As an IC, you are techinically your own business. Therefore, it's up to you

• Do ICs ever get a raise? -sm - Sandy
  • It's a tricky area (sm) - MT
  • tell them - hi
  • As an IC, you are techinically your own business. Therefore, it's up to you - to set and raise your rates.
    • That's right. Would you give your plumber or accountant a raise? - see inside
  • I would just ask for it -- unless you have a contract with them for a specific price and is due to - memt
    • Don't ask. Tell. Say, "Effective 1/1/05, my line rate will be x." nm - D
      • Yep. But also be prepared for them to immediately end your contract. nm - MT

The messages you are viewing are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select the boards given in left menu

Is there anyone out there kind of enough to point me in the right direction of starting my own MT business.  I have been doing a lot of research but found some outdated books online.  I need to know how to write up the contract. Can I do this myself or do I need it done legally?  the choice of software and line counting software.  It would mean so much to me.  I know a lot of you have done everything on your own, but don't I need to have a good starting point?  If someone could e-mail me with some or little info, it would be greatly appreciated.   Thank you again.

I empathize with all of you.  The MT industry is definitely going downhill.  What makes me especially angry is that it seems that the hospital HIM departments are responsible for a lot of what goes on, especially the misunderstandings between doctors and MTs.  During my very short time of working at a hospital, I noted that the department manager was too chicken to actually communicate with the doctors.  All she did was speak softly and flatter them whenever they would call to complain, and she would go in to that familiar rhetoric about being so sorry and having a talk with the offender, etc., etc.  It made me sick to listen to it. 

In a few short years, I will attain the label of geriatric.  I guess I lived my life backwards.  I was an RN first.  I really wanted to be a psychiatric nurse, but was stuck in Med Surg.  Just couldn't find the right opportunity, though I did get to work on one temporary assignment at the jail with the alcoholics and drug addicts.  Then, I did word processing.  Twenty years ago, I was commuting via subway and bus 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening, earning about $10 per hour as a word processor.  I made more money then than I do now, but I also had expenses for transportation and wardrobe, and I was not paid for those 4 hours a day of commuting.

I've been an MT for almost 2 years.  I went into it blindly.  AS has been my pattern in life, I always believe the good reports and think that a situation is going to be wonderful; I am often disappointed.  I've been waiting for my supposedly dream job, for a company that, one year ago when I took their tests and scored 97, required 2 years of experience.  Now that I have 2 years of experience, I see that they are requiring 3 years of experience. 

I live in a rural area.  The local jobs are mostly all just a bit over minimum wage.  So, I am thankful that I can work at something at home.  I just could not afford to earn minimum wage, while still needing to provide gas and wardrobe, not to mention the commuting time. 

I did work as an MT at a local hospital; not so local, as it is 60 miles round trip.  Talk about office politics, it was awful.  The manager had no clue what medical transcription was all about.  She was not a very good leader, and her top priority was to make herself look good.  The health insurance benefits were wonderful.  But, I couldn't stand working there.  Working at home is so much better in my case, in my opinion, at this time.

I feel lucky that I bought a home a few years ago and now my mortgage is a little less than the rent for a local one bedroom apartment.  I realize that, if I have to work another 10 years or more, I should change professions, too.  I figure that I could become a psychiatrist if I wanted to go through medical school.  I guess I might try for a PHD in psychology and become a therapist or something.  Unfortunately, I am now spoiled and don't want to commute to work.  I know of no way to be a psychologist from home unless I move to a home that is set up for seeing patients; this one will not work for that.  

I think that I am going to become a professional nutritional consultant.  That way, I can be a nurse and a psychologist all at the same time, without having to stick needles into anyone.  Blood tests have their place, but I am not one that ever was good at drawing blood or starting IVs.  I might have to consult with someone's MD, but not all of them are bad.  They can often be trained to treat you with respect.  I never allowed a doctor to talk down to me when I was a practicing nurse, and I certainly will not allow it now.  It makes me seeth when a doctor spells easy words for me.  This morning, a doctor spelled FLATUS, as if he thought I wouldn't be able to figure that one out!! 

Also, one of my pet peeves is that people take way too many prescription drugs for chronic diseases that could be corrected nutritionally.  So, this is probably going to me my next profession.

I've often wondered how a person gets a audience in front of the US Congress?  Do you submit a request or do you have to be invited?  I think I know how to send out press releases, and I bet we could find the email addresses of major newspapers and start submitting.  Remember that big report that one of the major morning shows had about how great it is to work at home as an MT?  Well, I wonder if they would like to hear the rest of the story?  Actually, I realize that many of their feature stories are promoted by the advertisers.  So, unless some big group backs us up, it is not likely we will get that type of coverage.  I guess we will have to contact some news journalist who covers stories regarding the underdogs of the world.  Did anyone contact Oprah yet?  I think this is not just an MT issue, but a woman's issue, since most of us are women, and as such, seem to have less respect in this country.  

