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What screen colors do you use? - Posted By: Get outside

What screen colors are easiest on your eyes? I read somewhere that shades of lavender/purple actually caused the least eye strain. (I'm assuming no color blindness!) I've been using black text on white background for a long time, but I'm getting old, the bifocals slip on my face, and I'm trying new colors. Just wondering what colors most MTs use to prevent eye strain.

Need help on technical board - Posted By: tyia

nm

that post was not mine..screwed up posting. - Posted By: boop

s

Atlanta medical book supply store? - Posted By: GA MT

I would so appreciate some help. I just started an IC job. I wasn't told I would need a word Expander and medical spellcheck. Every other place I have worked for provided these. I need to get something fast, i.e., in person now if possible!, as I am already working and not very productive without these two items. There was a store I went to years ago in downtown Atlanta where I got some medical books near the Fox theater. Does anyone know if it is still there and the name of it? I don't have any yellow pages and I have not been able to pinpoint anything on Google. Thanks so much!

Warning about MTSO in Scottsdale, AZ sm - Posted By: MT

There is a lady by the name of Cynde Burchell who owes friends of mine over 400.00 for work that was done. she is not answering her phone, she is off of the IM and she pretty much is MIA right now. She lost a huge account and she would rob Peter to pay Paul with all of her MTs, I know, she did it to me twice and I should have quit the first time. My friends did some work for her. It is almost 2 months now, and no pay for them. They have been contacting her, phoning her, emailing her.....they are getting nothing. If any of you MTs see an ad posted by a Jeanette...she is posting for Cynde Burchell. DO NOT GO THERE!!! She owes one MT over 600.00 from about almost 6 months ago. I don't usually state names, but this is ridiculous. She stiffed so many people, I don't care anymore. So, I am warning people on various boards about this one.

Has anyone ever refused to do an account or doc? sm - Posted By: frustrated

I am so frustrated and pulling my hair out here. I do editing for 0.03 cpl for my MTSO but I also have my own docs straight typing and make good money from same MTSO. My problem is the editing. I am not just filling in blanks. I am basically having to retype half of the reports. I mean the names are not even correct even though they get patient lists. It is such a waste of my time and money as I may be earning max of $10/hr off the editing, yet my other good money making accounts get behind. I want to say I can't do the editing anymore or pay me more, but I am worried about risking my good accounts if I do so. Anyone been in this situation before and how did it turn out? Any suggestions for me?

letters/addresses - Posted By: Lisa

Can someone tell my how to format a letter so that the Dr.s address in the letter will automatically show up in the envelope box without having to add the envelope to the document?

Does anyone know if there's a foot pedal that - Posted By: MT

will work with both wave and dss files? Thanks!

Sundays bad news for hospitals - Posted By: kathy blair

There was an article in todays newspapers about how a lot of hospitals are closing their doors and some going bankrupt because of the bad economy and people out of work coming in with no insurance and not being able to pay bills. Mostly small town hospitals or urban. Or laying off all nonessential personnel, ie, doctors, nurses, rad techs. What about MTs future, will they chuck our services too, whether or not we work for the hospital or an MT company, and go back to handwritten notes.

Meridian - Posted By: Cynthia Attebury

I tried to post this earlier and dont think it went. I am wanting to know if anyone is familiar with Meridian HealthCare Solutions out of Indianapolis and also how easy DocuScribe is to use?

about stedmans - Posted By: Jewels

Hello, I just went to Word 2007, which is very helpful but now I have no Stedman's. My Stedman's is very old. I was wondering if anyone knows where to get Stedman's O7 or 08 cheaper than 99.00.

Thanks so much. Have a wonderful holiday.

Jewels

Got in trouble for making shortcuts - Posted By: Loco MT

I had a "talking to" by my asst manager, because I had mg listed as milligrams in my auto correct and she said that a docment should always be typed as mg, not the long way. They were on my back so badly to produce, I decided that having things as milligrams instead of mg was a way to help my line count! I don't feel badly about this fact, as they have threatend to fire me if I didn't keep a certain count.

How does the people you work for look at this issue? I know a hospital Transcriptionist who has EVERYTHING spelled out in her auto correct, such as CBC (complete blood count) etc...

I think that's a bit excessive, but I didn't think having milligrams typed out was a bid deal. What do you think?

How many authors do you have daily? - Posted By: in-hiding

I'm with a small MTSO and for quite a while have been on an account with about 10 doctors, mostly ESL. I was very comfortable with them. I have been trained on three accounts, one with maybe 6 and then another very large account, but they kept me primarily on this account.

