A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

Is anyone able to make a decent living as a MT anymore? - Missp

Posted: Nov 14, 2012

I quit my in-house MT job, a job that I had held for almost 20 years, a little over a year ago because of a new boss who drove me and about 10 other people to quit because she was so hard to work for. I thought long and hard about it before I quit, but could not see myself putting up with her for the next 10-15 years until I could retire. She was making some of us physically ill because of stress. I believe we may have been "creatively downsized". Since I quit, I have worked with a couple of different nationals and several accounts, none of which have even come close to providing me enough money to support myself due to lack of work. I have loved being a transcriptionist, but am seriously considering transitioning to something else.

Short answer: No. - Morgan

[ In Reply To ..]
Only the few who are still able to work directly for the client without a middle man, or those who are still in- house. Rarely you see a post from someone who claims to be making "good money" working for a service but I suspect those are posts planted by an MTSO, or someone making false claims.

I really wish I had not quit......... - missp

[ In Reply To ..]
because the disagreeable boss left just a few weeks after I quit! If only I had known she was going to do that, I would have stuck it out!

I quit an in-house job & regretted it, but the creepy - boss remained. Meanwhile, the - S:M

[ In Reply To ..]
entire transcription department of that hospital was let go, and now they rely on doctor-operated EMR, plus one of the Big Three Evil MTSOs. And the doctors hate both of them. It's a shame medical establishments are run by suits and pencil-pushers, instead of the people who actually work for a living.

BUMMER! Can you go back? - Angie

[ In Reply To ..]
.

I have an application on file there...... - missp

[ In Reply To ..]
......for any other position I might be qualified for, and I have applied for a few different positions, but have not heard back from any of them. And I just found out that they are eliminating the position of one of the clerks who worked in the same department I did when I was there. :-(

No. It is a second income for the family job now. - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
x

just wait - someone is going to come on here

[ In Reply To ..]
and say how they are making a killing, money hand over fist, and imply that you are doing something wrong. You are not doing anything wrong! the industry has changed. Those people who are making so much money are the minority, usually self-employed with their own clients (mini-MTSOs). While I understand completely about bosses who drive you nuts, many of us would give our left arms (well, we wouldn't be able to type then, but) to be working in an inhouse setting again. If you can get out of this industry, do it.

making a killing is subjective - Pseudoname

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm making so much money, I can't afford the taxes. Yep, that's right. They're in the neighborhood of $10k a year. But I make just enough under the bankruptcy standard to be able to file for bankruptcy, again proving I'm not making enough to live high on the hog. There is no one else I depend on to contribute to my household income. I'm a single mom, self-employed and happened to fall into a specialty where the doctors say "no" to taking Medicare funds so they don't have to participate in EMR software. My main client is only one year older than me, loves my transcription and does not plan on retiring for at least the next 20 years. I count my blessings even though I'm probably going to have to start working at least part time for a service so somebody is helping pay my taxes.

Not me - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I never thought after 25+ years in this "career," I'd be retraining in a new field. I used to love being an MT until the past year or so. Now, it's all I can do to sit down at my desk and look at NJA day after day. It's so frustrating, so now I am spending as much time as I possibly can studying and making my exit plan. I am so sorry it's happening to you too and good luck!

I retired early...SM - Old Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
My inhouse job was eliminated when I was 62 and I was making $36,000 a year with free health insurance. The only MTSO job I could find paid less than half that, so I retired when I turned 63 which almost makes up the difference. It is a good thing I was able to do that or I would have been getting some retraining pronto. By the way, I still have to work full time even though I am retired.

I can't get a better job without going back to school. But - I cant go back to school unless - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I get a better job. Welcome to the catch-22 that is 21st century America.
:(

Nope. Can't make ANY living, let alone a "decent" one. - I live mostly off my savings currently - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
which, if nothing else goes wrong with my health, my car's, or my pets', might last til about next May. Or not. If I haven't found a better job than MT by then, I may have to start robbing liquor stores to stay afloat.

