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

Sick over new Nuance QC pay plan - Another QC

Posted: May 07, 2015

Sick over the new compensation plan. The number of lines I would have to do to make what I'm used to making is impossible if we are doing full review since they are paying QC'd lines at half of actual line count. I can't do 100% voice to text and fill in blanks on 250-300 lines an hour all day every day. Heck, back when we just filled in blanks only and did not do full review, we were considered good and meeting goals if we QC'd 220 lph. No way to do that and watch every word and period on dozens of accounts across 3+ platforms and counting.

I've always given Nuance 100%. Did all overtime when requested, changed shifts when asked, flexed when necessary, worked holidays without complaint, etc. I always have given positive feedback and tried to be as supportive of the MTs as possible since we are all on the same side here.

I can't believe I've worked for this company for many years and am taking a huge pay cut.

Sorry, but you have joined the masses. - nn

[ In Reply To ..]
We MLS have been hit again and again with pay reductions, pay grid plan, and of course FIASCO.

Now it is your turn. In true Nuance style they will probably go after QA next.

Gotta pad the pockets of the upper management you know. We all have to do our share so they don't have to reduce their vacation plans.

sucks - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
It is sickening. It's hard to see money ripped out of one's hands for "errors" and nit-pickiness that has NOTHING to do with patient care. The MTs have been sickened for a very long time. Hard-working, team-playing, quality-producing, account-jumping, schedule-flexing MTs. Completely unfair, isn't it? :(

Welcome to our world, except we get pay cuts for Christmas - all MTs

[ In Reply To ..]
xxoo

Now, if you had this pay cut AND had to... - Tired

[ In Reply To ..]
put up with getting nitpicked to death on so-called "errors" where the meaning is the same thing and the "error" has nothing to do with patient safety, then you'd see what kind of boat we are in. Your pay does not seem to depend on someone else judging it and nitpicking for errors. As someone else on here said, it's all about lowering the MT's pay, and NOT about patient safety. When you can tell me that your work is being graded by someone else for the purpose of finding errors and lowering your pay even further than the original pay cut, then complain. In the meantime, I have no sympathy. Nobody had anything to say about MT's not being able to make a living on such poor wages. Having our work "graded" for certain things that have nothing to do with patient safety and are nothing but nitpicking to cut our wages further is unconscionable. Until your work is "graded" and cut accordingly, well....I just cannot relate.

QC pay plan - tmt

[ In Reply To ..]
Unless you were in on the explanation you have no clue about our QC compensation plan. I can tell you that we were told that we are going to be held to a higher standard than the plan for MTs! Our score needs to be practically 100% to be able to achieve an affordable line rate. Yes, we are graded. Not asking for your sympathy, just telling you the cold hard facts. We're all screwed. Have A Nice Day!!!!!!!!!!!

Ummmm.... - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
MT scores have to be practially 100% to be able to achieve an affordable line rate (though not really "affordable" at all). Have A Nice Day!!!!!!!

Our work IS being graded to cut our pay further! - Another QC

[ In Reply To ..]
Please know what you are talking about before being so rude. I was sick when it happened to MTs as well. We now have to have almost perfect reports and one slip up will ruin our pay as well. For me to make even CLOSE to my current pay, I will have to literally double my line count as well as achieve a 99.5% QA score.

all in the same boat - yep

[ In Reply To ..]
Don't argue. Everybody that is not in management and works here is screwed. It is impossible to get the lines needed as well as quality score to make more than minimum wage. I was a high producer, I did the math. In our case we were set up for failure. I just wish some would have had the guts to let us know it was coming earlier on instead of leading us on. At least we made a few people rich in the process. Just get out and start searching because slave labor sucks. If you are a newbie reading this get out of the MT field, please. You will regret it.

Sorry, but.... - Tired

[ In Reply To ..]
We were told our pay was being cut in half because we could work and produce twice as much with Escription, for example. It turned out to be more like 25% or 50% (and NOT 100%), depending on how good the dictators were, templates, how many ESL's, etc. So I still have no sympathy. We have been putting up with not being able to double our output for many years now, and hence, minimum wage pay. We didn't like it either and as the economy improves, many more of us will leave for better pay. I suspect that is why Nuance is beefing up its India facilities with more hires. They know most of us are leaving as soon as we can and they intend to replace us with Indians, get rid of American MTs, and then tell hospitals "take it or leave it," particularly the hospitals that don't want Indians doing their work (like mine, before I was outsourced to low wages). But getting back to the original subject, you are echoing us. For me to make close to what I used to get 10 years ago, I would have to do over 4000 lines per day. And get better than 99% QA score...probably at least 95%. MTs have gone through this before! So I hate to say it because it's so crappy and we shouldn't have to put up with this, but suck it up (or go elsewhere). Hopefully we can ALL go elsewhere, eventually.

