Medical Transcription Discussion Forums:
General Discussion Forums:
Recently Viewed Messages: (An archive of over 1 million messages related to medical transcription industry) What is your AC set at??? (85 here) -
Posted By: Hot in Central CA
dd
Never thought maybe I needed a new keyboard. DUH! -
Posted By: hurting fingers
My fingers started hurting a few weeks back and I'm thinking, no big deal, goes with the territory. Then my keyboard started leaving out "i" and "e" on occasion. I realized I have had the filthy old crumb ridden thing for almost a year and a half now, but was still to cheap to go buy a new one.
Finally dumped my coffee on the keyboard (sign from above?), but turned it over and tapped on it figuring it was good as new until the next morning when everytime I hit "r" I'd get rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
So I sped down to the local "pharmacy that has everything store" and bought a generic keyboard that was on sale for $8.99. I was amazed at the fact that all I have to do is touch the keys. No effort whatsoever and I was flying with my wpm..
I had no idea my keyboard had become so bad that I was basically pounding on the gunky old keys. DUH!
Finger pain is diminishing already and I've decided to stop being such a tightwad and replace my keyboard at least every six months.
I also invested in a coffee mug with a cover on it.
New Job -
Posted By: tynkerbelle
Hi. Where I am working is going to VR with Editscript. Sounds like a bunch of crapola what they are going to do to us, put us off an hourly wage plus incentive pay to only being paid incentive at half of the rate we make now, but the union contract runs out in July 2010, so I have until then to get my financial affairs in order. I cannot believe what the services offer out there. I actually ran into one that paid you for every character you type. So if was a normal or a word Expander you would get paid for the actual keys you typed, not actually was on print on the page. so if you typed "the patient" as "tp" you only got credit for those two key strokes not the whole two words. normals were paid by the Keystrokes actually used too. Needless, to say better to stay put than go there. I am tired of being outsourced and tired of being gyped.
Free digital player -
Posted By: terri
A conversation below mentions a free digital player that works like Gearplayer and Bytescribe but I can't find the name of that free player. Does someone know of one?
ENTER NOW! Goodies given courtesy of Transcend! -
Posted By: See full details inside
MTSTARS MT WEEK GIFT GIVEAWAY!
ENTER NOW TO WIN! (Pulling numbers 50, 68, 82) Click on the Reply by Email blue link or email to freebie@mtstars.com to enter One entry per person, only one email address allowed. Please give your name, city, and state for when we post congratulations. You must enter each giveaway to be eligible to win. All entries are put in a hopper and the number shown above will be pulled.
COMPUTER SHAPED STRESS BALL PINK PEDOMETER LAMINATED CARD WITH LAB VALUES & JCAHO DANGEROUS ABBREVIATIONS
GIVEN COURTESY OF:
TRANSCEND www.transcendservices.com
GOOD LUCK!!!
TransHealth -
Posted By: mary
Does anyone have any input (good or bad) regarding working QA for TransHealth?
Need help with Word-based expanders ....sm -
Posted By: LTMT
I am starting with All-Type soon, and the handbook says that their platform works with any Word-based expander. That's all fine and good, but I have never used one. I'm a PRD+ girl from the old WP51 days, and currently work in Bayscribe, and the Expander in it is a lot like PRD. Are any of the Word-based Expanders like that? I tried Instant Text once and hated it. I don't want popup windows and such. I like it to be simple, like PRD ... enter copdd and get chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc. Are any like that?
Thanks for your help! 
thumbs hurting -
Posted By: landroverlady
Anybody have a problem with just their thumbs hurting after a full day's work? It is starting to become more chronic with me and just wondering if anyone else has it and what to do about it. Figure just an anti-inflammatory should help but which one?
Anybody else have friends/family that act like you don't have a REAL job? sm -
Posted By: makesmemad
Just have to vent a little...
I have several extended family members and friends who give the impression that "just typing" and getting to work from home translates to "waiting for a REAL job to come along." I have tactfully tried to drop the hint that first of all, a Transcriptionist does way more than "just type," and I'm sure make more per hour than any of them, to no avail.
Anybody else noticed this, too?
Pathology Compensation -
Posted By: Tess
Can anyone tell me what the average compensation is for transcribing the gross only for pathology, by report, not lines? Thanks so much for your assistance.
