Then it's impossible to comment on the QA's note. sm
Posted By: TechSupport on 2009-03-17
In Reply to: Yes . . . I know, but I am afraid of losing my job if I do. - Venting.
There are, of course, situations where it's pretty obvious that an individual guessed at a term rather than either looking it up or leaving a blank.
For instance, when the MT uses a term that has no logical relationship to the subject being discussed, that's a pretty good clue that she did not look up the definition of the word.
I'm not saying that's what happened in your case; I don't know enough to say. What I would suggest is that you decide on one of two courses of action:
a. Let it ride. It's doubtful that the QA intended to insult you, although "please check the definition of terms that you're not sure of" might have been more diplomatic (or would you have liked that any better?).
b. Talk it over with the QA calmly. Let her know that you thought her comment was offensive and presumed something that wasn't true.
Either way, I'm sure you're already aware that it's always better to leave a blank than to use the wrong term - whether by "mistake" or by "guessing". I know that all of us take great pride in completing our work accurately and it just kills us to have to leave blanks (a wonderful attitude, by the way!), but sometimes its just unavoidable - and if you've done your reasonable best to resolve a blank without success you've done your job. Leave the blank and get a second set of ears on it. After all, the doc might have used a term that doesn't even belong there in the first place.
I hope you're able to resolve this conflict with your QA or get past it. I know how these things take approximately 63.795% out of the joy of your work! :D
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It's nearly impossible to get by even on
This biz stinks more every single day.
Not impossible more improbable.
I didn't say it was impossible. Just not the norm and harder to prove. As in this case.
they are already impossible to reach
18,000 lines and your rate increases by half cent, whoopee. MQ is a complete joke, a bunch of greedy, phony liars. This whole business is in the toilet and i'm just sorry I didn't start school for a dif career sooner to be out of it NOW. I'm gradually having to cut down on spending because my rate of pay is not up with the times, severe hand pain day after day, condescending technicians and supervisors. I feel trapped.
hahahaha - yup, it's impossible!!!!
x
Appreciate your thoughts, but all of this is impossible.
For so many reasons. As one poster stated, these boards only reach about 10% of the MTs (very small number). I, among others, have written numerous letters. Heck, I even wrote to Obama, my congressman, major news papers, news programs, news magazines, etc. It does not do any good. I filed a complaint with the Employment Comission and Labor Board on the working requirements and procedures (that got me laid off).
Another very important thing to consider here is that not all MTs are unhappy. I was for a very long time, but I am quite happy with my working conditions and pay at this time (even though I do not expect it to last due to the industry evolvement). There are also more MTs than not who can not afford to do what you say is a good idea (strike or whatever). Some will lose their jobs as I did and even if they did not, they simply cannot afford to go without pay for any length of time. How effective would all of this be if only a couple of people from different companies did this? We all work for different companies, and again, they are not ALL bad, even though there are not many of those left. There is also the consquence of them replacing us with near-newbies at even lower wages, increasing the company profits, and further damaging the industry.
Our only hope was the AHDI and they stabbed us in the back. More offshoring is being done to cover the tax/cost implications currently in motion, again further damaging the industry. I just have to believe that it will evolve to its worst, and then swing back our way. Wishful thinking, I know but that's all I've got.
1000 lines a day, impossible? sm
this is not unrealistic. On a good day, I can easily do 16-1700 lines! A mere 1000 lines per day is NOT an unachievable goal, even for a newbie or semi-newbie. My company requires 1200 lines a day, which I believe is about average! 
I too felt like it was an impossible career
Now 8 years later, I'm glad I stuck with it. Before working at home, I worked for two years at a local hospital and that really helped me build my work experience and really helped when I went out on my own. By working at the hospital, I became familiar with the local docs and eventually got my own accounts with them. I had to let those accounts go because I moved, and now I am working for a small MTSO for the timebeing. I had no problem getting this job. I had applied to many different places and was overwhelmed with job offers. If you stick with it, it gets easier. You've invested time and money into this, have patience and see it through.