Yes - Let the flaming begin

[ In Reply To ..]
Not looking to start an argument here, nor to be called a liar, a suit, management, or a troll but, yes, I am making a very decent living in the MT field.

The reason for this, I believe, is that I have been fortunate enough to work for a very small MTSO that has a steady, consistent, ample workload. I think I have run out of work twice in 1-1/2 years, both times at major holidays. Also, the facilities for which this MTSO contracts services all insist on straight transcription, no editing, and reportedly have stated they would never offshore.

My salary is about the average of what is paid these days; however, having ample work available and straight transcription has allowed me to continue making a very decent living being an MT.

Now, let the "dislikes" and accusations of falsehoods begin, but I stand by my post :-)

No flaming here - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I am happy for you. This sounds like my exact situation up until about a year ago - small MTSO, plenty of work and straight transcription. I agree, as long as there is ample work available, money can be made. Unfortunately, the work started to disappear about a year ago and now it's a constant battle to make any money.

I look for a new job every single day, but I refuse to work for the "big two." So, I'm struggling to get by on what little I am making, while at the same time going to school to get out of MT.

Again, no flaming here at all and no "dislike." I'm happy to hear you are doing well in MT still. :)

There is a big difference between your post - and some others

[ In Reply To ..]
The "I'm so happy, making lots of money" posters come here and insult and berate anyone who is not doing as well as they are, and that's why they get flamed or called suits or liars. Your post seemed genuine and sincere and I hope the best for you. You sound like you have a good situation.

I too am glad SOMEBODY is doing well..... - missp

[ In Reply To ..]
.....HOWEVER, I think your situation is the exception to the rule these days in medical transcription.

Happy for you - RC

[ In Reply To ..]
There's nothing flame-worthy in your post at all.

definition of salary - is a fixed regular payment

[ In Reply To ..]
Do you get paid by the line, by the hour or by salary? HUGE DIFFERENCE. Salary is a fixed regular payment, typically paid on a monthly or biweekly basis but often expressed as an annual sum...

define decent - made 30K last year

[ In Reply To ..]
I know I should be happy with that right? Much more than minimum wage right? And yet only 60% of what I used to make, and my friends in other fields can't believe I earn so little after doing this for 30 years. They didn't believe me when I told them. They figured since they get annual merit raises, I was getting them too.

By "decent" I meant....... - missp

[ In Reply To ..]
being able to pay all of your bills and put food on the table. I can't do that right now without dipping into my retirement account, and I'm WAY to young to retire!

IS ANYONE MAKING A DECENT LIVING - roybrit

[ In Reply To ..]
I have to say "we are" in our hospital. Ours is a mamor teaching medical center and our transcriptionists are doing well. I am speaking about our Pathology Treanscription Department. There are 14 of us and we have hired 3 people in the last 6 months. We have transcriptionists who have been here 20, 25, 32 and 41 years. I think the profitability of the "at home transcriptionist" has gone away with other off-shore jobs. This may not last 10 more years for us, but for now it is GREAT!!! www.bjc.org

Similar Messages:

May 21, 2014

Over the past few months, the account that I am on has gone from being at least half straight typing to almost all VR, with only a very small handful of dictators that are still on straight transcription. I am having a really hard time making a living since this has happened and my paychecks keep getting smaller and smaller. I am wondering if anyone else is in the same situation, or if it's just me. My account is a pretty busy one, but most of these VR reports are a comple ...

Mar 09, 2015

So sad what this profession has come to. I am 57 years old, have been MT for 25+ years, always been a high producer with good QA scores. I made a really good living until January 2013 when Nuance acquired company, I chose not to accept their terms of employment. Went to another US based company (?) part time. Just did income tax and was shocked. Needless to say, I will not renew my contract again. It's just not worth the aggravation anymore. The incentive and production bonuses ...

