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

TTS full-time MTs - How do you do with line counts? Do you - make a reasonable amount of money? sm

Posted: Oct 16, 2014

Can you live off what you make? What's QA like?

My line count and average per hour is. sm - Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
around 300-310 lph and make between 9.75 and 10.00 per hour with QA scores consistently 99.5 to 100. QA is tough but fair. If you meticulously follow the CPs, you'll do fine. If they make a mistake on an audit, I have pointed it out and it gets reversed. No problem. Heck no, I couldn't live on what I make there. I only bring home about $1100 a month and that's my mortgage payment. I'm retired and use TTS to supplement my SS and my pension/IRA. There might be MT jobs out there that you could live on, but I think they are few and far between. If you live at home rent free with mom and dad, maybe. I think a lot of us are working multiple jobs for a couple of MTSOs or otherwise have more than one source of income.

Anon....sorry to say how true you are. Love your honesty and hope others listen. - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
That is what this job/career has become and the MTSOs know it. Everyone is working 2 jobs to support the CEOs at the top so they can go every day to luncheons while you pound away. They know that most of the seasoned MTs are near retirement yet need to keep working because we have no benefits nor pension. Should have been in housekeeping.

Anon above you does not sound like sorry but - she seems to just be supplementing

[ In Reply To ..]
Sounds like she is not the average person who is retired/retiring after years on this job. She said supplementing, talks about IRA income and also SS. With someone "our" age we also have the benefit of Medicare if you want. I am like her but want to work part-time just for the extra change. Have money in the bank, over $2,000 per month in SS income, another $700 per month from retirement fund from inhouse job so am happy I never worked in housekeeping. MT jobs paid off in the long run for some of us.

To above poster. sm - Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm not comprehending the title of your post BUT I am your average MT who is retired after 35+ years on the job, most of it in-house. I have an excellent SS benefit, a modest hospital pension, my own Roth IRA, rental income, and still have one client of my own. Were it not for my mistake of not making sure my mortgage was paid off by retirement time, I'd just be working part-time for mad money. I have no credit card debt, and my car is paid off. Unfortunately, I bought an older home that needed some major repairs along the years, so here I sit working to keep a roof over my head; and I'll keep doing it as long as I can until there is no more work. In the meantime, if I see a job outside of MT that I feel I qualify for I put in an application just in case. So for any MTs approaching retirement, get rid of as much debt as possible, try to find any additional/alternative source of income you can, and try to sock as much as you can into an IRA (which I hope you've been doing all along).

What I was meaning is it seems you are doing - ok for yourself, not downing if that is what you t

[ In Reply To ..]
The person I answered was stating how MTs have to keep working to supplement, no benefits, nothing much and your posting seemed like you had all your ducks in a row. I am planning this year to get my credit card more under control and our house will be paid off in 5 years (that will be 15 years instead of our 30)so things good here, only thing my IRA in the bank and now having to take so much out each year due to the age thing.

I see what you were saying. sm - Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
I didn't think you were "downing". I started MT in 1969, minus about 10 years off when I stayed home with my son (no at-home work in those days). I worked for an MTSO for a short time in the early 90s, then had a bunch of my own accounts, then for an MTSO again in the early 2000s; but other than that I have had on-site jobs that paid very well with great benefits (my last in-house job had FREE healthcare), lots of time off including holidays, and no weekends. We really had it good in the old days as far as pay and benefits, etc., so most of us old timers now have a decent SS payment, Medicare A and B, etc. I also took advantage of IRAs offered by employers, whether they matched or not, and if I left I rolled it over into another IRA. When I was self employed I started my own IRA. I once saw a question here by an MT who was wondering what she was supposed to do if the employer didn't offer an IRA and didn't realize she could open her own through Fidelity, Ameriprise, or some other such company. I did let her know she could do that, and I hope more of the younger MTs start IRAs as soon as possible, even if they can only put in small amounts on a quarterly basis. It adds up over the years. Off my soap box now.

