Depressing News followup
Posted By: pauline on 2008-11-13
In Reply to: My heart goes out to you Pauline - sm
My PT job was at a hospital that used Meditech so I do have that training on that software, but I have worked via the Internet for years with a couple of diff hospitals so thank God I did have that experience in other software programs and knowledge of Internet.
Meditech is not a MT friendly program either but I did make good money so now I am going to have to find another PT job to help the gap. I sure am going to miss that account. I have been so lost since I lost my hourly paying hospital job and going back to working by the line for my total paycheck and I hate it. I really have thought about going back to school at age 58 and doing medical billing maybe. Hope it improves for all but I really do not think it will for a long long time.
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Depressing News
I lost my hospital job back in September. I don't know what state you live in, but I'm an MT and here in Michigan I was able to get unemployment benefits. I would suggest you apply; the least they can do is say no. Incidentally, I was out of work for nearly eight weeks and last week started working for a company in New England. I've found them to be very friendly and helpful and the pay is pretty good. Good luck in your search. I know it can be discouraging but please don't give up.
Depressing news today
 Well. My hospital job was outsourced in August and I also had a PT job to help pay bills too. Today I found out that I will no longer have that PT job as that I was working PT for has decided to put all MTs in one pool to work at all of their hospitals they own, so the Outsource Co I have worked for four years has lost that contract basically. Another financial loss. I was making bringing home about $2300 a month and now I am down to about $900 a month or less. What a blow. Jobs are so scarce now and I just cannot go to Walmart to get a job because I had major back surgery years ago and I just cannot stand lor long periods of time. I do not know if I would even qualify for unemployment benefits which is so little but it would pay credit cards maybe. I have not heard really of MTs qualifying for unemployment and I am not so sure about this either. I am going to check into it, but I doubt. My MT friend where we used to work had to borrow $30 yesterday to buy a couple of groceries. She bought food to make chilli and Hamburber Helper to last for days. I hope things turn around, but at this point I am not so sure. So depressing and I am tired of taking typing tests. I have been an MT for 29 years and score really high on tests, but then a person never hears back from those companies. Just how depressing is that and I know that a lot of us have been there, done that. Have resumes in everywhere I can think. Lets all hope and pray hard for things to turn around in this next year.
depressing
Thank you for the info. I guess I'll just have to make a few more shortcuts and see how that pans out. I do have an Expander -- one -- that holds my "gazillion" shortcuts already but it is provided by the hospital I work for and is the only one that has to be used for ALL accounts. Thanks for your insight.
depressing changes in MT
wow. if what you say is so (about the AAMT, that is), reminds me of the so-called "nurses' associations." they spew about being "advocates for nurses," and at the same time, endorse every bit of legislative evil you can imagine to undermine our practice and...well, let's just put it this way: there's no shortage of nurses; they're just not at the bed-side--they're fed up with the codswallop. just wish nurses would get as much "stuffs" as you all evidently have!
Its depressing!
I have an oncology acct, I think its so sad
Depressing pay
What bums me out is reading all of the posts of people claiming up to 100,000/yr doing medical transcription. I just cannot fathom how that is possible, but then again, I am an employee with accounts that change frequently and the beginnings of CTS. Good for all you that are able to really profit from this line of work. I cannot wait to move to an area where I can utilize my education.
Depressing reports
Anyone ever get depressed after typing certain reports? I sometimes find that abuse reports on kids will bring me down and I have to get up and do something else for a little while. Does anyone else have this problem sometimes?
depressing reports
Thank you so much. I thought I was the only only one who sat and cried at the keyboard!
Wish I had not looked. Too depressing. nm
nm
This is depressing, especially about Spheris. nm
xx
Happy yet depressing, too!
Man, sometimes life just stinks! My current job has not had much work for me lately, so I've been testing around to see if I can scare up more work. I've been really down on myself, it seems like no one hires newbies. I've got just 10 months part-time experience, some clinic, some acute care.
I just got results back from the first company I tested with. I just scored a 98.8%! YAY!! The company doesn't have any openings right now though. I've never been so happy to NOT get work in my whole life. ACCCKKK!!
How do y'all handle this emotional rollercoaster?
