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

3 years. Question: How many more years do you plan to be an MT/editor? - Rose

Posted: Dec 20, 2013

There is much speculation about the field of transcription - how many of us actually plan to be here 5 years, 10 years, 20 years from now. I realize that the field is going to change, which will contribute to your answer. Will there be enough transcriptionists/editors to fill the need in 5 years and in 10 years? Will the industry be forced out of offshoring because of taxes? Will there be a need even for editors if VR gets better? These are all unanswered questions, but my question is, what is your plan under today's conditions. I answered 3 years because I am going to be 62 on my next birthday and I do not intend to train in another career. I am making about what I will make when I take full Social Security at age 65, so I am using the next 3 years to adjust to that amount of income. Next?

I'm hoping I'm out in less than a month. - Carol

[ In Reply To ..]
This is not a profession anymore. We are being transitioned to Nuance this weekend and I do not like the changes. I'm getting out of MT this coming year and never looking back. I hope you can make it three years. I'm not optimistic.

Hopefully out in 15 months - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I have 12 months to go to finish my bachelor's and then I'm out. I will have a degree in finance and will hopefully get out of healthcare all together.

Full social security at 65, are you sure - of the age?

[ In Reply To ..]
This is what I just got off the social security site:

Full retirement age (also called "normal retirement age") had been 65 for many years. However, beginning with people born in 1938 or later, that age gradually increases until it reaches 67 for people born after 1959.

I started drawing my full a year or so ago and I had to wait until 67 for full. Think 65 not full anymore.

Full Social Security - greyhoundmom

[ In Reply To ..]
I have been collecting full social security. It has been two years. I had to wait until I was 66 and one month Just thought I would mention, if you don't do it over the computer, you can go to the office, but one thing that is nice, if you make an appointment over the computer, you get taken at the time of your appointment. Otherwise, you have to wait a very long time depending on what time you go.

Hope to get out ASAP - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
but more likely within 12 to 15 months, hopefully. Things are so uncertain right now. I do plan on training to do something else. We just need to get the money together first. Good luck to all!

13 years....sm - Old Woman

[ In Reply To ..]
I will reach full retirement at 67 years 9 months, so I still have a way to go. I had tried retraining about 3 years ago by going to nursing school but became deathly ill and was hospitalized. I now have had several surgeries over the last 3 years and my health will not allow me to finish my nursing education, so here I am. Hopefully, this profession will exist in some form or fashion until I am able to retire, but I know that change is inevitable and that I will have to roll with the punches until then.

retirement age - Effie

[ In Reply To ..]
I was born in 55 and will reach full retirement age at 66 years, 2 months, but hope to work until I am 70... I can't afford to retire at 66 and I have to hope that I don't live that long after 70...

I knew retirement age had gone up, last I heard - was 67, months?

[ In Reply To ..]
I know not 65 anymore.

depends on when you were born - for me - 66 and 6 months.

[ In Reply To ..]
check
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/ageincrease.htm

I have drawn full now for 4 years but seems - like yesterday when it started

[ In Reply To ..]
This time is going toooooooo fast.

Got out 1 year ago - But...

[ In Reply To ..]
Wanted to get out starting in 2006, but held on. Finally, I couldn't take the mental stress anymore, so I started my new non-MT hunt in late 2010 and got out of MT for good in December of 2012.

Don't wait around if you want to get out. Be proactive. It could take years, whether you are going for a college degree, a credential, or you are just looking for something to coast along until retirement.

I'm 58, and am on the "coasting along" path until I'm 62, when I will collect Social Security. I am eligible for full SS benefits at the age of 65, but I don't trust that system, so I'm going to start to draw at 62. Hopefully, I will be able to fully retire then.

How can you draw full at 65 when others - are having to wait until 67 now

[ In Reply To ..]
I know you can collect early at 62 but full?

Oops - I forgot...see msg

[ In Reply To ..]
I would have to wait until I'm 66 and 6 months; I forgot, because I just plan on starting to collect at 62. We both (hubby and I) decided we should start at 62 with the way the system is.

We started retirement planning when we were in our late 20's, and it has paid off.

2 years. I will be 40 and don't want this for the rest of my life... - clb

[ In Reply To ..]
I've been actively applying to all medical and nonmedical jobs I can (to no avail) but my goal is to out of MT for good by 12-31-14. I will keep chugging along and putting up with it I guess until I either get a new job and can finally quit or I get fired. Only been an MT since 2008 but been trying to get out since 2012 because it's been bad since day 1. IDK how the rest of you "lifers" did it this long. God Bless You.

