When you market your services with a
Posted By: It is not that difficult to start a business. on 2008-06-13
In Reply to: That's a little much at first. - You can remain a contractor.
business name and a business license, it shows the doctors or hospitals that you are representing yourself as a professional business and are not just a homemaker or housewife trying to make a few extra bucks. They will treat you with more respect and take you more seriously, and in turn will be willing to pay you a fair rate as a respectable businesswoman. Think about any business in your community or town. They all first procure a business name and a business license before they open their doors. You may be working from home, but you can will present yourself in this fashion. I would also suggest obtaining a P.O. Box to use as your business address instead of using your home address. Believe me, this works. I have been running a successful small MT business from home for over 20 years now, and I support my entire family on my earnings.
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the market will pay what the market will bear...sm
just the fact that jobs are posted for this pay means people are taking it. You have to remember - we are in a global marketplace now. We are competing against people from India, Thailand, Cambodia for these jobs. If the Mexicans could figure it out, we would be competing against them too. It's like washing dishes. Washing dishes isn't easy. Why does washing dishes only pay $5.50 an hour? Because they can find people to wash dishes for $5.50 an hour. Not only that, but MT work was getting cost prohibitive for a lot of people. That's why some other really, really smart people said, "let's find a way to make computers do this! Then we can sell the programs so docs can buy programs instead of paying MT's." Then some other really really smart people said, "let's not even have docs dictate. Let's have them point and click!" And so MT's are also competing against VR and EMR.
You may say ..."If a company offers me 7 to 9 cpl, I let them know that it is an insult to expect an experienced, highly skilled Transcriptionist to be offered such low pay and I refuse to work for them." But if your current job goes bye-bye, and you're scrambling out in the market and that's all that's out there....well, you get the picture. If you want the job, you take the job for that pay. Otherwise, yes, it's get a job at WallyWorld. Your choice.
Now you know the local job market and my
home situation better than I do. For your information, I make more working parttime at home doing MT than I would working fulltime for any of the local advertising agencies. Plus, I don't have to travel or put my kids in daycare.  Thank you so much for your concern about my employment situation, though. And please, get off your 
In the market for a new computer -
I will not buy MS Vista - I hear it's a nightmare. TIA
job market update
If your skills are excellent and your experience and references speak well of you, then I believe the job market is pretty good.
But!!!!
You have to look carefully at the prospective jobs.
Please, I beg of you, for the good of ALL OF US, please please please do not take a job for less than 8.5 cpl! Please!
It's a very tough market right now...sm.
I have 8 years experience and have been testing left and right for the last 3 months. I have passed several tests only to hear about the company being put on a hiring freeze and I am added to their waiting list. I have also tested and done very well and not heard anything back. I finally made the decision that I am going to go to nursing school but right now is not a good time either (my husband has been out of work since April of 2008). He finished his degree and STILL cannot find a job.
Keep faith..it will come through. Maybe instead of having to drive into town, you could send your resume to all the local doctors, dentists, veterinarians, eye doctors, anyone who maybe has been thinking they are too busy to do their own notes. I have heard that this has worked for many people. It is always worth the effort. If you are a good general Transcriptionist too, don't just stop at medical. Send you resume to insurance businesses, lawyers, whatever might be there.
Good Luck and God Bless.
Money Market accounts
MM accounts do have checks, but you are limited to the number of checks that you can write per month - no more than 3 checks to a third party. Rates are usually tiered based on your balance - the more you have deposited, the more interest you will earn.
Start here:
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/rate/mmmf_home.asp
Are you worried about possible MT job market glut then? I am...
nm
My family went to a flea market that is mostly run and
attended by Hispanics. There were several vendors selling leather goods, such as wallets, belts, shoes, etc. DH needed a new wallet so he picked one he liked and opened it up only to find a tag that said "MADE IN INDIA." (He didn't buy it.) We didn't look at any of the other leather goods, but found it very ironic that the Hispanics are now importing their "handmade" goods from India.
yeah, in today's job market, the
middle class is supposed to be happy we even have a job. Forget any idea of getting any appreciation for hardwork, reliability, knowledge, or any of that good stuff, just be "happy" to be working... in my next life, maybe!
