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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

kids have no business even knowing about this!!

Posted By: klp on 2006-07-21
In Reply to: It would be the end of it for me. Not something I would want as an example for the kids, either. - No

nm


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Knowing what I know now, NO, I would not become an MT. nm
x
It is just knowing what you
are typing as you go along, reading as you type.  If you are using abbreviation expanders, make SURE that you have not typed a WRONG expansion.  Good Luck!
Comes sometimes with just knowing the right people. sm
Many of these positions are not advertised, just referred.
Knowing English as well
In your post you said "I am knew" to the transcription world. It should be new. This is just what would keep you from passing a transcription test.
I would be interested in knowing this as well....

Not knowing your husband, so I'm
not sure if this will work.  Place the clothes in the basket but DON'T wash them anymore.  Clean the dishes but DON'T cook for him anymore (this also eliminates the need for paper plates).  See if he notices....LOL. 
Knowing what my mortgage is....sm

truly keeps me motivated....the mortgage is HUGE....*bites nails* 


*lol*


I has been my experience in knowing other ICs--sm
that they usually try to find someone who will cover for their work load while they are gone. It is not fair to overload the other ICs who work there too and that would keep you from being overloaded yourself when you return. It may make your employer a little more amenable to you being gone, if they knew that there would still be someone there to do the work. just a thought.
Knowing what I have heard from others
including nurses, the field is wide open for the pay scale. If I had the chance to go either MTing or nursing, definitely choose nursing. The situation in transcription has been going down in pay and I doubt it will improve. I have met nurses who have their house notes paid, their vehicles paid, $$$$ because of physicians wanting someone in their office. To me this is a no-brainer. I do not think the 2 compare when it comes to the bottom line, money that is. The working at home is ok but my pay, for example, has fell in the 80s from the high $50,000 to maybe the medium 20s now. If younger and had the chance, I would say nursing is a wonderful opportunity.
I'm interested in knowing how much

one should make after 19 years?  I ALWAYS short-change myself and would love to know how to know when it is okay to push for more and when it doesn't matter because they won't go any higher.  A couple of weeks ago, for example, somebody said Diskriter offered them nearly 10 cpl, but I had 18 years of experience when I interviewed with them last year, and they said 8 cpl was as high as they would go.  If I had said, no thanks, I have to have more per line, would they have gone higher?  Somebody explain to me how to negotiate...  I would hate for my paycheck to be 20% less because I'm not savvy enough in this regard.


 


Knowing the truth....
Anyone who has been in this industry doing MT for more than 30 years and has survived knows the score. We feel grateful for our skills and we are humbled by the years of dedication it took to crack any nut thrown our way. People in the industry know who we are and most of us just prefer to do straight transcription because we know what we are doing and feel comfortable.
Also, we love the challenge of being able to decipher a really difficult report and make that doctor happy especially the ESL.

From my point of view, there are just to many MTs who go to QA hoping to learn something but the learning is in the transcribing. Just reading the reports is not going to give you that edge. You need to develop the "ear" and a knowledge of the specialties that only true dedication brings to the forefront.

We're living in a time when people want to make easy money without really having any experience or real knowledge. They just feel if they go to that good school, they will be all set and ready to make big bucks. It's that mentality of entitlement minus the years of hard work and dedication that is ruining this country. Sadly, it seems the more you know and the harder you work, the less you make.
Call it moral degredation.
You gave notice to your old job w/o knowing
what your line rate would be? Am I understanding that correctly?
thanks...just knowing there are others, same age bracket, skills, etc...does help...
like you, I LOVE this job, and actually chose it - not the other way around. Fortunately, it has not cost me anything, really, like the other poster mentioned; but I too am scared.

It is always upsetting when you life changes because of things out of your control...at our age, we are from the times when people had one job until they retired. I know that is history, but man, this way is ridiculous. Flying from job to job, no continuity, no structure. What good can come of this anyway.

like the other poster mentioned, who cares about us anyway, really. the rich only care about getting richer, and that crap about giving the tax cuts to the rich and they will 'share it' - what a bunch of fools we have been.

thanks for sharing!
ROFLMAO - you're better off not knowing!
nm
I am interested in knowing more about wireless

I am in the very same situation as the first poster, although I do have a reliable ISP and connect at 50+ Kbps all the time.


