where did you get the idea we were involved in patient care?

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My husband took my son to see the doc for a tetanus shot after he stepped on a nail.  I'm always transcribing and couldn't go there myself.  After coming home from the doctor's office, my son and husband tell me that his foot was never even looked at by even a nurse, let alone the doctor.  My son got the tetanus shot, and the paperwork said "do not give if a fever is present."  Woops, they didn't even take his temperature.  Rather than looking at his foot to determine if it was infected, they just asked my son if it was infected.  I called the office totally irate, and they reduced the charges from $88 to $7.  Wow, didn't expect that.  It's a crying shame that we're a society so hung up on paperwork and billing (HIPAA, etc.) that a doctor or nurse would not even take the time to actually look at a patient's wound.  What's really ironic is that very day I transcribed a report where the doctor states the patient shouldn't self-medicate with vitamins and supplements.  So, we're not smart enough to determine what vitamins and supplements to take, but we are expected to determine whether or not we have an infection?   

Is there anything at all an MT can do when you have grave concerns about the care a patient is receiving? I know the answer to this is probably no, but I am so completely frustrated with my one of "my" doctors right now.  I know that one of his patients is not receiving the proper care, and I am really worried for this patient. I wish I could contact the patient's mother and let her know my concerns, but I know that is not allowed and I would be fired for doing so. I know that I'm not anywhere near as smart as a doctor, but my son has the same condition that this patient does and I know that the patient is not receiving the proper care or even the correct diagnosis. It is hard to go into all of the details for confidentiality reasons. I just know, 100% sure, that this patient deserves better care than he is receiving. 

Sometimes the virtual world that we work in is great, and other times it really stinks. If I were working in the doctor's office I could gently share my concerns (maybe I would still be fired but I could give it a shot). Here in this virtual world where the doctors don't even know I exist I can do absolutely nothing.

I'm just so frustrated at the doctor and so very worried for this patient.

Link to article on yahoo news stating that electronic health records fail to improve care, study says.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/records_dc;_ylt=AsT2t1nasUEaoOxgIsyoMUOs0NUE

asdf

volunteer work.  Let him do for those less fortunate and maybe his life will seem pretty good.  If he feels needed that may change his whole attitude and everything else with just fall into place.  

He might also need some adjustments in his meds.  It s/l there is some depression involved, but it could just be situational and the counseling will help with that.   Meds could possibly diminish his libido and it would be worth talking to his doctor to see if that could be the case in his situation. 

Maybe you could make him a list of little things to do to help out, or plan the meals and have recipes on index cards so that he can actually prepare the meal.  If he is home all day he needs to at least be doing the daily chores. 

I think it's ridiculous that your team leader would post such a thing.  Every MT's situation is different--different accounts, shifts, work types, hours, etc.--and a team leader should know that.  As far as working for a national goes, I feel less "communication" is better.  Why stir things up?  These companies ought to just let us transcribe and keep their silly emails to themselves.  Don't they know the old saying, "Familiarity breeds contempt?"  Maybe your team leader needs more real work to do.  Don't let it bother you.  Just do your part and forget about it. 

One time I told a national bigwig (because my opinion was requested) that if I were asked to draw a cartoon which described this company's relationship with its MTs, I would draw the MT in a cage, sitting at her computer, with a (particular) "suit" poking the MT with a big stick, saying "They produce more when they're angry." 

Fortunately now I am a happy IC with a very nice company that treats its MTs with respect.  Ya have to kiss a lot of toads in this life, ya know? 

really can't compare things.  A lot of the people making that money have their own accounts or are working many hours.   You don't know if the person making 60,000 is an IC and has to pay their own taxes.  IC positions generally pay better than an employee position.  One acccount may not pay for spaces or headers.  You might actually be doing the same amount of lines, but they aren't being counted. 

At one time it wasn't that difficult for someone to make that amount of money if all the variables were favorable.  These days it is harder because line rates are overall lower and companies are always reconfiguring how to count lines in their favor.

If you are pleased with the amount of $$ you are making that is all that really matters and I would not feel that you are inadequate. 

and I mean it.  Every time I've had contact with an office and the wife works there, things are not as they should be.  They like to hole the money up as if they'll miss a shopping spree they could take on that cash or something!  It's sooo true!

These physicians are loaded, and the wives don't take kindly to the money flying out of the window or at least that is their perception. 

I'd leave that sucker like he was yesterday's trash....  He deserves nothing and didn't even deserve the cut in rate..  what a jerk!

Worked in a local office for one doctor and took a laptop with me into the room and documented the encounter while he and the patient talked, etc.  I learned a lot and I LOVED that job.  I had to quit due to babysitting issues at the end of May.  He then bought the Dragon Nat. Speaking and told me he was very impressed with it. I heard this week that he now has an ad in the paper for an MT......LOL.   The DNS slows him down and he hates to type so having an MT in the room with him was faster.  I think there is a chance this type of thing will really start becoming the norm.  Every doctor's office here is already using some type of EMR.  Most of the time it's the nurses that do the typing from what I've seen.  I'd love to go back to that job because I always felt I was working in the future of MT.  I still have a hard time thinking that it  will work in  a hospital setting though.  I can't see a doc there taking the time to sit down and log in and do all that, but then if you think about it they're already having to stop and dictate, so who knows.......

How easy is the platform, how are lines counted, do you have reference books or do you use Google to do all your research?  Do you have lots of normals/macros, do you use an expander, do you spend too much time on-line or are you up and down frequently? 

I make $40,000/year working 5 to 6 hour days/5 days a week.  I have an easy platform, lots of macros, an expander, multiple reference books.  I do work for a national, but I am also an employee and get paid by gross line, so my $40,000+/year is better than an IC making $40,000/year. 

I guess I was blessed.  In my entire 20+ year carrier I've only worked for 3 companies and each one has been better than the previous one.  

Is $40,000 what you think you s/b be making based on the TV commercials say you can make or is that what you need to be making?   If you don't need that much money to live on then don't worry about it.  You have to look at pros and cons of what you are doing versus working in an office and you might come out even by the time you factor in clothing, food, gas, etc.  (I'm assuming you work at home.) 

Most likely not.

Very upbeat about MQ being FORCED to comply by law enforcement.

nm