Not the profession. MTs in house at hourly pay do great. The world of the
Posted By: at-home MT is where the probs are. nm Shrinking Fa on 2007-07-25
In Reply to: What is wrong with being a MT? - ReggieP
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flat hourly wage, hourly + volume, and stricly volume based pay ?
I have heard there are companies that pay flat hourly, some that pay hourly plus volume pay, and then strictly per production. Anyone have any experience with these different pay structures? Know which companies do which (and will take new grads)?
Thanks : )
What's going on with this profession
I am very new to this profession. I have spent the past 15 years in medical billing and coding and is in process of transitioning to MT. I found stumbled on this site and must say the messages and replies I here are CRAZY! I read how a lot of you are fed up with the lack of work, which is understandable; I've read the different views in regard to "Newbies" vs. "Vets" I believe I have read almost every post for the month of October and November, and I am feeling very discouraged. It seems that MTs are not appreciated, overworked (or underworked depending on who you're working for) underpaid (is .06-.08 realistic for 5-10 yrs experience?) I feel like this profession brings on a lot of stress worrying about whether or not you're going to make enough money to pay bills or wondering whether there's going to be work tomorrow, the next week or next month I here about these MT companies who try to S----w MTs out of their pay/production. It seems that MTs are not valued which is the same for Billers. Doctors do not see the value in their billers when they are the people generated the money for the doctor.....I don't care is that doctor saw 100 patients--what does that mean if he can't get paid for it? Not to mention the fact that I am not attending one of the 3 best MT schools around, I just feel like trashing the entire idea. Oh yeah I also read you can't get a job if you didn't graduate from one of the big 3's. You can't work if you do not have experience, what the I am too old to stress over money, and I am a very hard worker I believe in starting at the bottom, but after 5 or 10 years in this business I am only earning less than .10 per line, I don't know. Can someone please enlighten me on this profession? Is it really worth the effort, cause a lot of you are very discouraging. Thanks.
MT profession
Run away as fast as you can before you make the mistake of coming into transcription. I make less now than i did 15 years ago when I started and have to work a lot harder to make a dollar. Run, hurry, runnnnnnnn!!!!
Are you looking for a profession or a hobby?
If you just want a hobby, then AHP will be fine. It won't matter that your training will be substandard because you won't be able to get or keep a real job.
As for the hours issue, clients can't wait for medical reports to be transcribed just whenever you feel like working a couple of hours here or there. There are requirements for turn-around time (TAT) and, oh yes, that pesky thing called PATIENT CARE. The work isn't made available just so you can earn a little pin money once in awhile ("set your own hours" HA!), it's there because actual human beings require medical care and ACCURATE, TIMELY medical records are required to facilitate their care. You can't just work when you feel like it. Your employer has to be able to ensure that the clients' work is done within a specific TAT, and that isn't going to happen if they let the mommies-in-jammies brigade just "work while the kiddies are sleeping" or "work a few minutes here and there" when they "feel like it". You will likely be required to commit to a specific time frame and actually work during that time. You may have a range of choices in the time you choose to work, but it won't be a case of just working whenever you feel like it (or deciding not to work during a period to which you've committed). This is a serious job, not some make-believe game.
Thoughts on MT profession???
I've been researching for several weeks and am seriously considering enrolling in Andrews school, but wanted to get some opinions of where you think the MT profession is headed. Do you think MT's will be phased out in the next few years? Where is this profession headed with VR/ASR now starting to take place? I know the starting pay is low and I am not entering this profession with the intent to support my family. I would just like some opinions from some experienced MT's and what you think will be the future of the MT profession.
She is right - choose another profession
I too have been an MT for almost 20 years. These MTs schools will train you to become an excellent MT and they will be glad to take your money too. Then you are a highly trained and skilled MT. If there are no jobs, what do you do with it? It's useless.
Because of EMR and all the outsourcing that has increased since January 1 - you have old MTs with 10, 15, 20 years of experience out job searching again because they have so many years in and they do not want to change professions before retirement. It is so competitive that MTs with 2, 3, 5 years experience will not be able to move in their jobs. A brand new MT is not going to stand a chance. Don't waste your time and money.
