It goes both ways. Not all those with positive experiences are skilled or professional.
Posted By: sm on 2005-07-20
In Reply to: I think it's interesting as well.... - Just commenting
Some are in it for the referral bonus, some are company recruiters posting anonymously. It's really hard for anyone to tell the motives, but you can usually tell from the way a person posts who is on the up and up from those who are just spewing sour grapes and those bucking for the referral bonus. I tend to believe negative posts that don't personally insult other posters over positive posters that completely rule out any type of problem. If a person is saying that their company is perfect and there are NO problems, that should send up red flags.
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FutureNet --- treating me like the highly skilled professional I am.
you can apply on their web site. they sought me out... grape vine told them i was hating MQ --
only downside... no benefits, gotta be SE... it's what MQ was going to do to me anyway, so no big loss..
Oops! the are positive, not and positive.
nm
I understand what you are saying, but this is a highly skilled sm
field, not "washing dishes" or even "working at Wallyworld." Yes, there is VR and other things out there making this our jobs easier and in very rare cases, null and void, but this industry STILL requires skilled MTs who will pick up what VR and computers just cannot do.
I do VR on a regular basis and there are so many gross errors it isn't even funny. I would say 50% of any given document contains error that would be a detriment to direct patient care.
I received a newsletter recently from my company that stated this industry is growing and that the industry is having a very difficult time finding experienced, good MTs to do all of the work given to any given company. That, to me, was very, very positive in the way of where our jobs will be in 10 years.
I don't see in 10 years VR or foreigners taking our jobs. In 30 to 50, maybe, but not anytime soon.
So, a company offering 7 cpl to an experienced MT is a disgrace (especially if they take it). On new grads, I think 4 cpl is just fine because I also taught MT at a local college and there was no way that any of my students (graduates) could do this from home without a mentor/QA, etc., full-time for at least a year until they could be on their own. They would make way too many mistakes.
Katie, some people are much more skilled than SM
others, some work harder than others, some work faster than others, some work longer than others.
First off, I do not because, I choose not to work a full 40-hour work week, week after week.
But by multiplying my own hourly earnings: It is very possible to make comfortably more than $50, even more than $60K/year as an employee of a national putting out good-quality work (even transcribing lots of ESLs!) IF:
You are fully skilled.
You are working on accounts you are nicely familiar with and have all your templates et cetera set up for.
The accounts do not run out of work (a biggie) so that you can get 8 hours of production within a reasonable workday (should not have to spend 12 hours a day married to the offce to get it).
You are paid somewhere in the upper 20ish percent of the rate range (note I didn't say have to have top pay).
You are either an exceptionally fast typist or use an Expander a great deal and take advantage of computer features.
You work hard.
You work smart and don't waste time where it doesn't count.
You have some talent for the work.
You WORK A FULL 40-HOUR WORK WEEK.
Reasons why some don't even approach that include:
Not fully skilled. Just think, for instance, of those who don't use an expander. And a skilled worker will produce many lines in the time it takes another to look up one term.
Not familiar with accounts.
Account frequently runs out of work--and MT accepts less income instead of walking.
Is a whizbang registered nurse/racecar driverccur et cetera, but lack talent for THIS work.
Doesn't work HARD and push for high productivity. Just working is not the same as working HARD (it is tiring).
Has enough work but doesn't put in a solid 8 hours of production per day (although might think so, maybe forgets to subtract time spent complaining here from the work day).
Katie, although average incomes have gone down significantly, a lot more people are making decent money than posts on this forum give any idea of. Those people don't spend a whole lot of time here, though. Guess why! Best wishes for your own good income.
It is a shame that it takes such a skilled..sm
person to be a MT yet the jobs are just pitiful. The companies can't provide enough work. The pay is pitiful. Why isn't this profession looked at with more prestige? I mean it is sad when you have been an MT for years and can't make a living doing this even with 2 jobs.
Long-term skilled unit?
ss
You're a big girl and a skilled worker. SM
If you haven't resolved this problem already, go ahead and do it this morning. You know, as a high-skilled MT you should be making at least 3 times whatever your local minimum wage is. Best wishes.
