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

Overheard a doctor telling another doctor... - MT person

Posted: Oct 15, 2010

20 years ago when the DRG's hit the hospitals, one was complaing to the other... "they treat doctors like a bunch of old dogs now". Well, that's how MTs are being treated now. Why on God's green earth do the MT services require all MT's to work at least one weekend day every week (Friday's and Monday's don't count). Every ad I see on the Job Seeker board requires weekends. Are they sadistic or something. Why do we put up with it? Have any of you refused to do so without being fired? I think it's cruel punishment. And as far as I know, no incentive pay for weekends. We have really become slaves to the MT services. How I miss the days you could work any hours and then get incentive pay for working extra. This job is too mentally and physicall stressful for $10 an hour. I'm about ready to just throw in the towel.

Mentally and physically stressful - Daisy

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If you find MT very stressful then it definitely isn't worth the pay! The only reason that I am willing to do it for the lower pay is because I enjoy it. I love hanging out in my pj's drinking tea while I work, surfing the net between files and walking the dog in the middle of the day!

If you don't like the hours then you are in the wrong field - see message

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Whenever someone talks about working weekends is "sadistic" I think, boy they are not familiar with the MT industry.

Tell it to someone who is having an appendicitis attack and needs emergency surgery - oh sorry, no can do it's the weekend. Tell that to someone who needs the vital information we type to send with the patient as they are being flown to a facility because they have a life threatening illness and the report that we type needs to go with them "Nope sorry, it's the weekend (or holiday) I don't work". Or tell it to the mother or father that is out of work and needs a job because they have children to feed and a family to support that you don't like working weekends/holidays. When I went through training 15 years ago that was part of our training. They said if you don't like working weekends or holidays then this is not the field to be in. When talking with my dad he usually tells me its the younger spoiled brats that will come in and say I don't work weekends and I want an 8-5 job M-F. My dad says "you never have had to feed a family have you".

I'll put it simply. I view it like this...we work whenever we are needed because the work that we do aids in the care of the patient. I take pride in my work and if I work a holiday or weekend I know its because I'm needed. So if I work the weekend then I take off the time during the week. Who cares whether or not I take off Sat & Sun or Tue & Wed. Days are days. I can still do my shopping, get my hair done, cleaning, paying bills, etc on a Tuesday or Wednesday instead of a Saturday.

Of course the ads say weekends are required. That's because where health care is concerned and people are hospitalized its a 24-hour 7-day deal. Illnesses and emergencies do not know what a day is. The disease does not have a mind and say, oops it's Saturday or Thanksgiving day, I'll wait til Monday at 8 am to flare-up. Tell that the the kid who just got his finger cut off by accident on a Sunday morning that he will have to bleed to death because you don't work weekends.

If you think that having to work weekends means you are a slave or is cruel punishment you certainly are in the wrong field. I'm just thankful you are not doing my medical reports. With that attitude who knows what comes out on the other end. I would not be able to trust that my report is accurate as people with that attitude are too busy being mad they have to work a Saturday or Sunday to take pride in their work and make sure the report is the best.

And $10 an hour. If you are only typing enough to make 10 an hour then I would also suggest another field. The faster you type and more accurate you are the more you make. On my lowest days I'm making about 12 an hour, and on my highest production days I can make 18 an hour.

I guess the best advice I can offer you is that it does look like its time for you to "throw in the towel". I read a lot of posts here from people who are in need of jobs.

Strange attitude, MT Person. Patients are sick on weekends. - Hospital staff busy, busy, and

[ In Reply To ..]
needing updated charts as much as any other day. Anyone who cannot accept that is most definitely in the wrong field. BTW, I agree $10 is an astonishingly low hourly income for this work. I certainly wouldn't do it, but it's never too late to rectify a mistake and go find work in a more personally appropriate field.

I have a family to feed, but I also want to spend time with that same family. - sm

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Yes, I can clean, pay bills, etc., on any day, but I can't spend quality time with my children except on weekends. My children are in school all day M-F and often only have enough time in the evening after school to eat dinner, do homework, and get ready for bed. So our weekend is the only time to spend together as a family. I don't mind working rotating weekends as I have done for the past 20 years, but to require each weekend is a bit much.

