It depends on what your clients or account wants. sm
Posted By: Honest answer on 2005-11-17
In Reply to: Re: Orthopaedics - do you type "disc" or "disk"? Thanks! NM... - Meg
BOS sometimes does not matter. The only thing that matters is what the people who sign your paycheck want on their reports.
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It depends on whether you are working for someone as an IC or you have your own clients. I live in
Hampton Roads and was told that I would need a one if I was going to solicit my own business. I was told by the local office where I got my license that I could not send out brochures or advertise in any way until I got it. I do know of a local company here that requires their ICs to have one as well. I think it is because he had a problem with an IC who did not report her income to the IRS and he was audited because of this. I am not sure how this protects him, but he requires all of his ICs to have their own business licenses.
RE: Depends on the account
No it does not!!!!!!
depends on which account
It really depends on which account you are going to be working on as to how much of a response you will get. There is one account manager who manages several who is NEVER around, doesn't answer emails or the phone and it's been whispered she may even work another job. There is a huge group of clinic accounts without a manager, they got rid of her, probably to save money since there have been lots of money saving cuts going on. Currently that one is being overseen by the HR lady with no transcription experience (the second in command, watch out for her, really thinks anybody can do the MT or Editor job without having any experience). There was another account with a really good manager but a bad platform, but she finally left, so hard to tell who is there now. The actual owner is a very nice lady but unfortunately isn't much involved and only knows what her second in command tells her, and she makes it look like she has all under control, and in reality she is the second top reason most people leave this company. A new manager has been hired for the new account we have, but yet again she will be limited by what Ms. G. will allow her to do, which won't be much. This used to be a really good company but steadily has been on the decline. Tell me what editor will put up with bad platforms, 100% listens and low work for 3-3.5 cpl? What MTs will stay on with bad platforms and being ignored when there is no work?
Yes, it depends on the account (sm)
I do think it would be strange to have a PE section. The physical exam section is the "O" section, for Objective. It would be redundant to have PE within O. You may want to ask for samples.
Depends what account you are on. I have been
there just over a year. DocuScribe is easy to learn, not bad at all. I don't have that many ESLs, mostly they are residents, but still I don't know about other accounts.
I think it depends on what the account wants, and
In fact, one account I type wants it both ways: They want all abbreviations expanded in letters, and usually no expansions except in certain circumstances on all other dictations by that account. The 'twice a day' vs. 'b.i.d.' thing is trickier. If my account has no specific rules about it, then for the sake of continuity, if the first couple meds in a list are written one way (such as b.i.d.), then even if they say twice a day on the next med, I still type it b.i.d. That way there's a little more uniformity, and I think also the list is easier to read. Of course, it all boils down to the preferences of those you work for.
Depends on account, but discontinued
would be correct (sometimes it means discharged)
It depends. If you have a very difficult account
an hourly rate would be great, but being paid by the line I make $20+/hour and I don't think companies would be willing to pay that hourly, so I guess I would have to say I'd rather be paid by the line, unless it is editing and that is a whole different story. I also think being paid hourly would make me maybe not work so hard to get lines and perhaps slack off occasionally. Depending on what shift I'm working I'm up and down every hour or so, putting a load in the washer, feeding animals, loading the dishwasher, etc. If I was getting paid hourly I should not be doing that stuff. I am not very disciplined and find it hard to sit still for more than 2 hours, so I would have to have a change in my routine. I enjoy the flexibility of being able to get up, even go outside and sit on the deck and watch the sunrise, etc. Another pro for the hourly wage though is at least you'd know what your paychecks were doing to be every payday and could maybe budget better.
I find it really depends on the account.
I really lucked out that I am on an account that has been doing VR for a while and the docs all speak pretty clearly. The reports come to me pretty clean. I only have to verify demographics and make minor changes to the report and I can get pretty good line counts.
On the other hand, I know MTs who aren't so lucky and end up having to transcribe many of their reports because they are so bad and end up making less money.
