Good for you, Carol! If you are business-minded, go for it.....sm
Posted By: CindiRI on 2007-10-24
In Reply to: I am through! - Carol
I have had 3 friends who have done the very same -- I even worked for one of them for 2 years while the company got off the ground. If you can marked yourself/your service, be shrewd and confident, and have the time and energy/focus for bartering contracts, etc., you can really make great money on your own. I have not attempted it yet because of raising kids, and now have my elderly mom who just was widowed. And if you feel you need some business help, my friends all got mentoring through the Small Business Administration, they have former business owners who will actually come to your house, plan strategy, give you tax tips, and so much more. It can be so frustrating working for other companies in this business, all the best!
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- I am through! - Carol
- Good for you, Carol! If you are business-minded, go for it.....sm - CindiRI
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good girl Oh Carol !!! We know what true....sm
We KNOW what true loyalty and appreciation of great rock 'n roll is. Too bad these negative posters probably like the blond shallow Britney Spears and/or Jessica and Ashley Simpson....*LOLOL*
Good business book
Before I started many moons ago, I got some reading material regarding starting a business, went and saw an accountant for a consultation, called IRS and talked with them so I knew what I needed prior to doing this. Basically you need all recepits that pertain to your business that you use as a business write-off. Check with your city to see if you need a business license. But do some research and ask the "experts" as each one of is different and I don't want to give bad advice. So spend some money and time researching it.
Good luck in the business
Well...may God bless you all if you are happy with 4 cpl even as a newbie and bless you if there is any way in the world that you can rationalize working for that kind of money. As I have noted from other posts, the older transcriptionists know what is going on and what a sad state this business has become. It seems that off-shoring the work and the newbies coming in and thinking it is a fair wage is killing it for everyone else. Perhaps AAMT, (guess they changed their name though), should have one of their infamous conventions dedicated strictly to the history and downfall of this career; seems all the newer transcriptionists have been so brainwashed into having their CMT certificates and getting 4 to 5 cpl.....I thought they were supposed to represent their members. Glad to be retiring soon. But it will be an interesting thing to sit and watch what everyone allows to happen and to see how low you will really go before you wake up.
Thank you. There is such a thing as good business sense
and doing what is right. Those who have messed with people need to think about that and those businesses know who they are.
Way to go carol!
:-)
Thanks, Carol.
It's a little crazy everywhere, I suppose. I don't think anyone would win if this were brought to anyone's attention, in our business.
Yes, it felt good expressing it. Not everyone understands our business and how important it is to meet TAT and I guess this shows how far someone will go.
I am probably not the better person but if I thought this was happening to a coworker, I would probably step up to the plate and ask the games to stop.
It's not necessarily all good. India has invaded Canada in the MT business.
They set up shop and solicit business in the US claiming to be "Canadian". I've been solicited by several different people over the years trying to horn in on my business.
Will filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and District Attorney do me any good if a sm
I live in a different state than her. Also the amount is less than $100. Thanks.
Well actually it is a good business practice as far as saving money for share holders is concerned.
Why would a company pay for individuals who need health insurance, benefits, minimum wage, etc when they can ship work out of the country for half as much as is necessary to pay US worker. Not that it's a good thing for us, just that this is the way it is.
Awesome Carol! That's a cute mousepad, too.
j
Carol, the short answer is very difficult. SM
It took me surprisingly much longer to become a modestly competent MT than it did to become a competent real estate appraiser. If I had had any idea, I never would have accepted my MT friend's offer to help me fill in a real estate recession period with transcription. It's so easy working from home, not dressing and making up, not commuting, not having any work-related stress (if you don't count lack of income in this category), and not stroking and negotiating with clients, though, that I let myself be seduced into working for close to minimum wage for several on-job-training production-pay months, and then for a disgracefully (i.e., looking back, appalling that I settled for it) low wage for another couple of years before I finally became knowlegeable enough to make a decent middle-class income that compared to what I had been making. I did always definitely plan to go back to back to full-time appraising, but eventually realized that if I stopped transcribing I'd lose the skill I'd invested so much to develop but that I could keep my appraiser's license current with minimal effort and expense. So here I am.
In any case, given that, and the uncertainties involved in the future of this work (it does seem that, at very least, relatively fewer but higher-skilled people would be needed), if I were you I'd take that class and a full course of others that prepared me for something else--perhaps tumor registrar? And with the medical knowledge you developed, later on you could segue into this work should it still be there and you wished.
To underline, although experienced people do make good money at this, for newcomers it's definitely not an easy, quick, or secure way to enough income to pay the rent. Best wishes.
CONGRATS to WINNER Carol J. on winning the MT Mousepad
/
CONGRATS to WINNER Carol J. on winning the MT Mousepad
/
So agree - miss Doug and Mark and Carol. nm
.