Good answers and becoming a skilled MT takes surprisingly long, but SM
although 5 years may be about average, there's an old saying about how some people have 20 years' experience and some have one year repeated 20 times. If you want to cut that 5 years down VERY substantially, work full time (a conscientious full time, not just slopping thru the day) and push for new work types and accounts as woon as you've milked the old ones for all you can learn from them. Plus, a reality is that availability of the Web as a resource now helps people function at a much higher level earlier than previously.
What future demand is there for higher-skilled MTs? Inquiring mind wants to know. SM
Seriously--with computers taking over the keyboarding and the electronic medical record replacing much (just HOW much?) of the currently dictated verbage, what need will healthcare providers have that we can train to fill at least the same remuneration if not better? What potential is there for remote work? I confess I'm very fond of my current commute down the hall to my office, and googling MT in England, which has had the EMR for some time now, suggests it's high time I figure out how I'm going to keep it. Any thoughtful or knowledgeable answers would be greatly appreciated.
My experiences are like yours..
I've done - and do - the same thing you do. The difference is your docs treat you well. Mine treat me like yesterday's newspaper, but in the big scheme of things, it doesn't matter. What DOES matter is that I get my invoices paid on time, which they are.
My hubby tells me even though my docs don't say so, they do appreciate me because they send me checks every month. And that's why I'm in this business - for the monthly checks - no other reason - .
I don't want docs calling in to dictate and instead cracking jokes and telling me what their kids did the other day. The fact of the matter is I don't care. I look at that as taking up my precious time! Wanna' chitter-chatter with me, doc?? Then let's chitter chatter at a cocktail party or dinner, but don't do it on my company time/dime. Hehehe! 
Bad QA experiences
At a previous MTSO we were, also pretty much on our own until an account executive (never an MT)took it on herself to start doing QA and started sending us corrections. She actually wanted us to listen to a sentence then make it more concise, and to use as many abbreviations as possible. This was an ESL physician. I told her to get real. I did agree to conform to her bizarre style issues, and said I would correct grammar, but I would absolutely never deliberately do anything that took that much extra time and reduced my lines. I talked to my supervisor and that put an end to that.
very well said. my experiences exactly, as well.
e
I have a lot of the same experiences you do -
I am not afraid to go out, but it just does not seem worth the effort to get up and get dressed and made up just to go to the grocery store... I, like you, am only happy going out with my husband. It is causing a big strain on our relationship as I feel that since he is out of the house all the time, that when I want to go with him he should always take me everywhere he goes. He thinks I should just get up and get out of the house on my own. He does not realize that working at home for so many years I have been isolated and, especially since we moved to a new town, I don't know anybody and since we have no children for sporting events, school events, etc., I really have no way to meet people. We have finally moved into an area after 4 years that has a community pool and I have met some people there, but it remains to be seen if a friendship develops with any of them.
I used to think that working at home was wonderful, and don't get me wrong, there are many benefits to it, but I also feel like mentally it is not really a good thing for a lot of people. I have a relative who also works at home and she is just like me - not only mentally, but physically we are suffering. The weight gain for one thing - the lack of sunshine, the lack of exercise, etc.
I myself have finally made the choice after 15+ years to return to school and get a degree that will allow me once again to leave my home and still make the income that I am accustomed to as a transcriptionist.
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As Economy Slumps, Firms Line Up to Hire Skilled Foreign Workers
 What the heck is going on around here? It just gets better by the day!
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/19/economy-slumps-firms-line-hire-skilled-foreign-workers/
My similar experiences.....
First, I'm sorry about this loss, but you must NOT dwell on it. You must move forward for your sake and financial sake. This is unfortuately such common behavior in this business, and reading your post did not surprise me. I have been an IC for over ten years now, and the practice you describe is SO common.
I have learned throughout the years to set aside as much money as I can so that when the rug is pulled out from underneath me, I'll have $$$ to fall back on. I also keep a supply of hundreds of stamps/letterhead/envelopes handy so that when this happens, I don't have to go broke buying this stuff and marketing for other clients.