Us "Lifers" - Had it good at first

[ In Reply To ..]
I did it for 14 years, having started in the late 1990s.

In in the beginning it was wonderful, even working for "the big" MTSO. I was making $42K in my jammies and there was no VR at the time. There was "threat" of VR, but many of us were under the impression that we could still make money editing it, so we hung on even when VR came out. Even then, it was only clinic, easy docs they put on it. I was strictly acute care at the time, and they wisely didn't put acute care on VR at the time, so I was still riding a high game without having to edit. Gradually, they threw everything on VR and it just went horribly sour after that.

So, we "lifers" really had it good at first, and what we also had was more hope. We never imagined they would put this sort of crud on VR, and if they did, they would pay us well to fix the mess.

So, it wasn't the VR, it was basically the serious pay cut to edit the crud, which also didn't happen at first in a big way. I seriously do believe we had more hope than you all "newbies" do, which was part of what kept us hanging in there. We never imagined that with our skill, knowledge and experience, that they would cut our pay. Just did not seem possible.

You rightfully are correct in realizing there is "no hope."

I started preaching here in probably 2008 to NOT go into this business. Many others started preaching earlier.

I wish I saw ur post back in 2008 and saved myself the hassle... - clb

[ In Reply To ..]
I heard about VR back in 2006 or so when I was still in school for MT. I didn't believe it. I was all like "la la la I can't hear you" with my fingers in my ears. I guess the biggest disappointment for myself is that I left a great job to be an at-home MT with all these expectations in my head and they never panned out, financial, career, or family wise. I just hope that the big N doesn't buy up Amphion like I've been hearing because then it will be even worse. I'd gladly work at the grocery store over this. The only thing keeping me in this job (before I can quit to go to a better one when I do find one) is I need the insurance badly. Pretty sad that I'm so loyal just for the insurance because I need prescription coverage. Oh, how I wish I had what you lifers had many years ago. It sounded wonderful. :-)

Lifer Lady - see msg

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm the one who just wrote about being a "lifer."

It was sooo wonderful. I could not have been happier. I cried a lot of tears over the blood and guts I put into this, only to have it crash down upon me.

As I was wanting to say, it's not the VR, per se---it's what the MTSOs did to us because of it. I'd still be there if I was making the 42K working from home, despite editing the crud. I can't say I'd be as happy editing (I adore straight transcribing), but I certainly wouldn't have quit if my pay had not gotten cut so drastically.

So, in the end, I don't blame VR--I blame the MTSOs for making us peon slaves to edit it.

14 years and that is a lifer? I have now done - this for over 40 years

[ In Reply To ..]
I never even knew about MTSOs until the early 2000s, worked in house since I first started. This job has paid me well in the past and now am not counting on just this alone to see me thru. I will say this, I don't mind VR and ours is darn near perfect these days, I would say in the 90 sometime percent range with all, and no one is culled from being on there. I believe one of these days this job will be obsolete though but it's called progress.

My Point Was... - Lifer Lady

[ In Reply To ..]
That this wasn't always bad, even as "recent" as 14 years ago, if you prefer that wording. The OP couldn't imagine how anyone could be in this business any longer than a couple of years.

Not sure what type of MT'ing you are doing, but I'm thinking not the acute care that the MTSOs are putting the docs on. You can't put hundreds of doctors in a given hospital on the system and expect anything but a big mess. You also can't expect hundreds of MTs fixing the mess, and still expect VR to learn it.

I can only assume you have all good dictators, perhaps in a clinic or small section of a hospital

Been out since spring - office girl

[ In Reply To ..]
As I was losing my local accounts a few years back, my friend who installed the voice software at the hospital told me in 10 years we would be out of a job. The MTSO I went to work for lost a big account in 2012, and then decided to ask us to pay them so much a month to work for them (to cover expenses/insurance). That was enough for me. I work in an office now and enjoy the company and the benefits, especially the taxes taken out of my check. Good luck to those who are still typing.

Roughly 3 years if it lasts that long - sm - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm going to be going back to school in the fall of 2014 for a 2-year degree. I'm in my late 40s and never saw myself going back to school again.

Worst case scenario as early as 26 months - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
till I can draw survivor benefit from deceased hubs, 56 months to draw off ex at 62 and defer my own until I'm 70. It will depend on how the work situation shakes out. I would like to get my house paid off before I retire so I don't have to worry about losing it. I will be able to quit one of my jobs next December when my car is paid off.

staying till I can't anymore - age 55

[ In Reply To ..]
Right this minute my situation is not terrible so I'm staying till the race is run and then I hope by that point to have come into my inheritance and I won't have to work anymore.

