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Really short reports - worth my time? - sm

Posted: Dec 14, 2012

I'm an IC and don't make a great line rate (9 cents/line) but I'm fast and my doctors are easy so it works out to a fairly good rate/hour. My question is I've recently been given a new account with a doc who does reports that are on average only 20 seconds long. I have to cross-reference the day sheets to find the spelling of the patients' names, as well as look up the referring doctors' addresses, etc. I can't stand doing these reports as you spend more time looking things up than actually transcribing the report so the $/hour is terrible. So, my question is, would you go ahead and do them and just suck it up because the other docs are pretty good and keep the MTSO happy or would you say you won't do this doc because it's just not worth your time?

FYI, I work for a very small service and have regular accounts but it is very PT, like $125/week, and unpredictable as to when/if I get work. I have another non-MT job that I recently got because I just got tired of relying on MT exclusively (I had another FT MT job prior that just became too unpredictable with losing accounts to underbidding). So, part of me thinks for only $125 or so a week, it's not worth jumping through hoops for them. They are not the nicest people to work for but leave me be for the most part.

Thanks!

IMHO you are doing this for the patient, more than MTSO - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
If this is your job, you do all the work. If it is not cost effective for you, deal with your employer on that aspect, but don't hurt the patient by not doing their reports.

I agree - Anon Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
From reading what you have said, I think that's a pretty bad attitude. We all do things in the course of our work day that we prefer not to do, but telling your employer that something is "not worth your time" is generally going to get a person fired. You stated yourself that this is not your primary source of income, so the choice is yours. Continue to keep those who pay your wage happy (what a concept!) or step aside. If you start refusing to do what they ask of you, chances are they'll find someone else anyway. This is not about you, it's about providing patient documentation which does affect patient care. I bet if you had an on site MT job, you'd be a cherry picker, just saying.

Nice assumption but - OP sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I have been a FT MT for 15 years and did all the work I was given, all the horrible ESLs, the mumblers, and yes, all the ridiculously short reports as well. I certainly kept my MTSOs happy as I was with only 2 different ones in my 15 years and only finally left when I said enough. I positioned myself so that I am not reliant on MT work anymore. Yes, I need the money but I will certainly survive without it if need be. I feel it is important to value your time and take a stand. I certainly understand not being able to though. I have only been able to do this recently as my kids are now old enough that I can leave them home for a while on their own during holidays, etc., so believe me I understand why some MTs can't take such stands but finally I can.

Also, I'm an IC not an employee. sm - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
Many try to make it the same thing, but it's not. I don't get a cent of benefits or my taxes taken care of etc, yet I make the same line rate as employees. I'm an hourly employee elsewhere (non-MT) and sure I do stuff there that's just 'part of the job', but that's not the same at all as getting paid by production. A few short reports in a day, by all means I'll do them, no questions asked, but an entire account of them for pennies - no thanks.

Thanks for your response - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
I see your point but the patients will get their reports just fine; clearly there are plenty of MTs willing to do it and that is their choice, just like this is mine. Conversely, the doctor can pay what he should pay for the extra work and I would be happy to do it. Any other industry expects to pay contractors for the work that is done or the hours it took to do it. Again, I am an IC, not an employee.

"don't hurt the patient by not doing their reports." - ARE YOU SERIOUS?

[ In Reply To ..]
How is SHE hurting the patients by not doing their reports?? If she does not do them, someone else will.

She is paid on production and she is spending more time doing CLERICAL work than she is producing; hence, not making any money and doing UNPAID WORK.

If she can request to not do this doctor than I say by all means, dont do him. It would be different if she was getting paid by the hour, but on production based jobs you need to be producing, NOT spending 5 to 10 minutes looking up information for a 20 second report that you can basically insert a macro or standard in and move on to the next.

She is losing money. This has NOTHING to do with hurting the patient.

I say not worth your time. I have asked, and been, taken off accts - that I could not make money on. MTSO is SM

[ In Reply To ..]
in it for the money, facility is just worried about the bottom line, why should I look at this any different than they do? And the work will be done by someone. But I am not in this for the sake of humanity with a heart only to help others. At this point, with OS and wage cuts, I am in it for the bottom line also. If I cant make money, why do it?

I agree with above... - If we are paid on production,

[ In Reply To ..]
why should we be doing other clerical work for free? The production system has become a scam that employers use to get around paying a secretary or other hourly worker.

You answered your own question - Anon Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
If you can't make money, why do it? You seem to have no qualms about giving the crap work to your coworkers who are also trying to make a living. As previously stated, it is not all about you and what you consider yourself too good to do.

It is about me supporting my family. Maybe if we all refused to - do the crap work, we would see change. nm

[ In Reply To ..]
x

rock and a hard place - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
The work has to be done, but you can't make money doing it and neither can anyone else, because of the way it's set up. Do you have to do all of it? Could you tell them you are just going to do part of it and someone else needs to take part of it?

