Not at all. Just time for a reality check, dear.
Posted By: nm on 2007-05-09
In Reply to: get up on the wrong side of the bed?? - MC
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Don't need a reality check
I don't realize that ICs don't have health insurance. Thank you for your tips.
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. 
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.
Sounds like your hubs needs a reality check. Is your income
s
It's dear husband most of the time, but there are a few days where the D might
x
This must be your first time here. Check
x
It's 12:00 noon, time for a line check.
 
I f you are working at the time you want to check the lines, hit F9
xx
How reliable can they be if you still have to check their work after all this time? Just getting th
does not make them reliable.
Need to vent... (If you have time to kill, check it out!)
I am so frustrated right now I could just scream! If nobody even makes it to the end of this I will understand, but I'm just livid.
First of all, I was due my paycheck on the 15th. I work for a small MTSO, and our checks are frequently late at the end of the month. (The checks due the last day of the month usually get paid sometime during the first week. I'm used to that now.) But the paycheck on the 15th is consistently on time. Our mortgage is due on the 1st with a grace until the 15th. With the terrible economy and struggling like we tend to do, we usually pay on the 15th. We save half our checks from the 1st week of the month then pay the mortgage when we both get paid on the 15th so that we don't have to take the huge mortgage hit out of one paycheck but rather spread it out over two. (Hope that makes sense.) Well, I was told on Monday that we would PROBABLY be paid by FRIDAY, but that it's not for sure. Since I won't have my check, and we will be paying after the 15th, we will get a $75 late fee on our mortgage. Is it too much to expect to be paid ON TIME?
It gets better. The very next day after this news, my MTSO emailed me saying that a client was missing 5 patient reports. She kind of went "high and right" on me saying that she didn't have them, the client didn't have them, I didn't send them, where are they, etc. I was calm, knowing that I didn't make that mistake. I went back and found the files. I sent the files. I then went back and searched my email until I found the email that contained the missing files. I forwarded the email in its entirety, complete with headers showing the time and date it was sent, and put in the email what basically amounted to, "The original email contained 20 files, 7 of which were for other clients and 13 of which were from XYZ Ortho. Since the other clients never complained of missing files, and since XYZ Ortho isn't complaining about the other 8 files, I am confident that you sent the files on to XYZ Ortho and they just lost them." (Which this client has done over the last four years, losing files that have been sent and then blaming us.) I finished with, "I have forwarded the original email so that you can use this to show the client that the problem is not with their Transcriptionist - don't let them blame us!"
I graciously did not point out what I really wanted to point out, which was that I sent my boss the files like I do every morning. If the client lost their files, there is still no reason why my boss shouldn't have been able to pull them up from her computer!
The next day, however, I get a pissy email saying "I never got your original email. I searched my computer and I searched my computer and the files are not there. You will have to get a more reliable ISP, because I'm not getting your email.... " She went on to blame me for the problem in SPITE of the fact that I already pointed out that the problem could not possibly have been with me.
Now I'm really cheesed, because either she's just plain dense or she thinks I'm just plain dense. I wrote back reiterating that I just forwarded her the original email. She's only missing FIVE files. The original email contained TWENTY files for DIFFERENT clients (including one that is VERY picky about getting their files back in less than 24 hours -- if they hadn't gotten their files I would have heard about it weeks ago! ). I told her that why she can't find the five missing files on her computer or in her email is obviously a problem on HER end, but considering that my other clients aren't missing anything and the problem client is only missing a few of the files, the problem clearly is not with me. I sent the files. The files were recieved. What happened next, either with her or with the client, is not something I can control.
The next day I get an email that said, "Found the problem. Thanks."
WHAT? She accuses me of losing files, not sending files, put it on me and then when it's pointed out that she's the one who did something wrong there's no "Sorry I blamed you, it was my fault." I'm telling you, I am HOT. 
This on top of the fact that I'm not getting paid is the reason why I am currently interviewing for a work-primarily-from-home analyst position with a local company. I really expect professionalism, and this isn't it!
If you've made it this far, you deserve a hug.  Thanks for listening!
How astute to check the turnover time, hadn't thought
of that. But, you're right, no way that's a coincidence, and your surety on this is confirmation. I'm sorry for you--that's a huge decrease in your lines. Good luck in your search for something better.
Thanks ... guess I'll have to check it out some time ... like I need to find more ways to goof of
x
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!!
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.
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
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.
It is a reality in this business. It is the only way for them to compete, but it
aa
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.
