Has anyone had a conversation with the people at Amherst about this situation. I am not sure where
Posted By: MQMT on 2005-09-05
In Reply to: That was my point. There will never be any steady work for anyone with TAT at 1 hour - see msg
to go after them to get any results. I would appreciate any recommendations you may have on this because it needs to be addressed.
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Good old Amherst and couple with their ridiculous QA point plan. They people in AMHERST ARE NUTS. I
hope MQ loses all of its good MTs and then the hospitals can yell about quality and leave. My account just disappeared after being transferred up there and then find they have hired new people for it.
Actually MTs were complaining about the situation this weekend with Amherst so they are starting to
complain at the other site.
Has anyone reported this situation with Amherst to corporate or dont they care either about what is
going on there.
WHATEVER. I can't handle ignorant people, which means this conversation is over.
SEE YA!
Could people in the Amherst office tell me
whether the accounts they work for are local to their area, or do you do accounts that are across the country? The particular account I work on, I trained with all the ladies on it a couple of months ago on DQS (we all worked on it in another office w/o DQS), and so far, we have a lot of work.
Wondering if the problem with lack of work just depends on which accounts you work on and not necessarily a problem as a whole.
You are lucky because Amherst is always out of work and I know they hired a lot of new people ?? so
just curious about this.
I have asked numerous times if people like the Amherst office but seems no one ever offers their
opinion about that office. Just transferred there and I am sure many other MTs on here work out of that office.
What exactly are the American people going to do about this situation?
The laws are in place to protect the corporations and politicians. The American people cannot unite in agreement of anything and politicians and corporations know this. They placate us, pander for our votes but do not give a flying rat's a$$ about what we think in reality.
I was thinking about this situation with companies that hire people and then there is no work. When
 you think about that, that is about as low as anyone can get to just run people out of work for whatever reason when people need money to live, pay bills, support children and feed them, etc. When you really think about that, people's lives hinge on their income and as far as I am concerned, that is the worst thing any company can due to the people that work for them. That is how I feel today because I have been out of work and scrounging for lines and I am disgusted with the whole business. I hope that companies will soon wake up and stop doing this to people. It is disgusting.
I think anyone whose accounts have been transferred to Amherst needs to email Amherst and also to
let their supervisors know at their office if it is still open what is happening here. We also have to deal with no weekend pay, no holiday pay, NO WORK so expected to sit around for holidays for nothing and NO WORK and their QA and no blanks situation when we are on 8 accounts. This is an absolutely ridiculous situation and Corporate needs to be made aware of it and if they do nothing then I hope MQ loses all its MTs and accounts for all the blanks and poor quality work that does back to the hospitals. That is always what happens when you do this.
Maybe all of MQ will be like Amherst or maybe so many of us at Amherst have not work they gave us
other accounts in other offices. They sure overhired but a lot have quit because of no work. One thing for sure, you wont get the truth out of your supervisor.
I think the same conversation is going on at
company board, not too far from type. Look for the blonde comments, sadly. I still have no clue which one is better, but I think some posters get into more detail. I personally would always go with spaces, 65 character line including spaces, but that's just me!
This whole conversation seems to have gone off in - sm
the direction of whether or not QA is "needed" or not, or whether or not they are up to doing their jobs correctly.
I'm not saying either of those things, but what I DID say was that all too often, both inhouse and at home, I've been having to deal with QA-ers who make changes where they should NOT be making them. I even had one take out an entire sentence that was CORRECT, and VERBATIM, and insert something that the doctor never even said, and which didn't belong with that patient's diagnosis.
That is SO unethical!
I just had a nasty conversation with a
telephone rep from India who informed me that all Americans were uneducated, stupid, and "farmers" and that India was getting all the jobs because they were all educated. She shut her fat mouth when I asked if that is why India still practices putting female infants on the hillsides to be eaten by wolves, why so many of their people are starving to death, and why disease is so rampant. They are getting to be the most arrogant bunch of people I have ever seen.
