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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

That's IF you're lucky enough to be able to make 200 lph. Many accts are

Posted By: so bad you can't do it. nm on 2007-06-13
In Reply to: I keep hearing about low wages - but just think about this.

s


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A lot of us here still don't make $10 an hour. You're lucky. nm
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I make between $14 and $20 but good accts. sm

Been at it for almost 20 years too.  Lots of templates, shortcuts, etc.  Depends on who I'm transcribing.  With some ESLs I would only make about $7 an hour if I had to do them all day.  My average is right around $17.  With some of my local work (on tapes) my templates are so huge, and I'm so used to what they are going to say, I've made $23.  But that's onlywith certain dictators.  It all varies and some dictators are sooooooo bad, you just lose money.


For example, if I had the $23 dollar an hour guy from my local and then did the $7 ESL from my national and combined 8 hours of work for both, I'm down to $15 an hour.  If I get stupid dicators all day from both sides, sometimes I can only average $12.  I guess it's the luck of the draw, if you know what I mean.


If you're experienced, try for 9cpl or higher, and you're lucky to get that! nm
s
TransTech will do this on the bigger accts when they're swamped. nm
s
You're very lucky! I know what you mean
about not complaining though. It's terrible when there is no work, but it can also be terrible (stressful) when there is too much. But, like you said, need the money...lol.
You're so lucky you can do that!

I wish I could work a few hours, then stop and come back to it.  Unfortunately, my job makes me work a daily straight 8 hour M-F shift, so I don't get that benefit.  I REALLY wish I could find a company where I had flexible hours, but I lose all my benefits with this job and I need them. 


It's soo hard to stay motivated everyday doing this for straight 8 hours. 


 


wow...you're very lucky

You're very lucky to get this as an employee. Keep it! nm
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If you're lucky, you might get offered 8.5 or 9 cpl. nm
s
You're lucky if you DO hear anything.
Most companies won't even acknowledge applicants. They don't even dignify us with a courteous email stating, "No thanks." We're just nameless, faceless means to an end for them. Peon lemmings who exist only to earn profits for them.
You're lucky. I get lots of work but have

Let's get real. You're one of the SLIM minority who was lucky enough
to land a job that pays you extra for the CMT. 90% or more of services DON'T give a hoot about the CMT and they're not going to give a hoot about the RMT either!
1500, lucky if I make that, lost my motivation, how do you guys do it ?

Never get the same dictators, all the OPs are not  the usual appendectomies, T&As, etc, way more extensive, neurosurgery, spinal, etc.  Have 2 accounts, over 150 pages of account specifics, 2 systems in and out, type about 1-2 report from backup account, just enough to waste more time closing out of ChartScript and loging into C quence, then back to CS.  Typed about 1 H&P this  year.  I have no normals.  Rarely ever get ESL dicators though.  Giving myself about another month or two.   Lost all motivation.  How do you guys do it ?   I really need a pep talk.  I just can't concentrate any more.   


You're very lucky and obviously aren't looking up addresses or having to relisten to slop over
s
Foot pedals break easy. You're lucky they supply one. I have SIX different ones gathering dust.
nm
You're lucky they work for you. I've never gotten a refill to work right, ever.
x
You're going to have to make a change.

If you can try to work an hour or so earlier or later to get in some lines when her son is sleeping.  I find that if my children/DH are awake I want to be with them, even if just watching TV, so I'm more productive when they are sleeping.  If you think this new account situation is just a temporary thing and in a month or so you won't have to work so much then just have a talk with son and explain the situation and make an effort to spend some quality time with him.   Starting with any new account is takes a while to get productive, but if this new account is too difficult, ask to try another account or change companies.  


I gave way too much to my job and not enough to my family, even though I had to work, I wished I could do it all differently.  My son has seen pictures and home videos of me hold him in my lap and reading to him and he can't believe I used to do that.  I allowed my work to take priority.  I can't go back and undue the past, but I've learned from my mistakes and working hard to correct things now. 


So what is it that you do that you're so successful at, & how much do you make? (nm)
x
and, you're an IC, so you make a little more because of your taxes.
nm
Maybe if you're fast and make 9 cpl

The way I figured it, to make $60k a year at 40 hours a week you have to type at least 300 lph and make 9 cpl.   Not many 9 cpl offers these days and only experienced, long-term MTs can do 300 lph on a regular basis.


