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

TransTech suggestion - catmt

Posted: Jul 19, 2011

How about this? For holiday coverage, why not schedule 4-hour shifts instead of 8-hour shifts with hardly anything to do?

For example, why not have some MTs commit to the following shifts:

7am-11am

11am-3pm

3pm-7pm

7pm-11pm

11pm-3am

3am-4am

I think the MTs would like that idea. They could spend time with family/friends on the holidays without being on call and having to check their queue every 15 minutes or so for some work. They commit and work for 4 hours and are done. I've worked holidays for 13 years now (for TT and 2 other companies) and I have never had a full day of work.

Any thoughts?

or, how about this - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
How bout they just let the darned work sit for one day! Its a flippin holiday. There is not going to be some big ol crisis because the reports sat for a day. The day after the holdidays are always slow too, so that would ensure that the people working the next day would also get some work, instead of having NO WORK!

I remember the old days and work would be a week behind. People lived. Companies didnt close. We had weekends off, holidays off, and world still turned!

Let the work sit?? - EmpireLady

[ In Reply To ..]
Seriously? This is just plain silliness and not at all constructive. Actually, I've worked in acute care almost my entire 35+ years in this business, both in house and for MTSOs. Even in the old days, I had to rotate holidays in the hospitals to ensure coverage for stat reports, ICU care, emergency transfers, etc. Uh yeah, back in those days, patients could very well have died, and probably did in some cases, or been mis-treated due to lack of information on the chart, necessitating frantic phone calls, much scrambling, etc.

If you or one of your family were in the ICU and a consulting physician had recommended something critical to that care, forgotten or neglected to communicate to nurses, etc. but did dictate a report, thinking it would be on the chart shortly (yeah, it happens), would you really want any update on that care to be "sitting" for a day or so? No, you would call that incompetence, and rightly so. But, perhaps you only worked on clinic notes.

Crises happen all the time in patient care, and if you were old enough and had enough experience, you would know that to be true.

While I agree with your post in theory 8 hours with NO compensation - Is not an acceptable option either

[ In Reply To ..]
We should be paid minimum wage (at least) since we are expected to put in a full 8-hour shift with a 99.9% chance we won't see more than half a dozen reports. At least in-house employees receive their standard hourly rate to sit and chat, peruse magazines, cruise the internet, etc., while wasting their holiday with no work.

Waiting Time - On-Call

[ In Reply To ..]

I copied/pasted this from: http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs22.pdf

Waiting Time: Whether waiting time is hours worked under the Act depends upon the particular

circumstances. Generally, the facts may show that the employee was engaged to wait (which is work time) or

the facts may show that the employee was waiting to be engaged (which is not work time). For example, a

secretary who reads a book while waiting for dictation or a fireman who plays checkers while waiting for an

alarm is working during such periods of inactivity. These employees have been "engaged to wait."

On-Call Time: An employee who is required to remain on call on the employer's premises is working while

"on call." An employee who is required to remain on call at home, or who is allowed to leave a message where

he/she can be reached, is not working (in most cases) while on call. Additional constraints on the employee's

freedom could require this time to be compensated.

I copied/pasted this from: http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs22.pdf :

Waiting Time: Whether waiting time is hours worked under the Act depends upon the particular circumstances. Generally, the facts may show that the employee was engaged to wait (which is work time) or the facts may show that the employee was waiting to be engaged (which is not work time). For example, a secretary who reads a book while waiting for dictation or a fireman who plays checkers while waiting for an alarm is working during such periods of inactivity. These employees have been "engaged to wait."

On-Call Time: An employee who is required to remain on call on the employer's premises is working while "on call." An employee who is required to remain on call at home, or who is allowed to leave a message where he/she can be reached, is not working (in most cases) while on call. Additional constraints on the employee's freedom could require this time to be compensated.

interesting - curious

[ In Reply To ..]
How is this different than sitting in front of the PC waiting for work on Tuesday morning after the holiday or any other time when, because of the nature of the beast, it's horribly slow? Is it because we are production-based? I hope someone who has owned an MTSO knows how these regulations apply to us, if at all?

