I have gravy accounts, but I still plan to get out.
Posted By: sm on 2006-05-23
In Reply to: MT is not always the most lucrative business to be in-sm - mt
I have my own accounts, 14 cpl, and average 300 lph - or more. You do the math. Great $$, but I am tired of typing. And I am tired of the lack of the respect MTs get. And I am tired of the not so great MTs that make all of us look bad. And I am sick of the wages being driven down because of big MT companies wanting to pay 7 or 8 cpl and make a big profit for themselves. And I am sick of the companies sending work overseas.
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Breakfast sausage in white gravy over canned biscuits... MMMmmm! Biskits and gravy!
You're confusing the new QA plan with the new pay plan. New pay plan is still completely under wr
Shhhhhhhhhhh....
Gravy train?
I wouldn't call it ever being a gravy train. We are highly trained professionals who work hard at what we do and we do it darn good, thank you very much. It's not like we sat here eating our bon bons and getting upset because the banging away at the keyboard ruined our new manicure! To say it was a gravy train is downright insulting, IMO.
That said, I don't have 30+ years in this profession but I do have 15+ years including working in-house and remotely from home. My first at-home was around 1997 for a small company doing straight transcription, none of this VR stuff, which lasted only about 4 months until the work dried up. The pay was good while it lasted though and there was 24 TAT, no punching a time clock and sticking to a strict schedule. As long as the work got down within 24 hours it was fine. That same company is still around today as a national but not huge like others out there. I ended up having to go back in-house and was there until about 4 years ago when I signed on with a very well known national that screws people to the Q, if you get my drift. I don't know when the MT biz as a whole went into the toilet, but up until 2 years ago I had no problem. I was working hard all the time as work was available basically 24/7. Never did I get NJA except for an occasional week or two around the holidays but very quickly the workload would start to pick up. I had a GREAT supervisor who made working fun and made us feel like we were a real team. The company always had bonus incentives with quirky little games. It may sound corny but it actually made us feel valued and brought some fun into it while making good money at the same time. Then about 2 years ago, things started changing for the worst and it's been going downhill FAST every since. Maybe the offshoring and technological advances have something to do with it, I really don't know. One thing I do know, I DO NOT advise anybody new starting in this profession now. What once was a professional and lucrative career has basically been made into a sweat shop scam for the so called "training programs" and large nationals to make a nice profit at the expense of the MTs. It is such a cut throat business with accounts going to the lowest bidder just to save a few bucks. I only hope that things will turn around some day soon and MT can be the professional career it once used to be.
Please don't say it was a gravy train. Thank you.
I am talking about the QA plan I dont know what the new pay plan is.
:
i didn't say the reduction was gravy
i said what you have been getting up til now IS gravy -- you've been paid high-dollar for ASR when you don't have to do anything but edit.
Just ate some B&G that DD made, except I like my gravy on toast. nm
:L
Steak and gravy recipe...sm
I have eye of round and want to make a steak and gravy dish!!!!!!!!! Any recipes? I have never made this before and I am not good with cooking meat, mine is always tough as shoe leather. What is the secret to tender meat?
crockpot chicken/gravy over rice
Brown up chicken breasts and put in crockpot. pour mixture of Cream of chicken soup,dried onion,parsley and 1/2 can water over the top. cook on low all afternoon and serve over rice.
buffer bites, taters and gravy with
broccoli and cheeze ... (bite = cut up buffalo roast into little bites and fry them up)
Not a chowder, more like (?) pork with milk sauce/gravy. . . nm
x
Breakfast...bacon, eggs, biscuits and gravy!
nm
Unfortunately, this guy had a nervous breakdown and that gravy train came to screeching halt!
nm
Meat loaf, mashed potatoes, beef gravy, fried okra.
o
Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, milk gravy, veggie. nm
:}
For me, it's ham, mashed potatoes/gravy, yeast rolls and some nice dessert, pie or cake.
nm
Fried pork chops, mashed taters and milk gravy, and corn. nm
:+
How about zillions of accounts. MQ has these accounts so overloaded even the new hires dont have any
work. I would love to read some of these reports and then they expect perfect QA and no blanks. Did they lose their minds completely.
