Quality Patient Care - mom22

The whole purpose of this new compensation plan is to focus on quality patient care, supposedly.  After 20+ years in this field, including multiple years within an office and seeing how these notes are used, I think I know a thing or two about patient care and how important the quality of the medical record is. Here are some things I know:

Doing accounts consistently help you learn what doctors say from note to note.  Likewise, it also means you're more likely to hear a mistake when it comes up.  (Now, we are given random docs, and we cannot develop that familiarity that is so important for our clients.  Also, the accounts are switched from TSMs who know it and their MTs like the back of their hands to TSMs who can't even answer the most basic question simply because they truly don't know.  Nor do they know which MTs are the hardworkers, the slackers, the go-to when I need help MTs, and this all decreases quality.)

Taking our time means less mistakes.  (Putting more pressure to get the note out by unreasonable TAT - and no physician other than ER/hospital really needs it that soon unless it's just a STAT - means more mistakes.  Rushing through so you can get your next "exclusive" so no one else can scoop him up means more mistakes.  Trying to go at it as hard as possible, to heck with the carpal tunnel, just so you can make over minimum wage, means more mistakes.)

Loyalty and appreciation go a long way.  That goes from the MT/company relationship but also the company/client relationship.  (Do not tell me these docs are not going to notice when "their" MT isn't there, and the notes start looking different all the time.)  If you have a respectful and helpful relationship, I can assure you, there will be more productivity and help as needed.  TRUST goes a long way.

When we put our names on a note, I can assure you, we care about those patients.  When we are just left alone to do our work, the majority of us DO care about what we are doing.  We don't want our name attached to work that isn't good.  We want it to be accurate, quick.  We want our managers saying good job.  We want their managers saying good job.  And we want to be compensated for consistently doing a good job, doing more than is asked of us, WORKING AS A TEAM.

So, Nuance, please do not tell me about the quality of patient care.  I've been in the office.  I've been behind the desk.  I've been the patient.  I know more about it than you do because I CARE about it.  I care about every single patient that I type.  Why?  It's something called pride.  It's something called humanity.  It's about caring for your fellow man.  it's the same attitude I have when a MT is sick and needs help.  It's caring about them.  It's caring about making sure we all work together for the better good.  So when I think of patient care, I think of all your hard workers who strive to achieve that quality patient care every day....like myself, like my MT peers.  I do not, however, think of you, Nuance.  Because everything you have done goes against the idea of quality patient care and more about quality assurance that there is something green lining your pockets.  And emphatically, I will say that I think you sorely lack anything close to humanity. 

Quality patient care?  Let's hope you aren't a patient on the other side of a note that wasn't quality because we are all trying to survive on the rations you are handing out.  So before you tell ME what quality patient care is, let me say your equation is far too complicated.  It begins and ends with MTs who DO care about it, have cared about it, and will continue caring about it far after you have bled them dry of every penny, every morsel of value they have, and every ounce of energy.  We, Nuance, are your front line for quality of care.  Where is your quality of care for us?!