I have to say I am unsettled by this conversation. sm
I wouldn't dream of drinking while I am working. I don't believe that is a "perk" of being at home and like several have said, I don't care who you are, alcohol impairs you. I can't imagine saying anyone saying this is okay. And, much as Endiqua said, using the everyone does it scenario is not only wrong, it's immature. I hope we are more professional than that!
don't join in the conversation if you sm
don't want to but don't censor others from doing so!
But that wasn't conversation....
that was criticizing the original poster for "assuming" that others celebrate Easter. I don't think she assumed that at all; she was just asking what others were serving. I think she would assume that those who don't celebrate wouldn't answer because the question wouldn't apply to them.
I had a telephone conversation come through once -
It may have been a walkie - I am pretty sure I saw the guy drive down the street in front of me talking on something - it was very brief, I think probably when he was in very direct range. It was wierd!
But I'd rather listen to a side conversation than
erase and retype nearly every line. Three times the effort for 1/3 the pay when he does that. Back up. Change that. After it's already been typed.
Bizarre conversation on dictation
This obstetrician was talking to patient and her mother on a dictation this morning. The doctor and the patient's mother were trying to convince her to bring her dog into the office through the back door to have the doc do an ultrasound. He said, "I know where the uterus is, I'll just take a look to see what's going on in there". The patient had just given birth herself. It was so very strange. After about five minutes, he began to dictate. 
WOW - I just read your link to a conversation with -sm
AHDI, and I KF's answers to your questions are so vague, so filled with upper management doublespeak, that they basically say nothing at all. Except there is one thing she has constantly sidestepped answering, and that is - What is AHDI doing for UNITED STATES MT's. Her non-answer says it all: NOTHING.
You should send a copy of that conversation, and copies of other posts on this board, to our California Congress & Senate representatives.
There is SO MUCH anger on this board, and if we could just consolidate all of that, and direct it towards our elected officials, who might be able to do something about it legislation-wise, it might go a long way towards helping American MTs.
Thanks for your excellent post, and for taking the time to pull off part of KF's sheep-suit, so we can all see what's underneath.
This conversation was on the company board, but I think
about line counts and how we might be suspicious. Don't know, but checking your lines anytime and knowing exactly how they are calculated are apples and oranges. I for one would like to know exactly the formula, and I would like to know when it changes. If the calculation changes so should my original offer letter. That is IMHO.
good choice. mr. ed provides transportation and conversation.
but isn't he dead? 
Wrong - if you had gone to college you wouldn't be having this conversation.
Ever consider that maybe your lack of ambition is the problem and that your own set of choices have put you in a position you're not happy with? Of course not. It's always someone else's fault.
Listening to a cell phone conversation
My doc left his recorder on again. LOL
Had this exact same conversation here in 2005 - see message
Here is the original posting. I'm still doing MT but now on my terms. I don't make as much money as I did even 10 years ago but I get to pick and choose what I want to do. I still don't feel appreciated. And, once again, I blame the AAMT as well as the changes in business ethics that I see EVERYWHERE today. Let's not even get into the subject of the CEO's and their insane remuneration packages! Anyway, my only recommendation is to find something you love (MT or billing, or something else) and do it to the best of your ability and on YOUR OWN TERMS. That helps to mitigate the frustration, somewhat!
20 years as an MT - now I am on strike...sm
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Posted By: on strike on 2005-09-12
After 20+ years as an IC I have seen my salary go down, down, down! Not because my speed has decreased, no, it has in fact increased dramatically due to the availability of ShortHand programs. No, my salary has gone since the inception of AAMT and their "standards" and practices. The organization that was going to help MT's become more respected has done the opposite. Yes, there were doctors out there who initially thought of me as a "typist" but I quickly showed them the difference between a typist and a "medical transcriptionist" (medical language specialist). Some of them were unwilling to pay for the difference, but most were pleased to pay a bit more for someone who knew when he was making a mistake and was willing to call and get it right. Today, however, the large MT companies have driven the IC out of business. They offer 4-hour turn around at ridiculously low rates. Many of these companies outsource to India, Pakistan, the Philippines, etc. Some of the outsourced work is done perfectly. Most is not. I am hearing this from office managers who cannot convince the business owners that it is "cheaper" to have the transcription done correctly the first time rather than have more time (money) spent doing QA.
