You mention some things you are not good at doing, but
Posted By: -Spend some time away from your computer. on 2009-06-06
In Reply to: I need suggestions to make money - Please! - Backwards typist
try to think of something you may be good at. Not everyone on the outside is cruel and backstabbing. It sounds like you need to get out more and mingle. It is not healthy to spend hours in front of your computer and not interact with others except online. Do you have friends you socialize with? Sounds like the MT work at home is not going well for you. Don't give up on yourself. I hear your pain. Been there myself. It may be time for a new beginning. You are never too old for anything. Change your thoughts, and you will change your life.
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Should also mention a few other things.
As an IC, you can deduct so many things that you can't deduct if you're an employee. I would say best advice is to check with a tax professional because I think you'll come out on the short end if you become an employee. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that if they're paying some taxes for you, you're an employee, but the IRS is the one who makes that final determination.
You mention that things have changed b/c of VR, but
VR is putting out some of the sloppiest work I've ever seen. In fact, we've actually been told not to over-edit. In other words, not to "pretty it up", just make sure it's correct. So if we come across Down's syndrome, like you mentioned, we're supposed to leave it because it doesn't change the meaning. We were told if we come across something like "a 3.5 centimeter p u s s y wound", the only change we make is to insert the comma between centimeter and p u s s y (purulent), because if you don't it definitely does change the meaning. Now if that doesn't look absolutely unprofessional I don't know what does. Yet if this was straight typing instead of VR, it would be the fault of the MT for not changing it.
You're right when you say that compared to 30 years ago language and quality are changing, but it doesn't mean it's changing for the better. It's changing to accommodate a financial benefit instead of quality.
Did I mention I am saving for a couple of things? sm
I have some divorce debt yet, not of my making, which I am paying on. I am a little concerned about taxes, though I think that is a nonissue. My credit isn't good and I need a new vehicle, so I am saving to pay cash for a used car.
For work, I am an employee with a split shift. I work as an IC to deduct my business expenses somewhere. My IC work is transcribing and doing QA being paid hourly. I don't work at a frantic pace, I can't. I am sick again right now (I have an AID). Sometimes I can hardly move, but I still work. Not good for anything high pressure.
Why not mention the other side? That MQ payes BONUSES FOR GOOD QA scores!
Whine, whine, whine, but those who are GOOD get $$ for good QA scores! Improve your skills, make more $$, and whine less!
Two good things
Quitting the smokes and exercising. You'll be a new woman!
Other good things to put in sm
I like to put in little cubes of cheese instead of shredded cheese. And I also add pepperoni and/or salami pieces (slices that have been quartered). Some people add cucumber, but I don't really like it in my pasta salad.
Other good things to add
My roommate and I made the Salad Supreme recipie but instead of Italian dressing we used ranch and I browned some frozen meatballs and cut those in half along with the green pepers and tomatoes and it turned out great!!!!
All Good Things
Wow! I have not thought about that way to transcribe in years. THOSE were the DAYS we got REAL LINE COUNTS!You are so lucky to find someone who still uses it. They are showing you that you are worth the money they pay you (unlike the platforms today).
You are welcome. Good things are just around the corner.
I have been where you are now. It is not fun, it is very upsetting and frustrating, but things will come your way soon. There are many accounts out there, you just need to find the right ones. All you need is one, and the rest will come by "word of mouth".
My advice is to just call and ask if they made a decision and if it is not you, then just thank them for their time and ask if it is okay if you check back with them periodically to see how things are going.
Good luck to you.
Have always heard good things about X-Press
and have heard they pay really well
thanks!!! good website - learned new things
YAY!!! YAY!!! YAY!!! Good things happen to those who have the patience (I am not one of them)!!!
f
Good reasons to get more things worked out -
and in writing before accepting the job offer. I would work one weekend a month for average pay, two if the weekend pay was better. But not every weekend. Same goes for Friday nights. I prefer at-home to in-house environment-wise, but at-home pay is the pits, unless you're willing to work 16-hour days, 7 days a week, which is even worse than what you're doing now. I can't retire, either, even under the best of circumstances. But right now I'm having trouble just eating. I don't get paid 'til Friday, and my fridge has nothing in it except ice cubes.