Basically the same thing has happened to me. I just lost one client last month due to them finding a cheaper rate, and another account I have had for eight years is going EMR next month. I will then be officially out of business, you might say.
But that is NOT going to keep me down. I'm doing mass marketing to doctors, attorneys and all kinds of businesses who need "virtual transcriptionists," and you know, I feel if I market enough, the law of averages is going to be that I WILL find new clients. You must have faith in yourself and do not take what happened to you personally. Yeah, it was lousy, rude, and unprofessional of them not to give you any notice after years of good service, but what can you do? Don't lose a wink of sleep over it - move onward and forward, and you will be successful.
Good luck!
Anyone with experiences to share sm
I don't suppose anyone has ever worked for both companies and can give me the real scoop?
More graveyard experiences
I've worked graveyard before and will be starting again tonight. I've learned a few things from past experience that can help this time.
One is bright lights at night and blackout curtains during daytime sleeping hours. Another is turning off the ringer on the phone before going to bed, arranging with a neighbor who is generally home during the day to take true emergency calls from certain people and ring my doorbell if necessary.
I try to keep in mind that a lot of other people aren't readily available during the day or able to do what they like during the day because of work, either in or out of the home. I also remember how lucky I am to be able to work from home and not have to deal with a commute, among other things.
Give myself some unwinding time after my shift and then do the best I can to adhere to regular sleep hours that least interfere with regular activities outside of work. There will be times, of course, when I'll need to be flexible on the sleep hours to take care of things that must occasionally be done during the usual sleep hours schedule.
Accept that there will be days when the rest of the world will not be tip-toeing around because I want to sleep. Watch out for sleep-deprivation crankiness, try my best not to take it out on other folks, and apologize promptly if I do. It does help to explain the situation yet not use it as a recurrent or frequent excuse.
Make use of caffeinated beverages at the beginning of my shift and limit them toward the latter portion. Remember that power naps during breaks may work for other people but that the temptation to keep hitting the snooze alarm could be overwhelming for me. It was one thing when I was an IC, but not cool as an employee. Better for me is to something semi-active during breaks and make myself get up and stretch on a periodic, regular basis.
Keep in mind that it will take a little while to get used to the new schedule and see what sleep hours seem to work best for me through trial and error. I'm lucky that I have a natural tendency toward nightowlism.
Sorry for the length of this essay and best of luck to you! Would that there were a yawning smiley face...
I had similar experiences after my mom died (sm)
On my mother's birthday, after she died, the smoke alarms went off in my house. They were not in need of new batteries, nor was there even a hint of smoke in the house.
They continued to go off at different occasions, each of which was a "special day," either a birthday or a holiday that she enjoyed.
My mom was in marching band when she was in HS and pretty much made me follow in her footsteps. It was okay, but not a decision I would have chosen. My daughter inadvertantly, through a scheduling glitch ended up in marching band her first year of high school. She ended up loving it. At sleep-away band camp the following year, in the chaparone's quarters (where I was sleeping), the smoke alarm went off during the night. It was kind of funny though, because it went off in another chaparone's room and I didn't even hear it. The other chaparone told me about it the next day and what she went through to get it to stop (basically had to beat if off the wall). When she told me, I just smiled and said, "Oh, that was my mom, she just got the wrong room."
I always thought how proud mom would have been that my daughter ended up in band and even ended up being the drum major her senior year and what a difference it made in her life.
That was the last I've heard of mom.
I'm a strong believer in God, but somehow I think it's possible that those close to us have "ways" of letting us know they're still loving us, even though they have a strange way of showing it! Kind of like when they were alive LOL! ;-)
goes to show how much our experiences out here vary... Everyone comes from a different POV
I have had similar experiences with a company
doing that. Its the purpose of the production emails - to shame you into boosting your production to keep up with the others - whether the others are actually real or not has always been a matter of speculation to me....But you are feeling exactly what the sender wants you to feel! Terrible tactics to me, but works for some.
My experiences with home offices...
I used to have my office in the living room. It was really difficult for me and my family.
I moved it into the dining room ... again, was just a bad fit and crowded/cramped everything.
