Hospitals should be paying us extra to NOT go to work
Posted By: for attorneys and tell where the errors are. on 2006-02-03
In Reply to:
It would be so so so easy to show how to win malpractice cases with what I know about the medical transcription system as it is operating now.
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Extra shift or extra work
Has anyone taken on an extra job or shift with a new company for a just a few months to get out of debt or to be able to pay for something that is needed or wanted? I am thinking about taking on another job to get out of a stressful debt situation. I am just afraid I would be going into another stressful situation working more hours with the very busy family schedule I have.
If I work for a co. that mainly has VA hospitals, can you tell me what kind of work to expect. sm
Has been a long time since I have been an IC,so I forget what to expect from VA accounts. Will you enlighten me?
Always asking for extra work.
Do you all get as tired as me when the QA people are constantly hawking the MTs to do extra work. Every day its the same old thing - but they do it in a very passive aggressive "pretty" way. I figure, if there's that much work constantly, hire more MTs. I mean, how much can we stare into the screen!!
contract work for hospitals
I have talked to quite a few people, and I have found that subcontracting work from a hospital pays way better than even having your own accounts.. do any of you do contract work for a hospital? I work at home for a hospital as an employee, get paid by the hour, plus incentive on line count. But, I am wondering if I would be better off to try to do all the work as contract and make more. Sure, I would lose benefits, but would it be worth it in the end? Any thoughts?
Contract work for hospitals
Hi Sammy,
I envy you. I am looking for a home-based Pathology job, and would not mind your setup at all. I need the benefits, so that is why I am currently working at our local hospital, but plan to retire soon. Does your hospital need anyone else? Please e-mail me.
We don't have to approach hospitals we work for;
there are plenty of others out there, and we didn't sign any contracts not to contact them.
We wouldn't need to be talking about specific MTSO's in general, either, but the industry as a whole. And more importantly, about AHDI and all its underhanded little shennanigans.
Extra work possibility
Just wanted to post something that might help those of you looking for work... while I realize this is a medical transcription board, with our work being outsourced more and more each day, we have to do what we have to do to earn a paycheck.
After talking with a police officer and hearing how many hours they spend doing written reports of calls/incidents, I mentioned that it was too bad they could not dictate their reports and have them transcribed. He really liked the idea and so did I as I thought more about it. I finally scheduled an appointment with the Chief of Police and made a proposal to him. I had to do some research -- average pay per hour of a police officer x hours per day spent writing reports, etc, -- but that was not too difficult to get.
To make a long story short -- he tried this with a couple of his officers on their lengthy and very detailed reports.
Because it allows more time for actually being a police officer instead of being tied up writing illegible reports by hand, they love the idea.
I submitted my bid, which was approved, and the contract was signed. There is never a dull moment with this!
I work Mon-Sat, but only scheduled for M-F. Need the extra $. nm
*
Demographics/extra work
How many of you are being asked to do more demographic work and other extras in your job that do not apply to your line count? An email went out telling us that these areas "had to be filled in" because it caused too much work for the hospital if we didn't do it - but these demographics do not add to our line count - so I have a hard time understanding why we are to take 2-5 minutes in each report to do work that we are not paid for - for one report it doesn't seem like that much - but add it up to all that you do in a week - and well, that's a big pay decrease from where I stand. How many of you are dealing with this problem. It is probably not a new one - just new to me.
I would work extra if it is not asked of me
too often. Would you rather they hire extra help and then there may not be enough work to go around?
Are you getting extra for weekend work and holidays.
:
Where's all our supervisors on this question who have to work extra to keep
accounts within turn around time. what happens when account falls out and you can't keep it up by yourself?
Do not work for her. She is known for not paying. nm
nm
hospitals will allow you benefits if you work part time sm
They will cost you a little but still a HUGE savings on paying all on your own.
