I have been around awhile, and will last making good money as long as this field does.
Posted By: depends on your age on 2006-11-07
In Reply to: we need a new career - AnnaP
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- we need a new career - AnnaP
- I have been around awhile, and will last making good money as long as this field does. - depends on your age
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How long will it take to start making money as an MT?
I'm new to this career. Have only been working for 6 months or so. Does anyone have any advice for a newbie? How do you make a decent living on 6 cpl? Any advice for increasing speed? Thanks.
MB
Make money? I'm not making any money because of my decision. You read my reasoning
You can agree with me or not, but don't make false assumptions please.
Have used stickers, lasted awhile but not that long.
I have a Microsoft ergonomical keyboard (curved) that I have been using about three years now, and the letters are still good. However, you might want to try one of those pens that can be used to write on CDs and other metallic materials. Cheaper than buying another keyboard. As stated, the stickers worked but not for very long as I remember.
Most of the men I know in this field make more money than
I think they do less bonding with coworkers and seem to focus better.
Long before I got into this field...
I was at an appointment with my GYN and he dictated right after the exam. When he was done, I asked him how anyone could understand what he just said and his reply was that they can just "slow it down". Now that I know better, I'm thinking, yeah right!
You realize by doing that they're making more money & you're making less? You should reconsid
Getting back into the field after a long break
I have 13 years of experience in a variety of specialties, including about 3 years working for a transcription company (multiclinic work mostly) and a few years doing freelance work along with my full-time position.
I quit being a Transcriptionist because I completed a graduate degree and became a high school English teacher. I have taught for several years but now am staying home with my children and would like to get back into the transcription field. I always found the reports to be fascinating, and after being a teacher, the idea of solitary work appeals to me. 
The big problem is that it has been about 10 years since I worked as a transcriptionist. I have been refreshing my skills by completely re-reading the Book of Style, purchasing a USB foot pedal, and practicing sample transcriptions. The service where I previously worked was purchased by one of the large nationals, so I don't have anyone there for a contact.
I was an excellent transcriptionist and know I would be again, given the opportunity. How would you advise me to go about my job search?
Thanks, and sorry for making this so long.
oil field pers a "per diem" which is a set amt of money they get to show up for work that day,
1
You're good for awhile, don't worry!
If you wear out a keyboard, then worry! Had my laptop since 9/11, can still read the keys or in a few keys almost invisible but, I know where they are! Do well! Quit being nervous, it slows you down!
Making money with VR
Any of you who do this, how in the heck do you make any money? I accepted a job with a company for 4 cpl for VR, but I nearly have to type the entire reports over. I was doing it part time and it takes so much time that I figured out I am only making 5.00 per hour. What's the average rate for this? I gave it up, it's not worth it for the line rate, considering I was editing typed transcription as well that came back from India and it was just as bad and took just as much time.
making money?
I think the only way we newbie MTs can make any money is to make it ourselves, like counterfeiting. 
I consider myself still a newbie at almost 2 years of nearly full-time working at home with IC status. Love my company and enjoy my work; it is mainly VR and 3 cents per line. I am rather slow because I keep double checking everything, but on a good day at 8-10 hours and 800 lines I will make $24. Isn't that encouraging? 
The extra dollars do come in handy and so appreciated for my farmer husband's income, but this could no way support a single income.
Working for $3.00 per hour was great sometime in the past, you know? Like 35 cents per gallon of gasoline in 1969. But it 2009.
I do think if we newbies hang in there long enough and become good at our work then we will move up to better pay. However, we who work for 3 cents or 6 cents per line and are so thankful to be making even that are probably the ones others may blame for the poor pay since transcription companies can hire us so cheaply.
Don't know what the solution is.
No they're not because I'm making more money on it....sm
than before the program was implemented. I also know others who are making more money per hour - and no one argues with more moolah!