Jun 09, 2011

I am looking into to taking a second job to make extra money. My main job pays by the hour as I work directly for a hospital and it is a combination of speech and straight transcription work. Consequently, I'm thinking maybe taking a strictly speech job would be easier on my neck, shoulders, arms, and hands, but I don't want to be wasting my time. If I'm not going to make any money doing it, why bother? So I would like to know if there are any MTs out there who ...

Aug 20, 2010

I would like to know if anyone makes a decent living using this platform. Any comments appreciated, i.e., average lines per day, hour, anything to give me better understanding. Thanks. ...

Jul 25, 2014

After 15 years I decided to hang it up and gave up MT work when VR pay was so low and the jobs were few and far between. My yearly income was cut more than half. I've often wondered if anyone is still able to make a living doing MT work. I don't miss it at all, just wondering. ...

Feb 22, 2010

I have worked as a radiology transcriptionist for over ten years . My pay has been cut in half and jobs are hard to find. I take tests and no one calls back. I usually only have their email anyway. I am now learning acute care because it seems for last few years it has been the only game in town. However, I cannot believe how hard it is and I am getting paid the same as radiology. It's becoming impossible to afford to live on this income, but I ...

May 21, 2011

I just accepted a job at AllType and the majority of my account is VC. I have not dropped my other position I had as IC and no VC. I am wondering, as this is my first time ever doing VC, can you really make a living at this? I know I will NEVER make a fortune at this job but an 800+ paycheck every 2 weeks would sure be desirable. Thanks. ...

Oct 16, 2011

I am thinking about going to The Andrews School to become an MT. I have taken the pre enrollment exam and they said i passed with a score of 84%, which i think is pretty good for not knowing what im doing. But, today i was surfing the web and seen a post from someone that was ranting about how the school is a scam and after they completed the course they got a job where they had to work 60-70 hours per week and only get paid 3 cents per line. So, i was wanting to know if there is any Andre ...

Oct 20, 2011

Experienced MTs please tell me, can a person actually make a living at this. I am a newbie, working from home for the last 4 months. I am feeling very discouraged by my paychecks. I am just barely making minimum wage after working a full time schedule. I like the work, but if I can't support myself doing this what is the point? I would love to hear from those of you who have been doing this long term. Thanks. ...

Jun 13, 2014

I understood the problem with this MTSO over the winter with the horrible weather, but now? I can hardly keep up with my bills as is. ...

Nov 19, 2012

I have known this for all the years that I have been in this business, but unfortunately I came face to face, so to speak, with this problem again recently. I stated a point to my supervisor by e-mail, and very nicely, about some technical difficulties I was having, and no matter how I would explain it, she did not understand what I said. Even the tech told her that it was not due to my computer, but the connection I had. She said she would call me, and I said I would look ...

Dec 24, 2014

Can you make a living working for IMEDX. They said they pay 4 cpl for editing and 8 cpl for straight typing with an 80% editing and 20% straight typing account. That does not seem like you could make a living. Just wondering. ...

Oct 23, 2013

Is anyone able to make a living on the Futurenet MModal platform? My pay has decreased by 3/4s. ...

Aug 11, 2014

This is beyond insane. Why hire all these new people and pay for training and benefits only to have EVERYONE run out of work? It makes no business sense whatsoever. The person making these decisions must have received their MBA from a Cracker Jack's box. It's bad enough that we're being paid peanuts (pun intended), but to run out of work, too? Come on, people. Develop some sense and sensitivity. Thank you. ...

Jan 03, 2010

I have been using M*Modal for about a month and a half now and I was really trying to give it a shot, but I am really doubting that I can ever make good money with this program. I used to be able to transcribe approximately 25 min/hour and these were docs that went pretty fast, so I usually got 250 to 300 lines/hour @ 9/line, so I made about 22.50 to 27.00/hr. Now with M*modal, they dropped the line rate 4/line and there is just no way that I ...

Sep 27, 2010

Here lately it seems like I am doing more work, and getting less lines. Anyone else having the same problem? ...