Business plans don't work either...been there done that with SBC & ATT...MTSOs/hospitals need to.
 either offer 1-800 numbers or internet transcription if they want to keep hiring us all over the US....that's it!! Maybe we could all share the cost of a 1-800 number or something, and for goodness sake, with all the technology out there, everything needs to go to digital dictation anyway. Bottom line is MT is NOT allowed for ULD. I even asked about some sort of special ULD transcription package through SBC & ATT and they wouldn't even consider it. So, MTSOs, please listen up...the ULD is going to be a thing of the past real soon. It's a wonderful option to you and it broadens the MT's working capabilities, but without ULD, nobody can rake out that kind of money! We should all put our heads together (MTSOs and MTs) and try to get something going here. We can no longer overlook this situation.
Good luck everyone...I will be holding my breath for us all!
They'll send an email out when they need extra work done.
The bonuses are tied to taking on extra work on top of your regular workload, not production or longevity. It's per extra shift or per extra report on backlogged accounts. Call and talk to them if you have any questions.
Does anyone else earn extra money at home doing something along with MT work?
I need some ideas. Fall is coming and I will have some extra time and getting burned out on MT.
I work every holiday -- don't really mind, but would be nice to have extra pay. sm
When I worked for YOG, we got holiday pay and weekend differential. I guess those days are gone. Now, I'm just expected to work every holiday and every weekend and smile and say thanks for letting me be your slave.
I should probably stay away from the boards today ... Guess I'm Bad Mood Betty! (ha)
Do you work outside your scheduled hours to get extra lines?
Or do you stick to your schedules and just roll with however many lines you make during that time?
Don't mind extra work as long as it is not abusive
I used to always work my shift and then try to do 2-3 early Sunday mornings. I was stopped from doing that because we could not work more than 40 hours. If there is help needed after my 40 hours I certainly do not mind helping out when needed - as long as this does not become abusive and you are expected to be available 10, 12 or more hours a day, night, and weekends. I have been there and it just got out of hand. I am comfortable with less than 50 hours a week.
I don't work for them but I think they can get away with paying less than min wage
becuase you are an IC and not an employee.
If you're an employee then, yes, I'd say you'd have a leg to stand on but if they have min line/production requirements then more than likely those min requirements would equal out to at least min wage so it would still fall back on you. These MTSOs are usually pretty savvy about getting around legal issues.
I can relate.....I took on extra work and now my DH just picked a fight with me, and is also winding
the kids up massively as I type this. Totally off your subject but he just dropped on me that he is cutting all contact off from my dad since he recently remarried and intimated that he was leaving me and my brothers nothing in his will......DH also said the kids were not allowed to have any contact with him either. I can get around that and just leave with the kids when he is at work if I have to resort to that. But this is bullsh*t.....I fear if it keeps up I am headed for divorce court. He is getting weirder and weirder about money, though he professes not to care or want it. Then he dropped that when his dad (75) dies his mom (70) was moving in with us.......WHAT! So right now I am hoping that his mom goes first as he will never live with his dad, or that his dad lives another 15 years at least....We had promised my mom she could live with us, but now that she is dead, he says it will be his mother as he has to protect his interests (and the kids....as supposedely all his parent's money is to go to them.....he plans not to touch it). So needless to say I am LIVID, don't want to work right now, am not talking to him though he keeps coming in and ranting more....he has calmed down some but still driving me nuts. He has to stop drinking, that is what it comes down to....much more rational then. But I really think the writing is on the wall and it's scary as I have no where to go now.    
When time permits, I always work extra so I have a little slush fund - sm
That way when the slow weeks come around (which they always do in this business), I can actually enjoy it instead of fretting about the money I'm losing. For the last nine months I've been doing a little weekend account (maybe 120 minutes of dictation for a whole weekend) and stashing the money away and in October I'm treating my family to a week in Disneyworld. You gotta have some kind of reward to work for - otherwise you get discouraged and unmotivated. But don't try making up the difference in one week, look longer term.