I know nothing about wireless and am wondering if it would be advantageous for me. Please keep in mind, I not the most computer literate person. :D Could you explain it to me in further detail? If you would like, please feel free to send me an E-mail.


Thanks so very much.


Sandi


You're right, it doesn't, but it does help already knowing
the basics of medical terminology and such.
Hard to say without knowing your interests.

Try to find a site that helps you determine a good fit for your likes and skills. You may also want to consider some community college course(s) in subjects of interest to you to help determine where you want to go. Look at this as an opportunity to try something completely different if you're so inclined.


Unfortunately it is legal..so yes it is business and they will continue with bad business practices
x
I'm interested in knowing the brand - I'm looking a new chair. Thanks! nm
xx
Without knowing the details of your finanacial situation . . .
it's impossible to know.  If you have good credit 18 points shouldn't be hard to do.  Didn't he have any other suggestions?  One thing you can do is, if you have a good banking relationship, get a small signature loan from that bank and pay it back in 30 days.  That will raise your score, but ONLY if the bank doesn't pull a credit report, since that takes off a few points.  Get a $500 or $1000 loan, let it sit in your account, and then pay it back.  It will only cost a month's interest and should raise your score enough.
I would be interested in knowing if they have young children too?
x
They might not, but I would still get satisfaction knowing I didn't keep quiet about it. sm
And you know AHDI probably has the attitude of "well nobody has ever come to us telling us we're not working for them," or some such thing.
Sort of like passing your driving test and knowing. . .

That you'll never have to take it again!


Well, at least until you're 80.


Do little kids like caramel? My big kids won't even eat it! We make the basic Baker's chocolat
s
I never said you shouldn't have kids! Feeling guilty? I asked WHY you had kids.
You clearly stated in your post that you ship the kids off to camp all day, and they're TIRED AT NIGHT!!  You know exactly what you said.  You said it as a PERK - AS IN GREAT! They're gone all day, it wears them out, and so I shovel dinner in their mouths and off to bed!  You can try to paint it any way you want, but YOU SAID IT.  Again, I only hope your kids never hear you speak that way or write that way. Shame on you.  Why have kids at all?  Just another parent who has them, gets rid of them for day AND night, BRAGS ABOUT IT, and then calls ME wicked!  Give me a break!  Camp is fine - its WHAT YOU SAID AND YOU KNOW IT.  Your own words showed your heart. Period.
I made my business your business by posting and...
I totally respect everyone's opinions. It is easier for others on the outside looking in. That's why I pushed the "post reply" button yesterday. I trust my fellow MTs and I know the more I read from you all, the more confident I am becoming. I just need that final push, not from him though. I also wanted to let you all know that the physical abuse while I was pregnant was documented by my doctor and the hospital. I only wish I had known then that it is a felony to abuse a pregnant woman. I also photographed my face from a couple of weeks ago and told several people in my circle. I had such high hopes for us. Now...not so much. I'm not saying that I won't try to get him to church, but I realize that God can only do so much for someone who isn't listening. j
Business is business. Internet forums are
.
Kids are demanding and so is MT work. My question is how CAN you do this with kids, rather than how
When you have two young kids, 11 months apart, (like I stated they are now 4 and 5) and have been doing this since they were born with no help from their father and no family around, YES, the kids get neglected. Part time might work but living on one salary, part time, is not an option. How can you possible tell me that anyone with two young kids can stay at home and work a full-time, 8-hour shift, and still give their kids the attention they NEED. I dont care how good you are at multitasking and how great your organizational skills are. It is a very difficult thing to do. And I am offended by your post making it sound as if it is easy to do.

I do agree that it can depend on how well your kids behave and how well they are able to play on their own. But my kids were not able to play well on their own. They needed constant attention.

So please take the time to realize that there are people out there in different situations than your own.

Reading our posts should help you to understand that everyone has a different situation. I believe everyone should have the right to shares their experiences as it might benefit the original poster in her questions and concerns.

