Home     Contact Us    
Main Board Job Seeker's Board Job Wanted Board Resume Bank Company Board Word Help Medquist New MTs Classifieds Offshore Concerns VR/Speech Recognition Tech Help Coding/Medical Billing
Gab Board Politics Comedy Stop Health Issues
ADVERTISEMENT




Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Complacency and fear of rocking the boat is a big

Posted By: reason we're being taken advantage of. It's on 2009-03-21
In Reply to: you bet I do, but you are missing sm - BALONEY




Complete Discussion Below: marks the location of current message within thread

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


Other related messages found in our database

Fear of change is worse than fear of not being able to pay your bills? nm
:)
Does anyone know where I can find a Zeky D rocking horse - I have looked everywhere on internet nm
nm)
Fear Factor is a like being an MT.
zz
Never fear, Sandy, because....
your little "problem" meeting TAT is quickly becoming solved with too much overstaffing, etc. among companies. This appears to be just YOUR problem. I would find it extremely hard to believe that an MT would deliberately try to undermine you by not working her committed work schedule. Goodness, all of this "craziness" because of one innocent question by Julia.
I am a single mom and have this fear every day
But, because I have to pay the bills, I cannot sit around. So I work 2 full-time jobs. I am eying my employee job carefully, b/c if it ever slows to the point where I cannot make rent, I will work 3 jobs and then let the 1 go which is faltering. Unfortuantely, I have been through what is happening to you but I was in a marriage. When I had to go out on my own, I realized how a person has to be secure in a job for all kinds of reasons, not just bills but self-esteem. I cannot tell you what to do nor is it my place to do so, I can only tell you where I have been and where I am now. Even if I had the ability to sit around and wait for work, I would not do it. I would first communicate and ask for full-time work. If no response I'd get a second or third job and do all until the time comes where I can judge which is the most consistent to pay bills. This is even if I did not have much sleep and raising a child alone. I am doing this now, and it is difficult, but I would rather lose sleep with a roof over my head and a good self-esteem, than sit and wait for work and let it eat on my bills and my confidence.
Sorry for the long note. Hope it helps. Good luck to you whatever you decide. PS: Listen to your heart.
Has anyone been following Psycho Fear Factor?
I don't think the Bates Hotel looks all that bad - in fact it looks a lot like MY house! So far I think the worst torture was having that newly divorced couple sleep in the same bed! I guess they signed up for the show B4 they knew divorce wuz pending, LOL.
Wow, let's see, I remember when we could play outside without fear SM
and stayed outside and played from morning until night (we only came home for supper)...

When you could be a blue-collar worker and expect to make a living wage, and keep the same job all your adult life...

When going to the movies for 50 cents and sitting in the balcony was fun...

When you could say something without fear of offending someone and getting sued...

Ah, I remember...
I fear what the future holds too...
Those three beautiful souls growing up thinking this is the normal way to live. Call your family today and start planning to leave this creep. It won't be the easiest thing you've ever done, but it will be the smartest.
Not to discount your fear right now, but didn't her doc

advise her that the risks involved with surgery would include perforation of organs, and other complications, including death. Medicine is unfortunately an inexact science, and doctors are, after all, only human. May not be a clear cut case of malpractice, may "merely" be an unfortunate complication.


I've seen many people rush into a lawsuit, only to have their lives and money consumed by them, to find out they don't understand legal concept of malpractice and even if malpractice, if the insurance company has a better lawyer, you can lose anyway.


For now, I would focus my energy on praying rather than suing...


 


 


Saying you have to be "professional" to not fear about loss of a job
means all the people sending in posts about outsourcing, losing their jobs, worried about the possibility of such, are nonprofessional. I think this reaches a lot more MTs than just the "nonprofessionals." I hear their fears and know what it is, have been there before. I appreciate the post on my behalf and hope anger management is on hand for those who apparently cannot handle it. My goodness, just think about the season if nothing else...
I fear you tried the company out of Chicago?
nm
Forgot to mention - kids need fear of someone or something sm
that is my job as a mom, to make them fear authority and always try to do the right thing! I don't care how big they are, and my one son is 6'3" tall and weighs 250 lbs, I will still kick his ass and he knows it!
don't cheat yourself out a really good experience just because of fear...sm
I went to Africa in January to volunteer in a medical clinic for 18 days. Talk about leaving your comfort zone. There were two nights in particular where I really, really, really wished I wasn't there.  But turned out to be a profoundly life changing experience. The word is "feel the fear but do it anyway."
No, that's next week's Psycho MT Fear Factor.
With FranQ substituting 4 Joe Rogan.
Not old but........Primal Fear! Excellent movie.
x
Totally not MT related, but where is the new season of Fear Factor on NBC? nm

