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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

And I was stating facts based on my experience..nm

Posted By: Former Quixtar on 2006-01-10
In Reply to: If that is how you are perceiving what I am saying.... - PathGuy

nm


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Not angry, just stating facts. Look around.
x
lol, just stating the facts ma'am.
x
not flaming you, just stating facts. sm
no one can clean up enough themselves, but Christ can clean them up. Maybe you would want to discuss on the faith board? I assumed by the tone of your posts over there you were a Christian but I assume not now. Didn't flame, but will pray for you.

I too have been to h*ll and back by the Grace of Christ he brought me out of it.

Just reading your posts on this side of the boards you sound like a miserable sad person. Christ can change that if you let him.
He's stating statistics and facts. You're LOL-ing
for lack of any facts, stats or intelligent statements. You are showing your ignorance and lack of education and class, as well as your resentment and jealousy of those who have successful lives because they got off their butts and did something - like go to college and control the direction fo their lives instead of blaming other people for everything.

Typical loser.
Post resume on job board, stating what experience you have.
xx
Facts? what FACTS?..MQ does not deal in Facts! Haven't you learned

they will be written in disappearing ink. 


Make up a theory and build on it.  That's the best fact you will have


from this joke of a corporation.  It is a non-business.  The more deep they get


into the world of transcription the more complicated and nonsensical it becomes.


We are so FAR removed at this point from what the job was originally designed to


do it's impossible to recognize the goal.


p.s. the original GOAL was:  Transcribe what an English speaking physician dictated in place of him having to write it out.  They were clear, distinct, and appreciative of the chance to get home to dinner on time instead of sitting writing notes for 2 hours after making rounds. 


A lot of legal-ese, mumbo, jumbo, useless lab values garbled in a nurse cackling station in the hallway was not where they dictated - nor were they doing it in a car, on a boat, in the men's bathroom, or in the doctor's lounge with one eye on the football game.  They were in the MR room in a soundproof cubby with their charts.


All a transcripionist did was put a tape in the machine, type the name of the patient as good as she could make out from the doctor's dictation - type the report - take the paper out of the typewriter, put a sticker on the bottom of the page HISTORY AND PHYSICAL and the like and put it in a stack for the MR clerk to put the Pat ID number and other info in the little box at bottom of the report.


If we couldn't make out what the doctor was saying, we could get up from our chair, go to the files 2 feet away, pull the chart, and look at the word, number, name of whatever we had question about.


We were not "bean counters", doing transcription as an after-thought.  Ever since the time they put MTs in front of a computer we have become DATA ENTRY first and foremost, collecting information, and along with that trying to still PRODUCE the same amount of reports as we used to squeezed into the same 8 hours - while trying to now understand illiterate people calling themselves doctors and who have lost every bit of respect for the person at the other end of the dictation line and who have become for the most part rude buffoons hardly due the title of human being much less physician.


And to top it all off, now with all the added functions companies want from an MT they want to pay less. 



The difficulty level of the test you take is based on your years experience. If you have say 10+
years experience as an MT, then you get the harder test.  I have tested for several services in the past and when I test I'm told specifically which files to transcribe and there will be several to choose from, but I'm only told certain ones.  That's because we get experienced-based tests - harder test for more experienced MTs and easier tests for less experienced MTs.
He gave you FACTS, facts are no biased. GEEZ. nm
x
Line-based vs. hour-based requirement
Hospitals do have an hourly requirement, and generally incentive after a certain line level. MQ only has a line based requirement, which is 12,000 per pay period. The hourly requirement is strange, unless they now plan to convert to an hourly pay plan?
That is not what the OP is stating..

If the company is advertising for "shifts" meaning 7 a to 3 p, then that is an employee that they need, not an IC. 


ICs choose their own hours; yes they do.  Anything dictated by an MTSO for shifts meaning the MT must be accountable for those hours equals EMPLOYEE, not IC.


The OP is absolutely correct.  These MTSOs take advantage by instituting a shift or schedule.  As an employee, that's great.  The reason behind the MTSO doing this is that they feel they can just not hire the employees which cost more money and get away with not paying the taxes.  So many MTs fall for this scheme. 


This is the whole reason you see posts about companies that hire ICs and then ICs are on here complaining of no/low work and there is nothing they can do about it. 


Such a shame not all of us are smart enough to see this racket, which is what it is a "racket."


Kudos to MTSOs who hire employees.  Bah Humbug to MTSOs who hire ICs and then dictate the hours or shifts to that IC.  When in fact an IC equals self-employed which means I make my own hours. 


