: I left MQ and went to Keystrokes...so far I am not disappointed..(sm) - marymary
but do you have to work specific hours and days? I am used to downloading my work, m-f, and sending it back by ftp. do you have to work online through their platform? they sound great, but I am worried about having to work a weekend day. do you work until you meet your lines or set hours? just some questions. you can email me if you want to. thanks for your help. tough decision.
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Working with MQ, but thinking about switching.
Does anyone work for Transcend or Ascending Healthcare systems??? Just wondering if they are good companies. I am really fed up with MQ. Just cannot make any money with them. I am getting tired of working my rear-end off and not making anything at all. Seems like only nickels and dimes when I get my paycheck. Anyone care to comment or agree with me or even disagree???
Please someone respond to my post.
Suzy Q
Are the Precyse and MQ DQS platforms the same thing? I'm thinking about switching
nm
At first I was thinking that you were being unrealistic, not thinking about taxes, benefits, etc. bu
surprised to find that you are not asking the moon. Let me clarify a few things: Rates charged are not as high as 0.25 per line, but no one that has U.S. employees goes as low as 0.115 or they would not be able to pay their bills. A more realistic range is 0.125-0.165, and that top end is hard to find, most falling at 0.14-0.15 per line.
The rates of pay you propose are very reasonable IF the following is true: These are seasoned MTs who do not need a lot of hand-holding, QA or blanks filled in, unless a very difficult/impossible doctor.
How about a scale based on experience and accuracy of 0.09 - 0.105 per line (acute care), and $1.15-$1.30 per report (radiology)?
The VR one is tough as everyone, MTs and MTSOs and facilities are still feeling their way on this. As an MTSO who was an MT, I feel that VR editing is as difficult to do as regular transcription. I don't think that it should be substantially less pay or charged less as the end product is still the same.
Funny thing here? My company already follows that scale. We should work together, not at odds, to reinforce this industry and bring it back to where it should be, right here in the U.S.A. with a decent paycheck.
switching
You could work for Webmedx. They try to keep you doing the same accounts from day to day. I work there. I do the same accounts on a daily basis. Of course, you can ask for more accounts if you want.
Give them a try. Well worth the call.
They are switching over to SR SM
in a short period of time and I anticipate many people leaving because of the decrease in pay that will ensue.
Switching to VR
I worked for a local neurologist for over 13 years when one day he suddenly decided to go to voice recognition and have me come back into the office to help a very incompetent office manager run things. I informed him that I was a MT and not a billing or payroll clerk. I gave my 2 weeks' notice and went to work for a large MTSO.
A few months later I ran into another employee of his and they told me that VR was a total train wreck. He had programmers in the office on the average of once a week to change or enlarge voice plates, etc, etc. He had invested a large amount of money in this contraption and still had no success. In fact, he was losing money because instead of seeing the number of patients he could before when I did his transcription, he, himself, had become the MT, watching the computer screen to make sure it made no mistakes and if it could keep up with his speed. No one in the office had MT experience, so he was on his own. In fact, it got to the point that he actually consulted an attorney to see if he could have the patient sign a waiver indicating that they had given him a complete history, so he could just dictate the patient has agreed that the history he/she has given regarding the current problem is accurate and therefore, he did not have to take up the huge amount of time it took to dictate the actual history given, while editing his VR.
This brings me to the current use of VR and VR accounts. It is a popular speculation that VR will one day replace us all. However, if VR accounts still need MTs to edit and correct, how does that make it a wonderful technology? What would happen if MT companies nationwide, large and small, refused VR accounts. If a doctor or hospital wants to go to VR, then let them go it alone. Do you realize what a disaster that would be in perhaps less than a day? VR would be gone for good. I do not know of any doctors or hospitals that would want to sit and watch a screen to make sure the computer was not making errors. We are enabling VR to take over our jobs. I know it will never happen, because money is always the bottom line, but if we ever want to eliminate VR from our profession, that would be the only way to do it. Unfortunately, however, one day those of us who still wish to work in this profession (and who have not been lucky enough to retire by then, as I will have)will be working with VR accounts, making less money, and enabling a machine to take over what used to be a profession occupied by human beings who could do a much better job.
You're switching to DEP?
