I work as an IC and I let the MTSO know WHEN
Posted By: sm on 2008-11-18
In Reply to: the point is an IC does not have to commit - cj
I am available to work. If there is work, fine, if not then I don't work. That is a true IC.
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No (IC)....but I work for a small MTSO and have set deadline each day for my work
I will not be working on Thanksgiving day, though I will have 120 minutes waiting to be done and turned in by 8:00 a.m. on Monday morning.
Yes, work for MTSO and plenty of work
Hi. I did work for local docs and got ditched by every last one of them for various reasons.....going to voice recognition, going to hospital MT service, etc. Now I work for a MTSO and absolutely love it. The work is there 90% of the time. The holidays are SLOW, but I am learning to try to prepare for that (savings). I don't know if mine needs more ICs (doubt it at the moment), but it is StatIQ Solutions in Albuquerque. They are wonderful to work with. Good luck.
I think I used to work for this same MTSO!
She sounds EXACTLY like the woman I used to work for until I finally had enough of her you-know-what and quit!!You deserve much, much better so keep looking. No need for that kind of aggravation. 
I work for an MTSO
and I just put it this way last week. I have been working for her for a little over 2 years and have not gotten any kind of a raise. I asked her at what point, if any, does she give raises. Her answer was no one has gotten a raise in quite a while as they had to lower their rates due to overseas outsourcing. I guess the threat of that?
Don't know who you work for, but at my MTSO
if that is what they say, we are told to put it, i.e.
cc: Dr. Smith
Miami, FL.
It is the facility's responsibility to figure that out, not ours.
The AAMT does not work for MTSO's...sm
The AAMT works for itself, for the few people who make money off of its training material and certifications, etc. and the people who glom on to it that sell MT equipment. They don't work for the MT's and they SURE DON'T work for the MTSO's!
If you work for MTSO, you usually dont have
x
If you are EMPLOYEE, you work for MTSO. If
x
MTSO just wants work done by fastest, most
x
The MTSO I work for on my own computer
block certain sites when I am connected per their system. The internet is not disabled, but I have to disconnect from them to check my e-mail. However, research sites are still allowed.
I'm an MTSO with MTs who work on a hospital
system just like you do. The hospital also tried to do that with me - told me they'd email me the production stats at the end of the week for each of my MTs. I told them no, we wanted to figure our lines independently, and they said okay. Don't know what I would have done if they didn't. We work on a Dictaphone system but not doing SR. You say Powerscribe so I assume you are doing SR on a Dictaphone system. With transcribed reports you can choose the Sessions Statistics tab and get a line count (of course, it is based on what they have calculated as a line but I have checked it independently and it seems pretty accurate). I have also charged by the minute of dictation in the past.
The hospital we do work for, I don't think they would cheat us; I think they would give us the same production calculations they do for their employees. But we are NOT employees and we need to be able to determine our lines independently, not have the hospital tell us what our lines were. 
There's the difference, right there. I work for an MTSO who LOVES sm
for us to make money because then SHE makes money. I have been on the same accounts for five years.
I can't understand why people get switched around like they do in other places (I've worked for EDiX and another small MTSO and they switched people like mad).
I will quit my job with an MTSO outsourcer and come to work for you
I would be glad to make a parallel move in order to work for a U.S. work force loyal MT company.
I used to work for a small MTSO that used gotomypc - sm
I would connect up to her computer and download the voice files to my computer. Then disconnect/log off. Then I would play the voice files on my player (Bytescribe) and go to work. When I was done, then I would just email the work to her. But if email was down for some reason I would just connect back to her computer with the gotomypc and upload the finished work to her that way. Your computer would probably run faster if don't stay connected via the gotomypc. I suppose you can do that of course, just doesn't seem much point to it though to me, unless you only get one voice file every now and then, so you just stay connected to see them come in on the remote computer.
I'm glad I work for a small MTSO....
I hope my boss never sells out like my last one did. My old company went down the tubes after that and I see lots and lots of posts about it here talking about how bad it is. These nationals sound awful.
Before you work yourself into a tizzy of this, contact the MTSO.
For your own protection, contact them before doing any more work and ask for a contract. If they don't have one or want to use one, I would say "no thanks" and move on.
The best answer you will get to this question, however, is from the MTSO. It may just be an oversight as they are apparently busy enough to need your help and perhaps their organization is not what it could be at this point. Your contact will help remind them it needs to be taken care of and would also indicate that you're willing to conduct a professional relationship with them, not one that speculates on possibilities on this board.