If it is Accustat Carolinas..Yes that's true..among the other not so good things.
x
Top 10 good things about living in Havre, Montana
10.I can leave my pickup running while I run into the grocery store or post office.
9.I lost my house keys years ago.
8.Someone will call me on Saturday morning and tell me if my teenager was misbehaving Friday night.
7.If I have a flat tire, a farmer will stop by and help me out and I don't have to worry about getting assaulted.
6.I can stop and help out someone with a flat tire and not worry about getting assaulted.
5.A traffic jam is 6 cars in a row.
4. No lines at the grocery store.
3. Everyone goes to church.
2.The constant wind blows the bad smells away.
1.This cold weather keeps the riff-raff out.
Just reminding myself that it isn't so bad!!
Good for you. My brother is a sheriff. He tells me things I can't believe! nm
x
Wonderful! So nice to hear good things like this!
d
Good things take time. (this is addressed to OP, BTW) My first 15 years or sm
so of MT was without the benefit of using an expander. When Expanders became the norm, I was reluctant to try, thinking that it would be more cumbersome than by not using it at all. Was I surprised and pleased I had ventured into the Expander world.
Since you're at home you can add entries on your free time, even if you do 5 or 10 at a time, when there is no pressure on you. Start out with expanders for "the patient," "-year-old," the names of your doctors, anything that is repetitious. You will be surprised how much time this will save you. My initial expander, PRD, actually calculated saved Keystrokes and productivity. Back then I was saving 30%!
The expander is especially helpful for those crazy terms that are hyphenated or have camel caps, those that I always had to look up to check myself. Create your brief form by just using straight lowercase, for instance, duoneb for Duo-Neb (or d-n).
Speed will come, don't worry. Good luck to you!
(Posted in the wrong place--I always do that!) This is in response to OP.
going on my 17th year of it and feeling good about things sm
still loving it just as much. I work for a hospital and they just sent us home to type so everything is new again, new system, new challenges. I need to be challenged or I become bored, so enjoy things at the moment.
What I think is so sad is that people may give up good jobs to go there to find out these things all
to late. The newbies can learn and use MQ and move on which they do but of course the clients suffer then with all the people learning on them but this is what MQ causes and when they lose clients with poor quality or people that just throw out work then they caused their own problems. You cant keep good MTs with no work I dont care what incentives you offer because they mean nothing with no work ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I wish people would understand that when MQ hires them.
I heard a lot of good things about them and am looking to purchase a laptop, so your information
is very helpful to me. Thank you!
Bad things? what bad things? people's being petty and small?
x
not to mention
Wages are going down and difficult dictators on the rise, bad quality on the rise. Does anyone know of any other profession where the starting pay is as exactly as it was 10 years ago, maybe less? I started out at 7 cpl and they are STILL offering that as starting pay today!! Doing this 10+ years and every report that comes up is worse than the last. Fight hand fatigue and pain as well. Its very depressing, this business.
Not to mention
Destruction of the barrier islands that could have reduced the damage, the poorly maintained levies and all the national gaurd troops die for lies in Iraq instead of providing services to the States.
I should also mention...
that I didn't think women called OTHER WOMEN that! WOW 
Please, please, mention this..
when you set up your appointment next week. I feel your fear and I cried a bit for you as I was praying. Take care. Let us know what happens.
not to mention--sm
being wery wewiabow, too. jeez.
why not mention it?
nm
not to mention...
that what a person prefers to speak at home or with family/friends is completely different than what language someone should be speaking PROFESSIONALLY! I'll speak Korean all day long at home but once I start working or leave the house, it's English only. I hate it when people come to this country them demand that signs be put up in THIER language (HEAR ME MIAMI???) or that we accomodate them because they're just to darn lazy to learn the national language and use it properly. In my mind, it's a lack of respect for the USA. Believe me...you can't go to Germany and then expect them to accomodate you because you can't speak German. They expect outsiders to learn their langauge and if they have any in English, it's a gesture of courtesy and not because they feel like they should.
