Dignity, get real. It's a changing economy. Get with the program.
Posted By: nm on 2006-01-23
In Reply to: Used to think we were using India, but now realize India is using us for our med. info, jobs, - salaries, and dignity. nm
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yes, no dignity just beasts of burden
I hope things get better for you.
Cook it real slow at real low heat; simmer, don't boil.
nm
In this economy? I don't think 5 cpl for ANYTHING
Especially when they state they want someone who has experience, and is good at what they do. And more than that, such as 9-10 cpl, is an insult for straight medical transcription. MT isn't a 'career', it's a US sweatshop run by Indians.
economy
I think the biggest part of it is the economy right now. People are out of jobs, out of insurance, or worried about their jobs and trying not to spend any money, even on health care (dentists seem to be getting the worst of it). Unfortunately, aside from perpetuating the bad cycle of no spending = low business profits = job cuts, in medical terms it is especially bad that people are delaying things that they really need to avoid future problems/expenses, such as colonoscopies, screenings, etc. From everything I have seen so far, this is happening across the board with transcription volumes down. It's normal that we are in a slow period right now just after the holidays, but it seems there are a lot of people on these boards having a hard time finding a new MT job, even with a good resume. I don't think that is going to change until the economy rebounds. There are other challenges for the industry from India, EMR, SR, etc., but I think the economy is affecting our volumes in the immediate present more than anything right now.
Does it have a lot to do with the economy
Do you think it has to do with the economy or is this the way it has been for a while? I see posts from last year where people were being placed pretty easily and quickly.
I thought that maybe in a year things would look a little better. Hopefully anyway...
already signs its bad for the economy
As consumers, we are cutting back, because the price of everything is going up and wages going down. Its completely out of balance. Since Bush has been in office, consumers have had to increase their spending because of higher prices in the last year by about 200 billion. Three years ago, consumers were spending 100 billion, now we are spending 500 billion. People have just started to cut back, thats why movie theatres are advertising more to get people back in there, not as many kids are eating out, especially with the gas prices skyrocketing. We've got a complete moron in the office.
THIS economy is doing well, unemployment at 4.9%. Where do you get
x
I think it is the economy. People don't have the
money to buy insurance, or are contractors because their company won't provide insurance, and they cannot afford to have the surgeries they used to. Unless it is a true emergency I bet the hospital rolls are way down. The economy is just very bad right now, and most folks can't even put a doc visit on a credit card, because the credit cards are maxed out. BTW: Even McDonald's recently closed at a mall close to me. Even they are feeling the economic crunch. Yikes!
I think most in this economy would not have a problem
accepting an inhouse deal, some yearn for the chance to have a so called steady income, steady work. The pay seems good. You just said you ran out of work for a few days. You have to ask yourself would you rather sit around in PJs, no money perhaps or inhouse with money. Simple.
AND if another country's economy fails
it will greatly affect us.
In this economy I would not dare - they may look elsewhere, be careful!
.
This economy is so bad, and the past overhiring
have made MTSOs scared, I believe. I sent out a zillion resumes a day and finally ended up with 1 full-time and 1 prn just in case the FT runs out of work. It took a year while I worked at a bad place and went broke. But you have got to keep trying, please keep up the faith. Statistically the more you send out the better chance of getting a response. Did not help when Medquist's thousands of MTs left at once too, so the market is flooded right now. Good luck to you.
Yeah, the whole world economy is going to be derailed because
Do you realize that the Bush tax cut saved this economy after 9/11?
Everybody got a tax cut. Now you can't cut taxes to those who don't pay any, can you? That would be socialism. BTW, do you realize that the unemployment rate in those countries with cradle to grave entitlements runs more than 10%, as compared to our 4.9%. France for example. I know it seems like a simple solution that the taxes from the high wage earners should be taken away and given to those who don't earn anything, but in economic terms, that can destroy an economy and therefore hurt the low wager earners even more. Case in point, the Clinton luxury tax back in the 90s. He put a huge tax on boats and jewlery and had to remove it because of the trickle down damage that did to all the jobs those luxury items created.
