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

Goodbye, AHDI! - earlymusicus

Posted: Jan 13, 2011

When I was a medical transcription student last winter at a local two-year college, most of us students joined AHDI at the encouragement of our instructors.

My membership has expired and in today's mail was a membership renewal request from AHDI.

I tossed it in the trash. I can't afford the membership because I can't get a job because AHDI supports offshoring of medical transcription jobs. Goodbye, AHDI.

Good for you! I wish all American MTs who were - flim-flammed into joining AHDI would quit, too.

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I agree-- don't be suckered in! - Old and Tired MT

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I spent 18 years of my life supporting AAMT (now AHDI) with my time and money to obtain and keep my CMT. I wish I had all that time and money back. They did not do one thing that helped me as an MT in all those years. All they care about is getting their money and don't care where it comes from, i.e. all the Indian MTs,sales of their beloved BOS, etc.

MQ equates AHDI with "development of - professional goals"

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To me, they're just a bunch of double-talking pseudo-intellectual profiteers exploiting American MTs. Never been a CMT, never saw the need for it, certainly never will. A bunch of initials behind your name doesn't prove your worth, but experience and a sterling track record in transcription does.

Amen to that!! - nm

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Great going...if enough MTs stood against AHDI (sm) - Yochana

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and refused to become certified to pad their pockets I think the issue of having to become certified in order to work would die out (fingers crossed anyway).

That's why those harpies are lobbying in DC - - theyre trying to force us to join. nm

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Goodbye, AHDI - sc

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Yes! I'd like to see those bloodsuckers fade away.

Paying dues? - tired of taking a cut in pay

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How can we pay our dues when most of us make 4 cpl or less in the current MT environment? UGH...I went to one of the ACE conferences, had to rob the piggybank blind for that! Dont get me wrong, I learned a lot of stuff, but it was disappointing stuff - like where are jobs are really going.

What will you do when credentialing is mandatory to work in MT? - TiredMT

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AHDI is pushing to make transcription have mandatory credentialing, which means that you will have to be an RMT or CMT to work in the transcription industry. This is similar to having to have your RN or CNA. They want to regulate who has access to medical records, and this probably going to pass because HIPAA is such a big deal now, and much more public than in the past. If that happens, I think dues will go even higher but we will have to pay them to be able to licensed as an MT.

AHDI supporting offshore has nothing to do with you not being able to get a job. You can't get a job because the economy is in the toilet and people in all fields are looking for work. Unemployment is at some of the highest levels ever, and that does not include people who have already run out of unemployment benefits.

I'm sorry for your trouble finding a job, but college graduates everywhere are having that problem, with many degrees. My stepson graduated from a prestigious university in May summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in engineering. He still cannot find a job in his field, almost 8 months later. He has a great personality and a top education, but there are no openings, and when there is one, hundreds of people apply who have 10 to 30 years of experience. He is thinking of going back to school just to ride out the recession.

So don't blame AHDI for not having a job and don't give up; you'll find a job, will get the necessary experience and then will have options. Take the first one you can get to get that all-important experience, and the rest will fall into place.

Credentialing? - Grumpy

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It is much too early in the morning for me to be reading this. I almost snorted the coffee I was drinking, I was laughing so hard when I read this! Take the first job you can get? Get experience, the rest will fall into place? Too true, unfortunately. Newbies who don't know better, getting hired to do VR at 4 cpl. What about those of us with 20 plus years in this field who have been downsized, outsourced, suffered paycuts, and then shown the door? Everything will fall into place? Yeah right! The only thing falling now is by bank balance. Been looking for new MT gig and no one is biting. Apparently, experienced MTs are no longer desirable in this market. No, I don't blame AHDI alone. But supporting offshoring, that is not at all helpful. They have been fiddling while the industry has been burning.

You wrote: So don't blame AHDI for not having a job and don't give up; you'll find a job, will get the necessary experience and then will have options. Take the first one you can get to get that all-important experience, and the rest will fall into place.