Most of my work has been for large radiology clinics. Conglomerates that own upwards of 100 to 200 radiology clinics across the country own these clinics. The bottom line with management is the "bottom line". Their bonuses and hefty salaries are dependent on keeping costs down...therefore cheap transcription is a "must".
Finally, the reason for the steady decrease in salaries for MT's is the availability of cheap foreign and (yes!) American labor. MT's in this country are becoming more desperate and accepting the lower line rates. Yes, of course you need to in order to pay for food, etc. However, if ever there was a time for us to organize a "strike" this is the time. It will never happen, however, because we are too busy just getting by. And where has the AAMT been during this time (in particular the last ten years when salaries have been eroding the fastest)? They have been telling us the "proper" way to do transcription. In the "good old days" if we did not transcribe correctly we were fired. If we used poor grammar, we were fired. That simple! Meanwhile this group (AAMT) purporting to be working to benefit MT's has instead been working to benefit themselves. They benefit themselves by touting their CE courses and the need for us all to become CMT's, that we can only do through their courses and their tests. None of which are free.
No, I am not an AAMT hater. I hate the hypocrisy of the AAMT. I hate the fact that experience counts for naught in this field. I hate the fact that the moment corporate America realized that medical transcription was an income producing product mostly male executives realized that they could take over with large companies, offer work at a much lower price than an individual could, and force the medical Transcriptionist to work at the prices they foist on us. That is what I have seen over the past twenty years.
Don't bother flaming me for telling you what I have seen. Most of the flamers will be from large corporations or IC's who have accepted their fate. Yes, you are making good money typing thousands of lines a day at a few pennies each line. Yes, you pay your bills doing so. I am not putting you down for doing so. What I am saying is that over the past 20 years the medical transcription field has changed (been hijacked by large corporations) and as such the bottom line is "how cheap can we get the transcription done". Such is corporate America. Get it done cheap or someone else will get the contract.
So, what am I suggesting? I don't know for sure. Perhaps there is no answer for most transcriptionists other than to accept their fate. As for me, I am lucky enough to have an income so that I can go on "strike" until I find a job that pays me what I am worth. Or, until I go back to school to find another career! Which is the most likely course of action a lot of us will be taking no matter how much we love what we were doing.
If you have any useful insights I would love to hear them. Flamers will be ignored.
Conversation insinuating that RadGuy may be gay is NOT tolerated on this site.
Anyone who continues to post in this manner will have their posting ability immediately removed.
My conversation with you is over. You sound worse than a pack of 6th grade girls.
x
YOU, Busy MT'ing, are one of those that fail to reach mature conversation when you mockingly add
x
Could this entire conversation BE any more high school? Grow up, you guys, honestly.
if you live among trashy people, low income people, people w/o goals or direction,
content to just get by, you by default become a part of a group. "people" have decided to group trailer people as trash. that is because there are enough people in that group to earn the title and even if you aren't trash, you are categorized by others. did i think i was trash in lower class neighborhood surrounded by people who drank and fought all weekend? no but i knew i wasn't staying and did not try to pretend that all the fools in the neighborhood were just nice folks who ended up where they were because high horse snobs deemed their neighborhood low class. people for the most part live exactly where they belong because they don't want to educate themselves, they don't mind "trash" around them and they don't want to be bothered trying just a bit hard to extract themselves from that world. they justify everything to themselves i guess saying everyone who doesn't like their lifestyle is a snob and the comedians (Jeff Foxworthy/Chris Rock, etc) who make fun of them are just ill-informed.
As for me, I fought hard to get out and don't even want to look back. It amazes me people stay for generations.
from amherst
via email
Amherst
Thanks for that ext. I think those HR people are protected better than actual work in the pool...
Amherst.
X
Amherst
Is anyone out there working for MQ in Amherst?
Amherst
How long have you been there?
