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

What happened to our field? - So Sad

Posted: Mar 23, 2011

Why can't it just go back to the way it was? Those of us who have been transcribing for 20+ years are kind of hurting now, or anyway I am. I used to have a service, had no middle men, no corporate people to support. This was back in the 80's, and the only limitations I had were demographics. If I took work too far away, I had to have more and more delivery people, but at that time, there were only a hand full of transcriptionists. Those were the days of "a line is a line", "pica or elite". We went through the growing pains of having no reference books, IBM Selectrics, electronic typewriters, correction tape, white out....and then, the All Mighty computer that literally was the beginning of the end of us. Here I sit with a plethora of medical knowledge, only about 10 years of good working time left, and what do I do? I seriously can't make enough to survive on. Are there any other oldies in the field out there? Any ideas?

so sad - no hope here

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I'm an oldie but have no ideas. I had two main clients for over 20 years. One started outsourcing to India, and the other went to VR. Left me scrambling to get a job that paid not even half what I was charging per line. Had to use my savings to move to a less expensive place and then to supplement my income. Now I'm stuck doing ASR making even less money because I just can't figure out how to increase my speed when I have to nearly retype most of them. I've already resigned myself to sucking it up for the time I have left to work - and that will be even longer now.

Your experience is a great reminder not to limit ourselves to 2 main clients - sm

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You know how they always advise diversification of your stock portfolio, the same thing works when you are working for yourself. If you depend on any one or two accounts, you are putting yourself in jeopardy.

Agree. Good that it worked for you for so long. Lucky - too. Time to gird up and wade back in. NM

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x

what happened to our field? - giving up

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I agree with you 100%. I lost my job 2 years ago after 25 years with 1 company. I used to make good money. Now I can't make enough to survive on either. All I do is work, and come out with nothing. I think most of the problem is the offshoring. They want to pay us like they pay them. We can't survive like that. I am thinking of appplying at McDonalds, would make more money probably and a whole lot less stress.

Another old-timer here.....sm - mb

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I hate my job, every day. I hate the fact that I make hundreds less every month than I used to. I have 9 years to go before I can take early retirement and I too have no idea what I'm going to do. Every day I want to quit my transcription job so bad, but there just is no other alternative for me, I feel so trapped. Costs money I don't have to go back to school.

I've been working at home for the past 20 years. I don't know how to do anything else. It's so depressing.

In the last year I've lost my house to foreclosure. I live in an apartment with my son but will have to move next year when he turns 18 and I don't get child support anymore.

Some days it's just too overwhelming to think about.

When the time comes, we do what the horseshoers - did with all their knowledge of horses.

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We become auto mechanics.

It's possible that MT was never intended to be the only source of income - Just Thinking

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MT does seem to work better when it is supplemental or for someone who doesn't require a great deal of money. It may not be enough for some to be able to pay home mortgages, car payments, food, clothing, etc. Some can make it work for that. Others don't have that many bills anyway, so it's easier for them to do well with MT. It depends on our personal circumstances and also depends quite a bit on where we live. The cost of living is much higher in some parts of the country and it would be impossible to make it there unless you have a job that pays a lot of money. Not many do pay that much these days, including MT.

Can't agree, JT. Do agree many who went into it for - fun money are now in trouble as

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companies are needing to improve product delivery and wanting full-time workers.

As for those who can't make a living, a few are working for the wrong company, but I'm afraid many are in the wrong field. Hundreds of people at my MTSO make $30K to $60K today on mixed editing and transcription, and doesn't that cast a light on the situation? Many who say they're going broke now never did make that money, others are no longer competent because they haven't learned the new skills the rest of us developed as a matter of course.

Those who can (or will) do, are. Those who can't (or won't), aren't.

I think you're right. Good points. - nm

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nm

You know, I think your last line may work for some people - Serious and not being snarky

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Where is it written that everyone should be happy doing medical transcription or anything else? Where is it written that we can't be happier in a more simple job? If it works for you, I say go for it! Seriously. I wish you well whatever you decide, but if you are thinking you should do that and it appeals to you, go for it!

I am getting out while I still can. - down and out in the south

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I have been doing this for 14 years. I lost my job last year with a hospital as an at-home employee of 12 years. I am a single mother and now have no insurance and am relying on their father to do his part but that is like pulling teeth. I now make $1000 less a month working as an independent contractor with no benefits, and he is trying to tell the courts that I can make what I used to....That is totally impossible. But I started back to school a few years ago for nursing and will be done in a year, God willing. I cannot get out of this career field soon enough. It just is not worth it anymore.

I know what you mean about depending on child support - sm

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I tried depending on child support. It's tough depending on someone else to accept responsibility and act honorably.

Good luck with your nursing career!