Could you possibly work out in the field somewhere at 1 better-paying
s
Can they do surgery extra fast? What do they do with the extra glove in the pack?
;+
Mary Kay Extra-emolient night cream will work wonders
Just apply it before you go to sleep.
janebates@marykay.com
In the past when I've needed extra work could get a response from co.'s within a week and be w
Now it's like zip, zero, nothing. No responses whatsoever from my emails to the companies here and on mtjobs.com.
At first I was looking for specifics regarding hospital work, clinic work, days, hours, etc., and choosing those but later got desperate and even with 16 years experience have been applying for 7-cent-a-line clinic jobs.... STILL no response from ANYONE! Well, actually, I get responses but they are automated emails stating I've passed the test(s) and will be contacted in X amount of days/weeks/months. Then I never hear back even with a followup email. In the past, I could get a new job within a week or two.
I don't know. I was thinking maybe they're thinking that with 16 years experience it would be easier to go with someone with less experience (for whatever reasons), so I'm considering just putting down 5 years or so as my experience instead of the truth. Could be they don't want to deal with this old dinosaur and want new blood, I don't know.
Yeah, but hospitals are already largely using VR in hospitals. (nm)
(nm)
What are you paying your MTs? If you're only paying 7 or 8 cpl
and expecting extremely experienced MTs, forget it. You're not going to get it. If, however, you're willing to pay 9 or more cpl then you will find what you're looking for. There ARE experienced MTs out there who will work their fingers to the bone IF they are compensated well and treated with respect.
ATT- I was paying $320 for 7000 minutes, I am now paying $175 for 5000 minutes in CA. nm
nm
Most hospitals have ......
contracted their work out to the national service, a practice I hope comes full circle eventually and hospitals reopen their own departments in the name of confidentiality and quality control. I only know of 2 hospitals out of about 8 in my area that have their own department (I work for one of them). It is by far the best MT job there is, or that I have ever had. I am at home, but a regular employee. The hospital is only 20 min from my house (we have to live local). I have worked for the big nationals and saw nothing but a decline in pay. Now I get regular raises, good hourly pay, production incentive pay, benefits, and vacation time. I wish more MTs could find my situation. I have hopes for the future once the industry figures out that they are cutting off their nose in spite of their face.
Do All Hospitals
In Tennessee pay that well? I have been considering moving to Tennessee to try to get away from the hurricanes.
VA Hospitals
I did the VA Hospital dictation here in Portland and it was all contracted out to companies, no employees. But you might contact your local VA Hospital but if it is as an employee 95% chance you will have to go into work and not do it at home, if it is at home it will be as an IC and no benefits. Just what I know about it. If you think your ESL's are bad at a regular hospital, this is worse as there is a lot of ESL's there on their rotation and they could care less how they dictate as they are only there for 6 to 8 weeks. Changes that often.
The hospitals are not going to get
dial into. They'd be better off hiring MTs and paying benefits than doing that. And if you dial directly into the hospital, instead of into the MTSO's dictation system, then the MTSO has no say in 800 lines. The truth is, hospitals usually do not want to just turn all of their dictation over to a service and they certainly aren't going to pay for long distance incoming calls in addition to what they pay the service.
just sometimes it is the hospitals...
they are actually told to hold back dictation at times, due to costs. sometimes the hospitals sneak around and try other services, or voice recognition.
in the future, there will not even be any voice dictation...just templates where information is added, like data entry...
Not that many hospitals.......
still have their own dept. That's how Medquist and Spheris and all those huge nationals exist... They have whole hospital accounts. Out of the 3 large hospitals in my vicinity, only 1 still has their own department. I trolled their website for months before I found an opening, but I eventually got in. Some hospitals don't have their MTs at home, mine does. It all depends. Most hospitals have a website, so fine the one you're interested in and check out their job opportunities, and then check it almost every day and if they do have a dept, they'll eventually have an opening.