Truly Depressing!!! Frustrating!!!
I know I have posted before....thanks to all those that have given me leads.....but I am so depressed....have applied at too numerous-to-count companies....and STILL no MT job!!!!! Have some medical background besides my MT diploma, yet cannot get anywhere!!!! Even bought a foot pedal.....how is one supposed to get experience if no one will mentor them....and I have applied to all mentoring openings.....but no responses!!!! I JUST WANT TO CRY!!!! Seriously thinkiing that this was a big mistake.....wanted to further my career....but this hasn't helped!!!! And unfortunately, I cannot afford to take another MT course......sorry to post again....I just needed to vent.....so miserable!!!! Sneaser
This is severely sad and depressing. sm
Sounds like I retired just in time, before our profession started going totally down the tubes. Actually, I believe it already was on its way down really more than three years ago. We all worked so long and hard to build ourselves up to professional standing and recognition--not to mention decent pay because we're worth it--only to end up as factory girls again. I hate that.
just checked i-mail. no news. how did you get your news?
love,
frank
News flash..Don't know where you get your news, but the economy is doing very well.
s
My theory is no news is good news. (sm)
If there is really a problem with your transcription, then I would not worry about it. They will get to you if you screw up.
As far as policies and procedures, look in your manual. I am sure they gave you info for all of that stuff. JMO.
Seriously? Must be a big secret. I find it very depressing and
very difficult. New terms constantly and staging, etc., are written differently
ophthalmology and cardio; psych is depressing but not that hard.
nm
followup
I do short cuts to remember
nfup= noun = followup
afup=adjective=follow-up
vfup=verb=follow up
Followup in two weeks.
A follow-up exam is recommended.
He will follow up with onc/rad in three days.
followup
I am an MT from Canada. Why would you send your work to India when you co uld be sending your work to CANADA, where we have a lower dollar, have the highest educated people in the world, we have fibreoptic telephone lines, we dont get storms, and we have the highest internet usage of any cou ntry in the world!!!
As for sending work to India, that is outrageous. When did slavery start?? At least in the old days, slaves were paid enough for rent and food and clothing!!The money you people pay MTs is not much more than this!! ANd what do you know about medicla transcription, I bet you couldnt type one medical word under production levels if you life depended on it!!! MTs are the brains and cheap asses make money off of OUR brains and talent!!
followup
I have decided against the company. Thank you all who responded, for looking out for me. Now I have another question. Have any of you heard of, or had experience with, VLC? Virtual Learning Center?
http://www.thevlc.com/
Followup
Okay - so I will check with my attorney or my state about the license thing... but what is the going rate for ICs to charge?? Is it by report or by the line or by the hour?? I know it probably varies, but I would just really like to have an idea of what to tell these 2 doctors if they ask me to set my rate.... don't want to sell myself short.
No followup
Yes this has happened to me too. They loved my resume, I told them I could test the following Monday. I sat around all day waiting for nothing. I E-mailed this company three times since with no response.
If you can put a in front of it, it is followup..sm
For example he had a followup visit scheduled. OR He is to come in for followup in 2 weeks.
He will follow up in 2 weeks. OR
He is going to follow up with me in 2 weeks.
Hope that helps
Maybe it's time for them to do a followup on -nm
.
quick followup
You make some very valid points, and I thank you for your input. Speficially, in my case, I have no platforms to work with -- all docs use 1-800 or digital handhelds and exchange is done on FTP site - very simple copy/paste procedure. Work is done in Word. There isn't a doc on my service I haven't done MYSELF for at least 2 weeks when I took them on and asked myself are they worth keeping? Are they good dictators? (I have virtually no ESL dictators). Did I make money? Even those specialties I didn't know and was slow at, I could refrence to find out what I didn't know --critical in our work. I don't care when MTs work and I don't try to contact them until their work is OUT of TAT - and then often get "i got busy with other stuff" reply. Shouldn't it be ME you tell when you get busy so I can still accommodate the client as I agreed to? I know life happens, and things come up, but tell ME instead of hiding. That's just being responsible. If the work I've given you isn't a good fit, then tell ME and give me a day or two to replace you.. don't just say the heck with it and walk away. But then again, if everyone was responsible in that way, I wouldn't be sitting here on Christmas day catching up work from Friday because yet another new hire just "disappeared" on
Thursday and didn't tell me till yesterday. Maybe I'm just getting old, but seems common courtesy went out somewhere in the mid 90's. HA. Thanks for listening.
