Please be sure and weigh in on the survey, thanks. nm
Posted By: Jay on 2006-03-21
In Reply to: I have been doing VR for about 4 years now - Love it!! nm - VR Editor
nm
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You don't know why they weigh you?! sm
I hope you're just trying to make a point. You must know that they want to weigh you for the same reason they want to take your vital signs - it gives them important info. about your health. If you've lost or gained weight, that could be a sign of illness, obviously.
Years ago, I lost about 15 pounds from one visit to another, and my doctor noticed and asked me if it was intentional. (It was.) I liked that she noticed and asked. Weight gain or loss can be a sign of so many things: thyroid problems, depression, eating disorder, just to name a few.
Of course, I suppose you can always refuse. I'm sure that's your right. Just like you could refuse to have your BP or temp taken, but... why would you?
I will say, they don't need to weigh people "out in the open" so to speak. My new dr's has the digital readout of your weight up high, where it could conceivably be seen by other office staff, which I thought was a little odd...
Hopefully others will weigh in. ?? SM
Hi, 135. My first thought is that you may need to figure out what else might be contributing to your low line count. I say that because I'm a slow typist too but with an Expander quickly improved beyond that. So, sorry if any of these are ridiculously inapplicable, but here go some thoughts for anyone trying to get faster:
New to typing? Butt in chair typing away as many hours a day as you can stand until speed is good enough, tiring though it is.
New to medical language? Same as above. The more hours each day, the faster you get good (but the progress in this is obvious and exciting to see).
Use reference books instead of computer references? Books take way too much time to get out and thumb through, and you can't do wild-card and most associated-word searches. Get computer dictionary and medical language programs and get in the habit of constantly googling for terms, often even before the programs.
Type and then go back to adjust punctuation? I saw people do that on my first job, and my heart ached for them because I knew they were doomed to do poorly or fail outright if they couldn't learn to punctuate as they went, continually putting more words on paper.
Slow reader, and maybe slow punctuator? Practice reading. For weeks until you're faster and written-language patterns become second nature. Reader's Digest has a nice crisp minimal writing/punctuation style that's good to absorb, but any books or magazines enjoyable enough to read a lot will help tremendously over time.
Killer high standards? I also worked with a woman who focused on every report as if it was her critically ill mother's. Another major production and income killer as there are drastically diminishing returns on time spent achieving perfection, and no one will thank you for it, neither hospitals paying by the hour, nor production-pay outfits. I suspect a few of the people on this forum who say they cannot make a living have this problem. Most companies require 0% critical mistakes but are happy to accept 98%+ overall accuracy. Over 98% is the goal. And in editing, punctuation corrections are made as needed for reading clarity, not for pretty. This also can be hard emotionally, but it's something else we aren't thanked, much less paid, for. A lot of us have our personal obsessions we can't stop fixing, but settle on a couple of indulgences and relax the others to industry standards.
Problems with a bad work platform? Get another job as soon as you can find it.
Set a goal of $150 for 8 hours now. Once you have that you can start paring your shift down to 6 hours, then even less, to achieve it.
Nothing else is coming to mind right now, so if none of those apply, head straight to productivitytalk.com with notepad in hand. There are lots of InstantText gurus sharing away over there.
And once you bump that production up a bit, definitely find someone who'll pay you a higher base rate AND offers a good incentive pay scale. The incentive pay for higher daily production should get you handily to your $150 goal.
Best wishes.
I used to be 235.5 pounds and now weigh 115.5 (sm)
I am in the process of registering with the weight loss registry. I couldn't believe there was one! I did the yo-yo dieting forever. My recommendation to you is to scare yourself into the weight loss. Go get some labs done, etc., and find out how scary some of those numbers are. I personally had a scare, and that's what led to my weight loss. I've kept it off for a year and a half, including through a pregnancy. The weight loss registry has found that those who lose weight and kept it off have been essentially scared into it.
