job market update

• Has the job outlook improved any? - Happycat
  • job market update - NightOwl

The messages you are viewing are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select the boards given in left menu

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.

I will not buy MS Vista - I hear it's a nightmare. TIA

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.

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!

I found the link to above.  Here it is: 

https://volunteer.ccrf.hhs.gov/

This morning I was very upset.  I had just had an argument with my daughter's father.  I was crying.  I tried to call several people to talk to them and no one was answering.  My main concern was my daughter was there and I didn't want her to see me this way.  My breathing turned very rapid/hyperventilating.  This has only happened once before, right after an earthquake about 15 years ago.  I didn't really have any other symptoms and I slowly caught my breath and started breathing normally after about 10 minutes. 

Someone came and took my daughter who was worried about me, but not crying.  I reassured her that I loved her and I'd be okay.

Afterwards, I contemplated about going to doctor, but felt fine afterwards, just a little lightheaded.  I called a counseling center, told them what happened and got an appointment to go in and talk with them.  It helped somewhat and I came home.

Now, I feel lightheaded still and my throat is dry, but otherwise I am okay.  I did just start working out, but I am pretty sure this was only panic/stress related and not anything else.  If I still feel bad tomorrow, I will go.  But considering no insurance, I'd rather not.

I'm trying to make a few changes to my life, as with working at home, I feel pretty alone and I think the fact that I couldn't get a hold of anyone made it worse.  A lot of people depend on me and yet sometimes I feel like I get forgotten when it comes to depending on people.  This weekend, I have made the effort to do more things out of the house and I really enjoyed myself.  Partly may be holiday blues too as I'm single.  And also I have this aggression towards my ex.  He only keeps my daughter 8 hours a week and one of the tensions we were arguing about. 

I'm not one to ask for help, but because of the panic attack today and that it happened in front of my daughter, I was more than willing to ask for help.  Online help or advice is also appreciated. 

I started my period.

Thanks to everyone who replied to me, it did give me hope. I am going to keep on trying, even though I feel like giving up.

I better get back to work. All this worrying has given me low line counts the past few days.

Thanks!!

Well, I took my son to the doctor this morning.  Needless to say they were dumbfounded by the so-called "treatment" my ex did to my son.

He has the equivalent of a third-degree burn on the great toe of his right foot.  They applied Silvadene cream and wrapped it in gauze.  I have to apply more cream and change the dressing three times a day.  We have to be very diligent in this as a foot infection could completely ruin the rest of his summer.

They also prescribed Keflex for him to also try to help prevent infection.  He cannot go swimming unless it's in a swimming pool.  I take him back to the doctor in one week for a recheck.  They will address the warts at a later time because his foot has to heal before they can do anything else to them.  I'm not really all that concerned about the warts at this point.  They will be taken care of in time.

My son's doctor assured me that they will cooperate with my attorney in any way necessary if further actions need to be taken.  They did not feel it was necessary on their part to contact child services or any other authorities.  But they will cooperate.

Thankfully, my son isn't in any pain at this time, but that is because the nerves have been burned.  The doctor informed me that it would not be out of the ordinary for it to start bothering him and/or causing pain once it really starts to heal.

Thank you to all of you who responded with your kind words and advice.  It meant a lot to me as I was very upset (I'm sure anyone would be). 

I talked to my realtor this morning.  She finally talked to the seller's agent.  They said when they were out of town a toilet overflowed.  They said they have receipts to show this has been fixed.  She's trying to find some cheaper insurance for us.  She said the sellers are paying $800 a year premium.  The premium I was quoted was $1120 a year.

I told her I still don't feel comfortable doing this.  I know she wants the deal to go through so that she can get paid, but that's not my problem.  I don't think she's looking out for our best interests.

What do you think?

I updated last weekend and used it for a week.  I did not like it at all.  It has a completely different look and where things are as far as tool buttons, etc., just doesn't work for me, so I unstalled it and went back to IE6.  I must say that the install and uninstall went smoothly.  If you're not comfortable with the installing just yet, take a look at the preview site.  That might give you an idea of whether you will like it or not.  http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.mspx#ie7interface

These were a series of psych interviews.  The patient is a very slow speaker and they could be easily typed.  The interviews took most of the transcribers two hours to complete since the patient speak so very slowly.  That's why it was 4 hours and that equaled to $20 per hour of work.

It has been covered and those that did the files mentioned that they would happily take more of them because they were so easy to do.

My first email was vague, I'm sorry...This is about offshoring our jobs,,The plan is below..If you want to save your jobs please email me and send me your state also. This may take time,,I am complining a list of people so that I can mass email and maybe we can save our profession...

I am thinking about trying to get maybe one or two MTs from each state to write a letter to their respective legislators with a copy to the President...And see if we can some how get it circulated and signed by the respective transcriptionists in that state...I read on that other site that Obama has instituted something called I think it was MER or MRE forgot but they were saying it would put us out of work in 5 yrs...I'm still playing on that site but I think it has something to do with medical record errors that follow a patient throughout their lifetime. I'm trying to find out more about that now..There wouldn't be near as many errors if the transcription stayed in the country,,,Now the President needs to know how many jobs he will be cutting as well...Still researching..