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#95614 - 04/15/08 05:42 PM
Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
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danielle
New Member
Registered: 04/11/08
Posts: 3
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I'm new to this forum. Been doing transcription for Rehab for 4+ years as an IC. I was considering becoming an employee status and this company contacted me. After reading prior posts about this company that many asked, i went ahead and directly asked the lady who contacted me about a position and i thought i'd share what i was told directly from the recruiter herself.Doesn't look like too much positive for me switching over. I think i'll stick with what i'm doing now. I make good money doing what i do now. I was mainly just looking for some benefits particularly insurance.
*I read about a training session 2 - 3 weeks long that is without pay? yes
*I read there's no paid time off? Vacation or personal days? No PTO. You have some unpaid time off and the amount depends on the position you are hired for.
*I read we have to purchase all equipment/programs ourselves if we don't have it already. That is correct.
*A big concern i read is that there are so many MT's that work runs slow where some days there is hardly any work to do even if you have 3 or 4 accounts. As far as I know, you initially get an account. If it gets slow on that one account then you can a secondary; not too many people here have a third account. I could be wrong but very few times do we hear of not enough work.
*I read people end up typing almost full reports on what they should be voice editing and only being paid the 4 cpl that is allowed for editing. I haven’t heard of this. I do know that you start as a medical transcriptionist and once you recognize the doctor’s voice, you are switched over to editing.
*Benefit wise? What is offered as a full time employee? BC/BS PPO Medical, Delta Dental and free long term disability.
*Must we sign a contract to work for a certain period of time with your company as an employee? Yes, everyone must sign a contract.
*I read overseas ( India ) is very involved in training sessions and many people stated they had difficulty understanding their trainers or those they had to contact with questions. Yes, but we can arrange for re-training in the event that you get a trainer with a heavy accent. For the most part, our trainers are understood by our employees.
*One person said 600 minutes on the phone is required during training time and not re-imbursed? Training is not paid and I do not know how long it takes. I would think it would depend on the individual.
How long will these tests take approximately and can i stop in the middle of them or once i start i have to finish at the same time? The time depends on the individual.
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#95643 - 04/16/08 12:04 AM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: danielle]
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FarAwayDeb
Member
Registered: 03/15/02
Posts: 2956
Loc: just south of Rochester, NY
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I'm not familiar with a lot of what was said by the recruiter, but I believe the unpaid 2-3 weeks of training is only for new MTs without experience.
The person who trained me was excellent. Yes, he had an accent, but it was definitely not as bad as many of the dictators you will encounter in MT. He was very kind and patient, and always willing to answer my questions via IM long after the training was over. He also called me occasionally on the phone and asked how I was doing, if I was having any questions or problems.
I only worked for Focus briefly, because it was a second job for me and the workload for my primary job picked up and I just couldn't spare the time for a second job. Otherwise I would still be working for them, and I had no complaints.
_________________________
Good grammar ain't easy.
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#95649 - 04/16/08 05:11 AM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: danielle]
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Agnostic
Member
Registered: 06/28/03
Posts: 3257
Loc: Chennai, TN, India
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I still work for Focus and there is nothing more that I can add to what has already been said by Deb.
_________________________
Harry
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I believe marriage is a sacred institution between two unwilling teenagers.--Tina Fey.
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#95657 - 04/16/08 09:22 AM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: Agnostic]
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danielle
New Member
Registered: 04/11/08
Posts: 3
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But did you both get paid for your training? I've been transcribing for 4+ years and also have a Medical Assisting degree where i worked in the offices for many years before and she kept stating to me that i was to take the new MT test.
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#95666 - 04/16/08 10:36 AM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: danielle]
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FarAwayDeb
Member
Registered: 03/15/02
Posts: 2956
Loc: just south of Rochester, NY
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If you take the test and pass it, you shouldn't need 2-3 weeks of training, since you have experience. My training was just done over the telephone (don't remember if it was long distance or not). I was on full QA brief (a couple days, I think) and that was it.
If you can't pass the test, then you will either have to go through their training (you don't get paid, but you don't have to pay for the training either) or apply someplace else.
It might also depend on the TYPE of experience you have, if it is clinic work that is not the same as acute care.
Edited by FarAwayDeb (04/16/08 10:38 AM)
_________________________
Good grammar ain't easy.
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#95674 - 04/16/08 11:26 AM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: FarAwayDeb]
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danielle
New Member
Registered: 04/11/08
Posts: 3
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I don't think i'll go on and take the test for this company.Too many worries for me. I am quite happy doing what i do now and work with my providers more on a personal level. Basically, i was just searching around for the possibility of taking on a position that offers benefits mainly insurance and paid time off and this company contacted me through my resume online.
