A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry
I have been doing this for 15 years and just can't (sm) - broke
Posted: Jul 02, 2013
believe the crap that this company dishes out to us. I know 150 lines is achievable because that was the minimum at my last company (bought back, not here by choice!). My former company, however, did not have a time clock, which took the pressure off if I had a string of difficult reports or extensive referencing because I could work a bit longer to make up the lines if I had to. I am PT with no benefits, no sick days, no holidays, work Saturdays, and only a few PTO days a year, and at 120 lines per hour I am able to work in going to the bathroom once or maybe twice if I am having a good productive day, and I break only long enough to make something to eat for lunch and take my bites while proofreading. I do only straight typing right now but have some challenging accounts. I always work my schedule, make my line counts (for now), pass my audits (for now). I will continue to work as I do now but will probably not make 150 lines consistently unless I stop proofreading, cut down on referencing and send more to QA, and probably not do as well on audits. I've been hoping they lay me off so maybe being fired is shortly down the road for me. I just need a fire lit under my butt to get out of here. I can't help but wonder what they will be raising it to when we all rise up once again to the challenge. They just keep wanting more and more and quite frankly, I just don't have anything else to give. Why can't we just do our jobs without getting tormented??? Oh, and my group was asked to work OT. Honestly, I am so stressed now during my regular shift, why would I do that to myself??? Just needed to vent.
This is one of the points - sm
[ In Reply To ..]I was trying to make in my post below. Something will have to give, quality suffers, experienced employees leave, clients ultimately unhappy. This does not better the company in any way. Corporate thinking is flawed and illogical.
you must stop proofreading - seriously
[ In Reply To ..]They can pick two of the following: Speed, quality, price. They picked speed and price so out goes quality. Please stop proofreading right now! Proof as you go and call it good.
I can proof as I go on transcription - ASR not so much..sm
[ In Reply To ..]Think it is the same as cruise control for me in a car..I zone out. Not to mention I highlight and erase one thing and either the word before or after seem to delete..but I def don't word by word re-read anymore.
I know it's hard - 5 word proof
[ In Reply To ..]It is so easy to miss those little ifs ands and buts that ASR throws in, but if they want proofreading, actual proofreading, then they have to pay by the hour. Nuff said.
my problem with your advice - another under 150 lph-er
[ In Reply To ..]I have been doing this 40 years, I'm pretty fast and I am pretty good but I too am working on accounts that are very difficult to do, and the platform is not a fast one. I decided that I am going to the best I can with each report, as I always have, confident that each report I send back will not harm the patient. I am haunted by that MT in India who killed a patient by transcribing an incorrect dose of insulin. It could have just as easily happened in America, to me!, if I am not careful. I know that I am going to be fired, in any case I am not really making ends meet anymore, so when they lay me off, knowing that I am not going to find anything any better, I am just going to take early retirement. If I were younger, I would be in school training to do something else. After all, this job is about keeping good records and in so doing, we help ensure good patient care. Each of us has to make our own decision about how to handle this stupidity/insanity going on in this industry, but my decision is to not jeopardize the patient in any way. Not taking the time to research, not taking the time to proofread, letting reports go to QA whose skills in general I do not respect, could cause the patient grievous financial or physical harm. I want no part of that.
I would not have made that 150 lph today! Maybe I could if (sm) - broke
[ In Reply To ..]if the platform I am on was faster! I actually strummed my fingers on my desk between each report to load, and it takes a ridiculous amount of time to do the demographics, and then unfortunately I was in my accts that all have short progress notes with difficult dictators, horrible sound quality, and even had 4 reports from one doc who likes to repeat every word about 15 times! It sure is more stressful when I know that because of that I will not be making my line count. Well, at least I have till September to find a job, or better yet collect SUI because I am already doing the best I can do with what I have to work with.
I agree to a point - however
[ In Reply To ..]Having done this for almost as long as you have, I know that doctors seldom if ever rely on dictated medical reports to get their information. The case in India was a rare occurrence, and only happened because there were no other records available for the doctor to refer to. IMO, the worst that can happen is my report gets a critical error.
One has only to look at - ILP reports
[ In Reply To ..]to realize that no sane doctor would base a decision on them.
I so totally agree with you - anon
[ In Reply To ..]I agree with everything you said. Two years ago I made the decision to do quality over quantity; to produce the best document I could, no matter what the cost. I look at reports and see tons of little mistakes, extra words, punctuation wrong, etc., and although it doesn't significantly impact patient care, it still isn't the best quality document. So I'll always go quality over quantity, though it is hard some days with low line counts and wondering how to make ends meet.
that's your choice - I need money
[ In Reply To ..]I can't afford to proofread. If they want me to proofread, they have to pay me by the hour. I'm paid on production so I produce. However, my scores are always 99.5 or better.
Apparently there is a cost - to your paycheck - stop sweating the small stuff
[ In Reply To ..]You can still produce a quality document without sacrificing your paycheck. Check out the BOS regarding punctuation. Most of the items under commas are preferential, meaning it could go either way. Let go of your tendency to fix every comma or semicolon and leave whatever ASR puts there. The point is to get through the document, not stop for every comma or breaking up a run-on sentence. While you may not prefer to have a comma where the doctor puts one you have to be able to leave it. Learn your keyboard shortcuts and avoid the mouse. You should be able to spellcheck a document with keystrokes and upload and download in less than 3 seconds. Play the voice and try your very best to keep up and edit as the voice is going without letting up the pedal. Always look for ways to get through the document faster, such as formatting headings ahead or formatting lists.
I produce over 300 lph and consistently pass my audits. I also work on over 20 accounts on a regular basis. It is possible to have quality and quantity but you have to be willing to work at it.
broke - envious
[ In Reply To ..]I would absolutely LOVE to do only straight typing, no matter how challenging the account. How does that happen? I get 99.9% VR. I would trade places with you in a heartbeat. Count your blessings. Things could be worse. I would take crappy, muffled, ESL straight typing over VR any day!
I'm lucky..right now..to have straight typing but I know SR is coming (nm) - broke
[ In Reply To ..]..
Me too - sm
[ In Reply To ..]The ASR hurts my wrists more for some reason..Not to MENTION the stupid mistakes that I seem to make on a regular basis now. Because ASR makes them, you know, he or she wrong place. Added words that make total sense. Just stupid stupid mistakes that I never had with straight type.
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