I was not saving in my younger years and my - father used to get after me

[ In Reply To ..]
all the time about it. Don't ask me how this happened, have no clue but in my job inhouse in the 80s, working there for about 12 years, I bought stock in the company, as much as I could. Before that job ended the person who owed the stock wanted it back and bought it back. When I left I also took my retirement money up front (bad idea, no taxes taken out and had to pay IRS in installments several years before paid off). Fast forward several years got letter, thought advertising, tossed aside until I got bored, picked it up and had almost $100,000 from that job, $98,000 plus some to be exact. I thought typo. Shaking, took to my son who called and the letter was right. Do not ask me how, when or where but it was like falling from the heavens. Told my father, of course and he was at loss for words. That basically got me up and going and after that time was lucky to acquire more money thru the years but never really good about saving per se.

I'm FT employee - at TTS

[ In Reply To ..]
...and have been there for 6 months.

Regarding pay, yesterday at the at the start of my shift, it was one of those times when the stars aligned. I had one great dictation after another. Two hours into my day, I was averaging 425 lines per hour which at my line rate is $14.70/hour. Around 400 lph or a little over is about the best I've ever been able to reach (and I can't imagine how some people at this company say they make $16-20 per hour!!!...), and this only happens when I get the best dictators with the cleanest drafts...and sadly when it DOES happen, it is very rare and only seems to last for an hour or two. Usually I am closer to 300-350 lph, making $10-12 per hour.

Sometimes, however, things are much worse than 10-12 per hour. This morning is one of those times. I am 90 minutes into my shift and so frustrated that I am taking a break and sitting here on this site. In 90 minutes, I have earned 11 dollars. It may be that on Sundays there are weird doctors/PAs/residents who don't usually dictate and who really aren't good at it, and the drafts for them are bad because they do not dictate often. Whatever the reason, when this happens it totally takes the wind out of my sails because no matter how hard I bust my butt for the remainder of my shift, I can't make up such a ridiculous start and I know the day will end up being about $70 for 8 hours of work IF I'M LUCKY!!!! Blah.

So, it is very widely variable.

YMMV.

Everytime there is maintenance the VR is - crappy for weeks afterwards

[ In Reply To ..]
VR just literally stinks when maintenance is done, happens every time. So frustrating. Notice this next time and I think you might see.

Similar Messages:

Nov 07, 2011

What is the average line count per week to be considered full time? Thanks ...

Dec 12, 2012

I was just offered 8 cpl for straight and 4 cpl for speech with bonuses. Does that sound reasonable? I understand apparently there are some rates better than this. I have worked for this company for years as an IC and they recently offered me this. I am just wondering if this is a fair rate. As an IC I made 9 cpl. I never have done speech yet with this company. ...

Jan 12, 2015

...

Sep 25, 2010

nm. ...

Jan 01, 2013

Can you tell me what the required line counts are for Nuance please ? ...

Apr 30, 2013

If anyone knows of a hospital, clinic, or large practice offering remote full-time or part-time employee positions, I would really appreciate an email. I have the sudden need to help support a family member long term (in addition to myself) and really need to find a long-term remote employee position for the stability. Yes, I watch all the various employment sites and even individual hospital sites, but I was hoping that maybe, just maybe someone who works for a hospital that does th ...

May 06, 2010

I am wondering what the average for part time and full time status is either if it is done by line count or hours. Thanks so much! ...

Dec 08, 2011

Has anyone working for an MTSO been downgraded from full-time status to part-time status based on not enough hours worked to be considered full time, yet making well above the minimum amount of earnings required for full-time status? ...

Oct 24, 2011

I would like opinions about the IT (Instant Text) line count program? Do you find it user friendly? Are there other programs preferred/easier? Any suggestions or opinions? TIA. ...

Aug 14, 2012

I was wondering if someone could point me in the direction of an accurate line counter. I currently use Word, but am not sure if it's accurate. ...

Nov 03, 2010

nm ...

Apr 09, 2011

I worked for MQ full time and then went to part time last year, before finally quitting altogether because of health problems. I seem to remember an obscure policy that if you were full time and then went to part time, you could not go back to full time for a period of at least 1 year. Can anyone verify that for me? IF, and this is a big IF, I were to go back to work for MQ, I would need to be full time. ...

Jan 10, 2013

I'm curious as to the difference between the benefits for part-time versus full-time employment. Are they the same? ...