Make sure you don't have it in express or economy mode.
Is it faint all over consistently or is it uneven? If it's consistently faint, go to your Start Menu, Control Panel, Printers and Faxes, right click on Dell Printer 720, Properties, General, Printing Preferences, and make sure Quality/Speed isn't set on Quick Print. If that doesn't fix it, post again and we'll try something else. You may have to put in a new cartridge.
They encourage outsourcing, global economy.
x
Unions are increasingly a thing of a by-gone era. In this global economy,
x
economy doing well? did you ever consider unemployment is lower because after people lose their job
or temporary jobs. well, obviously unem. would look low. what town do you live in? we have major closings of businesses almost on a monthly basis.
we have stores closing all over the place. even 3 burger kings. gas is over $3.00, from $2.00, and is intended to stay that way.
I know of hardly anyone personally who is working full-time with any good benefits to speak of.
of course unem. would look like it is going down. 2000 people lose their jobs, 500 people find lower-paying, service jobs, and then unem. is down?
just look around, if you think the economy is so great. we are suffering in our area. we now face heating fuel prices going up may 100%, which is just went up about 50% last year, for some excuse or another.
americans are being extorted, and it is by our own rich in this country, who are what, the top 3%?
ever wonder where ALL that tons of money goes that is saved by closing shops, getting rid of full-time employees and all the benefits.
DOES THE SAVINGS GET PASSED-ON TO US, THE LITTLE GUY? No, we are actually pay MORE for everythiing. do you grocery shop? ever notice prices going up almost monthly, if not some weekly? salad dressing, 99 cents a few years ago, now over $2, and going up to $3?
how is that good for the economy again?
And we have the largest economy on earth, and lots of good comes
x
Considering all that you mentioned, the fact that the economy is growing is amazing. But,
f
Dear, I'm wondering if the economy has effected your paycheck...
something tells me it hasn't.
I have never found a program shorthand does not work with, it works outside the program (I think tha
nm
As Economy Slumps, Firms Line Up to Hire Skilled Foreign Workers
 What the heck is going on around here? It just gets better by the day!
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/19/economy-slumps-firms-line-hire-skilled-foreign-workers/
PRD is a DOS program. I don't think it work with Word, a Window's program.
x
It will count everything if you go in the settings and program it to. Good program!
Sylcount is an awesome and accurate counting program also. That will count everything if you "tell it to".
You can use Shorthand in ANY program, it works outside your program
I have never found a platform it did not work with and I have worked on several different versions of Meditech. Just start using it.
How do they think that changing their name....sm
would matter diddly squat in the industry? If their rationale for considering it is because no one knows who they are then changing the name isn't going to change that. Seems silly that members and supports would be asked to pay for the costs of changing instead of focusing on marketing.
CHANGING COURSE
Well, after the reading and research I have done, I think I agree with one writer that stated that at the rate things are going now in the transcription world that in 5 years 80% of us will be out of jobs!! Either through technology and/or offshoring!!
So, instead of waiting for another axe to fall on me...I have been chopped up enough by the MTSOs...... I am hoping to decorating cakes for a living!!!
I am waiting to hear back from a local bakery where I just interviewed.
I have taken all the Wilton cake decorating courses and have done quite a few birthday, wedding, and mother's day cakes in the past...I definitely am not Duff or anyone at Charm City Cakes, but it is something I truly enjoy doing and it was my "therapy" that got me through a divorce about 10 years ago.
So, I will be working 8 hours a day only, get immediate feed back, paid hourly and not production, and hopefully will be able to transition into this job permanently....
So, I hope and pray that I am wrong about the future of this profession for which I have worked so long and hard....but the stress now is almost unbearable and ain't worth it no more!!! 
