Lots of greedy MTSOs started out as MTs.
Posted By: see msg on 2008-06-03
In Reply to: I'm not an MTSO - sm - Laurie
It's about money. Always it. How much you guys can stuff into your own pockets, and how little you can pay the people who make your income possible.
My heart bleeds.
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THOSE GREEDY MTSOS AND THE BEATING OF DEAD HORSE BY QADRAGONLADY
Yes they are greedy and hire the cheapest they can get by with. They are the ones who took over what used to be transcription companies owned by women. They saw a chance to make some easy money and that is the bottom line. They checked us all out, moved in like vultures and offered our clients free equipment, discounted work for a year, and then it has turned into this mess that we see now with offshoring, bickering, low wages, and on and on. Now they are overcharging the clients that were unfortunate enough to fall for the line of garbage when theyear switched over to the "bigger techno MTSO" who really were unprepared, as far as I am concerned, for what they took on. Look where we are now, offshoring, and on and on and on. Sigh.
Another thing I would like to see is QA departments policing themselves. I pulled out 22 binders filled with templates, samples, etc. from 10 different sources and guess what I found? Mistakes by the boatload. These are samples that were sent out to MTs by QA departments to "go by" - how hilarious. These were companies with great reputations and some are currently in business using the same templates, the same samples, etc. The temples were to be used "verbatim" and the MT is to insert any changers by the dictator, but all else was to be left. One had cc as cc's (gasp) and wrong tenses (gasp), 7.0 instead of 7, and on and on. Some were horrendous and beyond belief and were handed out by QA departments.
One client that I do business with has five QA people and none of them agree with the other. They all have their own "style" as they put it. So, it just depends on who is on if they pull your report for a once-over or you have a blank. Then,, the politics goes like this: They all want the MTs to send the QAs you got from other QA people to THEM (the QA person who did not QA that report). That is like QA doing QA on QA. Sounds like maybe extra careful? No, they then send it to their supervisor trying to get the other QA persons fired. Nice colleague interaction going there, right?
I only go by BOS almost completely if the work is hospital because of the audits that go on with JCAH or whatever they call themselves these days. Then, sometimes the doctors don't agree with JCAH and want it their own way, which may not be the way some QA wants it. The bottom line is I tell them from the outset that I do it the right way, the way the one who signs the document wants it. That is the bottom line. If the hospital complaints I refer them back to the dictator. When I have one of those I put comments on the page for my future reference and that of QA. I only violate the dictators wishes when he or she wants me to transcribe against HIPAA regulations (like the patient's name, address, and phone number, etc.) I then comment that the information was dictated, but not transcribable due to HIPAA regulations.
Yup ... smaller MTSOs, local MTSOs (sm)
local doctor's offices or clinics! Don't get discouraged!! :)
BBQ, slaw, cornbread, ham, casseroles, lots of veggies, chicken pastry, lots of desserts!! BIG fami
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Greedy MT is right
I totally disagree. The reason that half of them cannot get their line count in is because there are probably several of you working "off schedule" and it makes it impossible. I run a small MTSO and if I knew that some of my IC's were doing what you do, they would be out without a second glance. That is why the accounts run short and it is hard to balance the amount of MT's with the accounts. But I think you are wrong and selfish to not care about anyone else but yourself. Whatever your money buys you won't help you at the day of revelation.
greedy.
x
Lots of inexpensive decorations at Big Lots. Had a party last year.
s
Gosh, you must be one of the greedy MTs
As you said, greedy MTSO's usually end up...
out of the business. Or, at least, we transcriptionists warn each other about business owners like that one. I have had the same experience as has so many MT's who have been doing this for some time. Yes, I hope that I can both pay experienced transcriptionists well, add a few of the many benefit requests that have been posted here, and also make a profit. I certainly intend to try! 
Greedy Ins. Compaines
<<(especially with my disgust at the way greedy insurance companies treat our citizens..especially the elderly)..>>
Jennifer,
Unfortunately, the hospitals (and doctors) also treat their patients the same way. The "padding" of bills has been ongoing for years.
I use to pay medical claims and had to go through the hospital charges with a fine tooth comb.
And, yes, some do charge for a Band-Aid, aspirin, etc!
Thankfully, this practice was seen in only one or two doctor charges but nevertheless, it was present.
Please, don't take this post as pro-insurance companies, as I'm not. But, neither am I pro-hospital billing depts.
Greedy companies.
x
LOTS and LOTS of video tapes and DVDs.
x
If greedy MTs would work their schedule...
management would not have to remind them to stop stealing work from another MTs schedule.
