I've been doing this a long, long time...
Posted By: susancarol on 2007-06-11
In Reply to: If you are complaining of low pay, why?? - Pattie
I used to make $70,000 and up a year and did so for most of the late 80s and 90s (one girl used to make six figures a year working 7 days a week!) Because we were making more money than the supervisors and Medical Records Directors in hospitals, they began to switch to transcription services which were sprouting up all over the place. Plus AAMT came into existence and even though in the beginning it claimed it was to fight for transcriptionists (although assured us it was NOT a union), they eventually morphed into an organization that was more management friendly. They developed the "guidelines" and the 65-char line. That was the beginning of the end for those high-end wages. Then all those mickey mouse transcription schools popped up, and now outsourcing overseas. YES, we're complaining.
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It's been a long, long time since I've used a C-phone, sm
but I do think jobs can be paused.
Not me. But I've waited for this for a long time.
Been through the daily grind for over 20 years. At one point I even had all four of my kids in different schools, having to drop them off before leaving for work. I don't miss it one bit. I still laugh when I'm lying on the couch in my pajamas reading the morning paper while all of the commuters are fighting for a place in line at Dunkin Donuts.
But with 4 kids, 3 still at home, my house has always been like Grand Central Station. I have never been able to complain about the quiet for sure. Hubby works nights so is here during the day and starting early afternoon there is an endless stream of hungry teenagers in and out as well as messy little grandkids. I don't remember the last time that I was completely alone for more than an hour. I wouldn't know what to do.
Unfortunately I don't. I've had it for a long time in the closet. nm
x
Best post I've read in a long time.
I tend to go back and forth with my feelings about this profession. In the mornings I am glad I do not have to get up, get ready and go to an office. Many times in the evening, after I have during the day and still have work to do, I feel like stuffing it all. Many times I am disheartened when I get my paycheck, but I am glad to be getting one, while my sister worries about getting laid off from her manufacturing job. MT has advantages and disadvantages.
Oh, my. That's the funniest thing I've read in a long time.
AHDI: Solving the world's problems, one foreign MT at a time.
ROLFMAO
Fun With "Rick" and Jane is the best/funniest movie I've seen in a long time! s/m
Okay, it's not Rick and Jane, but the censor wouldn't let me put the short form of Richard.  LOL
Oh I know, I've studied legal aspects of med recs, too, been in this a long time. sm
I totally get everything you say, and I don't argue with any of it.
But I work for a national that has had the same errors in the same normals for YEARS, so we're talking probably thousands of charts by now. I can't fix years of apathy. If I was in charge, you betcha I would.
The doctor's name is what's on the document, it still comes down to him/her.
Honestly that is the most intelligent thing I've heard from an MT co. in a long time. Completely
You have to be able to retain knowledge.
You have to know how to reserach effectively.
You have to be able to use deductive reasoning.
You have to have confidence in your decisions and not constantly "need assurance."
You have to be able to separate sounds in your head that are both internal and from multiple external forces.
Some of these can be taught, some are innate, some take years to develop, some either you got it or you don't.
I had a problem with this for a long, long time sm
I have always worked days, like from 6-3. Over the last few years, it didn't matter how much sleep I got, I became real groggy between 7 and 11. Really shoots the day. Talked to my doctor and he said my blood pressure pills were the culprit but he refused to change me to another brand or dosage since I have multiple aneurysms (2 in the brain). My BP has been stable for a long time and he wants to "keep it on the low side". I tried taking them before I went to bed instead of early in the morning, but then I had headaches all day. So, I am changing to a night shift for a few months so I can sleep when those pills kick in and so far it is working pretty good. I stay mostly awake during my shift and die when I hit the bed from 6 am to 10 am, then I lay down again later in the afternoon for 2-3 hours. I still get 6-7 hours of sleep, it's just split up during the day, plus I am mostly awake now when I sit down to type. I don't have to deal with the heat in my office, either. It tends to warm up real fast in here with the south sun on the house and 2 pc's running all day, even with the air conditioner on.
