Clinic notes or physical therapy?

Hello,

Does anyone have suggestions for companies that hire for physical therapy or just general transcription/clinic work?  I've tested at several companies and did not score high enough apparently to do acute care, even though I did not leave so many blanks, I thought.  My problem was with the actual transcription; passed the other part of tests.  Really discouraged right now.  TIA--

• Clinic notes or physical therapy? - Sue
  • Do you have a copy of the BOS to follow for format, etc.? nm - Wishing you luck. NM

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I have been an MT for 20 years.  I have hired and trained MTs for a service.  There is a HUGE difference between clinic notes and acute care.  The poster who says she made the switch and didn't have problems is lucky and is probably a very good MT, who had a good base of knowledge to start with.  It can be done, but not in every case. 

Some MTs who work on clinic notes work for the same set of dictators every day typing about colds and aches and pains.  Dictators tend to say the same things over and over.  Most clinic notes are only a 2 or 3 paragraphs.  They work for the same set of dictators for years and even have their stuff canned, just pull it in and make the changes.

You put that same MT on an acute care account for a large teaching hospital and they may have a nervous breakdown, I've seen the meltdown, it's not pretty.  On an acute care account like that you may have all the specialities and subspecialties, probably 30-40 or maybe more, adults and peds, with all the dictators, anywhere from 5 to ??  And residents, let's not forget them.  And all the work types.  They are dictating DS, H&Ps, consults, ORs, clinic visits, progress notes, etc.  They are dictating about new procedures and medications that may not even be in reference books yet or that are experimental.  Some of those reports are 20-30 minutes long, 7 or 8 pages.

I'm not knocking the clinic MTs, but don't just assume because one does clinic notes, they can jump into acute care.  That would be very misleading and a total injustice to a newbie who read that and got into an acute care position, possibly setting themselves up for failure. 

Yesterday I visit the website of what seems to be a very reputable Online University (located in CA) that offers a variety of degrees in many business and health care fields, including either a AAS or BS in Respiratory Therapy.  It really caught my interest.  It's hard work, just like getting a nursing degree -- but pay seems to be pretty good.  You can start any time - no semesters, will refer you for financial/scholarship aid.  All study and tests are done online with the exception of your clinicals, which have to be done in a local hospital, just like with the nursing degrees.  I saw that the field also appealed to a lot of men, many of these were military service connected, others worked with advanced EMS after graduation.  Seems like a bright light at the end of a dark (MT) tunnel - I'm just a few years short of retirement age - but what the heck - I don't want to retire in dead-end poverty in this MT h****.  If you're interested, I'll give you the name of the college - I think it's the only one that gives a 2-year degree in RT - the others all require 4.

Yesterday I visit the website of what seems to be a very reputable Online University (located in CA) that offers a variety of degrees in many business and health care fields, including either a AAS or BS in Respiratory Therapy.  It really caught my interest.  It's hard work, just like getting a nursing degree -- but pay seems to be pretty good.  You can start any time - no semesters, will refer you for financial/scholarship aid.  All study and tests are done online with the exception of your clinicals, which have to be done in a local hospital, just like with the nursing degrees.  I saw that the field also appealed to a lot of men, many of these were military service connected, others worked with advanced EMS after graduation.  Seems like a bright light at the end of a dark (MT) tunnel - I'm just a few years short of retirement age - but what the heck - I don't want to retire in dead-end poverty in this MT h****.  If you're interested, I'll give you the name of the college - I think it's the only one that gives a 2-year degree in RT - the others all require 4.

This was back in 2005 when Diskriter first landed the Florida hospital.  I worked there and had to actually take a three page form to my doctor to fill out.  I had to pay for my own urine drug screen and TB test administered for a local lab and provide the lab with a postage paid envelope to mail the results directly to the hospital in Florida.

I put up a fuss because I thought all that was a little much for a remote MT position, especially when you consider that I would probably never set foot inside the facility so who cared if I passed my physical and got a TB test?

xx

The trend has always been that vets handwrite their own reports in order to save on costs, but that may be changing now that they are hearing other vet groups are using transcription services?  The company I work for only types veterinary ophthalmology reports, along with a few simple op reports.  The ophthalmology terms and medications are pretty much the same as those for humans, but the reports can be a lot more interesting at times, since the animals don't always cooperate!  Once you are comfortable with the terminology the doctors use on a regular basis and the company guidelines as to how the reports should be formatted, the work is a breeze!

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They are mainly consults, soap notes, some radiology.  You use their templates and get paid for headers/footers.

I don't know if everyone makes the same, but I make 8 cpl (55 characters per line) without spaces.  I compared it to the normal 65 characters per line with spaces, and it is equivalent to 8 cents per line with spaces.  So, not too bad...just average I guess. 

But the dictators are really clear and there are a lot of samples.  I think the work is pretty easy.  I think it makes a really good p.r.n. position. 

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. :)

Chickadee

Try Deventure.