DICT8 Plus (new November 2022)

[Whitestar55]

Hi, Here we go again, anyone else set up a new thread yet? Hope to find everyone 🙂

@Whitestar55 - yes, and I copied and pasted the response in a previous thread.

@Gally123 I remember you posting about it, but can't remember the content. When I mentioned it they didn't respond and it kind of ended the conversation.

@Whitestar55 - I did and got told it is very difficult as the doctors dont know which letters get sent to Dict8 and in theory would generally be picked up by the secretary. The tasks are transferred across to Dict8 system only when the hospital decide to get rid of a backlog or whatever other reason. However, I did question that some of the tasks I did are recent and a lot are dictated the same day but didnt get a reply to that one

@carosel2 Thanks for the info. All they've told us there is the reason why we get messages at the end of letters, something that we are all aware of having been (or still being) medical secretaries and we're also aware that they are not all dictated specifically to be sent to DICT8.

I'm questioning how they justify providing another data field (box - which is mentioned on their website for clients to see), for us to type these messages in that allows them to be separate from the main letter field, therefore avoiding the line count and payment, even though we are expected to type them up.

I know what Catherine Tate's 'Nan' would say - 'What a f***g liberty' 😦!

😂So true

and the minimum wage goes up again and still no rise from DICT8 in a decade.

Also, I do not think the excuse that they do not know which letters are typed in house and which get transferred to DICT8 explain why we have to put notes to secretaries in a note box where characters are not counted. Messages could be typed at the end of the letter and we would get paid for them. It is quite simple really. (Messages for TPro are typed at the top).

Their website states that clients pay per line of dictation. I'd love to know how much they charge them and if it has increased at all over the years.

Hello! Have we had a pay rise yet?! 👀

I don't think they'll address this while they can get away with it. They know it's wrong and unethical (probably the reason they never address it - no videos on this subject), but they also know that we will do it because we have no choice except to not type those tasks with messages and if we don't someone else out of their pool of 3000+ contracted transcribers will. It's also not blatantly obvious to newbies that we are being taken advantage of and I suppose if we complain too much our contracts will be terminated. They may play the competition card, but it's up to them to run the business fairly and not exploit us.

To all: I think that due to the current Cost of Living Crisis and economic problems we are currently having a pay rise is most definitely due. Working from home increases the cost of gas and electric we use. It is very difficult to type effectively when you are freezing and your fingers get stiff.

They'll just say they can't afford it and tell us to keep on propping them up so they can pay their employees the going rate, or at least minimum wage so the company can survive (even if we can't 😂😭), that is until it's no longer financially feasible to freelance with them and Jobseeker's and UC becomes more attractive.

@Gally123- yep! Its as simple as that, they have no excuse. It would be good if we all just type the notes in red at the top of letter and see what comes of it. Its unbelievable they are allowing some doctors to dictate more notes than letter. Is Dict8 getting the extra money from them for doing it do you think but not giving us the brass because if not then surely they should see they are losing hand over fist themselves

@danblack87 You are absolutely correct - everyone on the planet just about are getting a pay rise, even other transcribing companies - dict8 is now very poorly paid compared to a lot of others. Surely there must be something we could do - make it public perhaps?

@danblack87 @Chrissols perhaps if anyone gets the dreaded feedback they could reply and say, "sorry but hands too cold & fingers hit the wrong key," or "generally so cold, had brain fog and forgot the layout" and see if that registers.

Hi Whitestar55, glad to be in the thread. Re paying for notes, when Dict8 'reached out' by email after COVID, the only time they've much bothered to get in touch, they asked for suggestions. I suggested more pay, obviously, and/or pay us for the notes. They replied that they checked the going rates regularly and ours could not go up and still be competitive. No specific comment on the notes bit.

Hi @Lunnuni , glad you've found the new thread. They always state competition as the reason for not being able to offer a pay increase, even 10+ years ago they were doing this, rather than improving their system, and at one point even sent tips on how to work more lucratively, which just came down to working harder and faster.

@Chrissols I think its been discussed in a previous thread, but we could look at our contracts to see if typing messages in the notes box is mentioned (notes to secretary and instructions for editing the letter etc rather than our own queries regarding unclear dictation), as if it is they will probably say we agreed to it in our contract. I'll dig mine out later and have a look.

@carosel2 I suspect DICT8 are not charging for the notes box messages, I think they offer that service for competitive purposes, but at the transcribers expense. They used to say that the line rate compensates for all the extra unpaid work, like researching and notes box stuff, but it certainly doesn't now, if it ever did!

@Lunnuni Looks like not paying us extra really helped in competitive stakes. They've obviously lost contracts as there's been nothing in my specialty for almost 2 months now. I've made zero this month with them.

Minimum wage increasing to £10.42 an hour from April 2023. The way DICT8's going it will soon be down at the bottom with the likes of Rev.

@Whitestar55 the pay with Dict8 now is one of the worst for dictation companies - I work for three and Dict8 is out of date. It's more of an insult than an income.

i found the new thread x

I have found the Procedures Guide from years ago. Here is what is says about the notes box:

'Next to the transcription box is one that allows you to send annotations regarding the text to the doctor who dictated the letter. This should be used where you cannot understand a section of the dictation. This annotation function should only be used rarely, in exceptional circumstances, and the notes sent to the doctor should be concise, consisting mainly of just: 'I did not understand the word that you said at this point'. At no time should the annotation function be used to send any messages not directly relating to a a specific dictation. '

'Frequently asked questions:

What is the 'Add Notes' function and how do I use it?

Use the 'Add Notes' function where there is a part of the dictation that you do not understand. There will be parts of the dictation that are unclear, but please use this function to indicate this (with a comment in the box such as 'I did not understand the dictation at this point' or similar), as opposed to putting question marks or a line of dots in the transcript. If you are unsure about the spelling of a patient's name please use the 'add notes' function to draw attention to it.'

Nowhere can I see any information about typing notes to secretary/office notes in the 'add notes box', in this this guide or in the contract that you have to sign, so it looks like this has been stealthily added at a later date post-contract.

I remember having to sign another contract at a later date, but I think that was regarding patient data protection due to the new laws.

@Whitestar55 It sounds like they could owe us all a lot of money reading that! I'm sure if we took advice it would be to that effect.....

@Chrissols I think they would try and wriggle out of it and you would have to take them to court???? But whatever, they need to address it now and either pay us for it from now on or don't expect us to do it at all.

Could you recommend any other transcription companies, if you don't mind?