I don't watch fear factor. They abuse animals. I also have better
stuff to do with my time then watch someone eat pig intestines.
I'm with your son, although my faves are SF Rockstar and SF Sobe No Fear. VROOOM ... lol nm

My biggest fear of doing my own file or someone else I knew doing it would be to hear

the dreaded words "obese female" and "looks older than stated age!"  UGH!!!!


I find they give the best, meticulous pt care by far. Why do you fear?
x
Their control obviously isn't putting fear in those that abuse the information though. nm
nm
Fear of change. Kinda like I am when I am faced with learning a new acct.
dd
I wanted to learn it, but I fear the learning curve would be impossible. sm

since I can't take any time off from the qwerty keyboard.  How did you make the conversion? 


No social life. I now have a fear going out in public! Working from home for 8 years now will do t
nm
If we are in the same boat so are all the other MTs so I think we should really do something about
this because us coming on here wont solve the problem although it is nice to know the game they are playing. What is the old saying, you name the game and I can play it too. Nice to know the game is being played on everyone so they dont said it is ONLY YOU. Please if anyone knows what to do let me know or come on here and let us know.
I'm in the same boat as you are.
I'm the same age, in the same field, and most likely looking forward to the same prospect.  I guess the only difference is that I prefer to have a positive outlook.  I'm not dead, not without education, and not without skills.  Although I don't want to have to find another job before I retire, I will IF I have to, and I'm confident that I will be able to.   I wasn't trying to blame anybody.  I was just trying to insert a little humor in an otherwise depressing post about an issue over which we have little control.  I understand the need to talk about it, but sometimes there is just as much need to just realize we can't do anything about it and then move on, laugh about the absurd, and notice the things we DO have.  The joke just seemed to fit under the other post where someone else was kidding about Bush having it out for everyone.  Maybe had I signed it "Kanye West" it wouldn't have gone over your head.
I'm in the same boat


Just curious is this person located in California?


in the same boat, except for
Around 15K in debt, gross 40k a year, rent going up in a couple months, all this buzz around me about houses, tired of being stuck in an apartment, living check to check.  BUT...I have been payng off debt to a tune of 5k or so a year, or under, and am looking into the prospect of getting a roommate.  To me, I must be absolutely out of debt and in a secure job (MT not too secure right now) before I take on a mortgage.  You said you have a renter?  Why dont you go for the house and have your bro sign something, for financial reasons, so he sticks around and pays you monthly, cut back anywhere if you can, and continue to pay off debt while you're in your new house?
same boat here
I have 25+ years experience, do mostly OPs and always get the ESL accounts. What are these companies going to do in a few years when the seasoned pros are out of the business and none of the newbies can transcribe these accounts because they never had to learn them? I get paid the same as the other people but get the crap account because I can produce and understand the worst, I have seriously thought of leaving the MT profession just for this reason.
I am in the same boat, but (sm)
I am still using Verizon. When I signed up, they told me it was okay to use for transcription, not a problem, but nonetheless, I am very worried right now. I think I need to look for a new job. As it is now, I hate to even dial in to get work. How long did you use it before you got nailed?
In the same boat.

I bought Medispell, but is not quite as good as the Stedman's.  Guess I will make do for awhile.  Could not find Stedman's on E-bay at the time.  I would also love to be able to load it on two computers. 


I am in the same boat...