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#95772 - 04/16/08 11:23 PM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: danielle]
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Agnostic
Member
Registered: 06/28/03
Posts: 3257
Loc: Chennai, TN, India
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But did you both get paid for your training? I've been transcribing for 4+ years and also have a Medical Assisting degree where i worked in the offices for many years before and she kept stating to me that i was to take the new MT test.
I didn't have to be trained, because I was already an MT with experience in almost all specialties. I took their entrance test and cleared it.
Edited to add that you should stick to doing what makes you happy. 
_________________________
Harry
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I believe marriage is a sacred institution between two unwilling teenagers.--Tina Fey.
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#97061 - 05/01/08 04:44 PM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: Agnostic]
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mamad
New Member
Registered: 05/01/08
Posts: 1
Loc: texas
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I recently passed the test to be an MT with Focus and was offered an IC position. I signed all of the documents electronically last Thursday, 4/24/08, and have not heard anything from them yet as of 5/1/08. For those working for Focus currently, do you remember how long it took before they got you going with work? Thanks.
_________________________
mamad
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#97101 - 05/02/08 10:14 AM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: mamad]
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Agnostic
Member
Registered: 06/28/03
Posts: 3257
Loc: Chennai, TN, India
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The situation in India differs what it is in the US. I went to work the very next day. Maybe, you should contact the office by phone and find out.
Edited to add that there is a freeze on recruitments in India after Nuance (which owns Focus) took over eScription. I am not sure of what the status in the US is.
_________________________
Harry
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I believe marriage is a sacred institution between two unwilling teenagers.--Tina Fey.
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#98178 - 05/17/08 05:45 PM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: danielle]
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Bobby
New Member
Registered: 05/17/08
Posts: 5
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I almost started crying once I read this thread. I quit my current job to be a part of this team and then I read this about the 4 cents per line? That's not right! I pray it's still not like this but chances are it will be.
I am buying tons of software just to be able to do this from home. Thinking I am going to go with SpeedType and not even sure if I will be able to get Stedman's Word 2003 dictionary or not. Lord, it sucks to be me right now lol.
Edited by Bobby (05/17/08 05:45 PM)
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#98185 - 05/17/08 06:58 PM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: Bobby]
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FarAwayDeb
Member
Registered: 03/15/02
Posts: 2956
Loc: just south of Rochester, NY
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... not even sure if I will be able to get Stedman's Word 2003 dictionary or not.
You don't need to purchase a dictionary, just use
One Look
Unless you were talking about the spellchecker, in which case you'd just want the 2008 version.
_________________________
Good grammar ain't easy.
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#98197 - 05/17/08 09:01 PM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: FarAwayDeb]
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Bobby
New Member
Registered: 05/17/08
Posts: 5
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FarAwayDeb, I am talking about the spell checker thing Stedman's has. It auto corrects various medical words and seems to be around $100-$200 which is a bit much! That SpeedType is supposed to work very well too though I am unsure about it personally. Do you use it by any chance?
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#98214 - 05/18/08 11:16 AM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: Bobby]
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FarAwayDeb
Member
Registered: 03/15/02
Posts: 2956
Loc: just south of Rochester, NY
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Stedman's spellchecker is only $100 and it's worth every penny. It has many, many medical words that will be highlighted if misspelled, with a right click you can usually find the correct spelling. Sure beats pulling out a dictionary OR going to another website to check spelling. I'm an excellent speller, but even after 4+ years as an MT I wouldn't work without it.
Speedtype is a word expander, which is totally different. I believe it's a bit more expensive than Shorthand for Windows, which is a much more popular program, although I'm not sure how the two compare.
You will need both a spellchecker and an expander in order to be in any way successful as an MT. If you absolutely can't afford an expander right away, you could use the AutoCorrect function in MS Word, but it holds a limited number of words and has been known to crash, which is why you need a program like Shorthand.
Edited to add: Shorthand for Windows has a 30-day free trial. After that if you still don't want to plunk down the $99.95 to purchase it, you can lease it for $29.95 for a year.
Edited by FarAwayDeb (05/18/08 11:19 AM)
_________________________
Good grammar ain't easy.
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#98219 - 05/18/08 11:58 AM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: FarAwayDeb]
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14tonks
Member
Registered: 10/25/01
Posts: 7170
Loc: Only 3rd world country in US
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Since Shorthand and SpeedType are the EXACT SAME program, you could save enough to buy your Stedman spell checker just by purchasing Shorthand direct from the programmer rather than buying SpeedType through the licensee.
