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TSM getting on me for my "inconsistent" QA - I either get 100% or under 99%

Posted: Jan 22, 2015

every single time. Either 100% or something like 98. something, nothing in between. No 99.8, no 99.1.. She said I need to take the Care Boost as this under 99% is unacceptable. I said well isn't the average of 98.5% and 100% around 99.4 or so percent, which is acceptable? LOL. But she didn't think it was funny....Oh well.

So, what happens if you don't consistently get over 99% ? Do they let you go? Or do they only let you go if you have to get MUP pay? They way they do business, proving they care nothing about quality, you'd think they really wouldn't care about the QA% (except as a tool to pay you less, so long as it isn't so much less it causes MUP)....but who knows.

Can someone who seems to never or rarely make it over the 99% (or knows about it) chime in? Do they bother you about not "meeting the criteria" it but not do anything about it (like fire you). ?

the problem is the inconsistent QA - not you - tell her that...sm

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In fact, ask her to supply the QA dings for each of you to discuss. TMSs don't seem to understand the variation in QA quality and procedure.

My best guess is that with the new pay plan--sm - anon

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the only way you can stay above minimum wage is to stay on the grid with above 99% QA. Since everything is so new, attempts will likely first be made to get people up to speed with those stupid BOOST classes.

If after, improvement is not seen within a reasonable amount of time, then they will likely start with writing it up as a formal warning and then if no improvement, likely termination. They do need to thin the herd a bit, as many accounts are over-staffed. This is the easiest way to identify those with production and quality skills. I imagine that sometime in the future the buzz word will be "streamlining."

It really no longer matters what the quality standard used to be or what is considered reasonable, etc. This is the new world we find ourselves in. I figure at some point in the not too distant future, I will be on the trajectory for termination. My quality is generally good, my production is so-so and my motivation is in the crapper. If it happens, I will be sure to post a timeline of events for those who are interested.

Inconsistent QA - northern MT

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I got a very similar email today. I'll just keep an eye on my %, take the "classes" and try to stop rolling my eyes.

Another thing -- I'm never sure about this. If one is short hours, either due to no work or illness, are we REQUIRED to use PTO? (This is with the N).

Funny, I got a similar e-mail too - anon

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It is epidemic. As far as the PTO question, I am not sure when it comes to illness but you do not need to use it for OOW situations unless you so desire.

Yes, must use PTO - which sucks!

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It is like working for a sweat shop! I still have not heard about the new PTO plan, has anyone else? I do know that the last pay my PTO was not as much so something changed. HATE THIS COMPANY!!!

Short hours - mom22

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That's a good question, and yet again, I don't think there is an easy answer. This week, I asked to use PTO as I was unexpectedly out. I was asked to make up the time. Well, considering it was in the week, I didn't have Saturday to buffer, so I'm having a hard time making it up. But another MT had a family emergency and was granted a full day of PTO. So...I'm not sure what the criteria is but think it's up to the TSM to determine.

INCONSISTENT QC is a problem but - I have trouble with past/present tense

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I am used to writing verbatim. Now I get all sorts of "corrections" mostly for past/present tense. The docs start out.."The patient is...There are ...then will switch to "there were no .. pulses were...And I get all these changes from QC but usually no points off, but I am waiting for points off for this. I am so used to writing what they say and not changing half of a PE, tense wise, to whatever they started out with and having to go over my reports with a fine-tooth comb to try to catch all these. I had been 99.9 to 100% for YEARS with the company that got bought out...now I am starting to feel like an idiot with the same docs I have had for YEARS. The docs seemed perfectly happy before, but so many changes taking place and QA/QC sticking their nose into it that I am wondering if my previously happy docs aren't beginning to notice a difference and not so happy any more. Plus..still waiting for the other shoe to fall...more changes are coming.

You are not the only one, but mine are marked off--sm - anon

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I have received minor grammar errors for those, 0.25. If I were typing, I would be more like to get it but my pay would not increase enough to make up for the time in finding those little errors like that.

Your previously happy docs are still happy... - it is not you....it is

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just Nuance's tool to keep your pay in check.

My TSM suggested when I told her - I had difficulty hearing

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most of the ESL dictators speaking a mile a minute/slurring words etc....that I go on ENRICH and go through the modules. I really like my TSM--she is one of the best I've ever had--but SERIOUSLY ? Those modules are useless. Like it's MY fault these doctors can't string together a coherent sentence to save their own lives? Why can't the DOCTORS take a learning module and learn how to dictate correctly? So, now I have to take a module, take a "care boost quality session" When I have been doing this for decades ???

I wanted to reply to her with just this:

GARBAGE IN GARBAGE OUT !!!!

In addition to the ESL dictators, it seems - audio quality is getting worse

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I can handle ESL, but not if they are whispering with heaps of banging and laughing around them, not with loud static intermittently, not if they are dictating in their car. In this matter, the ESL are often not the worst offenders either. Those doctors who seem to practice stream of consciousness dictating without rhyme or reason are my particular bugbear, often repeating and going all over the place.

Why do I think the dictators have been told to do whatever they want, wherever they want, we'll take care of it? I truly wish they would assign difficulty factors to the dictators - that might make the dictators themselves realize they are costing the facility money by little things which are very easy to change.

I used to work at a hospital where they individually trained each doctor on dictating and if there were issues addressed them and pointed out to them why and how to fix it. You wonder if these guys have ever been trained at all sometimes. Maybe they don't even know how bad they are.

We used to be told not to write anything in the QA comments that they might take offense to as they could see the comments (probably not true anymore I guess - my old platform before Nuance took over), but sometimes I wonder if that's the only way for dictators to realize the mess they hand us.

Certainly Nuance is not going to stick up for us or even recognize the difficulty and pat you on the back once in a while. For your trouble you end up getting points off for not being perfect rather than appreciation of the difficulty and your care in taking the time to produce a quality document.

Inconsistency when under magnifying glass! - CuriousMT

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If before this new pay plan you had higher than 99% average each month or whatever period they used to use (3 months?), then that shows more of your consistency. For one, when they did 3 months intervals, even though there would be lots of reviews at once and nothing for a while, it wasn't just week by week, one to 3 files at a time. When they micromanage like this and put us under a magnifying glass, sure our quality is going to fluctuate. But like you said, if you average all the scores for a month and it's higher than 99%, that's the real test!

Unfortunately, there's not much you can really do about this, but I totally see your pain.

Thats ridiculous - AC

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Of course QA scores will vary! You have different QA people, different reports, doctors, sound quality. I have reports that are 100% and others that aren't. One report will be from an ESL and a bit lower. I swear if its not one thing its another with the hen pecking.

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