I was switched from DEP to DQS and my production drastically decreased. Made very good line count on DEP. What office is still using DEP?
switching from old programs
I posted this theory on the main board a couple of weeks ago. I read in the court papers for a lawsuit from a hospital that Medrite (specifically) had been inflating lines. It's an allegation, not proven, but if it's true, that means that transcriptionists on old programs such as Medrite are now experiencing a decrease in DQS because they were getting inflated lines before but no longer. I worked on MTs before and have noticed an increase in productivity on DQS. My MTS came out to a 65 cpl count, as does DQS (spaces included on both). Has anyone experienced a decrease in line count moving from MTS? So far I just hear people complaining who came from Medrite or cottage.
Switching accounts
I have been working at Webmedx for some time now and have not had any account switching going on. I have my primary account and a secondary account. I absolutely love it here!
Switching accounts . . . . sm
When hired I was asked to please let them know if I wasn't happy with my account. I think they would rather place you on an account that you're happy with than lose you. It's just a win-win situation for everyone. I wouldn't hesitate to ask to be switched.
Switching Companies
In the last 5 years or so, every company I have worked for has done the bait and switch to one extreme or the other. Whether it was schedule, benefits, position, accounts, etc. They all did it. It is getting frustrating trying to find a decent company to work for.
my company is switching to DEP and I
want to know if anybody uses the DEP (document enterprise platform). Can you tell me how you like it. Currently we are using a Microsoft Word based program. Just looking for some feedback. Thanks in advance.
Do they still pay vision since switching
to TriNet? The rates went up pretty significantly on everything else.
Companies switching to VR...
I work for 3 companies currently and ALL of them have in the last 2 months announced that my accounts with them are going to VR. Two will be using MModal platform and the other eScription. Every one of them has quoted us a rate of 3 CPL!!!!!!  At first when the first company told us that line rate I was like, no way, that's ridiculous, but then when the other 2 also announced the very same line rate (with absolutely NO negotiation) I was extremely dishearted to say the least. From my research I was under the impression that 4-5 cpl was the going rate, but it appears that these companies are now down to offering only 3. 
For anyone working on the above 2 platforms, what are you currently making per line and are you able to at least make a decent wage? All 3 companies are touting well, you will be able to do 3-4 times as much work but the most I've heard tell of is 1.6 to 2x. Guess they're buying the crap sold to them from the VR software company.
Switching platforms
I switch platforms back and forth (not as much as I used to because I work on Chartscript primarily and keep busy enough) but I do help out on BT when needed or when Chartscript is slow. I don't find it difficult at all to switch platforms and maybe I've been lucky but I don't find the acct specifics on these different accts to vary too much where its been a problem. At one time I had about 12 different accts in my pool but that was just me...I had been burned so bad working for another service that I was terrified of not having enough work. I don't have the problem anymore.
you were scared of switching companies?
nm
Me too. I work in a Drs office, they are switching to
nm
Switching career paths
I switched paths a few years ago, but backwards from you. I am an LPN, but went back to school for medical transcription. I have an autistic son who is 15 now. I left the workforce when he was diagnosed at 2 years old. About 4 years ago, he was getting more independent and I wanted to go back to work. My dilema was the child care issue and that is why I chose to study for something that would allow me to work from home.
I also had been going through personal issues with my marriage and know where you are coming from and how difficult this decision is. I still work from home doing transcription because balancing the costs of working outside of home (travelling, food, wardrobe, child care, etc.) against the benefits being at home, it has worked out for me better to stay at home. It was really important to me to be the one to provide care to my son and to be flexible enough for the day-to-day things that usually come up. My advice would be to really decide what is most needed and important for you right now, and go from there... and weigh the cost of both.
I tuck a little bit away each pay ( whatever I can manage) and claim my utilities and anything I can as expenses on my taxes each year.
Good luck with any decision you make.
Can't image switching back and forth sm
use this format, use that acct specifics. No thanks, guess must be self-limiting huh.