Good luck!
I weigh 290, am 5ƍ" and totally comfortable...sm
with my body. I've been overweight since I was a child. I've lost the weight several times over the past 30+ years but didn't maintain it long because I do enjoy eating. I work out at the gym 4 times a week. I got married this summer to a wonderful man that loves me for who I am and doesn't care that I'm fat. I have no problems with being naked in front of him. He is about 15 pounds overweight so he's basically at a good weight.
I have yearly physicals done and my labs always look great. I've read many articles/research studies showing that it's actually safer for an overweight person to stay at their weight than to go up and down the scales because yo-yo dieting isn't good on the body. I'm quite content with the way I look. I do anything I want to do. I don't get it while some people think that if you're fat you don't have energy. I have tons of energy - and each time I've lost weight it didn't increase my energy. I basically do whatever I want to do and enjoy life each day.
Weigh all aspects for opportunity
I am making $14/hr QA with national and that was supposed to be "starting" pay over a year ago..still waiting for my raise to bring me equal to my peers who are making just a buck or 2/hr more. I don't know about in-house QA but I am a 30-year veteran MT and when I see you say you've been 9-year MT, I am seeing for YOU what I would call an OPPORTUNITY which is something that is hard to put a price on when you're 'relatively young' in your career. I'm just trying to think about when I had 9 years under my belt as an MT in-house and yes, as you say, you still are learning something every day and even at 30 years, I am always learning something every day. In this business if you're not willing and eager to learn each and every day, then you're going to be lost real quick...There are many other factors you should weigh beside pay when looking at this. You need to consider benefits and long-term possible advancement that may be there for you. You have already impressed these people and this could be your chance to get beyond the MT aspect (which, I might add, is becoming more and more of a losing prospect IMO). I'm just saying that you should weigh ALL factors other than pay and see which one offers you the most for your future in this industry and don't miss an opportunity here...you can always go back home if it doesn't work out! Good luck to you.
But labor intensive. They never weigh the
operating costs either against what they are saving. And of course they do not realize that there will always be upgrades down the road to pay for.
I am heavy by society's terms. I weigh
about 210 and am 5'6" tall. Every single female in my family tree for generations had the exact same body habitus. We are all German with big bone structures. I cannot lose weight - period. Been there, tried and done that save for gastric surgery. It is genetic in my case. Seriously, it really can be. I am totally comfortable with my body and how I look - I even love clothes, shoes, jewelry, until....I have to go to the doctors for anything - a hang nail, and its because I'm -- OBESE -- you name it, a cough - its because of that. And THAT makes me MAD! My cholesterol is normal, I don't have high BP and am 50. I am what I am what I am, and am happy with it until the med profession makes me feel like pond scum. All my relatives also lived into their 80s and 90s, the old healthy as a horse body types. I am super strong and in shape. I guess you get the picture. I have no arthritis, either, or any of the normal problems of mid life. I also drink milk - I LOVE MILK. I would probably lose 10 pounds max if I eliminated milk, but then I feel sick and run down. Its been a long time until I did get happy and satisfied with my body structure, but I still honestly hate doctors for their bias. And sometimes it is bias.
What do you do when your wrists ache and your hands weigh a ton but you have to keep typing?
I know I have read posts on here before regarding this topic but I can never find them in the archives. Besides a different keyboard, is there something you can take like a vitamin or different foods that will help? I have noticed that if I eat potatoe chips, my hands are stiff the next morning. Is there a certain brace or splint you can buy that you can wear when not working or do you even wear these when working? I thought I saw some magnetic splint somewhere. I am not like this every day, just some of the time but when I am, it is very frustrating.
What's the survey for?
We have this one, and it works just great.....
MT pay survey!
I am a MT working part time, like less than 20 hours a week. I was curious to the ones who work full time at this. What do you make a month and which company do you work for? I would like to see if there are actually MTs out there making some good money or decent money and what kind of companies provide that. I just wonder what the majority of you are making. With me working so little hours, I don't know what to expect if I worked full time. I just want some insight. 