BBQ smoked sausage, baked beans, mashed potatoes and gravy and Hawiian rolls. nm
,
The accounts are old and she keeps her accounts TRUSTING she hired the right MTs
who if in doubt will ask questions regarding reports. No one can find all mistakes in all reports and that is human to have a report with perhaps a typo. You think anyone reads through all the reports of a national company before they get to the hospital? Not a chance. Some random QA is supposed to correct all mistakes? Not hardly. Doctors/dictators make mistakes too. We all do. So do QA people. So the thing is this person hires good people who are trustworthy, the hospital likes the way she does their account and life goes on quite nicely w/o hovering editors/QA people. BTW, who QAs the QA people on your accounts. Ever wonder?
Not all accounts are good accounts. One
That should not be the case. Sounds like you need new accountant with strong knowledge of IC deduction. We save a several thousand on what we pay in taxes based on what I can deduct as at home IC, $2000 off the top for what I pay my child to help with office chores, as an example. The measly 7.xx% I pay that an employer would pay is well worth my independence in being my own boss.
I plan to..
I knew they did that at the hospital I worked for at home but never imagined it would be done through an internet based company...that is ridiculous!!!!
Don't plan to either
THAT IS CRAZY!!!!! Those people should not even be allowed to have such access.
How is everyone doing with MQ's new QA plan?
nm
What plan?
What QA? WTF?
So WHAT'S THE PLAN?
That's the question. Plain and simple.
WE KNOW!! What IS the new QA plan?!?! nm
..
MQ new pay plan
It is based on a combination of your line count and QA scores, maintaining 98% or better. I've heard "mention" of it since I'm trying to get on full time, at the moment I am an IC. What he told me is you will get raises every six months if you produce a certain amount and maintain a good QA score. For example, right now you are required to do 12,000 lines per pay period. If you maintain above average, lets say you're right around 14,000 average for six months while maintaining 98% QA, your higher pay is locked in for the next six months. So its a combo of the two. He was very vague, didnt say how much, if it were half cent, a quarter cent or whatever, but he seemed to be thrilled to death about it. Now I noticed on this board that someone keeps posting about the new MQ pay plan and have we heard of it. Just spill the beans if you have more accurate information please? Thanks.
Regarding the MQ new pay plan for SE that is to come out, does anyone know or at least think that
this pay plan will reduce the line rate of those that have been with MQ for many years and have worked up to a higher base line rate. I wonder if we will all be moved to a base rate at the same level and then have a tier. Does that mean it will be starting over for those of us with higher line rates now.
New SE/Pay Plan- LM
I want to offer my congratulations also & wish you the very best. I'm sorry you've received so many negative comments, but, maybe a little history should have been included to possibly offer some insight as to where some of the
"long-term" statutories are coming from & why they now possibly feel insecure because of the new plan that has been offered to you.
Around 1999, at "my" office, at-home employees had a minimum production of 12,000 lines/pay period 65- character line that they had to meet. At home statutory employees had a minimum of 4,000 65-character lines each pay period; 10,000 lines or more a bonus of $50; $10 for each 1,000 lines over 10,000; 11,000, $60; 15,000, $100.
The new incentive pay plan for a statutory employee has obviously raised the standards beyond what was at one time expected of their
"employees." Medquist is obviously raising the ante quite higher & those that only wanted a "part-time" job with flexibility with fewer hours & minimum lines are going to find this new minimum impossible to meet unless they work full-time. This, coupled with the fact that many are making 6-8 cents/hr & have been there for years, is going to cause tremendous resentment on their part.
I believe most statutory transcriptionists who have been with Medquist for years will feel this is their way to effectively "weed out" part-time statutories and, in fact, gain full-time "statutory employees" while still offering no benefits. Many, many transcriptionists chose Medquist because they had the flexibility to work a few hours a week, pick up maybe 4,000 lines/pay period - just enough to help them through their rough times while caring for their elderly parents, etc. I now see this as impossible for many & part-time work for them nonexistent! Their income, no matter the amount, probably helped fill a void that was absolutely neccessary due to their circumstances. Medquist, as far as my knowledge, was the only National to offer this flexibility in earnings for a statutory at-home employee.
Mind you, I may be wrong in my perception, but I feel this is why you've gotten the negative responses that should be directed to Medquist & not to you!!
Just thought a little background from my perspective might help you understand why you've been bombarded, albeit unjustly.