No. They start out stating how (sm)
great they are to work for. Okay so I decide to try them. Everything goes along fine for about 6 months, then it hits the skids. I have concerns how they suddenly switched my accounts with no word as to why. Then they stop sending work altogether. I emailed the main lady, my supe, and even the CEO of the company all to no avail. I then get a very rude and threatening email from them about how I have ignored them. WHAT?! I did not ignore them, it was the other way around and when I called her on it, she shut up and quick. Unfortunately, I am only one of many who had this experience with this company. They tout themselves as the best to work for, but are far from it. It was about the worst exp I had.
Just stating what I see, sorry if your toes
stepped on. I guess you must not read the others.
Some people just don't like the truth. A lot of the vents are from "supermoms", so impressed about that, who apparently do not feel like they can do it all, otherwise why be so frustrated?? How do I make time for this, how do I take care of the baby and still work. As far as not knowing what it feels to be cared for, as far as my hubby up is concerned he has me on a pedestal. I worked and kept up as many as 6 other people before and I did not go around crying and whining. I did it because at that time it had to be done. Just part of being a working person, just did it, no crying and no whining, part of life. Now hubby pays for the house, my vehicle and says if I want to can quit working whenever I want. Just try to read the posts, ok?
I am stating how I feel about something
and I do not have the same opinion maybe as you or others but it is my opinion. I do not know of anyone who puts themselves in my shoes so don’t know where that goes. Actually have more of an open mind about lots of things, very liberal type person, just do not think this is a really big deal. If you do not have names, addresses, etc. etc. how in the world can you do identify theft. Use your common sense, ok?
for stating that!!! Finally! NM
nm
You could try just stating in a letter

They may or may not decide to keep you.  You don't really "ask" as an IC.  You "state" as an IC.  You will risk them finding cheaper services.  So, you need to ask yourself if it is worth losing the account for a few more cents per line.  The only other thing you could do is attach an "administrative fee" to each bill and let them know it is for tasks not related to the actual production; this would be a little raise.


The bottom line is that raises are nonexistent as an IC.  Normally what quote you've given them in the start of the work is what they expect to pay or they'll find someone cheaper like an offshore company.  I wouldn't stir the waters if I was you, but that's just me. 


I tried to barter with one account over a raise and the doctor met me halfway.  I was being paid per page.  I had to drop him though because once I raised the rate, he quit paying me on time.  I guess I was last on the list.  He switched to me doing handwritten note dictation (no dictation).  It was hard on the neck and eyes, so I quit.


Well, I WAS stating my opinion.
nm
not trying to be nasty, just stating sm
a fact. Too many MTs out there without sufficent education and they are suppose to mess around until they "realize" that they don't have the education?

I have seen schools make promises to these people that they can't keep. I have warned people not to put their money into these schools and most don't listen. Have actually had people call after they "finish" school and tell me that they cannot or could not transcribe the tapes given to them on a final examination.

Sure wish folks would listen. This is not a career for folks to walk into hoping to be a "fast learner." I wonder if your doctor is a "fast learner?" This kind of attitude has brought this profession down to nothing more than a typist.
Here are the facts
They have 5 pay levels. The top level, which is where I stay no matter what it takes, pays 0.085 per line for a minimum of 225 lines/hour with an additional 0.05 per line on weekends. You don't have to work harder for the new bonuses. If I stay right where I am now putting less than 20% of my work on hold (the amount I put on hold is WAY less than that), I will make nice bonuses with the new QA. I like the money I make because I'm a single mother and have no backup income.
The facts
YOU need to give it up. Trust me, I am NOT MQLOVER. We are two different people with one very strong similarity and that is that we both enjoy working for MQ - is that so hard to understand? When she gets flamed it is usually because she is commenting how happy she is at MQ and when that happens that rubs me the wrong way because I agree with her!

WE ARE HAPPY AND NOT AFRAID TO ADMIT IT SO WHAT IS PROBLEM?

Get off the kick that we are the same person posting as two - because let the facts be told that is not true!
Just some facts sm
My original post is speaking of the definitions as we know them, not the terms themselves.

As a matter of fact, neither term is mentioned in the Bible. The only way we recognize what they are is from the way the Bible is describing the two.


Definition of astrology:

Divination using celestial bodies: the sun, moon, planets, and stars.

This description is mentioned in the Bible many times. One example:

"You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons predict what shall befall you." Isaiah 47:13


Definition of astronomy:

The science of the celestial bodies: the Sun, the Moon, the planets, the stars and galaxies, and every other object in the universe.