Most positions in the medical field do require 24/7 work, but the majority also are paid extra for weekend and graveyard shifts. Why is MT any different? Are we less valuable then the rest of the medical staff, as that is the way many are allowing themselves to be treated.

I do work weekends when needed (usually every other weekend), but I refuse to work every weekend and give up my family time without incentive. To some of us, there are more important things in life than the job, especially when the people we work for show us no respect anyway.

We are not medically trained. we are administrative - big difference in pay - sm

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I don't work every weekend, but I do work a lot of weekends. I'm also here for my family, so its not like I'm not with them. They understand its part of the job requirements.

You are trying to put yourself equal to a medically trained person who saves lives. Of course they are a different pay scale and you should not equate yourself to the same stature as they are. You didn't spend 100K to get trained as an MT. They spent that plus more.

Not every place requires you to work every weekend. It's always you have to be willing to work one weekend of the month. For the jobs that do require you to work every weekend you know full well ahead of time that your weekends are Tue and Wed or Wed & Thu. If you are not willing to change your schedule if you want the job then you don't apply.

In this type of work weekends are required. If you don't want to work weekends then find a different line of work.

I am not talking about pay scale... - I am talking about differential.

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Even when I worked as a receptionist at the hospital for one of the departments, I still received a pay differential to work weekends. I don't see how MT should be any different.

Every company is different - Some do pay weekend diff

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I don't know if Focus still does, but I use to get a night/weekend diff from them. Just as not all MTSOs give a weekend diff, neither do all hospitals. I worked for one in the CCU, and if we were scheduled on the weekend, that was our regular day. We only got night diff if we worked nights. We got no extra pay for working holidays. I can promise you the doctor's that come in and see the patient's in the middle of thier weekends, 5 in the a.m., 10 at night, whenever do not get any kind of extra pay. Billed for them for years.

I don't think that OP was asking for your advice - or your criticism

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Why on earth do you feel compelled to chastise somebody for venting? Do you think its going to make any difference chiming in your superior attitude and experiences. Many have no problems working the weekends but they do take offense at the slave compensation and working conditions the average MTSO has driven it to/to be the general standard. Your comment of: "And $10 an hour. If you are only typing enough to make 10 an hour then I would also suggest another field. The faster you type and more accurate you are the more you make. On my lowest days I'm making about 12 an hour, and on my highest production days I can make 18 an hour."

Well, I am sure nobody on here has thought of such a concept. Type more you'll earn more. Really? Well, I guess that would be possible if they could get around that big obstacle of NJA at the majority of these MTSOs lately, you know having to flex their time into pretzel wages.

Let them vent, for some its all they have for free therapy.

And we also have the right to reply - see message

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In case you don't know this yet, this is a board where people come and post and people reply. If they write a ridiculous post, most likely they will get many replies. So your post might have been better directed at someone else (or everyone).

Never said she couldn't vent, so don't tell me and others we can't reply.

Posts removed - Don't make it personal. NM - Moderator

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it is called 24/7, you know like cops, nurses, EMTs... - glad THEY can handle it. NM

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.

But even they usually rotate weekends. - And they usually get a differential as incentive t

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I know when I worked in-house I got a very nice differential for working weekends and also for evening/overnight hours. MTSOs will continue to have this kind of requirement though as long as they continue to have enough MTs willing to work it. There is no incentive for them to change as there are plenty of MTs willing to work every weekend.

ah, the priviledge of working at home...try being an employee - not paid OT over 40 hrs.

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.

Duh...give me their guaranteed wage then.. - I could handle IT too

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24/7 with great wages and benefits, not MT wages.

Duh...once again you are not medically trained, they are - should not elevate yourself to their stature

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C'mon people...get a grip. We are MTs. We type reports. We are not trained medical personnel. If you want to get paid a doctor/nurse's wage then go pay over 100K, and spend at least 8 years in medical school and then elevate yourself to the same stature.

If you want a job that pays a differential for nights and weekends then find yourself a company that does. They are out there, but it sounds like you want to be paid what doctors and nurses get paid. Sorry, typing a report is a lot different than saving a life and treating an illness.

Cmon people...be an adult. This is the line of work we choose. We are categorized with the administrative people, not medically trained personnel. I sure could not perform a surgery or save a life. They can. They should be paid more.

Get a grip people.