Anyone -
Posted By: Siren
have unlimited long distance with Verizon? I was just hired with by a transcription service out of Florida and they require unlimited long distance. I have Verizon as my phone service and so went with them for unlimited long distance. I am sure I will be on for a full 8 hours and I am wondering what the cost will be. I understood it to be $50.00 a month. TIA
company computers -
Posted By: Ellie
The hospital I work for is forcing everyone to use company computers because of privacy issues. The thing is, I use ShortHand extensively on my own computer and can't work w/o it. They have a paper I'm supposed to sign that I won't "tamper with the hardware or software" of the computer. Is installing a decent word-expander tampering? I'm afraid to ask, they can be real jerks sometimes. Has anyone faced this issue before?
What do you consider a fair per audio hour rate for MT work? -
Posted By: HS
I am only accustomed to the per word rate in MT, but I know that the GT companies prefer the PAH rate.
I was wondering if any MT companies do use the PAH rate and what would be a fair price if there are indeed any companies using this method.
Thank you, Sheri. -
Posted By: I appreciate your candor.
There is so much subterfuge and backstabbing with some of our jobs these days, that it is rare and refreshing to have someone come and explain their views in a professional and thoughtful manner. You are right, I guess it is inevitable that offshoring is here to stay...it just makes me feel really sad when I see what has happened to our industry. We never did really receive the recognition that we deserve for the complexity of our profession and now, any faint remainder of dignity is completely gone. I am just downhearted about the whole state of affairs. Where does one go after wasting 30 years of one's life in a dead-end job? I'm tired of fighting for the respect that never did materialize after all....
California MTs and OT laws - Question for ya. -
Posted By: See Inside
Hey there,
I work for Spheris. My supervisor just informed me that from this point forward, I cannot work OT.
Are there any Spheris MTs from California who could e-mail me about what I could do as a cut in pay right now is devastating.
There are exceptions for people who do piece work I have read and wonder if there is a way to get around this. I am paid by exam and sup says when I work 2 minutes OT, they have to pay me OT for every exam, plus if I work over 5 days, OT for the whole week, or over 8 hours, OT for the hourly pay...
Needless to say, I am devastated by this... as I live alone. Need I say more? ::sigh::
700 lines per hour... -
Posted By: any thoughts?
Someone told me today that she could do 700 lph. Has anyone ever done this? I'm curious.
Kitchen appliance graveyard -
Posted By: Jodi
In the midst of moving last weekend, I discovered my long forgotten kitchen appliance graveyard. All the cool gadgets that I thought I HAD to have at the time that have long since moved into that cabinet. I had three juicers dating back to the 80's, an ice cream maker, a sandwich maker, a George Foreman grill, a food dehydrator, and a the most recent one I got for Christmas, a smoothie maker. Oh the humanity! I have decided to resurrect some of them for fun and because I feel so guilty. How about you all ? Anyone suffer from this gadget collecting problem?
Help/advice please re: MQ, laptop, footpedal, etc. -
Posted By: MT
I have a painful sprain on my ankle and need to sit in my recliner with my feet up while I transcribe for the next few days.
I have MQ's computer that I rent but I have downloaded DQS onto my laptop so I can sit in the recliner (MQ system in my bedroom).
Any advice about how to use the footpedal in this awkward position?
Appreciate any response.
production and time -
Posted By: Kimberly
I am so frustrated with how long it is taking me to get my quota every day. Today is going to be rough because all the kids are home from school, but on most days, it is just myself and my 4-year-old son. I do about 1000 lines per day and it takes at least 7 hours. Is this normal or should I producing way more in this time frame? I have been in this field for 16+ years now. I work for a great company and most of the accounts I have are terrific with excellent dictators. I am up and down a lot, but it just seems like forever!
Oh - and I do not spend a lot of time on this board during my working day. In fact, I haven't posted here in a long time!!
I'm just curious how long it takes other experienced MTs with normal work-day interruptions to complete about 1000 lines of transcription each day?
Oregon salaries -
Posted By: Patti
I am tired of being called a liar that I embelish my income, etc. So I just called 10 MT's out here in Oregon that I have known for quite a while and they all hit between 45 and 60K this year. Of course we do all the accounts that you a lot of you don't like to do which involve pick-up, delivery, printing, the smaller one to two doctor offices, being friendly and interactive with the staff. And we keep our line charge lower that a lot of you like and some of you have told me that I am bringing the MT world down by working for this amount -- we all charge between 10.5 to 12.5 cpl using Sylcount. Through all of this, and none of us work more than 45 hours per week -- me I am the highest, most work 30 to 35 hours, we have made the money and so I guess we are doing something right. To those that say we are padding our incomes --I think you are all jealous and just don't have the umph to go out and do it. And yes, we have ESL's and some work hospital overflow, surgical center, Wound Clinic, clinics, psych reports. There are other niches out there --ya gotta have the drive and the umph to go and get them.
