It is a reality in this business. It is the only way for them to compete, but it
Posted By: is disgusting. on 2005-11-05
In Reply to: Just found out that my company is offshoring - Disgusted MT
aa
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To compete with who? (sm)
They quit teaching MT in my area at least 5 years ago because there are no jobs in the area. Hospitals are on EMR and there is no available work in the area. The schools here were probably sued because people couldn't find decent paying jobs, LMAO!
Who says you have to compete
Obviously the AAMT is more interested in the offshore projects anyway. Doing something like a BOS with some common sense has nothing to do with them. Frankly I think a book with tips, tricks, samples etc would be much better than what is currently being offered. Of course AAMT can't be competed against. I don't think the idea here is to go after the companies or take over what the AAMT has done. The idea to have a real organization for MTs here in the United States. A place where MT opinons really count and the power that be won't sell out to the highest bidder.
Non-compete
I believe all "honest" ICs will willingly sign one since I have been burned before by an MT who went behind my back and stole my account from me!! I was terribly burned and as a small MTSO, I believe in them very strongly. If you want to keep your accounts as an MTSO, have your MTs sign a non-compete. If your an IC, think about it from a MTSO point of view, would you want someone to go behind you and take your business away?! JMHO.
Non-compete clause
This goes on all the time but I must say that it IS stealing! Shame, shame on you!
non-compete agreement
GA girl, where are you? Do you have experience with a n.c. agreement in GA?
non-compete agreement
I read the posts below about the n.c. agreement and wonder if you have any knowledge of them. Any info is appreciated. Thanks.
no compete contract...sm
I think I know who you're talking about...almost positive! Gosh, I wish we could post her name here so others in our area would not become one of her many VICTIMS!
Please email me if you'd like...I'd be more than happy to help y'all in any way I can...bestest of best luck to you...I hope you kick her crooked a$$ in court!
Non-compete agreements
Who has had to sign one with their company? Are they enforced? How long was your non-compete arrangement for? Thanks! 
Non-Compete Clause
Length of time? Depends on the verbiage and the company you work for - some want you to wait 6 months, others a year before you approach their accounts. They are designed to pretty such save MT companies from people stealing their accounts, wreaking havoc. If you don't plan on stealing work, don't worry about signing it. Think about it - you might not like the hospital, quit the job, change companies - so would you really WANT TO STEAL THAT WORK?? I didn't think so! LOL! There isn't much an individual MT can do to "steal" an entire account anyway. If a hospital or doc changes, it's because they don't like the company you are working for. After being in this field for 15 years, I have never seen anyone prosecuted for theft or anything involving the no-compete agreement. Basically, this is nothing to worry about...unless you have a hidden agenda.
owners trying to compete
The companies are trying to keep their profits high, be competitive with India and the doctors want to pay next to nothing. It's a tough business right now. I would look to other options or really push for more money. I wouldn't work for less than 9 cents. On the other hand, there are MTs out there who think they are very good, but they are honestly terrible. I think if you push for a quality company and sell yourself and you truly are worth the money, you will get it.
Is it really a gift when you have to compete for it? Nonsense.
x
can we get an update on the no compete contract
This is interesting (non-compete clauses)
My contract has a standard non-compete clause. Basically, that any subcontracted Transcriptionist will not contact or contract with any clients of my service. I finally had a transcriptionist ask for this complete list of clients. Makes sense, because how will they know who to avoid if they, well, don't know? But I would much prefer they didn't know to begin with. I don't want to tip my hand by giving someone a list of my entire clientele base. Does this seem fair? I feel I should reword my contract to avoid this in the future, but I am not sure how to do so.
we have to compete for our prize for MT week
We have to find stuff in our work like a certain med, or the oldest person,and the first person who finds it gets the prize. There were only 10 prizes to give out and there are lots of employees. I didn't even participate because, frankly, they can kiss my patootie. They should be giving EVERYone something, like, maybe a RAISE, instead of implementing a bogus game where a fraction of the employees win. Do they think we are second-graders?
we have to compete for our prize for MT week
We have to find stuff in our work like a certain med, or the oldest person,and the first person who finds it gets the prize. There were only 10 prizes to give out and there are lots of employees. I didn't even participate because, frankly, they can kiss my patootie. They should be giving EVERYone something, like, maybe a RAISE, instead of implementing a bogus game where a fraction of the employees win. Do they think we are second-graders?
If you haven't signed non-compete forms...
with a company you are employed by now, and you leave the company, is it acceptable (legal) to contact a client of theirs and offer your IC services if you really want that account as your own? Any suggestions from anyone having ever done this before would be much appreciated.
No way, I am having no problems with productivity, only that my pay has been reduced to compete
with the global market, that is a fact.
Now please with all respect please do not offer your opinions on my situation, I am sensing a little attitude here and I am not interested in your opinions on that. Thanks.