Changing Course
That is a great idea. You might work into doing some on the side and go into business for weddings, etc. I had a friend who did that and make good money. She was in great demand too. If you get a business of your own, you would make a lot more and could probably do a lot of it sitting.
Probably not...just changing
I work on a VR account, and trust me, there will always need to be people behind it checking what the computer types. There are just certain things that need an actual brain to decipher that a computer just cannot pick up.
Oh, I am not changing what I said
because again, have not seen it ever used with lung.
Oncology because of the always changing...sm
meds. And I have to admit, though I have done ortho a lot in the past and know it well, I just don't like it.
Anyone know anything about changing sim on cell?
Can you remove sim card on Sprint phone and put in a T-mobile? Please help if you can for I am a "technically challenged MT."
We are changing the company.
Watch and see. And all your rage and CAPS can't change that. The lawsuits, the SEC, the shareholders, the clients. We are all changing the company.
Changing Careers
I absolutely LOVE medical transcription work. It is the best kind of work for me. I have always, up until five years ago, made plenty of money to support my family (I am a single 45 year old mom).
However, I have become very scared. So, I have 80% decided that I have to go back to school and start over. It makes me sick, but I can't watch my pay decrease every year like this.
I really, really, really want to continue MT work, but it just doesn't feel secure for me anymore.
AND - changing careers at my age is also scary, but I have a friend who did it at 50-something years old, so I guess I can, too.
Who's changing the subject?
and so am I.
Try to keep up.
This is changing the subject a bit, but.....
What about birds? If people had a bird that they had in a cage, and not let FLY for exercise, is that a bad pet-owner? Most bird owners that I know of, have birds in a cage and they let their birds poo in a cage on the paper in the bottom of the cage.
What about cats? Cats are domesticated animals just like dogs and some people NEVER let their cats go outside. They let their cats do their business in a litter box.
I just don't see any difference in this and using the potty pads, and like I said, I have used potty pads with previous dogs I have had. They do not smell if you pick up the dirty pad right away, which I do when at all possible. It's the dog hiking his leg on the furniture which is NOT acceptable to me and I agree--it stinks and I have a terrible problem going on with this---I try to clean it up as soon as I can, but he is definitely ruining my floors and thus why I was asking for advice on the hiking of the leg. We need new floors (carpet) in our house anyway and we are planning on replacing them soon but I need to get the dog re-trained somehow before we get the new flooring or else I'll still be in the same boat I'm in now. I've just got to figure out how to retrain him back to the potty pads. Wish me luck!
Have a nice day!
Jen, seriously, the face of MT is changing. sm
Get that degree. Trust me on this. Yes, it's nice sitting home in jammies with the kids. I did it a lot of years, but I made way more money then than now. Things are changing drastically and fast in this field. Get the degree.
You are changing your position.
I breed Yorkies and was in the pet care business for over 30 years. Of course, you love your pets and they have a place in your family but you do not let a dog growl at you, as you stated. One of your original posts you said if a dog growled or bit, oh well, dogs have bad days, too. That gives a very different impression than the one you are trying to make now.
changing the subject a bit . . .
Does anyone know of a really good hair product for the "frizzies" ?
With summer coming, I'm dreading my hair curling and frizzing with the heat and humidity, have tried a lot of products without success. Any tried and true methods? thank you in advance ! 
So what are they changing it to? The Anal
.
Not sure if changing jobs will help...
There are very few places now that have no ESL doctors. When I changed jobs last November I thought I would lose my mind because there are so many ESLs on the accounts, but honestly after getting the same ones over and over, they should get easier. I actually miss the days when I was just starting out getting 5 cpl typing nothing but ER reports. Yeah, it got boring sometimes, but I was bringing in more money then than I am now making 8.5 cpl. Ah, the good ole days!
Changing jobs ....
