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SPEAK CLEARLY! - Posted By: MTMommy

I'm lost as to why doctors can not just speak more clearly. I know it is possible, I have many doctors who do it. I am only 25, and I am going to be gray by the time I am 30.

re pc towers -- can you tell me - Posted By: sm

can i stack one on top the other on their sides? and/or put a printer on top this way, to save more desk space?

another thought was whether i might put one sideways under my monitor -- but it seems like i remember your monitor should be positioned not too high so that your eyes are looking slightly downward -- do you know?

thanks!

DQS short-cuts to Word 2003? HELP! - Posted By: Imback

Does anyone know how to do this. I have been searching and searching for info and cannot find anything. Please help! Thanks.

School started here today.....sm - Posted By: Southern gal

I kissed and hugged my daughter and wished her well as the bus drove off!

This is why there is such misconception (sm) - Posted By: Hayseed

about why working at home is thought of as not working at all! I just found this article as a HEADLINE on my Yahoo home page today.

Seven Ways to Be Happier at Work:

1. Telecommute. Sometimes a good way to find happiness is to just stay home. Would you enjoy playing tennis with friends during the day? Rolling on the floor with Fido? Watching daytime soaps or CNBC's stock ticker? Who cares as long as the daily work gets done? Pitch your boss on telecommuting. If he or she resists, offer to go on a short leash; for example, agree to submit twice-a-day work progress reports.

Here's the link for the full article: http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/103034/Seven-Ways-to-Be-Happier-at-Work

There's a reason why it's still called WORK at home and this kinda rubbed me reading it, because I think a lot of people, new to this line of work especially (transcription from home), fail at it. To make a decent paycheck, I have to be glued to my keys for 8 hours a day--not a few hours here and a few hours there. What's your opinion of the above statement?

Who does the chores in your house i.e.....sm - Posted By: Poll lady

Laundry.

Dusting and vacuuming the house.

Cleaning bathrooms.

Cleaning the kitchen after meals.

Lawn chores.

For our house, my husband & I split the laundry chores, he does the yard work, everyone pitches in for the dusting/vacuuming, the kids clean their bathroom and my husband & I alternate cleaning ours, and we rotate who cleans the kitchen after meals. The kids also don't get an allowance - this is part of their "living" experience; however, if they want to do extra work like clean extra areas that aren't theirs then they can make some money.

Two Questions - Posted By: Noquestionisastupidquestion

Does anyone sit on an exercise ball while working? I am wondering if it would be too difficult to balance because of the foot movement and the typing.

Also, about running enrichment (from previous posts) ... can anything similar be done in MedRite? That would be awesome if I could search out the common phrases used!

Thanks for any input!

QA go back to school - Posted By: ERMT/Oncology MT2

I am really ticked at my QA department these days. Had a report � not the best dictator, which is why I listened to it for a total of 3 times to be accurate! Clearly the doctor said hyperglycemia. At first I thought hypercholesterolemia but upon playing it over 2 more times I could hear the �glycemia.� QA changed it to hypercholesterolemia and put a note on the �corrected� version that had I run spell checker it would have caught this. Okay, first of all with this particular VPN system you must run spell check before uploading! And second of all, no, spell checker would not flag a correctly spelled medical term! Come on now! Pick up the medical dictionary and look. It is in my book. Heck I hear that word on television. Get a clue already.

This is the same QA that I go round and round with about hyphens. I type �The patient is well developed and well nourished.� It is to be done this way as per the BOS, yet a few will put in hyphens. To the best of my knowledge you only use hyphens when the sentence reads: Well-developed, well-nourished male/female in no acute distress.

There are some really great QA people out there (((hugs))) and unfortunately some that need to go back to MT school. Sometimes I wonder why I fight so hard to keep our jobs here in the U.S. I know that I am not QA quality with less than 5 years under my belt, but please do not treat me like complete *****. When I see some of these QA fixes and research it makes me wonder how they came into their positions. I once had a CMT/QA person tell me there is no such thing as a DIP joint. Okay, pick up an ortho book by Stedman�s. Yeah, it�s in there!

Sorry to go on and on. Just needed to get this off my chest.

Excruciating heel pain from foot pedal. Has anyone had this problem? Any solutions? (sm) - Posted By: LA Gal

My heels hurt so bad after several hours of using my foot pedal that I can hardly work. It is due to resting my heel on the floor and tapping the foot pedal all day long. After a weekend of rest the pain will subside, but flares back up during the week. Any suggestions as what I can do?

Reading from my social security paper I have in front of me.... - Posted By: Lori

In the year you reach full retirement age, $1 in benefits will be deducted for each $3 you earn above the annual limit ($34,440 in 2007) until the month you reach full retirement. AFTER THAT, YOUR BENEFITS WILL NOT BE REDUCED, NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU EARN. This is directly from their posting.