I dont think anyone should be bashed for taking the time out to write about their experiences. I dont usually come on here to argue but you really ticked me off with your post. And try reading the post correctly. I said next time around I would have put them in day care. What I DID do with them was set them up to an activity like art or put on a movie for them. Geez.
Stayed "because of the kids?" I say "leave because of the kids"
You're in no position to buy right now. Keep saving, keep paying down your bills, and for heaven's sake get rid of that dead weight of a BF you're living with. You can do better.
So, should I return the $75 (x2 kids) in music cards I got the kids for x-mas...sm
My son has been telling me about free music sites and I was very leary.  How do they skirt the law Radguy?
I don't have kids, but my Mom was from the "old school," and still had everyone, kids inclu

call her by her first name.  The little neighbor girl next door from the time she could speak called her Aggie (my mom's first name), and they were great buddies until the day my mom pased away. 


I don't think there really is much in a name, but more in the respect you are given and the way you are treated.   Personally, I kind of cringe inside when someone calls me Ms. Anything or God forbid, "maam" (makes me feel like Methuselah!) ... I'm always just plain Merrie.  :-)


But, as someone pointed out, to each his own.  If you want to be addressed a certain way, you have that right, and people should respect that.  I'm glad you corrected the child ... hope it "sticks."    


Please do not simply give up, kids or no kids!
Talk with a professional. This can be worked through if he really puts forth the effort and you participate. The right counseling can truly make your marriage even better than it was before, if BOTH parties are willing to be honest. Give it a try. Nothing to lose at this point and everything to gain!
For a business ad?! A business that deals
''Transcriptsis'' x2

''with good track record''

''serve our clients of all sizes'' (I know what they mean, but I just think the wording is funny)

''strive to achieve highest possible quality'' (once again, they never met an 'article' that they didn't hate)

''all departments including H&P...'' (or a comma, for that matter)

Is that really any of your business?
I would think that it would be very wrong of you to spread the information you found on Google while searching for the patient's name. Are you 100% certain that it is the exact same person you are transcribing? Even seemingly oddball names can be duplicated and how would you look spreading around gossip? Even if it is court-documented, it really is not your story to tell, IMO. I would love to know who is telling you to put it on the news. That is about the craziest thing I've heard in a while, although quite good for a laugh.
MT business
It depends on how large a business you want.  There are still some small accounts, (10,000 to 18,000 lines) per month that are still on tape that you can get.  Also the digital is not that hard but I will not pay for anyone to transfer my files, I can do that.   I do not have a phone in system but if someone were to ask I would probably start out with the ones that charge so much per minute and use their system until I knew for sure the account was staying.   Where are you located, have you networked with anyone in the area?  Are you set up for tapes as well as digital?  If you start out alone, you have no back-up, you have to do everything.  When you hire I/C's sometimes they are dependable and sometimes not.   You will not earn much off of them if you want to keep your accounts.   You will not be able to charge as high as the larger companies nor go after the larger accounts at first.   It is a fine line as to having enough help and enough work and that is why you hear the complaints all the time, "We have run out of work" as you have no control over how much or when a doctor dictates or if he takes time off.  But would I give it up, probably not as the money is good to me.   You can E-mail me with any specific questions, I have been doing my own small MTSO for over 20 years.   Been through it all, ups, downs, good times, bad times, and everyting in between.   My accounts have been with me from 6 years to 20 years so I feel that they are pretty stable. 
Well I am sorry that you are using this business as sm
your excuse, but hospitals pay their people for holidays and if by chance you have to work them, they pay you time and a half.

I do not know why a business owner cannot take these things into consideration when setting up a business. This is a business just like any other business and if you have employees, those employees need to be given the same consideration as any other business. IC status is different, but I find using the nature of this business as an excuse just a little weak.

A good business head would enable you to provide benefits for your employees and if you have already made up your mind it does not, then I think probably it is because maybe you need someone else to do that figuring for you.