Bet they didn't put that in the ad.


well, of course you make more with your own accounts cuz you're not employee
nm
we're all humans here and we all make mistakes
nm
In our house, we're all allowed to make suggestions. sm
and a lot of the time we do the shopping together. We try to make sure that the majority of us like something before we decide on it for dinner. And we're always trying new things and have found many new favorites that way. However, if there's something we're planning on having that one of us doesn't like, I'll make a simple alternative to it (like maybe fish, etc.)

I certainly can't criticize the kids for not liking everything we like, or tell them to go without if they don't like it, because half of the time it's ME who doesn't like the planned dinner. For example, they all love steak and I can't stand red meat.

We try to include enough of a variety so that everyone's happy. If one person isn't crazy about the main dish, then more than likely they're going to eat more salad and veggies or maybe a sandwich with it. It all works out. :)
Ask for samples, make some templates, and Go! You're blessed to have this
s
Make sure there aren't other taxes that you're overlooking.

Some communities/counties have occupational privilege tax, 911 tax. Some sales require you to collect a sales tax on your service. The best advice is to check with a tax preparer AND visit your state's revenue website to make sure you're not missing anything.


You're welcome! Start dealing with some lawyers, and they make MQ look nice!


Make you request. The worse they can say is NO. I doubt they would say, NO and you're fired.
:+
Well, ya can't make $50k a year unless you're willing to give up your life and be chained to S

you PC 12+ hours a day.  I can't recommend any particular school as I didn't go to one of the "online" schools.  I learned in an actual classroom which I recommend over any of these online schools.  Another thing I recommend is working in an office for at least six months, but more like a year, because there is a gigantic learning curve once you actually get a job.  There are just things that schools can't or don't teach, things that can only be learned on the job from other MTs who have been doing it longer than you.


Don't get me wrong.  It's great to be able to work from home.  Personally, I don't think newbies should be allowed to work at home right out of the gait.  There is some much they don't know.  They need help.  They need to be able to ask questions and one of the best things about working in the office as a newbie, is being able to ask the seasoned MT next to you to listen to something for you.


Having said all that, I think MT is slowly dying.  It's become difficult to make a decent living in this profession.  I'm one of the few lucky ones.  I work at-home for a hospital.  I get paid hourly, get incentive, and have all the benefits of being a FT employee.  Oh, and they can't take my benefits away if I don't make my quota.


You can't support a family on 7 or 8 cpl or even 9 cpl when the dictation is the crap they won't send to India.  I would suggest finding another profession.  The trend in medical coding is that all coders will be working from home soon what with everyone going to the Electronic Medical Record.  I would go into coding.  You may end up working in the office for a while, but I don't see coding being outsourced to India any time soon.  


Good Luck.


You're likely to make more money on the lower rate because easier to understand and can probably
faster and need less time to look things up, etc. Just my 2 cents.
You have to have your own accts SM
and you definitely cannot be only getting 7 cpl.  I have always been an employee of nationals and in-house hospital, have never ever reached $40,000, more like 36, and I have 15 years' exp.
On 2nd thought, if you're NOT a good Italian style cook, make something you ARE good at. Leave th
s
Flooding accts-MQ
I agree totally with what you said, I have an account that is going nuts because of the new MT's that the Amherst office threw in there and now the hospital is doing a lot of their own work but the only people that get hurt by this are the experience MT's that have had the misfortune of being transfered to Amherst. But yet the hiring continues and we are still running out of work. Hopefully there are not too many more offices that they will be closing, we do not need any more MT's sent to Amherst. I hope the statement about the Ohio office closing is not true and if it is, that they are not being transferred to Amherst, not to be mean, but we do not have enough work as it is and any of the accounts that are at the Foxboro office will be going up on DQS soon, which will add accounts but will also add more MT's. Even the accounts that are in Foxboro that are on MTs have all been flooded and those MT's are in the same situation, no work. I just don't understand why these 2 offices are run like they are--I know other MT's from other offices that always have work andcan make their lines every pay period and they are only in one account. Again and again as it has been stated here, why are all the offices not run the same???
Are they losing accts? Do

The work has dried up.   Again I won't make a full paycheck.  Others are saying the same thing.  I think you may be right.  Especially if you are an employee.  But wasn't that their plan from the start?