What you did not mention, however, is that
she is NOT following the client's specific instructions.
Should also mention - sm
My musical preferences tend to change depending on my mood.
Today my mood is rockin. I am listening to Beck, Emigrate, Alice Cooper, The Fashion, Bangkok Five, Ride The Boogie, AM Radio, Bryan Adams, Poststardom Depression, Brad Sucks, Fischerspooner, Northern Mississippi Allstars, Cowboy Mouth, the list goes on ... quite a mix.
Whatever keeps me groovin right?
Should probably mention . . .
I have only ever had 2 jobs as an MT. First job was with a local hospital for almost 5 years, and now I have only been working for an MTSO for 9+ months, so haven't quite gotten comfortable yet.
You don't mention where he's from
but maybe it's a place where bargaining and haggling for everything is expected. He may figure that your 'final offer' may be a whole lot lower than what he's been paying. You already proved that by reducing your price to 9 cents, and now he doesn't believe you're worth even that. You gave him a 10% discount, now he wants 50%. Soon you'd be paying HIM for the privilege of working for him.
I also would have charged him some kind of accounting fee for the time it took me to recaluclate the line count for billing. What? You should work for free to do this? If he did not understand that 65 characters equal a line, no matter on which line they appear, then he is definitely not bright enough to be a doctor. I think he was just yanking your chain on this so see how much he could get away with.
I'd let him leave and go with the new company. When the honeymoon is over, their ESL MTs can't understand his ESL dictation and they don't meet TAT and their quality is crummy maybe he'll be willing to pay the 10 cents. At that point, if he contacted me to take over again, I'd ask for 12 and settle for 11.... maybe.
Forgot to mention...
Also how many lines you average per day and hours per day. I'm at about 9 hours and 1400 lines. I used to do 1200 in five hours, go figure
I think the only reason it does not mention
SE is because it is for employee status only. Call your supervisor, they might know.
Forgot to mention
my hat is off to you for that. I know that you do a lot of extra work with the pick-up/deliveries, printing, and just "account maintenance". That IS the toughest part of our environment.
funny you should mention that...
one of my friends recommended the same, so i remebered that i bought one for my mom for something..and called her,...she sold it on ebay...thanks mom....lol
Just leave it off, and don't mention it
in an interview. You weren't there long enough for it to matter. In addition, if you're looking for a Transcriptionist job, you weren't doing that there, so it doesn't apply. Sometimes you just have to move on. Good luck to you.
Forgot to mention ......(sm)
That the insurance plan I chose is not even the cheapest one they have to choose from. Really, check them out. I think you'll like them.
Forgot to mention...sm
I was allergic to the wax. Broke out in hives, so that didn't work for me. I still think the Vaniqa is better anyway because it is constant and don't have to let the hair grow back between waxings.
oh, and I forgot to mention--sm
that one of the persons who took their own life was the father of my three children, who are still trying desperately to deal with his death, much less the way he did it, or the reason why. Perhaps some empathy on your part would be more in order before you make those kinds of remarks about a computer problem.
So funny you should mention that...
Cause my kids were off the wall last night and I asked my husband if it was a full moon...I can definitely tell a difference when there is a full moon; it's like people can't drive when the moon is full! That's funny !!!
Forgot to mention
that I have been an MT for a year now. I did not start off with that type of line count. In the beginning I was struggling just to keep my goal of 1200 lines per day but that would take me about 10 hours to do. Now that I know my account, the same account and same doctors, that I have been working on for this year it helps me to be faster as well. Just hang in there and set a goal for yourself everyday. THere are so many things you can do depending on your software program that you use. My company uses Editscript and there are a lot of shortcut keys to doing things and this helps my line count as well.