Hold on before you take that survey!
I have seen this lady before. I could swear when we first checked out her "pay me to take surveys" MLM scam site before she had previously worked at Bloomingdale's, but I do not recall that she had worked there for 20 years or had worked anywhere for 20 years. Seems to me she had references from several people she had supposedly worked with from several different places all swearing up and down what a wonderful and qualified employee she was (too much so, if you get my drift). I don't recall ANY of those said jobs being QA positions, more like sales or clerical. She seems to have had a lot of jobs for someone her age who worked for 1 company for 20+ years.
My point here is that this gal was operating a pyramid scheme just a couple months ago. Her original site was "Join here and pay $20 to take survey's about our MT business, and then refer people to me and you will get $5.00 per person who signs up under your name." I don't believe she is interested in any of this information being factual, she just wants to collect it (along with our personal data) so she can make money by selling it to God only knows whom, probably costing us our jobs or at the very least a whole lot of aggravation with e-mail boxes being filled with spam from other companies. Her only goal (in my opinion) is to make money in a marketing scheme. I guess she thinks the national MT companies are going to pay her for this data just because she collected it? She will claim its accuracy because she did a survey? I also find it odd that while she talks about QA this and QA that, it seems to me what she really means is quality control - and that is a big difference, odd she would not know the difference, isn't it?
Being a former Spheris employee myself, if she was as "all that" in the QA field, she should have started with them. I do wonder if she is still with them and, if not, then my guess is this is how she thinks she can make a living since, apparently, no other companies will have her?
One thing we all noted before, and it is rather apparent on her new site too, is that for someone who has been an MT for 3+ years and is supposedly as good as she claims herself to be, she sure makes a whole lot of errors.
Umm, I took the survey and it had no questions that
^
Survey on IC's vs. Employee
Could anyone tell me if they are an IC or an employee and who they work for? I am trying to find out if I should change all of our IC's to employees or not. Also, could you tell me which one you like better?
Thanks
2007 survey
Says MTs make an average of $27K a year.
Remember pay is production based. If you don't have experience, you're going to be slow.
I would advise you to enroll in one of the better schools. You're going to have a very difficult time getting a job otherwise.
MT salary survey
http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Medical_Transcriptionist/Salary/by_Industry
Interesting Survey!
I hope I posted this in the right spot! Kind of new to this forum, especially with posting messages. I downloaded a medical transcription survey from 2007 from the MTIA web site which I thought was very interesting and would like to share it with you all if you have not read it.
I loved the summary point stating "Doctors do not generate revenue, documents do. Accurate and complete healthcare documents are essential to a doctor's and institution's revenue cycle."
I remain hopeful and optimistic that in the future that we will once again be recognized for how important our jobs really are. All of us can go out and get ourselves a medical secretarial position or other positions in the medical field, but it takes a special talent to do the job we do, and I think many people who think our jobs are not worth the money we deserve, possibly can't do OUR jobs.
This is the link and if it does not work, go to the MTIA.com web site, search under press releases and it is the Bentley MT survey for 2007. Hope you find it interesting.
http://www.mtia.com/Downloads/MTSurveyReport-Preliminary.pdf
Regarding poverty in America... A little survey
Do you believe that:
A: Poverty is mostly the result of poor choices in life, either by yourself or by your parents and grandparents before you, thereby setting up the vicious cycle. Early parenthood, out-of-wedlock births, no father in the home, recycled boyfriends in and out of a home, lack of early childhood stimulation with books/toys, lack of routine and academic expectations, etc.
OR
B: Poverty is societal. Poor people have no choices in America and no real opportunity or ability to raise themselves out of poverty. The way to end poverty is to increase social programs until people are not living in poverty anymore. Poverty is societies fault and the government's fault and therefore theirs to fix.
