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

Enjoy Your Job? (A Positive Thread For Change) - Madonah

Posted: Oct 31, 2012

Just wanted to find out how many of us out there are loving our jobs?

Personally, I'm currently in a position to have to choose between the day job that I love as a receptionist in a Fortune 500 company where I live in Colorado, and my night job where I spend about 5 hours an evening transcribing for a great ortho group out in New Jersey through a fantastic transcription company in the same state called DocuMed, and I can't decide which to keep! I've been with both for about 3 years and, though I'd like more free time, I can't imagine my life without either!

I love that I can work at my own pace and that doing so within a deadline is such a challenge. I love the research invovled in this job, learning something new every day, getting to 'know' my docs and their patients, and living vicariously through the eyes of my doctors.

I know that Medical Transcription may be evolving and possibly heading toward extinction, but I'm enjoying it for as long as I can. Would love to hear your (positive) stories! :)

I enjoy my job - OHMT

[ In Reply To ..]
It seems like you are in a good dilemma; much better than someone who can't find a job, you have two good ones! It's a shame you have to give one up. I had a good job for years, but the best parts went away to EMR, so I had to find something else. I'm fortunate that I still work that job part time now, because I love the platform and my account manager.

My new full time job is now everything I've ever wanted. I have my own doctors (nobody cherry picking them out from under me) typing a specialty clinic. I can work when I want within the 24-hour TAT, so if I can't sleep, I can work at 2 am. I can get up early or sleep in. I don't have to be "on the clock" during certain hours. I have weekends off, but if I feel like making a few extra bucks, I can jump on and work on Saturday morning. And my account managers are great to work for!

I always loved the idea of working from home, and after many years working in offices, I "discovered" MT, took a course a dozen years ago and never looked back. I get to wear sweats and slippers to work, I have a corner office with windows to look out of, and my dog to keep me company. I don't have to dig my car out in a blizzard, fight traffic, put on makeup, or deal with crabby women in an office. I don't have to paste a smile on my face if I don't want to, and I don't have to spend money on gas, lunches, or office attire. I have unlimited, free access to the snack box (oh wait, that's a BAD thing!) and I can stop and take a nap if I want to.

I love what I do and the people I work for. I take pride in my work. I know this business is changing, but like you, I'm going to enjoy it for as long as it lasts.

Have a great day!

Awesome!!! - Madonah

[ In Reply To ..]
That's so cool! I know what you mean about the freedom to raid the snack box :) Glad you were able to maintain the job! I had a position that would allow the cherry-picking and it really was bad for morale. I have the same setup as you do right now with the docs that are 'mine', and it's SO nice. Great when you can find a company that values their employees, even if the employees are contractors. :)

Thanks for posting!!

do you use a TASP? - typito

[ In Reply To ..]
Do you use a TASP? I have docs in New Jersey and Medikin is under water. I was looking at MetroScript, but I don't know how easy it is to migrate my accounts or how long it takes to get setup.

No TASP - Madonah

[ In Reply To ..]
No TASP here...but maybe there are others reading who have some experience with this?

phone in? - typito

[ In Reply To ..]
Do you have a phone-in number or do all of your docs use hand held recorders?

Not sure how docs do it in their end - Madonah

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm not sure how the docs are doing it. I work over a VPN and their voice files are uploaded to a program called MTWeb. I believe they are recorders if I had to guess.

Ahh, OK. - typito

[ In Reply To ..]
i'm looking for a browser based tasp where files are transferred back and forth over the internet and the company has a tollfree number. thank you for the information. i'll keep looking, but i think metroscript will work for me.

Internet - Nancy

[ In Reply To ..]
Sending files over the Internet is not secure. You will need encryption of some kind. VPN is probably one of the more secure solutions. Anything in an email or simply sent over the Internet is like writing a postcard in pencil; anyone can read it and change it. It would, essentially, broadcast patient information.

TASPs are encrypted - typito

[ In Reply To ..]
every TASP i have ever seen is 256-bit encrypted with SSL. this would be the same encryption as a vpn.

Love, Love, Love it. I couldn't as for a better job - see message.

[ In Reply To ..]
I have been doing this for 10+ years, 8.5 for the same hospital until being outsourced. I took a bit of a cut in pay with the outsource, but other than that I still absolutely adore my job.

I love my schedule, the flexibility, the money I save now that I dont have to worry about a business casual wardrobe like when I worked in-house; however, I did work from home the last 4 years of my employment at the hospital.

I love working independently, being my own supervisor per se. No one looking over my shoulder telling me when I can and cannot take my breaks. If my husband and I decided to pick up and move across country tomorrow we could and I would'nt have to find another job; I can take the job with me where ever I go.

I am blessed, good line rates, an abundance of work and a great schedule.

:) - Madonah

[ In Reply To ..]
That's great! I lost an MT job to outsourcing (overseas) and that can really suck. Glad to hear you're doing great though! Thanks for posting!