Both? I thought Spheris had a "no compete" rule.
At least that is what I was told. Or maybe this is just a new thing?
I fail to understand what the "competition" would be. 
Unfortunately it is legal..so yes it is business and they will continue with bad business practices
x
Walmart is good. The regular supermarkets are going to be forced to compete.
It all works for the good of the consumer.
I made my business your business by posting and...
I totally respect everyone's opinions. It is easier for others on the outside looking in. That's why I pushed the "post reply" button yesterday. I trust my fellow MTs and I know the more I read from you all, the more confident I am becoming. I just need that final push, not from him though. I also wanted to let you all know that the physical abuse while I was pregnant was documented by my doctor and the hospital. I only wish I had known then that it is a felony to abuse a pregnant woman. I also photographed my face from a couple of weeks ago and told several people in my circle. I had such high hopes for us. Now...not so much. I'm not saying that I won't try to get him to church, but I realize that God can only do so much for someone who isn't listening. j
Business is business. Internet forums are
.
You better get with reality!!
You're looking for a minimum of 10 per line as a subcontractor???? 
Don't you realize that docs are such notorious cheapskates, and the vast majority of MTSOs are charging that amount, perhaps a cent or two more if they're lucky, so how is it YOU expect to be paid a minimum of 10 per line?????
I had to totally laugh out loud when I read your post. I mean, you DO feel it's okay if the MTSO makes a LITTLE bit of profit, don't you? Or do you expect them to sweat blood and tears in this business for their health and give you the whole shebang? 
It always irritates me to no end when I read a post such as yours. If you're looking for a full line rate, get it from obtaining your own accounts!! Don't expect an MTSO to give you 99.9% of the pie dear!!! Really, I've had such a belly full of SCs with the attitude of gimme, gimme, gimme I could just scream!!! 
Reality and how it is in 2005 and my
being able to "deal" with that is not the problem. What others seem to have a problem with is that they believe they are stuck with that reality for the future. You should only be that lucky. The one thing that is sure for the future for MT is that it is not going to be is static. If you think it can't get worse, think again. It absolutely can. And if you think it can't get better, you are wrong there too.
I didn't say there was a "code of ethics" in any particular company. What I said was that the above-mentioned practice was unethical by higher codes of ethics such as what is right and what is wrong. I don't know of anyone who would argue that the majority of MT services are the epitome of ethical practices or even have ethical codes.
The fight I am referring to? For one, the fight against unethical practices by MT services. The MTs that would unite to fight that? Certainly not all of them, but you would be surprised how few it would take.
I think it is time for MTs to start organizing to form their own destiny, not be pathetic sheep following the heard that AAMT is trying to shepherd us into as they walk us off a cliff, or slaves to the whims of service owners who are used to being able to take advantage of us and get by with it.
The one thing I am sure of is that it isn't a fight I expect to lose.
Negativity and reality......
are 2 different things. We all have difference endurance and tolerances for things. It's like my 30-year-old nephew. He got his girlfriend pregnant when he was 16. They married 3 years later, have had 2 more kids, and are still happily married 11 yrs later. It that the norm for a couple of teenagers? No way. It works out occasionally, but it's definitely the exception and not the rule.
I usually do not like reality shows, but this one I
have to see. I love that show!! I do feel sorry for the wannabe chefs dealing with Chef. I gotta say I am watching tonight, the finale!!
Don't need a reality check
I don't realize that ICs don't have health insurance. Thank you for your tips.
When will the reality shows end?? and...
Who keeps paying for them? Come on America!! How about quality not quantity? Shameful, I think.
How about No Boundaries on Reality TV
Kinda like Survivor only its on every night at 9 through the end of the race. About half way through now.
"Good" reality TV?
Sounds like an oxymoron to me. There are many things I'd rather do than watch boring TV.
sobering reality
I support Sheri Steadman regardless of whether I agree or not. She is to be commended for her efforts.
It's true. Offshoring cannot be reversed. It is here to stay.
I was listening to Coast to Coast last night a late night radio talk show with Art Bell, who had a very interesting discussion about the state of affairs, jobs in this country. The speaker, I believe, a noted physicist, whose name I cannot recall, said that America is going through very painful changes, that countries that are receiving our jobs are experiencing the industrial revolution for the first time, like we once did. He said that the jobs of the future in this country will force us to become more creative. I thought about this for some time. It does not make it any easier for me or any of us. Painful it is.
I think this is ludacrous! In reality, that would
put MORE American MTs out of jobs than is already happening. Then we'd all be heading ot the poor house. Thank you, I love my job no matter what nationality the dictator and I do it well. Quit if you must, I'll keep my job. Thanks.