Hourly pay
I have been working for a small company for almost a year now. At first it was on a trial basis starting at $10 per hour. I was kept on after the trial basis, saying my work was excellent, however there has never been any mention of a raise in pay. The company I work for only pays hourly, not by the line, page, etc. What is the going hourly rate for a transcriptionist?
hourly IC
I know the IRS gives an example of laywers as ICs that bill by the hour. I don't know how they would rule on MTs.
I get paid by the hour (pay changes based on production) as an IC, and it is kind of weird to me, but I don't have the experience or the right school on my resume to get a different MT job. Besides, I love that it is clinic work and very easy, and they work with my schedule (and everyone I work with is nice). As an IC it is nice that I am not beholden to a strict schedule, just a basic production level, and all they ask is that I try to be consistent (eg don't try to get all my work done in two days and take 5 off).
I know this probably has nothing to do with the original post (which I read some days ago). I just wanted to chime in and say I am paid hourly, though it IS odd to me and does not make a whole lot of sense.
heard of at home profession ....
Hi Cindy,
Yes, I took their course and it worked for me. Takes lots of hard work from yourself to make it. I'm a successful medical transcriptionist!
get paid hourly
best bet is get a job locally that pays hourly. you make more money that way. in 1976, i made $9/hr. now i make $17/hr. when i edit, i make $23/hr (boston)
hourly wages
Smaller Midwest town. Hospital MT position starting at $10.50. No raises except annual cost of living. Beneftis paid partially by employee. Is that a fair hourly wage for beginning MT?
hourly wages
Thanks for your reply. Yes, I was thinking the experience would be good as a Newbie. My goal is to work from home after I get my speed and accuracy. The hospital also offers work from home after one year in house experiencem, but I don't know what or how they pay for working from home.
Please be careful with use of the word profession vs. occupation..sm
though the two terms are sometimes used interchangably, they really don't mean the same thing. Occupation is what engages or "occupies" one's time, such as a job. Profession is considered a calling, vocation or form of employment that provides a needed service to society and possesses characteristics of expertise, autonomy, long academic preparation, commitment and responsibility. While MT's are dedicated workers supporting healthcare in a paraprofessional capacity, it's not really in the same camp as law, medicine, ministry, etc. MT's don't work on their own, unsupervised, such as a doctor does, nor do they have a long academic prep, even if they do go to business college...
I honestly do feel for any new MT entering this profession. SM
Pay has gone down considerably in this industry. I believe this is a combination of large transcription companies who focus on large quantities because they have to in order to keep their client base and stay in business. A huge factor, in my opinion, is the ever increasing number of overseas transcriptionists who work at a much lower wage than we do (of course, their cost of living is lower), and the alliance they have with many of the Indian owned transcription services who operate out of this country (well, at least they have an 800 toll free number and use a U.S. adress, when in fact, they are operating out of India and not paying taxes like American businesses). I have 26 years experience in this profession and make probably 15% less money than I did over ten years ago. There are many highly experienced MTs who are having a hard time with a company fit during the past few years, because everyone seems to be sacrificing quality for quantity.
Keep searching and some company will let you get your foot in the door. One of the largest U.S. transcription companies (I won't mention the name, but most know who I am referring to) are likely losing veteran MTs by the dozens as we speak due to the recent negative changes. I believe this will make the job market even tougher for the new MT. There are many experienced in the profession who will be and probably are "shooting out" resumes as we speak.
My advice to you, as we were all new once, is to get your foot in the door of a local clinic or hospital, put your time in (at least 2-5 years) and learn as many specialties as possible. The hands on training and staff that you will have at your disposal in the medical records department will be invaluable and crucial to your future in this profession. Working from home as a new MT has many, many disadvantages, mainly the low pay and high rate of competition out there. With production pay, you will find yourself making less than minimum wage quite often. It is sad that many schools don't bother to inform you. Good luck and stay persistent. Something will come your way.