Recently I was switched to one of the other accounts - no ESL, but this last pay period I had 38 different authors!! Am having a hard time getting comfortable, and there's other problems , but for this post I just was hoping to find out, on average how many authors are others doing?

Maybe I was really lucky before with just 10 docs - ?

Sounds like Combivent KEETEK. - Posted By: me

Any suggestions? Can't find.

Surge protector light blinking on switch. Does this mean the surge protection is not working. nm - Posted By: MTPA

:

Lost another client - so distraught! - Posted By: Distraught

I'm so distraught I've been in tears since yesterday morning when I learned a client of mine for eight years will no longer be needing my services as he's going to EMR.

He's a one-man practice - orthopaedic surgeon - who's VERY busy between seeing back-to-back patients, performing surgeries, head of a hospital, and running around to meetings in his spare time. I just don't see how he's going to have time to do all of this!

Do you think this point and click EMR thing is REALLY going to work? Does it do IME's, too? How can it possibly include all of the patient's info in a transcript??

Can anyone give me advice, words of wisdom or anything? I'm just plain distraught. Do you think EMR is really going to take over this profession and make us all dinosaurs or do you think there's a real need still for MTs?

Thank you for any info/comfort you can give me I'll be checking the board hourly for responses. Please let me hear from you - the good and the bad and anything else you'd like to throw in.

Signed, a totally distraught MT IC in NC.

Inscribe help... QA marker and fields - Posted By: sm

On my acct I am supposed to put brackets and put the time of the marker inside [1.12] for QA to review.

When I put this in and continue, my typing jumps to that field and erases over and over.

Can someone tell me how to prevent this??? It is driving me insane.

Delete resume - Posted By: texgirl

I am trying to delete my resume from the bank and can modify but can't figure out how to delete it. Help, please.

Does anyone know how to increase the pedal backspace on a DVI? sm - Posted By: Desperate!

I am having a problem that when I lift my foot off the pedal, it pauses but does not back up at all. It is hard to work like that and I cannot figure for the life of me what to do to fix it!

New doctor in the office - Posted By: Lisa

I picked up my work this morning from one of the four offices I type for (yes, some of us do still pick up work, I'm from ancient times, I know :). The doctor hired another doctor to work in his office with him. Don't you think it is not very nice not to let you know that? I'm grateful, and can use the extra money, but surprise surprise!

Please help on word board (nm) - Posted By: Thank you!

xx

Anyone have a solution for a sore behind?? - Posted By: WS

I just recently bought a new chair, recommended on one of the sites and it wasn't cheap by any means. But my butt gets so sore when I sit for days. I've tried putting a pillow under me, but that doesn't seem to help very much. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Vxp player? - Posted By: erika

Has anyone been able to install VXP player on Vista?

Why I hate speech editing. - Posted By: sm

Just finished my 3rd week of speech editing. Of course I was told that I could double my line rate, hence the half-rate pay. Not that it matters. To me, a line is a line is a line, and I've had to apply my brain to each line, even if I don't make any changes. And when do you not make a change to a line, or even completely re-type a line?

We've hashed this out many times on this board, and we know it's not fair. I did increase my line rate a bit, but certainly not double, and I doubt I'd get much faster. I'm doing a mix of traditional and speech, and this pay period I worked 8 hours longer, 88 hours total, and made $80.00 less. And that includes bonus pay.

I can't do this anymore. It's completely demoralizing. Traditional lines are drying up as my accounts are switching over to speech. I might be able to hang on for a bit more, but not much longer. If I end up doing 100% speech I'll never double my line count, and even if I did, I'd be working twice as hard for the same money.

It's time to start looking around for a new career. So much for my 21 years of experience. I made more money back when I was listening to cassette tapes and using an IBM Selectric!

Beef about account managers - Posted By: me

I'll say right off which company I'm talking about, it's DTS out of TN. I'm not mad, just at the point of head banging. I'd really like to know what it is that some account managers do and where they get them. I transcribe on several accounts and without fail, not one of them seems to know anything about the account. One particular one, "GK", I'll email with a question and IF she answers back, it will be somebody else's question, an "I don't know" or "where did you read that" (well DUH I read it in the account instructions). You get doctor lists that came out before modern medicine was invented and after requesting new ones 10-20 times, you just give up (some you can't get online). Then you get emails if you leave a blank for a doctor or feedback from QA that they can't find them either. Two accounts are GONE just this month, wonder if this has anything to do with it?