Amherst MQ
Yes you may be happy with Amherst, you have been there for 7 years and maybe back then it was a good office to work for some reason your acounts have not been overloaded with MT's. Most of us on the NE, after our offices were closed, we were transferred to Foxboro or Amherst, with our accounts and we were lied to from day one. We were all told that we would stay with our accounts and that no other MT's would be assigned to them, it was just a transfer to another office and really nothing would chance. Well I guess we have all learned our lesson. I have been with MQ for many years and unti I was tranferred was happy with the company. I had 2 accounts, never ran out of work, could get 15000 lines in a blink of an eye and here comes the transfer and all XXX breaks out. Our accounts were all overloaded with MT's and we are out of work all the time, no shift differntials, no holiday pay, no bonus's, but then again it is hard to think about those things when there is no work. It boggles my mind when I am reading these postings and MT's are talking about being in 4 and 5 accts, never mind the MT's that are in 8 or 9 accounts, and I was told by my supervisor that there are MT's that have 12 and 13 accounts, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE, but yet nothing is done at Amherst, nor is nothing done at Corp. I find it hard to believe that they have are not aware of the comments on this board concerning Amherst but then why should they care, they are all making a nice paycheck, and that includes the people at Amherst and the hiring just goes on and on. I have been there for over 10 months and since then from the postings, it seems like at least 2 other offices have been transferred there also, only adding to the problems. Too many Mt's and not enough work.
Is this a case of poor management of an office, I would think so. My friend was lucky enough to be transferred from Foxboro to MQ Ohio and the difference between these offices is like night and day. Amherst should spent some time at the Ohio office (before it closes, yet another bites the dust) and learns some lessons on how to run an office. All we want to do is work.
I would really like to know since the beginning of the year how many offices have already closed and how many will be closed between now and the end of the year and hopefully no more will be transferred to Amherst.
Please, Amherst, just let us earn a living!!!
MQ Amherst
I am leaving MQ for all the reasons recently posted. Not able to get a good count. Do not understand the logic behind this. I was hired specifically for weekends and nights. There usually isn't much left by then.
AMHERST AT IT AGAIN!
Those 2 are quite a team (K&T that is...) the latest STATS are in....with a lovely note asking us to do MORE than our minimum......oh, by all means...do more....but "no overtime please"....Yeah right! They would love for us to be chained to our desks 24/7 just to keep everything nice and up to date for them....but when we're trying to work our "scheduled" hours....there's no work! So tell me girls......why do you demand we work a "schedule"? Maybe we should DEMAND work!!!! How I long for the days of a PRIMARY and SECONDARY again....I'd really like to tell you two where you can shove your turnaround time - you just don't have a clue...but how could you....you're not transcriptionists! How dare you ask us to do more than our minimum, when we can't even get THAT in an 8 hour period and then add insult to injury by saying "no overtime, please"....Instead of helping out another region, why not help your OWN region out and give us all back our primary accounts and stop all of this nonsense already.
Also moved to Amherst
All these different accounts every day - it's so hard to keep everything straight. I am so slow and less productive now - and who is there to call - do you know we got swallowed by Amherst and I have no contact information for anyone. It's so darn depressing!
Amherst/Corp
I know of at least 3 MT's that have written/emailed Corp about the work situation at Amherst and Foxboro and not one of them every rec'd a reply. One of the girls had been terminated for lack of work and MQ left a message on her answering machine to say that she was terminated and to make arrangements to return her equipment. The thing about this is that she had been in and out of the hospital, had made numerous calls and faxes to Foxboro to update them about the situation, had been with MQ P/T for the last 7 years, so they knew that she was a reliable MT but yet do to the endless lack of communication at that office, they had the nerve to call and leave a message to terminate her. She wrote letters to everyone from the Foxbor office to Human Resources to the President himself and never heard a workd from anyone--so yes I would think that Corp has been told about Amherst/Foxboro but I really do not think that they care one way or the other. Life goes on and they can hire 10 new people to replace her and continue to flood the accounts so that we are always out of work--just like today
RE: ER and work in Amherst
I really can't believe that you made a statement like that. You must be one of the lucky ones in the Amherst office--may I ask how long you have been in that office. I was transferred to Foxboro, kept running out of work, asked to be transferred, and was transferred to Amherst and I am still out of work. I presently have 5 accounts and have been doing ASR when that runs out--how many accounts do you have--are you one of those MT's that have 9 or 10 accounts and that is how you are able to get your lines. We are not unproductive, we just want to have work. When I started with MQ over 8 years ago, I averaged 16000 lines a pay period till the day I was transferred to Foxboro, now I am lucky if I can get to 10000 between all the accounts. One of my accounts that was transferred with me went to another service, the other accounts have been flooded with my MT's then needed, something I was told would never happen when I was transferred.
