I agree in part, if the test is difficult only due to the terminology, sm
Posted By: LTMT on 2007-12-09
In Reply to: I know it is frustrating and I sure don't enjoy it - annabanana
but if it is difficult due to the quality of the sound or the fact that the dictator talks at the speed of light and/or has some ESL accent so thick and hard to decipher that no one can understand him/her, then I would pass as I would think that represents the type of dictation I would be transcribing on a daily basis. Ironically, it is usually a company with that type of work that offers you 7 cpl and asks for MTs with tons of experience. I have over 30 years of experience, and I just say no thanks.
Just my opinion ...... I feel lucky to have found what I consider to be a great full-time job as well as a great part-time job, but I have sure seen lots of crummy dictation while testing as well as laughable pay scales.
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Was the test really difficult? How bad are their ESL dictators?
x
Has anyone tested with DRC and is it a difficult test? Thanks nm
nm
I don't remember the test being difficult. sm
But it is part of looking for a job. Unfortunately we have one of the only jobs that I know of that most companies make the applicants test before even looking at them. It does get time consuming looking for a new job.
Take into consideration that the schooling will be the most difficult and time-consuming part...
especially when you get to the clinicals...it is full-time...
I agree with you. It's not that difficult IF - sm
you TRULY are an experienced MT. I am not talking about the I have 20 years doing neurology or I have been doing op notes for 15 years. MT. I mean the MT who can, no matter what comes up next, DO THE WORK and do it well. Everyone has to leave a blank every once in a while, but I believe there are a lot of people out there doing this job who cannot turn in even 1 job without a blank in it. They have limited experience, trying to pass it off as acute care/teaching hospital experience and when they get the actual work, boy does it show.
Ever think maybe this is part of the test.
to open with Express Scribe. I've receive WMA files occasionally. It doesn't hurt to try, but you aren't really supposed to post test questions here. Sometimes part of the actual test is to see how computer literate you actually are and whether they'd have to spend a lot of time with you in regards to tech support. 
I did apply, heard back, and took the first part of their test. nm
nm
I applied at Webmedx, took test, passed, and they said no to my part-time schedule.
Maybe call and ask before you waste your time like I did.
I agree about the QA part
I just left Transtech for personal reasons but agree 100% that the MT's who send 15, 20 and more blanks to QA consistently should absolutely NOT be kept on. The only reason that should ever be allowed is if the quality is bad. They are either too lazy or lack knowledge and have no business working for TT or any other MT company. It is a waste of time for QA who are there to help people with quality, not help people accomplish high line counts while not learning a single thing.
That is the biggest beef I had with QA. Expecting QA to do the dirty work for MT's. That should not be QA's job and something should be done about it. I will never work in QA again until or unless that situation changes. The QA's role should be to help people and focus on quality. I'm not sure about the audits but they definitely need to be doing them if they are not.
Agree with all except the bennies part.
There are several MT companies that offer bennies to employees. Not with IC though.
It was a good comprehensive test, but I agree their
nm
I agree that the dictator on the 1st test file...
is difficult to hear in places. I'm going to try and re-record it in WavePad to see if I can't boost up the audio a bit. I could hear the 2nd and 3rd files much better. I've still got to proof my files and then will send them in.
get the terminology right
How do I get you alone? You know what that means.
How do I get you along? Kick you to the curb.
lol
While I don't think the terminology
from clinic to hospital, I think the biggest difference is in the quality of the dictations. You'll have umpteen ESLs, residents, NPs, PAs dictating and it's just a faster paced environment. While they can be more involved (the H&Ps and consults) at the hospital level, you'd probably need to make sure you have a good grasp of laboratory terminology, every speciality, etc. It's basically just more variety in terms of specialites and then add in the dozens (if you're lucky) to 100s of different dictators on an acute care account. If you've done the clinic work for 20 years, have you tried at least testing to see where you are and possibly get a feel for how easily you could make the transition?
NOT same terminology
One of the most difficult things about typing op notes is having thorough knowledge of the equipment used in surgical procedures,as well as the terminology used in the procedures themselves. You do NOT find this in clinic notes. Are you defining acute care as only histories and physicals and consults? I have always done acute care and have never had a job where I didn't do ops.
Wholeheartedly agree - wouldn't bother with test (sm)
You would have felt really good after you left.
This is only wishful thinking on your part...I agree with below poster!
.
Probably not too much different terminology wise, sm
but, as you know, differ from dictator to dictator. There wouldn't be any pediatrics in internal medicine.
Very easy as far as terminology SM
but sometimes the subject matter is hard, like abused kids. On the flip side, sometimes very interesting or wild subject matter! Long reports. Mostly straight typing with very few terms to learn. You should have no problem if your dictators are good. Have fun!
