In the market for a new computer -
Posted By: any suggestions? -sm on 2007-02-16
In Reply to:
I will not buy MS Vista - I hear it's a nightmare. TIA
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the market will pay what the market will bear...sm
just the fact that jobs are posted for this pay means people are taking it. You have to remember - we are in a global marketplace now. We are competing against people from India, Thailand, Cambodia for these jobs. If the Mexicans could figure it out, we would be competing against them too. It's like washing dishes. Washing dishes isn't easy. Why does washing dishes only pay $5.50 an hour? Because they can find people to wash dishes for $5.50 an hour. Not only that, but MT work was getting cost prohibitive for a lot of people. That's why some other really, really smart people said, "let's find a way to make computers do this! Then we can sell the programs so docs can buy programs instead of paying MT's." Then some other really really smart people said, "let's not even have docs dictate. Let's have them point and click!" And so MT's are also competing against VR and EMR.
You may say ..."If a company offers me 7 to 9 cpl, I let them know that it is an insult to expect an experienced, highly skilled Transcriptionist to be offered such low pay and I refuse to work for them." But if your current job goes bye-bye, and you're scrambling out in the market and that's all that's out there....well, you get the picture. If you want the job, you take the job for that pay. Otherwise, yes, it's get a job at WallyWorld. Your choice.
Now you know the local job market and my
home situation better than I do. For your information, I make more working parttime at home doing MT than I would working fulltime for any of the local advertising agencies. Plus, I don't have to travel or put my kids in daycare.  Thank you so much for your concern about my employment situation, though. And please, get off your 
When you market your services with a
business name and a business license, it shows the doctors or hospitals that you are representing yourself as a professional business and are not just a homemaker or housewife trying to make a few extra bucks. They will treat you with more respect and take you more seriously, and in turn will be willing to pay you a fair rate as a respectable businesswoman. Think about any business in your community or town. They all first procure a business name and a business license before they open their doors. You may be working from home, but you can will present yourself in this fashion. I would also suggest obtaining a P.O. Box to use as your business address instead of using your home address. Believe me, this works. I have been running a successful small MT business from home for over 20 years now, and I support my entire family on my earnings.
job market update
If your skills are excellent and your experience and references speak well of you, then I believe the job market is pretty good.
But!!!!
You have to look carefully at the prospective jobs.
Please, I beg of you, for the good of ALL OF US, please please please do not take a job for less than 8.5 cpl! Please!
It's a very tough market right now...sm.
I have 8 years experience and have been testing left and right for the last 3 months. I have passed several tests only to hear about the company being put on a hiring freeze and I am added to their waiting list. I have also tested and done very well and not heard anything back. I finally made the decision that I am going to go to nursing school but right now is not a good time either (my husband has been out of work since April of 2008). He finished his degree and STILL cannot find a job.
Keep faith..it will come through. Maybe instead of having to drive into town, you could send your resume to all the local doctors, dentists, veterinarians, eye doctors, anyone who maybe has been thinking they are too busy to do their own notes. I have heard that this has worked for many people. It is always worth the effort. If you are a good general Transcriptionist too, don't just stop at medical. Send you resume to insurance businesses, lawyers, whatever might be there.
Good Luck and God Bless.
Money Market accounts
MM accounts do have checks, but you are limited to the number of checks that you can write per month - no more than 3 checks to a third party. Rates are usually tiered based on your balance - the more you have deposited, the more interest you will earn.
Start here:
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/rate/mmmf_home.asp
Are you worried about possible MT job market glut then? I am...
nm
My family went to a flea market that is mostly run and
attended by Hispanics. There were several vendors selling leather goods, such as wallets, belts, shoes, etc. DH needed a new wallet so he picked one he liked and opened it up only to find a tag that said "MADE IN INDIA." (He didn't buy it.) We didn't look at any of the other leather goods, but found it very ironic that the Hispanics are now importing their "handmade" goods from India.
yeah, in today's job market, the
middle class is supposed to be happy we even have a job. Forget any idea of getting any appreciation for hardwork, reliability, knowledge, or any of that good stuff, just be "happy" to be working... in my next life, maybe!
So what? 8 cpl is what the market will bear. If you don't want 8, don't take a job that pays
x
Instead, if I had $345, I'd put it in a money-market acct. - sm
and watch it grow, rather than putting it towards a bunch of fake 'certification' letters after my name, and seeing that money fly away and earn me nothing.
Sixe of MTSO Market
Does anyone know the size of the MTSO market (how many service providers, how many software co's etc. or a good source for this info?
Going back on the market -- any advice?
Hi y'all,
Three weeks ago I began a new job doing acute care at a local hospital (part of CHS). On Friday they told us that our work would be outsourced beginning in April.... Previously I worked at another local hospital for 9 years transcribing Rad and ER notes, echos, etc. I left there because I need expensive orthognathic surgery and their insurance plan has a blanket exclusion against it. Plus I wanted to brush up on my "big four" skills.
Now I am looking for work. Boy have things changed! I really prefer to work for a hospital or start up my own company again but would work for a service as a last resort. After reading the informative posts here, I have begun compiling a list of "good" and "bad" services so I can avoid certain ones.
