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

Is anyone producing 1800+ lines a day @ 3cpl - i did the math

Posted: Nov 25, 2014

someone posted where the school told her she could make 20,000 a year in MT. So, divided that by .03 and then I divided that by 365 days which is 7 days/week working and got about 1826 lines rounded off a day for production to make 20,000 a year. Is anybody doing this. Is this really possible? Is there an MTSO that has 1826 lines for you to type 7 days a week?

What is the average production in lines, now? Daily.

Trying to see what I'm doing wrong, here. Because I make much, much less than 20,000 a years working full time, straight transcription with my little short cuts and helps.

Is 20,000 realistic anymore? It doesn't look like it. not at 3 or 4 cents a line.

1800 lines per day is 100% doable. However, I dont - think that..

[ In Reply To ..]
$20,000 a year is all that great, never getting a raise! Unless you are looking only to supplement then I guess it would work.

Also, experiences will vary depending on what company you work for. They are not all gravy and some of them will stress you completely out.

My stomach is turning at the fact that $20,000 a year seems to be an acceptable amount of money to work for in this day in age. Ugh...

P.S. pay varies per company & years experience. - anywhere between 3 to 6 cpl for VR..sm

[ In Reply To ..]
and 7 to 10 cpl straight typing depending on who you work for. I'm guessing schools assume the new norm is 3 cpl for new MTs? Either way, shaking my head.

I do 2000-2400 SR a day. sm - Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
without breaking a sweat. If I were paid 0.03/line for that, I'd make $60-$72 per day x 5 days = $300-$360 per week. That times 52 weeks would be $15,600-$18,720. So actually, the schools are overestimating at $20,000. Some MTSOs pay more than 0.03/line; and like the poster above states, the line rate for straight MT is more.

1800 lines - No Way

[ In Reply To ..]
Okay, first you would have to work 7 days a week to make $20,000 a year and kill yourself to get 1800+ lines a day. Not in this lifetime! I wouldn't take a job for 3 cpl, no matter what. I would rather clean houses or work fast food. This industry is screwing us over, it is unbelievable and these schools, like recruiters just flat out lie. I feel sorry for anyone trying to break into this line of work and for those of you who are taking this abuse.

Agree - 1800 not possible

[ In Reply To ..]
Who could work like that? I do think at one point in time, you could have transcribed 1800 lines, but not on a regular basis. Even 1500 with a good account is taxing on a regular basis. Again, the only way to combat these low wages, don't take them and tell them that. I hung up on an interview when she started spouting what they paid and what you could make if you were "dedicated."

Unbelievable. So what exactly do you produce in an 8 hour workday? - nm

[ In Reply To ..]

My line count is between 1800 and 2100.. - noneya

[ In Reply To ..]
a day. I work 40 hours a week. I have never had a problem making the minimum 1500 lines a day. It IS possible.

I agree the industry sucks, but COME ON NOW. I can do 1800 lines in 8hrs - straight typing..sm

[ In Reply To ..]
What in the world?!!?? I am completely shocked and in dismay to see MTs posting that they cannot do this? And you most certainly should be able to do it on VR?

I can produce over 200 lines per hour straight typing so in 5 hours I'm pretty close (if not there) to 1000 lines. I must admit that I'm not much faster on VR, but definitely still able to produce 1800 lines in an 8hr shift.

I don't understand this? How can you say 1800 lines is not possible to do in an 8-hour shift? And for the record, I make 5 cpl for VR and 9 straight typing, so not 3 cpl thank goodness.

The key is to sit still, do your work, limit breaks/distractions, and absolutely no internet activity during work hours. But even on a day where I'm not as focused, I can still achieve 1800 lines; some days are worse than others of course.

It depends on your accounts and the platforms - I used to average

[ In Reply To ..]
250-300 lines up until 2011. This was with familiar, assigned accounts, type as dictated (no special/nitpicky format changes), headers and footers counted, and a software program that loaded demographics. Then....I ended up at an MTSO with pages of specs which changed weekly, numerous primary accounts so no familiarity, nitpicky QA, tedious input of unpaid demographics,and a platform with MT-unfriendly unnecessary steps. I was lucky if I averaged 175. Sadly, the latter is the norm, though I left and found a better company.

and is there a company that has 1800+ 4 U - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
to type if you could. I'm working and getting about 0.065 it masqueraded as 8 cpl but it's about 0.065.