Duh...in regards to the STATURE post - See message

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Again, no qualms doing the 24/7 weekends r taken career of an MT, if I TOO was paid a guaranteed hourly rate like all those thrown about in this thread! How dare we expect to be compensated decently & fairly (last I knew COPS/EMS) salary isn't matching your education requirement of your "stature get a grip comments" yet they get benefits and guaranteed pay, without having to be ON call 24/7 flex w/pay dependent on # of busts and transports.

you know, you need to be in-house hourly-you'd have all those things - you are griping about. that is the difference her

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x

that attitude is a huge problem in the MT field - sm

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No MTs here have claimed they are trained in the same way doctors or nurses are, or that their job is comparable in terms of training. What they want is a comparable job to the administration and staff of a clinic or hospital. It's not unreasonable and it's not a sign that MTs need to "c'mon people" or "get a grip people" as you stated over and over again.

That attitude is, frankly, a big factor in why MTs are being outsourced and losing the ability to make a living wage. The more actual MTs like you say that MTs don't deserve anything because they've got a cushy life "typing reports", the worse it will get.

Not really - see message

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I have an excellent attitude toward my job, my employer and life in general. Life is what you make of it. You get what you give in.

I am an MT and I'm a good transcriptionist. I am part of an administrative team. I'm not a medically trained person, hence never thought myself in the same category as they are. That's not an attitude that's just life. Just like I don't categorize myself in the same line as engineers, pilots, or CEOs of big corporations. We fall into the administrative field. Of course it does feel great when the doctor comes in and can't work the computer or the transcription equipment and I figure it out for them. The docs are always greatful to the people in the office and tell us so.

As for outsourcing...I keep seeing messages here about companies outsourcing. Funny thing though is I cannot find one company in any of my searches that is outsourcing. There are plenty of US based companies that do the work. I just don't believe this outsourcing thing (maybe its happening, just cannot find any names of companies), but I most certainly do not think that is what affects our wages. What affects our wages is the bad economy that's going on across all of the country. If people have quams about their wages they should look no further than our own government. They are the ones driving the industry down.

I don't believe I've ever said MTs don't deserve anything. I've read through all my posts and I can't find anything I wrote that said "MTs don't deserve anything". If you find that I did, please quote me and I will eat my words. I do believe we have as much right to pay raises and a decent wage in the same lines as other administrative personnel. But until we get a decent government who starts creating jobs in this country I don't see improvement in any field whether it be a doctor, a mechanic, a factory worker, etc.

Working weekends - Retail Queen

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I will take working weekends and even a holiday or two, but think of the retail people, the day after Thanksgiving, doors open at 5 a.m., or if the day after Christmas, same deal. On your feet all day, tons of returns, screaming kids, unhappy shoppers, unhappy people; at least you can lay down and take a short nap or have some eggnog if you are working at home and you may still be in your P.J.s. Working weekends is not the exception any longer, it is more the rule. Not only hospitals but retail, car dealerships,restaurants, even McDonalds is open on Thanksgiving Day and so is K-Mart I think. Now I would never go to those places, but people have to be there to work and with the economy and job situation, they are happy to have a job and not complain. Again, you either do this or not and believe me I have experienced every bad case scenario you can with medical transcription, but I like working at home and I too settled for less money to do clinic notes, w/o voice or ESLs, so I just have to learn to live on what I make and not what I want to spend. It's hard, darn hard, but it is my choice. So the next time you are someplace on a Saturday or Sunday or a the day after a holiday and people are working and probably working almost EVERY weekend, you better be thankful for what you have. I always wondered how you could enjoy a holiday, knowing you had to be at work the next day and it was going to be a made house!

Agree with above posters, weekends are necessary- sm - ECMT

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in most MT positions. I have worked for some where you don't have to. The one I work for now I don't have to work on the weekend IF I can get all my work done that comes in Friday on Friday and if no one dictates over the weekend, which happens about once a month or so now (used to be a lot but doctor finally stopped that and dictates more during the week now). No I don't get any incentive pay either. I used to at at another IC position which was pool work, was not worth the extra cent or half cent, much happier now even without incentive. But hospitals don't stop because it is the weekend. If you don't like it find a MT position that does not require it, many of the smaller MTSOs don't. But I really don't mind working some over the weekend, I have a lot of freedom in the work for school activities, taking kids to activities, etc., I look at it as the price I pay for the freedom and availability I have in order to do stuff with my kids that most people who work 8-5 M-F don't have the ability to do. All depends on where your priorities are and what is important to you.

