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

You're the reason my income sucks. - And I, yours.

Posted: Mar 30, 2014

Ask anyone what's happened to earnings in this field over the last 10 years. If you have a penchant for the macabre, try the last 20 years. I won't bother with the details because you already know them.

Well, you put up with it, didn't you? While the population of ESL dictators exploded and VR came on the scene, while the sheer number of medical devices, instruments, procedures, tests and other terminology we deal with doubled and then tripled, while benefits were hacked and chopped and cut and eliminated, while experienced people have fled in droves, while turnaround times have shrunk and practically disappeared...you did nothing. You just let it all happen without so much as a word (except on forums where nothing constructive happens).

What's that? So did I? Yeah, I guess I did.

Apparently, women - especially women who have been effectively isolated from the workplace and from the support of each other - are woosy, sucky pushovers. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

StillNeedSitters - VrLady

[ In Reply To ..]
Yes VR has arrived (much to the dread of many)and albeit as good as it is, it still cannot stay "home alone" yet. Granted, all you say is true but if you have been in the business for the past 20-30 years, you knew this was coming. The profit-driven corporations have pretty much put an end to the times most of us once knew, comaraderie in the workplace, a living wage, good benefits, stability and retirement. (Although, some still claim to have all of the above, most do not.) At least some of us remember the "good ole days" when one-up-manship did not rule the work place and a good manager never played favorites. What is the point in crying, it is not going to change anything.

You and you alone are responsible for your own self - no one makes you stay, no one

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should be responsible except the one you look at in the mirror each day. This site has never changed like forever. I made an excellent living doing this when I needed it, excellent. Had I not, then I worked other jobs to supplement. I now am working only parttime because I don't have to work 24/7 and I have an excellent retirement fund. You along with all the others here are not FORCED to stay. You did what you wanted to, why all the angst now?

wow, for somone who does not get it, please speak for yourself, there. - anon

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I am a woman who has been - "effectively isolated from the workplace and from the support of each other" - but I'm no "woosy, sucky pushover," your terminology...not in my eyes nor my MTSOS' (yes pleural).

Obviously you don't get the swing of supply and demand in this profession or you would have seen in coming long ago and adjusted for it.

Nor can you blame a single entity in this multifaceted game of dodge ball.

It does feel good, though, to shed all that disappointment, we've all been there with this. Once you get over it emotionally, you'll find your way.

If MT had been a traditionally men's field, all - of this likely would never have happened.

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Surely you gest because that's really laughable. - check please. sm

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reality check that is.

Um, no - xxx

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I do not think she jests.

I don't believe that for one second. - nm

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.

I completely agree! (sm) - Rose

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There is no way a man would tolerate the reduction in pay, being paid for only a fraction of the work he does, being told what tools to use and how to do it, being on-call for free, having to work evenings or grave shift and making the same rate after 30 years as kids out of high school. No way! How many men work for minimum wage?? Even where I live most of them only have an 8th grade education and demand $50 per hour right out of high school.

Yeah, if all the employees in the - xx

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buggy-whip factories had just stood up for themselves when their jobs went away because cars replaced horse-drawn transportation, there would still be a thriving buggy-whip industry and no cars on the road.

Things change. Opportunities disappear and are replaced by new opportunities. Sitting still while new opportunities pass by isn't "someone else's" fault. It's the fault of the sitter.

jobs change - Cindy

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm probably a pretty typical MT. I have worked as an MT off and on for 20 years or so. But, it has always been at my convenience. It was a very convenient job to have while I was going to college and raising a family. I'm really good at it--not bragging, but if you do something for a very long time you get good at it. I am now working a really neat gig with a company where they have work available 24-7, and I can work anytime I want to--on my schedule, at my whim as it were. The pay is 3.5 cents for VR and 7.5 for typing, and a differential for weekends, so I'm not going to make millions doing this work to say the least. But, for me, trading in the pay for the flexibility is worth it. I have other things I do to make a living, but I'm able to make an extra $700 or so a month in my spare time, without thinking about it so much since I can work anytime I feel like it. I would dislike having to rely on MT for my sole income, but it is a nice way to supplement my income. I also know that one day I'll turn on my computer, and the company I work for will have closed or they will have lost an account--and there goes my gig. I like the idea of having several eggs in my proverbial basket, MT being one of them.