I just don't see how you can squeeze a living anymore and why would you want to work that hard on a daily basis? 1200 to 1500 makes you tired. I don't get it. I can't improve my production after 21 years and even if I could, who would give me that volume consistently in this environment today? If I could churn it out every day, which I can't.

I took a quick sashay through SR and didn't like it. It all came out in a paragraph no headers, extra words, plus what was wrong. It was a mess.

See msg - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
If you have very poor VR, don't use shortcuts, and an extremely difficult account (which most get use to over time), then I could see only producing around 1500 a day.

But quite honestly, I don't understand for the life of me how anyone could say that doing 1800 lines per day is over-working themselves. That is only an average of 225 lines per hour (1800 divided by 8 hrs). I know people who can straight type that without VR without a problem. I once worked with a lady that typed over 250 lph on a consistent basis.

I think that most would agree that 225 lines per hour is pretty attainable on voice recognition on a regular basis, as well as straight typing. Everyone is different, but for experienced MTs to act as though it is unheard of is just mind blowing.

I don't know. - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
Maybe after 21 years, I'm just tired of the wheel and the middle man.

The companies I work for pretty much always have a consistent workflow - so yes, for the most part..sm

[ In Reply To ..]
there is enough work for me to produce that many lines a day. I have one part time job and one full time and seldom run out of work at either place. Though, I work my part time job at my leisure, I don't have set scheduled hours or a set amount of lines. I am actually able to do as much as I want or as little as I want, which is a huge blessing since my full time job often asks for OT.

Your companies - Good for you

[ In Reply To ..]
You are fortunate to have that situation; you are truly the exception and not the rule and I do hope you aren't working for 3 cpl! I agree you can attain 1500 to 1800 lines, but at 3 cpl, why would you want to? SR is a nightmare; why work that hard for so little money? Again, I am sure there are MTs out there doing okay and better than okay, depends on your priorities, but for 3 cpl, no thanks!

Yes, I am fortunate. But that is because - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
the part time job is IC and with a very small company that I go back with from some years ago. The person that does the hiring is very nice and they are overall pretty flexible. They needed the help and she called and asked if I was interested in part-time work.

The other company I work for is just extremely busy right now and have been for a while; they seem to always be on OT. I consider myself blessed with my IC job. Part time jobs like that do not come around very often and you typically have to know somebody to get that kind of flexibility. I have no intensions on ever leaving it even if I do get completely out of MT, I love the account, it's straight typing and they are not anal. I seldom even hear from them and my checks are direct deposit, on time every time. God is good.

Straight typing at $03-.04/line??? - Long Time MT

[ In Reply To ..]
You're doing straight typing at 3 or 4 cents a line? There's the problem right there.

Straight typing 3-4 cpl - MT 2 long time

[ In Reply To ..]

A huge problem! OMG, how can anyone agree to such low wages. It just feeds these monster companies. I do straight typing, no SR (I declined it)and have decent accounts and I can get a decent line count. I have no complaints about the company I work for, but when it goes, I am done! No more big MTSO's, no SR, no ESL, no more MT for me. We have been screwed over, debased, demoralized, etc. Every negative adjective you can think of, we have all experienced at one time or another. It is truly sad!

You are seriously incorrect. The question was asked if 1800+ lines is doable. - the responses are in referrence to both ST & VR..S

[ In Reply To ..]
It's just saying that it's attainable even with straight typing for some people. I don't think there are any companies paying 3 to 4 cpl for straight typing. OP probably didn't think she needed to specify VR since she said 3 cpl, as most know that pay does not refer to straight typing. LOL!

No, I think they are referring to VR. Not straight typing. - nm

[ In Reply To ..]

No A student asked about MT and 20,000 - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
annual income promised her by her school. (Probably basing it on the DOL.) All the posts told her to run. So, with 3 or 4 for VR, I was trying to see what you would have to do for 20,000 a year and came up with 1826 a day for 365 days. (trying to rationalize or find an excuse to stay in MT for a little while longer)

Most of the posts above say it is great, doable, and you should be happy. SR didn't work out for me. I just didn't care for it. I thought it was a holy mess and I'd been offered a QA job for ops before but what if they hired dummies, I'd have made more money typing, which I stayed typing and no moving up to editor (QA, not VR).