Does anyone here have any advice for me? Not general advice about job hunting, but more specific advice about the services -- what to watch out for, etc. I have never done editing/VRT, but apparently that pays less anyway so I don't think I will be doing that.
Thanks.
Really? Hmmmm...you wouldn't know the stock market if it bit you.
Run a stock analysis on MQ under any search engine. Yahoo stock analysts are the ones I use personally. There are advisories and analyses of MQ and Philips in the data base EVERY DAY. There have been "hold" advisories, "sell" advisories, and "buy" advisories any given day. Sorry to disappoint your disillusioned mind. Obviously NASDAQ and regular trade is better, but they are STILL in the ball game, sorry to disappoint you. And you SHOULD be happy at that if you care about the 1000s of MQ employees who have stocks, etc. But, gee, sounds like you're just a disgruntled werker!
Does anyone know any basics on money market accounts?
nm
If you're an overseas vendor here's how to market....sm
Go by medical offices and talk to them in your native tongue. They just LOVE hearing it. When visiting in places like Florida be sure to ask about the last snow storm they had last winter - that's very impressive! In the northern states talk about the warm sunny 70 degrees in February in their state and ask if they're ready for that this year.
Be sure to take brochures showing the fabulous quality of work you do. Be sure you include impressive sentences such as: "Dr. Jones said he would eat ketchup with the patient to review his lab work." After all they don't find it cute to type it like it was dictated.... "Dr. Jones said he would catch up with the patient to review his lab work."
Lastly don't forget to give them laminated card including all 25 digits they will have to use to call your native country. Be sure they're aware that all of your employees in your native country have new names.... Ben, Mary, Thomas and Amy are of course popular choices. Potential clients like getting a warm fuzzy feeling by talking to "Mary" who has a very heavy accent to the point that they can't understand her talking. But hey - she has an American name (woo-hoo!) so all is forgiven!
Be sure to investigate the housing market in your area
In my area as well as most of the U.S., the housing prices are SKY HIGH! Some say there is sure to be an 'adjustment' (downward) of housing prices in the near future. If the prices have skyrocketed in your area also, you might want to take a wait and see attitude for a year or two and see what happens? Just a thought.
I don't know your circumstances, and there may be reasons you need to buy a house right now, but a waiting period would also give you a chance to straighten up or clean up whatever is wrong with the credit.
I feel sad for my two sons, (one of whom is a store manager, but single income), as I don't see any possibility of either of them being able to buy a house at the outrageous prices nowdays.
My husband and I got lucky (MANY years ago) and bought our first house from an elderly fellow who carried the contract himself and gave us a STEAL of a price! He assumed we would default like all the other renters had and he would repossess the house. Ha Ha, not so with us!
Hey, maybe you could try advertising for a house with owner financing. Might be easier to qualify. Good luck!
This is not a new market. Is being done with all offshore companies I have ever worked for. nm
:+
you should be setting your rates according to what the market will bear...
not what you feel like getting. If you like the account, you're familiar with it and able to make good money off of it, you might want to stay at the rate you are at. As a service owner, I used to plan to hire at 7 but bring everyone eventually up to 10 cpl by 0.5 increases every six months. I also used to be able to raise the rates from the hospital, clinic or physician office every 2 years. Nowadays if I bid on a new account, I am regularly outbid at 11 cpl, with 24 TAT. I have discussed it with my IC MT's. If they want a raise, I can try to negotiate a raise from the hospital...but it jeopardizes our account. Every time you raise your rates, it's a signal for them to start shopping around. So I would say, based on what the market will bear, don't expect to be getting raises. Ever. 
Never heard of RMT. In my experience, CMT is worthless in the job market.
x
It's called competition in a buyer's market (sm)
or vendor's (hospital's) market, not low-balling.
Here are two free market listings. You can google search for
freelance writing or editing market/job listings, too.
Writers Write market database
http://www.writerswrite.com/paying/
Writers Weekly market listing
http://www.writersweekly.com/markets_and_jobs/003118_11302005.html
Yeah, but are these other companies trying to put stores in every market in the country?
I think that is what makes Wal-Mart so "evil" and scares me so badly. Soon we won't have ANYONE left to buy our goods from because they force all the other competitors out of business (particularly the small business owners) and then we are FORCED to buy everything from overseas countries/Wal-Mart.
Various analysts are predicting the housing market will collapse soon. sm
Cannot be sustained at the level it is presently at.
No I don't think so. Everytime I see postings about the MT market failing it gets pegged as "n
that's what I think OP is referring to, postings about the dismal future of MT.
You are in a global market now Darlene. If she doesn't do it, someone overseas will.
x
You're asking for part of their market! It'll be a competition
You go ahead though. Keep us all informed.
In the market for a new ergonomic keyboard. I would love some suggestions!!! What are you using??
Right now I'm looking at the Comfort Keyboard ($289) and Ergoflex ($179) that are on e-bay. If you haven't seen them, they basically look like a regular keyboard, just in two halves. I've also been looking at the Microsoft Curve Comfort and the Logitech Wave. I HATE the big, bulky ergonomic split keyboards like the Microsoft Elite. I cannot use them at all. I also tried the Kinesis Classic and after a month, couldn't get used to it either.