I'm wanting to buy my first house this spring. Ive been working at home for the same national for the past 3 years. I have been an MT FT for 9 years. Does switching jobs really affect your credit poorly? I think I could be making a lot more money, if I changed companies, but Im afraid it will hurt me being at a new job and trying to buy a house. I have also heard that as long as you are in the same line of work, it won't matter...Any insight on this?
changing jobs
If you are an IC, it would not matter as you do not have to say "who" you work for - just prove your income.
and the QA people wonder why we ever get anything right. It is always changing.
nm
Changing careers
I have been an MT my entire life. I had no formal training - just had a knack for it and always had a job doing transcription. I was sought out many times. However back about 1993 I started hearing rumors about voice recognition. I at that time decided to go to school and get a nursing degree as I wanted to stay in healthcare. I obtained my LPN- RN - then BSN in 1999. Took me awhile but I did it. Since that time I have done some coding, worked as a nurse and been promoted to transcription supervisor in 2000. I also teach transcription at our local college. Since I have such a broad range of experiences in all the things you are looking at I would suggest nursing - you are going to get the most valuable education in that field - with many opportunities. If you don't like it you would have the bulk of your education and could easily slip int to coding or transcription. Just my opinion.
changing email
Hi Moderator:
Can you please direct me how to enter my new email addy? Either on line and send it to me at my new one? or what? Thanks so much
The MT's are now the editors. Everyone changing to SR. SM
They are calling MTs "editors" for doing SR. They are also hiring like crazy, since they predict many new "editors" will quit because of cut in pay.
changing careers
It seems a lot of people are feeling the same crunch. I have been an MT for 10 years I too used to have a excellent hourly plus incentive with great bennies in-house jobs which was outsourced to an Indian Company. I worked from home and make ok. Now it's hard to even find a decent line count with benefits at all. I am working as an IC at 9 cpl and no bennies. As a single Mother I simply cannot do this anymore. There companies who offer employee status and bennies but the line rates are so low or they want you to work 2nd or 3rd shift and with my family situation this is not possible.
I too am making a career change plans. It seems that nursing is all the rage with the high paying jobs and plenty of them. But as a former nursing student years ago before MT I know it's not for me. Too high pressure and the bullying in nursing school is unbelievable as is the 2 year committment to school full time.
I decided to try Assocaites degree Accounting/CIS. I hope to enter as a clerk or bookkeeper and work towards the Bachelors degree once working as a clerk. In the meantime I have been brushing up on Powerpoint, Excel, etc and applying for secretarial and admn assistant jobs.
I had considered medical billing but I am somewhat soured on the healthcare system and outsourcing. I figured Accounting is much broader and can work for more than one industry, but have seen accounting positions in healthcare systems too.
I wondered if people would share what fields they were considering.
For new MTs... the field IS dying between VR contsantly improving and outsourcing/offshoring our jobs are dwindling as are the pay and benefits. If you are a married-stay-at-home type of Mom with luxury of a second income and your husband's benefits MT might still be ok for a little extra money on the side. But for anyone trying to support either themselves or their family on MT -- forget it. Its a good part-time Mom job these days and that is about it.
Sad. There are many excellent and quality MTs who have a ton of knowledge. I wondered how they intended to transfer skills to another profression. The writing is on the wall. I hope to be out in 2-1/2 years tops.
The field is changing, Just Me, and SM
those whose incomes are dropping drastically are either unable or unwilling to change with it. The unables have my sincere sympathy; but in any case, don't make the mistake of basing your decisiosn on those who are on the way out. If your talents suit the work you'll end up doing over time, whatever that turns out to be (you won't be doing straight transcribing, though), you'll make a decent middle-class wage appropriate to a skilled clerical worker. Which is what we are. If the changes lead you to advance your secondary education and move to a higher skill level, well, hopefully you'll make even more. Best wishes.
changing careers
After almost 30 years of MT work under my belt, I'm ready to throw in the towel and hit the pavement. I'm already out there interviewing. Even if I make only what I make as an MT, if it's a job that I like, then it'll be worth it. Wish me luck!
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