I venting as a patient! No doctor cares if I live or die--could care less in my eyes!!!
Posted By: discouraged on 2008-03-25
In Reply to: Are you venting as a patient or as an employee/contractor? -nm - JC
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venting re foreign patient names
I just typed a long report where the patient has some weird foreign name so it's difficult to tell gender. The doc dictates as a male throughout, i.e. he, his etc. At the end changes it to a female. 
Are you venting as a patient or as an employee/contractor? -nm
I have not worked for a doctor yet who cares about BOS.
It is the transcription company owners who sell it not the doctors or facilities. None of my docs want anything to do with the single space after a period. They all still accept the 1-10 spelled out too, amoung other things. They do not have the time to nitpic over stuff that the AAMT group is so fixated on. They want to practice medicine and be given well transcribed, neat, correct documents and that is exactly what I do. I say if you want to start your own...go for it! Transcription companies will tell their Transcriptionist to do it their way anyway and someone out there might like your ideas better!
I have yet to actually even find a doctor that cares about people! All they are interested in is mon
This is actually between the doctor and patient.
Your job is to transcribe what the doctor wants. He's the one who needs to be compliant by having the paperwork in order to send these copies on. It's not your problem.
The doctor just said ^^ The patient was given a bolus of urine. ^^
Don't we just love our jobs !!
Probably something in patient care, maybe CNA. sm
They make about as much as I am making and with benefits on top of that at the hospitals around here.
My doctor just gave me a very unusual patient name and didn't spell it,
then she's trying to read the date of discharge and says, "God, can't anybody write? You're going to have hold off on that because I really can't read any of this."
Hmmm, doc, it's just like YOUR DICTATION.....couldn't you at least spell the name or say it twice the SAME WAY within 2 sentences.
Okay, I'm done venting now.
Do you think patient care will suffer any?
will treat the laptop like it is you, and ignore you, the patient.
I think the average patient would care and
would think, 'Wow, they sure don't know English.' And what about all the abbreviations a lay person woudl certainly not understand.
where did you get the idea we were involved in patient care?
We are typists with a specialized vocabulary. If we were doing this for NASA, it would not make us rocket scientists.
I am neither advocating, nor participating in, low quality - I do the very best I can with the experience, knowledge, and tools that I have. The fact that employers do not want to pay me enough to survive, thus making my trips through *QA* a little more thorough, ensures that I will get through reports as absolutely expeditiously as possible.
My bottom line is MY survival. Good luck with altruism - it doesn't buy much at Safeway.
vent on failure in patient care
My husband took my son to see the doc for a tetanus shot after he stepped on a nail. I'm always transcribing and couldn't go there myself. After coming home from the doctor's office, my son and husband tell me that his foot was never even looked at by even a nurse, let alone the doctor. My son got the tetanus shot, and the paperwork said "do not give if a fever is present." Woops, they didn't even take his temperature. Rather than looking at his foot to determine if it was infected, they just asked my son if it was infected. I called the office totally irate, and they reduced the charges from $88 to $7. Wow, didn't expect that. It's a crying shame that we're a society so hung up on paperwork and billing (HIPAA, etc.) that a doctor or nurse would not even take the time to actually look at a patient's wound. What's really ironic is that very day I transcribed a report where the doctor states the patient shouldn't self-medicate with vitamins and supplements. So, we're not smart enough to determine what vitamins and supplements to take, but we are expected to determine whether or not we have an infection?
OR, instead of being funny, it could hurt patient care.
nm
A 2-day strike will not hurt patient care
it will give the physicians something to think about when they have to hand write their STAT H&P for patient's surgery tomorrow.
just like quality care for the patient is going out the window-nm
nm
Anything an MT can do when you have grave concerns about patient care?
Is there anything at all an MT can do when you have grave concerns about the care a patient is receiving? I know the answer to this is probably no, but I am so completely frustrated with my one of "my" doctors right now. I know that one of his patients is not receiving the proper care, and I am really worried for this patient. I wish I could contact the patient's mother and let her know my concerns, but I know that is not allowed and I would be fired for doing so. I know that I'm not anywhere near as smart as a doctor, but my son has the same condition that this patient does and I know that the patient is not receiving the proper care or even the correct diagnosis. It is hard to go into all of the details for confidentiality reasons. I just know, 100% sure, that this patient deserves better care than he is receiving.
