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My son came to me today to tell me he is quitting football.  A sport he has played since he was in the 3rd grade.  He is now a junior in high school.   He is an awesome offensive linesman - scholarship bound this year with academics with it.  He has a 4.0 GPA, takes AP courses and could have a scholarship coming his way.

Regardless of all of that, I am just heartbroken to see this young talented man just walk away from the game he once loved.  I have been crying all morning.  

He tells me, "it just is not fun anymore. "   He does not want to play.  He wants to concentrate on his academics.  

This is halfway through his camp, and games start next week.  He started on the varsity team as a Freshman.

I am so upset, but I won't let him see it.  I do not want him to play a sport to please me or anyone else, but himself.  I have to hold all of this in and it is killing me.      This is his decision, and I have talked to him over the past few days about, trying to not let him know how disappointed I would be if he quit.  Well, today, he went to camp and told his coaches he is not playing, handed his equipment in, and so forth.

Any advice from any of you parents out there for me as to how to handle it from a loving mother point of view!  I hide in the bathroom and cry so he doesn't see me.   For the simple reason, if he sees me crying, he will continue to play just for me.  I really don't want that.  He needs to play for himself.

Needless to say, the coach called this morning after he handed in his equipment to talk to him.  I am sure there are more calls to come.  His teammates will be over this afternoon after camp, I am sure of it.  How do I handle this - better yet, how do I help him handle this? 

P.S.  If he feels like he is letting his teammates down, he will give in and play just for them or for me -

I've been working from home as an IC for my 7 years of MTing.  MUCH has changed in my life and I find that it may be time to leave the home office and get back into the world of the living.  I spoke wiht a hospial in my area and got a bit of info - full time position Monday through Friday, full benefit package, tuition reimbursement, life insurance, healthcare, disabiliy, etc.  The top pay is 6k less than what I'm making now, but that is not that important as there are other factors I have to take into consideration.  My question to those of you who are in-house MTs, would you share your hourly rate - just a ballpark.  This is the first time I've ventured down this path and actually received figures from a potential employer. 

So, what do you all think?

I just had Lotus Notes installed on my PC from my company. If I upgrade to Vista, will I have to get them to re-install it and is it even compatible?

Thanks!!

I guess I misheard something which they changed and then I evidently forgot they don't want any abbreviations - spell everythingout including b.i.d. p.r.n., etc.   I know we all make mistakes, but I feel like a dufus  making foolish mistakes.  I guess I was concentrating so much on the format and new programming I just got careless.  No excuse, just hanging my head. 

Thanks for listening.

What would be a reasonable line rate for dermatology. Current MT is charging .12 per line. I will be typing very short one or two paragraph letters with no progress notes. 

Also, I need a dermatology reference books - Any suggestions?

Thanks    

Does anyone know whether UnitedTran and United Transcription companies are one and the same?

Found this excellent resource for ops - sharing with all.

I have been working for an office for 2 years now at the same line rate. I would like to increase my per line rate, but want to know how I should go about doing that.

I feel that I do good work for them and need some type of raise since I am an independent contractor and do not get bonuses, etc.

Thanks for your input.

anyone know the average or going line rate for ASR?  I'm totally new to this and eager to know the good, bad, etc. of ASR and how MTs are being paid and how much. thanks.

I need a software program similar to GearPlayer, free or cheap. Is there one that anyone can recommend? I want one that would work with the GearPlayer footpedal I have or with easy keyboard commands to start, stop, rewind, etc.   

I ran across a site months ago that had older versions of Stedman's spellchecker for $30 or so. If anyone knows that site, or one similar, please share that info, as well.

I also need WordPerfect, as new a version as I can get, but as inexpensive as I can get, also.

Thanks!

I am soooo very anxious right now.  I have cried all morning and cannot seem to console myself or come up with a solution.  I have been doing transcription for over 12 years and have been home for the last four.  Through those four years, though I love being at home, I have come up with generally zip as far as contentment in my job goes.  I have been an employee status, as well as an independent contractor.  I have worked for places that seemed 'ideal' until 3 months or so were up, then they'd switch accounts on me (starting out on great accounts and leaving me struggling with a bunch of crud nobody in their right minds would want to do), dealing with owners or supervisors who lay out the 'heavy hand' and do nothing but tell you what you DO WRONG (one who comes to mind nearly gave me a nervous collapse--never could please her and who'd want to the way she treated you, sarcastic, mightier than thou approach).. ugh!  I have done basic four hospital transcription, clinic transcription, ER transcription, and I just am not finding 'THE BEST' place to be.  I don't know.. maybe I'm SUPER BURNED OUT.  I never make enough money, don't have benefits, and I'm getting to the point where I feel I'm just finished with this 'career.'  If I find a place where I make a decent amount of cash, I either have to put up with an idiot for a manager/ boss/ supervisor/owner or hideous dictation.  If I go to a place that seems good as far as dictation/accounts go, and the management is decent, I wind up making next to nothing in pay.  Most places I've experienced give you a come-on to begin with, give you a decent account and after two to three months, they switch you to the crap work.  Still, they give you no pay raises for even attempting to do these reports, not like they would anyway.  I think I have worked for at least six different companies since being at home in the last four years.  I am sick of making no money, not enjoying my job anymore and dealing with all the crap nobody else wants to do.  Sorry, I had to vent.. I'm ready to give up and find a job that actually PAYS in more ways than one. 