Feb 18, 2011

I have been put on 3 new accounts this week and I have been having a hell of a time making any lines at all this week. Now, I hardly get any work from my old account. Any suggestions on what I can do to improve my line count? ...

Dec 29, 2009

nm ...

Dec 08, 2013

Does anyone working for FutureNet get enough work to make a decent check and how do you do it? ...

Mar 27, 2010

I have had it..The past 2 paychecks I made approximately $200.00 less..constantly getting work I have never done before from hospitals I have never done because there is no work in my hospitals, constantly having to run searches in DoQManage for reports because I have never done those hospitals before..then we are told there is a certain amount of lines/hour we have to do..there is NOT enough time in an hour to do all this plus transcribe. MQ..JUST LEAVE US ALONE AND LET US TRANSCRIBE..Let ...

Nov 20, 2012

x ...

Apr 09, 2014

I just can't make myself want to do this job anymore. Every dictator annoys me so badly. I can never make my daily line count because I simply can't stand to listen to these people anymore. The burping and slurping and coughing and sneezing and sniffling and chewing and laughing and mumbling and yelling.... I just can't stand it anymore! I've tried to motivate myself to just do the work, get the lines, and log off, but I find that I more often than not purp ...

Dec 04, 2013

Just got e-mail stating I did NOT pass my audit. i got 99.4%. i have been with this company for over 15 years. Lately, I stress out every day over this job. I am sitting here waiting for a phone call from my TSM to discuss this. I am quite worried. Living paycheck to paycheck now. Cannot afford to take another pay cut or lose my job. If they do put you on 100% do you ever get taken off? I have slowed down and really tried to be more careful/cautio ...

Mar 13, 2014

How does it happen that office personnel get in-house raises and are making far more than any of us when it is the transcriptionists who bring in the actual money? We are solely responsible for the lavish lifestyles of CEOs and the salaries of management while we ourselves make next to nothing. I remember years ago the office personnel making little wisecracks at how much we made while some of them with "degrees" did not make nearly as much. Well, I guess that has been fixed no ...

Mar 23, 2012

Either I am being targeted or I will agree I am on an account that perhaps requires regular audits, but I just cannot take it anymore. The last two audits I barely failed and I now I am assuming I will be terminated. We are encouraged to speed up editing and in the process we are most assuredly missing incorrect ASR dictation, etc. I mean no offense to any MTs who work for this company, but I daresay across the board this company does not produce MTs who continuously maintain ...

Jul 06, 2012

THIS IS NOT A MEAN OR DEGRADING MESSAGE. I am genuinely curious as I have been with them for almost 9 years and have never had a problem netting (after taxes) anywhere from 13-17$/hour. I only work 50-60 hours every 2 weeks and I am bringing home 550--800$. I don't see how some people are working 80 hours every 2 weeks and aren't bringing home at least 1000$. ...

Jan 24, 2010

I've got this terror of critical errors. I shudder every time I check my feedback, if I've left a marker (sometimes I've noticed they'll check the entire report, not just the marker. Guess it depends on the MME). What happens if you get a critical error? Are you back on QA for awhile? Do you get nasty e-mails? Do you get canned? 40 lashes? ...

Mar 18, 2013

I can't say I wasn't warned about SS, not only in the archives but by an acquaintance who'd worked there for 2 years, leaving a year ago. I took a shot, hoping they had, or were in the process of turning over a new leaf. It turned out to be the worst employment experience in my 20 years 'on the force.' I have never posted here before, often wondering if the gripes here might be limited to a handful of disgruntled employees; they're not & I'm living proof. I ...

Nov 19, 2014

I live in a very rural community, 1-1/2 hours from any larger city. When I moved here, I thought I could work from anywhere. I have been looking for a job for 2 years, but there has been no need for someone with my MT experience, and age discrimination is definitely alive and well. I have an interview set up for tomorrow at a local assisted living facility/nursing home for full-time MT. I certainly have no problem demonstrating my expertise and ability to perform thi ...

May 08, 2010

x ...