Line rate survey
Can I get some examples of line rates people are getting from MTSO's. Also if you do give me this information let me know what part of the country and what type of line. (ex. 65 character with spaces)
The Hay Group did a national survey
in 1999. It was very comprehensive, and covered hospital, service and IC MTs across the country. I'm looking at it now, and the drop in compensation between then and now is sickening.
If you contact them, perhaps they have updated the figures. They're online at haygroup with the usual before and after.
I promise I will once the survey is completed....sm
I don't want to influence the results in any way so the information will be unbiased and more meaningful.
Jay
I think it is kind of odd that this survey showed
 posts were on here this morning telling people they'd pay $5.00 for every e-mail address you sell them. I'd be very careful when you are dropping your e-mail address. The survey does not seem to have any company name or anyone's name attached to it for that matter.
Survey Notebook Vs Desktop (sm)
Which is preferred, Notebook or Desktop for working 8+ hours per day doing MT? Any specifics you'd like to share about processor/memory would be helpful. Upgrading my computer and deciding which would work best for me.
I am doing a survey on radiology rates of pay. If you would like to
l
Voice Recognition Editing Survey
I have the opportunity this spring and summer to speak to MTs and business owners in various parts of the country, and one of the topics I'll be discussing is voice recognition editing. After working with it for a year, I have my own opinions on the subject, but I'm hoping to collect information from other MTs who have been performing both editing and traditional transcription for the past 6 months or longer. Your participation would be greatly appreciated.
The link to the survey is: http://www.webstream.us/survey/index.php?sid=1
Jay
I "work" for an online survey place
I do surveys for PineCone Research and that is the only one I know of that is legit. I get products before they come out in the store a lot, too. With each survey I get chosen for (not much, maybe one or two a month so you can't make a living off it, lol), I get a $5 check in the mail. Sometimes, I get chosen to do an online brainstorming session about some new product a company wants to put out, but that has only happened twice in the two or three years I've done it. It's a nice little bonus, and you get to see some new products before anyone else does but you definitely couldn't make a living off it. :) Just thought I'd share. I usually just read here the past few months.
Survey - inquiry minds want to know - how many lines...sm
can you normally type in a 6 hour day? Not your highest, your average please. I know there will be specifics, but base it on your average day, average dictator, average workload. I am very curious to see what everyone else can do. TIA
I've completed the survey & I hope all
x
It took six months to compile the results of the survey/questionairre
asking about how MQ can do better. We got a letter telling us the findings 9 months later and on it apparently lots of MTs beitched about no pay increase and they are looking into it. That was 3 months ago.
MQ is too busy plotting and planning how to rip off the clients and MTs to be bothered with the current problems. They have a bazillion managers but no one seems to be able to keep the simplest things done on a timely basis.
What do you think your company will give you for Christmas: (Survey, I guess, LOL)
x
Free webinar to discuss Bentley College MT survey
This afternoon, May 16, at 1 p.m. Pacific/2 p.m. Mountain/3 p.m. Central/4 p.m. Eastern, Vance Digital/Webstream Information On Demand is hosting a free webinar to discuss the preliminary findings of the Bentley Report. This will be a round-table type meeting and anyone who wishes to comment or ask questions will be welcome to do so. The webinar will be recorded and will be available for purchase. If there is sufficient demand, we'll offer more of these webinars in the near future.
To join the webinar, visit http://www.conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rs34fe20e1c1ac and download the tcConference plugin. Log in with a username of your choice and use guest as the password. You'll need PC speakers to hear others speak, and a PC microphone if you wish to speak. A microphone is not required to participate, as the webinar room has text chat capabilities also.
This session will be limited to 100 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please contact me by email at jaysvance at yahoo dot com if you have any questions.
The report can be downloaded from http://www.webstream.us/downloads/Bentley_MT_Survey_Preliminary_Report.pdf
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