I have an idea. Let the MTSO do impossible
his business. Instead of expecting me to do him for 1/2 of what he is paying, let her do him.
LOL! Know just how you feel. They are near impossible to grow in SoFla.
aa
Yes its true. They seem to be setting impossible limits for everyone lately and you have to wonder
if they just want people to quit.
The best place to get experience is in a hospital. I think it is near impossible
to work from home without the valuable experience of working onsite with others around to listen and train.
The schools all hype everyone up on working at home, but it is not that easy!
had a dictator who would give me an impossible long-
unpronounceable name, like Thyvongngang Tamboyvonangouwengay - and then say "common spelling" like it was John Smith. Cracked us both up every time.
Impossible to give answer as it all depends
on voice recognition program, dictator, etc. I am working in such a lousy program lucky to get in 800 lines a day - it's the software - I spend so much time deleting what is there it is not even funny. I could type from scratch much faster.
One thing I've learned in life is it's impossible to
stand up for themselves. Maybe only 1 in 100 will even try. Sad to say, but we've brought a lot of this onto ourselves.
Thank you for response. :( I figured it was nearly impossible for transcribed lines.
I think my co. wants me to quit...
I find infectious disease to be IMPOSSIBLE, with all the bacterias AND the meds.
x
I wanted to learn it, but I fear the learning curve would be impossible. sm
 since I can't take any time off from the qwerty keyboard. How did you make the conversion?
At 53 working 2 jobs 80 hours a week is impossible. I tried it, it does not work!! (sm)
I have been at this business 30+ years and at one point worked 3 jobs and 2 were for hospital contracts with taxes taken out and the other IC. It gives you no life. My suggestion, if you need the extra $$ work your 40 during the week, then 1 or 2 nights 2 hours and then Sat/Sun 16 hours which would give you 20 hours. That is more than enough and will give you a chance to see if you want to make a job change. Have tried the 2 FT 80 hours and almost had a seizure over it. Remember if your not physically well you cannot do it all!
You must live in Calif - finding a good old doctor is nearly impossible here.
It amazes me. But, it is true. The stories I have heard are heartbreaking.
I blame it on the cap they placed on malpractice suits. Doctors here are complacent. In my town, we go to Stanford or UCLA for serious illnesses. It is well worth the drive.
Explain you took on 2 acct at same time but find it impossible to do adequate job for 2 accts.
:P
QA comment
I just wanted to say a few things from the world of QA. There are some MTs who get dictators the likes of which I just cannot even describe as far as ESLs. Oh my. My heart just bleeds for you all - I mean it. I don't know how you do it, the dictators are that awful. But most of you MTs who get these language-murdering dictators struggle and persevere thru usually endless reports. It IS noticed, though you might think its not. Not that peon QA people can do anything for you, but I do notice and applaud you. And I DO mention names of these MTs to account managers on a regular basis, praising their effort on these impossible dictations. Don't know if it helps, but I like to believe it does! On the flip side, there are other MTs who are just a disgrace to our profession - they're not learning or new (we can tell). They are simply lazy and sloppy, making the most horrendous careless STUPID mistakes one can even imagine. Sometimes my mouth just hits my desk in horror. And I just shake my head and wade in and fix the entire report myself - that's what I'm there for, right? And for those who take offense that some mistakes are stupid - well, there are some that are stupid! No questions are stupid, but mistakes sure can be! I wish all of you could see firsthand what is out there as far as the quality of MTs. I know you would be amazed at the disparity between MTs. And we ALL makes mistakes, yes, but its how you handle them that counts. I try to be so kind and respectful to all with my corrections, even the lazy sloppy ones. So many MTs are so sweet and write back and thank me for the help, which is totally not expected, while the lazy ones write back screaming at the injustices of their errors! Or they call the president of the company screaming in indignation! Its a shame - I could give dozens of examples of absolutely incredible lazy not-thinking mistakes, but I would never want to embarass someone who I probably QA'd and who might read my post. I never want to hurt a soul, but really wish some MTs would just think while they were transcribing. Some MTs do try so hard - and with all the odds stacked against them by the dictators from outer space! Just my rambling thoughts at the start of a long night shift in QA-land!