Anyone switching from IC to FT for MQ - qualify for sign on bonus? (nm)
;
LOL ... I loved switching those little font balls too. sm
I was in Heaven when we got the correcting Selectric -- no more white out, which of course is a major faux pas nowadays. I still have my old IBM Wheelwriter in the closet -- first typewriter with memory that I used and could store reports. I thought I had reached the technological edge then. (smile)
Thanks for making me smile. Although I love my PC, it is kind of fun sometimes to look back and see how far we have come. 
Switching jobs is an opportunity, the door to better
x
I started there about a month ago. My two accts are good. Not sure on the switching nm
General question on training vs. switching to production...sm
Does there seem to be an average number of training hours/weeks for most companies before they switch you over to regular production? Here's my concern: I started with a new company a few weeks ago. They put me through one week (40 hrs) of training at an hourly rate and then switched me to production. I am typing any/all specialties for a total of about 50 different docs who of course each have their own specs along with the two clinics that each have their own specs along with having to learn the logistics of the software along with researching all the new terms I don't know and get used to the docs I cannot understand (yes that sentence was a run-on on purpose:) My point is, after one lousy week of training, my daily line counts are still so low since I'm learning and reading every little thing still that my hourly rate is literally about $3.50 right now and I'm busting my butt 40 hrs. a week. I thought companies usually utilized at least a 30-60 day training period. Am I way off here? My count goes up a TINY bit each day but not enough to continue to survive on this job.
True. Most have less issues than the Q, though. I worked there 10 years before switching.
Webmedx definitely beats them. You can trust management at any of these larger places anymore.
Perhaps they took the opportunity of switching to a new platform to slash line counts?
Maybe they figured everyone would blame the new platform and not THEM??
Give them a call. So many people switching companies all the HR depts must be really busy. nm
.
That's exactly what I was thinking
 I didn't see anything about 10 cpl for ESL accounts. Thought I was losing it.
Could you tell me why you think this. I was also thinking of looking into them.
:
What I was thinking!
x
Exactly what I was thinking.
nm
I am thinking that..........
I am thinking this is a former disgruntled employee who acts like they are still employed. According to other posts in the past it seems some on here post info as such. Possibly they are trying to stir something up. Search it out on your own to find out fiction or fact and make own judgement.
i was thinking...
if it was a total of 150 reports and they paid the $3 for only the first page of those 150 and the $1.50 the other 149 pages, that would still equal almost $230/day. Did I do that math right?! Sounds good to me!
that's what I was thinking
NM
Thanks.....that is what I was thinking too.
This is for a hospital
That's what I'm thinking and
y
Thinking of doing ASR
I've been an MT for about 20 years - 7 years with MQ. I used to do on average about 300+ lines per hour on my primary and made a pretty decent living. With ASR, I've gone down to an average of about 239 lines per hour. Plus, they pay us about a penny a line less on ASR after you do a 60-day trial. I tried quitting the ASR, but if you do that, all you get is the really crappy dictation, so the ASR becomes the lesser of two evils.
My theory is that, since the ASR system apparently learns as we make corrections, that MQ is going to keeping sending it to us while we teach the system. Then, when the ASR system has learned all it can and is doing perfect work, they'll ship all the work to India and pay them (the Indian ME's) 2 cents a line to edit it.
If I were you and I were making a decent living doing regular transcription with a high line rate, I would not consider ASR. I think the only ones who make any money at the MT's who did not produce huge amounts to begin with!!
I would NEVER recommend MQ. They're all about the bottom line and I guarantee, MQ ASR will be going to India -- just give the machine enough time to learn.
That's what I was just thinking
They sent me an attachment that had a bunch of questions like what version of MS Word do I have, version of windows, etc. They even asked me if I would buy a foot pedal from them for $60! On the top of the attachment, it had my full name and state that I live in. Hopefully I don't hear from them again!
I'm thinking....sm
I have been an MT for 10 yrs. Been on a 5-month break and just recently started hitting the job search more seriously. I've already been off for five months so what's another few weeks (hopefully no longer) when I could just avoid the exasperation of the last couple days and not embark with them at all. Just received an e-mail that they once again cannot locate an attachment I sent them, which I have sent TWICE. This is just too screwed up to even dabble in while I keep looking. They drained me.
that's what I was thinking, too.
nm
Not yet. Thinking about it though
I'm just afraid of change, whether it will be better somewhere else. Things have been okay for me at OSi up until now, but things are changing. Things have gone on the last several months that have really started to take away my enthusiasm for my job there, and now this. There are people there that I really like, and then there's one that has made things not so nice anymore. I've gone places there, so leaving would be a step back in a way, but with what's going on now with the new partners, and with what I know is going on with certain accounts, I just am not comfortable staying here anymore. I think more changes are coming, so I probably should just go now. I just don't know.