Nobody that owns an MTSO of any size is going to tell you that! - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Do you really think they're going to say, "Oops, I should have been paying you all this time. Here's your back money." I think it's just one more racket they have going- push the issue, and you're out of a job. You'd think we were all used to having our short hairs in their clenched fist, but, alas, it still smarts now and then, especially when you realize how truly brazen they are about the grab.

Be careful what you wish for. sm - RoadrunnerMT

[ In Reply To ..]
While I do believe you should be compensated for your shift hours that you are required to check in and there be no work on no fault of your own, if you turn in the hours and end up getting minimum wage for it you will be out of a job. They will let you go if you fall below minimum. But also in retrospect if they had to change and actually pay everyone minimum during no work times, I am sure that would have to drop the rate they could afford to pay as the bottom line is MTs is where the money comes from and MTs will be the ones to suffer because that money would have to come from somewhere.

EmpireLady - are you saying

[ In Reply To ..]
Did you seriously just say that a doctor would recommend something CRITICAL to care but had forgetten to communicate to nurses??? Right! First of all, there is a written chart! Secondly, there is a dry erase board in every room. Third, there is something called responsibility of the physician to communicate CRITICAL information to the CAREGIVERS! Nothing critical goes into the chart without being relayed to the nurses which is probably where you get the word incompetence from. Not from an MT who takes a holiday off. GET REAL.

And no, I always worked in critical care. Never clinic notes.

I have to agree with you. - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I 'cut my teeth' so to speak, trained and grew in an acute care trauma hospital in Pennsylvania. We didn't work holidays and minimal staff rotated weekends. The nursing supervisor had phone numbers of those who volunteered to be on-call, something I did since I lived 2 blocks from the hospital and got paid a whole $5/hour just for being on-call. If there was some report that they absolutely positively needed someone to come in and transcribe for (say an emergency transfer), they would call. In the 10 years I worked at that hospital, I received that call 3 times.

It's really quite backwards as far as an MD dictating it into the chart but not having any record of it anywhere else. And further making me question whether Empire knows as much about acute care as she claims, most ICUs staff an intensivist, who is there at the hospital on-call all night, working right there with the nurses, further reducing the unlikely scenario of dictated but not charted.

Also, the light staff on weekends kept up with the STATs and radiology (before the two got separated out). And lightning did not strike the hospital, fire and brimstone did not rain down, patients did not die. And, perhaps best of all, there was something for people to do on Monday mornings.

Yeah.... - EmpireLady

[ In Reply To ..]
and we know that that handwritten stuff nevvvver goes wrong, is miscommunicated, misread, etc.

We are a vital link in patient care communication, and if you don't think so, why are you in this business at all? For that matter, your thoughts seem to suggest we don't even need to exist with all that "infallible" info floating around. Dry erase board... really? I won't even dignify that with an answer. And a doctor or nurse forget to relay something important, really? Have you ever actually worked IN a hospital? That stuff happens all the time, sadly. How many times have you done a report where critical patient care has depended on accessing old records? I've had a few of those already this morning.

The human factor is what it is, not perfect, and I state again, transcribed reports are paramount in that link, and to suggest they just get "put aside" for a day is ludicrous. That, my friend, is reality in healthcare. You take your turn with the holidays. Always been that way and always will be.

Truly, if this is your attitude toward patient care, you need to do clinic work, because frankly, I wouldn't want someone with your attitude to be involved in my continuity of care, were I in the hospital of one of your accounts.

I agree with you Empire - cctt

[ In Reply To ..]
I absolutely agree. We as transcribers all know the "medical field" does not take a holiday!! The doctors are there, the nurses are there and unfortunately the poor patients are there, even on holidays!! That means we have to be there as well, and all of you should be grateful for the jobs in this day and age instead of complaining!!

Oh, such arrogance on so many levels. - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Much as we may like to believe it isn't possible, somehow people are treated even without a transcribed report. Sorry, but between the doctors and nurses, you've got probably a combined 30 years of education; I think they can take better care of me than what some high school grad managed to transcribe. I'll take my chances on Christmas Day with the people actually looking at me rather than some disgruntled newbie sitting in Walla Walla.