Try doing split shifts. This will probably help your production as well if you work during your highest production hours. For me afternoons are impossible for me because I am so tired by that time. I am lucky if I get 300 lines during the afternoon.
I know the teachers mention the
standardized tests they will be taking in the spring, but I don't think it is emphasized as strongly as in your area. A month before they come on strong...
and...once the tests are over the school might as well be because it seems the teachers don't want to do anything after that.
Funny you should mention
We are also thinking of relocating there. Some friends moved there from Rockingham, NC (I would not recommended anyone move here and that is where I am). We just visited them and it was beautiful and will be even more so in the coming weeks with leaves changing. Have contacted a realtor though it will probably be a year before we move. Like being close to the mountains and close to a few big lakes as hubby loves to fish and the biggest thing is it is more like home to us as we are originally from the Midwest and we do not want to go back there for various reasons, #1 being the cold, snowy winters. We are looking for somewhere to retire to as we age that is more like home and it seems to be the right fit with many small towns one right after the other in this area, people all friendly and looking for an area with less crime. Good luck.
You forgot to mention in your
an independent contractor you cannot make more than 50% of your income from one company, but I guess you were not properly informed of that little piece of information. I personally do not use an accountant. I use a tax professional, not turbo tax or anything else that I do myself. Therefore, all of these years if I were to be audited, I have back-up with a knowledgable person that knows what needs to be provided to the IRS. There are also claims being made that the 1099 does not match the income given, so how would you answer that? The bottom line is an employee is one thing and an independent contractor is another, and there are markers that the IRS uses to delineate the two. If the company you are working for is crossing those lines defined by the IRS, then they should be employing you and not defining you as an independent contractor. 
mention it to the doctor
then you don't have the burden alone.
forgot to mention
that each day I thank God for the two services I subcontract for.
If you read the boards, you realize I am in the small minority. It is a blessing that I found myself in this position.
Forgot to mention...
...I live and work in the San Francisco Bay Area, where costs are higher than average. I've been doing this type of transcription for just over two years now and have had to turn down requests for this service (lack of time). I am also an MT and, IMHO, meeting transcription is more challenging, overall. But I have found it is easier to obtain my own meeting trans. accounts than MT accounts. Check out RFPs (requests for proposals) for city, state and federal government.
I would just mention in your letter that your
you are willing to work together to come to a better way for you to provide services as you are and to enhance an already great relationship if ya' know what I mean. Be sure to mention that you have respect for him and would like to come to an agreement of sorts.... blazzay, blazzay.... JMO. I once had to do this, but it is funny because the doc compromised. He stated that I did a great job, but he gave me 50 cents less per page than what I had asked, which was a terrific compromise, and I did get a raise in essence. I gained respect for him, and he gained respect for me. Good luck.
You did not mention if this account was yours--sm
or through an MTSO. If it is your account, you should be able to determine how much you are requesting for payment, salary or per line. If you are doing the account through an MTSO, well, good luck, because they are not too forthcoming in the raise department..at least by my experience. I have been working for the same MTSO for over three years now and I have had one raise, which was one year after my start. That entailed a whole 0.025 cpl, which is one-quarter of one cent. I was also told that it was not negotiable. I have not seen another raise since and honestly feel that I deserve it, considering I can do over 3000 gross lines a day and do 15 different doctors on different accounts every single day. Apparently they don't think I deserve it, however, as anytime it is mentioned, the subject is avoided all together and in fact, the MTSO has changed the templates we use to expand the margins, changed to font to TNR 10 from CN 12, making it much harder to get any decent line counts, and *hidden* the headers and footers so that my line counter does not pick them up any longer, not to mention taking away the paragraph header of such things like PAST MEDICAL HISTORY, etc. saying they are no longer needed, etc. I feel as they are doing everything in their power to reduce our line counts in every way possible, but still keeping the profits to themselves.
I wish you luck in your desire for a raise. Life does not seem fair, at times, but I surely know you most likely deserve a raise.
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