This is a bunch of crap. I don't think the OP meant she won't work weekends ever - - just not EVERY weekend, and I agree

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I refuse to work EVERY weekend too. I usually work every other (my choice, the hours I want) and I would have no problem working weekends on a rotating basis, as a matter of fact I have done that for 10 years. No not all those profession stated above work EVERY weekend as part of the normal shifts. I am sure mostly it is on a ROTATION basis. That only seems fair.

I think the people that accept it are new to the field and this is the only thing they know, the only thing they have seen advertised on job boards. NO this is a NEW THING!!! Not in my 20 year profession have I ever had to work every weekend. nor will I!! Its the new suckers that are doing it, cuz of all the promises they have been told about how GREAT it is to work from home, so they go to their 6-week schools and fall for the stupid job ads.

Ridiculous!

Weekends - 15+ exp

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What planet are these new people on? I've been working in MT/QC since 1987 and have always worked a weekend day, working a Sun-Thur schedule. When you are the boss, you can make the rules, but when you are an employee you do what the boss says (least that's the way it's supposed to be).

As for a bunch of crap, I have always had quality time with my family, managed family vacations and get aways, and worked at home with 3 children under 5. I worked the "graveyard" shift when the kids were asleep, and when they were out of school worked split shifts or hubby took care of them while I slept.

You get out of a job what you put into it.

Flame me, I don't really care. Nobody owes you anything. I've worked hard and continuously all my adult life. Whatever happened to personal responsibility? You make your life what it is, not someone else. Want to dictate the terms? Start your own business.

IMHO, you get out of life and work what you put into it.

I will not work weekends. - Justmeeeee

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If they paid extra, a lot extra, and treated me halfway decent I might think about it but until then I will never work weekends. I'd go back to working in an office first.

Then bow down to ME as I am one who doesnt mind weekends. - I make it possible for you not to. nm

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bf

You don't deserve to be "bowed down to" for working weekends. - You slow?

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Learn to get done with your work during the week.

Are you gonna be the one telling folks they arent allowed - to get sick on the weekend. Get real. NM

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hg

Are you slow? - see message

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Since you are obviously new to this field let me fill you in and get you up to speed.

People get sick. They don't always plan it, and unfortunately in life sometimes this happens on a weekend. Sometimes unfortunately even on a holiday. I know its not convenient for you that it doesn't happen during a weekday. That at 2:00 a.m. a child may have an attack of appendicitis requiring him to undergo emergency surgery (I used to get calls at 2 and 3:00 a.m. where they needed a report from another physician to be able to treat a patient), or there may be a serious/fatal car accident on a weekend where a report needs to be typed so that it can accompany a patient to a medical center that is more able to take care of the needs of the people, or any of the other numerous things that could happen on a weekend. I know you believe that people should only get sick during a weekday or accidents shouldn't happen on weekends because it inconveniences you, but this is life and sometimes these things happen. I spend my weekends working because on the weekends is when a lot of people frequent the emergency room or sometimes the doctors are so busy caring for patients every minute of the day during the week that the only time they have to dictate is the weekend (taking them away from their family ALL the time), but that is life.

I learned from my father a long time ago that things don't always work out the way we want. However when you become an adult you learn that sometimes you just have to do things you may not always want to. If I wanted an 8-5 Monday through Friday job, this is not the field to be in.

If you don't want to work weekends that's perfectly fine. Like the person you replied to said "Then bow down to ME as I am the one who doesn't mind weekends". I join her in that sentiment. The work you do not do over the weekends I will take and it will help pay my electric bill or internet bill or put food on my table, buy a new winter coat for my daughter. And like the person above me posted - "Are you gonna be the one telling folks they aren't allowed to get sick on the weekends". There are thousands and thousands of people who go to the ER on the weekends to be treated. Tell them they can't do that anymore because you don't want to be inconvenienced and work weekends.

Get a grip!

Your comments are so ludicrous, but thanks for the LOL - SM

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I think perhaps YOU are the slow one...I believe the poster means she works on weekends NOT because she is "slow" and doesn't complete her work during the week but rather that she is SCHEDULED to work on the weekends.