And you still end up making more money paying LD. sm
If you consider an 80-hour pay period (which I don't do), at $27 per hour with the 800-number company, you'd make $2160.
At $33/hour, paying $1.80/hour, you'd make $2640 minus $144 (a deductible expense also), still netting you $2496 -- substantially more than the company giving you the toll free number and less pay.
Makes no difference to me. I personally wish you all would stay away from MDI-MD so I could have more work ... LOL
Making money - just curious
Just curious, but how does anybody here make any money if you are on this board all the time bashing people- that really takes a lot of energy up that could be spent on making money.
money-making docs? sm
As a hard worker in this industry to put my son through school to become a medical professional, I can tell you that after all my hard work and broken back, he is still paying student loans, works like an animal, hardly has time for his family, continues his education and is not "rich." He treats his staff like family (constantly haunted by his mother to do this) and barely has time to take a bathroom break. I know there are those with fast cars (always thought they did it to get to the patient faster, but I'm sure that's not the case with some of them) and those who are rude (perhaps not taught right by their moms) but some are just ordinary guys and gals who put their pants on one leg at at time like the rest of us and worry about the next payment like the rest of us. They're not ALL the same. I read another post about docs yawning while dictating. I think in most cases they're exhausted and the paperwork is just another thing to deal with after they put their kids to bed, if they get the chance to do that even. I didn't understand this until I "lived in it". As the babysitter, I can tell you, "it ain't pretty." They suffer just like the rest of us. 
It is all about them making more money. If you have seen the News lately
they had a piece on money making is with those of us who own animals. Some will pay any amount to cure their pet, like chemotherapy for their animal, when the most humane thing would be to put them down.
Vet medicine is all about them making money now. Personally, I love my pet, but I will only do the basic healthcare, shots, exam, and that is it. They want blood work, lyme titer, check for diabetes, etc. I tell them NO, Absolutely NOT! She is healthy, 3 years old, and even if she has those conditions, which in most cases, the animals do not, she will not be treated. Who ever heard of a dog having diabetes or thyroid problems. It is an animal and I will not pay healthcare bills for a healthy animal for unnecessary things.
Watch your wallet, love your pet, provide a good home, feed them, bathe them, and give them their yearly checkup with shots and they will be fine.
If you are already making that kind of money
and working less hours then I don't know why you would want to change to an unknown. BTW, would you care to share who you are working for now making over 50K and 6 hours a day? Pls e-mail me privately if you like. I won't post it, I promise!
The up side to not making enough money is
that pretty soon the fridge will be so empty it will be significantly easier to clean. And I do mean soon.
and that folks was where our "mom and pop" biz that we were making the money on...have gone!!
The biggies saw the opportunity to make the money that we were...and decided we made too much, so that is the story...long and short!! The future does not look good for us, only them and the india counterparts.
The money making part is true,
the Congress Center in Atlanta sold out for Sylvia's show and standing room only and I am sure her return show will be the same. It is like wrestling to some, not me, but entertainment and should not be sought out by people who are in the situation such as the missing kid's family. As long as psychics are out there, people will seek them out plus other off the wall treatments for different maladies. It is human nature but I would not want to be the one giving the advice.
You punch a level so you know you are making money?
I would never set something up like this to make myself go faster. I know if I don’t type the amount of lines I want per day, so simple I don’t have a decent check. Don’t need a stop watch, counter, etc. My motivation is bringing home the amount of money I want every 2 weeks. My way is really simple, just fast fingers concentrating on the end result.
I am making tons of money doing tapes.
Just like tapes get misplaced so does digital dictation. Also, have you ever timed how long it takes to download and upload files? I think it runs about the same. I am assuming this is clinic work. So, if you don't go the office, then you'll need patient lists faxed or e-mailed, what have you. It also costs money to have a secure FTP site for transfer. So, no matter how you look at it, there is that time taken for the administrative end of transcription so to speak.