Finally I moved it to my bedroom. Now at first, I had my desk sitting out in the open and it became depressing. While I enjoyed the privacy and quiet (I could actually shut my door), it was all I saw when I was in my bedroom. That blank monitor staring at me, either making me feel guilty by not working more or making me dread going to work.
Soooo, then I got creative and I've been thrilled every since.
I pulled all of my clothes out of my closet and bought a beautiful armoire with drawers and a rod in the top to hang clothes. Beautiful asset to my bedroom.
I purchased a smaller but very nice desk and fit it right inside my closet. I have a lovely little lamp on my desk, streamlined all my paperwork to a minimum and put as much as I could live without (in tangible form) on the computer. Have a small vase I keep fresh but cheap flowers in. All I have is in the closet and I can close it up out of sight when I am done. I can store my books up on the shelf above plus I have a small CD player up there to play soft music while I work.
I did not want an ugly office chair anymore. I really liked my upholstered chair in my bedroom. So I had my son put rollers on it and now it is my chair. When I'm not working, I just turn it and angle it into the corner like it has always been...when I need to work, I just sit and slide right under my desk.
I could not be happier with this set up and it has been this way just over a year now.
It's funny how people have different experiences (sm)
Three of the best doctors I ever got to transcribe were podiatrists. We did clinic notes for one and did the op notes at a small freestanding surgical center for the other two. They were all great, lots of repetition, clear, lots of lines. Those were the days....
What other experiences have you had with clinic work.
I have worked for 3 local companies (including current)and this is how it is mostly done locally. The alternative was with no patient list and guessing at how the name is spelled because physician did not spell it. I do have all my addresses in a Word file, and if it used once it goes in there. For physician office accounts how do your experiences differ? The physicians are very resistent to investing in equipment on their end. It is difficult enough to get them to change from tapes to a digital recorder. I do agree that this system of doing things is awkward for the MT (me). I was just wondering what alternatives there are in dealing with clinic accounts, since is this is what constitutes the majority clients of companies I have worked for, and who I have worked for directly myself. I knew I was not making as much money as many of you. I guess this is one of the reasons.
My experiences while working graveyard were (sm)
both good and bad: Bad: During the spring/summer months, I wanted to be out catching the rays and walking the beach, but my body kept telling me, "It's time to sleep." Additionally, my diet was a little off; eating a Stouffer's dinner at 3:00 a.m. just seemed out of order. Also, I started watching those Judge shows in the afternoons, thus, not putting the lights out until about 5 p.m., leaving me only about 5 hours to sleep -- not enough for this bod. That experience taught me that I am definitely a morning person.
As you can see, experiences vary very widely SM
But--It's the future, so leap in! Figure out every way technology can do the work for you much, much faster. Start programming your corrections into your Expander from day 1. All of them. Not just a few main phrases, but virtually every word within them and every possible variable. Program in all your punctuation corrections. Like changing ". He " to ", he" and vice versa within at most 3 keystrokes. You'll do it all day long.
It's true people are making less in general these days, but any time I hear of people still being able to support themselves fairly acceptably I pretty much know they're still typing out most stuff out the looong way. Alllllllllll of it alllllll day looooong...... That's really sort of analogous to people who refused to learn word processing, insisting on staying with Selectrics and Liquid Paper. Back then, like now, we upgraded our skills or went broke.
And if you don't already, practice reading fast until you get that skill up there. There's a lot of reading to this.
Don't bother fussing about what a mess VR can make of some dictation. All that counts is what income you can make from cleaning it up. (Tho skimming through reports that just need a slight buffing IS a pleasure.)
My last thought is that this business is in flux, and it's true some companies are not paying equitably for this work. Yes, a greatly increased pool of skilled workers for each good job does mean pay has gone down for MT overall, but if you feel you're producing fairly well compared to others in your position and your income still has dropped signficantly over what you earned doing transcription, you need a better company. OTOH, if you've worked hard at developing these new skills and can't seem to do decently, it may no longer be the field for you. Either way, plan on being ready to move on if necessary. Don't wait many months to figure it out. Best wishes!