So what? 8 cpl is what the market will bear. If you don't want 8, don't take a job that pays
x
Instead, if I had $345, I'd put it in a money-market acct. - sm
and watch it grow, rather than putting it towards a bunch of fake 'certification' letters after my name, and seeing that money fly away and earn me nothing.
Sixe of MTSO Market
Does anyone know the size of the MTSO market (how many service providers, how many software co's etc. or a good source for this info?
Going back on the market -- any advice?
Hi y'all,
Three weeks ago I began a new job doing acute care at a local hospital (part of CHS). On Friday they told us that our work would be outsourced beginning in April.... Previously I worked at another local hospital for 9 years transcribing Rad and ER notes, echos, etc. I left there because I need expensive orthognathic surgery and their insurance plan has a blanket exclusion against it. Plus I wanted to brush up on my "big four" skills.
Now I am looking for work. Boy have things changed! I really prefer to work for a hospital or start up my own company again but would work for a service as a last resort. After reading the informative posts here, I have begun compiling a list of "good" and "bad" services so I can avoid certain ones.
Does anyone here have any advice for me? Not general advice about job hunting, but more specific advice about the services -- what to watch out for, etc. I have never done editing/VRT, but apparently that pays less anyway so I don't think I will be doing that.
Thanks.
Really? Hmmmm...you wouldn't know the stock market if it bit you.
Run a stock analysis on MQ under any search engine. Yahoo stock analysts are the ones I use personally. There are advisories and analyses of MQ and Philips in the data base EVERY DAY. There have been "hold" advisories, "sell" advisories, and "buy" advisories any given day. Sorry to disappoint your disillusioned mind. Obviously NASDAQ and regular trade is better, but they are STILL in the ball game, sorry to disappoint you. And you SHOULD be happy at that if you care about the 1000s of MQ employees who have stocks, etc. But, gee, sounds like you're just a disgruntled werker!
Does anyone know any basics on money market accounts?
nm
If you're an overseas vendor here's how to market....sm
Go by medical offices and talk to them in your native tongue. They just LOVE hearing it. When visiting in places like Florida be sure to ask about the last snow storm they had last winter - that's very impressive! In the northern states talk about the warm sunny 70 degrees in February in their state and ask if they're ready for that this year.
Be sure to take brochures showing the fabulous quality of work you do. Be sure you include impressive sentences such as: "Dr. Jones said he would eat ketchup with the patient to review his lab work." After all they don't find it cute to type it like it was dictated.... "Dr. Jones said he would catch up with the patient to review his lab work."
Lastly don't forget to give them laminated card including all 25 digits they will have to use to call your native country. Be sure they're aware that all of your employees in your native country have new names.... Ben, Mary, Thomas and Amy are of course popular choices. Potential clients like getting a warm fuzzy feeling by talking to "Mary" who has a very heavy accent to the point that they can't understand her talking. But hey - she has an American name (woo-hoo!) so all is forgiven!
Be sure to investigate the housing market in your area
In my area as well as most of the U.S., the housing prices are SKY HIGH! Some say there is sure to be an 'adjustment' (downward) of housing prices in the near future. If the prices have skyrocketed in your area also, you might want to take a wait and see attitude for a year or two and see what happens? Just a thought.
I don't know your circumstances, and there may be reasons you need to buy a house right now, but a waiting period would also give you a chance to straighten up or clean up whatever is wrong with the credit.
I feel sad for my two sons, (one of whom is a store manager, but single income), as I don't see any possibility of either of them being able to buy a house at the outrageous prices nowdays.
My husband and I got lucky (MANY years ago) and bought our first house from an elderly fellow who carried the contract himself and gave us a STEAL of a price! He assumed we would default like all the other renters had and he would repossess the house. Ha Ha, not so with us!
Hey, maybe you could try advertising for a house with owner financing. Might be easier to qualify. Good luck!