Right now I'm using the A-tech AntiRSI keyboard. It's okay, nothing great.
I would appreciate ANY suggestions. Price really is a factor even though the ones I listed are outrageous. I'd rather not spend a ton, but will if I have to.
THANKS!!
Does anyone have any good ideas for back and hip pain from sitting all day? Anything on the market?
Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!
Is it their computer? Why are they installing a firewall and autocorrect on your computer? That sm
is usually the responsibility of the transcriptionist, especially if an IC or SE. Which company?
Question about transfering computer into to another computer.. sm
I have a dumb question - Just bought a new computer and someone told me to get a flash drive to transfer all my info. But I'm assuming that ExText that I work off of and Escription will have to be downloaded again by the tech people onto my new computer. I can tranfer these can I?
Thanks
How does one find out the computer specs on my computer?
I should know this, but I just don't remember how to do this. I am hoping I have enough RAM, or whatever, to load work platform on my own computer and begin working on it, rather than paying *rent* on the company-furnished computer. Thanks so much.
A computer is a computer, whether it be laptop or desktop.
I have both and use both and I bought both of mine...most companies do not provide computers...
Computer Generated Image or Computer graphic image
Computer help, please - sm
I know this should be easy BUT, tell me how to find the version of Windows that I have. I can't find where it says this.
TIA.
New Computer?
I have only ever had Dell computers, but like you said, I'm tired of getting someone named Bobby, who can't speak English. I quit buying from them and went to my local computer place and had one built. Now, when I have a problem, I get someone who speaks English. IF you live in a big town, check around. I live in a small town and it was easy to find out what was what. I would still rather have a Dell, but I don't do anything off shore anymore. The price of a small place is not that much different than buying from the places you mentioned and is a lot less wear and tear on the nerves.
First computer
The first computer I ever used was a Rayethon (think that is the spelling) computer. It was enormous, took up my whole desk, LOL. Nothing like nowadays. Wonder whatever happened to Rayethon?
computer
I tried it and mine did the same as yours.
MQ computer
I got to use one of their computers free while I was training and continued until I was off probation. Then the fee started coming off my checks. But, the repeating theme seems to be all the offices are different.
computer
I have two HPs. I think I will do the same.
it's not the computer
You need a little stereo adaptor that you can buy from radio shack. It costs a few dollars. I'm presuming you have a a cord that connects into the computer. Okay, now, you plug the adaptor into the cord and your headset into the adaptor.
Voila!
Does you computer have enough
memory and disk space for an upgrade like this? The reason I wonder is once I upgraded my old computer and found that XP takes a lot of resources and the whole computer was bogged down and never worked right after that. Ended up buying a new one with XP already on it.
I think you can only do this on a computer with XP- sm
they did this so you could use the 98 programs on the computer with XP. I don't have either of your programs on my computer (use a physical book for the drugs and google) but I installed old Lotus, my Bytescribe, ShortHand, Quicken, various art programs, WP 5.1 DOS, can't remember them all but they all work fine. I have Stedman's spellchecker which was on my old 98, now on my XP, though I do upgrade that every couple years so that one is irrelevant.
oh, and I would use my own computer...sm
They would supply the transcription equipment.
probably better to buy a computer...
fro0m a place that sells computers, rather than an MTSO. That way if you need to move on, no problems.
Use of Computer
It doesn't bother me at all. The only person who uses my computer on occasion is my daughter for school work or to look up things on the internet She has to ask first though and never goes anywhere near where my files for work are kept (she wouldn't even know how to find them). It helps that my husband doesn't know anything about computers or the internet so he's never a problem.
I would never let anyone come near my computer
much less use it!! That's the one thing I have that is mine!
New Computer
Hi Everyone! I am lucky enough to finally buy a new computer, but am not very knowledgeable and so am stumped about what to buy. I have a Pentium III now, very ancient, and just want to get rid of dial-up Internet and burn CDs. Any hints??? Thanks!!!
computer help
Okay, I will try this a second time, hopefully I will get this to post. This is just an idea of how un-computer-savvy I am and will be showing my ignorance. I always worked in house until I got laid off. Now I am working at home, using company provided software. I stumbled upon a web site for freelance work, not medical. I would like to try it to supplement my work. My question is, if I got an assignment, would I just go into their website and go from there, do I need to get my own software for this sort of thing, any help would be appreciated. I am an old dog now trying to learn new tricks!
My PCP uses the computer to
keep track of everything going on including labs and such. He can push a button and the labs are in his "grill". I would much rather it be that way than have to wait for a faxed copy. My PCP is great, and he still listens. He just uses this as a way to expedite script writing, etc. There are also hospitals that allow physicians to access their database, so it is not really far off. I think it was actually Hillary Clinton (who may run for president) that would like EHR to be universal, but I think it is more for consistency and to make patient access easier for specialists to follow and the such, etc., etc.
Computer
A computer is deductible. Spend as much as you think you need to spend to get the computer you need.
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