I now work for an MTSO, but when I was inhouse we did tend
to send the difficult dictators out (our supervisor did this). That is just part of working for an outside service. We do not get to pick and choose we get what they choose to send.
MTSO I work for, get paid by the line.
x
If you work for a smaller MTSO, it is rare that
they offshore. I work for a small one FT and another one as an IC, and there has never been talk of them offshoring. A lot of the smaller MTSOs don't.
Just wait. I work for small MTSO and they have
dg
That's the problem. I work for clinic in day... MTSO at night...
The doctors where I work love my work. They have no complaints and do come in from time to time, so why am I letting this MTSO thing get to me so? I realize working in the office where I work, the scope of the transcription is not as vast as when I work for the MTSO at night, but it is still pretty intensive. I guess I'm just trying to do too much and I'm totally exhausted. Maybe time for a change, but just trying to make ends meet. Thanks again for your input!
I work for a small MTSO about 25-30 hours a week
nm
I have my own accounts and I work as an employee, but we are not talking about BEING an MTSO, we are
the MTSO's offer. If you are a well-trained, knowledgeable medical Transcriptionist with experience and you are looking for an IC job or an employee position with an MTSO, then you are worth more than 8 or 9 cpl. If all you do is sit and transcribe all day long, you are worth more than 8 or 9 cpl.
I really don't know what you're getting at. Not everyone has the capabilities, time, or money to start their own service. Not everyone is good at pounding the pavement and finding their own accounts. I'm not a salesperson to say the least. I lucked into my own personal accounts and if I hadn't, I'd be working for one of the MTSOs, but I'm not. My full-time employee status job is with a hospital for the benefits only and it pays hourly with incentive. Right now, that's the only employee status job worth taking is through an actual hospital, NOT an MTSO. At least at the hospital, you get a decent wage and get great benefits. Oh, there are a few good MTSOs out there, but they are very few and far between.
I only have dial-up, I work for a small local MTSO -sm
that uses a FTP site to send us our work, so dial-up is just fine for that (work is about a 20 hour TAT, so it does not matter how long it takes for me to download my work, and uploads are quick. So obviously a job that has no set hours, etc. is ideal for someone with dial-up. Also get your own accounts, then it doesn't matter does it as you are the boss. I have 1 account of my own and we transfer the files via the internet through an intermediary website (in place of a FTP). Just keep hunting there are dial-up jobs out there.
Oh no kidding! Needless to say, I did not work for that particular MTSO for long!
x
It means one MTSO offering to pay you 3, 4 or 5 cents/line less for the same work you do at another!
looking for people that used to work for small MTSO in Suffield, OH a few years back.
ss
what is MTSO?
I'm an MTSO. I can tell you....
We don't hire *anyone* unless they have successfully completed a college education, meaning an associate's degree, in medical transcription. It doesn't matter if they learned on the job, learned in their garage, learned on their patio, learned it on their own 25 years ago or 25 months ago, taught themselves or taught the next door neighbor, or if they used to be a nurse, doctor or janitor. The short and simple of it is: No formal college training in MT, no job! (And that includes the "make-$40,000.00-a-year-correspondence-courses, too!). We've seen the handiwork of those who say they're self-taught, and it's not pretty! 
mtso
Amen!
I'm an MTSO
and trust me I believe in paying above average for an above average job, but when you can't get the docs to cough it up because you've got third-world countries and VR breathing down your neck, not to mention newbies fresh out of school who will do it for even less, well, what do you expect...the MTSO to pull it out of her pocket to pay for you to work. Never forget ....MTSOs have to make a profit. They're entitled to that dear....If not, there's no reason to be in business. If you don't like what you're being offered, you're always free to get brave, strike out and get your own accounts.
When I was an IC I sent my MTSO
Christmas lottery tickets, which he loved. Nothing compared to the $500 bonus he gave me. Now that I am working for a large national, I'm just another number lost in the shuffle. I probably won't send them anything, don't expect anything from them and probably will receive nothing, though a full day's work would be nice once in a while.