If you cant make money on an acct, ask to be taken off - completely. If nobody wants SM

[ In Reply To ..]
to do it, and TL or owner of MTSO has to do it, too bad so sad for them. If we dont do the crap work, they will have to change SOMETHING to get the work done.

yes, we should all be able to only do easy work - only work types we like

[ In Reply To ..]
I wonder how that will go over with my boss... I dont make any money bouncing around from account to account. I want to only be on this account with these dictators, no short reports, I want a lot of standards, EASY, EASY work at top pay! No exceptions.

but this job has "unpaid work" - and a lot of it apparently

[ In Reply To ..]
Looking up patient names and doctors addresses for 20 second reports. I can never understand why they can't hire a clerk to do that stuff.

To the OP - You have a VALID basis and here's why... - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
in the 'old' days before these greedy MTSOs changed the industry, we were absolutely compensated for this. My previous company of 20+ years (boss retired because of having to compete with underbidding) did it this way:

1. We were paid a minimum of 10 lines for reports.
2. We utilized a platform where demographics were imported.
3. We were paid for headers and footers.

Before the offshoring MTSOs, owners knew exactly how short dictation affected our pay and compensated for it. That was how good business was done. I have to believe that those responding with "deal with it" and don't "hurt the patient" (what?) can't be experienced MTs who have been in this business for a long time. Only an uninformed MT or MTSO would would respond in such a way and think that someone doing long reports with lots of repetition and someone doing short reports with lots of unpaid demographics should be happy being compensated the same way. I guarantee that they have probably only known the business for the past 10 years, and so sadly think this is "normal".

So what? Those days are gone never to return. But stand up for - want you want/deserve. Nobody else will. nm

[ In Reply To ..]
x

sm - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
When did I say I'll only do easy work? And my pay is certainly not 'top'! Wow, a lot of assumptions being made there. This is about unpaid work as the other poster said. I do plenty of 'hard' work and my line count is not good considering I'm an IC, but I do have good docs for the most part and specific accounts. I personally wouldn't stay in a company if I didn't "make any money bouncing around from account to account". Sorry you have to.

Not worth your time. (sm) - Angie

[ In Reply To ..]
I was stuck on an account like that where half the work was unpaid and averaged less than minimum hourly wage. It was horrible. Not only that but horrid sound quality and whispering dictators that could not be heard and a nasty lead. I got fired for having too many IT tickets for problems with their platform and things could not have worked out better because of it. I got hired by another company with a great account, long reports, excellent sound & software without bugs which more than doubled what I was making at the other group, plus the people are super to work for. Difference between the two well known companies is like night and day!

Short Reports - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
Well, what are your options if you say you won't do him? I've been doing this 30+ years, I can't remember a time I said I would not do a doc. Of course there were many, many docs that sucked, but you do them anyway the best you can. This is your job, whether they are 20 seconds long or 1-1/2 hours long. If you don't want to do "someone" because it is "not worth your time," they WILL find someone who will. Why did you even have to ask this question? Of course your an IC, so I guess you can pick and choose, but the above still applies.

what a baby - none of us make any money

[ In Reply To ..]
good grief

Kudos to any willing to take steps they are not one of - those not making money. SM

[ In Reply To ..]
If I want off the acct, I will, and have, asked and have been given another acct. It is not like those reports will NEVER be done if I dont do them. They will be given to another MT, probably one that has no idea how she is paid, what she is paid for, and who just meekly does the work without standing up for herself and what she deserves.

If the short reports are all that is provided the MT, Would you work for $2. an hour??? - Angie

[ In Reply To ..]
.

Thanks everyone. - OP sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I appreciate all the responses, even those that disagree with me. ;)

I'm sorry to those who can't take such a stand and feel the need to take everything they get. Believe me, I've definitely been there. Now I'm fortunate enough that I can decide what is 'worth my time'. Particularly as an IC where the pay is already cut (no higher than employee) with no benefits, I think it's important to stand up for yourself or you'll get walked all over. I had a case earlier this year where the doctor wanted a lot of editing (of her own choice, not due to mistakes) to all her very long reports that were already transcribed, but this was to be paid for only when it was first transcribed! I said no to that as well. That would have been hours of work for free! It's ridiculous the things we are being asked to do as if we have no value and should just be happy to get work at all. All other industries pay for what they get, either by the work that is done or the hours that get put in. MT should be no different. However, as it doesn't seem to work that way, I don't rely on it any longer and it is extra
$ for me. Important and needed, but not so much that I'll do anything for it.

Again, thanks everyone. This little dialogue certainly did clarify how I feel about the issue! :)

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