And, realistically, why is believing we are "vital link" in patient care important to doing the job well? I hate to cook and do it only because I must, but I'm pretty darn good at it. I loathe housework, but you can see your reflection in my fridge. My ego is such that I can do this job quite well, and better than most, without believing that the earth revolves around me and my ability to understand ESL dictators; apparently some people's self-esteem is not quite as good.

Thank you!! Couldn't have said it better :) nm - LowlyMT

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Not seeing arrogance, just fact - TTFE

[ In Reply To ..]
I wasn't seeing arrogance there, just fact. When I got into this field many many years ago, I always knew that there were no holidays. I have family as well and they all understand that I, unfortunately, do not get every holiday off... But I am very fortunate that my company allows us to rotate holidays.

My ego is just fine... - EmpireLady

[ In Reply To ..]
...nor do I think we are are the only cog in the wheel; that would be silly. But, for the past 35+ years I have taken my job very seriously BECAUSE of caring that the patient receives the best care possible, as far as I can contribute, and I would never dream of putting that aside because the poor patient had the audacity to get sick or in an accident on a holiday. I like to think what I contribute is at least as important as housework. But, that's just me.

I've been doing it for 35+ years, too, and this is overkill. - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Weekend and holiday staffing to the extent that the MTSOs do it is ridiculous. The ORs are closed to all but emergencies, the specialty labs are closed for all but emergencies, and the admitting offices at nursing homes are closed. There just is not the need for full staffing around the clock. While the hospital may be open 24/7/365, there is not the need for a full transcription service for that many hours with the reduced work load based on the fact that so many departments are closed. And all the back-patting about how critical the MLS is to patient care does not change the fact that hospitals have in the past, and still do, survived quite well on a skeleton crew for weekends and holidays without a rise in their mortality rates.

Agree. Transcription staff on holidays was not the norm - Missy

[ In Reply To ..]
I worked at the same major Boston-area hospital for the last 25+ years (medical field including CCU/ICU, then in-house transcription, then home) and a full rotating staff on weekends and holidays was NOT the norm. It started in the last decade or so when MTSOs came in to underbid the in-house staff and promised 24-hour turnarounds. Over the years it came to be expected.

It's like selling a drowning man bottled water. - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
The MTSOs invented a need that does not exist so they could market their "product" as better than the next guys. When I worked in-house, the only time surgery even had to call for an H&P is if they went straight from ER to the OR. Other than that, it was there; the transcription dept even had their own runner to take reports to the floors on a regular basis.

But the MTSOs decided to hype this as the best thing. Luckily, there are enough MLSs who are gullible enough to think that patients would be filling the morgue if their dermatology consult was not on the chart at noon on Christmas Day.

I worked for a children's hospital and - this is scary - - See message

[ In Reply To ..]
They had 2 ESL docs that ran one of the children's clinics. They were new and NONE of the 8 transcriptionists in our department could understand at least 70% of what was dictated. We sent back report with blanks asking if the docs would fill them in so we could have some samples to go by but never got ANYTHING back with blanks filled in or corrections.

One day one of that particular clinic's nurses came over, and we took the opportunity to talk to her about their dictation and how frustrated we were that we couldn't understand them and wanted to send the best report humanly possible to the chart; we asked if perhaps she could give them our latest stack of blank-filled reports and one of us would come pick them up after they had filled in the blanks.

Her reply? "Hun, we can't understand a word they say, either. We just nod and agree, and then read their handwritten notes when they're gone."

How's THAT for scary? Even their own nurses couldn't understand a word they said. I am so glad I never had to take MY child to that clinic!

Let the work sit? - oh my

[ In Reply To ..]
I think you ego got in the way of this email. Are you kidding me? I have been in this business for almost 20 years and if its one thing I have learned is that doctors hate to dictate and they always communicate with the nurses (who are present when they do their consultation, especially in the ICU and they always speak to the treating doctor personally. What we do is more for legality than anything else. I am sure no one has ever died because a note did not get put on the chart in 4 hours. Ego, ego, ego.

