You're lucky they work for you. I've never gotten a refill to work right, ever.
Posted By: nm on 2005-11-01
In Reply to: You can use the inkjet refill kits. I have always - Oh don't worry
x
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You're lucky. I get lots of work but have
Not me - I'm as happy as I've ever been. Plenty of work, more than I can do - I am so lucky. n
x
You are definitely lucky as you actually have some work to do at MDI-MD!!! nm
nm
Actually more than being lucky, your hard work
paid off. This was what I posted about. You, like me, had on the job training for about a year and it was hard and I really worked hard to get the transcription part right while striving to make production. I worked some on Selectric, even though clanked did not mind at all. This was not a job I took in order just to work from home. It was done because I loved the medical field and never had a clue some day I would be working at home but that was yearsssss down the road. We were a training hospital and some nights I would go home almost in tears, really hard but I really did not think all the others in the room smarter than me and that was my incentive. It paid off big time. My speed has always been about 140 while helps and even now after all these years look forward to each day. I do not work full time any more but hey, I deserve some extra time to myself now. I have earned it!
Yes, I am lucky. I happen to work for a
MTSO that has a major account in the midwest that has no plans on sending work overseas because they realize the quality of the work they receive from the MTs here in the states. No, they are not hiring and I don't know how they would feel having their name on the board, so I will not name them. I worked at MQ for 12 years and 1-1/2 years ago left them and found this company. And, I stand corrected, I will make over 50K with them this year after only being there a little over a year. There are jobs out there, you just have to be persistent in looking for them.
Yes, I am lucky. I happen to work for a
MTSO that has a major account in the midwest that has no plans on sending work overseas because they realize the quality of the work they receive from the MTs here in the states. No, they are not hiring and I don't know how they would feel having their name on the board, so I will not name them. I worked at MQ for 12 years and 1-1/2 years ago left them and found this company. And, I stand corrected, I will make over 50K with them this year after only being there a little over a year. There are jobs out there, you just have to be persistent in looking for them.
You are lucky because Amherst is always out of work and I know they hired a lot of new people ?? so
just curious about this.
My response to people who tell me that I'm lucky to work at home.
"Yes, I work at home but I never go home from work." They usually stop and think and realize that there's nothing lucky about that!
Well, you're all complaining that accounts are current and work is low, so, gee, maybe they're
focusing on WORK, as in CLIENT and transcribing, as maybe half of you should be focusing on!!
If you're experienced, try for 9cpl or higher, and you're lucky to get that! nm
s
I've seen their work
and it would appear they have transcriptionists, or at least different "editors." There are multiple initials listed, varying from day to day. After viewing the web site, I would definitely balk at the 99% accuracy rate from what I've seen of it in the offices around here.
If it's work that you've done
not big volume. The nationals will laugh at tapes and "set hours". Nationals promise the stars and never follow through.
My advice to you would be to just say "I'll do my best". "I do have other clients" that I need to service (she doesn't need to know your business/you're an IC), and then let it go at that. Let her think she's being boss (easy work) when she's really not. Sometimes, we have to give a little, but the days you are not logged on, if she questions, it just say "oh something came up for another client". I "do have a business to run here". "Oh my the trials and tribulations of having my own clients"! Ya' know, little indicators like "sure glad I'm not an employee" kind of thing; as I have too much going on with "other clients".
I had to do what you're doing. I also had to tell the secretary (not doctor paying my billing statement) that they could look elsewhere (she wanted faxed reports by a certain time each day) or I would have to charge a lot more, or they could make me an employee who telecommutes. It was their choice. Needless to say, I'm not faxing reports; and she has backed off, way off!
You're 100% right! And where we work - (sm)
(and what we wear!) should have NO bearing whatsoever on whether or not we're considered 'professionals'.
I think the reason the MT industry has gotten out of the hands of MTs and hospitals, and into the hands of plain old businessmen, is because, since we're a mostly 'invisible' workforce, they could see countless cracks and loopholes they could take advantage of when it came to cheating the workers (and the laws in this country) and making more profit for themselves.