Hello


I am currently in the process of getting my 2 local physicians up and running with digital.  I bought them each an Olympus DSS 330 hand-held recorder (do an internet search for cheapest price, like with Nex-Tag).  The software is very easy to use, and it's easy to transfer the files onto the computer.  I then bought space on CryptoHeaven, which encrypts the files and enables me to transfer files to and from the physicians.  I only need the smallest amount of space, which costs 2.49/month.  This way the office can upload the files or email them to me through the email accounts that CryptoHeaven provides.  This is the cheapest way I have found.  The only down side for me is that I have dialup.  If your physicians have dialup, then this will be a big draw back, as it took me about 30 minutes to email or upload one of the audio files.  This is just one of many ways to go.  I also looked into DocShuttle, but it is way more than I need and too expensive, as I do this just on the side.  If you find a cheaper, easier way, please let me know.  Good luck.  Email me with any further questions.  Lynn


I was in the same boat --
I worked on site at a hospital and new management was horrible.  We were to "exhaust all avenues" before leaving a blank.  That included calling the doctor's office which was absolutately ridiculous.  You can be on hold for 10 minutes or more before they pick up the line to see what you want.  When trying to explain why certain ESLs took so long to type ---- they didn't want to hear it.  They were getting rid of MTs that had been doing this at the same location for 10+ years.  I finally got fed up and told them .... "talk to the butt."  The bennies aren't great at home and the pay isn't either, but I certainly feel better about my job and myself!  Good Luck.
was in same boat sm
You can deduct health insurance premiums, equipment, depreciation of same, cell phone, internet, etc. I ended up having to pay over $3000 and am now an employee. I don't know how they do it either.
Same boat
But I tried doing MT on the side and at 10 cpl typing I am making less. You see, when you are QA, for me anyway, it often means you do the same with typing as you do with QA and try to make it perfect and you can't make any money that way. When someone consistently types 300 lph that's usually where you see all the mistakes. JMO.
same boat here

curious what posts you get.


I am in the same boat
as you. Feels good to hear an honest opinion about rates, I likewise have over 20 years experience and am still making per hour as I am per line as I did 10 years ago...but I stay with it as going back to school for a rewarding career at almost 50 does not exactly excite me.
in the same boat
I was always a shy person, and now have developed social anxiety disorder, which I think has a lot to do with working at home and not having anybody to socialize with. I think you lose your ability to socialize. It's hard to make friends when you hardly ever leave the house. When I do get a chance to socialize I feel like a total spaz. I guess that's one of the drawbacks of working at home.
In the same boat...
Both of my accounts have been extra busy the last 2 weeks and are asking us to work extra this week. I have so much work to do, I will be up all night tonight to try to get caught up. I am awaiting the week of New Years as I am taking Monday and Tuesday off and am going to enjoy a 4-day weekend. At this point, I really need it!
I'm in the same boat. here's what I'd do...
My MTSO is wanting to retire and me take over for her within a year or so. My ONLY reservation is that I have two young kids and enjoy weekends and a vacation every year. She hasn't taken any more than a long weekend in the 10 years I've worked for her. My plan is to have a reliable, quality backup IC that maybe we can trade vacation time. Even in the event of a family emergency, I don't think it's smart to not have someone dependable ready to go in a crunch, and it's just not smart business to think you can go forever and not take a break. Anyone is going to get burned out. Other IC's in different fields get to take vacations, why shouldn't we? I think the key is being prepared and realistic that emergencies are going to come up, computers are going to crash, parents/children/we are going to have medical issues, etc., and having someone ready and willing to step in is a good plan. Good luck!
we are in the same boat!
Wow---so you can definitely relate! My decision to be an MT was also related to his career because he moved us here to Florida, which is not where I want to be and I knew that with my flexibility as an MT I could travel to see my family and still work if my job required it. It is not as easy to ask for time off on a traditional job. I feel that for the sacrifices I have made due to his career, I deserve to have the career of my choice and not have it criticized! We do not have kids, but I still need the flexibility.

