COMMENTS TO MTSO'S WHO READ THESE BOARDS - anon

As much as we all like for things to go back the way they were before VR, before offshoring, before the EMR, that is unlikely to happen.  I come from an era of transcription where we actually could support ourselves on being a medical transcriptionist.  Unfortunately, that is not the case with transcription any longer.  I work for three different companies and there isn't a dime's worth of diference in any of them low pay, long hours, supervisors that are not MTs that are over paid for what they do, (some granted are excellent but the majority of those supervisors, in my opinion are former MTs and have risen through the ranks). 

What I have come to believe is that I have to accept this industry the way it is, stay where I am (at least all three companies pay on time every time, the staff is very nice, and the QA is fair and the manager is a former MT, with one company she works every single day right along with us always on IM and available), not great pay, horrible platform, but it's a job and in this economy sadly to say I am greatful for the little checks that i do receive. 

Two years ago I lost my management position, along with all the perks because of downsizing and had to return to my roots.  I was shocked to realize how much the MT world had changed and how the advent of all these different platforms infringed on our production, I have not made over $8.00 an hour since I have been transcribing.  The biggest problem is all IC status and these companies let people work whenever they want, as much as they want with no regard to spreading the work around, or if TAT is with 6 hours they all panic and an "all hands on deck" e-mail goes out, MTSO's please give those of use that provide you good work, quality and show up, give us a chance to make a living?  Is that asking too much?  Please do not overhire, and please, please put people in management positions that check in once a day and send e-mails from their Blackberry's while they are shopping while we're working!

Frankly, I could make more money with benefits flipping burgers.  But if reversed most of the people flippping burgers could not do my job.

Please do not offer us 2.5 cpl, or 5 cpl to transcribe, how would you feel as an experienced manager if someone offered you minimum wage to do your job?  Get real with the 8 cpl, you're making money hand over fist with VR, while paying the MT 3 to 4 cpl, when you paid the same MT 8-9 cpl to do work,  You people are making 4 cpl per line profit and can afford to pay your VR editors at least 5 cpl to do this horrible VR work that is much more cumbersone (personally, I won't do VR, I transcribe).

Also, can I politely ask that you do not refer to us as "typist" we are not typist, we are medical transcriptionist or medical language specialist.  Please give us the courtesy and respect by referring to us by the title that we have earned.

One final comment, think on this, if you as MTSOs feel that we do not deserve to be compensated for our experience, and you feel everyone across the board should be paid the same, remember this, that if something happened and every MT in this county could take a week off, without pay, could you get just ANYONE to sit in that chair and transcribe a foreign doctor, correct his/her mistakes, and flag reports when the doctor makes a patient care error?  Does your average secretary know how to do this?  Not, so please think long and hard on bringing up the compensation to a livable wage, provide us benefits that we can afford that will keep us healthy so we can continue to work, and be happy and content with what we do, instead of asking us to work for wages below the poverty level but expect your reports to letter perfrect.  Come on 8 cpl ?  I made that 20 years ago!  Management should reorganize their salaries and funnel that money into the MT salaries, get rid of the managers who only have a title and do not work, and provide us with enough work on a daily basis to make a living and pay the MT with 10 years experience more than the Carrer Step grad with six months.

Dreaming yes, but we can all dream and have faith that as long as the work continues to return from overseas because of quality, we will have more of a voice to say what we will and will not work for, one day it is going to be they need us more than we need them, and we will be able to ask for that 10 cpl or we will not accept the position, but for now, I'll work for my three companies, on the horrible plaforms, low pay, and long hours, just to have a job and keep praying that things will turn around for all of out there who love what we do, take pride in our work, and consider ourselves a valuable part of patient care.