Sometimes the virtual world that we work in is great, and other times it really stinks. If I were working in the doctor's office I could gently share my concerns (maybe I would still be fired but I could give it a shot). Here in this virtual world where the doctors don't even know I exist I can do absolutely nothing.
I'm just so frustrated at the doctor and so very worried for this patient.
ONLINE nursing program? Do you not care about the patient's well being?
/
I agree that if it hurts the patient's care you should speak up.
s
And all this time I thought the bottom line was patient care. nm
nm
Could your hubs become a patient of a home health care agency and then you could work for them
s
The hosptial administrators aren't interested in safe patient care.
Study found that electronic health records did not boost patient care. sm
Link to article on yahoo news stating that electronic health records fail to improve care, study says.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/records_dc;_ylt=AsT2t1nasUEaoOxgIsyoMUOs0NUE
Yeah, you have to be a doctor now to manage your own care!
I still have daily fevers of 100-102 18 months postop, so I know what you mean. Does the 4 abscesses draining for weeks on end tell them anything? I had severe hypertension that despite 17 doctors along with PAs and nurses could not diagnose despite "the worst headaches of my life," blood pressure of 216/106, slurred speech, collapsing in the shower, mental confusion, extremely loud tinnitus, chest pain, shortness of breath, lower extremity edema, etc. I type OPs and pain management, so I was clueless. One day I was typing "The patient started Norvasc, and his headaches improved." I ran to the doctor and stomped on the floor until I got a hypertensive. Then, what do they give me? Hydrochlorothiazide, when I have severe hypertension. Nitwits. I could go on and on. Best advise, make sure you are in charge of your care. Good luck!
Thank you! I just hope to find another doctor that WILL CARE! Maybe the next one will be
much better. I just had some BAD luck.
You must live in Calif - finding a good old doctor is nearly impossible here.
It amazes me. But, it is true. The stories I have heard are heartbreaking.
I blame it on the cap they placed on malpractice suits. Doctors here are complacent. In my town, we go to Stanford or UCLA for serious illnesses. It is well worth the drive.
Doh! My EYES, EYES opened, lol.
x
Putting patient versus The patient (sm)
When did this "rule" come about? I've been an MT/Editor/medeical records tech/ART for 30 years - Never, ever was I told to put that. You cannot make the sentence be "The patient sent to Radiology" but you can put "Patient sent to Radiology."
Thats just insane.
why no, i don't live in snobville. did you think you knew me? i live in heritage hills a suburb
it takes a little longer to get to work and shopping but thank god i have some privacy and am away from the congestion. lovely trees and lakes all around. maybe about 20 minutes to a large shopping mall. but no, i don't even know where snobville is.
venting
You are right in the way you feel. It hurts. I know, it happened with my mom. There was no real money, but it was more in the way she treats me and my child versus my other sisters and their children. I have to take care of her needs because they refuse, but she always seems to lean toward them when wanting to give them something or do something for someone. I finally broke down and told her exactly how I felt and what I thought. Although it didn't change anything, I have limited my contact with her. It made me feel better to let her know how wrong she was.
Venting
Things like this happen because companies/people do not have to be accountable for their actions anymore. I wonder how these big companies would feel if it were the employer who made decisions like that (put the shoe on the other foot, so to speak)?
I am with you on this--those people who will be displaced (to include you and your family) are going to have a struggle when it comes to finding other employment.
Doesn't make much sense to me anymore...
Venting
I am originally from the midwest and on February 14 Electrolux announces it is laying off 700 people over the next 2 years in a community of about 9000 in Webster City, Iowa!!! Ouch!!! Not only that the company is building a new plant in Mexico (imagine that). The supposed reason is the plant is not big enough to meet demand. Ha!! Then why not build a new plant there??? This country is going to be so sorry some day. We are moving our companies to Mexico and Mexico wants to live here. I wonder when the US workers will lower their paychecks, etc. to keep their jobs.
VENTING
I'm glad you are so very eager. That is a wonderful attitude. This is a wonderful profession, but like all professions there are bad and good companies. Unfortunately, the MT world is in the center of a debate now with offshoring and cutting costs, which puts more pressure on the American MT. Fortunately, I work at home for a hospital, good money, good benefits, great grreat job. I wish all MTs had a job like mine. I understand completely how the MTs feel who are venting. That is what this forum is for. But, at the same time, you have made a good career choice.