Thanks for posting a followup...
That is basically what I thought your reasoning was based on your original post. There is nothing wrong with questioning anything you are unsure of. No one will hold it against you.
followup - 3 rules
#1. Follow up (verb): I will follow up with the patient next week.
#2. Followup (noun): The patient will come in for followup next week.
#3. Follow-up (adjective): The patient will have a follow-up appointment next week. I disagree mildly with the post about BOS2 on this.
Grammar good info in BOS/AAMT. Also any good grammar textbook from a bookstore would be good to review/read/study. I tried out Whitesmoke grammar program and hated it. Hope this helps!
Followup on comments
Hi, everyone.
I recently had an applicant inform me that my help-wanted ad was being badmouthed at this site, and I have since read elsewhere that I am apparently an overbearing/pushy, basically obnoxious person to work with (I have also posted responses at the other places I could find, in the hopes that the remarks do not keep potential applicants from applying). There is a reason my help-wanted ad is so detailed. One reason is to answer all possible questions that anyone interested in the position might have. Over the years, I have amended my ad due to circumstances that have come up with transcriptionists I have worked with. The information in the ad regarding "the work is to be typed until it is finished, not a set amount of lines per day," is because I had a Transcriptionist that thought she could type a very small amount whenever she felt like it, leaving the remainder to be typed by someone else later. As I am sure you know, many large MTSOs only require that so many lines per day be typed. In my situation, the transcriptionist essentially gets assigned doctors/clinics, so all of the work needs to be typed and returned the following day (the transcriptionists choose their workload when they are hired). At any rate, I am sure many people will find flaws with my help-wanted ad, but I did the best that I could to fully inform everyone what the job actually entails. BTW, as the ad states, the .07 cpl is only for one or two weeks, which covers my time for being on call to help out while the transcriptionist is getting comfortable with how the Macros function. In the beginning, the new transcriptionists only type a few small reports per day, so if you deduct 1¢ per line from the reports they have typed, I am getting paid very little.
jhwm, I would like to say "thank you" for the kind words. I have read a lot of really vicious things about myself and my company, none of which I feel is deserved. I understand that I might not have time to chat with everyone who applies, but I do not feel I have done anything to justify the horrible things that have been said about me. LOL--You're right, there is a lot of information coming at each new person in the beginning. I am not sure when you worked with me, but these days, I forewarn anyone new about the information coming their way and that they do not need to memorize it. Some of the information that has been compiled is on things that are not related to the job, such as how to do certain things in Word (basically everything I learned when first switching over from WP.1 to Word). The pictures of the animal's eye, lab forms, terminology list, medication list, etc. are supposed to be helpful so that the transcriptionist who is learning does not need to look all over the place whenever an answer is needed quickly. Sorry, I am in defensive mode and keep finding myself trying to explain everything! Again, thank you for saying something nice about me. I hope others see your post and realize I am not a total ogre!
And here's the followup article to that one...
See link below:
Followup to resume
Maybe someone can help me!
I have always been advised to follow up after an interview/test etc.
Is that possible after taking a standard computerized MT test?
Any opinions appreciated!
Thanks!
Followup to resume
Maybe someone can help me!
I have always been advised to follow up after an interview/test etc.
Is that possible after taking a standard computerized MT test?
Any opinions appreciated!
Thanks!
I have good news and bad news 4U...
The good news is on Saturday, July 1 many of your least favorite residents will be "graduating." The bad news is that on the same day you'll be getting a virtual box of candy with brand new residents who have no clue how to dictate! RU excited?? ARGHHHH!!!!
Please post a followup when/if you hear anything about this...
Starting to talk to supervisor (and then probably payroll) myself about this, as I'd also like an explanation as to how this figure was derived (so I can hopefully double-check to be sure it doesn't occur again).