To the OP: I would ask if the problem really is the delivery if you could cut back to two days a week and given them the option of typing STAT reports to be faxed to them OR you could ask if they'd go halfers on a courier service. But, I think the problem is the cutting of the paper, so you may just want to mention that you'll need to attach a fee.
I had to attach a FAX fee to an office that was constantly calling and requiring me to search for letters that they apparently hadn't filed yet, so I started charging them for that service. Guess what? They don't call as much. Just a thought.
Regarding making money, I forgot to mention...SM
The standard for "average" typing speed is no longer the unassisted "The fox jumped over" standard as measured on a typewriter. You know, back when 75 was considered decent.
I don't actually know the new standard for a competent typist, but it's set by those who have trained themselves to use word Expanders extensively and is at very minimum double that on unfamiliar text. On familiar text with many phrases in storage, much higher.
Current pay rates are adjusting to the new reality that a worker is able to produce considerably more with today's technology than before. Those who aren't using it, and using it extensively, are finding their incomes dropping drastically. Best wishes.
Sorry you are so disgruntled but many of us, myself included, are still making money...
there have been changes but I am still making great money so I have no complaints...good luck to you though
All those folks care about is making MONEY.
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nice to hear that I'm not the only MT making such little money at this
And I've been doing it for a decade now and it keeps going down every year.
I've finally decided to take some classes in another line of work so I can get out of MTing but still work at home.
I would be 43 and have no life at this time and wish I was making decent money, but not ;0( ...NM
NM
1200 lines should be a given. You could be making superb money!
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Agree completely.....money making scheme....
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No. I'm making excellent money doing this (IC). I have no desire to leave this profession.
There are too many MTSO that whine about making not enough money to pay you a livable wage.
I applaud you for being truthful and NOT GREEDY..
Have done both, and still prefer at home, making more money and setting my own hours. (sm)
In-house your required to meet a productivity of nothing less here on the east coast of 135 to 155 lines per hour, not to mention the QA's done weekly!! Yes, weekly, random 10 reports per MT!! I never had a problem with the QA's always between 99.6% and 99.8%. But, you work straight, no talking, in your little box (I call it). Yes, the benefits are a perk, but not that much and I worked 2nd shift always, so it was 18% of my base wage. I am still making more at home productivity wise and take a break when I want to. But, like you said circumstances change. Good luck!!
Two jobs don't equal one when it comes to making money and not wasting time. sm
Recommend looking for one good job.
is MT still a good field?
Hi, I'm considering studying maybe with CS. Is MT still a good field to get into or is it getting phased out due to outsourcing or automated programs? I just got laid off after 10 yrs with a co doing data entry. Considering MT. I hope this isn't too blunt to ask but how much per year can I expect to make starting out? Thanks!
is MT a good field
I don't know about the others on this board but we had a doctor in our clinic that was going to get voice recognition system and replace me. He left to go on his own and got this system. since we are in the same town and refer patients to him I have had the opportunity to see some of what these things produce. Most of it is pretty good, not all. What I am getting at is this: These things are constantly improving and it is my opinion that in 5 - 10 years there will not be much work in MT. I enjoy transcribing but when asked by others about getting into it, my answer is like this: not if you want to work a long time. Older doctors and I work for one may not want to go this route. I would welcome other's input on this subject but having had a shaky job situation 4 years ago at age 62 due to the doctor's wish for voice recognition, I feel that this automated system if the wave of the future.
The secret to making a long evening of - sm
transcribing go a LOT easier:
A big bowl full of freshly-made, sweet, kettle-corn popcorn!
Oh....... YEAHHHHH !!!!
We paid hourly with incentive for high production. So she's making money when she's just
sitting there. I don't know if it is a habit or not because this is the first time I've really had to work with her for any length of time. I usually only work a couple of hours a day with her when our shifts overlap. I think I'm definitely going to ask the girl I'm filling in for what she thinks about her.