Not the same world. We are graded more harshly - and dinged for an error of YOURS

[ In Reply To ..]
if it's not caught. Unfortunately, I think Nuance has just put into motion their final wrong. In order to survive most QCs will push out garbage like our offshore partners do. This is definitely a quantity over quality setup.

Do you mean to say that... - Tired

[ In Reply To ..]
you as a QA or QC are dinged for an error of OURS if you don't catch it? If that's the case, that must mean that there are people on top of you that are going over YOUR work just to see what gets caught and what doesn't. Is this the case? If so, Nuance is wasting too much money paying people (albeit low wages) to check up on peoples' work, with people (getting paid) who are then checking up on THEIR work. Is this what you're saying? If this is the case, I had no idea, although I have suspected there are a lot of extra people being paid that don't need to be either working or paid at Nuance. Sounds like management is paranoid. They'd rather pay a bunch of people to check up on work, whose work in turn gets checked up on (and maybe whose work in turn gets checked up on). Sounds like a bad buy, stock-wise. The organization is too top heavy if this is what's going on. Sounds like they see the writing on the wall. Most of us will be leaving, so then they will try to step up hiring in India. Of course, what they don't realize are that the Indians are unhappy with their pay over there, too! They are apparently treated the same way we are -- not one raise, ever.

Not the same world, we are graded more harshly - Sad and now more broke

[ In Reply To ..]
It is true that QC is error scored right along with the MTs. This is being done by the auditors (who are also referred to as QA and most of whom are in India, BTW). If a report crosses our screen, we are 100% responsible for that report and the score it receives, which now with the new plan will lower our already abysmal pay. The work that QC does to correct MT reports DOES NOT, and never has, affected the MT paycheck. Our error scoring is/was considered 'educational' only. That no longer holds true as of this week, however, as QC is no longer scoring MT reports at all, other than to note that a full review was done. We have now become glorified proofreaders, subject to the same pay scale grid thing as the MTs, with a harsher error score % while now having to double our production. On top of that, QC does not get 'assigned' primary and secondary accounts. We are responsible for all of the accounts within a region or platform. All of them! In my case, that is over 40 and rising...we have no real opportunity to memorize what a particular wants, or a particular doctor's spiel, etc. Instead, we are plowing through account specs, samples, google, whatever, to try to fill in these blanks, solve the problems, etc, only now we will have to do it at double the speed, just to keep our paychecks where they were. This is unacceptable. I was hoping that this new scale would give us a bump in pay, a little bit anyway. I should have known better.

Report to QC for blanks - So tired

[ In Reply To ..]
This has answered a question I have had for the last few weeks now. Whenever I send a report to QC for blanks, when I check to see what they filled in, it is totally gone over, every comma, semicolon, etc. No patient care errors, but it really has been aggravating me. An example is dictation says times 2 days, I typed for 2 days, and they corrected it to x2 days, I typed nondistended and they corrected it to non-distended. Every single little thing picked apart. I have even had lungs clear in PE changed to Lungs: Clear. Totally picking everything apart. That must take a lot of time, so no wonder the QCs can't get as much done. I really hate this company, it just continues to get worse. Anyone who hires on here deserves what ever they get, if they still take the job after reading all of the negative posts here.

Happy MT Week!! - abc

[ In Reply To ..]
MT week is coming up, just there way of making sure you know you are worthless to them.

It almost seems like their strategy is - divide and conquer

[ In Reply To ..]
Why two levels of quality control anyway? Maybe to make the QA people feel superior?

Since there seems to be less work for QC once they put that 10% penalty thing in, why not go to one level of QA (which most places have)?

Probably because it wouldn't suit their purpose of having the QA people feel they are more deserving of $ and their time is more valuable.

Honestly, every single other company has QA people who both have to deal with reports with lots of blanks AND the post-audit ones, why does Nuance have 2 layers and they pay more out to all these extra employees with the apparent goal to take away money from the MTs?

If there are truly no inducements to QA for getting points off us in the most nitpicking and unprofessional way, why do they keep doing it?

Nuance are greedy, spiteful, and sick making.

Shenanigans - I call it

[ In Reply To ..]
Exactly one of the reasons I brought up this medical transcription industry shenanigans in my letter to Senator Bernie Sanders this week - for Washington to investigate the entire industry ...

spotlight - curious

[ In Reply To ..]
Do you think bringing our issues to the attention of a public figure would be of any benefit? I recall reading on this board at some point ideas such as Anderson Cooper and Greta VanSustren (sp?) though I am unsure if actual attempts were made or if it stayed in the discussion stage. I was thinking about the actress, Patricia Arquette (sp?) I know she is a huge women's rights advocate, particularly as it relates to equal pay. I wonder if that could get the spotlight on this industry and what we've been dealing with. The court of public opinion isn't legal, but I imagine Nuance wouldn't want the general pubic to become aware of all their dirty little secrets. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try.