I hear such mixed thoughts regarding getting accounts by going door-to-door soliciting yourself. -
Posted By: sm
Is it worth it. Are there many people out there that have landed new accounts this way? Most MTSOs that have been in business for a long time say it is by word of mouth, but what about MTs like me who have been doing this five years. I feel I'm ready for my own accounts and am not sure if this is the best route.
Any opinions?
radiology - pay per report -
Posted By: info
What is the usual pay per report?
Can someone who uses Chartscript -
Posted By: I dunno
Please tell me how to run my linecount. I really need some help with this. Started with a new company and asked but have not received an answer yet...maybe they don't want to discourage me?? Thanks in advance
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) 
see message please -
Posted By: Instant Test question - I have sentence I want to
It is
The patient's last clinical breast examination
I type tplc and the sentence comes into advisory to top line. I hit [ which should expand it but after only three words, "the patient's last," it fizzles. Sometimes it throws out mumbo jumbo, sometimes two words, never the full sentence.
THIS IS DRIVING ME CRAZY. What is it I am doing or not doing!!!!
ahem...thank you
IC contractor out of state where company is, how to file -
Posted By: Tax question
javascript:editor_insertHTML('text',' ');
javascript:editor_insertHTML('text',' ');
Not sure how to file taxes... Work in PA, IC to IL, do I have to file taxes in IL?? Any help on this I appreciatejavascript:editor_insertHTML('text',' ');
javascript:editor_insertHTML('text',' ');
you know you are in a dead-end job when..... -
Posted By: Empty MT
you cannot get any type of pay increase after 2 years....sigh.....not surprised but it just depresses me. This is not a good way to start the new year. I am finding it hard to stay motivated. Ok, thanks for letting me get that off my chest.
NEW CONTRIBUTION! PRN Funding Golf Umbrellas! Click on Santa's -
Posted By: House banner at top of board to enter!
/
Medical Spellchecker Question -
Posted By: LinK
The other day a technician (from the doctor's office that I work for) was in my computer fixing a problem I had. The next thing I know, my medical spellchecker is nowhere to be found. He insists he didn't delete it. Has this happened to anyone else? Any idea if it's still in my computer somewhere or how you could tell. I did a simple search but came up empty. Needless to say I'm not very happy.
Need Advice ASAP -
Posted By: LG
I was offered 60 minutes of transcription for $40.00. I am new and I do not know if that is good or not. Looking through the samples it seems he says the same thing over and over again so you can macro the physical examinations. Please give me advice. Right now I am in school, pregnant, and work full time. My goal is to stay home but it seems he should pay $60.00 for 60 minutes. Please give some advice I am a new Transcriptionist and I do not want to be used.
Am going for an interview for in-house RAD MT for association -
Posted By: bb
in Austin, Texas. Can anyone give me an idea of the pay scale for this market--probably hourly? I've never worked in-house in a large city. I'd really appreciate any advice.
Smartype/dictionary -
Posted By: No clue
If I buy Stedman's Smartype, do I still need to buy the dictionary?
ChartScript -
Posted By: Siren
Can anyone who works on ChartScript tell me if it is Word-based, and what they thing of it? TIA.
Quit an IC job and got asked to stay sm -
Posted By: Am I alone?
Actually, almost begged to stay. I have accepted a position with a large, highly respected national and I wanted it, still do. They are supposed to be an outstanding place to work, have a friendly platform and they sure have been extremely nice during the hiring and into the setup phase.
I have N-E-V-E-R given notice and then asked to stay before. I have quit and been told I was an eegit, but never ever asked to stay. They have been receiving compliments from the client on this extraordinarily difficult account and was told that if I left, it would really put a damper on things, that I was valuable, diligent, and a pretty darn good MT all the way around.
All I can tell you that I am rather burned out and I need some slow time and/or down time for a bit. A couple of extra days to catch up housework and sleep would be great.
Sheesh, now what do I do?
MTStars MT Week Gift Giveaway! ENTER NOW! -
Posted By: See full details inside
MTSTARS MT WEEK GIFT GIVEAWAY!
ENTER NOW TO WIN! (Pulling number 17) Click on the Reply by Email blue link or email to freebie@mtstars.com to enter One entry per person, only one email address allowed. Please give your name, city, and state for when we post congratulations. You must enter each giveaway to be eligible to win. All entries are put in a hopper and the number shown above will be pulled.
2 LB. BOX OF GODIVA CHOCOLATES!!
GIVEN COURTESY OF:
ASCEND HEALTHCARE www.ascendhealthcare.com
GOOD LUCK!!!