Does this happen to be the former company owned by Carol, gosh, can't think of the name
In Newport Beach.......circa Medquist
In response to the corporate minded
It's more like they are endeavoring to make up for their greedy management oriented mistakes of the past. The MTs are who make the money for the company as you seem to forget, when they are gone, there will be no company. The mass exodus has only begun.
Why are narrow minded comments here okay
if s/he were standing in front of you? Obviously many of you do not personally know many people of other cultures, loved them and their cultures. Advocating violence borders on embracing the mind set of the KKK or neo-Nazism.
More is the pity.
that was a judgemental and closed-minded comment
x
Consider yourself lucky to have supervisors who are fair minded.
dd
you sound completely narrow minded....nm
My attitude is production-minded for all involved
I have worked under some absolutely wonderful, great MT managers in my many years doing this job and watched myself and others working under them flourish. When I managed transcription I took steps to do the same from that experience. Is that a bad attitude? I don't think companies are "out to get me." I think many are disorganized and ignorant of the everyday workings of transcription and the MT pays the price for it. My current assessment of disgust for what I am seeing now being called management of transcription is not good, and I am not the only one who recognizes this downward trend. The difference in the past few years is day and night.
It's not personal. It's fact. So I'll take your personal insult with a grain.
2 cents you have the most well-rounded open minded post so far.
Thanks for posting.
It wasn't just a kid issue to start. He is a weak minded
nm
Sorry that you feel that way. Not all Christians are narrow-minded or bigots!
Yep, you are right, there are starving children who cannot eat a Bible; and did you know there are missionaries over there who do bring them food?
The reality is we are HERE and not many of us CAN go there. This subject matter was about abortion. If you believe in God, and I most certainly do, then you have to believe that His Word is Truth and is to be obeyed! God has a purpose and a plan, no doubt about that. He know what He is doing and He has a reason. It is not for us to question, just to obey. In the end we will only stand before Him for what WE have done, no one else. Yes, there are hypocrites who claim to be Christians and probably go to church every time the doors are open, and I would rather go to church with SOME hypocrites than go to hell with ALL of them!!
Oh, that explains your open-minded, intelligent demeanor
Maybe this is a better site for you
trailertips.com
Supervisors are a token figure-head for the weak-minded
who need guidance and approval. Why would anyone keep anybody who needed constant help on doing their job employed. I know my job and what is required. No one at this point in time can really advise me on what to do although as NEW supervisors come and go, they do give it a shot in order to justify their jobs. But they come and go and I stay. Buy a clue.
Well your statement sounds equally closed-minded to the one you're arguing with
Where one person prefers to live and why is their own business and no reason to diss someone else's personal choice.
Unfortunately it is legal..so yes it is business and they will continue with bad business practices
x
I made my business your business by posting and...
I totally respect everyone's opinions. It is easier for others on the outside looking in. That's why I pushed the "post reply" button yesterday. I trust my fellow MTs and I know the more I read from you all, the more confident I am becoming. I just need that final push, not from him though. I also wanted to let you all know that the physical abuse while I was pregnant was documented by my doctor and the hospital. I only wish I had known then that it is a felony to abuse a pregnant woman. I also photographed my face from a couple of weeks ago and told several people in my circle. I had such high hopes for us. Now...not so much. I'm not saying that I won't try to get him to church, but I realize that God can only do so much for someone who isn't listening. j
Business is business. Internet forums are
.
I suspect that unless you post like-minded sanitized goodie goodie posts,
x
For a business ad?! A business that deals
''Transcriptsis'' x2
''with good track record''
''serve our clients of all sizes'' (I know what they mean, but I just think the wording is funny)
''strive to achieve highest possible quality'' (once again, they never met an 'article' that they didn't hate)
''all departments including H&P...'' (or a comma, for that matter)
That is a good offer. Pay is not that good at UIMC. Good luck! nm
x
Is that really any of your business?
I would think that it would be very wrong of you to spread the information you found on Google while searching for the patient's name. Are you 100% certain that it is the exact same person you are transcribing? Even seemingly oddball names can be duplicated and how would you look spreading around gossip? Even if it is court-documented, it really is not your story to tell, IMO. I would love to know who is telling you to put it on the news. That is about the craziest thing I've heard in a while, although quite good for a laugh.
MT business
It depends on how large a business you want. There are still some small accounts, (10,000 to 18,000 lines) per month that are still on tape that you can get. Also the digital is not that hard but I will not pay for anyone to transfer my files, I can do that. I do not have a phone in system but if someone were to ask I would probably start out with the ones that charge so much per minute and use their system until I knew for sure the account was staying. Where are you located, have you networked with anyone in the area? Are you set up for tapes as well as digital? If you start out alone, you have no back-up, you have to do everything. When you hire I/C's sometimes they are dependable and sometimes not. You will not earn much off of them if you want to keep your accounts. You will not be able to charge as high as the larger companies nor go after the larger accounts at first. It is a fine line as to having enough help and enough work and that is why you hear the complaints all the time, "We have run out of work" as you have no control over how much or when a doctor dictates or if he takes time off. But would I give it up, probably not as the money is good to me. You can E-mail me with any specific questions, I have been doing my own small MTSO for over 20 years. Been through it all, ups, downs, good times, bad times, and everyting in between. My accounts have been with me from 6 years to 20 years so I feel that they are pretty stable.