This is not a new market. Is being done with all offshore companies I have ever worked for. nm
:+
you should be setting your rates according to what the market will bear...
not what you feel like getting. If you like the account, you're familiar with it and able to make good money off of it, you might want to stay at the rate you are at. As a service owner, I used to plan to hire at 7 but bring everyone eventually up to 10 cpl by 0.5 increases every six months. I also used to be able to raise the rates from the hospital, clinic or physician office every 2 years. Nowadays if I bid on a new account, I am regularly outbid at 11 cpl, with 24 TAT. I have discussed it with my IC MT's. If they want a raise, I can try to negotiate a raise from the hospital...but it jeopardizes our account. Every time you raise your rates, it's a signal for them to start shopping around. So I would say, based on what the market will bear, don't expect to be getting raises. Ever. 
Never heard of RMT. In my experience, CMT is worthless in the job market.
x
It's called competition in a buyer's market (sm)
or vendor's (hospital's) market, not low-balling.
Here are two free market listings. You can google search for
freelance writing or editing market/job listings, too.
Writers Write market database
http://www.writerswrite.com/paying/
Writers Weekly market listing
http://www.writersweekly.com/markets_and_jobs/003118_11302005.html
Yeah, but are these other companies trying to put stores in every market in the country?
I think that is what makes Wal-Mart so "evil" and scares me so badly. Soon we won't have ANYONE left to buy our goods from because they force all the other competitors out of business (particularly the small business owners) and then we are FORCED to buy everything from overseas countries/Wal-Mart.
Various analysts are predicting the housing market will collapse soon. sm
Cannot be sustained at the level it is presently at.
No I don't think so. Everytime I see postings about the MT market failing it gets pegged as "n
that's what I think OP is referring to, postings about the dismal future of MT.
You are in a global market now Darlene. If she doesn't do it, someone overseas will.
x
You're asking for part of their market! It'll be a competition
You go ahead though. Keep us all informed.
In the market for a new ergonomic keyboard. I would love some suggestions!!! What are you using??
Right now I'm looking at the Comfort Keyboard ($289) and Ergoflex ($179) that are on e-bay. If you haven't seen them, they basically look like a regular keyboard, just in two halves. I've also been looking at the Microsoft Curve Comfort and the Logitech Wave. I HATE the big, bulky ergonomic split keyboards like the Microsoft Elite. I cannot use them at all. I also tried the Kinesis Classic and after a month, couldn't get used to it either.
Right now I'm using the A-tech AntiRSI keyboard. It's okay, nothing great.
I would appreciate ANY suggestions. Price really is a factor even though the ones I listed are outrageous. I'd rather not spend a ton, but will if I have to.
THANKS!!
Does anyone have any good ideas for back and hip pain from sitting all day? Anything on the market?
Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!
Where are the services that pay 11.5?
I have 18 years of experience, and the most I've been offered is 9 cpl and that's jumping through hoops. 11.5 for a company is just not the norm, sorry!
HIM/services will get you any way they can!
Howwouldtheyliketoreadareportjustlikethisandcodeasfastorbill? Maybe we can charge "air time" for all those times the docs leave us hanging while they figure out what they are going to say.
services
Carol, I have never worked for an on-line service but was thinking of switching. I'm tired of getting screwed by the hospital and cheated on line counts. Which services are you speaking of.
Services
Services Provided as Key Activity of the Business
If a worker provides services that are a key aspect of the business, it is more likely that the business will have the right to direct and control his or her activities. For example, if a law firm hires an attorney, it is likely that it will present the attorney’s work as its own and would have the right to control or direct that work. This would indicate an employer-employee relationship.
Does this mean I am not an IC because my company presents my work as its own and they tell me what platform I have to use?
You keep saying they tried other services?
Why did they try other services if they were so happy with you? Maybe they keep coming back, but one day they may not...
What extra services...