Took a job outside of transcription-bye all gl - Posted By: Outta here

Has anyone ever done a background check? - Posted By: something's fishy

Do you really get all the info that they say you can? If you have, where did you get it from? I'm trying to get some info on a spouse of a married friend who is acting REALLY weird right now.

Thanks

Can you use the same eScription software - Posted By: Rachel

to type for 2 different IC accounts? Can I use the same EditScript to do both jobs with separate facility names?

I will only agree with outsourcing and off-shoring when Americans have carte - Posted By: blanche to go to the countries the jobs

are going to. Like, the companies that enjoy the protection and luxuries of operating out of the United States -- when those companies work deals with the COUNTRIES they are allowed to send our jobs to SO THAT WE CAN VISIT, MOVE TO, EXPLORE, SHOP IN........when we can go to those very same countries without question, passport, or visa, then I will say I will not fight off-shoring and outsourcing.

But the way it is now......basically we are being held PRISONERS IN OUR OWN COUNTRY while our JOBS ARE GOING OUT THE DOOR.

Oracle? - Posted By: Shel

The latest posts I can find on Oracle are from a year ago. They seem all bad. This makes me nervous, as I have just recently been hired by them, but now Diskriter is calling me. What do I do, any ideas. It seems Oracle will be very flexible with my schedule (this is a very big deal to me) and I will be working on an account with hardly any ESLs, acute care hospital (hard to believe). On the other hand, I do not get supplied a computer (which I am used to) and this is a little inconvenient. Diskriter seems to be more strict on their scheduling, but supplies bennies and hardware, so now it is up to, who is the best? Any comments (yes, I know this is a loaded question, but just go for it, K).

hourly rate - Posted By: nervousmt

What is the going HOURLY rate for a MT (independent contractor) that would be competitive.

Microsoft 4000 keyboard - Posted By: OP MT

Does anyone ever experience problems with their Microsoft 4000 keyboard where it will suddenly appear as if the Caps lock has been pushed, and your punctuation marks come out wrong and words are suddenly filling in with all caps and no matter what you do, it continues to happen?

I�ve worked in ChartScript and DocQScribe (currently working in the latter program) and had this happen. It�s as if my keyboard and the software are having compatibility issues or something totally out of the blue. Oftentimes, it will remedy itself, but if I do not want to wait that indeterminate amount of time, my experience has been that the only way to fix it is to totally shut down the computer and reboot, but that doesn�t always fix it. It doesn�t only happen in ChartScript and DocQscribe. I can open Word and type in there, and it does the same sort of squirrelly thing!

It�s so frustrating and wreaks havoc on productivity!!!

Magic Jack - Posted By: Debbie

I have read previous comments about Magic Jack and was wondering if there were any more recent experiences about using Magic Jack with a C-phone. Vonage wants to up my plan to business because of the amount of time I am using it and then with all the fees tacked on, I'm looking at at least $55 a month for a business plan up from $35. I would rather use Magic Jack if I can see other transcriptionists are happy with it. Please post if you don't mind. Thank you!

Debbie

Bless my doggie, Lady, who passed away tonight. - Posted By: Sheri

Lady, I'll love you forever. Mama

I found an India MT site - cbay thread is especially interesting... - Posted By: MTstuff

most of these are old but the CBay post is fairly new...even the MTs in India do not seem to be treated fairly...I imagine there is a lot of abuse over there also.

Too bad we could not unionize them and us together...would that ever be possible you think?

Working for a national, do you ever feel you can't ask for - Posted By: ICMT

an increase in pay because you're concerned you'll price yourself right out of a job?

I make 9 cents a line IC. I get my line count pumped up to where I want by hard work on the accounts I'm working. I get pretty efficient in that account and then I get pushed to different work where I have to start all over again and work really hard to make a decent line count. It's seemed to happen again, so I'm thinking about requesting a pay increase but then I start thinking that I'm already at a "better than most" pay from what I've seen posted here and elsewhere. What do you think? I'm interested in opinions if anyone will share. Thanks.

pay per dictated minute versus per line - Posted By: JS

which is better being paid per dictated minute or paid per line?

can't play voice file - Posted By: Susan

I was sent a voice file to transcribe (test) and I can play it but not at the same time that I am in MS Word. What am I doing wrong?