Well, judging by your terminology,
I'd say you were with MQ currently. As a fellow MQer (just gave notice yesterday), I picked up on the c-pool term ASAP. At any rate, I also have 10 years experience and do about the same work types you do. I've interviewed with 3 different companies in the last few months and the offers ranged from 8.5 to 9.5. Benefits on the lower offer and IC status on the higher offer. I did notice that the companies were more interested in my cardiology procedures more than anything, so if you have that experience, you might want to bring it to their attention. I didn't push much with the lower offer since it required a schedule and 30+ hours per week, etc, which I really don't want. I did push on the higher offer to see if I could get an increase if I maintained a higher line count than the minimum required and got it.
Hope this info helps your search. Gotta get outta that place!!! 
I agree; I studied for and passed the test. I can't do Ops to save my life. sm
Meanwhile, my supervisor who is an oustanding MT and encyclopedia of knowledge couldn't pass part I of the test. It's not a sufficient test in that it doesn't test what we truly need to know to be excellent MTs.
For the most part, I agree. Dorothy and I have butted heads a few times, sm
but I do believe that she truly cares about the welfare of her MTs, and is not some evil monster sitting on her throne, deliberately overhiring so she can make lots of people suffer. As you pointed out, it is not even good business sense.
I am not on the inside track, so I really do not know what the plan is as far as continuing to hire new MTs when many are complaining there is no work, but I have to believe there is some kind of plan. I have been fortunate. I was running out of work, and they gave me another account, so I can make my quota. Plus, I just decided I would be stubborn and sit and take the reports whenever I can get them, all day long if I have to do it that way.
I suppose in my dream world, there would always be plenty of work, anytime I want it, with only the best of the docs dictating. But, barring that, I still think MDI-MD is one of the best companies out there to work for, and I wouldn't consider leaving right now.
Speaking of work, I had foot pedal issues last night, so I am behind and should get busy.
Happy New Year, one last time.
I agree. I am only part time so far, but I love it. The platform is easy, and sm
the people are great. I feel very fortunate to have stumbled onto them.
This is basic medical terminology 101.
Your expertise in medical terminology
Your expertise in medical terminology, English grammar, spelling, anatomy, medications, laboratory values, etc., is what you are being compensated for.
Well, if all editors do is fill in the blanks, then Ok for low rate. But if they actually have to listen, read the entire report, and make corrections, they are spending JUST AS MUCH TIME as if they had typed it! It is the amount of time spent doing the job that is being re-imbursed not the number of characters/lines. The character/lines is just the method to measure your time and what your time is worth based on your experience/knowlege/ability. An experienced MT should be making $30-40/hr and an IC and the same minus benefits if employee. If the services cannot get the contracts at this price, then they are failures and why work for them?
AAMT did not change "good English" and terminology, sm
The changes originated with the American Medical Association, the Chicago Manual of Style, as well as other references from which the AAMT BOS is compiled.
Psych work is full of modern slang and terminology.
I can see both sides of this issue. First, those are nonmedical terms and wouldn't constitute a serious error. However, it's clear that the test taker did not even do her research on unfamiliar terminology.
Usually a spelling test, a punctuation test, and maybe 3-6 test files to do. Sometimes done using
s
I took a test for a company and my foot pedal would work with the test and I had keep going back
over the dictation time and again to get all the words because I couldnt stop and start it by the foot pedal. What can I do about this.
Just took the test myself. No actual dictation to transcribe. Just a written test.
For 13 cpl, I might do it if the dictators aren't a total horror.
I just took the test today - thought it was a great test of MT skills.
x
There is no written test. Must have been a different company. I took their ortho test sm
and it was easy. You had to know your terminology but it was easy to understand AND I used my foot pedal.
OH - I thought part transcription, part escription, but don't know for sure
nm
Is the test through mttest.com a timed test? Thanks. nm
They have at least 1 very difficult
account that is hard to get lines on. They also have a weird platform. There are 3 files for every dictation, 2 of which you have to open. They supposedly give you a percentage of lines to allow for that, but I think it is a bunch of garbage. I currently work where there is no platform, we type in Word or WordPerfect 5.1, whichever we are most comfortable with and we have a macro to put in all the demographics - all we have to type is patient's name. I don't understand if my company can make it simple why the others can't.
You didn't ask, but Precyse offshores, if they tell you something get it in writing because there is little truth in it. Communication is very poor.
Not too difficult
With someone with your mentality--like shooting fish in a barrel. (Do try to get over it.)
Very difficult to say unless
you know what the system is like, the dictators, the quality of the MTs, etc. 3.5 is not a great line rate but you can make some money if you are only filling in blanks and can get in and out of the reports pretty easy. I was offered 5 cpl once but the dictators were so horrible and the MTs so horrible and the system so slow I went broke immediately and quit. There is a learning curve obviously but sometimes you know immediately it won't get much better. Good luck! The very best way is an hourly rate but most companies not willing to pay that.