The Hebrews were devout students of the wonders of the starry firmanent (Amos 5:8; Ps. 19). In the Book of Job, which is the oldest book of the Bible in all probability, the constellations are distinguished and named. Mention is made of the "morning star" (Rev. 2:28; comp. Isa. 14:12), the "seven stars" and "Pleiades," "Orion," "Arcturus," the "Great Bear" (Amos 5:8; Job 9:9; 38:31), "the crooked serpent," Draco (Job 26:13), the Dioscuri, or Gemini, "Castor and Pollux" (Acts 28:11). The stars were called "the host of heaven" (Isa. 40:26). (source: christianity.about.com)


When all is said and done, you have a free will to accept, disregard, believe, or disbelieve whatever you want to...granted by your Creator.

You also have the knowledge and the means to search out for yourself what is displeasing/incompatible with God and His Word. He will be the ultimate judge.

But don't be fooled, scripture does tell us that putting our faith and trust in the alignment of the planets and stars is divination, sorcery.

God said it, not me.
Thank you for these facts...
NM
The facts....

During the "season," the weather's great - the lines are long, and the prices are shooting through the roof.


 


During the summer, it's just the opposite, but the weather's so hot and humid you'd swear you've got steam coming out your ears. 


Facts are facts . . . The AMA does not . . .

recognize the BOS as an authoritative guide for medical writing.  Fact.  No "personal feelings" are involved. 


Now, my PERSONAL FEELINGS are that I hate to see people waste their money.  Way too many MTSOs and MTs have been duped into believing the BOS is an authority. 


 


And the facts....
do show that CMTs DO earn more money so someone is paying for it. That even showed up in the annual survey done by Advance. It just is. And sure many don't have that, and yet for each and every one of us, it is about CHOICE, and we do choose where we work.
Get the facts
I have been doing transcription for 3 years plus; in my past life I did hospital quality management. Something is missing in this industry, nobody manages anything objectively except how fast we get a report to the customer. I can't figure out how the MT world missed out on the whole QA thing when it is the biggest deal in how hospitals function. I guess as QA was becoming a very big deal from the standpoint of accreditation, the MTs were sneaking out the back door or there became so many variations on managing transcription, JCAHO just didn't feel like opening that can of worms. But, from my experience, background, and 20 years of forcing people to do it, I have concluded that it is the very reason the MT industry is in such chaos. This work is never managed by anything factual. Everyone is guessing at it. I even have to laugh at times wondering if anyone ever bothered to ask a physician if they even LIKE VR; all this time, effort, science, and and.. I rarely hear anything positive. It saves money? Does it? Based on what? Nobody evaluates my work in any detail that tells me anything. No other business involved in the written word sends off final products without it being edited, not spot checked, edited.. like the newspaper. They want perfection newpapers and novels, but we can send information off that has to do with life and death after we double check our work; everyone knows you can't proof your own work. That makes me crazy.

Well, I could do volumes on this. You just flat can't effect change by trying to talk people into it. Which, by the way, would be poor managing. If offshoring is so bad for all the reasons noted, we have to show them the money.

I'm a believer in walk the talk, so in my spare NOT time...I have put this website together so that we can begin to collect data, so we can begin to prove our points. I have one survey there now, but I'm just getting started. There will be many many. When there is some powerful information available, I'm going to start knocking on the doors of some entities who can make something happen (who probably should have been). Go have a look (and do a survey)!!

We have to dig deep about offshoring, really explore it, and get facts about it. I'd be interested in forcing the "big savings" issue into data because I keep wondering if the bean counters are counting in the USA hours spent fixing their work? No, that still shows up on our expense account.

Back to work.
www.medicaltranscriptionsurveys.com
MA passed law stating all residents MUST
or they will be fined $1,000 per year.  Poverty level up to 4 times poverty level (for family of four) you will receive free or subsidized care.  All other residents must either have health insurance through their employer or individual policy.  My question is, what if you just cannot afford it????  There are many reasons some above poverty level cannot afford coverage, such as family history.  This law stinks.  I'm sure there was heavy insurance company lobbying on this one.  Once again the little guy gets .
Maybe a letter stating that on such and such date - sm
your rates will be increased to XYZ. Then maybe institute a % discount if they pay in 5-10 days if you don't already do that, kind of lessen the sting (just make sure you don't make less if they do this). If not a letter than maybe on your next invoice. Good luck.
Just stating a fact, no problems.
SA
Stating the reality isn't being pessimistic.

wide open and landing accounts with no contacts was an easy thing to do, I'd tell the OP to go for it and good luck.  But I know from experience what is true.  I have plenty of accounts and ALL of them came my way via connections.  First I worked as an MT in a hospital for many years and I left there to start my own business and from my hospital connections accounts came my way.  Then my clients referred accounts to me.  Not one of my clients has come from advertising or cold calling or sending letters of introduction or flyers.  Not one.