I love my VR account. I decided to do VR to save my wrists. I have had problems with carpal tunnel, but not since switching to VR.
It also depends on your account specifics too...
if it is verbatim, you type what they say...
Depends on your account, I would guess.
Some accounts want a strict SOAP format, so you would disregard the other headings.
I personally work on verbatim accounts so we put in any headings they dictate.
It depends on the account guidelines.
For the majority of the accounts I work on abbreviations are only expanded in the critical sections, such as diagnosis, impression, etc. This is to the client's preference, and it is considered an error to expand an abbreviation when it is not necessary.
As far as dosages, I always transcribe what the dictator says unless it is a prohibited abbreviation or an error. Prohibited abbreviations are changed, per client preference, to the acceptable term. If it may be an error, it is flagged for review. If the doc dictates "twice a day," they get "twice a day." If they dictate "b.i.d." that is what I transcribe. It is also considered a error, at least at my company, to alter what is dictated.
Much depends on the account/accounts that you are on (sm)
Like everywhere else, I suppose... I've been with JLG for almost 12 years and have had the same main acct the whole time. It's a large hospital system, and yes, lots of ESL, but only a few that I would consider dreadful. Have been on some other accts with virtually no ESL. Have also been on work types where I could rack up lines like crazy, and other times (like now, for instance) struggling to get 1200-1300 per day. Have had times where I felt extremely micro-managed, other times don't hear anything from anyone for literally weeks. Paycheck has always gone out on time, but unfortunately no longer do direct deposit. I guess you could say they've been a little erratic since I've been with them, but overall I am pretty happy. I believe they have several different platforms - I'm on "EHR" (for the past year or so) and while it's a little slow going from the patient information screen to the document screen and back again, it works with your own Stedman's spellchecker and with Shorthand, so better than some others that I've been on. I will say that the support personnel have not always been the best, but, again, I've seen a lot of people come and go! Hope you find a position that's perfect for you - or at least nearly so!
I have been paid both ways. Depends on the account. nm
n
I guess that depends if it is a verbatim account...
I think even so I would type feces....
I agree, it depends on who you work for BUT also the account
and how long it has been on VR. If it has been on VR for a few years, piece of cake. If it is just starting out on VR - tedious work, low pay as it takes longer to edit than to just transcribe it.
I have been doing VR editing for 4 years now with an account that has been on it that long also...can make up to $50 an hour, and some times as low as $30 an hour when we add new dictators.
Hope this helps.
Same for me, I made more 10 years ago. It depends so much on account, SM
work type(for me), and expanders. I find it hard to stay motivated when report after report is ESL and a work type I can't make money on. The above poster likes radiology, I like OPs. It is easier to stay motivated when you have that.
Depends - one account I make 40 an hour, other - s/m
I grunt it out to make 10 bucks an hour. If I worked just the ER account, I would definitely make full time money for part time hours.
Durn second account. :}
depends on location, I know someone who lost a local account - sm
in Woodbridge, VA, was charging .12 a line (60 character line), got underbid and lost it after having had it for years. Now in order to get more but look less, she bids at .10 a line but a 50 char. line....comes out to .13 if a 65 cpl. You can't get much over .10 around here on your own which really stinks, or do some fancy accounting which in this case works.
I consider myself a pretty fast Mt, and I am lucky to hit 100 reports a day...depends upon account.
lines produced also depends on type of account, doctors, specifics, platforms.
nm
Depends on the pay and account. My lowest average is $15.52 an hour (roughly 182.6 lines an hour) w
;'
What is the difference between an acute care account and a multispecialty account??..nm
nm
I've never had a problem switching from account to account.
The problem I had was being switched too soon. If I don't get one account spec solidly in my memory with QA feedback on mistakes before starting another, I get confused. The other problem I had with former jobs was inconsistent QA. One person tells you one thing, another person tells you another.
Lately, I don't have a problem with it. Right now, my binder has 8 account specs (some I've never had to use) and I'm picking up a new weekend job for a while. The terminology and report formats stay basically the same. It's just all those little preferences. LOL
To get own clients or not....