I am not being mean in saying these things, but even small business owners I know are able to work it out that a holiday is a holiday (whether you have to work it or not) and an employee needs to be compensated in some manner. To me, there is no excuse for not doing so.
new business
My opinion would be to let them either work at home or at the company.  I prefer to work at home, but some people may not.  As far the pay issue--when I started doing transcription I made .06 cpl and I think that is a fair rate.  Hope I helped
This is really none of my business, and I know that,
but the more I read of your story, the more absurd it becomes to even think of staying with this man.  I'm truly sorry.  I know how hard it is to leave, as I had to that in my former life, and believe me I wanted my marriage to last "til death do us part," but that ain't always possible.  I too TRUST in the Lord with ALL of MY HEART and SOUL, and as I said, sometimes it just ain't possible.  The Lord will guide you through this.  Guess it is just that as an outsider it is easier to see the forest for the trees.
Been there on business
I used to work retail management and my company had a resort there. I have been there several times to meetings and we always had some time to do things. I always enjoyed it and would like to go some day just for pleasure. There is lots to do there.
New business
I have a small transcription company that kind of fell into my lap, luckily.  It has been a year now, we have five girls and are doing a really good job with one large account.  I had tons of experience as a transcriptionist, but never as a business manager, so I took my time.  Now I am looking to get more work.  Anybody have any thoughts as to how to reel them in?
I have been in this business for
always been cherrpickers and probably always will be, just like bad drivers,  you can't get away from it.  I have given up and just do what comes up.  Saying anything doesn't seem to help.
I would say the same - none of your business
nm
None of their business......sm
I am an IC for 3 companies, and pick up another prn. They just want the work done as agreed up front...none of their business how many or who else you work for.
own business

Is there anyone out there kind of enough to point me in the right direction of starting my own MT business.  I have been doing a lot of research but found some outdated books online.  I need to know how to write up the contract. Can I do this myself or do I need it done legally?  the choice of software and line counting software.  It would mean so much to me.  I know a lot of you have done everything on your own, but don't I need to have a good starting point?  If someone could e-mail me with some or little info, it would be greatly appreciated.   Thank you again.


As if anyone's business
I was on my way out the door for an appt and no, not for an interview with someone else and prior to that was working. It came about because we are not getting paid for specials on an acct that included interventionals but yet are in the pool and wanted to know what constituted a special or interventional for you all. Plain and simple to answer.  With coding changes through the years things have changed. Obviously gave some pea-sized brains something to "not" think about. It is funny how so many can read something into nothing.  Nice bunch that answered though.  Trying to stir up a pot.  Not any more.  So for all of you other there that thought otherwise, oh well.  You all look like fools.  Tee-Hee.
as an IC you are a business
Rates are lower now than before, but as a company for yourself you need to make adjustments. If you treat this status as a job you will never be satisfied.

I hear a lot of people talking about how much they make - I would love to know where they work for that - they have to be employees. The nationals and smaller companies are not paying it most times to IC, and private clients for the most part aren't putting out 14.00 an hour to start.

This is my business, and like any business I do what I have to - work long hours, have other US MT's to back me up and take a lap top with me when I am on vacation.

Not like the manager of my grocery store goes on vacation and the store closes, or my doctor and no on-call. I am a professional business woman and work as such. I want more money and give them the quality so I get it. But I never run out of work either. Does not matter how much you make if there is no work.

Can't get more when they do not want to pay - you negotiate like any other business and if you want to work, you will.

If you want to be an employee - then you can demand the benefits, pay etc, and they can decide someone else can do the work - lets just hope that person is an American.

Either way - good luck to all - it is a challange
We have business name and tax ID #
and same companies do have a problem especially since HIPAA.... some have wanted me to become a SE and others have refused to pay me under company name - claiming I need to sign the confidentiality paperwork under my name and if I use my name and then a dba - it opens me up to being able to subcontract out my work....it has gotten much more complicated since HIPAA.  In the eyes of the IRS you should have a dba and advertise and work for more than one MTSO and be independent - both for your sake and your MT company... not sure it is necessary to incorporate but that is your decision.
POV IS EVERYTHING IN THE MT BUSINESS

I empathize with all of you.  The MT industry is definitely going downhill.  What makes me especially angry is that it seems that the hospital HIM departments are responsible for a lot of what goes on, especially the misunderstandings between doctors and MTs.  During my very short time of working at a hospital, I noted that the department manager was too chicken to actually communicate with the doctors.  All she did was speak softly and flatter them whenever they would call to complain, and she would go in to that familiar rhetoric about being so sorry and having a talk with the offender, etc., etc.  It made me sick to listen to it. 