Comment
Please also check borderline personality disorder on the internet. True bipolar has fairly long periods of either mania or depression and cycles. Bipolar is more ongoing pervasive personality of poor coping skills and conflicted interpersonal interactions.
My advice is to realize there is probably nothing you can do to help them or change them other than altering the way YOU deal with THEM for the good of your own mental health!
Comment
Not sure why you needed the computer as I am assuming you already had a computer and the equipment? Most computers with fairly new Windows system would work okay. I personally feel the rental fee is kind of a bad idea in the long run at $48.00 a month. Sounds like you may need a phone line again unless you can get wireless. You'll have to talk to tech, I guess.
As far as learning and training, are you on DQS?
comment
With any job anymore be it MT or something such as an engineer, there is no such thing anymore as job security. I myself am 27 having 7 years experience as an MT. I actually got started in MT after my first year of college as I wanted something part-time . . so much for that:) Do I moan and groan sometimes about work, sure, we all do either if you are an MT or not, but at this point in my career I am confident that if I do not feel that I am getting enough work to provide myself with a wonderful life and not just getting along that I can submit my resume with confidence that I will find something to suit my needs.
can you say what the comment was?
I think it was the comment
that you type fast that got everyone's goat. Being an MT is just not that simple and hardly something to just learn on the sly for some "extra money." By the way, most of us at-home MTs actually started out in the workforce and got enough experience to BE ABLE to work from home, not the other way around.
Thanks for the comment but this is...
exactly what I mean. It is like there are those in this field that think just because you can pick on an error "clarity" vs "clearity" it makes you better then the next. I will admit I am not the best speller or and expert in grammer but I am not DUMB and no one should be made to fell that way. Especially if I am looking to the QA for guidance.
COMMENT
Hayseed, Aren't you the gal who did 1700 lines in 6 hours or something like that? In that case, it's likely you wouldn't have any problem making their quota. But, how about that hourly rate? Will they be saving money by putting you on hourly, will you be making more money than when you were doing MT work? Ask for all the details in writing, would be my advice. Ask them to also state, in writing, if you can return to MT if you don't like QA. Congratulations and good luck!!
Comment
This is a good solution; it puts it in their face, so to speak. I've heard that people have to hear or see something an average of 3 times before it sinks in. If they receive no feedback, they think everything is okay or totally horrible, depending on their own point of view (this is for all people in all aspects of life; I suspect that doctors will just assume that everything is okay). If they receive negative feedback with a smile, they tend to believe that improvement is optional. A more dramatic, serious approach is necessary.
Comment
My situation may be a little bit different from yours, but you are not alone, and ER reports seems to be the main star.
I don't have any answers, but I'm kind of in the same boat with you. I have been working on an account that has all worktypes. I begin working very early in the morning, when I might be the only one working on this account. The ER reports supposedly have top priority, right after the stat reports. My problem is that lately I've noticed that once I complete all stat reports and am getting to the good stuff--the ER reports, whoever is managing the queue changes the priority of the more difficult OP reports and consultations, so that they float to the top of the queue, above the ER reports. This maneuver would sometimes make sense, but the account specs are such that the ER reports have top priority.
So, then, it takes several more hours to get to the ER reports, at which time there are so many workers on board that I end up getting 1 or 2 ER reports. I've lately gone from making over $22/hour to a mere $7/hr. I feel like I've been messed with, simply because I really got used to the account the way it used to be and now someone has come along and purposely made it more difficult for me. I have the option of signing off, changing my hours, or going elsewhere. I do have another interview pending after successfully completing the testing at another company. I know that the grass is not always greener, but there is a limit to what type of treatment that I will tolerate.
Comment
I agree with you.
