A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry
show of hands please - voice of experience
Posted: Mar 04, 2010
can i see a show of hands of how many of my fellow MT's are THIS CLOSE to throwing in the towel, not only with MQ, but just transcription companies in general? I am first, who's next? Let me see those hands!!!
hands - texasmt
[ In Reply To ..]Both of my tired hands are raised. This job is not fun anymore. The towel is being thrown in soon.
I'm waiting to get fired. - CA-MT
[ In Reply To ..]I'll be able to collect UE under these circumstances. I'm afraid if I quit, the sharp MQ lawyers will trump up some excuse to screw me out of my due.
Same here - Waiting for ax
[ In Reply To ..]This is what I have been waiting for. I think we can collect UI under these circumstances (the 5% thing) and I am documenting every blank I have to send to QA due to poor dictation, audio, mistake on dictator part, etc., on top of any pay decreases because of this new policy. I refuse to guess, so probably not long to wait when the 5% takes affect. Then I will at least have money coming in while I seek out a new career OTHER THAN MT.
I think this new policy will take MQ down eventually when the clients start seeing the results and start leaving. This is exactly what happened to another national I worked for some years ago, gone not long after losing most of their good MTs because of being penalized for trying to produce quality reports and clients bailing out due to quality issues and TAT issues because so many newbies and not enough experienced MTs left.
As soon as I get fired, then, with UE for a while, - s/m
[ In Reply To ..]I'll have the time to put all of my time and effort into getting this mess investigated. If the first one I approach (lawyer, investigative journalist, writer, TV station, etc.) isn't interested, then I'll just go on the the next. And the next. And the next. Ad infinitum. Once I get really pissed, like I am now, I don't stop til I see results.
inadequate transcriptionists - anon
[ In Reply To ..]What I understood being said is that this program has to do with inadequate transcriptionists, and that would include me. Used to be told I was an excellent one, but now I am inadequate one. Never mind that I seldom get my primary, get inintelligible unfamiliar dictators a lot, can't hear over the noise, banging, etc. Also my unwillingness to put in something, such as medication dosage or name of medication I am just not 100 percent sure of, I have inadequate skills, think my last audit was 98.8 percent or something like that, maybe 99.8, don't remember now. Used to be able to tyype a lot more because I was very familiar with the account. All I know is that I am inadequate. If I do get my primary, most of the time it is the worst of the worst, just a coincidence I'm sure! My fault, because I am inadequate. So I will be fired soon.
Inadequate - sick and tired
[ In Reply To ..]I feel the same way. I used to be extremely proud of my skills. During my years at MedQuist and loss of pay, my self-esteem has taken a nosedive.
The "inadequacy" thing is not just at MQ. Where - I work, making MTs feel like theyre - sm
[ In Reply To ..]just hanging onto employment by their fingernails, and are "lucky to have a job", is the standard operating procedure. You get QA sending stuff back that was CORRECT (until they got their claws on it), supes giving you email "warnings" every other day, all the while changing up their account specifications every other day, and you have a recipe for total PARANOIA.
It's part of keeping us in the dark and feeding us s__t, you know. They've got us so worried that we won't ask them for raises, and if we did, they'd point out how "inadequate" we are.
You have to remember that your skills are not only still there, but likely better than ever. The problem is not with OUR inadequacy, but the COMPANY'S inadequacy.
They've lowered pay so much that the quality of their product has suffered. So they lower their prices still further, and cut MT pay even more. They offshore to India, and have to triple their QA ranks because of it. So they pay the QA's less, and the end result is more messed-up reports than ever. So they start to promise ridiculous turn-around times to the client, in exchange for them maybe not noticing so much that all that bargain-basement-QA'ed Indian work is worse than ever. The client begins to feel powerful.... omnipotent. Demands more and more. The MTSO kisses their feet and says, "Yes! Yes!" They take money that should've gone to paying their employees a fair wage, and instead invest it in all sorts of lame-ass software with enough bells and whistles that the client will go, "Ooooo! Aaaahh!" and want to stay with that MTSO, and less likely to notice that the work quality is going downhill. (They don't know that the MTs are mostly on welfare these days, or working 2 full-time jobs and 1 part-time job just to pay for rent, food and gasoline.) The MTSO assures the client that no, they don't have to upgrade their ancient, hissing, fuzzy recording equipment. Oh, no! The "new-and-improved" version of our software will take care of all that.
