Although it just seems like yesterday that I packed my car and left Modesto, CA, I'm now in my new home in Washington DC ready to begin the next generation of AHDI and MTIA with our committed volunteers, the leadership, and the many stakeholder groups interested in seeing that the clinical documentation sector succeeds. As far as settling in, the most bizarre part of the move is my furniture hasn't left Modesto yet. While typing this blog on the floor in my living room, I have to believe with as smooth as everything else has gone up to this point, that my furniture will arrive soon. By the way, while crossing the country I got through two full audio books (Iacocca & Gladwell), half through Einstein's biography, and one quarter through "Social Intelligence."
This evening I had the pleasure of meeting with Peter Tippett, MD, PhD, Chairman of MD-IT and a member of the President's technology assessment commission. Tracey Browne, CMT, sold her company to MD-IT and made the introductions. Also at our dinner was Ann Fraser and Richard Browne. We discussed at length the need to seek out a broader set of member benefits, tied to increased profitability and production, making it essential for members to join. Peter's suggestion was to keep on innovating until we 'hit' on the right benefits that will keep members engaged, like AAA with auto insurance and maps, AARP with long-term care insurance.
It was a thought provoking and lively discussion - a great first day in Washington DC. I hope you enjoyed reading this blog and I look forward to our new beginnings together.
216 miles driven today
3,560 total miles driven
Sunday, May 6, 2007
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1 comments:
It seems to me that AAMT/AHDI is going on the presumption that your schemes are just as good as a done deal, and that there is not significant opposition within the ranks of MTs.
You might know this already, but not all MTs are jumping for joy at the prospect of the regulations/licensing/mandatory credentialing, etc., ad nauseam which AAMT/AHDI seems to think is the wave of the future.
Some of us wish to "advocate" for s freer market instead of a more controlled one. We do not wish to turn the AAMT/AHDI into a de facto union, with the kind of control over this occupation which you seem to be seeking.
It seems to me that AAMT/AHDI wants to control this occupation entirely... you are seeking to control who gets your approval to teach, who gets into this occupation, and how they get into this occupation.
The CMT credential was originally a voluntary credential. Not many MTs found it all that useful or necessary. Nor did very many MTSOs find it all that necessary. I have met CMTs who still had trouble with basic spelling.
You are seeking to make it mandatory to get credentialed and to get licensed, among other things. I for one do not see any benefit, at a time when MTs' wages are going down, to being forced to get credentialed at a cost of hundreds of dollars, which many of us can ill afford.
I for one am still recovering financially from the switch to line-for-line to character count. Some MTs are worried that the "virtual black character" is going to reduce our wages even further.
Also: A lot of us learned on the job, and it was a good way to learn. I was always a very good speller, and I did many kinds of word processing and transcribing before I segued into medical transcription.
At one point, I tested for, competed for, and won a job as a trainee at a major West Coast teaching hospital and have not looked back.
I have observed a few people who have taken classes in order to get into this field; but I don't think anything can possibly take the place of just doing the job and developing the ear.
My significant other took a course from a well-regarded school, and yet what he needs more than anything else is just to do the work and develop the ear. There is no magic solution for that.
It seems to me that you are seeking to make it so that MTs will be forced to deal with AAMT/AHDI, whether they want to or not.
I must say that you do not advocate for me. In my opinion, I am the only one who advocates for me. I do not want this occupation to get politicized. I do not want to schmooze with politicians. I want to do my work and get paid for it.
It seems to me that the biggest benefits of all AAMT's/AHDI's scheming is that the people who make up the organization will be able to get a job running the organization, instead of having to sit down and transcribe like the rest of us.
It made me sick to my stomach to read about AAMT's/AHDI's lobbying z(in Advance Magazine, where I have noticed that they run puff pieces from time to time).
You can dress it up with all the pretty words which you like, but you are not going to get all 101,000+ MTs in this country to voluntarily go along with your schemes. It just isn't going to happen.
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