I feel somewhat like a stupid unpaid shill for MQ now, having defended the line counts on DQS on several MT boards a couple of times now, because I have occasionally randomly copied and pasted my reports into Word and "seemingly" confirmed that the line counts in DQS were accurate.
Considering the amounts of these checks in general, being dependent on how long one's been on DQS (mine is less than $8, but I've only been on DQS for six months or so), I suspect it's something like them incorrectly rounding up (like maybe not crediting 64.5 as 65 but as 64?) or some little arithmetical folderol like that.
Anyway, I'd be very interested to hear what the discrepancy is all about, from anyone who hears anything. I sure do feel that we were owed an explanation in the letter along with the check, regardless.
Followup poll regarding bifocals....SM
It just so happens that I went to the eye doc last month, and he recommended bifocals! Yikes! (I'm 44.) I was leery of the progressive bifocals (and their cost) so I ordered some old-fashioned lined bifocals. I have to wait 10 days for them (obviously not Lenscrafters) so I'm really curious how I'll do.
Bifocal people, what kind do you have, and do you like them?
Followup poll regarding bifocals
I have had both bifocals with line and without. It takes some getting used to, but after a day or two, no lines are what I went with. I now wear progressives trifocals, have beginning of cataract in each eye, but I tried one pair for transcription and one for driving and chain around the neck, pain in the neck. My pair cost me 285.00 and I am very happy with them, just got a new prescription for the progressive trifocals. Good luck in your decision.
FOLLOWUP: We are now only $75.00 away from reaching our goal.
You generous donations are amazing and truly appreciated. Once the goal is reached, I will be walking into Walmart to speak to the store manager about getting a gift card to this family back east and know that the MTs children WILL have Christmas this year!
THANK YOU!
FOLLOWUP: We now only need $15.00 and we will have reached our goal
and I will be on my way to Walmart. You are all fantastic people to be so giving. I know that it's hard to scrape bucks together working in this industry and at this time of the year, so again THANK YOU for your emergency donations!
Late Payers Followup
These are all very good responses. As a usually-paid-late IC for a small MTSO, I am learning from your ideas. I hope more folks will add in their comments as well.
Frustrated with SmartLines--Followup
Well done! You have stated the problem perfectly; more clearly than my original statement of the problem.
I have been using Smartype for 6 or 7 years, I think. I have been transcribing for 20+ years. At one point I actually solved this problem, although I don't remember how! I don't remember what I did to solve it, and now it has recurred.
This multiple-SmartLines problem has happened with MS Word 2000, 2002, and 2003 (which I dumped in favor of going back to 2002 because it had too many problems, even with the updated version).
I have used Windows 98 all the way through 2003 while using Smartype.
I believe that I have experienced the SmartLine problem whether in MS Word by itself or in a number of MT programs. I have quit a number of companies because of various incompatibility issues with SmarType, since I have THOUSANDS of entries (both single words and SmartBlocks), and I didn't like the idea of doing the equivalent of rewriting an entire dictionary.
At this point, I am ready to "bite the bullet" and switch to ShortHand or something else, even if it means the equivalent of dictionary-rewriting, just so I can get some work done and some income coming in again!
I saw somebody's post about having put Smartype entries into ShortHand. Did this work, even for all the SmartBlocks? If so, could you please tell me how you did it? I'm sure many of us would like to know. (I will also post this last bit as a reply to that post.)
Thank you all for any help you can give.
Followup story linked below
http://www.gcn.com/online/vol1_no1/41036-1.html
Exanders to the Recycle Bin Followup
Right. There is still straight typing out there.
The point is that once one agency says, "We have ASR and now we are paying our transcriptionists 5 cents/line" what do the other agencies do? Eventually they have to do the same thing and eventually we will all have VR or ASR and eventually all be paid 5 cents per line. That's the way it works. One company can drive the entire business down.
Followup on the foot pedal
I was told by EMDAT support that there is nothing I can do, except buy one of their footpedals! I smell a scam. They can program this complex software, but cannot figure out how to make all footpedals compatible? Oh well, complaining won't solve my problem, Just had to vent a bit. Thanks to everyone for all your input. I am off to spend even more money before I can make any.....