It would be nice if there was a reality board
Where posters didn't say "Run, Don't Walk" but then say nothing else in their post. And where people could post what's really happening at their jobs without being censured by their bosses or being kept from knowing the names of their co-workers.
But then,that's sort of what MTStars is like, a Reality Board. If someone makes an allegation, they get challenged to back it up with specifics, regardless of whether it is negative or positive.
There are other Pollyanna MT bulletin boards MTs can go to, but they go to MTStars because is the most direct and honest. There may be some negative posts occasionally, but MT who want the truth wouldn't want it any other way.
Reality? Oh, my. Follow blindly. That's not
I haven't seen one post of hers that is even remotely helpful. Usually jumps in only to tell someone how foolishly wrong they are because they don't do things her way. However, I will continue to read and see if I can find the reality of which you speak in any of her posts.
Yes, my daughters are getting smart to reality.
When they are out in the "general" public with their girlfriends they know not to flaunt themselves in a disrespectful way. We, as in all parents on both sides, chosen to accept our children because I feel like condemning them for something they believe in is wrong. Do I deep down hope and pray it is a phase and they will change, I'd be lying if I said no, but will I love them any less if it doesn't happen that way, of course not. I do feel bad because my stepdaughter was extremely close to her grandparents and when they found out they asked her to keep her life to herself and they are opting to go with the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. They are fairly religious and state that they will never acknowledge anything in her life that pertains to that. At 18, she was crushed but her love for them stays strong and she respects their beliefs. As a side note, my sister who is a year older than me decided she was a lesbian too after 3 marriages, 3 children and more men that I could ever count her whole life. Honestly, I feel this is some kind of "trend" and it is a little disturbing. I have met some people who were "different" day one and I would think to myself "wow, they really are a man in a women's body and vice versa." It is obvious that they were born that way and had no choice, but what I see now is more of a lifestyle choice when you spend your own life being boy-crazy and then all of a sudden you only date women. What is the world coming to...being "open-minded" is about the only way to put handling all of this.
Stating the reality isn't being pessimistic.
wide open and landing accounts with no contacts was an easy thing to do, I'd tell the OP to go for it and good luck. But I know from experience what is true. I have plenty of accounts and ALL of them came my way via connections. First I worked as an MT in a hospital for many years and I left there to start my own business and from my hospital connections accounts came my way. Then my clients referred accounts to me. Not one of my clients has come from advertising or cold calling or sending letters of introduction or flyers. Not one.
Anyone seen that reality dating show "hookup"?
It sounds interesting to me as I have tried on line dating before, mostly just horror stories, so I could probably relate well. Wondering if it was any good, and if its still supposed to be on Thursdays.
Or completely immature and out of touch with reality
.
Is anyone missing a good reality TV show right about now?
I'm so bored with TV right about now. I used to look forward to Survivor, the Apprentice and even Martha Apprentice. Am I the only one who thinks Desperate Housewives is just plain goofy and most of the sit coms with canned laughter fall flat? Help. Find me a good show this is not concocted to appeal to the lowest common denominator watching TV.
ABC soaps and plenty of reality shows...nm
They have totally lost their sense of reality. nm
nm
OMG this is insane....you guys need to get out and enjoy yourselves..reality tv taking over
x
Post not EXCELLENT, but completely out of touch with reality
like you think the MT's control the pay in the MT world? Either you need the job and you take it for the pay or you have another option. MT's without another option will take the job at 6 cpl, or 4 cpl or whatever. When working at McDonald's becomes an option that is equivalent to MT work, then MT's will choose McDonald's.
The Transcriptionist is just ONE cog in the wheel of the whole industry. If people continue to look at only the MT's part, they miss the big picture. If all it took were people saying Let's all stand up together and demand better wages, then why couldn't the cashiers at the grocery stores across the US do the same thing? They can't. Because it they don't cashier for $8 an hour, there's somebody else who will. Same thing has happened with transcription. If you don't take the job at 6 cpl, somebody else will. It might be somebody from India (which you so quickly discounted) but I'll let you in on a little secret. The people from India who are doing MT typically have 2 master's degrees. They are hungry for work. They are intelligent, competent individuals, willing to work hard. They might have a little bit of a quality issue right now because of the language barrier, but it won't be long before you have lots and lots of Indian MT's with 2 years experience, who have learned from their mistakes, who have learned American idioms... and then you are really going to see the bottom drop of out the market.
Check at a local nursery/garden center for varieties that are bred for your area, then check online
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