(Anyone notice that the original post has 2 dislikes?) :)

Ditto - dmz

[ In Reply To ..]
Love my job too! Nobody bothers me and I am swamped with work. No schedule, and I'm an insomniac so can work in the middle of the night if I am so inclined. Great supervisors, always helpful, always there - no cherry-picking at this job either - I either help out if they need me or I have my own set of docs to do and a backup account. LOVE LOVE LOVE where I am. They are out there, but it took me almost 2 years to find them!

I can relate, dmz - Happy MT

[ In Reply To ..]
I waited patiently for 2 years for the MTSO I am with to have an opening, and it was definitely worth the wait. Plenty of work, great people to work for, decent pay, minimal to no stress, all from the comfort of my home office.

As you said, the good ones ARE out there. One just has to be diligent in the pursuit of what their ideal "home" is and be patient.

Good luck to everyone out there still searching.

I would the work too but can't find it. - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
I'd love it too. Right now I am not working and would love to be in MT. All the companies I have worked for have just screwed up and let me go. I need a job desperately now and cannot find one. Haven't given up though and will keep looking. Glad to hear this.

now we're talkin'. This is a breath of long overdue fresh air! - and yes, I am happy with my company. NM

[ In Reply To ..]
*

Hoping to again! - Just My 4 Cents

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm coming back to MT after a 1-year hiatus. I have a full-time career different from MT, and the low pay along with the hassles just haven't been worth it for me to get on with these mega-merger companies that have so decimated the career field for US MTs. I'm starting a new MT job that seems to be just what I've been looking for: IC status and a company that really knows what that means(no demanding a schedule or shift - making my own hours, go figure!), straight typing at a decent line rate (no godforsaken, 4-cent VR!), and no "gotcha!" QA system. Communications and the testing process with this company were straightforward, simple, and very prompt. I love MT and even enjoyed transcribing the test after being away for a year. Hoping this is a harbinger of how the job will be!

Glad to Hear It! - Madonah

[ In Reply To ..]
Good for you!! And congratulations on finding a good home! ;)

yes! - love, love, love my job too - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Happy again as well...sm - happyMTagain

[ In Reply To ..]
I used to work for a small MTSO. Great company, straight typing, fantastic to work for. Of course, MedQuist got them. Then, I went to work for Transcend, and was pretty happy there again, although not crazy about the VR. Alas, they were gobbled up by Nuance. Started looking again, and my local hospital finally had an opening, as one of their 5 transcriptionists was retiring. So, I am with them now. All of the hospital benefits just like I work in-house, but I still get to work at home. It is lovely. Good line rate, all straight typing, a small doctor pool. Complete freedom. There is no QA. They trust us to send it straight to the chart.

I really couldn't be happier. We get a good amount of PTO, paid holidays, and paid sick time. The hospital health benefits are awesome too.

I couldn't imagine going back to an MTSO now. I've seen what "the other side" is like! Lol

Hope everyone has much luck as I have had. I just didn't realize it at the time, but each negative really did turn into a positive. :)

Excellent! - OHMT

[ In Reply To ..]
Sounds like you got the best of both worlds.... a hospital job that you get to do from home!

Congratulations!

that's how I started at home, through a hospital. It's the best!! - good to know still out there. NM

[ In Reply To ..]
``

Fantastic! - Madonah

[ In Reply To ..]
Glad to hear it!!

(is anyone noticing that these positive submissions are all getting 1 'Dislike'? Who 'dislike's people being happy?! How much you want to bet its 'Anon'? Starting to actually feel some pity here...)

Yep :-) - OZMT

[ In Reply To ..]
My job's not perfect...but what job really is? As I tell so many people, working from home is still a job with everything that goes along with it like Mondayitis, etc. You just get a few perks like not missing parcel deliveries and no one stealing your lunch from the office fridge!

Most of my team members and my team lead are helpful and friendly. Some of my clients are always great to type for, some are hit and miss (can depend on my mood as much as what they're sending through), a few I could take or leave and two I detest but thankfully I don't get them much. I can set my own hours to suit other commitments like appointments, volunteering at my kids' school or going to a wedding or other celebration.

All in all, I am definitely happy and do enjoy my job!