Travel to Florida/Disney - experiences?
We are planning a trip to Florida for the Daytona 500 in February - we are having problems lining up a hotel in the Orlando area that includes suites with kitchenettes and also has shuttle service to the major parks in the area. We want something in the mid range, maybe 3 star or 4 star, and will only have 2 tweenagers traveling with us - the rest will be adults. Can anyone recommend a place to stay with some atmosphere, pool area, restaurant, etc.?
We've been there before when our kids were young and stayed in very basic motels which was fine. We hardly spent any time at the motel anyway. This time, with some going to the NASCAR race, there will be down time for others, so a nice pool/outdoor area would be a plus.
This is a place to come where MTs can share their thoughs and experiences
I'm one of those MT who's very miserable right now, I admit that, because I've been looking for a good company to work for as an IC for a very long time now.
I'm glad there are other MTs out there who are happy and content and able to pay their bills, but for the time being (the last few months), I haven't had that luxury, and I need help, whether it be a good job lead or just the camaraderie of other MTs who really can relate to my situation right now.
Here I sit, ready, willing, and able to work (and work HARD and long) while the company I've been with since the beginning of the year keeps telling me they've run out of work. Meanwhile, I've been searching for another job, seems like for AGES, but even if I'm lucky enough to actually get a response, nothing has panned out for one reason or another.
My apologies for ruining the mood again. I'm just thankful to have this place in both happy and miserable times, because unlike others in my "real life" who keep telling me to get a REAL JOB (uggghhh!!!), this place is frequented by other MTs who really do understand.
By the way, I have 15 years experience and do multispecialty clinic and hospital work (except ops), if anyone's looking for a dependable, reliable, hardworking IC MT. I will do ops, too, if anyone wants to give a noob a shot at them..
Thankful for this board.
Go to eopinions.com and read the personal experiences. I was not impressed.
As I recall, there were numerous people who had such extreme swings in their electrolytes that they ended up hospitalized. Be very careful.
I've had nothing but excellent experiences working with wives as OMs.
:)
Anyone have any GOOD experiences with a credit counseling service/
If so who were they and what did they do?
TO the person who emailed me about their experiences on the multispecialty clinics, etc.
I tried twice to respond to your email and help but it keeps coming back undeliverable.
??
I would like to hear about personal experiences with lumbar supports
nm
People are just telling their experiences, stating their opinions.
It's only normal.
Professional
You sound like a "professional" with an attitude. Maybe you had better seek some therapy or meditation. What ever happened to "judge not, lest ye be judged" and treating others like you would like to be treated? Like I said before, maybe it was just an honest mistake. Apparently he has some degree of professionalism to have been approached by two different doctors. Take a look at his work before you pass judgement.
Professional
No, this isn't religion 101, it is LIFE 101. If you treat everyone you know the way you treat most of the people on this board, I would expect that you will be losing your professional position, as well, real soon. My error rate is quite fine, thank you, but I do have the heart to forgive others "their" mistakes, too. Maybe you need to find another place to work for. MQ does not seem to be agreeing with you. You also have too much time to be responding to job boards. I wonder how much work you get done in a day. HMMMM???? The truth of your anger was in your last post...."maybe you are one of those recruiters that will hire just about anyone, including illiterate people, TO TAKE MORE OR OUR JOBS AWAY." your insecurity is showing. Don't take it out on innocent people. Deal with your own issues first. Good luck to you. Life is tough. Suck it up.
HERE'S HOW A PROFESSIONAL WOULD DO IT ..
OLD TIMEY MT eh?!! Here's how a professional would have written the ad:
Seeking a well-seasoned medical transcripitonist with a vast fund of medical knowledge, and who has experience with computers, transcription software, FTP, expanders, and reference software for the transcription industry. Seeking an individual comfortable with computer technology and willing to learn our proprietary software.
...that's it, that's all she needed to post. If that person was professional, the first rule is to state what you are looking for, NOT what you don't want. Be clear and specific, not make negative statements because it only reflects on the person writing the ad and the company. Shame, shame.
professional
This is major. Seek a professiong, I live in the South and still see Blue Hairs and Pink Hairs. How it comes out depends on the texture of your hair, your base color and many other factors. That's why its costs. I would be leary of anyone who did it under $125.00
As a professional...