I have never had a problem finding a job and my total pay last year was my highest ever. - 20+ years

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If you are not making money where you are currently working, you are obviously working for the wrong company. If no one is hiring you, you may need to brush up on your skills.

There is no reason that a good transcriptionist should make less than $50,000 per year. To do this, you need to work hard and smart, not taking calls, having coffeee with your neighbors, taking care of your kids. I am tired of everyone whining about our industry; I love what I do and make a great living. I don't do anything special. I sit down at my desk 5 minutes before I am supposed to start working, work 4 hours, take a lunch break and finish out another 4 hours. I look up words, make sure my reports are accurate and end my day by closing my office door until the next work day.

I am not special; I just do my job and do it well, something everyone should be able to do.

Credentialing - whipworm

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Help me find one then. I've been transcribing medical and legal for 30 years and 2010 was my worst year ever. 2011 is not panning out so well either. Need a job bad -FT,PT, PRN - ANYTHING!

I took a cut in pay due to no work available to type, sm - jmn

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I sit at my desk and do exactly as you say, unfortunately, I have lost about $10,000 compared to last year and years before (50,000+) now down in the 40s. I agree that hard work will make you money, but having no work to type isn't a reflection on whether I have been sitting at my desk doing my job or not. As stated, overhiring means the company I work for still gets their money and I get less because there are so many of us now making the lines (cannot make the bucks if someone else is typing the work).

Conspiracy theory of experienced MTs cannot get work - is wrong

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I have over 30 years experience and don't have any problem whatsoever getting call backs, interviews, or jobs. If you have multiple years experience and you're not getting offers, time to look at what that experience is really saying. I have a well-rounded background and frankly speaking, am a huge asset as an MT to any company. My resume reflects this.

So please don't think just because you have experience there are no jobs. You have to be diligent in your search, network, network, network.

AND re credentialing- it WILL become mandatory in the next few years. Then you'll see the availability of US MTs drop by at least 50% as those MTs who THINK they are great find out they aren't so much.

[sigh] - another poor soul brainwashed by AHDI's - snake-oil salesmen...... so sad, really.

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Huh? - Shirley U. Jest

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Not a member of AHDI, and tuned into the REALITY of AAMT many years ago. Too many times sat in confidential meetings with TPTB and listened to them try to figure out how to screw MTs. Not at ALL a supporter and so far from brain-washed your response is laughable.

BUT- credentialing will be passed. Just my prediction :)

absolutely we can get work- for minimum wage - NJA Queen

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MQ right now is hiring newbies at 5 cpl typing and 4 cpl SR. Their logic is to get 2 newbies (or Indians who work for much cheaper) to replace each older experienced MT. They have cut the compensation on SR from 80% down to 60%, reduced the shift differential, make the MTs pay to have QA take a second listen, etc. Every other company just follows along what MQ does. Starting in February everyone hired will be at 8 cpl typing and 4 cpl SR. Its only a matter of time before that is all they pay to anyone. At 4 cpl at 200 lph that is only $8, barely above minimum wage in most states. I don't think that is even close to what experienced MTs are worth. AHDI is not fighting for us, they are fighting against us.

I have right at 20 years' experience SM - Well...

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and have had many job offers. I am very good at what I do and would be an assest to any company that hired me. However, I refuse to work for 4 cpl and sit without work, or better yet, get shoveled the crappy dictators because I can do them.

AHDI could've gotten just as rich by fighting offshoring - and going to bat for American MTs. -sm

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Instead, they chose to take the low road.

I hope their bad kharma will do them in, someday.

CMT wont help MTs get a job any more than that BA - is helping your stepson. It aint a magic wand.

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Non-CMT on purpose - SouthernBelle

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The ONLY reason ADHI would love for everyone to have to be CMT or RMT certified is because they make money off of selling the test. Being a CMT or RMT doesn't mean you'll abide by HIPAA any more than a non-CMT or RMT would. AHDI back when they were AAMT tried to push for everyone to be certified and it didn't work.