I have a problem with followup versus follow up
Which is correct.
Followup in the office tomorrow or follow up in the office tomorrow?
He was told to followup or he was told to follow up?
he presents for followup or he presents for follow up?
Thanks so much for any help.
Followup for AHDI and Indian transcription
As promised, this is the new response I got from AHDI regarding the special pricing for certification exam from AHDI.
EVERYTHING BELOW IS A QUOTE FROM AHDI
I believe that information comes from a dated press release that was sent out by our testing company, Prometric, when the exam went live in India. That is the correct price being offered on the exam there. However, we also offer that very same rate here in the US when we run promotions like our current Credentialing Cup. In addition, at least quarterly we offer this discount on our exam to individuals who do not want to participate in the Credentialing Cup. (If you're interested, you can read more about the Credentialing Cup at http://www.ahdionline.org/scriptcontent/CredentialingCup08.cfm. This promotion is our attempt to engage US transcriptionists and encourage them to become credentialed. In India, transcriptionists sit for this exam because they WANT to earn the credential - not because it necessarily pays them more money. We simply don't see this attitude often here in the US. MTs here only seem interested in certification if it is going to directly impact their wallets. I can understand that - having worked for many years as a production MT and watching my line rate slowly erode - but someone needs to take the first step toward professionalizing this industry. MTs need to learn to speak with their feet. If they get credentialed and they engage in continuing education, then there is no reason why they should settle for working for an employer that does not recognize the value they bring to their position. There ARE companies paying more for CMTs. We add them to a growing list every time an MT reports one to us. Check out: http://www.ahdionline.org/scriptcontent/whocarescert.cfm.
I don't blame the transcriptionists in India for our falling wages here in the US. Linda Kloss, CEO of AHIMA, gave a presentation at our annual conference a few weeks ago. She showed us a graph that detailed the profit margins for hospitals over the last several years. It was shocking to see how financially stable hospitals have been pushed out of business. Hospitals that once had huge profit margins are now operating in the red. The rising cost of healthcare and shrinking reimbursements from insurance companies are, in my opinion, the primary drivers behind the drop in wages for MTs. Hospital CFOs see medical transcription as a COST. They don't understand that documentation is the beginning of the revenue cycle, and that medical transcriptionists are the first line of defense for risk management. Many CFOs fall prey to technology vendors who promise that their widget will eliminate transcription, so they buy into expensive technology solutions like templates and speech recognition only to find that it costs them even more in the long run, and their documentation is now substandard. Hospitals aren't making money, transcription services are no longer making money, and, therefore, medical transcriptionists are also struggling.
One of our primary goals at AHDI is to raise awareness about the vital role that medical transcriptionists provide to healthcare. We are lobbying (literally, in Washington DC) to bring attention to the need for accurate, timely, efficient documentation. We are making the case for keeping a human professional involved in the documentation process in order to ensure quality record keeping and impact patient safety.
It's unfortunate that people misunderstand the goals of our association and automatically assume that we do not support US MTs, or that we only want to make money off of MTs. That is so completely far off from the truth. One-fourth of the staff at AHDI have worked as medical transcriptionists. We are passionate individuals who are extremely devoted to our profession and our colleagues in this industry. And we need the help and support of every single MT in this country if we're going to turn this industry around.
My daughter will followup at MCV Pediatric Hem/Onc. for the rest of her life - sm
They said that is the norm there, granted this is cancer followup and not normal yearly physicals for an adult.....she is only 5 now so she still has a long way to go. But as for their normal pediatrician, I will take them their until they graduate high school (I did the same), then onto a regular family/adult doctor.
Followup (or follow-up) for noun/adj. Follow up for verb. nm
nm
WOW, that is news. Thanks. nm
nm
old news
This same type of e-mail has been passed around for years. It will not work. Check it out on snopes.com.
Very sad news
As hard as it is, you did the kindest thing you could. Why is it that cats want to curl up on your foot that is running the foot pedal? Or on top of your mouse? Or in front of your monitor?
You have my sympathy. Cats are people too! Sometimes my cat seems to be the only one who understands me....at least the only one who listens.
Just saw that on the news!
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