Insurance/change of status - Posted By: MQMT

Did all MQ offices receive the e-mail regarding loss of benefits (insurance, PTO) and change of status to statutory if you don't make the line count quota immediately - or was it just Atlanta office?

Portable MT - Posted By: MaHug

Looking for a MT job with company I can take with me either via laptop or connecting to system via internet from any computer. Anyone know of companies like this?

Average age of American MT's - Posted By: search engine Sally

This article says age 48 is the average, and I have to agree.

For anyone you has an LCD monitor do they come assembled or how much assembly is needed. I am - Posted By: MQMT

getting one next week and am not very good at assembling things.

Can someone please tell me how these folks who are posting making $75-$100K working for services ... - Posted By: So Very Tired

are making this kind of money? I've been in this profession for over 20 years and the MOST that I ever made in a given year was $50K working for a service and that was with loads of off-the-clock overtime. Where I work now the majority of decent work is being offshored and the American side MT's are left with terrible work to wade through. A 'good' check for me now would come out to the equivalent of about $10 an hour!

I can see how folks who have their own accounts could make the type of income range above, but working for a service? What is it that the rest of you now that obviously I'm totally missing???

How are codes separated? - comas, hypens, parentheses - Posted By: Anyone know?

nm

Reference books/sites for breast cancer (sm) - Posted By: MT

I just started with a breast cancer surgeon. I am wondering if anyone can recommend some good reference material for this. Thanks.

Tell the truth now. Does anyone diagnose other people based on what they transcribe? - Posted By: Dr. MT

It's funny but I feel like everytime someone has symptoms, I find myself secretly diagnosing them. Also I am more cautious because while typing ER reports, I realize all the things that can go wrong.

Thank you Admin for the cute cursor--sm - Posted By: nn

I just love the cute little christmas tree! kind of brightens everything up! Cute idea!

IC Question: How long do you keep your reports for your docs? - Posted By: MTToo

ICs, I was curious to see how long do you keep your reports on your computer for the doctors? Is there a usual time limit?

Thank you!

Weekend Warriors? - Posted By: HungryMT

How many here work at least one weekend shift a week?

Anyone heard more on the LA Teamsters - Posted By: curious MQer

They said they were interested in taking us but I haven't heard anything else. Cowgirl and "less than McDonald's" said it all last night.

Watch Taylor Hicks perform for Walmart - Posted By: shareholders

Wanted to pass this link on. Fantastic performance!!!!

Wish me luck. I just sent my query letter to my favorite women's magazine! I've been a sm - Posted By: Lyn

self-proclamed freelance writer for a while low. I have quite a few topics I am working on, Christian-based, geared towards women. I had to write a letter stating my credentials (I have a few, believe it or not), future topics, experience, etc. I feel very positive about my letter. It took all day to write.

I just pray this pans out. I eventually want to write a book. That's been a life-long dream. I love to write. I've avidly kept a journal for over 25 years, keep an on-line blog, read every day, and writing just comes naturally for me. Also, I outlined my editing experience, so hopefully that will help!

I will let you know what they say! Keep your fingers crossed....I want to get out of the MT business so bad...It's been a blessing, but I would LOVE to get paid by doing what I love doing.....Sharing my shallow thoughts and life's secrets to other women through the use of story telling and faith-based philosophy!

training is kicking my butt - Posted By: brookeb

I've been training with a company the last four days, five reports a day, and I can't seem to get consistent results.

I guess expecting to be perfect after four days is a little rough but I keep making the same mistakes. There are just so many little details, and it's about a huge subject -- verifying the patient info, which could make them kick me to the curb before I even get in full time. It's just so hard to do on this new platform which I am not used to... it might be because I haven't encountered every type of report error yet. Hopefully that's what it is, and I'll learn everything in time (versus having to deal with a permanent brainfart when it comes to this issue).

Thankfully my transcription itself rocks according to QA. Otherwise I'm sure they would have asked me to return my foot pedal and delete the system from my computer!

line rate - Posted By: poedmt

does anyone know what Spheris pays per line or what the going rate is per line.

Anyone use Olympus player/pedal for work files- e-mail me nm - Posted By: grits

nm

Question for those who responded to Lasik eye surgery post - Posted By: tanner

I had one dr. say I was not a candidate for lasik surgery and then this year went in for eye exam and was told that they couldn't understand why previous dr. said no when they felt I was. I don't know which one to believe. Also, 2nd dr. said he would do one eye for distance and other for close vision - is this hard to get used to?