Want to be a happy MT again - lkl

[ In Reply To ..]
What seems now many moons ago, I took a CNA/Medical transcription/office course. I really liked working with the patients, so I went on to LPN school. I was working at a clinic as a nurse ans was happy, but then the hospital that owned our clinic, which was in a different town decided to close us down and I also found out I was pregnant. Most hospitals or clinics do not want to hire a newly pregnant nurse, so a friend of mine, who had worked at our clinic helped me get a job through a service she had gotten hired on at. Well, six years and two babies later my grandfather had a stroke, he asked me to care for him at home as he did was terrified to go into a nursing home. So, I happily took over his nursing care as I was an IC for this service, setting my own hours with 24 TAT. After sticking with them for six years of thick and thin and do mean some really thin times, I recieved an email from one of the owners stating that if I could not sit in front of the comp 24/7 my services were no longer needed. Needless to say I was heart broke. It is not like I was with my grandfather 24/7 by no means and I was still getting my work done. My grandfather had his stroke in 9/09, got the boot in 11/09 and my grandfather passed in 8/10.
So, since then I have bounced around to several different services and just cannot seem to find the right spot. I do not have unrealalistic expectations because I know things have and are still constantly changing. I just am not sure what I am doing wrong that is keeping me from finding the right place. I have at least some experience in most all specialites and have also done most all report types.
I am not trying to sound like a pity party in any way, I would just appreciate any tips, suggestions, or comments/stories from others, who may have been through the same sort of thing. Please feel free to email me at stewart7586@hotmail.com

Thanks for reading and allowing me to vent/share.

I Hear You - Madonah

[ In Reply To ..]
Wow...that's really harsh! Sounds as if you've had a really rough couple of years but are really being realistic here and holding out for a good position.

They tend to go really quickly. I'll keep an ear out at my company. What is your specialty? The company I work for, DocuMed out of New Jersey, is AMAZING. I love working for them. They're fair, owned locally with a promise never to outsource, and I couldn't be happier in my situation. They post here from time to time looking for applicants, but if you'd like I can send a recommendation? Let me know what type of work you prefer (specialty-wise). Since they're in NJ, they've been closed all week, but should be opening and back to business as usual next week, though I'm not sure they're hiring at the moment. But this is a good time of year to start looking...the two jobs I've had over the years were both hired in the fall as it's a surgeons' busy season...

email - lkl

[ In Reply To ..]
Sent you an email....Hope that is okay.

Totally okay!! - Madonah

[ In Reply To ..]
https://www.facebook.com/ILoveBeingAnMT

I'm with ya! - t23b

[ In Reply To ..]
I learn something new every single shift. It's interesting work. When I first started out, I had only taken medical terminology and an ineffective MT course. I studied and then studied some more, and verified anything I wasn't 100% sure about, and in the process, learned a whole heck of a lot. Since then, I've taken the A&P course. I really wish I had taken this in the beginning. With each chapter of A&P, I'd recognize more and more in the reports I'd type, especially rad and op reports. It's completely fascinating!

I'm going to stay in MT until the bottom completely falls out. I'm in the process of getting trained to do something else, so IF the bottom does fall out, I'm ready for it.

Madonah, I don't know the reason you're having to choose, but if you can, you should keep both jobs and save as much $$ as you possibly can for as long as you can. I'd be working 2 jobs if I weren't in school, and when I graduate, I plan to do both for as long as I can.

Tired :) - Madonah

[ In Reply To ..]
That's the main thing I'm struggling with right now is the money. I've worked two jobs for 5 years now and am starting to get ahead. I lost a transcription job (outsourced) a month after I moved and that was right when the economy bottomed out, and finally after all this time I'm starting to get back on my feet financially. Thing is, I'm getting really tired. I'm almost 43 and am with a really great man who I'd like to spend more time with (we've been together 6 years), and working 70+ hours a week is just too much. My expenses have changed too, and now I'm planning on spending the next 8-9 months saving as much as I can, and then choosing one job.

Sounds like you have a great plan! I absolutely wish you the best! - t23b

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Thanks! - Madonah

[ In Reply To ..]
Appreciate it t23b! Come visit! https://www.facebook.com/ILoveBeingAnMT

No I used to - but now I am so bored

[ In Reply To ..]
I guess it's the working at home. So tedious/ I used to really like it when I was inhouse.

Bored - Madonah

[ In Reply To ..]
I can imagine that being home all the time would get boring...I did it when my kids were still at home, but always kept busy with their activities and the social part was met doing that. I don't know if I could do just home work without doing something out with people. I think it must be really easy to lose touch....what do you do to keep active? Are the other areas of your life rewarding enough to offset the boredom?

no I really want to do something else - so bored

[ In Reply To ..]
looking for something else. Anything.

Hard Right Now... - Madonah

[ In Reply To ..]
Have you ever done retail? I know a lot of stores are picking people up right now for the holiday season...if you don't have any experience, that might be something to look in to as they don't always require experience. But having worked retail in a pinch, not something I really enjoyed :)

When I was stuck home having surgeries for a few years, I used to volunteer at the animal shelter to get out of the house and do something different, and TOTALLY enjoyed that. Those volunteer jobs can also lead to full time or permanent positions...just a thought.

not a money maker but I volunteer to seat people at our - local Broadway dinner playhouse. SM

[ In Reply To ..]
gets me out of the house some weekends, and I love the shows.

Not to mention....free. (usually 70 bucks)

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