Nov 19, 2011

Does anyone care to share that if you are hired at optiscript part time will they let you change to full time easily? I know they are a small company and do not over hire so I do not know how easily this could be done. I am thinking of cutting down to part time at my current employee so I can work part time elsewhere and eventually just leave my current employee once I see how the land lays elsewhere. Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated :) ...

Feb 13, 2012

Since part-time is generally considered 20-25 hrs. per week, does that mean that full-time is anything over 25 hrs. per week or does it have to be a flat 40 hrs? ...

Mar 21, 2012

I am strongly considering going to part-time, just hoping to get opinions from anyone who has gone from full-time to part-time or opinions from anyone who has just always been part-time. Thanks! ...

Apr 26, 2012

Would anyone be willing to post info on this? I am considering switching to part-time. Wondering how amenable the company is to such requests. If you have done this, were you able to keep same schedule or were you forced into a different schedule? Thanks for any thoughts! ...

Aug 08, 2012

Has anyone been allowed to go from full-time to part-time employment with Nuance? Were you able to keep the same basic schedule? I won't be ready to do this until early next year, so not asking HR at this point. Thanks for any responses! ...

Aug 08, 2012

I see the post about going from full to part time, but what about the opposite? For example, if I get hired at 30 hours per week and I have extra time available for a few weeks, can I consistently work more hours than those scheduled 30 hours? Thanks for any insight you can give. ...

Sep 10, 2012

I am still debating whether to enroll at Andrews or M-TEC. My husband is retiring in 2 years and I want to be able to work part-time after that. Is it realistic to think that I can complete the course at Andrews or M-TEC in 12 months at the most, work full time for a year and then part-time after that. I would want to be able to work from home. I guess the other question is "How long after graduating could I expect to earn enough to make it worth the investment, in a reas ...

Feb 18, 2013

I hired on at full time but want to drop 2 hours off a day. Do they make you change shift or accounts in that case? I don't want benefits so don't care about that. I worked at Nuance and any change in schedule ultimately ended up in an account and/or shift change. TIA ...

Mar 04, 2013

from full time to part time w MM? I am so burned out trying to work full time hours, I honestly think I would get the same pittance of a check working part time. Thanks. ...

Apr 26, 2013

same company? If so, was it a good decision? I'm thinking of doing that. Thanks. ...

Jun 18, 2015

Just asking if anyone knows what is considered full time for Imedx and what is considered part time? ...

Mar 09, 2010

For those who went full time to part-time with MQ (because you got another job)...how did that work? Did they approve the schedule you wanted, or did they make you take a schedule? My CCM told me in my area there is no more flexible part-time available but could do regular 24 hour part-time...she said she would have to approve my schedule if and when I do this. I may be doing two part-time jobs to start and I am trying to figure out how to do my scheduling around both jobs. Does a ...

Mar 28, 2014

Has anyone gone full-time to part-time and then worked part-time at another company as well? I can't keep having my pay go up and down with this incentive nonsense. Need more stability. Way too much stress. ...

Aug 05, 2010

I was wondering if anyone knows exactly what OSI cuts out of their line counts? Seeing as they use a remote website for line counts, it is pretty obvious they cut corners with what MTs get paid on. I was just wondering WHAT are the cutting? Do they only pay 1 space? Do they not pay if you copy and paste? Do they only pay on a % per page - meaning if you have little on 1 page you aren't going to get any credit for those lines, etc? Just curio ...

Sep 07, 2010

Is it me, or does it seem that since 6.1 went into effect, my counts are a lot lower than usual when I check them under statistics. ...

Nov 12, 2011

I know this has been discussed before, but what is up with these line counts? I used to have no problem doing 200+ lph. Now, I work at the same pace on an account with less ESL speakers and I struggle to get my required 150 lph. I won't even comment on the fact that my straight typing has dwindled away to maybe 10 lines a day...on a good day. Thanks for listening...this is just all so very frustrating. I try to keep a positive attitude and be very diligent about my work and ...

Feb 03, 2012

For MTs with this company, are any of you having trouble meeting the line count required with VBC within a 40-hour timeframe? I even have expander program. ...