I caught something on TV last night speaking about the "equal value" laws some states have, when it comes to the disparity between men's and women's pay. Certain jobs were awarded point systems to determine their worth to an employer. One example was secretaries (women) vs. the building's heating/AC/etc. maintenance workers (mostly men). They each were worth 100 points. Yet the men made twice what the women did, and worked fewer hours on average.
Considering what MTs are expected to know (especially according to AHDI/AAMT), I wonder what our point-value would be compared to, say - a paralegal, or a paramedic, or an executive secretary, etc. (Probably not the best comparisons, but all I can think of at the moment). The only difference between us and them is where we work. They're on-site & highly visible; we are off-site and totally invisible. (How many of us have ever even met our bosses or supervisors face-to-face? Very few, indeed). But does that make an MT worth less? NO. Only in the eyes of the tunnel-visioned doctors, dictating away and aware only of their own jobs, or the hospital CEOs trying to bolster their own worth to their institutions by cutting transcription costs (many of them don't even quite know what transcription even IS), and worst of all, the owners of large MTSO's, who in large part these days are simply businessmen or women who bought the company because they felt they could turn a huge profit with it by underpaying its workers, and most of whom have never been an MT a single day in their lives.
I've never been without work at Amphion
3 months though, so that makes me a newbie but they send out a report every morning of how many jobs are on the system and on my account alone there's always plenty of work so I'm not worried about it.
No, I've never gotten an email about no work.
However, you could call or email the account supervisor and ask to train on another account. I find that with the smaller MTSOs, their accounts usually aren't even dictating on major holidays. It's nice to have the time off without having to beg for it like with the nationals.
I should add, I don't know how they are to work for as I've never worked for them, just saw th
post.
We've all been there; if your work is generally
You want to hear something REALLY stoopid? When I first started working in a children's hospital as a newbie MT, for about six months I transcribed the abbreviation VSD as venereal sexual disease (not ventricular septal defect). When I discovered my error, I went to my boss and confessed, fully expecting to be fired. She was freaked but forgiving, and had a memo issued to the medical director so he could inform the doctors to look out for the error in all the charts they read; it turned out they had already done handwritten correction of most of the errors. That was over 20 years ago but I still wince at how many babies have records of venereal disease because of that error.
I think you're all wrong. It's all about getting the work done
for the hospital in the fastest time possible and my company doesn't care if I do it or if you do it (if you worked for us) or if someone else does it, just get it done for the client. So complain as you like, find somewhere else to work if you need, but get the work done. That's the bottom line.
Look at what you're using now as far as ports for work. sm
You'll need to get a laptop that has the same kinds of ports. If you're using all USB, you're in luck because most new computers only have USB. If you're using a serial foot pedal, consider buying an model just off lease that has that port. There has been such a problem where I work because they don't have USB capabilities in their software yet and so their serial foot pedal does not work with newer laptops even with adapters from serial to USB.
I just bought off lease a Dell and made sure it had all the ports I wanted, including a parallel port because that's the foot pedal I have. The laptop was built in 2002, has over 1 gig of RAM, all the updates for Windows XP and it works just fine for me.
I understand what you're going through. I work both myself. sm
I have been IC for several years, and thought I might go back to employee for benefits. But I found the insurance was so high, and the pay was not as good, so I work both part time now. The bottom line is, I can't give up the freedom I've had in the last several years. I am given so much work in the morning, and have all day to finish it, and I love this system. I tried to set a schedule for my part-time employee job, thinking I would like to go to full time if it worked out. But I had too much trouble making myself fit a schedule (they have offered to let me work when I can, so I'm still keeping the job, but if I can't do it right, I will quit). Unfortunately, when you get used to IC, it is hard to fit back in a "box." Maybe you could look for a company that would allow you some flexibility in your schedule, say an 8-hour window to work 6 hours. If you have the experience, some companies will work with you that way. I don't think IC is a dead end, it is just a little harder to manage. But the benefits did not pan out. I can get the insurance cheaper individually, the pay was lower so I could actually put a little back as an IC every pay period and take time off "paid." The only thing I miss is what they pay for taxes (I think 7% or so), and having someone else do these things for me. If you like IC as I do, try setting up your own retirement plan, getting your own insurance, and put a little back each pay period for some time off. Good luck with your decision.