RE: Venting about
By any chance would the doctor have to report this as an incident to children's services?
Have you given your son a broad-spectrum antibiotic as a prophylaxis? A lot of junk can form in there as it is warm and moist, just the living quarters a bug would love to call home
Good luck! Sounds like you did the correct thing by kicking his lazzy butt out of the house!
Venting, venting, venting...
I have had this same ESL female for the last 90 minutes. She obviously doesn't want to disturb anyone because she is talking so quietly. I have the ear pieces of my head set shoved so hard in my ears they almost meet in the middle, which also means I can hear her clicking her hard candy against her teeth really well.
Okay, venting over! Have a good one!  
Venting
I need to vent !!!!! I am currently a full time student, work a full time job, and I am pregnant. Why do people say stuff behind your back and go to your manager!!! Why can't people in today's world just say things to your face !!!! You see I work a customer service job at an airport and I wait on people all day and if someone does not like you than they try to get you fired or a customer does not like you then they try to get you fired. I am ready to dig a hole and stay in it and stop working !!!! IF ONLY I COULD AFFORD IT !!!!
Does anyone ever wonder why we even get out of bed in the morning and why we even try to get along with all of the back stabbers in this world !!!!!!!!!
Hopefully my MT career will be a better experience !!!!
Just venting!!!
I am bored!! I have a line count to make today and there are NO jobs available to do!! Days like today make me wonder what I am doing!!! Thanks for letting me blow off some steam!
venting
I sure can sympathize with you !!!! Been there, done that. I don't know why medical transcription companies/hospitals allow these dictators to get away with it. Been putting up with this for 20 years, and it never seems to get any better !!!!
just venting
This doctor I transcribe for almost always dictates the patient's age incorrectly. In fact, in the subjective she will dictate one age and in the plan she will dictate a year or two difference than what she dictated in the subjective. Thankfully I have the DOBs on the patient list, so I can figure out the true age, but, in my opinion, I don't think I should have to calculate the age. Don't you think the office staff should do that for me and write it on the list beside the patient's name? Mind you, I'm not lazy, I just don't feel like that is my responsibility. I do it, however, because I want the report to be accurate, and it should be accurate. Just wondering how you all feel about this. Of course, I'll keep doing what I need to do. Like I said, just venting.
What a day--NOT-venting
Why do doctors, NPs, PAs, etc. decide to dictate without being prepared? I did a 14 minute report with 7 minutes of dead space while the dictator looked through the records to decide what they wanted to say.
This isn't the first time it has happened. Last week, EVERY dictator did it. Of course, the reports weren't 14 minutes long, more like 5-7 minutes, but it gets frustrating.
Do they just pick up a report and sign on the line? Why can't they look at the reports FIRST, then sign on? 
I don't mind if they have a 30 second (yeah,right) pause to chose the right word, but holy bananas, sometimes it just drags on and on. Then there are the doctors that answer phone calls, doctors who talk to the nurses, PAs who can't find a report that they need for lab data or vital signs, and on and on and on.
I think part of their training should be a chapter on HOW TO DICTATE.
Thanks for letting me vent.
Just Venting
An emergency room physician assistant repeatedly dictates "thenar emesis."
Venting a little.
Surely, we all get those dictators who have clear voices but are halting and hesitant, change their minds frequently in the body of the report without TELLING us they want the text changed; sometimes it's obvious/sometimes it's questionable as to what they mean/want. I've been running across this a lot today and it's really very trying!  Thanks for listening to me vent.
Venting
I definitely understand.
The only thing I can suggest it talk to your supervisor or MTSO.
Technology sometimes works against us. We have one MT who is forced to use dial-up in her area and we accomodate that by getting her work offloaded to an FTP for download rather than her calling into the system. There might be something your service can do.
Communication is vital.
Best of luck to you.
Just venting about TAT....
If these hospitals are so picky about turnaround time...These docs come in on Saturday night and dictate 50 charts from the last 6 months that they haven't done, every report is 15-20 minutes long, and by cracky, they had better be typed and on the chart within 48 hours, or the transcription company gets a fine.
OK. I feel better now.
RE: Venting
AMEN
QA Venting
I've been transcribing for almost 20 years. There isn't a medical specialty,ESL accent or work type I haven't done. If I could stand the sight of blood, I could probably do the diagnoses and surgeries myself!