We are not lazy, unproductive, we just want to be able to work and evidently you have an inside track to all the work. Sometimes people need to vent and this is a good forum for it. Years ago MQ was a good company to work for, that was before all the office closings and all the accounts being lost
re: Kathy S--MQ Amherst
Sometimes I think that some of the people out there think we are making this stuff up and that we are all wealthy and only working for the fun of it. This is the farthest thing from the truth. I am the sole support of my family and I need to work and again Amherst has us out of work after we were call called to work this week-end. I resent the remarks from the other person that MQ or anyother company would hire more people because these accounts are out of TAT--how can they ever be out of TAT when they have so many MT's in each account, When I was transferred to Amherst I was told how they were so busy with so many accounts and I would never have to worry about running out of work--what a lie. I have 6 accounts, how many do we need, should we all have 15 or 20 accounts and then we would have work. Why do other MT's that are in other offices have only ONE account and have work all the time--could it be the way the office is run???????? Why does MQ let this office continue to run the way it is but then do they really care--if we leave, they will just hire new MT's to replace us
you must not work for amherst ofc
don't be so quick to judge
Amherst office
Maybe we should all call the ofiice this morning and ask them where all the work went to this week end?
AMHERST'S EMAIL
I have recently been transferred to the Amherst office and they are the most unprofessional group of people I have ever come across in my 30+ years as a transcriptionist. That threatening email has to go, along with the people who wrote it! I put in my 40 hour week, transcribing over 2000 lines per day, and I certainly do not appreciate threats telling me to work more! Here's an idea, Amherst......how about FIRING the people who don't adhere to their schedule and rewarding your QUALITY transcriptionists with a BONUS now and again for doing such a great job, instead of sending out your stupid threats with hiring more people to take more of our work away........I've had enough of this baby nonsense.....keep your threats to yourself and just let me do my work....that is, if you can provide me any......In the meantime, I will be calling HR to complain....and if anyone else has experienced this same email and would like to voice a complaint...
here's the number for HR #1-800-233-3030.
Amherst threats
I too have been sitting this morning, once again waiting for some work. I agreed to switch to DQS/DEP platform along with my primary account and, before I could blink, my account (and me) got transferred across the country to Amherst. Amherst assured me they have lots of work, but here I sit and am getting poor response to my situation. Meanwhile, we get an e-mail saying they will hire more MTs if people who didn't have enough work during the week didn't then work the holiday. Very peculiar stuff these days with MQ--I've been shuffled from a suddenly closing office through 2 others in just a couple of months. I am wondering about other outfits. Are they any saner? I worked once for a small contractor and it was okay. Then I got an at-home full-time position directly with a hospital. This is my first real encounter with megabusiness MT world. Is it all the same with this kind of work?
Amherst's email
OMG! You are so right. I wrote back yesterday when I ran out of work on my account suggesting she look again!!
Amherst's email
She's not the one sending the threatening emails. Its production "manager" Tonya somebody hyphenated.
MQ-Amherst-Work
Where is the work?? I have 392 lines for the day--how is anyone suppose to live on this--why do they keep hiring more people when we have no work--I had no work over the holiday week end, no matther what time of the day I tries, did anyone else run into this problem with no work for today??? Why does corp ignore the problems at this office, I transferred out of Foxboro for the same reason, no work and it is no better, if not worse, here.. HELP--this is so frustrating, before I was transferred to Foxboro I could do 15000 lines a pay period and now nothing--what is wrong with these people
Probably works for AMHERST.
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