Way back when, a long, long time
ago and in a galaxy far, far away, I had my own accounts also and some years cleared $75,000. Yes it can be done, but you need to have your own accounts. Also lots of delivery, and other duties involved. I work for a large national now and make much less, but I got tired of accountants, having to deal with hardware problems, deadlines, driving deliveries, printing, printers, etc. So I decided to simplify my taxes and stay home and just type. Don't have to worry about computers either, because the company will just send me a new one.
Been in this biz a long, long time, 30+ years and....sm
I love/loved MTing. However, things have changed so much during these years. The job definitely gets easier; don't have to look up much, can decipher ESLs much easier, in other words, you get pretty comfortable with things and you have confidence in yourself. The more experience you have the easier the job, but....
I actually made more money 10 years ago!! We didn't have speech recognition and you actually got paid for headers/footers, demographics, carbon copies, etc., you got paid for what you did fairly; today, I am not so sure.
You will feel burned out at times, but that passes and you find you like your job again.
Good luck to you!!
A long, long time ago, I was going thru
a really bad time emotionally and physically. I was suffering, and my transcribing suffered. I assure you - if you are to the point of not paying your rent, literally, and needing food stamps, there is something else going on in your life than current transcription rates. We are all in this industry and many are thriving, most getting along comfortably. If you are literally to the point of food stamps, you honestly would be a fool to continue. I blamed it on my job, on my line rate, on everything but the honest truth that I was ill and was NOT working as I should or could. It is a really sad thing that you keep spreading this propaganda that MTs in our culture are doomed and now destined for food stamps. Food stamps are not something to toss around lightly, as you would know if you ever had to use them. Please let's not be quite so dramatic. Again, if you are really in those dire straits, you really need to face that MTing is not the fit for you, personally, and do something about it rather than blame our industry. You dwell on the past, but we can't do that. While you may have made other wages 20 years ago, may I remind you that we were pounding away on IBM Selectrics using layers of paper and bottles of white out, going crazy trying to rewind tapes over and over to get that dang word, with no idea what an Expander was. Technology is fantastic. Things have changed, but things are still great in this industry, and in this world. Those who change and can adapt will be fine, but you need to recognize that most of us are not ready for food stamps.
I hate Instant Text. It is expensive, long long learning
curve, and too much distraction for me.
it's what you know, not how long you've been around.
I've worked with long-time MTs that didn't do very good work, had limited knowledge...and vice versa. What we ought to have is not what we're likely to be able to negotiate for either. Many factors involved, but i'd say 9 cpl for 10 yr or more...but best to get your foot in the door, where you are happy to be, and then negotiate up if possible when they see what you're made of.
How long should I wait after applying for a position before I follow-up. It has been as long as two
without hearing from some. Just wondering if I should send an e-mail to follow-up to see if they received my resume or not. I don't want to offend anyone but feel two weeks should be long enough for someone to at least acknowledge my resume and that I have applied for a position. Right now I would accept anything even a note saying no thanks. Any advice would be appreciated. I haven't had to apply for a job for the past 10 years so I am a bit rusty at this. Thanks again for any advice.
we've come a long way, baby!
As the old hymm goes "I wouldn't take nothing for my journey now".... I did work on the belts too, my brother was my boss and loved to torture me about it! Talk about archaic! Now I am So spoiled! (and so thankful).
One more thing, I've been in MT and QA long enough to know that just
feel like you had no trouble with the terminology, doesn't mean you didn't have trouble.
I have come across many MTs who believe they know what they are doing and really don't.
long time - nm
nm
long-time MT
I MUST do it this way. I don't trust myself otherwise. I've transcribed on typewriters, etc., and I just don't trust my eyes anymore. I'd rather take the cut in pay than trust my own document to be error-free. I also must read the report OUT LOUD to myself, otherwise I just don't catch the mistakes (grammar, etc.). We're talking some 4 and 5 page reports/documents the docs are transcribing, so I have to heavy proof myself. It's just that way anymore. I'd rather do that than some VR machine doing my job!
