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

Hi coderville! I am MT/QA looking to ditch the dark side... - apneic automaton

Posted: Nov 20, 2013

Due to being paid less than 50% what I feel my experience and brain power are worth after 10 years, I have recently had recurring thoughts of taking a coding course, retraining in general. My employer's financial stability is questionable, and they obviously don't value me. They just gave us new job titles "senior analyst" but cut PTO by 20 hours in the same e-mail lol. I would like to hear the thoughts of others who have left MT to do coding/billing? How is the biz? Same @# different shovel? Is work being sent offshore, done automatically? How is the pay, stress level? How are things going with ICD-10? In house vs at home?

you'll hear no one here saying it is the same @# - different shovel

[ In Reply To ..]
Them's fighting words. Coders here love coding and if they don't, they have learned not to post here. And I wouldn't even breathe the words "offshoring" or "automation" here if I were you.

GOOD!! Just the kind of reply I was hoping to see really :D - apneic automaton

[ In Reply To ..]
Because I am feeling extremely devalued, sold out and burned out with what has become of the transcription biz. I love the work, actually, and not too bad at it. I feel like the experience we have with terminology across so many specialties would help me be excellent at coding/billing but I don't want to invest in training if it is going to be more of the same ...and then have my job sent offshore to cheap hires while being forced to fix their laughable but dangerous mess at a cut rate, like I do now. We have also been handed an unjustified 40% pay cut just for using an inefficient tool, voice recognition. Anyway, it's hard not to mention it since I am drowning in it :( I am hoping to move on somewhere where they still value humans who think and like to work independently without micromanagers.

that is not quite the point I was trying to get across - but okay

[ In Reply To ..]
Coding is not a bad route, just saying that you may not find totally unbiased information here, on this particular site. It is dominated by one person in particular who insists that A) coding jobs are falling off trees for those with the CCS, B) if you can't find a job it's your own fault, C) it's money, money, money and D) it will never, ever go offshore to any extent that you will even notice it.

I know exactly who you're talking about - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I studied hard, passed the CCS, but cannot land a job in coding or even medical records. Yet, this person who speak of insists it is my fault and I'm the one who has the problem. I've just recently had a job interview for a coding position at a hospital. The HIM manager told me that within a year they will be outsourcing their coding to a service and I would then work for this service as an independent contractor. I didn't get the job so it doesn't really matter to me, but I want you to be aware that this is what could be happening.

Me Too - A different shovel

[ In Reply To ..]
I have a CPC and decided not to pursue coding any further because I could not get a job. I had a lot of interviews and came close several times but of course the more experienced candidates were hired, which is understandable. I also had the same experience as you have had on this board, being told that this is somehow my fault due to my attitude, I wasn't applying for everything or trying hard enough. I did get a medical records job, which is hopefully where I can stay; my MT experience comes into play every day. I have not heard any coding outsourcing rumors locally, but I have no doubt that it happens. Our health care facilities are merging and combining departments. If they can find ways to get the work done with less staffing, I am sure they will do that; even the coding staff can be cut, that is just the way it is now. One trend I see is using temp staffing to save on benefits and PTO. Good luck to all the job seekers, both in MT and coding.

And me too - Trin

[ In Reply To ..]
I am a RHIT. I applied for a year to coding jobs to no avail. I finally got a job in medical records. I make $13 an hour, work night shift and I really don't like my job. We've been told that as of March 1, 2014 that the company we outsource our transcription to (which is a big company starting with a 'P') will now be handling all of our transcription, coding, audits and HIM consulting. My hours will be cut back and I will be only part-time. I really had hoped that this job would eventually lead me to coding, but my hopes of this are now unrealistic as I will have to look for a new job that is full-time. Here I am again contemplating my career choice, going from an MT who lost my job several times due to lay-offs, outsourcing and even offshoring to now a medical records tech in the same predicament. I'm so sick of this and wish I would have gone into something more hands-on, nursing perhaps.

And me too... - Depressed and discouraged

[ In Reply To ..]
I am also an RHIT and got my CCS in April of this year. I was an inpatient coder for 13 years; this was 14 years ago. I then worked as a transcriptionist for 6 years and decided to get out of transcription when the company I worked for went to VR. I studied on my own to get my CCS. I have applied for jobs nonstop since I got my CCS in February. I have gotten a handful of interviews, but they all tell me they would prefer someone with "recent" experience. It seems like the time and money I spent to get my CCS were for nothing. I have also applied for other jobs in medical records, got an interview for one but did not get the job. This was a job that only required a high school education, and I still was not hired. I am still trying, but I am so depressed and discouraged at this point--I just don't know what to do. Had I known I wouldn't be able to get a coding job I would've gotten into something else. I know that everybody's situation is different, and if you live near a large city, your chances of getting a coding job are greater. I foolishly thought that with my coding background and getting my CCS, I would eventually get a coding job, but it hasn't turned out that way.

Bad attitudes - A different shovel

[ In Reply To ..]
Well...We can't all have bad attitudes, lol!