I did it! It is not that difficult...
a lot of it will probably come back to you. Allow yourself a week or so to pick up speed, but I think you will be fine.
Same here. It's very difficult to get anymore than 200 lph
Am considering quitting also. Have averaged 300-400 lph at any other place I've worked. I also agree with you about the emailing bit. After every update about how much work is on the system, it's ALWAYS followed by an email from the owner about a minute later telling you to either stretch more or threatening you with their PRN Program or that you'll lose the work to offshoring, etc., etc...
Have nothing against anyone there, but I very rarely ever break 200 lph working on their hospital accounts. Bayscribe definitely gives low line counts.
If you only do 100 lph cause of a difficult doc then its a whole 8.80 an hour...
tt
Difficult dictators?
So MDI-FL and WebMedx both have decent health insurance for a decent price? And what do we have to do to get that? Are they all ESL? Or do they truly have decent dictators where you can make some money. I have done very few ESL. What typing speed are they looking for?
it's difficult, but it comes down to self-discipline
Like you, I started at MT when I had my first newborn in the house. He's 18 now. All told, I have three boys, ages 18, 17 and 16 living in my house, and my husband. My home office is in my walk-thru pantry. We have a straight-thru house, so one has to walk through my work area to get into the kitchen, and all those growing males have to visit the kitchen often. In addition, I apparently have the hang out house, and there are usually a good number of other young people at my house most afternoons and weekends. That is one thing that I love, though. It's good to know what my boys and their friends are up to.
Over the years I've worked hard to establish boundaries. It WAS hard in the beginning to let the phone calls go. It was difficult to turn friends and family away from the door, but it had to be done. I had the same problems as you. I was up all night, production was low, etc.
I didn't resort to renting office space, I just got mean, I suppose. My answering machine message said that I was working and would return personal calls after business hours. These days, I have caller ID, so I can check the number of incoming calls. I answer calls from school, work or from my children and husband. That's it. Other calls go to voicemail. I changed the locks on the doors, and did not give keys to my family or neighbors. I had a few arguments with them, and used a very stern voice. I'm busy. I'm working. It's no different than anyone else who works in an office away from home.
I do, however, get up from my chair fairly often to avoid edema problems. I will throw in one load of laundry, wash a dish or two, run the vacuum in one room, or even scrub a toilet. But I get up and do only one quick chore at a time. No t.v., no radio, etc.
It's difficult, and it takes some perseverence and certainly self-control to establish boundaries and good at-home work habits.
Good luck with your new office. For me, though, I would not want to work to pay rent for an office when I have free office space at home.
I find this very difficult to believe.
//
I am with Axolotl. There is nothing difficult sm
about using Notes. They also have Speed Type with it for an expander.
Please apply! We have so much work! Seems so many places have been slow since Christmas and New Year, but it has been the exact opposite for us! The account I am on used to just be discharge summaries, but we have now taken over their consults and ops as well.
They are difficult accounts, and they have not
been able to hold anyone on these accounts for some reason. They've had these accounts for quite awhile, so I'm thinking that in order to keep the client happy, they must be offshoring the account again. They will do that from time to time. I'm glad I'm off of it. I was not making my lines on the Michigan account.
VR and difficult dictatoirs
I saw your post and would like to tell you and anyone else, do not get your hopes up high that VR will not work because of difficult doctors. I know for a fact. I work on VR and some straight and I would have never believed it but I personally think VR works even better sometimes with most of the difficult ones than with our better speaking dictators. Why, ? who knows. I myself was under the same thought when we were told were going on VR, oh, it will never work with so and so. It does and very efficiently on the VR I work with.
98.9% QA is NOT that difficult to attain -
Nor should it be if you are a quality-minded MT. I don't understand the negative about this company just over the QA. Their rate may seem low, but the 7 cpl rate is for clinic work, which in my opinion is much easier and deserves a lower rate! The acute-care rate is comparable with other companies nationwide.
I must point out that there are pros and cons to every company nationwide and that no company is a fit for all MTs. Compared to other nationals, however, this one is way above average, in my opinion. I'm sure I'll get bashed for this, but that's okay - I'm hauling money to the bank each and every paycheck!
not a difficult transition
Having trained MTs from DQS to ExText I can safely tell you that it is not a difficult transition. There are many similarities and it is doable. Never be afraid to take a leap of faith, it could change your life. It changed mine.
How difficult is it to get 100+ reports
for radiology on Meditech with ShortHand Expander in one shift?
I would think pretty difficult
IMO..... I think it would be pretty tough, unless the reports are very short (then hopefully you would get paid per report). I used to work in Meditech and I spent more time filling in the demo screen than typing the reports! I don't think MediTech is Radiology-friendly (IMO) unless the reports have some meat on them! Also depends on the version of MediTech, some have the autofill and some you have to fill in every blasted box.
So far they are fine and not that difficult
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