Yup, and have been for a long time (not me). nm
x
Did take a long time to get used to it? sm
And, I must confess to a bit of stupidity ....... the description talks about foot switches or whatever -- what's that about?
Thanks for sharing! 
Now that was a long time ago
wow that's a long time on QA (m)
My daughter was a newbie, went to work for a company and does only private offices. She was off QA in a very short time.
I think you could ask when you might be off QA but if they want to QA you, let 'em. Who cares?
THANK YOU! A long time ago I
somehow shrunk my font using the internet, but had no idea how. It stayed that way. I can barely read certain pages. It is now fixed. Thanks! :)
I have been at this a long time
I try to encourage new MTs to learn as much as they can from their experiences. The reason that companies do not hire new MTs is because they worry about production and having to utilize their QA staff. I know it is a catch 22, but that is why it is best to try to work on-site for at least a year to gain some experience. Most companies require a certain line count each and every day, which can be tough on a new MT that has to research and look things up. I'm with you, not against you, and wish you all the best. With anything, take the good advice and leave the bad advice alone. 
That is how it was for a long time, then someone
came up with this and we all got scr#wed. That's where the pay cuts started. Then came the slave labor competition (overseas workers who can't speak English to save their lives but apparently good enough to type our medical records! But ever read any? LOL) and speech recognition (so easy even a computer or data entry person can do it! Again, ever read any?). Bottom line is this is no longer considered a profession and nobody gives a rat's behind about the quality of medical reports as long as they're done quickly and inexpensively. But I guess that's what happens when a bunch of suits are in charge that wouldn't know a salpingo oophorectomy from a slapping pooperectomy (stole that one from an ASR Editor on this board - HA!) It's pretty scary, isn't it?
A long time ago I did
I was working for an attorney and he wanted me to get into court reporting so I would be able to travel with him as his private court reporter in his cases. I checked around and there was only 1 school in my state. It was a 3 year course and cost $10,000. Of course, I had to say no, as I couldn't afford it.
I had also checked at our county courthouse for transcribing the tapes and they showed me the ins and outs. For a job there, I didn't need schooling, just the smarts, was told that type of job is solid once you get in the door, but not to depend on it (waiting), as nobody quits. They retire...and the girls I talked to were my age, so that bummed me out, too. Gave up that idea, too.
MT was my 3rd choice. It's okay, but too stressful anymore. 
That's what i use too (v. long time MT)
x
been doing MT for a long time!!
I still love the world of medicine and the language of medicine. I think if you don't have that love for it, you will not be able to suffer through the highs and lows of this field, and there are plenty. I am in my 16th year and have done everything from MT to QA to teach, to supervising, and I still love to sit down and transcribe. If you have a good company or a good hospital to work for, there's always plenty of work which makes for the ability to make plenty of money. You will get faster and faster as the years go on, and if you don't have a ShortHand program yet, get one. You'll never make money without one.
it has been a long time since I used sm
a C-phone (dictaphone) and it seems to me that the setting depended on what the platform had set up or something. I know I had a couple different accounts and depending on which one, the setting was different. I can't remember either one right now though.
Depending on your C-phone, sometimes you can go on line and do a search for an owners manual for that particular C-phone.
Sorry I can't help further!
Oh, I've been doing this many long years, so I understand what SM
you're saying. I've been dept. supervisor, QA, all of it -- all long enough to realize that I am not infallible, for sure.
What I will say is that spending two hours reading reports aloud is not going to help me in any way, shape, or form. If I thought for a moment that it would make my work better, I'd be willing to sacrifice the time and do it.
It's really sort of like a tic, what I do when I transcribe, and I can't help it. I have tried to let stuff sit there and have the spellcheck catch it, but it's like a reflex action. I've backspaced to it before I had time to think about it. I know that I'm not really using my resources very efficiently.