You're RIGHT, & many of us *need* to work at home
:(
How does income tax work when you're IC?
I was offered a position from a company as an IC, and the contract had a clause about being responsible for your own tax deductions, etc. As I have only ever been an employee, I am not entirely sure how this works. If you are IC how do you pay taxes? Thanks!
I get my work from an FTP site that they load the work to, however I don't have pool work so to
speak, but I tell them how many minutes a day I want. The work is generally put in my box by 5 pm every day, then I have until 10 am the following day for some priority work, or 3:30 pm for the rest, so TAT is not too bad. I would like to work less at night though, but I working on that. My downside is I do not get the same dictators day to day, there are a few I do on a semi-regular basis though, some generate great lines but take longer to do that other doc's and are not "money-makers", I also do not get paid for spaces so that hurts a bit too. This is WP5.1 too.....so very antiquated but that is what the hospital uses, so not much choice there. But I understand what you mean about the C-phone. I was just doing another job with C-phone recently...they incidentally did not tell me how to get off of the system, which was very simple. I'd finish a job, then hit stop and hangup if I wanted to get off or quit working. That is what you need to do if you want to sleep, eat, etc. Don't feel guilty, do what you signed up for, believe me they watch the pools and will get others to do the work you don't finish. If they get on your case remind them that you are only PT and only want 500 lines a day, etc. It's not worth killing yourself over. Good Luck. 
I believe they work totally independently, I've
never had anything go from one computer to the other, including Spyware or even a virus.
I just work for mine. MT is the closest I've come to SM
good return on my time, and I know that's not true for everybody.
Don't want to insult you, but -- why not just work for your money?
I've tried comcast as well...doesn't work!
I've been wearing them for a year while I work with no....sm
problem. They aren't that strong.
Cripes - not even Thanksgiving yet, and I've run out of work.
.
I've had plenty of work, though the numbers on my
account are way down, some accounts not affected at all. Easter was early this year and coincided with spring break in some areas. You'd think that there would be MTs taking days off too and that would balance things out.
I've worked with MTs who work diligently
...to find a way to cherry pick.
The system that you and the poster above you are describing sounds like the one used where I used to work.
One MT fiddled around and wasted who knows how much company time until she figured out how to manipulate the filters component of the system, and set the filters to only route to her jobs from her 3 preferred dictators.
If only these MTs put as much time into actually transcribing as they put into getting around the system they could probably make even more money than they do with the cherry picking.
I've found you have to work more than 8 hours a day to
If I had to stick to an 8-hour time period, I couldn't afford to continue.
You're right! I wouldn't work for a company that SM
expected me to surf all over the world just because some prima donna didn't want to be bothered with proper dictation.
I work for a national, and we're allowed
.
Any program will work if you stick with it and it's NOT what you're doing right now. nm
s
Depends on where you work and how you're paid
kj
It depends on what kind of work you're doing..sm...
If you're doing clinic work, you would need the book that pertains to your clinic. I'd also recommend a Stedman's Abbreviations, acronyms & symbols. I'd also recommend Sander's Pharmaceutical Book. Other than that, I'd use Google and trustworthy websites.
You're right. Unfortunately, in some areas inhouse work is
I keep hoping some sort of changes in U.S. laws may come to the rescue before it's too late, and the whole industry becomes offshore and automated. Because if that happens, there will be less and less reason to want to entrust one's care to an HMO.
I've done all work types also and always find myself making more
doing radiology than any other work type.
I think it's mainly because it's more repetitive than the other work types.
With your three years experience, you should do fine jumping back into it.
Good luck.