Haven't heard in years. Supposedly making it harder to get money
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Curosity- I am curious if I am making the normal amount of money weekly for MT. Would anyone care
to share their weekly amount of pay?
good luck to you too in this rewarding field
Good for you--I left the field in January
after 16 years. I now work as an Editor outside of the medical field. I'm still home-based, and my journalism degrees are put to good use. I hate to see what has happened in this profession, and follow the developments. However, I did not feel encouraged about my future in transcription, and felt that it was best to get out ASAP. I'm relieved to be out of it, and encourage anyone considering a career change to follow their intuition and explore their options.
Your transcription experience will put you ahead of the game in nursing school. Best wishes to you, and congratulations for taking action.
Tumor Registrar is a good field
for MTs to pursue, especially if they have had experience transcribing oncology reports. You can actually learn online, and there are many schools offering this program. Santa Barbara Community College is a good school, and they have an online program. Good luck!
You may also want to try obtaining your own MT accounts. You will of course have more administrative tasks, but will also make a greater income than working for a national service at slave wages.
You live in a dream world if you think that MTSOs are making money hand over fist. Overhead? Add i
Banks charge about $200 a month for a business account plus .10 for every check deposited and written.
Ten people in an office? At $30k a year, that's $300,000 per year IF you can get them to work for only $30k. Add in 2 editors, an IS consultant, an accountant, a lawyer, rent on office space, checks, stamps for checks, software upgrades, phone lines, equipment for MTs, equipment for office staff, lightbulbs, toilet paper, a copier, a printer, paper, ink, pens, pencils, long distance charges to call MTs and customers, recruiting ad costs, taxes, benefits because most MTs are employees now because the IRS says most should be classified that way, high-speed internet, internet service provider because hotmail and yahoo are free but not professional, email encryption, fax machine, fax phone line, staplers, staples, paper clips, file folders, file cabinets, etc etc etc.
I am not whining. I am just stating facts. Add that to the headache of juggling schedules based on unpredictable workload due to unpredictable amount of people needing medical attention, the headache of billing clients who pay when they want regardless of what your terms are, covering for people who get sick or need time off, and it is not an easy thing to do. I am lucky that I am a workaholic and love what I do. Am I rich? No. Will being an MTSO make me rich? Probably not. Do I make more than I did as an MT? Yes, but at a higher price.
Don't judge until you walk in someone's shoes. I bought a new vehicle this year, a 2005 Ford Taurus, trading in my 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee and actually had comments made about how it must be nice to be able to buy a new car.
When the company asked me to start making long distance phone calls,
they offered to pay my long distance for the charges. I then got a cheap long distance plan to make the charges for them more reasonable.
You need to JUST SAY NO to making long distance calls for them. If they will pay for it then do it, otherwise no way.
They WILL refund your money as long as you complain
loud and long enough. I did and I got a refund. I turned around and plunked that money on the Career Step course and have been transcribing for 11 years since then. Good luck to you!
I love those long reports. I think of them as free money.
It's just straight transcribing with no stopping to verify patient or physician information to start a new note. I'll trade you for 1 minute long dictations by a little Russian guy?
I do understand the frustration at the duplication of information. Then again, the copy/paste feature works great at giving more lines for free with no typing. LOL I always thought that if I could find a way to simplify the medical record while still utilizing MTs, I'd be rich.
Call the labor board. They will get you your money as long as
you have documentation to prove you are owed the $$.
Ctrl + F9 adds the field brackets - F11 jumps to the field.
xx
Good money? Can we ask how much is considered GOOD in your books????
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????
that cant be making you feel good.
wondering what company it was...your making me feel scared...i dont have a lot of exp either, hope its not gonna spread.
Good for you. I am making a change too and...sm
it is stressful, especially when you have been with the same company forever. Your story just goes to show that change can be good. Sometimes we get dragged kicking and screaming into a better life. Good luck to you!
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