Exactly right - noyb

[ In Reply To ..]
How true! My brother broke his femur in 5 places and shattered his pelvis. Thank God for someone being on to type his transfer summary and consult so he could be airlifted on T'giving to a major trauma center capable of the surgery!

Exactly right - noyb

[ In Reply To ..]
If he had not had that report done in an hour and been transferred, he would have died if he'd had to wait for someone to deign to come in and type the report 4 or more hours later.

I generally work one or both weekend days and most holidays. It may not be much, but I would rather be there for someone like that who needs help. Its called being selfless.

IMO

your right - ba ha ha

[ In Reply To ..]
The hospital would have let him lay there and die if that transfer summary was not typed!

What did ya put in those brownies?

Handwritten notes - WorkedTrauma

[ In Reply To ..]
That makes no sense. I worked for a trauma hospital and no one sat around waiting for some transcriptionist to type something up for a "life or death" situation. That's crazy. The doctor and/or trauma staff would make calls to the receiving institution, and important information would be written down and included with the patient's tests, laboratory results, admitting information, etc.

yea right - silly goose

[ In Reply To ..]
There is no way that they waited to airlift your brother for the consult and transfer summary!

Sorry... this helicopter cannot take off until I get that transfer note! Come on, type faster, this guy is gonna die, type, type, type!

Funny stuff right there!

How about this? - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
How about we be professionals and realize that people do not always have medical emergencies during the week and from 9-5? How do you know there will not be some crisis that needs stat attention. The work cannot be a week behind. If you want weekends and holidays off, perhaps MT is not for you. And yes, I work one weekend day and most holidays.

You're 100% right! All this micro-TAT we have to - deal with is just a marketing ploy. nm

[ In Reply To ..]
X

old days - mt2

[ In Reply To ..]
don't know what old days you're talking about but patient care was certainly impacted by the work being a week behind.

Your cavalier attitude is concerning to me. Healthcare is, always was, a 24/7 business. Perhaps you need to meet with a career counseling and find where you're meant to be?

Healthcare is 24/7, but transcription is not healthcare. - sm IMO

[ In Reply To ..]
Transcription is part of documentation, record keeping. Healthcare is provided by people who actually see a patient, lay on hands, administer tests, perform studies. Saying that transcriptionists are healthcare providers is like saying that the hospital billing staff is part of healthcare.

That is an EXCELLENT idea. I have family over both days. - TT cheerleader till a few months ago. Now I just

[ In Reply To ..]
Very good idea, very good. TT - I hope you read this.

Cheerleader - That was supposed to say now I just read.

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Christmas and Thanksgiving - I would be happy to cover a 4 hour shift (sm)

[ In Reply To ..]
and forget extra pay for the whole day. The time off is more important than half a day's pay to me, and those who want to work when they're not scheduled fine.

Suggestion - anony2

[ In Reply To ..]
Here is another suggestion: How about TT pays for the holiday + lines. Because you won't get the lines, at least you get something for being tied down on the holiday. An before anyone says anything, other MTSO's do pay holiday pay.

Plain and simple...work the holiday, get paid for the holiday - sheesh

[ In Reply To ..]
I for one do not agree that MTs should have all holidays off. It is only fair to rotate and expect some coverage. But, to expect the MT to stay home and monitor the jobs for 8 hours and not pay them......really? TT does not pay for the holidays, just lines typed. Pretty nifty deal for them I would say. just my opinion

Wish this post had a "like" button - Hit the nail squarely on the head

[ In Reply To ..]
No message, just think you summed up the scenario quite adeptly.

4-hour HOLIDAYS at TT - Laree

[ In Reply To ..]
When I used to work for TT (2 months ago), we tried the 4-hour holiday approach in Radiology. It worked for a while, but some didn't do their shifts and left all the most difficult work for the trustworthy ones later in the day -- ARGH!!!

Similar Messages:

Jan 11, 2011

On my Trans Tech application should I fill in favorite work types and favorite specialities or leave blank or put any? ...

Apr 12, 2010

The MTSOs DO come this board --I was termiated today as an IC and employer mentioned piosts here -- I have NEVER posted company name on here and to those before -do not send a referance to RE: someone posted on your company -- I may have posted but made it VERY cllear, we are NOT hiiring for the future, read and learn ...