This situation seems to be the end result of long years of MTs trying to do their best, while plugging along and accepting the treatment of the facilities, that filtered down to them through the MTSOs, who may or may not be addressing the issues of bad dictators with the facilities, for fear of losing the contracts. I believe, it is the job of those who have direct contact with the doctors (i.e., those at the facility in the HIM dept). According to what I have observed, they are not doing this job, and are either clueless, don't care, or enjoy this special power of oppressing the workforce from afar. It also seems that they are not required to properly train their dictating clinicians. Some of them are very active, however, in checking reports for proper comma use and such details, and do not hesitate to contact the MTSO to complain when the MT left out a comma, or failed to select the proper date of service on the header, failed to read the doc's mind and did not realize that when he/she coughed in a certain way, it was a clue that he/she wanted a copy sent to Dr. Joe Doe, etc. Of course, they actually do not pay for headers and footers and they do not provide the MT with enough information to fill in all the details on the header and footer.
I have an egg timer. I spend exactly 3 minutes trying to figure out a blank or the correct name for a doctor that requires a courtesy copy, etc. If I cannot accomplish this in 3 minutes, given the lists that I have been provided or internet resources, the report gets a blank and it is sent to the QA department to figure it out. Each report gets a grand total of 5 minutes for multiple look ups of blanks that are the fault of the dictator or due to me not having enough information to fill in headers, footers, consulting doctors, etc. If it is my fault because I do not know the terminology, and the word was dictated clearly, I will take more time researching. If the MTSO wants to address the issues of poor quality dictators/dictations with the facility, that is their choice.
If I were to have my own accounts, I would hope to have a deep pool to draw from so that I could include sanctions for such difficulties in my contract with the option of discontinuing service to those who proved to be so difficult. However, I do not wish to be a dreamer, and don't think such deep pools exist, at least not in my part of the country, so I haven't even tried this option of having my own accounts.
Comment
I"m not sure I understand your comment, and I am not here to debate, but the account that I work on has plenty of difficult dictators, as well as plenty of easier dictators, comparatively. My point was that you cannot depend on what type of report you will get at any given moment; there is no picking and choosing and the next in line might just change due to major shuffling. It is not predictable by worktype either. Whether there is plenty of work depends on how many MTs are working at the time, whatever jobs have been added to the pool, etc. There is often no work during third shift.
Comment
Don't let the naive and trusting cause you frustration. It will be their loss in the end. Per the well-known phrase--The only way for evil to prevail is when people do nothing or continue to choose to remain blind and trust and support those who have proven themselves to not be worthy of trust.
Comment
Unfortunately, the "come around" part does not happen automatically; action is required in order to stimulate a reaction. I admit to being part of the movement to treat doctors as regular human beings and requiring them to respect us as human beings, as well.
If you don't want to comment so be it...sm
You don't know me, I don't know you. I didn't see the harm.
wry comment
Maybe TravelinMT was just "wryly" commenting. How did I know she had been out of work? If so, why wasn't she commiserating with me, instead? Why did she even bother to read the post or comment at all? I was simply asking for advice, not trying to step on anyone's toes. I am in no way feeling sorry for myself. I am actually working, but will probably be out of a job in several months, so am searching now. I was simply asking about the possibilities of finding work.
I appreciate all the helpful posts, though.
I basically wanted to find out if anyone thought I could still find a job, period. And, if after a month, I should be feeling worried? It is amazing to me how many companies do not respond to resumes sent, so is hard to know where a person stands.
Thanks to all of you who gave me actual advice and encouragement. It is much appreciated.
Wry Comment
Geeze, you have two choices in this life, you can cry in your own misery or you can choose to make it better. I choose to fight, no one owes me a thing in this life. I have a son with a chronic disease and cancer, I am a single parent, I have often worked 3 and 4 jobs at one time. That is how I fight, I do what I need to do to make life the best it can be. AND WHO ARE YOU to decide or question whether or not I should read or answer a post? (The last time I looked this was a open forum on the internet.) That question goes both ways, Why did you post such a stupid question? You asked a question, I gave you an honest answer, Look in India because that is where the majority of our good jobs have gone. I have worked at more than one facility as a consultant knowing/seeing the writing on the wall as their on-site transcription gets out-sourced with promises to the employees that they will be working at home and the next thing they know the hospital says sorry, you have just been laid off. Life is tough for everyone. Suck it up and get over it. If you don't fight to make your life the best that it can be, no one will do it for you. Be grateful you are still working and have time to look, so if it takes you a while at least you still have a paycheck coming in.