I believe that a lot of these MT's are fresh out of school, or nowadays just finished their on-line, home study course! I think that because some of these dummies at the transcription companies see that they have passed the CMT exam, so they must know it all, but over the years I have had to QA the QA's work many times.
Now, I am by no means perfect, I have made my share of mistakes and have tried to learn from them. I have also come across some wonderful QA people that have taught me a lot, but for the most part it's the other way around!
Nope, I never got my CMT, but have no doubt I would pass it without any problems. I have also never bought the AAMT Book of Style, because it changes every year that it comes out and the wonderful people at AAMT have done everything possible to make this a profession that not many people want to get into anymore.
Sure, it was great when my girls were babies and I had a lot of flexibility in my job, but I could also put in about 6 hours a day way back then and still pull in over $40,000 a year. For the past 5 years I have been working all kinds of crazy shifts for pennies less than what I used to make!
Even though in being an MT you do learn something new everyday and there are a FEW good QA people out there who are very helpful without being condescending!
Although most everything I have learned over the past 5 years I have learned from Google!! LOL!
Basically, it all comes down to what the client wants, and that is what I do.
Sorry this is so long, but I also needed to vent! QA people, think about who you are dealing with! - Real people with real families. We also have feelings, but for the most part QA people NEVER let you know if you are doing something right. I'm sure if I could QA 12 hours straight of your transcription, then I could find a few mistakes and then I could E-mail you and make you feel stupid and question your skills as an MT!
I welcome any feedback, both good or bad, to this post. I could care less, I am getting out of this profession because it is going nowhere, but overseas!
Anyway, Ms. Venting, hang in there, have some beer or wine and just relax before you call the moron on the phone and give her your opinion of her! For the rest of you poor MTs who choose to stay in this profession, I wish you luck! Really I do - because God knows your going to need it!
Call your doctor - this is not a doctor forum! nm
x
You know the difference between God and a doctor? God doesn't think he's a doctor. nm
X
why yes the quality of air where i live is quite different than where the city people live.
Lots of pollution. That's why everyone is moving away from the city and areas zoned for multiple housing units and low income housing and trailer parks. Population is dense and near manufacturing. So yes, the air is different but millions of people pay a little extra for the quality, the space and privacy afforded to those who move out of polluted crowded areas such as you defend. There is always a reason why some areas and housing is cheaper than others. Maybe it is the air and maybe it's something you can't quite put your finger on but you know you would prefer not to live in certain areas. You know what I mean or are you living in one of those areas? They tell after awhile you block out the sounds, the smells and get used to the pollution. I don't know. I didn't stay long enough to test the theory. My mental and physical health is way too important to me.
I know they live a long time, so if there is a chance they will out live you - sm
make sure you make provisions for them in your will. I have only had cockatiels and some finches, so don't really know anything about the bigger birds. I love African Grey's but they are very expensive.
Venting on job interviews - sm
I'm so disgusted and discouraged. I've had three interviews in the last week, about three more in the last month, and ALL of the recruiters I spoke with had absolutely NO clue. After listening to their canned speech about their company, they invite my questions. My main concerns are the platform, how a line is defined (with or without spaces), headers and footers included, progam compatible with Expander that I have (IT or Shorthand), do they take out MY state taxes, (some don't), how is PTO paid, and a few more, but for each interview, but the time I got to this point in my list of questions, I'm totally disgusted because the recruiters cannot or won't answer my questions.(They are good about skirting the major points of things). They have to contact someone else, who is not available at this time, etc...and will get back to me - yea, right. WHAT is wrong with these people? Can't they answer simple questions? I don't feel that my list of questions is that outrageous, do you? Am I out of line for even asking these things? I've been burned too many times to agree to a job without asking these, and quite a few more questions, but can't get past first base with these recruiters. Are they so far removed from the actual transcription aspect of their companies that they can't find these things out beforehand and be ready for an appplicant's basic questions? The recruiter makes the first impression for a company, and if they are so far out in left field, what is the rest of the company like? ANYONE else have this experience?
Venting session
ROFL! I am so there. I went to interview at a warehouse driving forklifts this past week. They said "have you ever had to work at a place where you had a certain production or deadline to meet?" and didn't understand why I started laughing. I probably won't get it, but I am ready to do ANYTHING that doesn't include sitting in front of computer for hours at a time listening to somebody sleep dictating while eating Cheetos at 3 a.m. I bet I could paint some houses, too.
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