Trin - A different shovel

[ In Reply To ..]
I've only have one MT layoff and now work as an HIM tech because I couldn't break into coding (see my other message). I'm getting pretty decent pay although less than I made as an MT. The job is stressful, lots of issues related to EMR. Money is tight so there may also be layoffs on the horizon for us. I may have to take early retirement, don't think I can handle pounding the pavement looking for jobs again at 60-something. Maybe I can cut back to part-time. Good luck.

Good luck to you too - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
and I'm sorry that you're going through this. That really is awful that you may have to take early retirement. I hope everything works out for you. I'm 36 so I've got a lot of working years ahead of me, but I just can't do this anymore :(

oh lol... well I don't know what to do, just fishing for info - apneic automaton

[ In Reply To ..]
to see if coding should stay on my list of maybes. I can learn anything, but all the schooling I really want is way too much $$. The jobs I see in a lot of fields around here are mostly PT (yet demand bachelor's degree plus ?!) Things are getting pretty ridiculous.

Coding - A different shovel

[ In Reply To ..]
As an MT and someone who has studied coding, I think people need to understand that being an MT does not necessarily guarantee success in coding; in fact, MT has absolutely nothing to do with billing. Your medical background and research skills are going to help you when you code, but don't go into it thinking that it will be a breeze because you were an MT. That being said, coders are in demand, more so now with ICD-10 on the horizon. I am going to say automation because things have changed for everyone with the dawn of EMR, it will change the way you do your work. Coding would be one path out of MT, but as the new MTs have been told, also expect to work your way up as a coder and don't expect to make big bucks until you have been working for a few years. Some of those salaries being quoted are for advance level, multi-credentialed positions.

Thanks for reply :) - apneic automaton

[ In Reply To ..]
I am a little concerned about how many job openings there are around here, if any. I haven't seen any so far.

How and where are you looking? - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
If you are in an urban area, there should be job openings. However, there aren't a lot of coding jobs overall compared to fields like nursing.

You have to look in the right places for them. Many employers only post the jobs on their own websites and/or those of professional organizations.

You won't find all the jobs listed under "coder," either. There is a wide variety of job titles.

How and where - A different shovel

[ In Reply To ..]
I don't know if your question was directed at me, but I can tell you how and where I looked. First of all, I live in a rural area with one large outpatient facility and one inpatient facility. I have my CPC but no work experience. I had a mentor and I was in contact with the HIM manager at the hospital, who told me flat out that she would not hire anyone without experience. I was on the employer job sites nearly every day. I applied and interviewed for a number of jobs (at least 8) and came close (the top 2 or 3 candidates) but the employer either chose to hire from within their department or chose someone with coding experience. I did get a job in health care documentation but not coding per se. I've read so many times on this board how jobs are falling off the trees. That may be true for experienced people, but I became so discouraged (a person can only take so much rejection) that I decided to table coding. I'm approaching retirement in a few years and needed to find my niche. Please don't come back and tell me that it was my fault or that I have an attitude problem, because I know better than that. I should have listened to those who told me it was a difficult field to break into, I would have saved myself a lot of worry and aggravation.

No, it was not directed at you, Different Shovel - A note about misrepresenting credentials

[ In Reply To ..]
It was directed at Apneic Automaton. That is why it is under her post, not yours.

As we have said before, you did get another job in a related area. You probably got it because of the coding. I don't know why you can't see that.

It can be difficult to get a coding job without experience, but it isn't impossible unless you are in a rural area. Jobs aren't falling off trees, but when you live where there is only one small tree, there isn't going to be much fruit.

That is why we don't recommend coding for people who live in rural areas and do not wIsh to move.

It is also why we do not recommend taking only a CPC course. Even where there are a lot of jobs, something like 25% of CPC-A holders cannot get jobs. Some employers, particularly hospitals, don't want them.

Something else needs to be said. You keep saying you are a CPC. You aren't because you have no experience. You have to provide the AAPC with evidence that you have 2 years of coding experience, or a course and experience, to get the full credential. That means you are still a CPC-A. If you were claiming to be a CPC on your job applications, it would not be a surprise that they did not hire you.

CPC-A - A different shovel

[ In Reply To ..]
Well, excuse me! I knew there must be some reason why I couldn't get a job.

And there's the attitude... - sigh. nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

I'm not going to get involved in all the drama - Student

[ In Reply To ..]
I am an entry level coder. No, I am not getting rich, but I wasn't getting rich in transcription either. I'm making a little more, getting more hours consistently and I'm treated with more respect. I am allowed to do my job & I'm not micromanaged. I'm having to attend a lot of training in preparation for icd-10. For me, the move has been a Godsend. My advice, should you choose to take it: call your local hospital HIM directors and find out your chances in getting a job in coding. Talk to personnel at your local hospitals & find out how they hire. If they hire from within the hospital first, get a job in the hospital. I don't care if it is in laundry or housekeeping. You will be able to bid. If not into coding, into billing, registration, etc. once you have a job in the hospital you will be able to get another job in the hospital and eventually move up. Learn, learn, learn. Everything you can.

Thanks, I might give it a shot. - apneic automaton

[ In Reply To ..]
I am happy to hear about your success with it so far after doing MT and hope everything keeps going great for you. :) Thanks for your suggestions.

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