Has any one else been mad from a QA comment?
I am just irate. The first e-mail I opened today was from QA telling me "don't guess". Boy that sent me through the roof  . I don't guess at anything, and it really bothers me that someone would accuse me of doing so. Has anyone else ever had that happen to them? How did you handle it? I want to call the person and scream at them, but know I can't do that. I just find it extremely insulting to be accused of guessing on a report, that is like the worst possible insult for an MT. 
as a spin-off on your comment
i just found out that Joran had a black eye from that night, supposedly from a fight with some guys. My theory is that he tried to force himself on Natalie, she fought, ended up dead and dear daddy the wanna-be judge helped dispose of her via his connections; i don't believe we'll ever find the body. Hope i'm wrong. I don't buy the just-a-kid idea. If it was an accident, he's had the opportunity to say so, make it right and deal with it. but no, him and dad are obviously in-the-know but not saying.
as far as the prejudice -- i think we all have it in some form to some degree or another, be it for color, obese folks, hill-folk, uneducated, religious, etc etc. Hopefully we will eventually all grow past it and see another soul, as God does.
Yes, media seems to have bias, but it is a reflection of the real world bias too. We've come a long way maybe, but it changes person by person, and it doesn't happen quickly.
Why the name calling? You are sad. The comment sm
was made because he was for spheris and the outsouring they do, and yes they don't advertise jobs here because they outsoure. You are the one that needs to do some soul seardhing and grow up.
Yeah, I have a comment
It's called work baby. Every company has this. Every job you have to do something you don't like. My job, not at MQ, I have to take junk, work on other accounts, type bad doctors. That's what you have to do in this line of work. It's everywhere not just MQ. At least you have work. There are some MTs that havent had work for a long time and have no money coming in. Have a good attitude and so what if you have to work a little longer to make a little more $. You have to do that sometimes, it's life.
now what good do you think that comment did. really.
Now THAT comment would have offended me!
nm
I don't understand your comment
Most parents do the best they can, but no one deserves what happened to those parents. How sad for the 2 little ones and how sad for the boy's parents too. I can only imagine their grief.
We all would like to feel safe in the way we bring up our kids and no doubt we all do the right thing, so nothing could ever happen to us, right?
What an absurd comment.
b
I know - my comment was deleted
.....I guess if you own the board you can delete anything you don't like being said about yourself. So much for freedom of speech.
I had to reply to your comment about
the alcohol. I totally don't get it either. My daughters (the other is 20) are not allowed to drink in our house at all. I have lectured them over and over again that the friends that they have that let their parents let thekids drink are asking for trouble and if I find out they give you alcohol I will have them arrested. My 17 does not drink. I am sure the 20 year old might at college. I told her I have no control over that but it will not happen in our house. The way some parents get away with allowing their kids to drink is going a way for a few hours and if something happens they are not responsible because they were not home. I read an article that some parents have drinking after prom parties because they think the kids are safe in someones home. My state just passed a law that if any adult is caught giving minors a drink they will be arrested.
Nasty QA comment?
Dear OldQA:
I am one of the recently laid off Heartland employees. I went to this message board for some job hunting and support in light of this situation, and I was completely baffled by some of the things I read. Here are 2 of many comments from your not-so-nasty colleagues as an example of what I‘m talking about:
(Posted by MsAnonnie Mouse)
First of all, I would like to say that I sympathsize wtih those that were laid off at Heartland, however, I believe that that there were probably indications that this was going to happen, I for one, remember seeing a LOT of job ads for Heartland and they suddenly stopped on the 2 major transcription job boards. For me, that was an indication that something was going down the tube.
