I would just ask for it -- unless you have a contract with them for a specific price and is due to

• Do ICs ever get a raise? -sm - Sandy
  • It's a tricky area (sm) - MT
  • tell them - hi
  • As an IC, you are techinically your own business. Therefore, it's up to you - to set and raise your rates.
    • That's right. Would you give your plumber or accountant a raise? - see inside
  • I would just ask for it -- unless you have a contract with them for a specific price and is due to - memt
    • Don't ask. Tell. Say, "Effective 1/1/05, my line rate will be x." nm - D
      • Yep. But also be prepared for them to immediately end your contract. nm - MT

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work type.  I've learned the dictators, done the macros, now  they need to hire new MTs because the workload has increased, so they switch me to a very difficult account, doing everything but my normal work type.  Does this make sense?  I'm productive on my original account, not productive on new account, plus I'm majorly stressed. I do ESL 90% of the time but the new account is really horrible, not only ESL but they mumble and the quality of the dictation is bad.  If you took a new hire and put them on this account and they stuck it out, maybe they wouldn't think these dictators would be so bad.  I've talked with the MTSO and they say they'll switch me back and that lasts 2 weeks and then back to this horrible account.   It would be different if they called and said we need you to do this account for a couple of weeks, but it doesn't pay enough for me to do from now on.

I understand this is the way the business is and my griping probably isn't going to help anything, but I just had to get it out.

You, the parent, want something done.

They, the child, want something(s).....

When the something you want gets done by the child...

The child gets something.

Deals and contracts - works every time....*S* 

The "account" that I do - I currently transcribe for only one facility - does not offshore - so only transcriptionists are hired that can produce the work required without needing someone to edit the transcription.  I understand that editing can be in either form - correcting or filling in the blanks of someone who isn't qualified to produce a final document (as in a new transcriptionist's work) or VR (which I have done with past accounts).   As I said, I am fortunate to have that opportunity and not all are so fortunate.  I also have the luxury, because of years of only acute care experience, to have had a choice in who I work for.  I know that isn't the case for everyone.  I am also not currently the sole supporter of my family and I have been in that position in the past. 

However, I think that if each of us who personally has the ability to do so - economically-speaking - that we try not to make it easy for those companies offshoring who are asking for our years of experience to train their transciptionists.   In a perfect world..... 

How can I become a CMT which is radiology specific?  Do I contact AAMT?  It is my hope that the focus of the test is primarily on radiology and anatomy as I have been out of the other fields for such a long time, it would be impossible to pass the test (I have heard the standard CMT test is quite difficult, is this true?).

Thank you and Happy Holidays Inspite of It All!!!! 

CalfRadMT@aol.com

unless you continue to allow the "price" to be extracted from you.  There are companies out there who value what you have to offer.  Sounds like it is time for a heart-to-heart with your current company regarding at least being adequately compensated for doing all the crap dictation (believe me, they KNOW you are doing it) and if that fails...MOVE ON.

I feel for you and I hope this helps but if you continue to allow yourself to be used/abused to the point it is ruining your life...sorry but don't look to me for sympathy, you DO have options and working at Mickey D's is not the only option.

I know my prices sound low but it is gross line and a letter is counted from the date to the signature line and blank lines count.  That is the way that the company did  prior to me taking the account over, very upfront about it and I continue to do the same and everyone knows about it.  So that is why my rate to them in .115 per line but it adds up as they are surgeons.  They prefer looking at the lower rate per line.  I know it is the "old way" of counting lines -- use word and take the total amount of lines and that is my line count.  Now you know why I don't want to give up this account.  

To me it seems a little low, depends on if you get a lot of consults or if it is just patient notes.  Psych consults can have a lot of tests that take a while to set up in a template but once set up, as long as the dictators dictate them the same way, you can use them.   My psych account I do for 11 cpl gross line and we have just converted over to digital.  Used to pick up and E-mail back.  But I do not have 24 TAT, I pick up on Th/Fri and have to have back by Weds night.  Also depends on how may dictators you have and if you can do normals, templates, etc.  Also each doc could want the same test set up differently.   But you have it now, see how it goes and go from there.  If you find it is too low, tell them and up it.  Again, depends on if it is chart notes or consults.   Sounds like you will be having your hands full to say the least.  Congrats and best of luck.   I do two psych, one for ADD children/adults and one that does a lot of consults for traumatic brain problems/cognitive and voc rehab.   

Patti

somewhere around 11 would have been fair.  Of course they say, you only press a button and it pops up. I had a doc tell me about how he dictates the same paragraph with his normals and wanted a discount because of that. I told him he could just add in that part when he got the report back, since it was so easy.

In your presentations, keep talking quality when your clients are talking cheap. Show them how nice the finished product is and tell them you would be happy to work with the docs to help them make templates for redundant work so that --here's the kicker-- they don't have to dictate the same thing over and over again.  Sell that the technology is for their benefit to make their lives easier. And again, when they say the little "but you only have to" just smile and say, how about if your staff just adds that when it comes back then...

Don't feel bad about underbidding. Do a really, really good job - spend some time in the office developing a relationship so they know you are a real person. I like to take my kids with sometimes when I drop by so they know when they sign the check, it's not going to a corp but to a family.  Go high end on the service, get it set up so it works real good, then raise your rates. You asked about a fair rate and this rate is not fair to you.

Email me with any other questions. We can talk over some of your options and do some trouble shooting.

What comes with that is that sometimes there is no work. The people who were NOT hired for a specific shift don't have to "save" work for you. They shouldn't have to.

No, I don't sit for 40 hours and then do another 20, but as an IC, if I needed money, this is exactly how I'd get it.

What you do

What comes with that is that sometimes there is no work. The people who were NOT hired for a specific shift don't have to "save" work for you. They shouldn't have to.

No, I don't sit for 40 hours and then do another 20, but as an IC, if I needed money, this is exactly how I'd get it.

What you do with

You made a really good point! When I re-write my contracts in the future, I may add that in that 30 day period, whether my account provides me with my regular work load or not, that I would receive pay equal to an average income I would normally make with them, once they give me the 30 day notice! I would have never thought of that without your post and this certainly could happen to anyone.  At least you would still have that income for the 30 days until you could hopefully find a new client/job even if you didn't have the actual work to do.

I personally knew a small MTSO that had a contract with a hospital that did not adhere to their end of the contract and they ended up having to paying her quite a bit of money when they dropped her services as they dropped her without notice! She had to fight for it and it took awhile but she ended up and won in the end as it was a legal, binding contract that had been signed by both parties

You don't say what type of violation this is.  It may be that it is not a violation at all.  There is a lot of misunderstanding when it comes to HIPAA.

I never put a specific salary in my resume or on a job application. I find I usually end up coming out ahead by letting the employer set the amount - IF I know the market. As mentioned below, 6-7 cents would be good starting out.

So if, for example, a company offered you 5 cents a line, get it IN WRITING that after a period of time (say, 90 days), if you have met and/or exceeded their standards, you will get a raise to 5.5 or 6 cents. And by IN WRITING I don't mean email - tell them to make it a contract.

JMHO....