Meantime, overhead costs (such as 6-figure bonuses for their so-called "top people" up in the corporate offices) are getting higher, so gotta find a way to squeeze more out of the workers. Raise their line minimums. Encourage them to work overtime, but by all means, don't pay them for it. Juggle the time sheets. Juggle the books. Delay paychecks so the cash can earn your account a little more interest.
Diddle around with the line-counting software, so that what the MT types, and what they actually get PAID for typing are two different figures - the latter being lower, of course.
And finally, get rid of all those long-time, highly-skilled workers because they remember when things were better. Don't want their attitudes to rub off on all those naiive young-uns coming out of the transcription schools. (That they own, or at least have a financial stake in). No, instead let's dream up a way to make everything they do WRONG. Tell them blanks must go to QA, but then ding them for sending blanks.
Sheesh. "Horror movie" is right, and not just at MQ, but EVERYWHERE in the land of the medical transcription middlemen.
wiating to get fired - brownshell
[ In Reply To ..]You need to talk to your local UE now. The law says that if you have more than a 15% pay loss that constitutes a job loss and once you separate from the company you can file for UE. I know - I just did it! And its called "involuntary termination" (meaning they forced you to involuntarily terminate due to loss of pay). MQ may contest it, but if you have documentation such as pay statements they have to give it to you.
voice - Jesta
[ In Reply To ..]Nope, not me.
hands - Indiana MME
[ In Reply To ..]Because of the bad taste that the Q leaves in my mouth....I am going to run as far away from transcription as I can get
welcome to the club . . - voice
[ In Reply To ..]hello Indiana MME and CA-MT, nice to know i am not the only one waving the white flag, thanks for being there . . .
Experience of going to a community college - 2 days ago.
[ In Reply To ..]MQ has me on a list of one of the BEST OF THE BEST. My QA submission rate is low, audits are great and put my hours in. This FIRST TIME RIGHT will not hurt me, so I have been told. Although I cannot get bonuses or raises because I was told I make too much, even though the last raise was 8 years ago which was basically NOTHING. Just more taxes taken out.
I went to college years ago for medical assistant/medical transcription certificates. I have been an MT for 25 years and only had one interview my whole life and here I am today. I have seen many, many changes. I started using a Brothers Typewriter at the dictation company and then came along computers and tapes. After a few years of working in the office and all different shifts, I had a choice of working in the office with dictation tapes or working at home with tapes being delivered by a carrier and using Dictaphone equipment.
Finally after this company bought out this company who merged with that company and so on, I am here today and having no choice but to work at home with no office near me and no MT to talk to in this company, except this board which I did not find out about until a few months ago.
I have had enough. I have seen changes and they have not been very good. Spheris is a wakeup call and should be for everyone. They were a #2 company and now bankrupt. Some say it is because they did not keep up with the state of the art equipment and so on. I have seen companies like DHL (competitor for UPS/Fed-Ex). DHL bought out AirBorne, very sad, and had state of the art equipment, the best of the best, but could not make it and moved out of the United States back to Germany. Their service just went bad and could not keep up, especially after the big buyout of AirBorne.
I see MQ happening the same way, especially after this Spheris buyout. MQ will not be able to keep up with the QA reports and their TAT time and will have to pay out a lot of money for fines/fees. I have seen their tactics, schemes, plans over the last 25 years. They do try to keep up, but frankly, what they have done by this last lawsuit of stealing MT money is just outright _______. It was wrong and I will NEVER trust what they say or do. This showed me that they only care about their own stocks and money. I fear that every decision they make is WHAT IS IN IT FOR ME. They have a motive for everything they do.
So, I went to the community college. The parking lot was full and took me a half hour to figure out parking and how to pay for parking. I had difficulty finding the admission office. I did not want to look up at people for fear of looking at a bunch of kids since I am more than twice their age. To my surprise, there were quite a few people my age or even older. Surely they had to be administrators/teachers, etc.
Finally found the admission office and a friendly 70 year greated me. I filled out the most easiest form and had to laugh because it asked when and where I attended high school (years ago). I have only been living in this new state for 3 years and still learning about this beautiful state I live in. Nothing is familiar to me, but all new and an adventure. I talked to an advisor who told me the next steps to take. In 2 weeks I am starting college. Thinking of going into the Radiology/MRI field. I was told that there were many, many like me at this collegel: My age, the way I am feeling about my job, starting over a whole new career because their careers are turning to be a dead end field (which the school already heard about medical transcription and what is happening to this field), the fear I am having, etc. They were so kind and the kids did not think anything of me being there. In fact, when I got home, I ran into the neighbor's babysitter who also attends the community college and she stated half her classes are all my age and starting new careers.