So you are angry at Indian MTs and not the greedy
xx
you seem like a greedy uncaring person, so I wouldnt
But for how long, pretty greedy folks there!!! NM
x
As long as this country allows greedy companies (s/m)
so send good U.S. jobs to people in other countries with a lower standard of living who will happily work for far less than a person could ever support themselves on here in the U.S., transcription and other good jobs will go down the toilet. I'm still glad I didn't waste my time in college, because nowadays that's no protection, either. The short-sightedness of offshoring U.S. work is the same as hiring illegal immigrants - except the workers stay in their own countries. I guess in the future, the only way to compete will be to MOVE to India, Pakistan, etc., and work THERE for American companies.
shame on those greedy union workers sm
They just HAVE to eat every day now, don't they. Why the nerve of them...to think they want health care benefits and retirement pensions.
n the meantime,the poor CEOs and board members are going broke with no $$$ left to fuel their private jets so they can go beg for a tax payer bale out.
i'm neither greedy or uncaring. i just have so much time in the day and to get atta girls and no
is a waste of my time. i use my money to help others who are not as fortunate as i am so it's not about stock piling cash for myself. you are a very poor judge of character and in the meantime, for every supportive e-mail you get from a supervisor who gets paid to send you the e-mail, we are that much further from getting a raise. they pay some dumba$$ to tell you are doing fine and don't give you a raise cause they have to pay a dumba$$ to tell you that you are doing fine. how much sense does that make? don't you have family and friends to reinforce you - for free?
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MTSOs
You are not wrong but in my opinion, you are giving them too much credit. The reason why they don't do what you ask is because most of them are not concerned with making your life easier; rather, they are more concerned with figuring out more ways to cheat you and to make your life more difficult. Then when you get disgusted and quit, they will just get somebody else in a very short time to replace you because you are very expendable. And it goes on and on in the same vicious cycle.
MTSOs
You know, there has to be a market between the dastardly corporate MTSOs and small transcription companies. It seems to me that if a talented, aggressive MT with a good business sense could find a way to create a "team" approach to the transcription business, perhaps one could find that niche and sell "team transcription" to good accounts that the MTSOs screw up and have cheated. After all, you have to believe that with the scandals in the transcription corporations - over billing, sending work over seas without informing the client, a lot of trust is lost by some of these unsatisfied accounts. I say, find a way to market to those clients in a "team group" and find the right price, somewhere a little lower than the MTSO charges and go after those accounts aggressively in a group. There is a market there you know.
more than most other MTSOs pay.
it is not kosher to share on public forums what a company pays.
I would not think many MTSOs would want to
x
No, it's not just the MTSOs (sm)
The actual doctors don't want to pay more than minimum wage for transcription either. As an independent, I've had doctors balk at 12 cpl (which is BELOW what the MTSOs are getting, believe me) and I've lost business because I wouldn't take $6 an hour or what equated to 7 cents a line.
So where am I at? Making peanuts working for MTSOs who are getting 15+ cents per line as a middleman for these same kinds of physician while I'm making a paltry 7-8 cpl. It's a no-win situation.
Help for new MTSOs? sm
I have questions about proposals, equipment, and what to charge in order to get started. Are there any web sites out there to help me in this? I have books that I have read, but they go over the basics of start-up MT services.
You should run this by the MTSOs and
see what they think.
This is why the MTSOs have gone so low
single mom, does not want to work away from home. I bet they love reading postings like yours. They have women where they want them, just lower the rates because these people are saying they cannot leave the house.
When MTSOs overhire, this is what happens:
There are actually MTs who work to support their family or supplement their income to meet the customary lifestyle. When MTSOs overhire, leaving the MT with very little work, I have observed this - Jobs are done hurriedly. When extra foot work is required (due to discrepancy in report, incomplete info provided, etc.), the MT who is desperately trying to meet their bills will skip the job or disregard the need to research and go on to the next job. This is extremely dangerous for everyone concerned. At times, it is weeks before the incomplete report is realized.
I do not fault the MT entirely. When the MTSO overhires, they are setting themselves up for this. I do believe 98% of us want to do a really good job, especially those who have been at this for years. But, I have noticed this more and more, and it will, MTSOs, come back and bite YOU.
When you have a dependable employee who can be counted on for production of a certain amount of work, provide that to them.
MTSO - When you get a new account and hire top shelf MTs initially to get the ball rolling and make a splashing impression, do not replace them with lower rate MTs afterwards - it is obvious when the company is hiring nonstop and they already have MTs sitting at home idle for hours at a time. And this creates, MTSO, the "disgruntled employee" who may make every attempt to ruin your reputation each time they can.