I have thought about getting my own clients, but working for a company, if I want time off, I can easily arrange that and know there will be co-workers to cover the accts. If I get sick, the company will find someone to cover the accts. I don't have to worry about the billing, tech support, trouble-shooting, complaints. Maybe someday I will chose to give up what life I have and get my own clients, but for now I like being an IC for a company. This way, I am a great employee and an even better boss.
My clients...
Consist of clinics. They all get 48-hour turnaround time guaranteed, and anything STAT (a TRUE emergent STAT) they need, it's done at no extra charge. Radiology gets four to eight-hour turnaround for obvious reasons. The rest of the clinics don't need a 24-hour turnaround time because let's face it, their staff basically sit on it, and I'm not going to break my neck so they can just sit on it....
Clients
Hello! I'm new to the board but not to MT. I've been working from home for my own clients for 10 years. I wondered if others who do the same have ever experienced a situation I just encountered and wondered what your thoughts were. I had a client whom I transcribed for for two years, then he moved and started back up in his practice and called me and I've worked for him for an additional year in that new practice. When I noticed recently that I hadn't received his dictation as usual, I questioned it, i.e. was he on vacation, did they lose a tape or what? The receptionist said he must not have dictated yet. I found this off as he usually dictates each day he's in the office. A week had gone by w/o work so I called and asked and the same girl said she'd have his wife (who works in the office) call me because she didn't know why there wasn't work, etc. At this point I got suspicious and had asked the recep. if there was something going on I should know about. She said they're working on this new software and maybe they just got behind. New software? I talked to his wife and "I" mentioned this software. She didn't. I asked if this affected my workload and she said 'yeah, probably quite a bit.' I asked if she would please let me know AHEAD of time if they were going to make this transition so I could prepare and plan (she had just made it sound like they were just looking into it and kind of testing it out, NOT that they'd by any means started using it full-time). She said oh certainly they would let me know ahead of time. Then I pressed a little more and finally she told me he'd already been using it for his patients and when I asked if I should replace his work, she said yeah, probably because he really seems to like it and will probably use it. I don't know what the software is but I hate it just because it took a big client from me. But I"m also wondering if this is common practice for a physician just to outright not tell an MT that they weren't going to use their services any more. I mean, not only did they not give me notice beforehand, but they hedged on admitting it when I came right out and asked. I find this incredibly rude and inconsiderate, especially when I've been a faithful MT for them for three years. I"m just dumbfounded at this behavior. Has anyone experienced this? So now that leaves me in the lurch with bills to pay with an already tight budget (hubby in college, two kids, high heat bills, blah, blah, etc.) and me looking for work to fill in the gap. Sorry I ranted and rambled. I'm just really upset by this and wondered if anybody experienced being treated this way and/or knows what this software might be and if it poses a threat to any of us. Thanks so much!
Own clients
This has been discussed many times with many different opinions/ideas. You might do a search as there was quite a heated debate on this about two months ago. I have a brochure that I send out with my card. For those I am very interested in I do stop by in person or if anyone calls inquiring I stop by in person. You have to be prepared with equipment to do tapes or digital and some may inquire about a call in system. You may have to pick up and deliver, provide your own paper. Be prepared to do any type accounts. Your rate will depend on the area you are in and can be anywhere from 11 to 16 cpl from what people say on this board. You have to be prepared to have some back up if you get very sick or have an accident and for vacations. You will not get any benefits, will not getpaid when the doctor takes a month off to go to Spain. It will be a tough go at first until you esablish a rapport with the office staff. But I like it and have been doing it for 18 years. Just did a report and have made 4K more this year than I did last year so things are looking up for me. Good luck. Patti
One of my clients for whom I have done only
tapes for has given me a CD to load onto my computer. I haven't put it on yet but I'm wondering if you all can help. It's an Olympus CD and looks like it's for .wav files which is what he intends. He says I should be able to load this onto my computer and then after that, he can email me voice files. Now, is this correct and what will I need to have in order to play and transcribe his voice files? I have a Bytescribe pedal. Please tell me I won't have to buy a different pedal for this! Thanks in advance for any help!