Waiting - Carried away

[ In Reply To ..]
Until I find a rich man to come and carry me away.....Richard Gere style. LOL!!

I got out 2 weeks ago. - Maggie May

[ In Reply To ..]
I start a new job on Monday. Office work. Over $13/hour, which is more than I ever made at MT. Plus paid holidays, sick days, benefits, the whole shebang. Best Xmas present I've ever gotten!

CONGRATS Maggie. I been gone 9 months. - Happy for you.

[ In Reply To ..]

Outta here in 3 years - LB

[ In Reply To ..]
I am counting down the 36+ months I have before early retirement. I am just hoping that the MTSOs I work for now are still in business, that I can find more work somewhere else if they do crash and burn and that nobody has the bright idea of raising the early retirement age.

I have been an MT for 25+ years and I have seen it go through so many changes, some good, but some horrible.

I'm too old for a new career, and just planning on retiring at age 62 and then finding some easy part-time work just to keep me busy.

Editors will be needed until (sm) - The other Rose

[ In Reply To ..]
Editors will be needed until they incorporate dictation into the med school curriculum. Dictation has always been thought of as so simple that no training is needed. That's because there are brains on the other end (MT/Editors)to catch all the mistakes that technology can't without a brain. If they got rid of us now, they have to pay someone an hourly rate to:

Find out which doctor to send the cc to, look up MD names to check spelling, check previous notes to see if he really meant the man was on estrogen, correct errors, omit the telephone call regarding a different patient the patient's record, reformat what they didn't dictate as a heading, correct other format errors, correct grammar, correct demographic errors and get the dictation onto the right record, proof read and correct all errors and I could go on and on and on.

Doctors don't think of these things we do because is happens silently in the background and they don't see the erros created with VR. Just as they were conned by the VR developers, they will continue to be conned that they don't need editors. I cannot see our complete demise until doctors realize that there are correct and incorrect ways to dictate and if they choose not to learn how to do it correctly, they have to pay the price with an in-house hourly paid worker to do everything we do to avoid total chaos.

VR has about the same capabilities today as it did decades ago. Only 20% of doctors who purchased it didn't return, and out of those 20% there were few who ended up actually using it. It has been forced upon them today. Unfortunately the powers that be need to live without something to learn it's value and I think that is what will happen with our jobs. The side that still has editors will learn what is happening with those who fired their editors and hopefully come to the realization that they need us.

That is not how it works - Informaticist

[ In Reply To ..]
You are describing the situation you have now, where you work, using SR, and you assume that the same scenario will continue in the future. In other words, you think that doctors will dictate into systems that store the dictation, run it through SR offsite at a later time, send it to an editor to fix up, send it back to the facility, have someone hunt up the right record, etc.

You are also assuming that every facility allows CCs to be sent, requiring someone to look up names, and that they obsess about formatting and punctuation.

You don't understand that what you have now is not the same as front-end SR. Big difference. With front-end SR, the dictation is not sent out or delayed. It is done as the doctor speaks. He does it IN the patient's record. He sees what he is getting and ... rather remarkably ... adjusts his dictation habits, fixes the errors, and both he and the SR software learn. The system is trained TO HIM INDIVIDUALLY, not to thousands, so it does a lot better.

We have never allowed CCs to be dictated or sent. No one ever looked up spellings of doctors' names.
No one ever looked in past records to see if anyone was on estrogen because they never had access to it.

I have said this before, but no one listens. We never had over-functioning MTs who saved the dictation day, so we don't aspire to that level of service. You will find that the cost of those over-functioning MTs is more than medical care can bear and that facilities quickly determine that concierge-level MT services are not necessary.

We have front-end SR, templates, and keyboards, and our doctors use them. We have no MTs and no "editors."

And, no, I am not a SR salesperson. I work with an EHR that has FESR.

Really, you should find another career. The future is already here. There are no MTs in it and all the things you think will keep you in business are absolutely unnecessary.

Similar Messages:

Nov 26, 2012

Thought that after not having enough work for a couple years now and always chasing work, I'd now have a "real job" as an employee and wouldn't have to worry about a steady paycheck and paying the bills anymore. The reason I thought this was because at the interview and in their professional company emails, they use all the "real job" words: Shift, scheduled hours, overtime, PTO, benefits, etc. I felt relieved to finally have a "job." What a big bunch of BS! I was "hired" ...

Aug 08, 2014

Lately, I've been getting legal notices mailed to my home from I believe the east coast somewhere informing me of a class action lawsuit against M*Modal and inviting me to joint if I have a claim. I don't think I have a claim, but then again with all the shady practices in this business, I'm not so sure. I'm just curious what the heck is going on. Anyone care to give me the lowdown? ...