Those are not facts. Those are your opinions.
The fact is that most people here who own trailers, whether the trailer is in a park or not, OWN their trailer.  It has nothing to do with education level or skills.  The real scuzzy part of town is the lower south side with all the decrepit apartment buildings and homeless people wandering around from the shelter.  Sorry, but the "facts" and "statistics" you are spouting simply do not hold water.
I'd be interested to know if you have the facts on this
Not flaming at all, just would like to know what goes on, what they're not telling us.  I've seen documentaries on how humanely they do it, by injection for cows and they give pain relievers to chickens.  Am I being naive here?
I have my facts straight.
Comments by people on message boards don't matter.  It's the BBB complaints and lawsuits that back up my facts.  Of course, people are going to say good things about a product or service in order to sell, sell, sell.  It's called damage control.
Get your facts straight
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-09-07-katrina-debit_x.htm

Anything else you care to complain about?
Facts and stats
Facts and stats are always interesting but fail to include things like the absolute lack of respect for what we do.  When the medical records industry needed more MTs, the only innovative thing they have tried is sending the work offshore.  No one in the industry has figured out that in order to attract and retain good MTs, you need to respect them, pay them what their worth and stop telling them they are a profession when their pay is based on piecework. 
Um, yes, you can. Check your facts. nm
x
The REAL facts on EMR

This is in response to a post made earlier to the MT who wanted to know if EMR is doing away with MTs. 


To answer your question, I would only direct you to the "job's wanted" board here, as well as to various other MT boards around.  Seeing the vast number of companies who are screaming for qualified MTs should answer your question and put your fears to rest.


EMR is too expensive and cumbersome for the vast majority of docs to use.  They will either have to pay big bucks for it and spend their time playing secretary or hire someone to do the input, which equals employee - benefits - paid vacation time - paid personal time, yada, yada, yada.  WHERE'S THE SAVINGS?  There is none. 


If the doc wants to play secretary and input the info himself, he's cutting his own throat doing it as he's earning secretarial wages instead of M.D. wages. 


EMR will not and never will wipe out our industry.  


This is a crock - here are the facts about IQ

Okay, here are the facts for those who care (like me).


There are many standardized IQ  tests.  Some only go to 140.  Some tests can go up to 180.  So basically it depends on what IQ test was given just how relatively smart these people are.  I seriously doubt any of these folks actually published something as personal as an IQ score and even if they did, I would question the validity.   You cannot make a blanket statement when comparing IQs.  One more time (for those who didn't read my last post) -- think about high IQs like this -- it is simply processing speed, just like your computer.  Many IQ tests are auditory memory and/or processing skills -- i.e. you have $1.75 and three of the coins are dimes -- what are the other coins and how many of each. ..that type of thing.  I stress that while IQ is important -- what is more important are other qualities such as character, learning from experience, attitude, resiliency, etc.    I would also add that unfortunately research shows neurocognitive diseases such AD, etc. are very unkind to the extremely intelligent.


I have been a member of American Mensa for years....and find it to be a very valuable wealth of information -- ESPECIALLY  in regard to the testing and studies they have done on gifted children.  Very interesting research and publishing in their magazines of information on smart kiddos (like yours I am sure.) 


: I left Houston and moved to Chicago increasing the average IQ of both places :)


AND if you are going to dis MENSA -- there is another organization called Intertel of which I am also a member whose IQ requirement is 99.9.   What we actually do is covert -- but I am at last relieved that they can no longer harvest my eggs :)


 


Some interesting facts...

In 1960 the average yearly income was 4,743 dollars.


I'm looking in my 1960 Sears catalog right now:


Console television 23 inches  - 429.00


Reel to reel tape player - 279.95


Gas range 289.00


13.8 cu ft (can you say SMALL?) refrigerator - 369.95


Can you see how expensive these things were back then in comparison to income?  You can buy a really good sized refrigerator now for about 700 dollars on sale.  That's not the fancy schmancy one, but it's very cheap compared to our average income.  Same with everything else.


In my 1973 Sears catalog we have a microwave oven for 500 DOLLARS! 


My point is, many things are very cheap now if you take a historical look at it.


Here's 2 facts- the Lap-Band.....sm

The risks of the Roux-en-Y include organ failure and death.


The risks of the Lap-Band do not include organ failure and death.


I type this everyday for 2 years now so the facts come from the professionals and not me. 