Your posts have lifted my spirits---Thanks!
Same boat
I am in the same boat you are in, with supervisory position history.  I do not know what to do either.  I will wait along with you and see what advise we get.
Same boat
I want to get a full time job which would pay more money than my MT job. Unfortunately, my 6-year-old hates camp (tried it last year and he refused to go). The other option is to get a full time baby sitter. You just have to be careful that you are not paying the baby sitter more than what you make! I've been lucky and pay mine $5.00 an hour, but I've known other moms who have to pay $10 an hour. By the time I pay for gas and clothes for a nice job and a babysitter, I might as well just stay at home and make less as an MT.
I'm in the same boat as you s/m

I lived in an area that did not offer DSL or cable.  I had satellite through Dish, but they didn't offer satellite internet either.  I had to move in town temporarily where I'm able to get DSL, but I'll be moving back out to my old place soon.


I worked for MQ on DocQScribe for years without any problems on dial-up.  I did have to tell my internet provider not to boot me off if I appeared idle or was on the internet for hours because I was working. 


I applied for several jobs since moving into town.  During the interview process, I always explained that while I had DSL now, I would not have it available after moving back to my home.  Most of them were unsure if dial-up would work.  When I explained that I had no problems with DocQScribe on it, they were fine with dial-up.  Some even went on to say that they thought they still had a couple of employees on dial-up (now that I mentioned it).  They were, however, careful to mention that I may experience problems with getting dropped by my internet and that their program may run a little slower.  I told them that was no problem for me.


I also looked into a few other options.  There are some things like cards available to plug into your computer.  I think they're a little pricy - but it may be worth it in the long run.  There's also Hugo satellite, which I think is about $60 a month.  I'm sure if you research a little more, you can find these and other options.  I always felt like helpless in this situation, too, but we do have options.  I wish I could tell you more about these, but I'm not that much of a techno girl.  You should be able to find something in the archives - maybe just searching the word dialup.  Good luck.


In the same boat
Maybe we have the same company. I have been with a new company for 6 weeks, and I have tech troubles, can't hear certain files, not having enough work to get good at any one account... its seriously frustrating. I have almost 10 years experience, and its frustrating when it happens, no matter how much experience you have. I do agree that you need to give it a little more time. And I think talking to your supervisor. There must be someone at your job that can help you sort this all out.
Same boat as you
I, too, am getitng back into the field after being out of it for 4.5 years (having transcribed for 7 years).  I was just hired for PT with Medware and I'm hoping things will go well. I know it may take quite an adjustment for me to get back into the swing of things, but I'm hoping and praying for the best.  I went to school to be a respiratory therapist and that's what I've been doing for the last 5.5 years, so I'll keep doing that one day a week. I hope things work out for you and things get a bit easier and more productive. Good luck!
in the same boat as you...
I am also in college right now for another profession altogether that I know will not pay me anywhere near what I make right now as a transcriptionist, but I am so burned out and want to do something new, I am not caring. I figure I can come home and work an hour or 2 a day or maybe even 1 weekend day and make up the pay difference until I can get some experience and time in my new field to get my pay up.

Do you mind my asking what you are studying?
Same boat here
wouldn't it be nice to at least get a message telling you to not bother trying to work? 
same boat
my company has done this too. information is slowly starting to trickle in. still doesn't say anything about pay or if we are guaranteed a position with them though. have you heard anything else?
Same boat as you...sm
Over the last 6 weeks, my take-home pay has totalled about $650.00! I'm not a high line producer but do manage to make my required line count (when the work is available). That $650.00 for the 6 weeks is a couple hundred less than I used to routinely clear every 2 weeks.

The way I figure it, I'm in the red by nearly $2000.00 at this point and I'm not sure it's going to get better any time soon. Again, all you get is platitudes from management. I'll bet their paychecks haven't taken a hit.

I work on 16-20 different accounts and, still, there is little-to-no work. My supervisor gives the same excuses you mentioned in your post. My company doesn't outsource, so I can't blame that.

Either way, I'm down by
In the same boat...sm
I am experiencing the same thing you are. I have been with this company since August 07 and I love the account I work on. It is really all I have ever done. I started MTing in May 07. This company too has ups and downs but here lately it is just downs. I mean the work is slim pickings. I too wondered if it was due to overhiring but then some other MTs are having the same problem. I have been looking on the job board too but I also do not do acute care. I would but nobody will hire you without exp. I do clinic work. Specializing in general surgery clinic. I have applied some places just on their website and heard nothing. I don't know what to do either.