MQ MT out of work - Posted By: yakaback

hey, any MQMT's working on Memorial Hermann accounts as a backup? we were asked to work extra all last week and into the weekend and for the past 3 days all i'm seeing on the backlog emails is either zero or 1 or 2 jobs on the MHH accounts. I'm assuming that they pulled MT's from other offices (maybe Amherst?) to make sure that the work was done. the accounts that I get after the Memorials are varied and many and the client profiles are all different, of course. I'm totally disgusted with their lying and blocking and switching people on accounts. My supervisor informed me that the MT was called before any of that happened -- oh, pleeeezzzz!!

What does q.a.c. stand for? - Posted By: Don't know

x

How long does it take you to type 1200 lines? - Posted By: by

On a normal good day it takes me about 5 hours, somedays I just can't stay focused so it takes longer. I'm still debating about getting an Expander so just wanted to see how long it took people on average.

Where could I get the most computer for my SM - Posted By: Chickadee

buck. I'm thinking we are going to buy a new computer with part of our tax return (our current one is 6+ years old) and am wondering what you all suggest? I'm hoping to stay around $600.

It would mainly be used for work, cruising the internet, watching DVDs (maybe...not totally necessary). MAYBE I'll be adventurous this year and try to get a little account of my own :)

So, what do you all recommend I consider buying?

Chickadee

Question for MTs - Posted By: Professional ??

I have only been doing this for a year and not full time yet.. So here is my question.. I was offered a job but the recruiter is insisting I get trained right now and for two days her Tech people have not called.. So she wants me to call them.. I'm sorry but I think they should call me, right?

I want to work for a company that does not have to many hands in the pot and sort of knows what they are doing... boy, I think I'm in the wrong industry for thinking that...lol

good op note book - Posted By: landroverlady

Can anybody give me advice as to a good op note book to buy. I am starting a new job and have never done op notes and would like any advice anyone can give me before I buy the wrong thing. Thank you:)

Hey Patti and MQA and other MTSOs..bringing thread to top - Posted By: wc

Hi again,

Just to let you gals know, I got up the nerve at the last minute, partially because of the posters to my thread about starting my own business, to quickly print up a resume and cover letter along with a sample ortho report and take them to my physical therapy appointment. (They may need an at-home transcriptionist.) The office manager was not in yesterday, but my PT gave me a little info about how the process works. Unfortunately, we were interrupted when she was about to tell me what they dictate IN TO, but she mentioned that she thought that was going to change. On my way out, however, when she was flipping through my chart to see when I should come in next, I asked her if they received the transcription via floppy disk or CD, and she told me, *No, paper.* Yes, they still use *sticky paper*! Too bad we got interrupted earlier. I have a feeling they transmit the dictation via the internet or phone lines, then the Transcriptionist delivers the finished work to the office.

Anyway, my PT says it is slow right now. (Indeed, there were only 2 patients in the office at the time with 4 PTs.) But she thought if things picked up and the sole remaining MT got overwhelmed, there might be a chance of picking up the overflow, which would be just peachy for me.

More questions...(now, why did I, at first, capitalize the Q in question????) I may as well start preparing as much as I can now in case I DO snag a job....

1. Can anyone or everyone recommend a good medical spell checker that interfaces with Word?

2. What about an Expander to work with Word? I know some use Instant Text, but at least one says she uses the Word Autocorrect feature. (I think.) Does the Word autocorrect hold a bunch....can you put whole reports into it...large capacity?

3. You all mentioned that the docs usually supply their letterhead and to use plain copy paper for subsequent pages. Does the MTSO usually supply the paper or the docs? Same question with sticky paper...that sounds expensive!

4. Any other inexpensive tips you gals can think of that can be gotten ready now besides the main transcriber? (Would want to wait on that to see which type the office uses.)

Now that I have the ball rolling, I am also going to contact the two MTSOs that I know locally and ask if they have any overflow. Might also send a sample psych report to my shrink and see if he can spread the word. Scary stuff, but you gals really helped! Thanks so much for all the encouragement!!

Does anyone know anything about the Greenwood Lake area of New York? - Posted By: Lori

.

Please see msg. TIA!! - Posted By: Carole

There is also decreased signal lesion seen adjacent to the left facet joint at T2-T3, which may represent an osteophyte s/l "osteo-mem-in-in-ja-meli-synovium" cyst per the radiologist. (This was an MRI of the cervical spine.) Any ideas?