I straight type for 0.065, now, which isn't better by much. I won't make anywhere near 20,000 and that was with a good-paying account 11 to 14 cpl range for half the year- you worked for the money, you always work for the money. There are no freebies and you don't expect them.

In fairness, to explain my overriding sense of gloom, I am only getting one of my promised two checks a month for I don't know how long but none are over 500. More in the 300 to 400 range. It is hard to type earnestly when you know you aren't going to get the money for 58 days at least. Not getting paid has gotten me down. I'll have to figure something out.

I still don't buy it on the SR/VR being better or even the same despite the posts above. And I've never worked for anyone who could offer a volume like that, if they have that kind of volume they hire more MTs ... just in case someone flakes and doesn't do their work. If they need 10 they hire 15.

Already have well over 3000 lines for 7 hours - today and been

[ In Reply To ..]
slacking off some, looking at emails, etc. could do better. I averaged over 500 lph on the first hour today. Doable.

3000 lines - Curious

[ In Reply To ..]
Was that straight typing or SR? Also if it was SR, were you making 3 cpl? Yes it is doable, but the question is, would you work for 3 cpl and have to produce that many lines day in and day out? I certainly would not!

Straight would always be over 2000 per day - SR is the 3000 I am talking about

[ In Reply To ..]
If I HAD to work and needed some money, I could average about $120.00 per day at 3 cpl. I do not make that, instead make 4 cpl and can make upwards of $140.00. I am not as hungry as I once was to make a living, if so then probably would do the 3 cpl as I could still do ok with that.

and while you're "doing okay" with 3 what is - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
your MTSO you are an IC (or employee?) with making off of your skill set/hard work? That doesn't bother you? That irks me. Especially now when the pay ISN'T that good and we can only HOPE to "do okay"? What legitimate business do you know of that settles like that? Only here in this industry of women. I'm just tired of giving my skill set away and having it reduced to how many lines I can crank out and forget accuracy because when you are burning up the keyboard you are more apt to make mistakes. I prefer to slow down, make less, and do it right. There are 100 things going on in a report. It has been incumbent upon us to check, correct, or flag, right or wrong. For accuracy and (what's the I in AHDI) integrity we have historically worked with we should probably get an hourly wage, so you CAN slow down and do it right. It's turned into a grab fest by the middle men and now it's us doing the grabbing.

I think the whole system is flawed but it's nice to know there are some people happy where they are at today. I'm definitely not one of them - even if I was getting paid on time, it would be just getting by and could only be viewed as temporary while I transition to something else.

I have no problem with what I make. I am scored - and therefore held to accuracy

[ In Reply To ..]
like everyone else and can still do loads of lines. Not everyone is the same. Some can straight type as fast as the audio, some can do VR as fast as the audio allows. I can do both. Why would I want an hourly wage of say $10 to perhaps $15 when I can top over $20? Makes no sense to me but maybe to someone who is not fast and has to constantly check behind their work to make sure they did not flub on something. Am IC, by the way.

Your company is suppose to be paying you twice a month? - But you only get paid once?..sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm sorry to hear that. You might not want to hear this and it may not help much, but VR seems to have gotten better over the last couple years. But I do understand if you are not willing to give it a shot. It's really not as bad as it use to be. I hope you find something better or things get better where you work.

Reading all the posts I have a question of posters - How are you doing it

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm reading you are doing 1500, 1800 and 2000 and more. I want to know how you are doing it. I used to work on an account and would range around 1200 or sometimes more. Lost that account and I've been on a different one and I'm averaging 700-800 (if I'm lucky) 600-700 as a norm and I'm telling you I'm trying as hard as I can. I cannot believe that that is what I end up with at the end of the day. I think that is just impossible.

Are you all getting that many because they are easy docs and you are familiar with them? Do you use a ton of shortcuts?