I agree. MT is just becoming obsolete, like telephone operators... - That is why I am getting out of MT

[ In Reply To ..]
I know, I know, it's easier said than done to just "get out" of MT and I'm trying! And once I do, I will never look back or blame the industry no matter how much I want to (I knew it was like this when I came in but didn't want to believe it and can only blame myself for putting up with it) even though I chose to stay an MT (or rather didn't have a choice as no one else would hire me) or go without a job. Once I'm out of MT, I'm out for good! If you like it, good for you, and good luck (seriously). If you don't, just keep applying and applying and applying until you can get out. And yes, I do know how hard it is because I've been actively applying everywhere for 4 years and have yet to get an interview (or a job that isn't through a temp agency).

What exactly were we supposed to do about it? - Try to stop technology?

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Ultimately, technology is going to render us obsolete. I don't think banding together and making a stand would have stopped that from happening.

Leaving in droves - WXYZ

[ In Reply To ..]
That statement always irritates me - define "droves." I've been an MT since the mid 70s, and speaking for myself 10 years ago and even 20 years ago, things were good for me. I had steady salary increases and my benefits were never cut. My job ended because my employer closed the MT department but I was making pretty big bucks. It was not until I was forced to take another job that I took a cut in pay. Why did people stay? For one thing, they probably loved what they did and 10 years ago no one could predict what was going to happen. Some people needed to work at home for family or health reasons. No one "let it happen," it just happened, nothing stays the same forever. I'm not sure anyone could have done anything anyway. Why didn't you do something instead of telling others that it is their fault?

Really? Do you know how many - fields-have

[ In Reply To ..]
outsourced and slashed wages? Even the environmental services and HVAC at the large corporations is farmed out to agencies that pay their workers next to nothing. In airlines, IC pilots are being used and being worked to death, with very poor wages. Major upscale department stores have put kiosks in their cosmetics departments so clients don't have to deal with salespeople and can order online, after trying testers in the store. Their bagged purchase awaits pickup on the way out. Sales staff slashed in half. Retail was where I got my "unemployment" check but it's difficult to even get a job in retail now. That industry is not doing well at all.

What company hasn't switched to part-time, IC or per diem? My former hospital had a hiring freeze and now ONLY hires part-time and per diem, no benefits. Computer (personal PC, laptop) repair? People buy new ones or figure out what's wrong online. Computer fix-it geeks used to make $80-100/hr now THAT field is seeing huge losses in income.

Count me out - from your accusationsk

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I have kept one step ahead of the tidal wave. I fled MQ when they starting eating away at the profession. I have currently a stable hospital job with great benefits and 3+ weeks vacation a year. Hosp did outsource but brought it back in and we are assured of our jobs. They are actively seeking new accounts, so I think I will be safe until retirement. Not claiming to be better or smarter than others, just experienced enough to see the wave coming and staying ahead of it.

Sorry, this is not my situation - I am still making a great living

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Upwards of 50K. We will have a vacancy (one of our MTs is retiring after 45 years MT in our office) and our hospital will be recruiting to fill the position. I've never worked from home, never worked for a service. Of course ours is a pathology department. I say, yet again, working from home was the downfall of this profession.

Where is it? I want to apply. sm - kittykat

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IMO the downfall of this profession began with production pay.

Pathology positions almost always in-house (sm) - Rose

[ In Reply To ..]
It is usually called "Medical Secretary" as about 80% is transcription and there are a number of other duties that can't be done at home. Just go to mtjobs and enter "pathology" to find them. I liked having the variety, not to mention the fair paychecks and health insurance.

Our job is at least 95% transcription - the other duty is entering into the system

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addendum reports which are final results of outside consults. We do not answer clinicians requests for results. We do interact a lot with the residents, fellows, and staff pathologists. We often have to go into the Gross Room and discuss actual specimens (while they are in the process of cutting specimens from the O.R.) Our job title is actually Medical Transcriptionist, not Medical Secretary.

I just looked at the MT Pathology jobs - and they are everyone

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Is pathology labs the only ones hiring MTs now. There appear to be jobs available in-house all over the country.

uuummmmm okkaaayyyyy - nm

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x

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