In a few short years, I will attain the label of geriatric.  I guess I lived my life backwards.  I was an RN first.  I really wanted to be a psychiatric nurse, but was stuck in Med Surg.  Just couldn't find the right opportunity, though I did get to work on one temporary assignment at the jail with the alcoholics and drug addicts.  Then, I did word processing.  Twenty years ago, I was commuting via subway and bus 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening, earning about $10 per hour as a word processor.  I made more money then than I do now, but I also had expenses for transportation and wardrobe, and I was not paid for those 4 hours a day of commuting.


I've been an MT for almost 2 years.  I went into it blindly.  AS has been my pattern in life, I always believe the good reports and think that a situation is going to be wonderful; I am often disappointed.  I've been waiting for my supposedly dream job, for a company that, one year ago when I took their tests and scored 97, required 2 years of experience.  Now that I have 2 years of experience, I see that they are requiring 3 years of experience. 


I live in a rural area.  The local jobs are mostly all just a bit over minimum wage.  So, I am thankful that I can work at something at home.  I just could not afford to earn minimum wage, while still needing to provide gas and wardrobe, not to mention the commuting time. 


I did work as an MT at a local hospital; not so local, as it is 60 miles round trip.  Talk about office politics, it was awful.  The manager had no clue what medical transcription was all about.  She was not a very good leader, and her top priority was to make herself look good.  The health insurance benefits were wonderful.  But, I couldn't stand working there.  Working at home is so much better in my case, in my opinion, at this time.


I feel lucky that I bought a home a few years ago and now my mortgage is a little less than the rent for a local one bedroom apartment.  I realize that, if I have to work another 10 years or more, I should change professions, too.  I figure that I could become a psychiatrist if I wanted to go through medical school.  I guess I might try for a PHD in psychology and become a therapist or something.  Unfortunately, I am now spoiled and don't want to commute to work.  I know of no way to be a psychologist from home unless I move to a home that is set up for seeing patients; this one will not work for that.  


I think that I am going to become a professional nutritional consultant.  That way, I can be a nurse and a psychologist all at the same time, without having to stick needles into anyone.  Blood tests have their place, but I am not one that ever was good at drawing blood or starting IVs.  I might have to consult with someone's MD, but not all of them are bad.  They can often be trained to treat you with respect.  I never allowed a doctor to talk down to me when I was a practicing nurse, and I certainly will not allow it now.  It makes me seeth when a doctor spells easy words for me.  This morning, a doctor spelled FLATUS, as if he thought I wouldn't be able to figure that one out!! 


Also, one of my pet peeves is that people take way too many prescription drugs for chronic diseases that could be corrected nutritionally.  So, this is probably going to me my next profession.


I've often wondered how a person gets a audience in front of the US Congress?  Do you submit a request or do you have to be invited?  I think I know how to send out press releases, and I bet we could find the email addresses of major newspapers and start submitting.  Remember that big report that one of the major morning shows had about how great it is to work at home as an MT?  Well, I wonder if they would like to hear the rest of the story?  Actually, I realize that many of their feature stories are promoted by the advertisers.  So, unless some big group backs us up, it is not likely we will get that type of coverage.  I guess we will have to contact some news journalist who covers stories regarding the underdogs of the world.  Did anyone contact Oprah yet?  I think this is not just an MT issue, but a woman's issue, since most of us are women, and as such, seem to have less respect in this country.  


I usually edit my postings, but decided to just let this one go through as written.  Recently, I read a story about life decisions and the theme was that, whenver we make decisions, we must be aware of how our decisions will affect the next 7 generations.  I really wish that the last 7 generations would have considered that.  And, as MTs and as mostly women, we must stand up for our rights to be treated with respect.  Consider the impact on the next 7 generations.  


Thank you for reading my message.      


 


From a business POV...

Employees are most costly in terms of benefits, taxes and equipment. As IC is personally responsible for all of the above but not at your beck and call, either. Personally, as an IC, I prefer it that way, but I have the luxury of a hubby whose company can provide medical/dental benefits. You may find that when you notify your employees that they are now ICs some will find other work because they need the benefits (if offered).


Hope this helps in your decision-making process.


Most likely. Or else gotten out of the MT business
=
I am looking to get out of this business for the
can't afford to take a day off because of "no work, no pay", and I don't exactly have a shift that allows me to have time with my husband. Our son is grown and I want my evenings with my hubby, is that so wrong? Anyway, I can make more money doing data entry and the position is close enough to home that I can walk to work and get exercise.