I usually edit my postings, but decided to just let this one go through as written.  Recently, I read a story about life decisions and the theme was that, whenver we make decisions, we must be aware of how our decisions will affect the next 7 generations.  I really wish that the last 7 generations would have considered that.  And, as MTs and as mostly women, we must stand up for our rights to be treated with respect.  Consider the impact on the next 7 generations.  

Thank you for reading my message.      

Employees are most costly in terms of benefits, taxes and equipment. As IC is personally responsible for all of the above but not at your beck and call, either. Personally, as an IC, I prefer it that way, but I have the luxury of a hubby whose company can provide medical/dental benefits. You may find that when you notify your employees that they are now ICs some will find other work because they need the benefits (if offered).

Hope this helps in your decision-making process.

I am hoping someone has some ideas for me. I have been a medical Transcriptionist for 14 years for a medical malpractice company.  I  have experience with op notes, discharge summaries, etc. except they are just set up in a report fashion.  I am having a hard time breaking into the at home online companies because they see "medical malpractice"  and they automatically think I am on the law end and have law terminology which is not the case, I have experience in all specialites, have medical terminology and experience with ESL and would really like some part time work at home as well. 

I am hoping someone has any ideas of where to begin and which companies would be the best to look into.

Thanks for any advice.

I could use some help.  I have an opportunity to do some work for a doctor in CT, but I live in Maine.  I have heard that there are encrypted e-mail programs that may allow me to get sound files but I do not know of any.  I have also heard that FTP programs might work.  Can anyone help me with some ideas of how I could get the sound files across the internet?

Thanks,

Gale

you're always working.  I may not actually type a lot on the weekends, but I do some.  I use the weekends to do paperwork, organize, and get my bearings for the next week,  So, yes, I work every day.  Even holidays. 

Diana

You'll probably need an Occupational License if you'll be filing as self employed on your 1040.  Check with your local state or city tax department.  I live in Florida and I'm required to have an OL from both my county and my city and both must be renewed yearly.

It's something they can pursue when they are old enough.

Also, don't spend a lot on pictures, if you have to pay for just reprinting of pictures and they pay for the photographer that is probably reasonable.

I had to go through this more or less when I got divorced.  Of course this was to my benefit but have also worked for a company that sold so know that most of this is true.  First of all you have to find out that your customers would stay with the new owner.  Two of my five accounts had contracts with me specifically and said that they would not go with anyone else.  In fact the won't allow me to use subcontractors on their accounts.   You have to get it in writing that they will in order to value the company.  If you are selling equipment, well it loses a lot of depreciation in years.  But you find out how much that would sell for which again is not much.   I was told that the business itself usually starts at what it nets per year but again all potential buyers will want some type of guarantee that your customers will stay with you.  Basically you are selling your namem your reputation and if any equipment.    The company that I subcontracted with sold, but they did not tell the customers it was being run by new people until after it sold and then half left and there was some type of legal hassle.    Sorry we are not worth as much as we think we are.  In my case it was good as then my husband got nothing as the judge said, "If I did not work it would not generate any money so it was me that was worth the money and he threw that away."   Will never forget those words as it was true.  But good luck, find a broker and see what you can do.

Patti

I think I did. Thats what attracted me to it the most.  Call that sad if you want, most people in my life think its sad.  But I seriously cannot deal with the average person.  I've always been somewhat of a misfit anyway, only because I'm not a gossiper, not a talker about someone behind ones back, and am generally just open to all kinds of people, but I find when I don't get that back, I get so oversensitive that I just want to hide.

I have started back at school, because I do want something more out of life.  I am in my mid 30s and let me tell you its so hard being in school with these young insensitive people with attitudes.  Case in point, my class last night, I ask a simple question of my class mate and before she could answer, she had to roll her eyes in the back of her head and sigh, like it was a big inconvenience to answer my one little question.  Of course making me feel like I did back in grade school...a misfit.  Things like that just burn me because it would never occur to me to do that to someone, so it makes me want to crawl back into my MT hole, put on my PJs, get my coco and just punch out lines, collect a pay check, and give the finger to everyone else.  Why be nice anymore???

I know this is totally off topic but maybe some of you have the same frustrations and maybe we chose this profession because of our sensitive dispositions?  Whats funny, i'm majoring in psychology so I can figure people out and myself, and i'm just starting out, but its the people who I come in contact now that make me want to give it up.  Just the overall fast paced and rudeness of the world has got me down today.  I used to hide in my house and I remember I was a lot more at peace when I did that.  Nobody to look at me sideways or whisper about me for absolutely no reason, other than I'm there or am different from them. 

I would have gone into the service, like I originally planned, had them send me to nursing school and made the military my career.  I would be WAY retired now, in fact, I would have retired at 38 years of age with a great retirement as an officer, and then worked somewhere else and retired again at 58 with two full pensions.  If I could do it over, I most definitely would.