Nov 22, 2010

I want to make a suggestion to the MTs out there who are looking for work. Rather than possibly posting on the Jobs Wanted board, post your resume on the Resume Bank. I received a call a week ago Saturday from a company looking for MTs -- they have not posted openings here on MT Stars or on the other board, but they are looking. I know this because I spoke today with the person that hired me. He (as the company rep, mentioned that when he goes to the Resume Board), there ...

Jan 04, 2012

It would be great if we could post comments and get responses back via Instant Message. I just recently started using the word board, but I don't think that is available. If it is, please let me know. That would be wonderful!! ...

Apr 12, 2012

Anyone have a suggestion of a shortcut for L5-S1, L3-L4, C numbers and T numbers? Have a tough time typing letters and getting the hyphen in and I have to think too hard and get out of my rhythm trying to do these levels for some reason. I use autocorrect. Thanks ...

Jul 12, 2011

How about a new board for living frugally in these times? It seems like it would be very popular and helpful to all of us. ...

Jan 08, 2013

Cheap, cheap, cheap. You should pay your peeps. You could tell the clients NTS cannot keep up with work because people are jumping ship like rats from a hot fire. Perhaps management (upper, way upper I mean) could explain instead of the TLs having to do it, that they needed so much money to take to the bank they had to cut the pay of all their employees, now they have green, not as speedy, uninitiated MTs doing the work. Most of the good ones have fled the scene. And here's another rant: ...

Apr 16, 2013

Everyone should make a habit of getting a letter of reference from CURRENT employers even before you are actually looking for another job. All you have to say is that you are updating your resume and want to be sure you have current letters of reference attached as well. It doesn't matter if you are working as an "employee", if they are happy with you and with your work, they should have no problem giving this to you. If you are an "IC", it should be even easier since you ...

Jun 20, 2013

This is how we got paid at a major department store when I was a hairdresser: Guaranteed minimum wage for hours worked. If our production exceeded minimum wage we were paid a percentage of that production on top of the minimum wage, usually 40%. I would love to have MTs guaranteed at least a minimum wage for hours worked (or waiting to work) and anything we produce that exceeds that wage should be paid at the customary cpl. This would encourage higher production, benefitting th ...

Mar 11, 2014

Some of you don't need me to tell you this, but others might benefit from this advice. Reading through the posts on this coding training, I am seeing some legitimate questions and concerns, but also some that are so off the wall that they are either the product of the world's worst paranoid or someone who is intentionally trying to discourage you. The content and tone is a lot like some of the negativity that gets posted on the coding board every time some one asks about coding ...

Dec 29, 2014

You know that's your aim anyway. That way you can save money on all the middlemen and enforcers, i.e. you can stop making good QA/QC people into inquisitors. If you want to offer a true bonus, just let everyone know they will make 7 c/l, THEN offer incentives, that way at least we know we can expect the base salary and the bonus will truly be a bonus, not a penalty. There are a lot of companies that only pay that 7 cents per line, who have QA staff who are there to actually guide the MT a ...

Jun 19, 2015

Hi, can anyone tell me if Autocorrect has a suggestion box that stays open while you type? I had been using Shorthand for 8 years and then just got a new job where they won't allow us to use anything but Autocorrect. It is their computer, a Thin Client, which does not allow you to upload anything. With Shorthand and Instant Text a suggestion box pops up showing you all the possible shortcuts and I can see in Autocorrect where you can type in your shortcut and the expansion that it repres ...

Sep 02, 2010

I have tried to explain to manager that the program is slow, and does not seem to ever correct a lot of "normal" dictation, so I have come here to ask a question of you. I feel that we are not getting enough keystroke count for these jobs. I have had lengthy jobs with small actual counts because of all the repairing (MEing), and pickiing up of nearby conversations, using markers judiciously as requested. None of these markers are included in the count that I can see, but they a ...