Ahhh, so you've chosen to work for a service
 There are others who are still gaining their own accounts. Sometimes, you have to seek and you shall find. The larger companies and even smaller for that matter are gaining accounts to prove that voice recognition is not the majority. Just because you chose to take less does not mean that everyone in this profession has. So, your opinions are fine for your situation, but to state that everyone's salary and this profession has gone downhill is simply not true. I, for one, have a lot more now than I have ever had in my lifetime, and I have a lot of experience. The in-house position was holding me back. When you get paid per hour instead of production, it seems you get jipped. If you work production and are good at what you do, it is not too bad of a salary. Everyone has a different situation. MTblab is getting out, which is great for her since she is moving into another phase of her life. Of course, she is going to post that it is a horrible profession because she is not happy with what she has been served. Misery LOVES company. You do have a choice in what type of work you take. If not happy, again, seek and you shall find. I am so happy to be  , because I make the rules. Okay, I am off of my  now. Take care. 
If the program will work with an adapter, they should lend it to you. I've
s
Please, guys, surely you've seen these people's work SM
and are appalled at the very low quality. When training, I worked alongside one of them. The quality was atrocious, but she put out vast quantities of it, moving many reports a day for the hospitals and making lots of money for herself and her employer, so her job was actually very secure in spite of the many complaints that came in from the unfortunate clinicians who received her work.
But her speed cannot even begin to compare with that of a computer, or couldn't. I imagine she's safely retired now and doesn't have to face the change-or-get-out that will be required of other content slobs.
True. So then don't work. We're talking CHOICES here. nm
x
No! And boy do I know where you're coming from! I tried to get the Olympus pedal to work, but..
wound up pulling my hair out instead. They don't make it easy on us, do they?!?!? 
If you're so brilliant then, why aren't you in a better line of work?
1. Surgeon.
2. Attorney.
3. College professor.
oh, and yes, my brilliant one - what year exactly did you graduate with your Ph.D. from Harvard?
LMBO
So you use MCI for unlimited LD for work and they're fine with it? About how many minutes do you
use per month, do you think?
You're right about the "prehistoric" part! The place I used to work (sm)
uses Lanier, and it's a mess. It's WORSE than prehistoric. It was down more than it was up. It was also not at all friendly for at-home MTs, either.
They're not thrown to the dogs when they had no work to begin with!
nm
For Pete's sake, if you're too sick to work,
call in sick!!
This past week I've had chronic sinus drainage and a nagging,constant cough that has kept me up most of the night. Felt okay during the day,(although typing speed decreased significantly).Was able to take cat naps off and on during the day to make up for lack of sleep, otherwise,I wouldn't have hesitated to take a day or two off.
If I'm "really" sick,I call in for a sick day without hesitation!!
Well then yer LUCKY. And hopefully they've all been
.
I've been meaing to post on this subject, but have to work too many hours now just to pay the bil
I've been at this for 16+ years and when I started, there were few big nationals, just small transcription companies that cared about their MTs and paid very well. Once I got trained on an account, I usually averaged over $30 an hour, always had work, and was proud of the living I could make in this profession. Now, pay keeps going down, down, down and I am panicked by how little money I am able to make, and even more panicked when I read the jobs for MTs and see the pay being offered is insulting and dismal. I cannot believe this is the pay being offered for those of us trained in highly technical medical terminology and responsible for the accuracy of documents that affect people's lives. I urge everyone with experience in this field not to accept this kind of pay - maybe if enough of us make a stand, something will have to change for the better. As it is, I might just have to take a job at Wal-Mart.
Are you IC or employee? Any IC work I've done, they encourage surpassing lines...
If you're an IC, I honestly don't think it matters to the MTSO which MT is putting out the lines, as long as TAT is met and the quality is there to back it up. I've cranked out 2500 lines per day with a commitment of 1400 per day and the extra effort was commended.
If you're an employee, however, and other employees who perhaps aren't as fast are complaining that you're 'hogging' all the work because of your speed, that could be another story. I've been in that situation but had a supervisor who staunchly defended me and said it wasn't exactly 'hogging' the work just because I was twice as fast as the other MTs, so the complaints ceased.
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