I have just come home after being in house for a few years and after three months, I see this happening with my company and, according to the board, it is widespread. It is an issue that needs addressed before someone, namely the patient, is hurt by it.
Unfortunately MTSOs now do good if....sm
they collect 15 cpl. With the pressures from overseas vendors the pricing has dropped to 12-14 cpl. In the "old" days (prior to say 5 years ago) the going rate was 20-25 cpl and of course companies could afford to pay 10-12 cpl easily.
Wellll, I don't know about MTSOs, but JLG -- Please SM
was helping with our hospital transcription.
We got paid $1.50 a minute if we did 2500 minutes a month ($1.75 a minute for all minutes over 2500).
JLG got $3.25 a minute. I saw the bill. I saw it with my own eyes. I nearly fell over. And to boot, it was horrible transcription, FULL of ridiculous errors, blanks. And we had to convert the text files. It was such a bunged up mess.
I lost all my trust at all in the hospital since they were paying us HALF of what they paid a service. I even contacted JLG to see if I could hired to work on MY hospital's account. They were going to pay me 7 cpl. What a joke.
Any Medikin using MTSOs out there?
I am in the process of opening my own mid-sized transcription company. I am still in the process of deciding what TASP to go with as I do not want the hassle of maintaining my own equipment. I have been looking at Medikin's website and am very impressed with what they have to offer for the price. If anyone is currently using or has used them in the past, could you please post your experience here.
Good MTSOs are even
more difficult to find than good MTs. Many of them have negative attitudes and expect indentured servitude in exchange for peanut wages. Many of them have limited, at best, technical or MT knowledge. We get tired of the ranting emails that don't even apply to us from a PMSing or menopausal females. Disorganized, poor communication skills, cheap, selfish, zero management skills, lack of a formal education, lousy platform, personal life issues conflicting with job performance. You'd be able to find good MTs if you were a good MTSO.
From an MTSOs standpoint
no, I'm not one ... just throwing a coin into the playing field ...
Wouldn't having only ICs working "for" a company mean less liability. IOW, if MQ phased out the SE status, could that take a potential monkey off their back?
OTOH, they can hire all the ICs they want, but if those ICs only work for MQ, they're still considered SEs ... correct?
small MTSOs
There's a great online resource for MTSOs of all sizes, varying benefits and pay, and variety of work. It's called www.MTJobs.com. Sign up to be on their mailing list. There are usually at least 50 companies listed on each newsletter, which comes out twice a month. Good luck in your search, and prayers for God's healing of your medical problems. :)
To MTSOs or QA Managers
I recently took over QA for a small company just purchased. Previously there had been essentially no QA rules. If any of you could send me examples of how your QA is set up, the percentages you deduct for errors - common, critical, etc., it would be most appreciated. Any rewards given for high QA or deductions would be appreciated as well.
Patti or other MTSOs...
Hi,
Need to get my own account/s instead of relying solely on the national (guess who). Getting a client in my area is probably the easy part. The hard part is the logistics of software, paper, etc. Not having dealt with this stuff working with a national, it is the *simple* things that are a mystery to me (and others, I suppose). I hate to even inquire about transcribing for someone, not knowing what equipment I will need, what software, kinds of paper. I am sure I would come across as an idiot (like right now, maybe?)
OKay, well, I looked online at Dictaphone and it looks like there are mini, micro, and standard cassette units (not to mention digital online programs), so I guess you WOULD have to find out which the client prefers before investing in one, and I know you can get them on EBay, but what else? Does the software come with the transcriber? I don't suppose you can type them out in Word? I suppose one can buy a medical spellchecker. Then you need paper if you are going to print them out...what kind? Anything else? There are so many variables. I suppose I should first contact the two MTSOs that I know locally and ask for overflow work. That way, they could help me learn about this stuff.
No slamming, please. Very sensitive tonight as I just received a call from my Supervisor, very nicely hinting that I need to bring my line count up but, as we talked and now, hours later, I have *no jobs* on my screen. Pretty hard to get that line count up with no jobs!
Thanks for any tutoring and/or advice. 
MTSOs AND RESUMES
As a recruiter, it is nice to have the references already listed in the resume.
To all MTSOs. please help with answer..sm
I have been a Transcriptionist for 14 years and I am looking to become an Editor. I have experience in many specialties. The problem I have is most places want an experienced Editor to fill their positions - how do I get a chance to become an Editor without any experience. I have asked my company that I work with now about a position but they too want an experienced Editor. Please help! My poor hands need a break. I love transcription field and want to stay in it. I am just wondering how long my hands will hold out. I have every resource that I need for the position - last year I bought the COMPLETE set of Stedman's reference materials because I know how important it is to have good, reliable reference materials.