For example most all my VR jobs have at least 1 mistake in almost every sentence. If a Dr. dictates the name Smith for example I'm finding it spelled all different ways even though it sounds exactly the same. I'm finding words missing, words added, words that are no where near what it sounds like. Like for example they'll say stomach and the system will have shingles. It's like that all over the place and not with just one doc, it's that way with everyone. Then the system will have whole paragraphs out of place and I will have to hunt for it and then hit a combination of keys to move it where it belongs. Then there are the dictators. Some are monotone (zzzzzzzz), some are very slow talkers, and some will dictate a few words then long pauses, then dictate a few more words then long pauses.

Going from typing double the amount I used to about 2 years ago to what I am now is so disappointing and discouraging. I absolutely love my company and my supervisors, but it's getting so disappointing in my work load. Every day I wake up and tell myself, it's going to be a great day. I'm going to do better than yesterday, I'm going to learn to go faster, then by the end of the day I'm so beat because I've spent so much time, but produced not as much as I used it. I keep trying to analyze what is wrong and I just don't know anymore.

Now my pay is so low I'm getting ready to apply for food stamps.

I just want to know how you do it. I've been an MT for 14 years now and have never struggled like I am now. I am open and welcome all suggestions if you would like to post.

I will respond, check back in a little while. - nm

[ In Reply To ..]

RE: How are you doing it - see msg

[ In Reply To ..]
Well, there are several factors to consider and it almost sounds like you are working on a bad VR platform. I know not a whole lot of us don't like VR and would probably consider it all bad, but it's been my experience that eScription is pretty good and so is a platform that I am currently working on, which is my companies version of DocQscribe, but better.

Another factor is the way your MTSO counts lines. I once worked for a small company that took me nearly 8 hours just to get in 700 lines and that particular account used a lot of macros, but for some reason it took the lines forever to add up and yes, I was being paid for spaces on a 65 character line. So that is another factor.

Then there is the maintenance of the VR by the software developers or IT or whatever they're called. If they are not doing their part to make the VR better, that impacts productivity as well.

Another issue is not giving the software time to adjust to the dictator and turning the VR on immediately with new accounts rather than giving it a couple months before turning it on. And finally, are all MTs working on the software using the proper methods to edit it. Of course we cant all edit the same way, being scattered about the country. It would be different if we all worked in one dept in an office setting and taught the same techniques for how to edit the software, but that's not the case. Some feel they can type it quicker and would just assume delete the entire report and type it for VR rate, figuring it's easier and that only confuses the software.

Any way, that was a lot (sorry), but if you are still with me, I am able to do it because I develop macros, plenty of expanders and do the best I can to stay focused. I am constantly implementing new ways to be more efficient and utilize every shortcut I possibly can on top of doing the best I can to stay focused, even if that means coming up with a plan as to how I will stay in my chair everyday and reminding myself that if I stray off to a website not work-related that I could very well end up browsing for 30 minutes - There is never a quick glance on the internet, 5 minutes will turn into 20 before you know it. I your case, it sounds like you have really bad voice recognition. Thankfully mine is pretty good.

I can produce 1500-1800 lines a day fairly easily, but the last time I reached 2000 was when I worked for a hospital a few years back and that was straight typing. However, I had been there for 10 yrs so the work was second nature, there were a few times I even went over 2000.

Another thing that doesn't help is the stress of QA lingering over your head. Subconsciously you are always worried about missing the little words like "a & the." Stuff like that will slow you down too. The good thing about working for the hospital is that unless it changed the meaning of a sentence; was a wrong diagnoses, lab value, med dosage etc., it was considered a minor error. I was never marked off for typing "Patient" instead of "The patient" and little petty stuff like that. So...there you have it, all the things that will affect your productivity.

I'm willing to bet, one or more of the above factors is hindering your line count.