Reality check
With the deaths of three people that I grew up with on TV, and now with what I hard yesterday from Dr. Phil yesterday he reminded us that if we have 20 years left in our life it -- and that sounds like a long time, but that equals out to only 1040 weeks which then makes you realize as the weeks go by so fasssssssssssssssst that it is not very long and we need to make the best of those weeks as we can. So that made me stop and realize what is really important and what is not and what is worth fighting about and what is not. This may not stay with me but I am going to keep thinking about those weeks instead of years and hopefully it will make me enjoy the weeks that I am here.
Back to reality!!
I did not attack you,  and if you believe I did it's your own insecurities. I'm just telling you how it is. And by the way, I'm not looking to be employed as a SC as I'm an MTSO, dear and have been for many, many moons! Thanks for the offer anyway!
What you expect to receive line-rate-wise is laughable! Now, you ARE aware of the economy and the current climate of the MT profession, are you not? If you're not, allow me to throw a few clues your way in order to help bring you back to reality so that you realize the line rate you expect is WAY out of line:
 India, Pakistan, Canada, VR, EMR, Bush (as in Bush trying to wipe out the middle class/middle-class jobs and so far brilliantly succeeding!), undercutting, and newbies who'll practically work for free, just to name a few!
See, it doesn't matter how many years of experience you have.  You could have 100 plus for all most MTSOs could care. The bottom line is what are the docs paying - now subtract the MTSO costs - now add MTSO profit (yes, surprise - they are entitled to make one!! ) - and you'll see the line rate you expect is outrageous.
Don't believe me? Then I refer you back to the clues above. Go Google on all of them and find out for yourself!! 
And another one who can't handle reality.
/
I think it's maybe more reality than jealousy
I still don't understand where you came up with 17 cpl but nobody pays that and something smells very fishy here. I would not count on it.
Reality bites
Sorry to hear about your disappointment in a raise in line rate pay, but it is reality. I had my own business for many, many years, and during the last eight years, I could not raise my pay or I would lose my accounts. I went from 14 cents a line in 1991 to 11.5 cents a line in 2005. Every year it was the same old thing - Gee, could you lower your rate, CFO got a brochure from another company willing to do it cheaper, or I was always told it was not in the budget, hospital was losing money, had to cut somewhere. The sad reality is that offshoring has cut our pay to crap because of the competition, if you can call it that. Remembering that the whole medical system is collapsing upon itself in this country with no universal healthcare policy in this country and millions every year losing their medical insurance, the powers that make these decisions in cutting their budgets where it is most obvious - nonrevenue-producing departments. Be creative, diversify, maybe do other types of transcribing added to your business, and perhaps learn something else now. The job of the future will be three part-time jobs. The kids of today know that all too well.
Reality is one thing but
going so far as to criticise and ridicule what someone else is having for dinner is way aobe and over any mark of professionalism. That is the type of negativity that is being referred to here, not what someone has to say about any employers.
It's not a "mentality", it's a reality. SM
WE should "get out" if we don't like the relationship between the two?
How can we produce a high quality report when we are too busy sweating the small stuff or trying to remember all the rules and the exceptions to the rules and wondering which QA tyrant is going to be checking our work today so we can make sure to remember their rules in additiont to everything else. And on top of all that, we have to produce, produce, produce.
Something's gotta give and it can't be the MTs cause we've given enough already! We've given in our pay, we've forfeited our better judgment and our education and intelligence when we've typed verbatim instead what is correct just because we are told to do so. We've given in our time. We've even started losing our jobs to overseas outsourcing even though we produce a better product simply because we think and question the status quo, where as the India MTs do as their told without question for 2 cpl.
Personally, I would like to see reformation in the MT industry. I would like to see uniformity across the board as far as style, format, rules and regs. I would like to see an organization that represents the MT and not the MTSOs. I would like to see QA departments adopt a set of rules and that's that. I would like the MTSO to treat MTs like they have a brain in their heads and can make judgment calls without being penalized for not typing verbatim that incoherent jibberish Dr. Alibaba dictated.
So instead of leaving the industry, I'm staying to effect change. I'm in the midst of going back to school to prepare for my RHIT credentials and by golly, I'm going beat 'em at their own game and change transcription once I move up that ladder.
If you don't like the us vs. them reality, YOU get out. You're probably contributing to the problem as it is!
