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RE-TRAIN ACUTE CARE - RADMT


Posted: May 10, 2013

I have been a transcriptionist for the past 22 years.  I have worked in hospitals and clinics as well as an IC.  Early in my career, I transcribed acute care, autopsy, pathology and radiology reports.   For the past 15 years I have concentrated on transcribing radiology reports which has been profitable for me since I did not mind typing difficult dictators and ESL physicians.   Currently, am fortunate to be working as a full-time employee and have my hourly rate.  As you know, radiology transcription is saturated and our field itself has deteriorated.  I don’t know how long my full-time job will be available as every day I read MTs losing their positions.  Do any of you know a company who is will to give work for someone who has not typed acute care  in 15 years?  Am willing to retrain and restart this field.  I noticed there are more opening for this position.  I am willing to work every other weekend and holidays and I can work 3 hours a night from 10 pm to 1 am or early morning from 3 am to 6 am (PST).   I feel sad that this field has gone down the drain.  I hate reading talented transcriptionists losing their jobs and not being appreciated.  I have been in the same boat but I try keep going that is why am preparing for Plan B;  I just don’t want to be off guard when that pink slip comes again.

My Advice - see msg

[ In Reply To ..]
My opinion (and many share this) is Plan B would be to get out of MT completely. Acute care is the toughest there is, but that doesn't seem to stop the companies from sending that work overseas or putting the stuff on speech wreck.

That being said, if you really want to stay in the MT business, you should look into taking a really good MT course, like Andrews or M-Tec. Sorry, but that's my advice.

Most MT companies will not train you on acute care, but they will give some feedback. What you could do, before you invest in school, is apply to a couple of MT companies, and if they think you qualify to test for acute care, they'll send you a test--from there, you can see how you do on it. If you really are determined to stay in this biz, I would do that before investing in a school, since the school investment is not a good investment anymore.

If you haven't had acute care in 15 years, your ear is definitely not tuned up for it and A LOT has changed in terms of hospital drugs, hospital procedures,hospital labs, etc.

I have been doing acute care for 15 years and got out of the biz completely. I did have work coming my way, but with voice wreck and them cutting my pay to measely peanuts, getting out was my choice.

Suggestions - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
First, we don't know who wants to hire you; you will have to do your own research and apply and test just like all the other job seekers. You say that you have a full-time MT job in radiology that pays an hourly wage...why would you quit that to take a 3-hours a day, 3 days a week job, unless you are looking for a second job. If you did pathology and all the other specialties that you mention, acute care should not be a problem as you've done ESL. My advice would be to keep your current job. If you get a pink slip, choose a different field and get out of MT entirely.

Radiology MT - Pauline

[ In Reply To ..]
I would stay at my hourly paying job and ride it out to the end. You will not make the money that you may be making right now working for outsource companies. I had a hospital job plus incentive and even a PT job just for spending money and both of those went out the door to outsource companies. Went from $40,000 to $12,000 and have never recovered. Stay Put. Unemployment alone will not pay the bills, but you might want to refresh your acute-care terminology with practice tapes, but there is no way I would quit my hospital job. Do Not. You will regret it.

Acute Care - See Msg Pls

[ In Reply To ..]
She said she has been doing this for 22 years and acute care was "early in her career." She would definitely need re-training in acute care if she is wanting to do acute care; a lot has changed over the years.

BUT, I don't think training in acute care is going to help you stay in this business all that long. The whole business is a squeak-by. It's possible that one of the reasons you see a lot of acute care jobs, is because MTs (the best of the best, anyway), are getting the heck out of the business and for good reason. (A) It pays piddly wages for extremely difficult stuff. (B) It's just going down the tubes in general, as in the tube to India.

Plan B should be a plan out the MT door totally and completely.

Coding? - Twinklefingers

[ In Reply To ..]
I love the term "voice wreck" - so apt. It seems like I am seeing a lot of coding jobs lately. What with Obamacare coming online soon and the Baby Boomers aging, maybe the demand would be there, even with the dreaded insurance companies. Thought about it myself.


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