OP: It might be the platform you are on and - I quit 1 job when I had low count

[ In Reply To ..]
I went from one place straight typing over 2000 lines a day to a job where I could barely eek out 1200 a day. Something was wrong. I knew not me, no way so I quit that job. I have always been able to transcribe high amount, 2000 straight and now with VR can average over 4000 a day. It is not that I know the account or the doctors that well but I do know most time when they are changing their minds, able to pick up mistakes just at a glance so good at speed reading which VR really is and I have one hospital account and refuse to do more than that 1. The hospital is huge, has satellite hospitals so I would say over 300 or more doctors dictate plus we have residents who change out every 3 months or so. I never reread any report I do, never. Once it has passed my eyes it is a done deal. Our place absolutely holds you to each and every word. We are scored and held to a high level but we also are able if cannot make out a word or several words to leave a blank and I will do that when a dictator is not clear. I do not try to make something out of a mumble or background talking or sitting in the OR dictating your report while others dismantle equipment. You possibly had a system like what I worked on before, it is possible. I knew what I could do and I would never stay at a place where I knew something not right.

Similar Messages:

Dec 14, 2009

lines per hour on old account. Lots of standards, almost no ESL, great account. Now because of ASR, several MTs had to be transferred. Since starting the new accounts last week, every one of my reports has gone to QA. All reports have been ESL dictators except for 1 report. I just worked for an hour and did 48 lines. I asked to be transferred. My new CMM asked me to stick it out a little longer. Why should I? The ESL dictators are not going ...

Aug 03, 2013

My questions pertain only to ISR jobs as 90% of the work I get is ISR, and more specifically the questions are for those using the Enterprise 5 platform (but MTs on other platforms can chime in here too). I am struggling to make the minimum LPH, and I understand there are MTs who are able to produce way beyond the minimum requirement. I've concluded ISR is my main productivity problem and I'm looking for help and a little insight into specifics of what MTs are doing to achieve 186 and ...

Oct 27, 2009

Even Focus pays 50%....even MQ pays 60%!! Come on! ...

Mar 17, 2014

for editing and 8CPL for regular transcription, though they say it's 95% editing. The interviewer said this was the going rate. REALLY? Should I hold out and find a higher editing rate? How do you make more than minimum wage with that? ...

Jun 30, 2013

Reads only apply as they need 3rd shift. Down below is what...their "canned"' template that states they have "all shifts available?" Guess "talk is cheap." ...

Nov 25, 2009

Because I need my job I bite hard everyday to continue with MQ. Being an MME is horrible when you are paid 3 cpl to full listen ILP. I get paid more to ME my own ASR reports which take me sometimes just as long. Each time the situation is mentioned on how unfair it is to only get 3 cpl to full listen ILP reports we are always told that it really isn't that many reports....funny I did over 90 of them in a pay period and they aren't short reports ever always long... ...

Jul 13, 2012

These are the jobs we have to choose from with low pay and then this Dragon program is Nuance Dragon. Isn't this VR which is again Nuance taking over everywhere? Google Nuance and they say the Dragon program which is from India, and most hospitals now are going to this program and we get 3 cents. Good sales pitches. ...

Oct 11, 2012

No message. ...

Dec 20, 2014

Does anybody know which column companies look at to decide if you are meeting the minimum 250 requirement in Escription? When I look at the metrics there are 2 columns...median lines per hour and average lines per hour. ...

Jan 30, 2012

if you make 4 cents per line at 1000 lines a day, they really calculate it at 500 lines per day x 4 cents, making it really 2 cents per line for the full 1000. I heard this, and I am really interested in knowing if it is true. ...

May 02, 2012

My main account was a good one, and the lines were very good, mostly ER work. I have been on this account for over a year and a half now. We recently received an e-mail stating that Nuance had discovered that the line count was charging incorrectly, as instituted by them, and they had been crediting us with MORE lines than we were actually doing and overcharging the client. Now get this, they informed us that they would not make US pay it back, for their mistake, but that our new lines would re ...

Jun 10, 2011

What do you do when you have the required hours but are short lines? I got an email that I need to "make plans to have my shortage made up." The only problem is that I'm up to date with my hours for the pay period so far. The other problem is that I have plans Saturday night and Sunday (both being my scheduled time off) that don't include TransTech. It's getting harder and harder to defend this company when they can't hold up their end of the agreement and continually ...

Jan 19, 2011

Just wondering if the TT MTs would like share ... how many lines do you average during the day/week? I'm doing about 9,000 to 10,000 a week and wonder if I should be pushing myself more. How much of your count is VR? I do probably 15% traditional and 85% VR but that, of course, varies week to week. ...