Dec 04, 2009

horrible ESL accounts, horrible teaching facilities with residents who don't know how to dictate. By the time you get used to them, they're gone. I have been insulted by taking an enormous pay cut for the over rated, under performing ASR. Through all of this, I have mostly been happy with my job. Now, however, I will finally say that I hate MQ. I hope they lose all their accounts to nice mom and pop people. I hope they go bankrupt and have to move in ...

Mar 13, 2010

A 12-second dictation interrupted secondary to .... orgasm Did they ever show this on ER? ...

Jan 13, 2011

Twenty-six years ago I had a part-time job on the side working for a local service in CA, and I was paid 6.5 cpl as an IC way back then. It's shocking to me that all these years later, the rate is still so low. ...

Dec 12, 2011

So, got my congratulatory e-mail from medquist today for working here for 18 years as of this month How ironic . . . I got that e-mail on the same day that I got the call from the Department of Welfare telling me that due to my low income (despite working full time) my kids are eligible for medical benefits from welfare! I even replied to my "congratulatory" MQ e-mail stating so! I know some of you will retort with "why stay?" but I have a disabled husband to take care of, ...

Sep 05, 2012

I wanted to take a moment to tell you all how grateful I was to find this board over a year ago. I was sitting there not understanding why I couldn't make any money, why I felt like a piece of crap about my abilities. Having this board, people who understand and validate my feelings made a huge huge difference for me. My last day is tomorrow. I got a medical records job. I'll work days, I'll have Friday and Saturday nights off again, ...

Jan 12, 2013

Is anybody out there making very good money with speech recognition? It seems anybody I talk to indicates they are making a lot less with speech than straight typing. Course the MTSOs want you to believe you can do the speech in half the time of straight. ...

Jul 02, 2013

believe the crap that this company dishes out to us. I know 150 lines is achievable because that was the minimum at my last company (bought back, not here by choice!). My former company, however, did not have a time clock, which took the pressure off if I had a string of difficult reports or extensive referencing because I could work a bit longer to make up the lines if I had to. I am PT with no benefits, no sick days, no holidays, work Saturdays, and only a few PTO days a ...

Nov 16, 2013

Working for Nuance has been horrible since the onset a year ago with immediate pay cut. Since then it's been one thing and another to make an MT feel imprisoned working for this company. With their 99% accuracy criteria OR ELSE - very few of us stand a chance of maintaining our jobs. My job was threatened for not meeting consistent FIESA scores of 99%. COME ON - we're making half what we used to and now some QA "specialists" come along and arbitrarily "grade our ...

Feb 06, 2014

doing this job and NOW I cant pass an audit..Lets see Mmodal, had you not made it next to impossible to make a living wage, I could slow down and re-read every word..And you make up THE most stupid crap so that I HAVE to fail...So question is if I get fired for not passing an audit (because I am not changing a freaking thing I do) can I collect U/E? ...

Dec 18, 2014

After 20 years, I was put out of business by Nuance taking over the last hopsital I was working for and earning a decent living. I eventually started working for Nuance in August of this year. I had such a hard time turning in 1100 lines in 8 hours, significantly down from my average of 250 per hour, and not to mention getting stuck with two hopsitals in Maryland that were very, very difficult with the majority being ESLs. Sadly, i was let go on December 5th because I could not ...

Apr 15, 2015

I to am getting out of MT after over 25 years, the last 10 of those at home. Yes, I was scared at my age (49), but it feels like the weight of the world is off my shoulders. I have been offered a "real job" with amazing benefits (holidays, vacation days and sick days), and to the icing on the cake... a better salary than I could ever make in MT. So, for all of you ol' timers out there, yes, it can be done. ...

Jan 11, 2010

Could you please tell me HOW you did it? Nevermind the decreasing pay or anything like that. I'm talking how did you do it PHYSICALLY? I'm 10 years in, love the nature of the work, etc. However, I feel beat up from head to toe after only 10 years and while I'd love to stick it out another 10 or 20, assuming it's still a viable option, I just don't know if I could do it. I'm healthy, pretty fit, but my entire lower legs are constantly ac ...

Jan 13, 2010

everyone else here. You know the deal. Anyhow, I am only flex part-time and consistently bring home about 250 every 2 weeks. About 6 weeks ago I landed another job. It's an IC job, though. Pays on-time, pretty good work load. Again, very part-time there. But between the 2 jobs, I feel I'm overextending myself. Why can't I just let go of the Q??? What the heck am I holding on to? I know if I quit MQ, I can dedicate more time and energy to this new job as it seems I can work ...