Hourly Paying Jobs
Can someone tell me if they know any companies that pay hourly to work from home? If someone knows any names of companies that pay hourly, please let me know.
Thank you for your help in advance
Sincerely Crystal
That's a first for me. I've never heard of an IC being paid hourly.
I wonder if that breaks any laws about ICs? I'm not an expert at all on IC laws, but I wouldn't be surprised if being paid hourly doesn't make you an employee. You might want to post that question in the subject line on the main board.
All the encouragement in the world
and all the positive thinking anyone can muster will not make up for a poor education or lack of skills. When people try to explain to folks who've made a poor choice of schools that they will have difficulty with finding and keeping a job, they're not being mean. They're trying to point out that long-term success and job security will require further investment in time and money for proper training. The truth is just the truth, it's not mean. Just because you don't hear what you want to hear ("don't worry, everything will be all right, just try really hard and be really positive and you can turn limited skills and a poor education into a high income working only one hour a day while your baby plays in your lap") doesn't mean that anyone is being unkind. The cruelty is in the unrealistic Pollyanna "advice", not in the truth.
In the real world
Your employer or clients will tell you how to format SOAP notes. There is no universal format law. Each practice determines its own format. One of my clients wants the name and account number on one line with the DOB and DOS on separate lines under that. Another client wants each item on a separate line. A thid client wants a different format altogether.
There is no point in worrying about various formats until you have a job or a client, at which time you will be told what they want.
ESL dictators are everywhere in the MT world.
If you can't do them, you are going to be severely limited.
Agree...not a good reflection on our profession. A seasoned MT would not make this mistake. nm
x
Local hospital pays hourly + production incentive
I was lucky enough to find a job that gives me the best of both worlds. A decent hourly base and then incentive pay on top of that.
GOOD LUCK!!!
Most people lucky enough to be paid hourly worked on-site first.
Otherwise those jobs are very rare.
world-wide capabilities
Yeah, we do send stuff offshore, it helps us pay more for American transcriptionists. But that really isn't what I meant when we said that -- we have transcriptionists in France, Argentina, Canada, we do a fair amount of translation work, Internet captioining. I do my best to make sure that no matter what happens, the transcriptionists I work with will have work. I've heard a lot about EMRS putting people out of work, and Voice Rec, and so on. So I try to keep lots of options open so we can all stay in business.
i thought this was for the new MT, not the MT who knows everything in the entire world..
oh brother.
Welcome to the world of medical transcription.
Leave a blank where you can't hear something. Complete the report and then go back again and relisten and see if you can fill in the blanks then. If you get any feedback on blanks save it for future reference. Some docs that have the same physical exam, or same operation talk really fast. Even with a correct copy you may or may not be able to hear each word.
Even the world's best MT leaves blanks on
occasion, and if they don't they should, because sometimes you just can't hear what is being said and guessing is worse than leaving a blank. I can't promise you that you'll get to where you can decipher it, but experience will get you better. When I first started doing ESLs I was majorly freaking, had a stress headache every day, yelling at my family constantly, crying because I was never going to be able to make enough money, etc. I still leave blanks, but I have become somewhat talented at being able to do ESLs.
Don't be afraid to leave a blank. I am surprised at all the blanks that QA leaves in my reports. Just do the best you can and then go back and relisten like I said before. Make samples of any dictator that gives you problems.
I had a job once where my very first day they gave me 100% ESLs. I was going to quit that day because I just could not do them. The MTSO told me I really did very well and to hang in there. When I got my corrections back and used them for the next time I could hear clearly when they were saying and got to where I could do them all day long with very little problem.
World-wide capabilities just means they
offshore, without actually saying the offshore.
Welcome to the world of real medical transcription.
That's what a lot of doctors' dictation sounds like. You have to be able to handle it. That's why it's on the tests.