I think I said in my first post that I started on typewriters and went from there to a computer with just a keyboard and monitor, and the only editing tool available to me was the backspace key. Mercy, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. I transcribed that way until 1993 (? thereabouts), when I got my first spell check and word expander.
Congrats! How long have you been a MLS and how long did you study for the test!
Please see message. I have three daughters with long, long hair.
I also have long hair down to my waist and my three girls have hair that long too. My daughter brought them home from school last year. I was devestated and grossed out!!!! I have never had to deal with lice. Anyway, we did the treatments and two of my girls broke out in a severe rash with the OTC stuff. Their little heads were so sore!! I thought I was being meticulous with eggs, only to find them hatching again down the road. A nurse at the pediatricians office suggested I try oil to suffocate them since my girls were allergic to the lice solution. I bought a huge bottle of veggie oil and dumped it on all three heads, plus my own. I then wrapped the heads in platic wrap and then a towel. I left this on for 30 minutes. It takes a while to wash out the oil, but we never, ever had the lice or eggs again!!! If you try this, make sure you put on an old shirt and put a towel around your shoulders. Obviously we were desperate, but we all have such long hair and very thick hair so I was willing to try anything. And I figured there was no chemicals involved so that was pretty safe. And it sure did help my littles ones since their scalps were pretty raw from the solution. Hope this helps and Good luck!
Answered A LONG TIME AGO - DUH. SM
I guess we can assume you only answered it to be able to put down the original poster? I hope you get the same one day, I really do. Wish I could see it happen. You are hateful.
Then how is it that you have time to post here all day long?
so transparent
I hear ya long time-MT
My cuz kept telling people to call me because I worked from home...they would ask how easy it was to make 2300.00 partime from home (you know all those ad's all over the place).Grrrrrrrrrrr.
I finally just got fed up and when folks would ask what I do I'd tell them that I was a medical language interpretor! ha shut a lot of them up caus they can't scratch their heads and be rude at the same time.
That's a long time! That's excellent.
I had been a "chicken only" eater for years, but 2 years ago I read something from PETA that completely changed that, needless to say! It's been great eating new and exciting dishes that I never even thought of before. Could you tell me how the Tofurky tastes (I think that is the name?) Last year I just ate sides, no substitute for the meat. By the way, the new issue of Vegetarian Times has some excellent Thanksgiving recipes in it.
ick ... I have used the name long-time MT, and this is not me ... I would gladly help anyone sm
in any way I can for no charge. Thirty-some years ago when I was starting out, people helped me ... it's great to give back. To charge is kinda slimy, I think. Just my opinion
There was a thread a long time SM
ago from some people who worked through them as traveling transcriptionists...apparently K-Force had their share of pay problems, reimbursement problems, travel issues and most interestingly, they had a bunch of criminals working for them (drug/petty criminal activity). I have no idea how things are now.
My boss always says "I'd rather you take the time to get well because we need you for the long
I understand, I feel the same whenever I am sick. But I too would rather get better so I can produce quality as well as quantity work. When you are ill, that just doesn't happen. I have a great account and great business relationship with my account. So,when I am down and out, I take the time to better. I am no good to anyone, even family, when I am sick.
My advice to you is to take the day off when you are ill. It pays high dividends in the end.
In my case, I have been an IC for a long time
addition. I asked my tax guy if I needed to report the Avon income, and he said as long as it was not more than $500.00 then, no I did not have to report it. My tax guy is a professional and has his own business. He is reputable, and a lot of his clients are state police officers (just to give a little background). I do not do my own taxes. No offense to Patti, but she has stated before that she does do her own taxes, but just uses the previous year as a guide. My tax guy goes to seminars and forums each year and also sends a letter each year with all of the new tax laws with instructions on how to prepare for our meeting when the time comes. My advice would be if you are not sure, seek a "tax professional" not a message board forum for the correct tax information. I am not so sure that any of these posters are actually "tax professionals", they are simply independent contractors who do their own taxes. I would definitely take that into consideration when reading these posts.