 


Opinions as facts
I know what my job is - but I also know what the doctors job is and that is to provide adequate patient care, for which this particular doctor often does not do. I just hate having my initials on the reports. There are many times that I have thought of turning her in, but with doctors patrolling themselves it is unlikely that anything would ever become of it. One of her colleagues has a double-digit infection rate for knees, hips and backs - and somehow he is still in practice. At first I thought maybe these patients were seeking him as a second opinion or already had the infection until I looked further into their records - he works with the same group in the same OR and that is where the infection is coming from. I wish they would just shut them down. It is heartbreaking when a 20-something loses his leg due to an infection - and then the next three reports are also infected patients of his. Maybe I should just get out of this business. I think it has taken its toll.
your facts. not mine. nm
NM
Get your facts straight
"This whole mess" as you put it started long before Clinton became president. Also, remember he was dealing with a Republican congress, which is where NAFTA originated. Reagan was the culprit - it was during his decade of greed that America put itself up for the highest bid - like a lady of the night.
Oh, I do know the facts and the accounts
run out of work. Not clinic or ER work, so must be 2 different animals, or 2 different LTS.
Get your facts straight
I cannot believe how ignorant some of the comments in this section are. Physicians from other countries go to medical school in their own country. When they come to the United States, they must pass a Foreign Medical Graduate examination. In addition, they must complete their residency here in the U.S. They also must pass the test to obtain their medical license in the state in which they wish to practice. You don't just go to a mediocre school in another country and then come here and set up practice.
my facts to back it up are...
I have been doing this now for 16 years. I am not a newbie. And you all made my point. You are working when your children are napping, or when they are in school, or when your husband it home, or after they go to sleep at night - exactly what I said - you have to work the job - you are not attending to your children and working at the same time. Okay, you are willing to work from morning to night to make your money and if that is what you want to do, then that is great...

My facts to back this up are that I had 2 young children when I started transcription and I had to work 3rd shift because if I was on 1st or 2nd shift they wanted to know why I "played on the computer all day" or "why won't you play with me".

I also have a sister who is a medical Transcriptionist at home and she takes her child to a daycare everyday because she does not want to make her feel neglected if she has to work while the child is wanting to be paid attention to and she does not want to get fired when she cannot produce what she is required to, and she does not want to be homeless when she cannot pay her bills. And she takes a vacation whenever the child cannot go to daycare because it is just not profitable for her to work with the child there.

I also have a good friend who is a transcriptionist and she hired a babysitter to come into her home 5 days a week and keep the children in another part of the house while she worked because she could not devote her attention to the child and work at the same time.

I never said you could not benefit from keeping your child at home, but you cannot give your child 100% and give your job 100% at the same time. At any point in a day, you have to choose one or the other.

And those are my facts to back up what I am saying...
Experience on top, current experience first. Education second. Leave out ALL fluff.
Recruiters don't need your life story. They need to know if you can do the job. If you want, put your current employer, then state "I have 20 years in the profession doing....." Keep it simple; keep it clean. If you want to go into more detail, do it during the interview. A HUGE red flag is to see that you've worked for 10 different companies, for months at a time. I know that someone who has worked for the same company for 2 years or more is going to have some degree of loyalty and will work through issues rather than cut and run.
That is a whole different story than stating you "joined" the lawsuit. Its how
so much of the original MQ class action lawsuits got so screwed up information-wise to the rest of us MTs. You were probably one of the originals, proudly claiming you "joined" the lawsuit, while hundreds of us scrambled around trying to figure out what we missed and how to "join". That was the huge fiasco months back.  You are misinforming when you state you "joined" anything, cause there is NOTHING to join at this time.  Personally, I think its just "pomp" on your part, actig like you're "in the know", and making some kind of martyr stand. There is NOTHING to join, so don't misrepresent it until such time as there IS something to join. Makes the rest of the poor MTs feel worse - MQ gives no info, and then everyone else but them has "joined" a suit.  Not defending MQ - just wish folks would not "spin" the truth - same games MQ allegedly likes to play! But you, naturally, feel justified!
I love how stating what I believe to be factual is ignorant- this has nothing
customs or what their religious beliefs or morality is. I am just saying it will most likely be nothing like she expects, certainly nothing like the freedom we have here in the U.S., and she should think long and hard about it. Go in with your eyes open. Boy, the things people take "offense" at on this board is unbelieveable.
It means I saw an email stating this, but it was not addressed to me.
nm
They at least owed you a call/email stating they would not -
After being in contact with an applicant, having them fill out a form, etc., it's just plain rude to give them no feedback whatsoever. What if an applicant let another job pass by while waiting for this one, thinking it was a better job and that because things had gone well on the phone conversation, that the application process would at least continue. Very unfair to you, and very rude of the employer.
This is not being a bigot! Simply stating fact of
x