DH now knows reality of my job, didnt at first.
x
Reality check
I have been in this business for over 30 years -- the BIGGEST issue that is going on is with a "new generation" who has only voted MAYBE 2 times -- and NO, this post is "not political" HOWEVER, what some of what is being proposed is NOT the end of the rainbow -- I JUST had Fox news on, and there is a proposal to "give free housing to the mentally ill, drug addicts, etc" -- we're griping about our life and this is what the PRESS wants to report -- -- we're peons and no one seems to care -- and as an aside including my SO who is sooooooo concerned now with "Teddys" brain tumor and the fact that the press has reported that its connected to his cell phone -- good grief, I lost a mother to cancer, a husband to cancer and a grandfather to a stroke -- bottom line -- we are going to die, when it is our time to do so -- sorry had to vent
Reality check
A good English course may help with your test scores judging from your posts. Even with verbatim accounts, you still need to be proficient with grammer usage and have a good grasp of the English language. All companies look at this, and score on this.You cannot slack on this if you want to be able to keep a job in this industry. When you are new to a company, they will audit (QA) every single report you type for a while, looking at grammer, terminology, etc. Remember, you will be typing for a lot of ESL (English as a Second Language) dictators who do not have a good knowlege of English and you have to be able to recognize and correct their errors.
Verbatim does not mean you do not have to edit. Every verbatim account has its own rules, but many of them require that you correct such things as subject/verb agreement, a versus an, he/she discrepancies, plurals, etc., much of which many ESL dictators (and even English as a First Language dictators) have no concept of. In my opinion, a verbatim account is a bad place for a newbie to start as you will pick up a lot of bad habits that will haunt you later on should you need to work on non-verbatim accounts later on, but just my opinion.
Getting out into the *real world* can be rough at first and a real reality check, but work on your English skills on top of terminology and I am sure you will do fine. I don't know what course you are taking, but there are only a few who truly prepare you for the real world of transcription and that is a shame. Start testing now for companies (many have online testing on their websites) to learn what you need to work on before you finish your course, it is a great tool for newbies.
I wish you the best of luck.
I should mention that I almost in reality
type in ShortHand because of all the Expanders I have, and rarely have to type a complete sentence. Build up your explander list like the poster below suggested and that will make a world of difference.
In reality, I think most of us DO care - a lot - (sm)
but dealing with inconsistent QA that will pick apart a complicated report by a difficult dictator and mark you down for using a semicolon instead of a comma has resulted in taking a lot of that stuff with a grain of salt. Now, if I get a report back where I made an an error in interpreting what the doc said, THAT makes me very unhappy!
Reality bites doesn't it?
Sorry you don't seem to be able to deal with the reality of MT world as it is in 2005. You are the one with false illusions that somehow there is a code of ethics in any company or these MTs would unite to fight ??? uhh what's the fight and where is it at. Might as well try to get a herd of cats together to fight an undefined battle for you once you figure out who your enemy is.
Idea for new reality show
I came up with this great idea for a new reality show called American MT:
YOU'LL LAUGH when you see the MT struggling to understand English speaking MDs who can barely put a sentence together, foreigners who can barely speak English, food chewers, side talkers, paper shufflers, sneezers, nose blowers, coughers, chokers and the like.
YOU'LL CRY when the American MT is faced with dire consequences such as eviction and malnutrition from the incredible shrinking paycheck and the amazing dwindling workload.
YOU'LL GASP IN HORROR as vital medical records are outsourced to strange lands to be typed by people who barely comprehend, write or speak the English language.
Coming this fall to a TV near you! American MT! You'll have to see it to believe it!
What do you think? Sometimes I kill me!
I just do not understand those reality shows.
It's so annoying to watch them. I did briefly see the guys puking all over while the women cared for them, then I turned off the TV. Really, do we need to see vomit? That's not entertaining. It's amazing the stupid things people will do just to get on TV. And all the squabbling within the teams. It's all garbage nowadays. Nothing is family friendly or entertaining any more.
forgive me - you said REALITY show....sm
well only Extreme Home Makeover was contributory in my post...sorry, I'll read slower next time...
I'm with you ... I get enough reality just with my daily living. sm
Kinda nice to get lost and just veg with my Law & Order and CSI addictions :)
Obviously, I'm in the minority since they seem to come up with more and more reality shows .... I admit to watching the Biggest Loser a couple of times, but I can't imagine being "hooked" and watching it all of the time, sitting on the edge of my seat.
It's not a narrow view, it's reality.
If you don't want to believe it, what do I care? I have seen it with my own eyes for 25 years, long before you ever thought of being an MT or a business manager. As you no doubt are finding out, a bachelor's degree doesn't mean jack sh*t these days.
In theory this is correct, but in reality all of us who are ICs - sm
and work for MTSOs or nationals know otherwise. I have negotiated for a higher rate when applying of course and have gotten it at 2 previous IC jobs. I never got more than that though. At my current IC job though I have asked 2 x and have gotten raises. My last raise (yes my 3rd) I did not solicit, though I was about to ask. I did not get as much as I wanted (only .005) but agreed to it and probably next Spring I will ask (and I am sure get) for another .01 (I make .09 now). I think demanding an increased rate does not go over well, and if you tell them you will only accept .12 or whatever, expect to be "let go". As for the OP, it is unfortunate her MTSO said no way. If I were her I'd be actively looking for a new IC job and get a better rate that way.
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