I'm an oldie too and things are better for MTs now than they were - in my experience

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I'm always amused when I hear about how great the old days were. Maybe they were for a few MTs, but I never made the kind of money back then that is possible now. Are there problems? Of course. It's also possible to get stuck in some really bad situations. I would advise that you keep looking until you find one of the better situations. They are out there.

Systematic Changes - AZMT

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The changes people are talking about are systematic, and they are NOT for our benefit: offshoring/outsourcing, no line rate increase in 20 years, etc.

Yes, there are always good and bad situations on an individual level. But these are MAJOR changes affecting our entire industry, and as I stated they are detrimental rather than positive.

Everyone has different experiences. - no hope here

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Let me know where the job is that pays 21 cents a line. I keep looking but just haven't been able to find one.

I never made 21 cents a line. That sounds unrealistic to me. - nm

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nm

If you are not a very fast typist, you need 21 cpl to make any money - MT

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Anyone could make money at 21 cpl. It takes more skills to make money at 7 or 8, but plenty of MTs are doing it.

I had my own - no hope here

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small business and was able to charge what companies charge and not because I was so slow and unskilled they felt sorry for me and wanted me to be able to make money.

I did work for an MTSO in 1980 for 6 cpl. Wages have certainly come a long way in this field.

Well, what's a bad typist doing in this field, anyway? - If you cannot pitch, do not bother to try out. NM

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x

GLOBALIZATION - AZMT

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Globalization and the new world order, that's what. It's happening to more and more fields as America hemorrhages jobs. But MTs were one of the first groups to suffer, right after the IT people.

We could always move to India -- or China!!

Everyone talks about the good jobs - but where are they??

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MTSO, private clinic, hospital somewhere? Notice how no one ever puts a name to the mythical "good job out there"!

Yup! I've been looking for one of those mythical - jobs for years. They dont exist.

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A person would be stupid to name good companies, especially their own employer! - Not a good idea

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That would be a good way to lose a job.

Who moved my cheese! It's about coping with change. - by Spencer Johnson. Change or become extinct.

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x

Preach about "Change" - AZMT

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You can preach about "adapting to change" all day long! The FACT is that the American economy is SHRINKING, in DECLINE. We can't ALL take "green jobs" or work in "service industries," there are only so many of those to go around! Just like EVERYONE can't work as an x-ray tech.

A lot of the people who have gone back to school to train for new careers will be JOBLESS. I personally know TWO who have completed those studies but are still working as MTs! That's because they are fresh out of school so can't compete with those who are experienced. The ONLY jobs available for them are entry-level AND 3rd shift, which they can't take because they have families to raise.

And there's nobody to blame but POLITICIANS. Every modern U.S. President, both Dim and Repug, has done his part to get us to this point.

You are so correct about people training for other jobs only to come back to MT - because there are no jobs in those fields

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I'm seeing that too. What a mess!

AZMT, we chose and empowered "the politicians." - Take that mud to the nearest mirror. NM

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We're the citizens of our republic and the responsibility is ALL ours.

Only IF you believe - AZMT

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That would apply IF one believes that:

* We have free and open elections.
* ANYONE who aspires to and is eligible may become President.
* Elections are honest, i.e. no vote stealing or buying.

And, after 6 years of research into the new world order, I believe NONE of the above because it's NOT TRUE.

Not entirely. - Fuzzy Enron book-

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keeping ushered in an era or more fuzzy bookkeeping. What is going on now in the economy is a result of tax fraud and securities fraud and it is so widespread that it would probably put the final nail in this country's coffin as far as costs to prosecute. Laws were broken on a massive scale that in the past decade. Nothing any politician can do will make jobs.

"Change" is one thing. "Ripping off employees" is - quite another, & what we all deal with.

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This Stuff - Old-ish MT

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I came into the field in the late 90s, when personal home computers were fairly commonplace and the Internet was not what it is today, but it was "there." It gave the chance to explore the MT field beyond my local library, and it became clear to me early on that I better not box myself into one or two specialties, and even beyond that, I had better get good at acute care. I'm glad I did that, as I am still working, but of course, the pay is cut. Mostly because of ASR.

I did anticipate SR, but in my wildest of dreams, I didn't anticipate that it would pay less. I mistakenly thought that my experience actually was worth something.

This field is just a big huge mill, and we're the lowly workers. That's it.

I have 7 years left until early retirement, and I'm going to try to stick it out, mostly because of the health insurance. We had to start drawing on our retirement funds to make ends meet, and we're not even 60 years old yet. Here, we thought we were going to retire very comfortably, and here we are dipping into it. We scrimped and saved for years for that money. We were never of "means," we just spent our money wisely and saved wisely.

Very sad.

It's hard work, but I've had harder and more unpleasant jobs - nm

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nm

You, me, and many experts thought SR would pay - more as a higher skill set. Unfortunately, the

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the change coincided with hard economic realities and went another direction. I'm not thrilled but glad to have a job that'll support us and leave a little over too.

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