It concerns me how things are changing. I do not recall my mother and father's generation having to learn a new career. It is pretty frightening that so many of us oldtimers are having to learn a new career. It has to be because of technology and how things are changing so quickly. Shoot, you buy a computer a month ago and it is already old. Even that TV.
So I am outta here. Had enough and I do not see a bright future of being a medical transcriptionist because of EPIC coming (Do not forget MQ is getting theirs out soon) except if you are Indian, then you might have a chance.
Lastly, my 2 cents? Get out of this field. If you are wanting to work at home or start a business? How about house sitter, gardner, etiquette consultant, custom crafter, cake baker, freelance writer or editor, bead jewelry designer, home stager, babysitter, imgage consultant, interior decorator, Life Coach, massage therapist, personal shopper for older people, personal chef, pet sitter, real estate agent, flower arranger, erand runner, home caretaker for the elderly, party planner.
Better yet, how about virtual customer service agent and work for 1-800-flowers, hotel agent working at home, car rental agent, doctor's message office, purchasing tickets, etc. AND YOU WORK FROM HOME. Go to VIPdesk.com or CharmCityConcierge.com or try Circles.com. Also try VAnetworking.com, AssistU.com and TeamDoubleClick.com and AlpineAccess.com. You can end up working for airlines, J. Crew, Walgreens and many other outsourcing customer service companies that hire U.S.-based virtual agents. Some are making 10-25 an hour.
Hope this is helpful. I wish they had this 25 years ago, but did not. Some of you newbies are fortunate that there is such a thing as virtual customer service agent. I am moving on. Good Luck to all.
moving on from MT - mushroom
[ In Reply To ..]I want to thank you so much for stating about your experience with moving forward (oops, shouldn't have used that - already been used by Mr. 600 lines and his companion on that lovely email at the bottom - Moving forward together -- we'll see about that, right!!) I really appreciate your listing of all the other possibilities out there. With all the stress that MQ has put us under, sometimes we just don't see things and you just opened my eyes to a few things that are definitely worth looking into. Guess, I'll have to change my nickname (mushroom) after I decide to come out of the dark hole I've been in because of the devious and downright dirty tactics of MQ. They may have just pushed too far this time and the flack they're going to get will probably smell just like what they've been tossing our way -- KARMA, KARMA, KARMA -- suits better have a conference call with the Indian half to get a little more insight into this phenomenon *** GOING TO STOP BEFORE MY MUSHROOM CAP EXPLODES!!
Im done with the big MTSOs, and if I dont find - - s/msg
[ In Reply To ..]either an on-site position at a hospital or clinic, or a decent, HONEST small MT company to work for, then I'll probably get out of MT altogether. My ability to live on what they pay has been stretched to the breaking point. I'm not going to let the rest of my life go down the toilet just to put more cash in their pockets. Let them get their money the "old-fashioned way"... let them EARN it! No more getting it for nothing off the backs of hard-working MTs.
Me too - mrs.krabs
[ In Reply To ..]I felt like that every time I logged in for my e-mail and seeing that stupid picture of the salaried suits and office workers play-acting some skit. We have to work for every penny while they goof off at our expense. It is just sick.
Whenever I read corporate doublespeak, such as the - phrase "moving forward", what I -sm
[ In Reply To ..]envision is all of the MTs not moving forward, but instead, lying prone on the muddy ground, while the those in their natty little suits "move forward" by stepping on our backs.
Dont think that is them stepping on our backs, - anon
[ In Reply To ..]I think they are driving Hummers back and forth over us, pulverizing us into the ground.
Thats okay though, I cant haunt any of the suits while I am still alive.
show of hands - whatever
[ In Reply To ..]right there with ya.
ya got my hands - soon as someone will hire me
[ In Reply To ..]I have been applying like crazy...
out of here--yes, for my mental health - xyzzz
[ In Reply To ..]already applied at a big orange box company to be with people again and think things over, I'm 61, is that too old to retrain for something? I'm a widow, will probably work til I drop dead, healthy other than stressed out.
Good for you! Gee, I am 45 and my BP - has skyrockted because of stress of MQ.
[ In Reply To ..]You go girl! 61 is not old, but I am sure you are young at heart and much more wiser than these yuppies who think they run this company and say GO WITH THE FLOW!
Show of hands - sick and tired
[ In Reply To ..]My hand is way up!
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