I did that a long time ago. I turned it over sm
and let it sit overnight, and the next day it worked fine. I think as long as it wasn't anything sticky like a soda or something, you should be okay. It just has to dry out. Of course, I'm not that technically oriented, so I don't know, but I'll certainly cross my fingers for you.
Long time passing..nm
nm
I currently have 2 jobs and have had for a long time....sm
I work days from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. then work the night job from 5 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. I have off Sundays, but work Monday through Saturday. It is gets very old, but I am the breadwinner in my family and am trying to get debt free by the end of the year except for the house and if I have to work like this to accomplish it then so be it. I have tried 3 jobs before, but that just gets to confusing, as all three companies had different account specs and style rules and such and I got to where I could not remember which was which. Good luck to you.
looked into a long time ago..
I actually started taking a course a long time because it has actually been my "dream job". I had to put that to side when I had my daughter but just recently saw a college around here is having an "open house" night to talk about the courses needed and what not. I have always been fascinated by the people you see sitting in the courtroom picking away at the machine. I actually took the first machine course and found it so incredibly interesting. It truly is not as hard as people would think. I think the machines have come around a bit since 10 years ago when I took the course but it was fun and from what I understand, the money is rather good! Good luck to you if you choose this route!
As long as they are talking the whole time sm
I hate it when it is 25 minutes and 15 of those are "umm", and shuffling of papers looking for information , and going back to correct things that they dictated incorrectly. That is a waste of my time. 
Okay I have been out of school for a long time, but.....sm
am I reading this right as 1 cent per line??
"For all other states we offer IC status only and a competitive line rate for ICs up to $0.010 cpl."(From the All Type Inc position on the Job Seeker's Board)
I am assuming it is a typo on the job post, but you never know....it made me laugh
Currently #5, but been MTing a long time
and have been #6 in the past.
It CAN take a long time, especially with lots of MQ
s
Long time, I hear you...
10 years (probably longer) till I can retire and often think seriously about walking up to the corner Walmart and applying for something there. No, I sure don't love Walmart and doubt I'd be deliriously happy there, either. I'm also nearby a hospital, a Manpower and several schools that offer courses as pharmacy tech and such like. Wish I was truly interested in actively pursuing something different that pays at least what we make. I even live within walking distance of a hospital and thought about applying there for whatever, housekeeping, cafeteria help, anything but what I'm doing now, though I know it's not the answer. Every year when Social Security sends out that report that tells you what you can expect to receive monthly when you retire, I look at it and see how much I used to make in the past and how it appears to be shrinking yearly. Lord knows I work daily as hard now as I ever did. I just believe my industry is changing for the worse overall. Then I have to stop and realize I'm lucky to be working from home, some days are worse than others, but I still enjoy the reports, just don't like how things are managed these days and know things will never return to the old days/old ways. If you guys stumble on anything you find fascinating and not too demanding brainwise, ha-ha, please email me.
long time MTs opinion on BOS sm
I would like opinions from everybody but especially those that have 20+ years experience in MT. What are your opinions on the Book of Style?
This is my opinion.........I think its a bunch of crap! Seems to me a few people got together and decided to come up with this BOS and then put it on the market as "the law" of medical transcription. Of course they make money from it. I have wondered who gave this author or authors the authority that everything they say to do is correct and anything that deviates is incorrect?
On top of that, every now and then they decide to change it MTs learn this baloney all over again, thus more money for them. I see so many questions and comments on here about the BOS that it seems to me it has become the
"end all, be all" in the medical transcription profession. Horse puckey!
I literally have seen companies especially the BIG ONE let excellent MTs get away simply because their test scores were not what the "X" wanted with the reason being a comma here and a comma there when the content was EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!
If I were hiring folks again, that BOS would go out the window and I would take an MT based on their MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION SKILLS! The preferences for punctuation and other things can be learned on-the-job. Not all companies think the BOS is the BIBLE of Medical Transcription. Personally I think BOS is a crock!.
I forgot though, AAMT started all this and they are not AAMT anymore. That tells me a whole lot too! Money, money money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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