I also do not agree wtih offshoring, but when I read the posts on this board, I see one theme over and over; that being laziness in general. I see posts where people gripe and complain about having to work weekends or nights or whatever and wanting to get paid decent money, but they want to only be able to work 8-5 Monday through Friday. I have been in this field for over 20 years and I believe that I have always pulled my fair share. I have seen it in the company that I work for now, and the work load goes up dramatically on the weekends, because NOBODY wants to work and as we all know, medical transcription, for the most part, is a profession that is 24/7.
Sadly to say, our society has become one, where we expect to have something for nothing. Meaning that we want the nice thinngs, but we don't have to break our necks for it. I hear of friends who are giving their kids brand-new to almost brand-new cars in high school. Heck, when I was growing up, if I wanted contacts, or a car, or clothes, I had to detassel corn or work in a fast food place to get the money to be able to have those things. I don't see that happening now, and in essence, that is why so many of our jobs have been offshored. Its not only a cheaper labor cost, but most of these people in general have a better work ethic.
My company takes pride in the fact that it doesn't offshore and it will be a cold day in a very warm place before they do.
My only advice to those that were laid off is to hang in there, send out the resumes and hopefully, you will be able to find a new company that will treat you like an employee and not a number.
Posted By: OP on 2006-05-10
In Reply to: Heartland Layoffs - MsAnonnie Mouse
Some people seem to be missing the point here -- I also do QA as well as medical transcription and I generally am working MANY hours a day and usually 6-7 days a week, because I know budget-wise what it takes for me to surviive.
As a QA person, I see a quality of work that is totally unacceptable and it is from American medical transcriptionists. I read about people saying they can do X number of lines in an hour, or that they type X number of words a minute and as a QA person, that is usually the persons report that has 10 or more blanks in it, because UNFORTUNATELY they are more concerned about production than they are quality.
I sometimes wonder how many medical transcriptionists go back and re-listen to a report they have typed and then are able to figure out what the doctors are saying?
I have worked both inhouse and from home and I really have to agree that if someone TRULY wants to get started in this field, then they should work onsite first to truly get a grasp at what medical transcription entails.
There ARE people who are medcal transcriptionists who DO work long and hard hours and ARE getting shafted by the companies they work for, but quite frankly, I am tired of the ones who have toddlers and small children at home and whine about how they can do this work and take care of their kids too -- just because you work at home, dosen't mean that your children can be underfoot all the time and it is also learning about priorities as well. If you were working on the outside, you would NOT be allowed to take a huge amount of time off for kid activities or family activities, so the MTSOs do have legitimate gripes when it comes to employees not working when they say they will or keeping to a schedule, and this is where I am coming full circle when I talk about a work ethiic -- it has slowly and steadily been disappearing over the years.
Real nice show of support huh? There is nothing more disgusting than using the subject of layoffs, or offshoring for that matter, as a platform to complain about your own problems and dissatisfaction with your job. Shame on them!
Dear Scribevibe: With that being said, you WILL come across nasty, condescending comments such as these (on this message board as well as when you're working). I have been doing this for years, and I still come across them, and they are OBNOXIOUS! You need to let their comments roll off your back or they'll drive you nuts. There are QAs out there who are helpful and even sometimes encouraging, but be prepared for ones who are not and IGNORE THEM (and their nitpicking). Don't let them "snark" you :)
I can't even offer a comment to you.
.
Anybody care to comment on the following:
I work in a transcription office with 3 other MTs, plus myself and a clerk. One MT insists on having her radio playing out loud on her desk. She has her headset on and the radio is playing. She cannot obviously listen to it while simultaneously trying to transcribe accurately ..... agree? I feel it is inconsiderate of this MT to keep her radio on while others are trying to concentrate on their work. The boss higer up is a wimp and knows about it but has not done anything "yet". Suggestions please .....
confused by your comment
I work for only one company as an IC.
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