Here is what I did...I had a "grandma" come to my house...sm
two days a week to watch my kids while I worked. Found her by placing an ad in the paper, believe it or not, and she was an absolute gem. She loved my kids and my kids loved her. She was retired and just wanted to get out of the house and get a little pocket change so if I worked hard, I was able to come out well ahead. She was happy, my kids were happy, we were all happy. Then I worked around split shifts the rest of the week. If you have family that will gladly watch your 5 year old, why not share the love? It would be good for him to be with someone else who enjoys his company and can give him undivided attention, and you can knock out some big lines while he is visiting with them.
Same in my city -- nothing in-house
The Squid has taken over all the big facilities in my area. I never see ads for hospital MTs either in the paper or on their web sites.
I did go on an interview last year for an in-house MT in a GI practice. While they had upgraded their dictation system, they had no medical spell checker and their sole reference consisted of an old Stedman's GI word book, and this was a dept. of 6 transcriptionists. I didn't get hired. I think I just got called because the lead wanted to ask me questions on the DL about working from home for the Squid.
At any rate, I am leery of small practices as I used to be a legal secretary and had the most horrible experiences in the small legal practices, so I can only assume the doctors aren't much better.
Start in-house!
Meryl, I can't believe no one answered your post! If you are new, I highly recommend that you start in-house, as a lot of us did. You can get the help you need starting out. Benefits are usually good working in a hospital or doctor's office.
If you don't see any jobs in the newspaper locally, put out some feelers. I got my best job, one I have been doing for 13 years, at my daughter's oral surgeon's office. I mentioned I do transcription and asked who did theirs. Turned out the bookkeeper did it when she had time.
It is difficult to work at home just starting out due to the lack of the support you need.
Good luck, Meryl. We all wish you the best.
They've been around a while & their website is up to date. Also say they have world-wide
,
HIPAA is a joke. These reports go to third world countries. nm
:+
I just started yesterday with World Direct Transcription...
I also was a little nervous accepting this position, mainly because after posting a question on this forum regarding anyone's knowledge of this company, I received NO responses! I am very happy with everything so far, the account I am on is great and my supervisor is very helpful! Good luck Sonnett with your test! Have you heard anything yet? 
Work at home or in house
What is the difference in training for the two? Can a person be trained in one and then go into the other right from the start.
No In-House Jobs In My Area
Dont know where you live but in my area, there are no in-house MT jobs.
New MT, Can't find In-house work
As a new graduate everyone keeps telling me to start in-house instead of trying to get on with a national company. Sounds great except that the local hospitals around me all outsource to national companies. I have checked everyone. So where am I supposed to get my experience? Even though I know starting in-house would be the best place for me to learn as a new MT and have other MTs around to help and answer questions I can not find anywhere to work. Frustrated!!
Well, that depends. Some hospitals have in-house sm
and others outsource. I have found it depends what state you live in due to the large corporate health systems.
In my state, there are hospitals that hire for at-home positions after 6 months to 1 year of being in-house.
Other hospitals are hiring in-house only, and others only outsource.
Don't forget...new episode of House tonight!!!!
are there no more in-house hospital jobs left?
it seems to me that way too many of talented MT's are settling for these low-paying companies. Is that all that's left out there for work?
doesn't anybody work in a hospital anymore?
TV commercials promoting their MT schools also misrepresent the true essence of the MT world. nm
.
I think only for those who plan on an in-house job at a hospital. At-home options won't even be
m
Definitely more jobs available to those that want to work in-house somewhere. Any services local
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Would the place that interned you hire you? Local out of house experience would
nm.
Still lots of in-house jobs on the big job search sites. The at-home US MT is going the way
s
If you're young and don't HAVE to work from home, then working in-house
s
Unless you can work in-house somewhere, I feel the at-home MT who can make good money is a
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Still plentiful jobs in MT if you want to do it in-house. Lots of jobs
s
Great way to put it
Thanks so much for your response. That helped a lot!
I think I am just scared and need to get over it.
Hopefully some day soon I will be stopping by your pub as a Module 1 student.
great
yeah, some positive messages for newbies/students!
LOL! Thanks. I did wonder a bit. Have a great
.
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