Any and all information would GREATLY be appreciated! I am just looking for a company that will be honest with me as I will be with him. I am easy to get along with but would really like a chance to go in this direction.
Thanks and hope you all are having a great weekend!
don't feel sorry for MTSOs sm
the person I work for is making hundreds of thousands profit off all of us and I'm being paid higher than 8 cpl. Don't feel sorry for MTSOs
MTSOs...What, if any, TASP do you use?
I don't like the one I'm currently with and am looking for some other options. What do you like about yours? You may email me if you prefer.
Ungrateful MTSOs
I know how you feel. I worked this way for years. Just Friday night as I was at the end of a report, I got a call that my son had been in an accident and was being transported by ambulance to the hospital. I signed off the report and shot a quick email to my supervisor that I had to leave to go to the ER. I had a nice email the next day from both my supervisor, as well as our QA person inquiring as to how he was doing and not asking at all - "when are you going to be able to work again" that note was so very appreciated, as most that I have worked for would have only inquired as to when I would be up and running on "their" work again - their only thought being on how I wasn't producing during a bad personal time and how they couldn't afford for me to take too much time off. I appreciate you, for what that is worth, and I hope that you will one day find a compassionate MTSO to work with. There are some out there, but they are very few and far between. By the way - my son is going to have to have surgery, but his life is intact and we will get through this setback.
small MTSOs
Ditto. I am not at all happy with the nationals.
An exception to MTSOs
I see that my post has been removed. Perhaps it was too inflammatory. . In all my "trying out" of companies across the board, I can say that there are a couple of exceptions to my post about MTSO's. One of them is the owner of Keystrokes. I do appreciate this company for being above-board, line count appears to be accurate and pay is always correct and on time. There are still a few good ones out there.
Any in-house MTs or MTSOs...
...or MTs who used to work in-house, have doctors/clients who want you to call them by their first name and insist on it. I'm in California, so I'm used to the first name stuff - though I was raised by "formal" parents who insisted that I call everyone by Mr. or Mrs. or Dr., saying I should do so even when I became an adult, particularly with customers or clients. But I still want to keep it professional...just my pet peeve I guess. 
IC is just a ruse that MTSOs use so they don't have to
pay employment taxes, etc. I've never worked an IC job where I was truly an IC. They tell you there's 24 hour turnaround, but they really mean 8 hours or less. The MTSOs tell us how to do the work and with what equipment/software, when to work, etc. That is NOT an independent contractor! They expect you to sit there doing nothing if there's no work, but have a conniption fit if you need a day off. I went three years working six days a week without a day off.
The IRS definition of an IC is "Who is an Independent Contractor? A general rule is that you, the payer, have the right to control or direct only the result of the work done by an independent contractor, and not the means and methods of accomplishing the result."
MTSOs - Need hep with new account please....SM
I had my meeting with the office manager of my new account. With the system I use now for my other account (Word-based), the front desk receives my completed transcription via a secure transfer program, downloads it, and prints it.
The problem I have is the new office wants eight computers to have access to the dictation. With the way things are now that would mean all eight would have to download the transcription in order to have access to it. This would work, but I do not feel it is the easiest thing for them to do and I want to retain this account, so I want to find something that is easier that would allow all eight to have access to the dictation.
I believe what I’m looking for is something more like a web-based program where I could upload the dictation and then the eight people could have access to the dictation that way. I’m not familiar with FTP sites or what other options are out there. What I need is a way to transfer my files to the office where all eight people/computers could have access to it, make any changes if needed to the dictation where all eight people would then have access to the final dictation. Does anyone have any ideas? I’m totally willing to put a little money into this, but I just don’t know where to begin. Are there any MTSOs out there who use a program that sounds like it fits my needs or any ideas to guide me in the right direction.
Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated. TIA
You sound like most MTSOs who don't
Experienced MTs are worth their weight in gold because they can produce and produce fast.
An inexperienced MT needs to be molded and shaped and in no way can produce the amount of work an experienced MT.
Just in those two sentences I've summed up my opinion of this industry at this stage in the game with formal training way before AAMT came about and producing quality documents.
It's do or die!
It's sink or swim!
All of this hogwash you've typed is a waste of time. Offshoring is going on because it's cheap labor and not because they're good or put forth effort.
The amount of knowledge and skill comes from transcribing real documents by real dictators and not by books or prefab practice sets.
COME ON!!
This is all, of course, JUST MY OPINION! I'm making loads of money in this field because I have the skill set and the only feedback I want is from the physician himself! Thanks and have a nice day! 
Yes, like why do MTSOs allow padding to
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