Sep 07, 2010

Am I doing something wrong? Are you supposed to edit the list before or after CTRL-Shift L. I end up having to capitalize all the first letters after I hit enter and it just seems more time consuming. Also, did anyone notice if you highlight text and hit space bar there is no skip marker- SHH!! ...

Apr 10, 2013

I want to extend a great big THANK YOU to everybody who has posted on this board, both good and bad. I never took the negativity personally or to heart. In fact, I considered it a lesson that I needed to learn with respect to the way this industry has deteriorated. That coupled with my sciatica (only when sitting) convinced me that it was time to move on once and for all, which I have. I would like to see others in this industry do the same. The biggest problem for me was findin ...

Jun 14, 2013

Won't mention any particular company here, but I am compelled to comment on the quality of the software. I have never worked with anything this complicated in my entire MT career (25+ years). Demographics are a nightmare. Database for CCs is......I don't have words to adequately describe the mess. If I enter information into the *fields* too quickly, the system locks up. If I enter more than one search option, the system locks up. If I use SH, Ex-Text or other ex ...

Jul 31, 2013

Keep track of every job you send to QA with blanks or other. Compare job numbers to those jobs that come back with major errors. Want to bet that most of those jobs we have a hard time with are the very same jobs that we are getting marked down for? Most likely the very blank or the very problem we had is what the major error is for. ...

May 03, 2015

Time clock will be changed to show 5-minute increments. ...

Jun 01, 2015

A forum to support and assist people who are seeking to leave medical transcription. Call it "The Exit Ramp". ...

Apr 29, 2010

Can anyone make a good suggestion for a great set of headphones? Could you please tell me what kind you like and why you like them? Many thanks in advance. ...

Jun 11, 2010

Can someone please recommend a good word expander program? I am looking for something that is compatible with XP, Vista and Windows 7. Thank you! ...

Jan 02, 2011

It's very simple and I am very serious: 1. If you are unhappy with how the MT career is changing, unhappy with the new pay (it won't go back up, folks, only down further), unhappy with changes in technolog, etc.: Do something THIS YEAR to get out of MT work completely. Don't feel you can venture too far from it? Do something like coding/billing. Want to stay in the medical world? How about LPN or RN? Dental Hygienist? HR speci ...

May 14, 2011

I'm not sure where to post this... The resume bank is a great resource, but I wish it was a little more flexible. For example, the section where you describe what kind of work you're looking for is restricted to choices on the drop-down menu. Some of us wear different hats and are looking for IC work if we can get it and/or an employee position if it's a good one. So multiple choices or even free text might be more suitable. Just a thought. Thanks! ...

Feb 02, 2012

Give the new owner a chance..BUT make up an email address that they cant trace to you and start flooding him with emails of complaint... ...

Aug 10, 2012

I've noticed that we need some sort of standard reference or metric to use when we talk about income-related issues, and this metric should not merely reference dollars (or cents), but should relate this to <i>a unit of time</i>. At the end of the day, it's how much you earned per unit of time that really matters, and this the only sort of metric that takes into account all of the variables that a mere monetary reference such as "line rate" does not. The line rate pa ...

Nov 12, 2013

Here's one that I wish someone had recommended to me back when I was pursuing my bachelor's degree: Take ROTC. Seriously. When you graduate with that experience on your resume, prepared to be a military officer, you won't regret it. Here's another one I wish I had considered when I was younger, which may still be available to me even at my age: Library Science. sounds boring right? When I was in school I'm sure I thought, "I don ...

Mar 06, 2014

My son is attending massage therapy training and will be done the end of June. He will be making more money than I will be once working. It only took a year. He is going for another year to earn an AA, but will start working and go to school at night. It's kind of expensive, but I think it would be a rewarding career. There is an extensive anatomy course that we MTs would breeze through, so I thought I would pass this suggestion on. I realize some of you are in remote areas and thi ...

Apr 11, 2015

in a new set of earphones and speakers. How about just addressing the problem with the client!! ...

Nov 10, 2009

Anybody know what the pay is for transtech, VR and standard? I am looking at applying. TIA ...

Nov 17, 2009

Anyone working at Transtech care to share whether there radiology accounts pay better than there acute care? I currently work for them on acute care. Thanks! ...