Letter - Bernie

[ In Reply To ..]
I wrote an in-depth letter to Senator Bernie Sanders because in watching him over the past several years, he seems to be the only politician who cares about the American worker! The whole industry needs to be investigated by Washington. What can actors do to change the policies in Washington? We need to bring real political change in regards to the transcription industry.

change - curious

[ In Reply To ..]
There are many famous actors bringing attention to important causes, charities and injustices, and these do ultimately find their way to Washington. Angelina Jolie is one example that comes to mind. Of course I echo your sentiments that we need to bring real political change to this industry. I was just trying to brainstorm ideas in terms of an advocate for the industry. A voice for the masses that the people who effect change would actually pay attention to.

Similar Messages:

Jul 07, 2014

I am sick of Nuance but I only have 6 months of experience because the two years I spent at my community college training doesn't count and I can't find any company that will hire me with out 2-5 years experience. I can't stand the thought of staying at Nuance getting paid minimum wage for the next 2 years. This is so depressing. ...

Dec 31, 2014

Just went back and studied all my pay statements since this new "Patient Safety Pay Plan" was implemented. Here is what I found: My pay was a bit MORE when I was off the grid QA-wise at 98.8%, less than 10% to QC (barely), and higher-than-normal for me lines per hour (I busted arse; hence the lower QA score)...but...pay was HIGHER this way than when I was more careful, got 100% QA post audit scores, less than 10% QC, and about average-for-me lines per hour. So much for your "P ...

Jan 12, 2012

What I pleasant surprise on my pay stub. Love the new incentive plan! ...

Oct 29, 2014

who are in the trenches doing the work in the complete dark about their actual demise. Why couldn't they release all of the information regarding the new compensation plan at once. What is the point of releasing in "phases?" Oh, wait, if they did that, they risk everyone jumping ship at once. How do you all sleep at night doing this to your employees? You probably can't comprehend struggling to feed your kids or keeping the lights on one more week. You have ruined the holidays ...

May 16, 2015

At Nuance, the caste system THRIVES. The deception of this company is criminal. For the last year, the QCs were required to meet the company standard metrics of 150+ LPH, quality of 99% or higher, schedule adherence of 99%. If you failed to meet any portion of the metrics one week, you received a verbal warning; two weeks, you were moved to the Performance Action Plan. On 5/4/2015, we received our individual QA Weekly Scorecard; we also received the QC Compensation Plan on the same day. With no ...

Jul 21, 2013

Does anyone know what, if any, disciplinary action Nuance has taken due to variances between system hours and hands-on-keyboard hours? Also, less than committed hours due to OOW situations (and not making it up during nonwork hours)? I want to know if these are things I even need to get worked up over. ...

May 06, 2015

I was told that the position would be acute care and on the Escription platform. Supposedly the majority of MTs on this account are making 10 cents a line. I have since been doing a lot of research and see a lot of posts about how you are unable to make any money with Nuance. I guess my question is do different platforms and accounts affect what your line compensation would be? I need to make a decision and looking for some information. Thanks.... ...

Dec 13, 2011

It appears they have done away with our paid holidays. We can work on holidays and have a bonus (if the facility is open and there is work). If not, we have to take it out of our PTO or not get paid. My pay by the new plan is cut from 9 typing and 5 voice recognition to 8 and 4 instead per line. The incentive bonus requires 99% accuracy by QA audit, and 15% or less of reports going to QA, paid every 2 weeks. ...

Jan 03, 2012

My opinion, having been in the industry for over 30 years and after reading a few posts on this subject below. For years a good deal of MTSO's including Webmedx had in place bonus or incentive plans based on production ONLY. Such a plan most likely helped Webmedx win "employer of the year" for years. Employees would go the extra mile even working through breaks to achieve higher line counts while at the same time the newer employees could look forward to gaining more experience and e ...

Dec 04, 2014

This means 65% will see decrease and/or paid minimum wage. They are touting this as the great new comp (local Burger King is advertising job for $10/hour). Anyone find out if the QC percentage is just for blanks or include all sent to QA including Audio issues, etc, and will EQA be included. Also, trying to figure out our pay from week to week is going to be a pain. I am going to see how this new comp plan works out, but since the conference call, I'm not feeling pos ...

Mar 19, 2011

If you get sick, as in in the middle of your shift, like asthma flaring, feeling worse than when I started this morning and will be lucky if stay out of hospital, kind of sick, CCM off, who do I contact? regional team lead? ...

Jan 27, 2012

This was a wonderful company to work for at first and now we have new QA people and I can't stand my job. Everything has been changed after 12 years of doing it one way, and if I do it the way the doctors have dictated/still dictate for years I get an email about how I need to follow the new rules. This is one QA person that has decided to change everything. We enter a lot of information that we're not paid for, and are now no longer paid for headers, and forget about BOS a ...