Boy, once you climb on that high horse of yours the change in altitude must have your brain in a fog, LOL!

I am the Bow to Me poster. It is not even that I am scheduled to work - weekends, but I offer to work them because SM

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no kids at home, DH usually works Sat and gone 1/2 day Sunday so I might as well be making money by working. ALso frees up those who "wont" work weekends. And if I stop working all weekends, and you "wont", then you may be out of a job.

Response to those who did not comprehend... - MTPerson

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Only 2 or 3 understood my post. Maybe I should have made it clear that I work for a service,not a hospital. I have worked for services off and on since 1992 and only for the last 5 or 10 years have I noticed the trend to services requiring a Sat. or Sun. every weekend. When I did work for hospitals, it was a rotation for weekends which made sense and was fine. The $10/hour is the average after the extra 7.5% SE tax and taking breaks into consideration. For a 6-hour shift, there may be only 4 -5 hours actual typing time, so I divide my lines/pay by 6 hours to get an accurate figure, which is about $10/hour. I'm an MT from the past when we made above average income and were treated with respect. You cannot compare an MT working for a service to a hospital MT. You cannot compare an MT to a nurse, doctor, or other professionals. Get real! We are not talking about emergency life-saving situations here.

In Reply to MT Person - anon

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ENOUGH ALREADY! Get over it. If you didn't want to work weekends, you shouldn't have become an MT. Been an MT for 30+ years and weekend work has always been part of it. You adjust. Somebody in your life is complaining because "THEY" have to pick up some slack because your working. GET OVER IT OR GET OUT! Enough said.

MTPerson, who will do it if we do not? - Anonny

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Other people in other countries. Or computers. Of course.

I understand TAT in my gut. I AM part of a life-saving team, a very little one, yes, but part of it nevertheless. Communication is critical and a lot of people die every day because of communication failure. Respecting myself is no doubt part of the reason I don't feel a need for more respect from the team big shots (everyone else :) who never see me. For another reason, see below.

As for TAT, real clinicians see real sick people and dictate their reports so other real caregivers can use them--current shift right now and the one coming on shortly. Front-end dictation puts a dictator's report on the chart IMMEDIATELY. When they ALL need it. How's that for competition?

We just have to provide much, MUCH shorter TATs than in your good old days, or we will be gone. The dark age of stacks of patient charts piled up overnight on an MT's desk, because the information revolution was still in future, is mercifully past. With it, the practice of not staffing all 7 days of the week to meet need is just as dead. I personally expect that, as virtually all remaining work (what's left after front-end takes its part) goes to back-end SR, expected TATs will be shorter still.

Just FYI, and regarding respect, I work approximately 7 hours a day, not including official breaks and usually make well over twice per hour what you are right now. That's gross, working for a large MTSO any experienced acute care MT can get hired at. The other reason my respect quota seems to be just fine as I work away by myself at home. I recommend it also as a way of making weekend work more palatable.

I understood and I agree with U! - Realist

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It's the others that have their panties in a wad I guess because they are paid hourly and guaranteed work. No, its thanks to the MTSOs regarding the now common national low averages in conditions/compensation of the MT. They have reduced this career to what it is today. Hospital staff does not work for national services that have undercut them and continue to undercut them at every possible corner. For those of you comparing nursing/physician/hospital employee, EMTs, COPs? You're laughable and it has to be the most ignorant attempt at a debate I have seen on here yet! They have GUARANTEED compensation packages/benefits. Show me where ANY of them are paid according to the # of transports, arrests, services, etc..and asked to flex their time 24/7 for free. Pay us hourly as they are guaranteed and then you might have half a leg to stand on for harping on this OP.

Consider this - See message - Anonymous

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If you are ever scheduled for surgery: The doctor dictated your history and physical on the Sunday afternoon prior to your procedure early Monday morning. All the MTs assigned to that account or facility refuse to work weekends so your H & P does not get transcribed. I'm sorry, but your procedure will have to be canceled because JCAHO requires documentation before you can go to surgery. If you think that doesn't happen, trust me it does. Working on site I guess I'm not as jaded as most of you but I do see the importance of weekend coverage. What we do does matter. Try working retail or fast food and find out how demanding employers truly can be.