want to get own clients
Hi Everyone,
I have over 2 years’ experience in medical transcription and really want to get my own client(s). I feel that I am finally ready to take that leap. The question I have is – how do you go about talking to potential clients? What is the best way? Mailings, calling, just going in? Should I make business cards? Unfortunately all of my doctors offices (family, ob/gyn) husband's GI doc and daughter's pediatrician are all EMR. Ugh. So that's no help.
I’m not really afraid of what to charge or contracts, the rest is what has me stressed the most. Should I buy a program like DocShuttle or will they basically tell me what they want? I have been with nationals and small MTSOs alike and just am not sure how to go about everything myself.
You can feel free to e-mail me with any advice also.
I really appreciate the suggestions/help!!!
Getting own clients
I am currently transcribing for GI docs who are using the EMR system, I love it. There is barely any paper for me to handle, I fax everything right from their system to the referring physicians, once in a while I will get a physician who doesn't have a fax and so I need to mail. The final copy goes right into their system. I am currently working from home through my business. They had the equipment installed at my house, fortunately for me, I was with them for four years before I went on maternity leave and have been doing it from home for the past two years.
I also transcribe for ENT docs in my area, before I went on maternity leave I asked them to use my digital phone in system (really didn't expect them to since they were 'set in their ways' but they agreed).
As far as getting new clients, I would get some business cards printed out, and some fliers stating what equipment you will use, i.e. tapes, digital; will you be dropping the finished work off, and also turn-around-time. Then if it were me, I would take these to local doctors, speak with the office manager and offer your services, may be you can start off by offering to cover vacations (I know how hard it is to get coverage for yourself on vacation. You might have to start small and work your way up, but at least it is a start.
Well that is all I can think of, I hope this is helpful to you. Good luck!!
Best way to get clients? sm
I want to market my service in my area. I have gone to offices before in the past, but they sometimes get annoyed. I have also done mailings and get no response. Is there another way to get the OM's attention that maybe I overlooked? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Some clients won't go there
Some doctors have such rotten dictating habits they know running their reports through ASR will result in utter garbage; they have TAT to meet and they know if they take the time to have those reports extensively edited post ASR its just an extra step. Some clients know for them it will be a time and money waster; it is the MTSOs that are pushing for all ASR, not the clients. Many hospitals have tried ASR inhouse and end up scrapping it and going back to MTs. Its a lot like outsourcing in that many people are on the bandwagon, but there'll always be some that refuse to ride it.
Clients have the right to not have an
MT transcribing that reports if that MT continually makes mistakes. Not talking about the ones QA catches, but the reports that are sent straight through without QA and they catch the mistakes on their end and have to send it back. The client I am assigned at my MTSO has said that certain mistakes will not be tolerated and those that make those will not work on their account. They have the right to pull the account from the MTSO if their wishes are not followed by the MTSO.
getting own clients
Does anyone have a sample letter that I can look at to try to get my own accounts? I would really appreciate the help if there is anyone willing. I just need something to get an idea of what to cover in a letter just to get my foot in the door.
Thanks in advance.
I don't have any of my own clients...sm
so I have never had this problem. They said you were no longer transcribing his letters. Does that mean you are still transcribing other types of reports for him or is that the only type of report you did for him?
If the secretary called you before and asked questions about "How often ARE you coming to get work" or something to that effect, then it leads me to believe he was not happy with you for some reason. Sounds like he found someone else to do his work. He could have found someone to do it cheaper, who knows? I hate to hear you lost this client. I know money is tight.
Why not just get your own clients?
Just curious why you would rather subcontract when you could just get your own clients and make more money instead of paying a middle man.
I just heard clients are now
very interesting, indeed.
