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

NATIONAL MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST STRIKE! .. - Dotts

Posted: Feb 19, 2015

As MTs, we have seen over the years how our jobs just keep bottoming out more or less. Companies are taking advantage of us while they "suck up all the money" that is paid out by healthcare facilities; we just "don't count." On top of that, companies are now trying to turn us into ICs supplying our own software programs AND equipment. In 25 years of doing this, I have not seen line count pay increase one iota quite frankly. The only thing I can think of is to proclaim "a national MT strike day" and see how that plays out! Of course, at-home MTs are paid so little to begin with, who could afford taking a strike day? At the very least, they couldn't FIRE ALL OF US for going on strike if we were a large enough group! Pretty sad state of affairs when I have to come up with a suggestion like this. At the very least, we may just MAKE THE NATIONAL NEWS!

sorry to say, but - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
MTs have been talking about this for 15+ years. Striking and unions.

I don't see it ever happening in my lifetime. Hopefully, it will in the next ... but I seriously doubt it.

MTs strike - Ozzie

[ In Reply To ..]
You know that won't fly, no way. Everything has been hashed over and over, about unionizing, striking, etc. The bottom line is, even if we all quit, these companies will just go on and let India do the work and this will only support them in their efforts to run us all off. I really don't know why they hire American MTs at all any more. They can justify to their clients, there aren't any American MTs to do the work and spin that into whatever they like. Eventually if the client gets fed up with poor quality, they will do it themselves or get scribes for next to nothing. We are getting the shaft in more ways than one. I am still working as an MT, but I am an IC. I tried and tried to get a part time employee position and either the companies and work were so horrible I couldn't stand it or they just aren't hiring PT employees. I have checked various companies that supposedly do hire PT MTs as an employee, but they aren't hiring. So when this job goes, so do I. I am going out of town in March and when I get back, I need to start seriously considering/looking for something else. It really pains me, because I love the account I do. All American docs, no voice, no horrible QA, etc. It is not like M*M, Nuance, etc. I doubt if the owner even knows about the "Book of Style" which is a crock to say the least. Actually I would not strike against my job, as I like it, just not quite enough work at times and I don't like being an IC, other than the flexibility, so it is always something I guess.

I feel I am going to do this for as long as I can and when it goes I am done. For those MTs who work for the big companies and take all that abuse and low pay, it is up to them to make a change for themselves and hopefully find something better and at this point anything would be better. They want everything from us, and give so little in return. I cringe when I read these posts about having to get a license or whatever it is, they are asking MTs to do and how much it costs. One company was reported as charging monthly for their software! OMG, where's the door!

RE: Strike - Dotts

[ In Reply To ..]
Ozzie - I totally agree with everything you say. The problem is that for decades these transcription companies have been simply "railroading" us. Yes, let them go India or to Mars for that matter for MTs who probably are paid 2 cents a line and they will "get what they pay for." Me too, "where's the door!"

Strike - Me again, Ozzie

[ In Reply To ..]
I think what is the saddest thing of all, is that most MTs really like their job or at least they like transcribing. I used to work at a hospital and loved it; I loved OP notes, cardiology, consults, just about everything and it was a GOOD job. I made good money, had benefits, my kids were small and I worked evenings, etc. Then in 1995, we were outsourced to Edix and it has been downhill since.

Yes, we have been railroaded, given the shaft, screwed over, etc, whatever adjective you can think of, except a positive one and to make matters worse, they treat MTs like dirt. These companies are so horrible and cruel, you would think we were back 200 years with slaves and I think they were regarded more than we are.

Sometimes, you just have to let go and move on and like I said, this is my last MT job, even though I like it, but I will wait until she tells me. Even if find something else, I can still work for her as my hours are my own and since we are never out of TAT, I can work just a couple of hours a day if I want.

I will miss it though when it is gone. I wish I could go back inhouse or in a clinic, rather than this though, but I know that isn't going to happen either. We have become obsolete in our own time, just like so many others from the "boomer" generation. We are yesterday's news!

Someone had a tee shirt on that said, inside every old person is a young person, saying what the h-ll happened? So true.

I have that T-shirt! And it is true. - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
:)

I remember that T-shirt - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
STRESS: When one's mind overrides the body's basic need to choke the living s*** out of some ***hole who desperately needs it.

I used to wear it when I went to visit the in-laws.

No, the problem is that you continue to work for them. - Find something else.

[ In Reply To ..]
I got out and now make a decent income in a very good, well-espected career field. You can, too.

Problem - Getting out of MT

[ In Reply To ..]
I hear that and congratulate you for making a move and an upward one at that. I have hung around too long, but I am now retired on social security and just want something part time. I do feel the majority of MTs now are older, just from reading some of these posts; 20 to 35 years experience; that has to say something. Fortunately for me, I am active and healthy, so am not afraid to go outside and look for a job, BUT trying finding one at 68, almost 69 in today's world. I am considering companion work as I have sent in a bunch of resume's and I know when they figure out my age or thereabouts, I am tossed in the wastebasket. I am looking though and hopefully something will pop up. I want to work actually. First my SS is not going to sustain me and I do enjoy working. I don't have enough money to retire in comfort or able to travel the world, so I have my activities and hopefully a job. For those of you that can work outside the home and are able, regardless of age, take heed and get out. This is only going to get worse, if that could even be possible. I envision us paying these terrible companies to work for them and some are almost there; asking for licenses and paying for their software! No Way!

if I might make a suggestion - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
Look for data entry clerk jobs which require a medical terminology background. I did that as a temp for about 6 months. The pay was about $12.50 per hour, and I was helping people with no medical knowledge to decipher the handwritings.

Fired - Go for it

[ In Reply To ..]
You can get fired for not showing up for work. It will not matter if there are 5 or 500 of you, if you don't want to work they will find someone who does. What company are you striking against? I don't know where you got the idea that MTSOs were money making machines. Sure, the corporations like Nuance do well, but they undercut the smaller companies who are forced to compete. The loss of one account for a smaller vendor can be make or break. Those companies also have expenses and have to hire IT and other support staff, it is not all about you. I work on site and have no intention of going on strike, I think many at home feel the same. My advice to you would be that it is probably easier to quit than it is to strike. You can't change what is happening with technology and unfortunately it is too late to change the offshore labor situation.

The flaw in that plan - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
The problem with rabble-rousing for a strike and congressional complaints is that it is all purposeless, dysfunctional behavior. Sure the pay has dropped and working conditions have worsened, but that is mostly due to technological change. You cannot roll back the clock to the days when people who could use a "word processor" were scarce and paid accordingly. Nor can you go back to the days when your recognition of medical words was scarce and valued. Today, computer software does both.

MTSOs are not making a killing. They have more people to pay than just you. They also have to fund the development of technology to replace you.

Technology is eliminating your job. Focusing your energy and attention on trying to prevent that is dysfunctional. Recommending that others do so is not in their best interests.

Instead of that, you really ought to be getting some education and finding a better type of work. Everything changes. You need to change with it.

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