I read your message and I comprehended it - see message

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I read your message and all the replies. Many of them comprehended perfectly what you were writing. Just because people don't agree with you don't mean they don't understand.

You are in a field that requires weekends. Just the nature of the field. Some places will pay you differential and some places do not. I have been working in this field since 1989 after graduating from a course. I used to work for a clinic M-F paid hourly and no weekends. That's the type of business it was (closed weekends). Most places are hospitals and they have business over the weekend hence need people to work on the weekends. I also worked at many hospitals where the MTs did rotate and each of us worked one weekend a month. Other places have peoples shifts at Sun-Thu or Tue-Sat. What I don't understand is were you lying about your wage being $10 an hour? It looks like it by what you are saying. I work by the line, I have my hours and at the end of the day I do the calculations. I still get paid $12 on the lowest production days and $18 on the highest production days. You should not take into consideration subtracting out what you pay in taxes, then lowering your wages more. That's not realistic. If so every single occupation in America would be in the same boat. Everyone pays taxes. Even MTs who work in a hospital. When I got paid $12/hour at the hospital and I paid taxes I didn't say, well I really only make $10 because if you consider taxes...

The only thing correct was that you cannot compare working at a hospital versus home IC. They are two different things. If you want an hourly wage, then you should look for a job working in a hospital where you are guaranteed an hourly wage (or better yet a clinic that is closed weekends). However even at that some hospitals are sending MTs home if there is not a lot of work and then they don't get paid. As an IC you have the freedoms that people at work don't have. You can work in your jammies, take lunch when you want, etc, etc.

And no, we are not nurses doctors, etc. We should not get the same rate of pay as they do. If you want a differential for working weekends/nights then you need to look for a company that pays that.

That is just the nature of the field. Of course it's not what it used to be 10-20 years ago, but neither is anything else in this country. Even the doctors and nurses field has changed. Just the way the country is right now.

Weekends - Anonymous

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Why would Fridays and Mondays count, they are not weekend days. Sorry you poor baby, but in health care working weekends is a fact of life. Nurses and some techs work four 12-hour days and take call in addition to that. I work on site for an outpatient facility/short stay hospital and have worked one weekend day every week for years. My employer needs the coverage, there is nothing sadistic about that. Some hospital on-site MT departments require people to work both weekend days. Unfortunately, in my case if I refused I probably would be fired and it would not be worth taking that risk. Your attitude is why work is being sent overseas. There are no jobs anywhere, in any field, that let people work the days and hours they choose, wake up and smell the coffee.

With your theory, then you and others who agree with you.. - MT Person

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huh???? - see message

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Did you not finish the message?

I wouldn't mind weekends if I were paid extra after already working 55 hours. - Need OT pay.

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I do not need the money, so working weekends for me would be just to help with the client's TAT. I make an average of $22.50 per hour during the week on a M-F clinic account. What I get tired of is the constant e mails and threats to get MTs to work weekends, which I have done since July and I am tired of it, but there is never any mention of OT pay, like it is unheard of. When you have already put in 50 hours - and Sat and Sun are not your schedule, I think extra pay is warranted.

I most definitely agree with you on that one - see message

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Thank you for your post. First one regarding MT pay and hours that made sense. I definitely agree with you. When you put in that much time with a company/client and they need more time from you they should have the decency to offer something extra.

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doesn't actually pause the recording. And saying "Unpause" doesn't make it start again. This isn't even the same doctor that calls me "computer." "Computer go back to the HPI and..." Beam me up!! ...

Oct 20, 2009

I got in trouble today because I put a wrong patient. The doctor dictated a billing number, name, and MRN. The MRN was had a different patient, but the billing number and the patient name matched the ADT screen. Not to mention the fact that he kept using "she" in the dictation and the MRN number matched a "he". So logically one would just think he had the wrong MRN and I didn't want another QA submission so I sent it through with the correct billing number, name, and ...

Oct 31, 2009

I need the address for Dr. Jill Rue, family doc in Kentucky or southern indiana. thx ...

Jan 18, 2010

No. 2 of his impression is: Acute pancreatitis with probable cysts. Rule out pseudocyesis or superimposed candidiasis. The fullness of the cul-de-sac may be secondary to ascites (s/l lofadet) gynecology problem. HELP!!!!!!!! ...