I am a MTSO
I am a small MTSO and also IC'd for another company a couple of years ago and something similar happened to me. However it was probably a little different as I did the pick-up and deliveries although I was an IC for the company. When she did not bill the clinics so that I could not get paid, I knew the clinics and so I went to them and told them that after a certain date I would not be doing their sevice because I was not being paid -- a little different than your story but you can also let the clinics know how that service is being run. Again, only after you write your calm, fact filled letter. But if someone threatened my business with anything like that - going to my accounts -- they would be paid within 24 hours. Reputation is what counts in this business. But again, just write to them calmly and with the facts asking them to prove that you had signed a contract, then giving them 48 hours to produce such contract or send you a check for your services or you will see them in court. Again, I would threaten to go to their accounts to let them know how they run their business but only as a last resort. But just do it, write them you deserve your money. Was there problems prior to quitting and that is why you just left suddenly -- I know this leaves them in a lurch but if they were a crummy company they probably deserved it. Also if you did not sign a contract stating you would not go after any account you worked on for two years go for the accounts.
I'm not a MTSO, but
my hospital's TAT is between 24 and 48 hours depending on type of report. When I worked in-house, it was from 2 to 48 hours, with Op notes/HP having a 2 hour TAT. I think it varies a bit between hospitals, but as a general rule most reports are no greater than 24 hours. Sometimes discharge summaries have a longer TAT, such as 48 hours. I don't have any experience with VA hospitals, but they probably aren't much different.
What would you do re this MTSO?
I am an IC for a small MTSO. I have a deduction taken from my invoice every pay period for renting Transnet equipment. My foot pedal broke and I asked urgently Monday morning for a replacement foot pedal to be Fed Exed to me - work was on the system and needed to get done. Well, after many many phone calls and e-mails I got the replacement foot pedal via Fed Ex (they shipped on Friday) on Saturday morning. So I worked all weekend to get caught up on a whole week's worth of work. Got my invoice yesterday (late - the MTSO has rescheduled their payment schedule as they are not getting promptly paid by their clients - the ICs had to accept the new payment schedule or quit). There was a deduction for $40.13 for delivery fee for the foot pedal. The Accounts manager says that "many memos" have been sent out that ICs are responsible for delivery fees. Huh? I looked over the memo I received about Transnet rentals and it said our invoice deduction covers maintenance costs for faulty equipment, etc. (the MTSO had originally said I would be billed for a new foot pedal - then I brought up the memo on rentals that covers faulty equipment and that got dropped pretty quickly). I told the Accts manager that postage is the MTSOs expense, just like it is my IC expense to return the faulty equipment to the MTSO. I also mentioned that the MTSO pays for phone charges to fax stuff to ICs; likewise the ICs pay for their phone charges for faxing to the MTSO.
What would you do? I am so fed up with this MTSO...I don't make that much money on Transnet anyway (most of my lines are from microtapes) that I am tempted to just tell her to take all of my doctors on Transnet and quit doing these willy nilly deductions without my approval or knowledge. This is the third time the Accts manager has taken "deductions" from my invoice without telling me - the last time was for Chicago taxes on rental equipment (totally illegal according to Cook County govn't) - that took 2 weeks to get straightened out! Arrggghhh!!!
i'm not an MTSO,
but i think you did right and my guess is that within 6 months to a year, they'll come back to you.
MTSO
I have checked the labor sites and just could not find anything. In the beginning, my accountant told me I would need to either collect sales tax or get a wholesale exemption from my client, but after calling the local and state sales tax offices and being told I didn't need one, she changed her mind too. The problem with offices is you don't always get the right answer but you are still responsible for the results. I just thought if nobody else charged, then I could be pretty safe in not charging as well. Thanks for replying anyway!
MTSO??
x
MTSO
I am just starting with an MTSO and looking foward to many, many happy years with them; locally based to my area. Can't wait. Start training tomorrow.
Everyone should be IC/MTSO at least once
it gives you a great prespective on where your money goes and how much goes to taxes... people think that when you are an employee the employer is "giving" them benefits, paying their share of the employee's SS taxes, etc. but actually the employee is paying indirectly, reflected in their wage amount, cpl, etc. They just don't have to write the check for the taxes, it's taken from them before they can see it. The problem with being in this business and being IC is that you need to make a better line rate than an employee and people do not realize that until the tax bill comes. I had to go with a national last year as my large physician group went to an EMR, so I switched to employee status. They were only going to pay the same line rate either way, so it works out better for me now to be an employee. As an IC/MTSO I had alot of deductions, kept every reciept, took depreciation, mileage (a big ded for me as I live in the country), etc. but now with my national position everything is internet, no printing documents, etc. so it only made sense for me to switch to employee. I have another sideline business which provides plenty of deductions right now and not much income. Planning is key whenever taxes are involved, check out the IRS publications or home business books, etc. Some great information to avoid the same tax problems next year.
