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

Line rates for editing has become ridiculous - we need to make a difference NOW! - Join me

Posted: Jan 07, 2010

So, here it goes -- We all know the medical transcription industry has really gone downhill with regard to our pay. I currently just lost about $10/hour to change to editing and I have been doing it for several months hoping that it would get better, but it has not. This is just crazy to me. You still need the same amount of knowledge to create an accurate medical report. I do not know about everyone else, but the reports I am seeing coming through edit mode if not changed appropriately by someone with some actual medical knowledge could cost physicians/hospitals thousands and thousands in lawsuits because of all of the gross errors they contain. I am becoming extremely frustrated just sitting back and seeing this happen. I have an idea and if others join me across the United States, I think we could make a difference. If it does not work, then I feel better at least knowing I tried.

Here is my idea -- we all know that these large companies now have a lot of "top dogs" as well as middle management, and multiple QA personnel. Well, I highly doubt most of them have taken the same pay cut as the rest of us in the industry. I used to have my own transcription business, but after three children and my life getting a little crazy, I tried to simplify it by just working for a larger company. I think the time has come to go back to my own company. Now, I do not actually know the exact line rates a lot of the larger corporations charge for editing, I am guessing it is still 10 to 11 cents a line, maybe 9. Then, of course, they take their cut and pay most of editors/transcriptionists 3 to 4 cents/line. I am going to go out there and try to get my own accounts for 9 to 10 cents a line and then after I get a decent editing method up and running, I should be able to pay 6 to 7 cents/line for editing, depending on costs. I know this needs full evaluation, but if you are a good medical editor who proofs their own work and does not require QA and there is no middle or upper management, I think you could efficiently run on this margin, thus being able to pay most medical editors at least 6 to 7 cents a line. If enough of us do this, people are going to realize they do not have to work for 3 to 4 cents/line only to pay all the "top dogs" out there. Eventually, those companies are going to have a very difficult time finding any qualified medical editors for work for 3 to 4 cents/line when they can get 6 to 7 cents/line working for the smaller companies or your own one-person medical editing/transcription business. I hope some people understand where I am coming from and will join me in my quest to try to make a difference and stop this absolute nonsense of these absurd line rates and get it back to a deserving rate for quality work. It is time to stand up for ourselves!

Good luck with this, Join Me. Although I'm optimistic SM - MissIndigo

[ In Reply To ..]
in many ways, I'll sit back and look forward to hearing how you do. It's my belief that, given the enormous wave of change sweeping over everybody and everything, most practitioners will ultimately find using transcriptionists increasingly too expensive and slow, and potentially incompatible with larger systems and federal requirements, and will be forced to change.

That's not to say you won't be able to find a niche for perhaps some good years among those physicians who can afford to refuse to change, and I hope that's the case. Go make yourself some good luck! :)

P.S., I'm actually as certain as I can be about what's happening these days that you definitely will do better the fewer people join you to compete for the lingerers.

that's what I am thinking too, if 1 can afford to "linger" ..nm - .

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

You know, not everyone is ticked about voice recognition work - even at 4 cents you can make a decent salary

[ In Reply To ..]
I agree that the 3 cents a line is too low. I also agree that straight typing at 7 cents is too low. I do not agree with the issue of voice at 4 cents not a workable amount per line. Just because some others cannot do does not make it the same for everyone. I read every word that I edit. I am very conscious of the fact of not having errors on a legal document. Having said that, not everyone is cut out to do voice nor can they do voice. I am very pleased and would never join anyone else in voicing complaints against something I really like.

Well good for you for setting your standards so low. - Keep in mind, youll never get a raise -:-:-:-

[ In Reply To ..]

Raises- you mean someone actually gets those? - Not ticked

[ In Reply To ..]
I have not had a raise in the past 10 years. My pay per day never depends on a raise, not worried as it just does not happen. My standards are not low and my check proves it. You just knuckle down and do what you need to do in order to make what you need.

That's why accepting lower and lower pay is insane. - Never get a raise -:-:-:- nm

[ In Reply To ..]
..

4 cents . . . . that is laughable - MT who knows

[ In Reply To ..]
Well, I think that sooner or later the MTs will be doing their work for free. . . seriously, 4 cents? I mean even if you are doing VR and you consistently are able to do 500 lines an hour that is only $20.00 . . . as an IC . . . what does $20.00 an hour really leave you after all the taxes and expenses working as an IC? I think that when I read people stating that they are "make good money," I think what is considered "good money" is definitely relative to what they are accustomed to or what they are familiar with either in their own family or their neighborhood or whatever. I mean 4 cents or even 8 cents . . . get real. . . Mark my words, one day in the near future MTs will be working for free or even more so next to nothing. I just don't get it.

This is a great idea but.... - kappy

[ In Reply To ..]
how would you do that. Don't you have to have the platform, etc., to be able to use VR which is quite costly. Is it as simple as logging in to the hospital's system? If that is the case what a great idea, but if not we are doomed.

Platform - Kim

[ In Reply To ..]
I looked into it before. You can rent a platform for a fee - Scribe, Metroscript, etc. You also need to have insurance. I decided against it in the end. The business is so competitive, that you are investing a lot of time and money just to nickel and dime yourself. You have the advantage of not having layers of management, but you still have to pay for the platform, and realize that you won't have the quantity that makes production per line cheaper to do. It really is time to think of a new career, IMO

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