Is this true?? - CMB333

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My impression (as a current MT student) is that AHDI is does not encourage off-shore hiring.

For nearly 2 decades - they have SUPPORTED it

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So not sure where you got that impression but it's definitely a wrong one. Old board members were instrumental in bringing India on board. And the rest saw the dollar signs.

Nonsense. MTSOs and providers brought offshore - on board. AHDI is just running behind. NM

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MQ and AHDI are bedfellows - Know your facts.

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In one of the latest lawsuits of MTs against MQ, guilt was admitted by MQ but the award was paid to AHDI, not the MTs. The lawsuit was over MQ tweaking their program slowly over a period of years in order to cut back on the amount they paid the MT. I thought I was paranoid that I was working harder and harder with less and less of a paycheck, but if it weren't for this board, I would have never known that other MQ MTs had the same problem. The judge decided there wasn't enough evidence but MQ admitted guilt. The judgment: MQ paid about $100,000 to AHDI. WHAT THE? I personally lost $70,000 over those years and the money should go back in the pockets of MTs, not AHDI so don't go saying MTSOs and AHDI aren't in cahoots.

That was outrageous, but the industry does not - exist to benefit AHDI. They are just

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trying to maintain passage on a ship that sails with or without them.

au contraire - BTDT

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I sat in meetings and heard first hand how they began the plan to sell out the MTs. Don't forget, some of the women who were in the clique at AAMT *were* MTSOs

And now they've got their sights set on CHINA. - Heaven help us all..... n/m

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AHDI USED to be AAMT and they went to India - IMANMT2

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and certfied Indian MTs at the schools US Companies and a few independents helped set up over there CHEAPER than they would certify US MTs. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? DO THEY SUPPORT IT? HECK, THEY INVENTED IT. Well, they fell in line with it. There is another website that caters to MTs and really, really kickstarted offshore outsourcing.

Alas, as medical transcriptionists we don't really have a voice speaking for us. AHDI is a wider net, they can catch coders and all aspects of health information management and billing. MT just wasn't enough for them.

Actually, they didn't try to hide it. AAMT stood for American Association of Transcription and no, that's not a typographical error. That's transcription not transcriptionIST. Meaning, I don't know, the industry and not the lowly MT. And when I say industry you think... what? MTSOs. BIG MTSOs.

For decades disgruntled MTs have been sick of the "only game in town" (but they have a lovely help desk and 800 numbers and all and a website with flash) and tried repeatedly to build up an organization by MTs, for MTs, and they all fell apart.

You know, fish do a better job of going in the same direction than we do. ;)

Posting separately in case it gets deleted - IMANMT2

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I was doing a google search one day and came across some dialogue from "the other MT website" I don't know if I can say it on here. It was from 1996. I copied and pasted it into a word document... I save a lot of seemingly meaningless things - then can't find them when I need them. Must be on an old hard drive. Anyway.

It was circa 1996 and vintage rhetoric of that era (although it seems the rhetoric is still plentiful even in the face of fact - MT today, MT offshored today, and WHO is certifying these MTs and who is behind MTIA).

So, I did another google search and came up with this from a year later. Really not as good as that other thread, though.

http://www.mtdaily.com/mt1/world.html

In the year before the postings were more interesting and shocking, now looking back. There is one paragraph that says that she only sees a shortage of MTs and, of course, that was the argument back then to shut the naysayers up.

I think another profession that is being gutted by offshore outsourcing is software development - oh I don't know for large upscale department store chains like you would find in a mall. What was that parade on Thanksgiving? I think the name is different, now. I like parades. With the floats and the balloons. I wonder, if when they bring their Indians over here for training, do they take them to any parades?

I do like the One Day Sale, though.

I FOUND IT ON THE WEB!!!!!!!!!

And the misinformation just don't stop!!!!

http://www.mtdaily.com/mt2/world.html

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