Finding Backup for Vacation

Getting Started by Cynthia Lewis / Getting Started, 1996 / Homepage / Back to Free Stuff

I am preparing for a career in MT. After I complete my internship, I will probably try to get work from medical offices or other independent MTs. This seems as though it will be the only way to gain experience. So, as I am dreaming about my new career and when I have my own clients, something dawns on me. If I am the sole MT for several offices, who will cover me for vacation?

For years I called every MT I knew (I know of several in the area and they know of others) to see who had experience in the field, and enough time to take on more work. For my dermatology account, I had no problem; several MTs could take it on. However, for my endocrinologists, it was another story. It's a very complicated specialty, and one week just isn't enough time to pick up what you know; plus, one of the doctors is a terrible dictator and talks like he's auditioning for one of those car commercials where the voice at the end gives all the legal stuff at 80 m.p.h. Well, the way I worked it out is this: The office manager tells the doctors to give her any rush work that they can't wait for, and she holds the rest of the tapes until I come back. On my part, I work like crazy before I go away to get everything up to date, then work like crazy when I come back to get caught up, doing two days' dictation at a time rather than one. It takes a couple of weeks sometimes for things to get back to normal, but no one complains, and they can't find anyone else to do this one doc anyway, so what's their choice?

For my hospital work, the subcontractors take on a little more and I have a local woman who comes into my home and transfers the work to the hospitals, keeps account of who's typing what, makes up the bills, and returns telephone messages. Now I can go away again. This year I actually took two weeks, and next year we're hoping to go to Europe for 15 days. It's not hard to find vacation time, but you have to think of yourself first. You lose your productivity if you're stressed out, so you just do it.

Of course, when you have subcontractors and someone to run your office while you're gone, there shouldn't be that much of a problem. If you're completely alone, like I am, networking with others may be the answer. Contact MTs in your immediate area, question them about equipment, software (for compatibility), and experience, and ask permission to include their names and numbers on a referral list. Pick the 6-7 you believe to be the best and make up your list. About 1-1/2 months prior to your vacation, advise your clients, give them a copy of the referral list, and let them make their own arrangements. Also notify the MTs on the list that you'll be away so they'll know what's going on if they receive a call from one of your clients. Your clients may, as Liz suggests, hold work for your return if at all possible; otherwise, you have provided adequate resourses to ensure their needs are met while you're away.

This is what I did when I lived on Long Island and it worked extremely well. Since I didn't recommend one service over another and each client made the decision regarding which service to use if their work couldn't wait until my return, I was not held responsible for the quality of the work provided or the rates charged by my replacement. I used the list as well, often referring prospective clients whose deadlines I couldn't meet due to prior work commitments.

There is always the very real possibility of losing a client to your replacement, especially if your replacement actively pursues the client and undercuts your rates. Obviously, you provide the quality as well as any other services needed (e.g., pick up & delivery) or you wouldn't have the client in the first place, and I've never had it happen. If it did, I'd likely chalk it up to "Well, they deserve each other," remove the service's number from my referral list, advise the other services on the list of this action and why, and take on the next client that came my way. Business would certainly suffer for a while, but there's not much else one can do.

I haven't been able to develop a referral list since moving to Georgia and consequently have not taken a vacation in three years. If there's anyone lurking out there who lives in the Marietta/Merchant's Walk area, please contact me by e-mail.

Sometimes it's almost impossible to find coverage. I have a friend who used to help me with overflow and provide coverage if I wanted a day or so off, but she had a full time plus overtime job already plus another doctor's office she covered, and the poor thing finally gave out and just can't do it anymore. The last actual vacation I had was when I had major surgery. She covered for me then, but was only able to because she had vacation time coming from her regular job. Heaven help me if I need surgery again. I'm not complaining, though, I take minivacations of a day or so and then catch up. Fortunately, most of my doctors are not very demanding. I am so much happier working at home and having some control over my working conditions and pay that it seems a small price to pay for not being able to take a two-week vacation every year. I don't feel like I'll go crazy if I don't get vacation, like I used to when I had an office job!