Yes, I know the Airheads only promote SpeedType, not Shorthand. That's because the Shorthand programmer doesn't have a "business partnership" with them, only SpeedType--which just means that when you're advertising something at twice the price it can be bought for elsewhere, you can afford to then offer a "discount" and shell out a bit of payola while still making a nice profit.
I'm not saying that there aren't less expensive spell checker choices than Stedman's as well, just that it seems silly to balk so much at the price of a popular spell checker while cheerfully contemplating spending twice as much as necessary to buy your expander.
Edited by 14tonks (05/18/08 12:09 PM)
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#98413 - 05/21/08 12:47 PM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: 14tonks]
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Bobby
New Member
Registered: 05/17/08
Posts: 5
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I totally agree with you 14tonks. There are very cheap spell-checkers on the market and yes, I am going to get a lesser known spell-checker. What can it really hurt in the long run? All a spell-checker is, is a list of vocabulary words, in this case medical words. I do believe I am going to go with Shorthand as well. I'm going to have to find some special abbreviations/expanded word lists for the various common reports.
I like how my old place I worked at did things. They already had templates made for the various procedures instead of doing things randomly. This saved time dramatically!
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#98559 - 05/23/08 08:57 AM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: Bobby]
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AmBeck22
Member
Registered: 11/02/06
Posts: 340
Loc: WV
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I have a question, Bobby. Did you not get a medical spell-checker from your MT school?
I have Dorland's spell-checker (somewhere) but I don't use it because I have a company computer and the platform (EXText) has a medical spell-checker. EditScript has a medical spell-checker as well. I worked for Focus for almost a year and EditScript's a great platform.
Back to spell-checkers, I love the right-click suggestion thing Deb mentioned; 9 times out of 10 I don't have to look a word up because my phonetic spelling was enough.
_________________________
Amanda
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#98690 - 05/26/08 05:18 AM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: AmBeck22]
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Bobby
New Member
Registered: 05/17/08
Posts: 5
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Unfortunately I went to a local college for Medical Transcription. They barely gave me anything!
Turns out that I am not going to be able to work with Focus anytime soon anyhow because my phone company is not going to be installing the DSL here for another 2 months. Do you think they will reschedule my training period if I request it?
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#98709 - 05/26/08 12:21 PM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: Bobby]
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FarAwayDeb
Member
Registered: 03/15/02
Posts: 2956
Loc: just south of Rochester, NY
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Turns out that I am not going to be able to work with Focus anytime soon anyhow because my phone company is not going to be installing the DSL here for another 2 months. Do you think they will reschedule my training period if I request it?
If you explain to them about the DSL problem, I don't see why they wouldn't.
_________________________
Good grammar ain't easy.
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#98925 - 05/28/08 04:22 PM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: FarAwayDeb]
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Bobby
New Member
Registered: 05/17/08
Posts: 5
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I will make sure to explain this to them when I hear about the training schedule. I hate to completely turn down the job due to my phone company being so slow.
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#99402 - 06/03/08 10:59 PM
Re: Info on FOCUS INFOMATICS
[Re: Bobby]
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NtvTxn72
New Member
Registered: 06/03/08
Posts: 3
Loc: IN, US
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First I must say that if anyone is getting ready to start working for Focus, run the other way and do it very quickly. I worked for them for a year, just about a year ago. As far as the training goes, my trainers were American and they were awesome, but QA was all over in India. Half the time my reports went through QA only to be corrected incorrectly and if you tried to ask them a question half the time they didn't understand what you were trying to say. Training is not paid and it depends on how fast you can get through the training on when you will get paid. I made it through in a week. All MTs have to go through their training regardless of experience or not. I had 3 years experience as a hematology/oncology transcriptionist when they hired me for the MD Anderson account.
Second, I wanted to make everyone aware of a little known tidbit of information about your accuracy and maintaining that 98% rate that they require. THEY WILL DEDUCT PAY FROM YOUR CHECK IF YOU DO NOT MEET THE ACCURACY RATE!!!!!
Third, let's talk about running out of work. I was told that the MD Anderson account was going to be well over a million lines per month and that there would be enough work for the 40 MTs that they hired wih me. HAHAHAHAHA!!! I was immediately given a second account and then a third account and then a fourth account. Why? Because they overhired and there was no work anywhere. Basically, I did roughly 10 reports a day. Yep, can't really live on that, huh?
So, here is my information on this nice company. The only good things I can say about them is that I LOVE eScription and my trainers I had were awesome and still friends of mine.
RUNNNNNNNNN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!!!!!!
_________________________
Shelli
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