I can't imagine what this package is they are sending out. 


Unless they are going to offer to provide equipment, sufficient work/or a plan to give me lines (like on-call pay) for sitting with nothing to do IN WRITING, and a raise of 5 cents a line, the package will probably go in the round file right here beside me.


So is it just DQS accts that are out of Amherst?
Wondering.  Trying to piece things together here.
You have new accts--give them to the NE

I was told not to ask for any other accts, we have to do with what we have for now---that the work is low nationwide for MQ--and here you are telling me that you are getting new accts


Again is this MQ lies--if you have new accts and work--send it to the NE--we need it


no, but try to get more local accts....sm
makes one a whole less dependent than the companies using DQscribe (but again I do like the DQScribe program but would NEVER choose it for my private local accounts).  My local accounts still like the personal touch, still dictating into dictaphones, and they just like it this way.....they are not all that interested in getting more techy and they are all 35-48 in age............
Get your own accts. When approach Dr with
x
I live in VA and accts
that we were able to get didn't want to pay as much as I make now. Sounds like you've got a good thing going for you. I may start looking into this again as it's been a couple of years now since we did this.

Thanks for all the great info!
Anyone know the process for getting accts...
directly from Nuance (Dictaphone) to work on that are set up on their Enterprise system?
Have asked to be taken off 3 accts cause cant
x
You're working to make money, not to spend money.
These people should be ashamed of themselves taking advantage of people this way!
yes, i have asked to be switched to other accts
and they have accommodated me. With a previous office, they drug their feet awhile (needing to get other coverage)...but yes, ask!

I started with a second company once that also used DQS. Their tech support was able to give me instructions to retrieve all my shortcuts from my main job and put them into my files with company-B. No problem.

98-99% of the time my offices have worked with me very well -- don't hesitate to communicate your frustrations/needs and see if they won't work with you. Good luck.
Same here. Very low on work with multiple accts. nm
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Need to add, old job I have own accts, new job will be working from pool. nm
:+
for 6 yrs and work is very light on 3 accts....nm
x
to patti and texan, how many accts? sm
I had several accts. which were tape accts. Now I have to go digital, so how do you do it? Do you work for nationals or do you do your own digital setup? Not trying to compete, just a lowly little Transcriptionist trying to simplify my life. At a point in my life where I have to slow down but don't want to, at least I want to make a decent living, not afraid of hard work, just told to cut down, having health problems thanks to "killing myself." Hope it doesn't happen to you, comes on all at once, too many hours at the keyboard, everything starts to "go" at once, lots of pain.
Too many accounts. Would be nice to just have 3 accts. nm
5
WEBMEDX Rad accts-anyone know platform..
is it all internet based or do you have to have a phone line, C-Phone, etc?  Very interested in applying but work now strictly via internet.  Thanks for any input!
I've been thinking of getting my own accts but
I'm worried about not being able to find coverage when I want to take a vacation.

How do you handle this with all the accounts that you have or do you have to take your work with you?
Credit accts pulled
This is not just happening with transcription- it is across the board. Just heard a consumer advocate here in town speaking about that yesterday, not on our end but just general public. The thought of employers is that if you cannot be responsible in your financial life, that your job will be the same. This advocatet was against it. Transcriptionists are not being picked out as a single group, lots more people at same place.
Private Accts - Logistics?

I have been an MT for 8 yrs and have been thinking about getting my own accounts locally.  It would be much more efficient to avoid trips to dr's offices for pick-up/delivery, so my main question is what is a good alternate way to do this?  I have seen email mentioned, but can the work be transferred securely this way...is it emailed as an attachment so that work is done on another platform that has expanders/shortcuts integrated...what platform/program to use??  What equipment do I need...what equipment does the dr need for dictation...do I provide it or does doc?  I have so many questions about the logistics of working this out...detailed info would be greatly appreciated.


What to charge? ....I know this is controversial...was thinking .14 cpl (65 character), 12 font, ? margins.  Recommend higher or lower rate? (region=major city in AZ)


Marketing:  How to introduce service in marketing material...should I include price in the material or just say something like "reasonable" or "competitive"?


I welcome any input you may have, especially on the issue of specifics how to receive/deliver work, platform/equipment needed.


Thanks