I expect the same courtesy I give. The doctors want clear, easy to understand reports; I want clear, easy to understand dictation. I don't care if it is ESL or English or poor communicator in general: if you want someone to type what you say, say it clearly. I think it would be unprofessional to accept substandard quality; that's part of what has gotten this profession into the jam that we're in as it is.
non-professional?
What?! We look non-professional just because we work at home? Ridiculous! Professional depends on the person, not the location. And you mentioned doctors working at home... Most docs in the past worked at home and they were very professional. And have you not seen Cosby? ha Professional is an attitude, a person's demeanor, not a location. Who wants to work in an office with all the politics and garbage when there is a perfectly good, honest, respectable, AND PROFESSIONAL option to work at home? I have been in business over 15 years AT HOME and have never had anyone tell me I was unprofessional. I think it is very honorable and a blessing from God to be able to be with my kids, and I support anyone trying to do the same.
Not very professional to
transcribe a report on somebody you know personally. Would you want one of your family members or friends to look at your medical records, especially if there were things you wanted kept private? I am shocked that any MT would do this and call themselves a professional. There may not be a law, I don't know, but it would certainly make a valid lawsuit if it ever came out and rightfully so.
You say you are being professional
But then you are saying you will do it on the side like a hobby for extra cash. What's the difference? You are talking out of both sides of your mouth.
Yes I have kids and I am no less of a professional than you and I do a good job. No I couldn't take my kids to work, so I telecommuted for the hospital 3 days a week. My kids are school age. I've been doing this for 19 years. So don't tell me that it's not professional to work from your home.
But, there was a lady with a sick bird and the boss let her bring it in and kept in her office so she could feed it! HA! No kids, but birds were allowed. Well, there was one girl that was allowed to have her kid there while she worked, but she wasn't an MT, she was a secretary.
Now you see why I left to come home to my safe haven where I am making almost twice as much as I did at the hospital. No, this will never be my side gig. This is my main professional career and I'm darned good at it and I'm glad to help sick people and professionals in the healthcare industry document medical records. I'm not afraid to research anything and don't care how long it takes either. I'll get the answer! And no, I have no desire to be QA because I'm an MT and that's what I'll be God Willing and the creek don't rise!
I think you should MYOB also. If she is a professional,
she is simply doing her job without getting personally involved in the particulars and as long as she is doing it on her own time and using her own equipment, then I do not see a problem.
dream on, Ms. Professional...sm
profession is defined as, "a
calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic
preparation." Hardly MT work. 
Professional flyers
I do flyers and they are very "professional" and so what if they offer a free car wash. I found that most office managers just want to "look" to see what it offers and I feel opening a letter is sometimes takes "too much time" while at a flyer they can just turn over and read immediately what it is about. Again, I think whether letter or flyers if you are at the right place at the right time, you can nab an account. And yes, have gotten several accounts that way and one has been with me for 18 years. So probably either works, I just prefer the flyer. But remember just like selling a house, it takes time and you have to put it out there to several hundred to get a bite. And once I get a bite I then go in and talk to them taking cookies or something. Also when I am looking for a new account I do several mailings about 6 - 10 weeks apart so I stay fresh in everyone's mind. I also inform my present docs and their gals and offer a small bonus to anyone that helps me land a new account I am sure that everyone has their way of soliciting for new accounts and it has worked for them and so they feel it is "the only way to go" but whatever route you take you have to get out there, be visible and that means to a lot of people as with that also you get word of mouth between offices.
Good luck.
You are so right! So professional its totally
unbelievable. If I weren't living it, I would never believe it.
Why XP-Professional version?
Just wondering why companies require us to have XP-Pro now instead of home edition?
Very professional. Love it!
You just made my day!!! 
Why not consult with a professional on this?
You seem to have a lot of questions that would be better answered by a professional. Of course, that wouldn't be free, so maybe that's the rub.
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