Mar 22, 2010

Got a call from the insurance girl at the doctor's office today. Seems they've hired an in-house gal and are not needing my services after ten years. I look back on all the missed vacations I never took. Don't make my mistake. No notice and my salary was approximately $36,000 a year. I've been thrown to the sharks. If any one needs a rheumatology gal, let me know. My cable folks are turning me off, plus my phone, plus any other thing ...

Aug 07, 2010

I was a medical transcriptionist for about five years in the late '90s. Now that my kids are both going to be in school full-time, I'd like to go back to work. I was able to get an old set of SUM tapes and a transcriber on ebay, so I'm going to be spending the next few months re-learning what I've lost over the years. At the same time, I will be calling around town to see if I can find some work. I used to do a lot of chiropractic, which was really eas ...

Oct 06, 2010

ob/gyn. What's the correct way to transcribe G3 P2 012 ? ...

Jul 25, 2011

I am tier III and I still am not at top pay. Today I asked my CCM for a raise and she said she will put in the paperwork. Why do I feel I still will be denied even though I have met all the requirements. More than likely I will be denied because they do not want any MT to make above minimum wage. Also I really feel bad for the MTs who had their pay cut. That is just not right. I notice when I ask why the pay cut the answer is always to level the playing field and to make it fair to the other MT ...

Oct 06, 2011

I am an independent contractor with 30 plus years experience, and have worked for the same hospital for 11 years, still at the same rate as when I started. At the time it was a good rate, now not so much--outside typing service does the overflow easy stuff , we IC's are left with the ESL's, static and more difficult reports. Know things have changed dramatically in just 11 years. Also know the onsite transcriptionists (employees) get a 4% raise most years. ...

Nov 30, 2011

None of my work for the past three days have gone through because I've been put on full QA. Not one complaint. They've hired a lot of new MT's so I'm wondering if they're looking to get rid of us older ones so they can pay less. Ever had this happen? ...

Jan 11, 2012

I lost my last account to India 3 years ago and decided it just wasn't worth it any longer after 20 years of all this crap. I have only returned to this board today after 3 years and the complaints are all just the same as they were 3 years ago - some of the same companies (they will never change), some new companies that are probably old companies that changed their name because they could no longer get people to apply for their positions. For all of you who complain and do not do anythi ...

Apr 27, 2012

Pretty soon they'll have to just change the spelling to oropharnyx to accomodate the doctors. Do you think they'd be insulted if I corrected the doctor if they say that at my next clinic visit? ...

Dec 16, 2012

I started with WebMedx 3-1/2 years ago and things were going quite well. Nuance made all their glorious changes effective in January and things have deteriorated to the point I just could not take another day. As for my complaints about them, just pick one -- it's probably on my list. To those of you who feel Nuance is the worst place you've ever worked for, I'm right there with you and that's after 35 years transcription experience. To those of you who actually like wor ...

Jan 22, 2013

I still have people who assume they can just do MT. I just had someone tell me they need temporary work that they can do "on the go." Could I help them get into MT? UGH! I don't know how many people in the past who have told me they can type, so maybe they could do this job? Of course with the pay rates these days you should be able to just "do this job" without any education! Thanks for letting me vent. ...

Mar 28, 2013

How is a person supposed to get a job when everyone wants 5 years experience? So I have to work another three years for the place that I am working before I can get a better job? By that time MT's will be totally obsolete. I feel like quiting. ...

Jun 26, 2013

Have I had supervisors MIA like this joint. Can you imagine walking in to a factory, office, etc. and no boss, no one knowing where the boss is, or anyone else to contact? This outfit is unbelievable. From one day to the next we don't know if we are inundated with work or just scraping by. You have to question every little thing you do, but there is no one to question. You can't take a day off because there is no one to ask. Gawd, I hate this place and I a ...

Aug 04, 2013

I'm thinking it will be a tiny fraction of the size because most of us will have left this "career." It really is sad to see what off-shoring and horrible VR have done. ...

Nov 13, 2013

I have been a transcriptionist for over 10 years and I recently started a job for a small transcription company that requires 100% accuracy for all reports. I continually get flagged with emails saying, "Please find the punctuation mistake and apply back with why" These are most always just one or two comma mistakes in the whole report. Do all of you turn in reports with absolutely no comma or semicolon mistakes at all or am I just an inadequate transcriptionist? Frustrated. ...

Mar 12, 2014

is a future in? Isn't that the most logical thing? This has nothing to do with coding or not coding. Think about your futures, when your kids are older or you're older. ...