Well I am sorry that you are using this business as sm
your excuse, but hospitals pay their people for holidays and if by chance you have to work them, they pay you time and a half.
I do not know why a business owner cannot take these things into consideration when setting up a business. This is a business just like any other business and if you have employees, those employees need to be given the same consideration as any other business. IC status is different, but I find using the nature of this business as an excuse just a little weak.
A good business head would enable you to provide benefits for your employees and if you have already made up your mind it does not, then I think probably it is because maybe you need someone else to do that figuring for you.
I am not being mean in saying these things, but even small business owners I know are able to work it out that a holiday is a holiday (whether you have to work it or not) and an employee needs to be compensated in some manner. To me, there is no excuse for not doing so.
new business
My opinion would be to let them either work at home or at the company. I prefer to work at home, but some people may not. As far the pay issue--when I started doing transcription I made .06 cpl and I think that is a fair rate. Hope I helped 
This is really none of my business, and I know that,
but the more I read of your story, the more absurd it becomes to even think of staying with this man. I'm truly sorry. I know how hard it is to leave, as I had to that in my former life, and believe me I wanted my marriage to last "til death do us part," but that ain't always possible. I too TRUST in the Lord with ALL of MY HEART and SOUL, and as I said, sometimes it just ain't possible. The Lord will guide you through this. Guess it is just that as an outsider it is easier to see the forest for the trees.
Been there on business
I used to work retail management and my company had a resort there. I have been there several times to meetings and we always had some time to do things. I always enjoyed it and would like to go some day just for pleasure. There is lots to do there.
New business
I have a small transcription company that kind of fell into my lap, luckily. It has been a year now, we have five girls and are doing a really good job with one large account. I had tons of experience as a transcriptionist, but never as a business manager, so I took my time. Now I am looking to get more work. Anybody have any thoughts as to how to reel them in?
I have been in this business for
always been cherrpickers and probably always will be, just like bad drivers, you can't get away from it. I have given up and just do what comes up. Saying anything doesn't seem to help.
I would say the same - none of your business
nm
None of their business......sm
I am an IC for 3 companies, and pick up another prn. They just want the work done as agreed up front...none of their business how many or who else you work for.
own business
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.
As if anyone's business
I was on my way out the door for an appt and no, not for an interview with someone else and prior to that was working. It came about because we are not getting paid for specials on an acct that included interventionals but yet are in the pool and wanted to know what constituted a special or interventional for you all. Plain and simple to answer. With coding changes through the years things have changed. Obviously gave some pea-sized brains something to "not" think about. It is funny how so many can read something into nothing. Nice bunch that answered though. Trying to stir up a pot. Not any more. So for all of you other there that thought otherwise, oh well. You all look like fools. Tee-Hee.
as an IC you are a business
Rates are lower now than before, but as a company for yourself you need to make adjustments. If you treat this status as a job you will never be satisfied.
I hear a lot of people talking about how much they make - I would love to know where they work for that - they have to be employees. The nationals and smaller companies are not paying it most times to IC, and private clients for the most part aren't putting out 14.00 an hour to start.
This is my business, and like any business I do what I have to - work long hours, have other US MT's to back me up and take a lap top with me when I am on vacation.
Not like the manager of my grocery store goes on vacation and the store closes, or my doctor and no on-call. I am a professional business woman and work as such. I want more money and give them the quality so I get it. But I never run out of work either. Does not matter how much you make if there is no work.
Can't get more when they do not want to pay - you negotiate like any other business and if you want to work, you will.
If you want to be an employee - then you can demand the benefits, pay etc, and they can decide someone else can do the work - lets just hope that person is an American.
Either way - good luck to all - it is a challange
We have business name and tax ID #
and same companies do have a problem especially since HIPAA.... some have wanted me to become a SE and others have refused to pay me under company name - claiming I need to sign the confidentiality paperwork under my name and if I use my name and then a dba - it opens me up to being able to subcontract out my work....it has gotten much more complicated since HIPAA. In the eyes of the IRS you should have a dba and advertise and work for more than one MTSO and be independent - both for your sake and your MT company... not sure it is necessary to incorporate but that is your decision.
POV IS EVERYTHING IN THE MT BUSINESS
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.
From a business POV...
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.
Most likely. Or else gotten out of the MT business
=
I am looking to get out of this business for the
can't afford to take a day off because of "no work, no pay", and I don't exactly have a shift that allows me to have time with my husband. Our son is grown and I want my evenings with my hubby, is that so wrong? Anyway, I can make more money doing data entry and the position is close enough to home that I can walk to work and get exercise.
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