Thinking about what I want
I heard back from a position I applied for. The person is asking me about what I want in an MTSO & I thought I'd share:
No micromanagement. I will work the hours I say I will work and if I’m doing so, leave me alone.
I don’t want to hear about everyone else’s mistakes in a nasty e-mail where you threaten to dock everyone’s pay. Address the issue with the individual.
No demanding I work overtime & then being unwilling to pay extra. If you ask me in a civilized manner I will see what I can do to help.
No new and creative ways to rip the MT off. I don’t care about your VBCs. I want to be paid for my time and typing – including templates and spaces.
A company which pays on time.
Low ESL, while I can do ESL it doesn’t mean I should have to do so continuously because everyone else has cherry-picked or they just can’t do it – they need the practice, I don’t. While it’s true I can make money on ESLs because they tend to say the same thing over and over, when they don’t, they are a royal pain in the @ss.
Pay equal to my experience level.
State of the art equipment – No DOS! No cumbersome software wasting MY time looking up patient demographics.
I think I might prefer ER or clinic, I can make more money with those than with op notes, even though they pay less per line.
A company that DOES send positive e-mails and keeps its MTs up-to-date with feedback from the accounts and abreast of latest terms.
Anyone thinking about going IC?
Just wondering if anyone is thinking about it, or is doing so soon?
Exactly what I was thinking....sm
I am so hurt over it and I keep thinking....what am I going to do if this credit check becomes the norm? I will never be able to pay the bills then. Also, I used to be employed by them many years ago and did a fantastic job for them and was sought out by them, tested very well, and then offered a job, did the paperwork, and then apparently kicked to the curb without even letting me know why or the fact that I didn't get the job afterall. It's not the correct way to deal with anybody, good or bad credit! Merry Christmas.
What are they thinking?
Glancing at the job board just irks me. This Denise Workman with SW Transcription offering a whole .06-.08 per line for exp acute ESL work. Pulled up their website out of morbid curiosity to see no where on their site is a physical location, which normally means they not US based. Of course they want US employees for acute work because their .02 per line employees can't hack it yet. Shows on their site they charge .10 to .12 per line to their customers. My feeling is this company is an Indian company disguising itself as an American company. It's either that or these two women running the company are disgraces to the American transcription society. That's my feeling.
Yes, that's what I was thinking too
This is a relative of mine who has told me this story. I knew it didn't sound right. I also had a feeling she wasn't working her schedule, so I wouldn't be surprised if that was it. She seems pretty devastated today about the whole thing, but I'm not sure she should be surprised.
I've been accused of never believing what she tells me, so just wanted other opinions on this. Thanks to all.
That's what I'm thinking
I'm thinking I have the ability to do more work on my own schedule rather than just 8 hours with one. I appreciate your perspective into this as I needed to hear from others that are doing it already that it is the right thing to do or at least plausible.
I was thinking that also...sm
I'm trying not to worry so much like I did at first. I've only been doing radiology for 6 years and it's my favorite so I hope I can do this. Right now, I'm just glad I got the position. Thank you for the assurance.
I was just thinking that before. An old saying my mom
would tell me, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Funny how as we get older these cliches seem to make more sense to us!
I was just thinking that... a lot of it has to do with me
because as I have aged, I have had a lot on my mind, and also having a family with more responsibility took some part of my brain power. When I was single and up to about middle age the sky and energy and time I had to work was the limit. So was spending money on me, me, me. But now that I have gotten older, I have slowed not only because of age, but because of other things taking up my brain waves. On the plus side, my quality is much better so I provide better service to the patient. It is hard to come to the conclusion that sometimes we make less if we are slowing, but at least I still earn a decent living and know that I am providing good quality care to the patient. That must account for something, but does not necessarily pay the bills.
Thats exactly what I was thinking
what is in store for us now....I hate the unknown.
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