It's been a long time since I had to do this.  I've been given a couple of report types to do.  The first appears to be a discharge summary.  Should I just type in the headings the way I "think" they should be based on how I was taught in the past?? 

Also, is it best to transcribe verbatim or try to make the test report look as professional as possible (like we would be expected to when on the job)?  As far as listed items are concerned, i.e. medications.....The old MT in me wants to number them.  Is that acceptable?   I'm really concerned with trying to format the report based on how I "think" they would want me to. 

I would appreciate any helpful advice anyone is willing to share!!

I have a question about during a physical exam portion, I know what it means to "flush left, sub headings all caps," but what is the other instance of "stacked form". thanks. 

Anybody ever having trouble downloading EditScript on initial setup?   I get so far and the templates will load but the next part that lists the providers won't and I get kicked off my provider (VZ wireless air card).  I have been told that they do use this for the laptops, so that shouldn't be an issue.  Just didn't know if anyone had any possible suggestions.  TIA!

 I'm looking for an Internet-based software for my home MT service, one that can be accessed from any web browser, can e-sign, auto fax, let the docs' referring physicians go to the site, log in and read their patients' reports, and offer a complete accounting of lines charged on a daily, weekly, monthly, etc., basis.  Also software that will allow the doctors to search transcripts by any criteria; i.e, patient name, their date of office visit, names of meds prescribed, and the like.  Also, one that could also be integrated into EMR without any problem in the future.

Does anyone have any good ideas? 

Also, any idea of the intitial outlay and the per-line charge the vendor would charge on the average?

Finally, I'd be very interested in reading about the type of software you currently use and if you and your clients are happy with it.

Thank you much.

Britta in Las Vegas

I am getting ready to start a new radiology account and I was wondering about the going rate for MTs who do radiology any ideas would be great. I have not done radiology in quite a number of years, let alone pay anyone to help me and I want to make sure that I offer a decent line rate to the MTs. I don't want to take advantage of anyone and I am not sure what the going rate is right now. It will be a 65 character line count with spaces. TIA for your suggestions.

Why do doctors, NPs, PAs, etc. decide to dictate without being prepared? I did a 14 minute report with 7 minutes of dead space while the dictator looked through the records to decide what they wanted to say.

This isn't the first time it has happened. Last week, EVERY dictator did it. Of course, the reports weren't 14 minutes long, more like 5-7 minutes, but it gets frustrating.

Do they just pick up a report and sign on the line? Why can't they look at the reports FIRST, then sign on? 

I don't mind if they have a 30 second (yeah,right) pause to chose the right word, but holy bananas, sometimes it just drags on and on. Then there are the doctors that answer phone calls, doctors who talk to the nurses, PAs who can't find a report that they need for lab data or vital signs, and on and on and on.

I think part of their training should be a chapter on HOW TO DICTATE.

Thanks for letting me vent.

So freaking annoyed.  Out of work again and I was really on a roll.  *sigh*

I just turned 45 and have ZERO symptoms of menopause as far as I can tell.  No hot flashes, no heavy/irregular periods, no unpredictable cycles, normal length etc.  BUT... I have noticed in the last 5 yrs or so that I get some intense PMS symptoms in the 2 weeks before my period.  My breasts get REALLY sore and my "mean quotient" goes WAY up.  It's as if I've filed my tongue.  I don't know how much of the mean I really let out, but I sure feel it inside.  I feel all tied up in knots, crabby, trivial things bugging me way more than they should, etc.  I've got a teenager and 2 preteens, so that doesn't help either as my life is obviously less than "tranquil" most of the time.  I mean, I'm not sitting around evenings relaxing and cross stitching in front of a good TV show like a mom whose done raising kids, I'm doing "mom" stuff still at 45. 

So, I decided to make an appointment with the GYN and talk about what could help me.  I've already cut out the caffeine and tried some of the natural remedies, but nothing helps.  I just KNOW she'll want to put me on The Pill, but do I really want to take that at my age when I don't need to (tubes tied), risk getting fat and having migraines come back?  I don't think so.  What about anti-depressants?  Is that something like to be recommended to me.  I'm not depressed, I'm happy as a clam as long as I'm not premenstrual.  What should I ask for, or expect?