Well - believe it. Hospitals pay that. I can tell you
at least hospitals in the Philadelphia area pay up to 24 cpl. MQ charges 23 cpl. I have one small department of a hospital at 17 cpl. It is out there - pull your head out of the sand and go looking.
I wonder if hospitals know
There are American transcription companies opening up here in the US that actually work for companies in India? I had a job offer from an American company and they let it slip that they were actually getting paid by Focus Infomatics. I thought about this and what an idea! You open up a company in the states, the facilities think they are getting American work, then you actually have the work done overseas.....hmmmmm
hospitals
do hospitals now go by minutes instead of lines in regards to productivity? if so, what is the usual they are asking for an 8 hour day?
thanx!
All hospitals are different. Concerning
your "past," if it has been exspunged from your record, then basically it never happened. This happened to my BFs son and his attorney told him that since his record was exspunged, nothing ever took place, so he does not have to mention it on any job application. You might want to call your local court house or your attorney on that particular question.
I would say go ahead and apply. Good luck.
All hospitals are different. when I sm
first started, ERs did their own stuff too. But as the years went on, ER combined with the MR departments and was considered part of acute care. It is not as detailed but you get some of the same language in an abbreviated from by doing ERs, even some OP reports. I don't like ERs either though simply because the docs are usually in a hurry and they are motor mouths. I do think though that MTs now should consider ERs as part of acute care especially if they don't like ERs.
Some MT companies do split them up though and hire folks for just ERs.
SM hospitals
It's been years since I have heard of any hospital that has ANYbody working in-house.
extra help
maybe I should look into being a subcontractor. Do you find this on the job seeker's board from time to time? Thanks!
I only do an extra cpl.
Unless there are a ton of STATs, it doesn't cause that much of a TAT issue.
What hospitals?? I'm soooo there
No, even the hospitals don't want to hire new MTs.
Doctors don't want to hire newbies. In office, at home, it doesn't matter. It's not about being a stay at home mommy, as you are so assuming and generalizing yourself. Everyone wants to hire experienced workers, but nobody is willing to train them. As I said, every other industry in the country trains their workers. MT seems to be the only one where people are expected to walk into it knowing everything. It's not an assumption; it's an observation. Just because my experience and observations are different than yours does not make me wrong. You're not the know all, end all to the MT world. I do have business management experience and education, so don't dismiss my observation as lacking just because it doesn't match yours.
Hospitals being sued
Seems to me the hospitals must not be very worried about being sued or they would require fluency in the English language as a pre-requisite for staff privileges. Secondly, any doctor who doesn't read what he signs pretty much deserves what he gets. Transcriptionists make mistakes....so do doctors. Thirdly, maybe hospitals should re-think how their work is contracted out. Far fewer problems when transcription was done in house.
i am sure you are aware that there are still hospitals out there
that have not yet adopted these rules. I type for one major hospital that still wants the patient's name typed in the report. Another still wants cc instead of mL. Had this person tested and changed it to the "correct" form, who is to say that she wouldn't have gotten marked off for changed verbatim. Nervous MT2, hang in there, and if you test again make sure you ask up front whether they want you to follow BOS or type it verbatim that way you know ahead of time.
but what percentage of hospitals allow that?
From what I've been reading ... the home-based service MT is averaging 8 cpl, for those dictators which make you run screaming from the room. And, I don't forsee things improving. Then again, some are lucky enough to make a line rate worthy of their skills, without worry about the dictators from Hades.
This is a bit out of date: http://www.bls.gov/oco/pdf/ocos271.pdf
My nearby hospitals pay around $10 as well (sm)
I make 22-25$/hr at home. I live in an area where average pay is low, but likewise cost of living is reasonable.
I miss the hospitals too.
But things are so different there now that the online companies exist. It changed the way transcription is handled in most places. When I went back to working for a hospital last year, the supervisor wanted a certain amount of lines per day versus minutes per day like the old days. It was an outrageous number and with no Expander or medical speller or anything.
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