Again, wishing you the best!
new pay plan
You will be offered squat diddly. I have 20 years exp, am a CMT for many years, also asked for a pay raise and told I'm already above the highest level for an MT, (.875)so raise declined. Instead, they reduced by base rate to .0700 or ASR reports, so that is your answer. Don't get too excited
new pmt plan
I'm confused. I will have been with MQ 6 years this Nov, and I do Nuc Med, Uro, Cardio, Pulmo, Neuro, Psych, Ortho, Specs Rad, Onco, you name it. Does that mean I'll get a 100% rate increase from my base? Yea, right. PA'LEEZE.
I'll be sure to mention all my specialities and the fact that I have been a MT for 18 years now. Sure that'll make a big difference.
new pay plan
This letter of 9/2/05 states nothing really! I thought our pay rates were already supposed to be based on skill and experience. Daily incentive pay? I'd like to see the bookkeeping program they wrote for that one! Evening and night premium pay - nothing new (they just didn't want us to know about it). What is the difference in an MT/ME, an ME who does QA and QA? Already looking for another job in a totally different field!
new pay plan
How do you know you are a level 3? I did not know that MQ even had "levels." Is there a way I can tell on the F9 statistics page? Also, what is the difference in an MT, ME, QA/ME, and QA? How does one become an ME. I am still a lowly MT.
what do you mean, new plan, they don't pay
for that stuff NOW
Yes, I know of plan sm
1-1/2 years ago we did massive home improvements and racked up about $25,000 in debt. It is on 2 no interest credit cards and I have it paid down by about 1/2 by putting every extra penny towards it. When I seen something I might want to buy, I just remind myself how good it is going to feel when I get this debt paid off. I can't wait until the time that my money is mine again. I am working 2 MT/ED jobs, which is getting tough, but you do whatcha gotta do. Btw, we are putting out DD through commumity college and also have 15 yo son.
Yes, you need to plan for it - sm
If you are married, you can have you husband either take less exceptions (thereby having more taxes taken out), or have additional taken out on top of what he normally has taken for his taxes. My DH takes less exemptions and is taxed as "single but married" and instead of 4 exemptions we do 1 or 2 (forget which it is). Or if you are not married, then you need to do estimated SE tax payments, either quarterly via the mail with a little booklet they will send you ; or via this electronic system I mentioned above. Go to irs.gov to check it out. Someone else mentioned it here a while ago and that is what put me onto it. If you don't pay anything throughout the year and owe (which you probably will), it is said that they will assess penalities against you. I have never owed so I don't know about that. Remember to right off anything and everything pertaining to your job on your Sch. C, I usually have about $2K in write-offs a year, though I do not write off my home office, but everything else pertaining to it, electric, phone, internet, heat, office supplies, etc. Have fun.
Well, here is my plan
if India takes over the MT world to the degree that I cannot make a good living MTing in America then I will become a legal Transcriptionist specializing in medical malpractice lawsuits. BECAUSE when all of the crappy work these Indians are putting out become major medical errors (unfortunate for the patient, I know) then I will be ready to be a part of the action plan that does something about it!!!!!!!!
They let you set up a plan?
The rep I got said that I owed too much to do that (roughly $4000.) I got on their website and found that unless you owe over $10,000, they have to work out a plan if you can get it paid within 3 years. I guess I'll have to keep trying to get a person with halfway decent manners....if that's possible with the IRS!!!
Which plan?
I am told that DSL is coming very soon to my neighborhood and I am wondering which plan I should go with. Verizon has 2 DSL plans. One is the "Starter Plan" and it is 768Kbps/128Kbps and the other plan is "Power Plan" it is 3 Mbps/768Kbps. OK this might as well be in another language because I really do not know what these numbers mean. I am going to be doing VR/SR MT work so would the "starter plan" be good enough for VR/SR work?
Thanks
Your plan is my plan
I explained to my doctor everything that you said in your post. That I could do a better service for THEM if the dictation was digital. Then a tape broke and he had to redictate 4 patients. Then I got a little behind and I told them I'd be typing right behind his dictation if it was digital. A day or 2 later, I brought it up again and not only was he in agreement but he bought the 2 recorders they need and some software, all told more than $700. Take a typed tape in there, pull its guts out and tell them that this could happen tomorrow! but would never happen with digital. If you have to, go buy one, put it in his hand with some very simple instructions and let him play with it. Then gently remind him/her that tapes are an old, unreliable technology. :-) I want about 25 accounts this way. My wrists hurt and I probably need to stop typing in the next 2-3 years so its my plan to build a small company that I can run/edit/shmooze the doc's offices....
