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Hospital job paid on production. I can't make any money - Seasoned MT

Posted: Jan 29, 2014

When did hospital jobs get almost as bad as working for a service? When I have had hospital MT jobs before, we were either paid hourly, or hourly base pay plus incentive. It was possible to make $22 to $25 an hour. I have also worked on production for a service and for myself and I can usually do 200 lph very easily, 250 lph if I'm concentrating, 300-350 lph if I'm concentrating and getting good dictation (that I'm familiar with and know what they are going to say). So now I started a hospital job that pays on production. All my jobs have counted spaces. This one doesn't count spaces. I went into it thinking I could easily do 200 lph. I can barely do over 100 lph. It's not that the dictators are hard; they're not. Some of it is learning curve, but I work hard and steadily all day and end up with 800 lines at the end of the day. I have been an MT for 30 years and I have never had line counts as low as 100 lph, not even on a new account.

Hospital job paid on production - Curious/Nosey

[ In Reply To ..]
What constitutes a line, and how much are they paying you per line? New jobs always take time to learn, as I'm sure you know. I hope it works out for you. I've been in this business a long time too, and it's so disheartening to see what's happened to a job we could once earn a lot of money in and take pride in.

answer - Seasoned MT

[ In Reply To ..]
A line is 65 characters without spaces. 12 cpl, which sounds like a lot - but it doesn't make any difference if you can't get lines. If I can only get 100 lph, that's only $12.00 an hour. If I am going to make $12.00 an hour, I'd rather be a receptionist or do something less taxing than MT, something that doesn't require any knowledge, something where you can laugh and talk to coworkers instead of sitting with your eyes on the computer screen the whole day.

I was hopeful at first, but I have been doing this job long enough that I feel like I should be able to get a lot better line count than 100 lph. I think everything's rigged to keep us from making any money.

It's just so not worth it anymore. I have made a good living with MT for 30 years. I think that's over now. Now all the money goes to someone other than the people doing the work. It's sad.

I'm going to give it a little more time, but not much. I'm about ready to bail. Never heard of a hospital paying employees on production only before.

I really do not think MTs should be paid on production, not at the low line rate we are paid. It worked out okay when the line rate was enough to compensate you for time you spend researching. Now the line rate is so low, that it's really not fair.

First of all - 12 cpl is decent. See msg

[ In Reply To ..]
Secondly, whether the dictators are difficult or not, you gotta take into consideration that you are STILL LEARNING; you have to get use to their system, their method & way of doing things.

Regardless whether you have done this 30 years or not, its still a new job and you gotta get your rhythm down. Give or take a month or so you could easily average over $14 and in six months even more.

Then once you get use to the dictators and make some macros and templates/expanders you can make even more!

Sorry to hear your ready to give up so easily, but if you dont appreciate the job, Im sure there are a number of people who would LOVE to take your place and they will find someone fairly quickly.

And by the way, there are many hospitals out there who pay based pn production.

It's not decent if you can't make a decent line count - Old MT

[ In Reply To ..]
She said she has given it some time. 100 lines an hour is pathetic, even for a new account. I've been an MT a long time, before there even were expanders, and you should be able to get 100 lines an hour very easily. That is, unless they make it hard for lines to add up. Did you miss the part about no spaces? If they make it hard to get lines, you are never going to make any money.

I think it's pretty easy to tell within a couple of weeks if you are going to make money or not. What is happening is all the experienced MTs are leaving. Sure, someone will take the job. Someone who doesn't mind typing their guts out for $12.00 an hour. Some of us will leave the field before doing that.

ut you will work for 3 or 4 cpl?? - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
NM

No. But I guess as long as there are people willing - Old MT

[ In Reply To ..]
to work for peanuts, the pay is going to keep decreasing. That's why all the experienced MTs are getting out.

I agree with Old MT. 12 cpl is greast BUT how do they count a line? - that would be the problem. see message

[ In Reply To ..]
Line counting software can be set several different ways to count a line, such as not counting vowels for example. However, the only way to know is to have your work counted somehow with your own software and ask them to explain any differences.

I believe there is something up. I worked before the shennangans on cpl. When spaces were counted as were every black character on the page, etc. All straight forward and honest. We made twice that of the department managers and I am sure they had to harbor some resentment. BUT we earned it, and it was pure labor at a fast hard pace. Something the managers, department heads didn't understand. The mind set was 'you're under me on this ladder so I should make more.'

uh-huh...take another break boss, you're on salary either way.

If you don't give paid for spaces, don'tgivethemspaces - Val

[ In Reply To ..]
Letthemfigureoutwhatthedoctorwantedtosay. ItsamazinglyscarytothinkthatsomeonespendsalotoftimethinkingofwaystoundercutMTsevenmore!

I agree with your post - see msg

[ In Reply To ..]
First off, no disrespect to the OP as I can see her point, but yes alot of MTs out there would jump on the chance to make 12 cpl. I currently make 9 cpl and average 125 lph so that's what, $11 an hour ish? Yes, I do agree with the OP that she may as well work at an office for $12/hr and all that, actually I'm looking into those types of jobs myself because sadly, $12/hr is a step up for me. I've never gone over 150 lph ever and would love 12 cpl too but that will never happen. I guess it just depends on the individual MT, but 12 cpl sounds good to me but doesn't to her. That's just the way it is I guess. And they wonder why MTs are jumping ship in droves...

Seasoned MT - Just me

[ In Reply To ..]
If you are receiving benefits (PTO, health insurance, 401K, etc.) I would advise you to think twice before you bail. Your work flow is also probably consistent and you probably don't run out of work. There also may be the option to work OT and they probably pay a shift differential for holidays, evenings and weekends. You sound like a diligent, hard worker, but I've seen the in-house production issue from both sides; we had a number of people in our department who played around and didn't make any money, we got base plus incentive. Also, where you work there may be the option for pay increases, something else to consider. I have to tell you that from my perspective working as a receptionist is not "less taxing." Where I work, they don't visit with each other, in a busy medical office there is no time for thathey answer calls and schedule appointments all day and the number of calls they handle is monitored. Also there are the issues of answering billing and insurance questions and a lot of things that you may not realize. If you are a multi-tasker, it might be a good fit for you, but not everyone has the ability to be a receptionist. People need to realize that working in reception does require knowledge. If you want something less taxing, medical records clerk might work for you. Maybe you could work in fast food, those people get to chat with customers and each other all day long.

So true. I was a clinic receptionist for 8 years and it's not easy... - See msg

[ In Reply To ..]
I'd actually love to go back to that as I miss it compared to MT drudgery LOL

Hospital here - MTC

[ In Reply To ..]
The big hospital here where I live starts out at $13.25/hr + incentive based on what you put out. They also add on 10% for second shift and 12% for third shift. This is great for where I live.

In reply to MTC - Also Seasoned MT

[ In Reply To ..]
MTC - $13.25/hour as an employee is different than an IC. It is like comparing apples to oranges. An employee has a benefit package, paid time off, makes money if there is work or not, has half their FICA paid for by employer, has workmen's comp and unemployment. $22/hour average as IC is just barely enough to account for the lack of all the benefits of employee status.

What do you think is causing the low line count? - interesting

[ In Reply To ..]
,

Same thing for me. It's just a rip-off. It isn't - you. The hospital is cheating you. nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

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