Finding Clients
I had gotten my previous clients when I worked in a hospital Medical Records Department as an MT. The docs just came to me and asked me to do their work at home. I am going to have a professional letter and business cards made up now to send to local doctors, just anyone in the phone book who looks good, but mostly cardiology, neurology, neurosurgery and orthopedic docs. They seem to have the most consultation letters.
Contracting own clients
It's actually two units attached and working together: A Sony BM-890 microcassette dictator/transcriber and a DTI-800 phone interface. I bought the unit (years ago) for about $1,300.00. The top unit (BM-890) is where you put the tapes in and is like a regular Sony transcriber. (I transcribed the tapes on a separate transcriber, though). The unit gives the doctors the option of pausing and backing up to listen to their dictation and make changes if needed.
Contracting own clients
I agree - to make good money, you need to get your own accounts. My long-time cardiology group account just got EMR with VR, however, so I need to find a new account now. This one was really nice in that the doctors dictated over their phones to my Sony answering system, and then I would just e-mail the completed work back at the end of the day for the office to print it all out there; I never had to do any pickups of tapes or delivery of hard copies. Just wondering now, is this very unusual, or do others here have similar arrangements? Thanks.
None of my clients have no idea what a CMT is...
Seems like they should spend more time/money educating doctors about the mere existence of CMTs instead of rolling out another level of certification.
Ditto! What do clients think when they -
It appears as though the majority of this company's managers don't even know how to type! Must look awful if they use emails to communicate with clients!
I would just tell your clients that you have expanded, now
having 2 branch offices and that all invoices are being generated out of your new office and that is where payments should be made.
One of my clients uses Chartscript
It is a little confusing at first, but once used to it, it is a breeze. You just have to be careful because the system is picky about what it will accept, such as no % signs, but rather spelled out, etc. Not hard. If I can do it, anybody can. :^)
It COULD be a lot worse. And clients and QA are much more likely
to comment on obvious padding than grammar errors, so I'd keep my head down if I were you. Just do it the right way. You say there is no QA, but if you get yearly reviews or anything, do mention you would appreciate any feedback on quality that they were able to provide. But I'd rather work with somebody who is padding their reports a bit than somebody whose work is full of grammar errors or real medical errors like I've seen so much of in the hospitals where I have worked.
For people who have their own clients....
Do you bill monthly, twice monthly, or bi-weekly? I have work from a hospital coming soon and wondered how most people bill. Also, while I'm in the process of making up a contract, what would you say is the norm in terms of the percentage you would charge if they were late in paying you? About how long after you send the bill do you expect to be paid? I know all of these things are negotiable, I would just like some feedback on what others are doing as this will be my first contract.
Thanks a lot!
"stealing" clients
Actually I DO believe what you did here was unethical. And it is the exact reason that noncompete clauses get created. Any MT who is contracting with a service has no business going straight to a client UNLESS they have been asked to do so by the service they work with. To do so and then make an attempt, successful or not, to take that client away from the service does smack of ethics that I wouldn't want to be associated with personally.
These are not local clients.
They are nationwide clients. I provide digital dictation access.
I also have QA contractors that are included in my overhead costs as much as the MTs.
It's always been my experience, with your own clients...sm
you can produce many more lines per hour (as you become so accustomed to them, you know what they'll see before they even do). On the other hand, when I have worked for nationals, my production is way lower because I have always been tossed around to different specialties. Those account specifics for each specialty (worked for hospitals through nationals, combined with the templates, looking up referring physicians, etc. will your eat your productivity up. You have to weigh the pros and cons of having your own clients or working for a company. My wrists, hands, and neck are starting to wear down after over 20 years of this. I certainly don't miss the overhead costs of having my own clients, estimated taxes, etc. I used to be able to whip out 2,000 lines a day easily with my own clients, now I do 1,000 per day with a company, and I am quite content with that because I can no longer stand being strapped to a computer for hours and hours. I think my kids (now grown), thought the desk and computer were a permanent body part of mine!
ah, but just because your clients don't follow BOS,
nm
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