Aug 27, 2012

Here I am, getting shuffled around in the 'cesspool', a dozen unfamilar accounts. You have your decent accounts with just the basics. Then, you have the CPs that are a long as novels and, if you miss something, you will hear about it, the fact it is in the CP and you shouldn't make such a mistake. I already spend so much time reading CPs, that I then get warnings that my production has fallen. So much for a consistent layout of CPs. I have to hunt for desired PE format, etc... ...

Sep 11, 2012

How do you keep your mind on it? I just sit here all day thinking how much I hate this. I'm not a newbie. I've really done this a long time. I would rather do ANYTHING than sit here and type or edit these boring reports. ...

Mar 03, 2013

I should have 6 hours in by now and I don't even have 3. If I didn't need the health insurance, I would quit in a heartbeat ...

May 31, 2014

that you quit worrying about all that nitpicky excrement just hoping you would finally get fired. I can't wait for my next audit. ...

Sep 14, 2014

We have an account that is 100% QA. So, so, so sick of the nitpicking "a" "the" crap. If you put "the patient" they change it to "patient." If you put "patient" they change it to "the patient." Sick of slowing down to catch every little "a" and losing money by the second. Screw it, I'm just gonna do my best and the MMEs can just have a field day with their petty changes. ...

Jun 03, 2015

i know this has been mentioned in here, but what is up with whole sections of a note done by ASR being missing? its bad enough that we get paid nothing to do this ASR crap, but when we have to actually transcribe whole sections we should be getting paid at the straight typing rate. i'm so close to just wiping out these ASR dictations and just typing them but i don't know how to do that...to change it from ASR to regular. i'm sure i'd get yelled at anyway. &n ...

Oct 23, 2009

Okay any CTLs observing this board, please, please, please explain to me why an MT/ME cannot ask for sick time? I have a doctor's appointment and the doctor/specialist WILL NOT make it for a day I am off. So, I requested time off w/o pay for the day. I don't have a problem making up the time, but I am already working constantly as it is to make up from a very serious illness I have and am trying to get well from. The email we got was very vague ...

Dec 15, 2009

I am currently awaiting a call from my boss about going salary for my position as an MT, and I have no patience , so just for fun I googled "how much salary does a medical transciptionist get paid" and I clicked on this link to one of those question/answer sites where someone asked about the average transcriptionist's salary, and what I read made me sick. This person wrote a huge answer about what is to be an MT and how they get paid and such. This person is claiming essentially they ...

Feb 18, 2010

...

Apr 02, 2010

You doing okay? ...

Jun 23, 2010

There essentially was just a healing dermal s/l sick-o-trix and no residual lentigo maligna THANKS for any help! ...

Oct 27, 2011

I know all the techies out there will say I must "get with the times", but I absolutely hate computers! It isn't enough that you have to learn a new platform for each and every company you work for, but they think you should know all the regular "computer stuff" as well. I don't use my computer for anything except work, email, and to look things up because I don't want to-- but everybody expects you to be a computer expert today, like it or not. If they didn' ...

Apr 20, 2012

It's time to take action against all of the companies who refuse to pay us what we are worth. On May 1st and thereafter, if you have any sick time, paid time off, whatever, -- Take the day off and every day thereafter -- Until these companies pay us what we are worth !!!! Please reply if you agree with this, and if you are able to do this.... United we stand....remember Bank of America??? Let's unite!! ...

Jul 27, 2012

What is the rule about sick time? If you have it can you take it? Or do they hassle about taking sick time? Thank you. ...

Oct 19, 2012

Just found out new policy is THREE sick days per year. It doesn't matter if you have leave or not. WTF? Are they serious? If the three days are used, then they want a form filled out from your doctor stating you have a medical condition. This is the craziest crap I have ever heard. Who takes less than 3 days per YEAR? If you get the flu, you will need 3 days. ...

Jan 06, 2013

I tried to rally people about 5 or 6 years ago to stop this stupid outsourcing..I needed several of you from each state to organize groups so we could make our voices heard (not union) just groups that could contact legislators. I got about 10 people that were with me, the rest of you sat back and complained yet did NOTHING.. So this is what you get when you dont get involved, sit back and let others do your dirty work, you get screwed. Your jobs are in India, my job is in India. Im ready to ...

Jan 22, 2013

If you get a dictation from so and so, do it this way because they are sending it back to be corrected..Well so and so should take responsibility for THEIR actions...Talk like a human for a start that may help. I do about 50 (minium) different docs a day, on various accounts, all with different instructions, how in the heck am I supposed to remember this crap...And all for this wonderful "living wage." ...

Mar 18, 2013

Doctor doing a tubal reversal and says s/l clearly these are some "sick tubes" with periadnexal adhesions. ...