Word Expander Questions??? - Posted By: MaryL

Does anyone know of a Word expanding program, where at the bottom of the computer screen, you have options of chosing which expansion you want? Also, what do you think the best expansion program is, and why? Thanks

Conflict with LWWLicenseCleanup.0001 file and firewall? - Posted By: Computer dummy

I installed the Comodo firewall on my computer and it seems to be working fine except one very annoying problem. For some reason, I will open a program, ie, DocQscribe, Instant Messenger, etc., and my firewall keeps asking whether to allow LWWLicenseCleanup.0001 to run, I click yes but then when I open the program again for some reason this stupid file is trying to link to another part of the program I guess and I get the same window asking for permission to allow it. Here's the kicker, a lot of the time it will totally lock up my system and I will have to reboot. I called Stedman's tech and they really didn't know what to do but he had me go into Administrative Tools and turn off a Stedman's License file but still this crazy Cleanup.0001 keeps trying to run because my firewall is still detecting it. Has anyone else had this problem? I did a Google search and found a link to one other MT who had a problem with this file and Zone Alarm but there was not really a solution offered. The firewall I am using is Comodo.

Best way to send voice files - Posted By: Overwhelmed NY MT

I need to get some help. What is the best way to send voice files to other MTs, and then they send me their completed reports? I am relatively computer dumb and need some advice and help. What is the most secure, economical way? I notice that Express Scribe/Dictate has FTP...but actually all that stuff confuse me...

Can anyone explain it to me in really simple language? I know all the big medical terms but computer stuff just terrifies me but I have to get some help....

Overwhelmed NY MT

I have heard so much about - Posted By: MTing not being paid as much

and wages dropping. But then I see others posting they are producing 300 or 400 LPH. Even at 7 CPL, that is 21 to 28 dollars an hour, which I think is a good wage.

Training on secondary accounts. Can you refuse? - Posted By: How to do this properly?

I have a great primary account. I realize I need a secondary for slow times but the secondary account blows big time. It is laborious (many fields, special requirements that are tedious, etc.). Can I say, "No, but thanks." I reach my required line count with what I have on the primary account even though I am not working a full eight hours. I have taken on a PT job and just fill in empty space by turning around and typing on the other computer when it gets slow.

Any feedback or advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Can't post on "word" board, SQL error. Need help on "cuselbock" membrane. - Posted By: Sheryl

Talking about nares - excoriation along the "cuselbock" membrane.

I cannot post on the Word board. Gives me a code to type in to "authenticate", which I do, only to get SQL error returned. ??

who to choose??? - Posted By: Joyce

Any info on Precyse Solutions...Silent Type....Breitner ????

Need to give decisions by Friday...help!

The patient is a male - Posted By: Snow Bunny

The doctor said: "He denies bloody or cloudy urine, pain with urination and vaginal bleeding."

I crack up laughing and quote this to my husband, stating the patient's gender.

And his response was, "I hope so."
(think about it)

I hate to show my incredible ignorance, but how do I sm - Posted By: ltmt

find out what type of processor my computer has? I know it is a Pentium, but I cannot remember if it is a 3 or a 4. I tried System Tools, but that was of no help at all. :(

Thanks for your help.

Med-Legal - Posted By: Just wondering...

if anyone does work for CMLS doing med-legal docs? If so, any feedback, good, bad, or indifferent would be appreciated. Thanks!

Spellchecker problems - Posted By: Wanda

I'm having trouble loading my Stedman's spellchecker. It keeps asking for the response code and then won't take it. My computer messed up and I'm having to reload everything and now I can't get this back on. Anyone else have this happen? What did you do?

Radiation Oncology - Posted By: Shasta

Do any of you oncology transcriptionists know of any good sites for radiation oncology terms?. I am a seasoned oncology Transcriptionist who has a new oncology account that includes radiation oncology dictation, which I have never done before. Help, please.

Thanks

has anyone had to cut out a toxic relative or best - Posted By: friend because they were affecting your life?

Mine is my mother. She is an extremely angry woman, and I honestly think, her seeing me happy, makes her dislike me even more. When I go to visit, which is not often anymore, she sarcastically says "yay look whos here" and does not have anything nice to say to me. She is usually drunk or on drugs so she falls asleep when I try to talk to her, and she criticizes my every decision and points out the things about myself that I hate. One thing, is that i'm not good with people, and she has to remind me of this on a daily basis, like when I tell her i'm going to start school or take classes she will say "but youre not good with people, I bet youre nervous" or snide remarks to that effect. She criticizes how I look, how I do my hair, what I wear, just about everything. When I leave there, for the next couple of days, I feel very angry, my self esteem feels as low as it did when I was a kid, and i'm just sick. I know she is my "mother" but its affecting me so much that I think I would have a better life if I distanced myself and not let her be so involved where it would affect me. Wondering if anyone had to make this painful decision with someone close to them. I'm changing and she is stuck in this bitter hate the world phase, where she has always been.