OUTSOURCING PLAN...
Okay, here is the plan. For all of these hospitals with heavy ESL dictation loads, outsource these yourselves to India, Pakistan, Trinidad or where ever they speak that English as an unknown language. It won't matter if it is correct as typing those documents is just a best guess scenario anyway. Leave all of the English as a First Language (EFL) here in the US for those of us to type as we have been working long and hard to gain our experience and deserve to have decent work. If a hospital has a lot of ESLs that they have brought stateside to staff their hospitals as hospitalists as they work cheaper then it should be their responsibility to give them English classes and monitor their progress until they can speak English clearly, concisely, and accurately. The solution to this problem with ESLs is in our HANDS and we know it. The large companies and hospital clients need to take note before it is too late and we are all retired. You need us more than we need you.
OUTSOURCING PLAN...
And it is you and your "oh so thankful to have a job" kind that have gotten those of us that are MTs and will never be MLSs into this ESL cesspool by allowing it to happen. Anything for money, right??
OUTSOURCING PLAN...
Sure, my world is called Affirmative Reaction, taking back what was ours by right of being an MT before the almighty dollar spoke and we allowed our hospitals to actively solicit these ESLs, bring them stateside, pay for their malpractice coverage, and employ them as hospitalists, and now we are stuck with a language barrier that, in all other fields, requires a certified translator but now that we have been awarded the title of MLS we are supposed to type an accurate medical document while listening to an ESL's attempt to speak English?? This is your world now, I have done my time, and you are welcomed to all the ESLs you can handle or rather fool yourself into believing that you can do so very accurately.
OUTSOURCING PLAN...
Okay, this string is not a question of what our ancestors did, it is to get those of you that are new to the MT business to realize that if we don't do something about this outsourcing of medical transcription, your "oh so wonderful jobs" may be forfeit. Look at IBM, laying off over 13K stateside and hiring 14K in India. Any Capitol One sending all of its customer service to Manila--that's right, your credit information. Think money has anything to do with that?? Open your eyes, your job is slipping through your fingers...
OUTSOURCING PLAN...
If these ESL doctors are such wonderful humans, why don't they stay in their homelands and help their own people? There would be no third-world problems if the privileged and educated people stayed in their homeland and actively helped their own, rather than fleeing to the US to live the good life that their own countrymen will never see. Charity starts at home, remember.
OUTSOURCING PLAN...
How could it happen? Very easily. Many of the national companies actually have policies in which they state that, should an MT notify them of a difficult/hard to understand dictator, they will alert that dictator and work with him/her to enhance their dictating skills, along with notifying the client that a particular dictator presents an accuracy problem in that their English is not clearly understandable in order to be transcribed accurately. Unfortunately, most of these companies do not enforce their policies and allow the client to send these dictators as overload work since their own in-house staff doesn't want to type them either. These national companies could address these issues, the dictator would benefit from the help provided, and the MT would be able to produce an accurate product. There are even self-help tools for these ESLs to better their dictating skills. If these clients/hospitals do not choose to help their ESL dictators, then they should either type their dictated product in-house or pay more for the handling of such a poor dictation product. MTs are not the garbage men or clean-up crew. If one wants an accurate medical document, one must provide an accurate and understandable dictated product. We are not magicians, we are MTs.
OUTSOURCING PLAN...
No, not a newbie, more notches on my belt from nursing and working as an MT than you will ever see...
OUTSOURCING PLAN...
Not off base at all. Yes, they are part of the healthcare system, and their documentation is very important. But if the dictation that constitutes their documentation is substandard then the risk of mistakes rises and patient care is at risk. Having worked with these doctors, I know that they generally do take constructive criticism well and do try to make things better once the problem has been pointed out and a solution offered. You can't solve a problem by ignoring it exists.
OUTSOURCING PLAN...
It does exist, won't name the companies without their permission, but even the in-house supervisors will attest to the fact that they do offer suggestions to these difficult dictators in hopes of making the dictated product better. Guess you haven't looked in the right places??
OUTSOURCING PLAN...
Soy intelligente y no necessito trabajar mas! Y tu??
ya, what plan? never heard of it
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