Jan 27, 2010

Psychiatric Consultation under Review of past medical records... There's a list of 8 paragraphs that begin with "Doctor diagnosed... " and then a list of conditions that the patient had/has follows each. Would Doctor-diagnosed be hypenated in this case? Thanks! ...

Feb 28, 2010

Unbelievable. They just sent a ton of attachments. No inservice on the "particulars" when you're filling out the demographic screen, just a TON of instructions without answering any questions. You watch the video on escription, download it, and then you're suppose to be good to go. Forget it. ...

Mar 21, 2010

Can anyone tell me what the policy is for taking time off for a medical appointment. I have worked here for over 5 years but never done it. I am a regular part timer who just switched over from flexible part time so I have no PTO accrued to use for the hours I need off and really just want to take it w/o pay. Just curious what others on this forum have done... ...

Jun 28, 2010

I mean really! "Her creatinine is somewhat deranged at 2.1..........." ...

Jun 18, 2010

I am a former Spheris MT, now begrudgingly a MQ MT (not that Spheris was all that great either). As was pointed out below, we are still on Spheris rules for the most part but I don't expect that to last forever. At Spheris, if we think a doctor has made a mistake, we are encouraged to flag it but that entails putting in a blank, just as if we didn't understand the dictator. If we have too many blanks in a given period, we lose our incentive pay. They do not diff ...

Jul 12, 2010

I was just offered a job with "The Doctor's Helper" Has anyone worked with this company? I was burned by DIT Transcription and don't want the same thing to happen again. Is this a safe, reputable company? ...

Sep 10, 2010

Do you feel compelled to talk back out loud? I have a new doctor that talks to me, and if he says thank you, I find myself saying "you're welcome" out loud! He also asks questions, as in, "did I remember the vitals" and I say "no you didn't". My dog kind of looks at me funny, like, are you talking to me? ...

May 23, 2011

"dermaclens" or "dermaclenz" ???? I can find a Derma-Clens when I google but it is used by vets. Any suggestions? TIA. ...

Nov 14, 2011

If you have your own account, is it necessary to have the doctor(s) sign a contract before you start with them? Thanks ...

Jan 29, 2012

Okay, we've got this new French doctor at one of my hosptials. When I transcribe his dictation, in my head, I'm transcribing dictation form Gelles Marini from Brothers and Sisters and Dancing with the Stars. He's hard to understand, but I'm in love with him. LOL. It's a nice break from the other ESL doctors from the Middle East. I respect that they are learning English and I am sympathetic, but they cost me so much money because with some of them, I earn about $4 an ...

Jan 30, 2012

I have a doctor that still uses tapes and refuses to go digital or call-in. The problem is there is interference on the tapes and I can barely hear him. They think it is my transcriber, which it could be, but I don't think it would be worth the investment to buy a new transcriber for tapes when hardly any doctors even use them anymore! I need some opinions from my fellow MTs on this subject! I risk losing the entire account of 3 doctors (2 are digital) if I don' ...

Feb 18, 2012

"void" - its gonna be a long night... ...

Mar 27, 2012

The AMA site, you have to type in certain code words before you get in...the UC Health site, you can't just type in a name or part of name, you have to scroll through a long list. Anyone got a way to find doctors in Florida that is simple without having to navigate through typing in codes for site access ...etc. ...

Sep 17, 2012

has been eating and chomping and slurping and slobbering and mucking up every single report. Hour into my shift and I have a throbbing headache. Not to mention the middle eastern $%@# who is listening to the top ten favorite hits from his satellite arab radio station, cymbals and banging and whirling and clacking. ...

Nov 20, 2012

He asked me for my card, says he dictates onto mini cassettes and a lady picks them up and prints them on this post-it sticky paper. He asked me for my card and asked if I would be interested in covering for her if she were to quit, be on vacation of what have you. He says is not doing EMR, does not want to do it. This got me thinking, he is middle-aged, small 2-man practice, how many other small office need MT help and not going through nationals or doing EMR. I am getting a transcriber f ...

May 01, 2013

my mtso switched to a new system and all the doc names I had in my data base are gone. what a pain to start over. any simple way to do this. all the doc names come up as spelling errors and i am adding them slowly and painfully ty ...

May 06, 2013

omg. i am in the er with hunnybun and they have a medical scribe in here. took all i could to sit here and be a good girl and keep my mouth shut. ...