TIA

Have you ever had one of those days? - Posted By: This is mine

When it seems like your fingers are not cooperating? So far this evening, I have misspelled somewhere close to 6 of every 10 words. thank goodness for spell checkers! I seem to be hitting extra letters every time I turn around!

quite concerned - Posted By: nn

I just want to know WHAT IS UP lately with all of the LOW, LOW, LOW cpl rate being offered on the job seeker's board?????? I thought that the cost of living always went UP, not DOWN, but the pay being offered for medical transcription is RIDICULOUS. I'm sorry, I just have to put in my 2 cents' worth. We work our fingers to the bone, some days all day long, some weeks all week long, if we work at home we are never really away from work, it's too easy to pop into the office and work a little because it's always there, and 5, 6, or 7 cpl????!!!!???? Come ON people! Offer more than that! We are WORTH it!!! We can't feed our families, pay insurance, house payments, car payments, kids' college tuition, etc., on these sorely low amounts. I mean, there are newbies out there who will gladly those offers, and I'm certainly not knocking newbies, I was once one myself, but most all of the job offers I've looked at lately aren't offering to pay anymore tha 5, 6, or 7 cpl, and there are more than just newbies looking at this job seeker board! Thanks for listening!!

nuther question about interviewing - this one about MT positions (sm) - Posted By: interviewee MOM

I have been working at home for the past 13 years. Went from working in the hospital (next to the morgue in the basement - isn't that where all the Med. Rec. departments are?) to an at-home position with the same hospital to an at-home position with a national company. The dress code of the MTs still in the hospital is very lax (to the point where flip-flops are allowed and no stockings!). When I interviewed 25 years ago I wore a suit, stockings, etc. Once I had the job I relaxed to pants, stockings, and casual shirt/sweater but never flip-flops. What are you all wearing on job interviews these days? I'd be inclined (possibly) to wear a pant suit rather than skirt or dress only because that's not who I am - I'm a casual pants and shirt type of person but would put on the pants suit for the interview. However, since I've been out of the loop for so long, are dresses and skirts still the norm for job interviews?

Newbie needs experience - Posted By: Jackie

Anyone know of companies that will give newbies with schooling a chance?

OB doctor in San Antonio - Posted By: DP

Does anyone know of a good Spanish-speaking OB doctor in San Antonio?

Please sentence. TIA! - Posted By: Carole

Cardiac catheterization showed mild coronary artery disease, osteocircumflex in the late mid right coronary artery 20% disease, normal LV function. Does this sentence make sense?

How to become an MT supervisor/manager? - Posted By: EmmaMT

Just curious from anyone who knows - does this usually require a bachelor's degree and if so, which one? Also, any clue as to the pay? Thanks.

Google docs - Posted By: Troy

Has anyone ever heard of Google docs? Is it HIPAA compliant?

Where do most of you get your computers worked on. Do you take them to a local dealer and what is - Posted By: MTPA

the wait time for anything to be done.

30 day TAT in this office ... office politics at its best - Posted By: Need in put

I have kept in touch with an MT I worked with at the last in-house job (radiology). This was inpatient radiology and also an outpatient radiology clinic the hospital operated.

One of the girls, a person who at one time folded towels but who was hired as a clerk, was just discovered to ahve not mailed out reports for 30 days. These include both in house reports and outpatient reports. They have been sitting on her desk because she "has not had time to do them."

What do you make of this? The lead MT is close to this girl (hence her being moved from housekeeper to clerk) and is trying to minimize the impact that not having the reports mailed to referring physicians' offices, as if it is a minor problem (how they found out about it is a doc's office called the MT's supervisor and asked why 30 days worth of reports were mailed to their office yesterday.

They were keeping it from the director of radiology. I think this is BIG and that heads should roll for negligence.

What do you think?

Why is there nothing but negativity on this board? - Posted By: sm

Do all of you hate your jobs? Does anyone actually enjoy and like medical transcription? With every post I read, all I see is complaining about how horrible this field is and that it is getting worse and worse. All of you make me feel like suicide. I can be in the best mood ever and then come to this depressing board and feel so depressed b/c of all the negativity. If you hate MTing so bad, then do something else. Quit complaining! Does anyone agree with me on this?

Taxydeer, question for you - Posted By: Jerri

I had posted question to you about your mouseless escription. I said had never used a mouse prior to starting escription and then was told I had to. Anyway, do a combination of VR and straight but wondered with your nonuse of the mouse, what is your average count for the day? Thanks.