I was wondering if any of you MTSOs, or MTs that work for an MTSO, offer any extra services to your clients? For example, do you do their envelopes and labels as well? Or anything else? Keeping in mind that you are not in the same town and that your employees are not in the office or even same state as you, lol. Thanks for any suggestions!
curious
Yes, small services (sm)
used to pay 11 cpl IC, have now sold out to squids who in turn pay 7-8 cpl.
And services left average 8 cpl, if you're really experienced you'll get 10 or 11 and get such bad dictation you'll get a headache you'll never forget. 
ICs can work for services, as well. nm
nm
Funeral services
I agree. I personally did not attend my first funeral until I was in my mid 20s, even when my beloved grandmother died, it was her wish that we "kids" not attent (age 12 at the time). I have never forced my own son to attend as a child either. I now feel obligated to attend services for husband's family, etc but always dread the whole ordeal, even for just a distant relative, etc. Grateful that my parents also will not be having formal services, just simple cremation. You must do what YOU feel is right for your child and your own situation.
armed services
My sone joined the Navy in his junior year of college. He went in as an officer. They finished paying his college and then sent him for Officers training. He is now teaching nucler physics for them for 4 years and go do something else in the Navy after 4 years to do anything he wants.
Did you get a contract for your services?????
If so check your contract.
if not
Are they normals he supplied you?? If not then are they YOUR MACROS???? If they are then I would think they would be your property. Did he pay for your ShortHand or Office programs or even your spellchecker????? Did he furnish your computer?????
If your answer is repeatedly no then perhaps you should tell him NO money No macros.
Just my humble opinion.
And then company has right to not use services
x
Not being paid for IC services
What steps can I take to collect payment for my services as an IC? Company is ignoring me. The only thing I can think of is to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Hiring a lawyer wouldn't be worth it. Thanks.
Transcend Services
Thanks so much for the information.
No, these services have not cleared
it with their legal staff. If they did, they would not be advertising IC status and flexible schedules, then presenting a contract that requires Tuesday through Saturday, set hours, or Sunday thru Thursday, set hours. No, no one has to accept a contract, and I certainly would not under those conditions. I bet there are a lot of MTs though who need jobs, don't know the law, and who are willing to accept a contract under those conditions. However, it is ILLEGAL under IRS guidelines. If the national MTSOs have consulted their attorneys, then pray tell why are they hiring ICs, controlling their schedules? Under those circumstances, they are considered employees under the law, and these large nationals KNOW IT. I'd fire my attorney if I was told it was okay to operate under the screen of IRS detection. No, you do not have to shy away from services and find your own accounts. Get real. I subcontract to MTSOs, albeit smaller ones, as an IC, and do not have my own accounts. Right now, I am under contract to only 1, and I am not breaking any IRS laws in doing so.
MRT Services - anyone familiar with them?
Anyone ever heard of MRT Services? I saw them online. Please provide feedback.
Gmrtranscription Services
Good morning,
Has anyone heard of Gmrtranscription Services or Verilogue?
I am testing for a home position and I am curious about their reputation.
They transcribe physician/client interactions for medical marketing research.
Any advice is appreciated.
Kymee
I didn't say they tried other services after
Yep, I know they've used Medquist, MRC, Medifax (long time ago - don't think it's the same Medifax that I think is in existence now) and some local services I won't name because they'd be identifiable by their names. How do I know this? I knew about it before I even went on my own; in fact, that's one of the reasons I did it. I saw a need for QUALITY transcription, not the crap that was coming back from services, and I knew i coulld provide that. Also, I have contacts in the HIM world who told me by name the services they used and what poor quality/turnaround time they were getting.
Transcend services
Has anyone heard of Transcend Services? Is this a good company to work for? I need to find a dependable reliable national co to work for. Thanks for any advice
Medical Dictation Services Inc
Does anyone here work for this company that is based in Gathersburg, MD? If so, I would like to talk to you. I have been away from transcription for a couple years but want to get back into it and am hoping to hear from this company. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks! MSH
and they have offshore services as clients.
t
Southern Transcription Services
Any info on Southern Transcription Services would be helpful.
TIA
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