Jan 08, 2013

Which do you use - custom lines - 65 character lines with spaces or standard lines - seems like so much more for standard lines???? Cathy ...

Jan 18, 2011

I am having a discrepancy issue with lines....wondered if MS Word and Medquist use a different number of characters per line. Thanks.... ...

Jul 13, 2011

How many lines do you average per day - VR and traditional? I know it's been VERY slow lately, but when things are going well, how many lines do you normally get? I'm trying to figure out where the average numbers are. For me, I do about 350 trad and about 1400 VR in 8 hours. Well, my timesheet says 8 hours, but my clock says that number MAY(!) be a little higher. Again, these are numbers I pull when things are going well and I'm not waiting for work to download. I'v ...

Dec 10, 2010

Can anybody that types radiology tell me how on average about how many lines they do an hour or a day? I am being switched to by the line and have always been paid by the report. Thanks. ...

Feb 11, 2011

Does anyone else struggle to get 2000 lines a day with TransTech? I've been at TT for about 4-1/2 years, but I'm having a hard time getting over 2000 lines a day. If you get more than 2000 a day in your 8 hours, can you share your tips? ...

Mar 19, 2011

Seems like with the industry pretty much switching to VBC lines, we should get a higher line rate. Like that is going to happen. Thoughts? ...

Sep 09, 2011

so I get my offer from MedQuist today after they acquired AllType. In order to qualify for benefits, I have to type 150 lines per hr or do voice recognition editing at 350 per hr. I don't know if I can do this. On a good account, no problem. But ASR on accounts I have been doing are ridiculous, so many random errors, no way you can skim through them. Any body out there that consistently gets these line counts every week without working more than 39 hrs per week ...

Jan 08, 2012

you send in a report with a blank? or even if they think you made an error like with comma placement? They end up taking three lines away if you leave a blank for a doctor's name that you could not understand or verify! do all places do this, or just some? I don't think it is ethical, myself. but just asking. ...

Mar 29, 2012

The company that hired me as an IC wants to know how many lines I will agree to produce per day. This will be my first job as doing voice recognition. I am clueless. I know how many lines I can transcribe but this is a totally different ballgame, right? I do not want to over comit. How would you suggest I handle this question on their forms? TIA ...

May 21, 2012

When I check to see how many lines I've done today there are none for the work I've done with VR. How can they tell what I'd done? Do they just guess????????? I'd not be surprised at all. ...

May 23, 2012

i transcribe for a local physician and get paid per patient (and not very much!) instead of by the line. i've been doing this for a couple of years now and just cannot get used to not being paid by the line.....it's like i just eat, sleep and breathe by the line!!! and i cannot even get the physician to even try to understand how being paid by the line works. needless to say, there is a huge discrepancy in pay between per patient and lines and even more so when i' ...

Dec 08, 2012

I am curious as to how many lines on average you do in a day. Please no posts complaining about lack of work or big bad MTSOs... I really am just looking for a number and would really like to try to get this info with as little drama as possible. Thank you :) ...

Jan 29, 2013

Can any large producer out there tell me how many lines they are able to do in voice per hour? I cannot get past 400 and was wondering if anyone could. ...

May 17, 2013

Seriously, does anyone know how many lines per hour it would take to make a $1400.00 gross paycheck, not counting the "quarterly bonus" figuring my QA score was 99.5... lol!!! I used to know and achieve this back the Webmedx days, right now I have no idea. Thanks! ...

Dec 09, 2014

Has anyone else noticed that the LPH average has dropped? I am typing more than I was and yet it is still lower significantly? ...

Dec 17, 2014

Where are the QT lines that we used to get paid 1 cent for? I don't see any of that listed on the time card. ...

Jan 29, 2015

how they calculate your lph rate now? Minimum is 100 clph. I'm wondering b/c since they half the speech lines, this does not seem to be your true accurate LPH. For instance if I type 100 in an hour and do 100 speech in the same hour, do they strictly look at that and say your LPH is 200 OR do they say 100 for regular, only 50 for speech, so your LPH is 150? B/c as you see, the later formula makes it appear as if you actually do less when in fact you don't and that is not accurate. I as ...