Board has over 100,000 posts now!!! -
Posted By: WOW... NM
//
Does PC Shorthand work in Radnet?../nm -
Posted By: Helpin' a friend
xx
Question about duplicate 1099s (Same amount - different companies) -
Posted By: AzMT
I received a 1099 from a business I've never heard of, but the amount was just about right for a company I subcontract for. I asked them if my 1099 would be coming under this other ame and they said no, which made it sound like they didn't even know that company. I proceeded to research the name and found out that the same owner owns both companies with the business on my 1099 now dissolved and in poor standing. I'm confused as to why this happened and requested that my 1099 come from the company I did the work for. They said that is fine and that they would reissue it with that name.
How does this work with the IRS now that they will have two 1099s for me with the same amount, but from different companies. I can only claim one as that is how much I worked, but won't they audit me or something because of this. The business owner said not to worry about. I should probably put a call into my tax man, but was wondering if anyone here has any knowledge with anything like this. It just doesn't seem right and makes me uncomfortable.
TIA
s/l Desitronix insulin pump -
Posted By: YOWIE!!
Can anyone help me? How close am I???
So....unhappy MDI-MTs - any idea where you will -
Posted By: sm
look if it comes down to having to find work somewhere else?
Is it hard for an MT experienced in - sm -
Posted By: Wannabe Neurosurg MT
general surgery or radiology or to transcribe neurosurgery/neurology? The EEG studies seem okay. What are the nuances of neurosurg? Any info you have would be great.
How hard is it to get a job? -
Posted By: Wendy
I'm considering getting a Medical Transcriptionist Certificate at a local college. I was wondering how hard it is to get a job after graduating? I've noticed on the Job Seekers Board that most of the jobs require experience. Any advice?
Anybody in the Charlotte or Raleigh, NC area?? SM -
Posted By: Just Looking
Anybody in the Charlotte area or Raleigh area. My husband might be able to get a very nice job there and I was looking up real estate and it seems very reasonable!!!! Just wondering what the area is like. What there is to do there, arts, recreation, kid stuff. Also how are the schools. What about crime? And what is the climate like? How hot does it get in the summer and how cold does it get in the winter. Any information would be greatly appreciated!!!!
Transcription For Funeral Homes -
Posted By: Kymee
Hi
Does anyone know for sure what type of medical transcription funeral homes would use? I don't think they would be autopsies, but someone told me they utilize this service.
Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks....Kymee
if you were to -
Posted By: here we go!!
Give up T.v, cable or satellite forever, what shows would you miss the most? I'm thinking of doing this because of all the junk on t.v. and i just sort of zone out when I watch it and its a waste of money and time I think. BUT...I would miss six feet under, thats off in two more weeks anyway, and Judge Judy. Thats about it.
Who do contact when an employer has not paid? -
Posted By: Anon
Is there a particular local or state government office that handles this or do you need to get an attorney?
Retirement Accounts -
Posted By: nn
I am considering getting into a retirement account this year. I am a sole proprietor with no employees to contribute to. I am also looking to reduce my tax obligations for next year with this account. I am also over age 50, so this may be a consideration. Any suggestions from knowlegeable MT/business owners out there? Some of this stuff is very confusing. so any help would be appreciated. Also include who to go through for set up, if known.
thanks 
MTStars is following the same directions that has been asked by the President of the United States. -
Posted By: Administrator (sm)
MTStars is following the same directions that has been asked by the President of the United States regarding donations to help those affected by Hurricane Katrina.
If you would like to make monetary donations, please make them to the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army. Banners are running above on the Main board that link directly to those sites.
Thank you!
Administrator MTStars
jury duty -
Posted By: Orangeblossom
Has anyone gotten out of jury duty from being an MT? I get paid by line...no health insurance....no work no pay......Any advise for when I have to go present myself.
TIA.
your son -
Posted By: mommMT
I'm so sorry you are going through this, it must be hard for you. I get the impression your son is hurting and in pain so it's good you are "in tune" with him on this and have him in counseling. How about yourself? You may need some sort of help also. I believe you said dad isn't in the picture, but what about extended family - grandparents, uncles, someone who can help you out with his care. I am no expert, but I would say try to have patience (yes easier said than done at times) and pick the right battles. Keep loving him unconditionally knowing he is hurting. I'm sorry I have no clear-cut answer, but I know if you are consistent as a parent, keep loving and teaching and doing your very best your relationship with your son will get stronger as he grows older.
Reaching out for help as you seem to be doing, is very good. You are doing the right thing. Life can sure be rough and parenting is one of the toughest things to do. I wish you all the best.
|