MTSO
I loved your comment about the outhouse!! :) (And some of the matchbook schools could well BE outhouses for all we know.)
mtso, who?
or stirring up trouble?
As an MTSO, I would want to know
if an MT is directly contacting my client and I would appreciate the tip that I could follow up on. A good MTSO will be able to handle the situation in a way that would not result in you being in the middle. Perhaps the MTSO could approach the MT and simply say that the client said that they were contacted by one of the staff about whatever the topic may have been and to no longer make direct contact with the client.
I wouldn't necessarily say it's none of your business considering that the job you hold is your bread and butter and if your coworker says something to the MTSOs client that could jeapordize the MTSO/client relationship, that COULD affect you, so I believe you have grounds to speak up.
Bad MTSO
I worked for someone like that as well. I bet it was the same company/person. She expected you to work 24/7 so if she needed you all she had to do was IM or email. I wasn't supposed to have a life. I have 2 children and a disabled husband. I did my own accounts -- always on time and when my work was done I had other things to do. Well if your work was caught up you weren't suppose to have a life or rest you were supposed to do more work for her. The paychecks starting coming later and later until one day I had one returned for NSF. I quit at that point. You have every right to vent. Your family comes first. I have had a number of job offers since and I am currently working again with yet another offer on the table. Good Luck!
MTSO here
I am a small MTSO that has two part-time IC's and can only pay them 0.85 cpl to 0.9 but because of the account they can make $45 an hour. Again, I stress to me it is what I can make an hour. But it is a psych account, I pick up tapes, meet the gals, and then they have 3 days to do the reports which are long, 10-12 pages but I developed so many templates that they can do them about 60 to 75 minutes. They E-mail to me and I E-mail the reports to the docs. We pick up on Thurs, and they have to have to me by 10 on Tues. My other accounts they sometimes help me with but again I can only pay .85 to 9. Again though they can make $25 an hour which I don't feel is bad pay. I just cannot charge the docs more than I do at 11.5 to 12 cpl. They pay on time, never a bounced check and appreciate what we do so I feel we all benefit. Also they have been loyal to me and my psych account has been with me for over 16 years. See what you make per hour.
That is my Saturday 2 cents worth for the day. If any typo's cannot find my glasses so sorry if there are. Patti
That must be one of my MTSO...sm
I know the feeling ALL too well. I have one I help out prn, only if I have the time. I never have any idea when she will need me...a week could go by and I hear nothing, sometimes 2 weeks. I have other large accounts, plenty to stay busy. I check my e-mail in the am, see what needs to be done and get busy.
Well, when she realizes she is in over her head and needs help, she thinks I am sitting on my e-mail and should reply ASAP! I sign off at night, the next morning she has a nasty message in ALL CAPS wanting to know why she hasn't heard from me. Well, for one thing, you sent the e-mail at 10 pm...I am NOT sitting on my e-mail at 10 pm. She then rants and raves about how she is short some MTs, and this account, which she has taken on to help someone else out, is putting her in over her head. She is very short tempered and nasty when she gets herself in these holes and then thinks we should bail her out... and if we are not available, it's somehow our fault.
She preaches on and on about how late she sat up getting the work done, as if it is somehow OUR fault she dug herself in this hole. As I told her, just because you do not want to turn down ANY work, do not expect everyone else to be free to help you out when you get in over your head. And I remind her that IC means just that. After 2 years helping her out, she does not want to pay any more than before. So, when she starts a tantrum, I just remind her that I am working on clients that pay me 2 to 3 cpl MORE than she does, and they are my priority.
MTSO
ok, i give up, what does MTSO mean? i been reading this for months and i can't figure it out. "My Tired Sore Ohhhhhhh...." lol
She's not an MTSO
But if she wants to train MTs for free I am sure nobody is complaining.
LOL you must be an MTSO
It's not dangerous OR hateful advice and it's worked for me in the past.
The OP *should* hire an attorney if needed, BUT BEFORE she/he spends one nickle on an attorney to collect HER money! she/he should give the MTSO one last chance to get it right - and that would be a with a warning about what is likely to occur if she sues.
If the MTSO has a LEGITIMATE reason for a delay they can speak up about and negotiate. But ignoring a contractor who is owed $ is NOT acceptable.
which MTSO are you?
nm
Not MTSO, but
I have used ibackup for a couple of my clients with a need for multiple people to access files.
http://www.ibackup.com/
It's secure. You just send them your directory link and viola.
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