I have normals, lots and a huge expander glossary sm
Posted By: mmmm on 2008-06-18
In Reply to: to mmmmmm - frustrated
I also have 20 years in this business, which helps. I am not a fast typist really and I can't type at all without the expander, not anymore. I have a photographic memory for terms and how they are spelled...see it once, know it forever.
There are exceptional MTs and there are very good MTs, there are good ones and ones who can just about pass muster. Don't beat yourself up trying to be exceptional. I think exceptional MTs are born, but very good ones can be built from scratch. There are MANY MANY facets to success as an MT. You have to have quite an ear for voices and even the very best of us can't do every accent. You have to either be a great typist and/or Expander user, and you have to know it well (I have used my same one most of my career). You have to know your terminology inside and out. You need to know how to properly organize your normals so that they are consistent and easy to use. You have to have an excellent platform to work on, preferrably a Word client. You also have to have a company who stands behind you and makes sure you have enough work with QA people who can and will take the time to teach you what you don't know. My favorite QA gal is a font of knowledge, a BOS2 expert and she even corrects my emails for grammar. I have learned a lot from her. It helps to have someone on an IM who can answer questions on the fly for you. I have had those in the past and now I am one of those who does the answering.
Most importantly, do your very best at whatever mode of work you are doing. Show up every day, give it your all. Don't worry about what the rest of us are doing, be the best you, you can be. Things fall into place when you do that, I know because this is how I had to approach the early stages of my career. Persistance pays off.
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I think this could only be done with a huge client base, or a huge number of say only
s
Can the MQ glossary be copied over for Medware?
nm
Can the MQ glossary be transferred to the platforms
nm
Can we remove our glossary from company computer?
I am attempting to move a glossary which I created over 4 years via e-mail which is proving to be difficult as an attachment to use on my PC for a side job.
Is there a company policy that says we cannot do this? (Spheris).
Lots of promises, no follow through. Lots and lots of internal sm
problems. She is recruiting heavy right now as she has a CHANCE at getting a big account back. Even if they get it back, they'll blow it again from poor management.
Normals
I have a lot of normals for my primary account but not as many for my secondary as it is a large teaching hospital with more dictators rotating in and out.
Normals
All accounts are verbatim. What I mean is I have many, many macros set up for PEs, operative reports, etc where the dictators basically say the same thing every time and then I will edit as needed. Both of my accounts do have a few normals set up in BayScribe by administration for some doctors. Those are usually operative reports.
There are normals? Never saw one. nm)
can you still use normals?
thanks for your honest feedback. i appreciate it. More positions open on your side according to email this morning. Guess you guys have a lot more work - I have gotten NSA 5 times already this morning!
I totally agree, your story is mine and lots, and lots of others, please
believe me when I say Keystrokes has been honest like we used to have in this profession. If I can help one Transcriptionist avoid what we have, this will all be worth it. I worked parttime for Keystrokes at the time I was fulltime with ____ and quit, 2 years later I begged them to take me back after once again my paycheck was cut in half, and they did with open arms. I don't mean to run down anyone but a lot of these transcription companies are getting obscenely rich while paying below minimum wage to transcriptionists, playing with dictation and after working for a couple of them you know who is honest and who is not. Sorry I came down so hard but the reality is there are single mothers out there that I bet cry themselves to sleep not able to give their children a decent life because it is easier to steal from us. When companies have millions of dollar to pay for other transcription companies, open transcription schools in other countries, ect., ect., you know there is a lot of money in it. That is all I am saying.
I don't think we work at the same place, but I have been working lots and lots of hours.
Very thankful to have a decent job.
Normals/templates
I let my IC's use them especially in my psych accounts. However there was a time that one of the gals forgot to change the name on the header and I was gone and it went to the doctor directly with the incorrect name on the Header and big, big HIPAA violation and the doctor almost pulled the account since he did not catch it either. So I understand where your MTSO is coming from but again, I would not keep the help that made these mistakes rather than make the other MT's pay for the incompetent ones and be unable to use their autorcorrect, ShortHand or whatever normals/expanders that they use. The account stayed with me but we do watch the names closely now. Why make all suffer for the mistakes of a few.
are they paying you for the normals?
Expanders/Normals sm
As the poster below states, the way this is possible is by working an account that uses many normals and that you can utilize your Expanders with.
Chances are whatever national MTSO you work for will begin to use VR technology sooner rather than later.
After all, if you can use your normals/expanders to make astronomical line counts due to the repetitous nature of the accounts, it will be much easier for those accounts to go to VR.
I wish Normals had what I needed.
Most the time, what I am looking for can't be found in Normals, Alt G, or even Echart. I have enough experience on my primary that I know the usual sayings, it is just that I struggle with the not normal sayings that a dictator rambles off so fast, while chewing, yawning, etc. These things can't be found in normals (trust me I look every time before I submit a blank) and so far consist of way more than just 7% of my monthly dictations.
Whatever. I should just quit complaining. I do really like it there other than this part. I know you are trying to help, but I just wanted to point out that I use ALL the resources I can and still send over 7% to QA.
One job I worked for did not pay for normals at all.
They had loads and loads of normals and the docs used them consistently. When I would check my line count it was not where I thought it should be. When I asked I was told they did not pay for normals. That was something they did not tell me before I was hired. It was a company in Florida.
We DO get paid for expanders & normals
nm
I bet they billed the client for normals
You can make alot of reports nothing but normals if the patient has a normal exam. I bet that company bills for those normals too. That is like asking a waitress to work for low wages, and she can't keep the tip!!!!! What will they think of next?
Yes, their normals, not yours. Not all places are like this apparently. nm
xxx
Lots and lots of recent stuff in archives.
Do you get enough repetition so that one could create/utilize normals? Nm
nm
All accounts are VERBATIM, so there couldn't be any normals.
x
My MTSO sends us normals for those few doctors
that you them. They are usually a fill in the blank type thing with the doctors only giving the blanks, so there isn't much to mess up. We do have a few normals that need to be modified and there are only a few MTs that get these dictators, because of the same issue your MTSO, that changes are not made, etc. I am allowed to create my own normals and do. If I have a doctor that needs to have the same normal, but occasionally does change things, I only have my normal including what is ALWAYS the same and then I have macros for statements that are frequently dictated that I can use to piece together the rest of the document.
I can't imagine my company forbiding us to use normals. My company wants the MTs to be productive, because if they are producing they are making money and if they are making good money they are happy and the MTSO will have good retention of MTs, which they have had. It also benefits the MTSO to have high producing MTs, so that they can have fewer MTs and less costs/hassle.
I used to be a supervisor and we allowed all MTs to make their own normals, BUT...
it was the responsibility of the MT to listen to the dictation and make sure that the normal reflected exactly what the physician dictated. And any QA issues specifically attributed to an MT's personal normal resulted in a three-phase disciplinary action, i.e. written up for the first offense, written up and forced to come in-house to work for a determined period of time for the second, and finally termination for the third. Also any incentive money the MT may have earned for the day of the infraction was forfeited. It seems extreme, but we had such a problem with QA issues and many complaints from physicians especially with radiology normals that we really had no choice. We needed to make it clear how vital quality was over quantity.
Now that I work as an IC MT, I create and use my own normals, but I listen to every single dictation and if there is even one tiny, seemingly insignificant change such as the physician says the instead of a, I change it in the report.
I think a company forbidding their MTs from using personal normals will end up costing themselves money in the end. The solution is to institute very strict policies regarding the use of personal normals and enforce them. Let the client know that these policies are now being enforced and if they see any mistakes whatsoever, to please let the MTSO know. It's hard being an MTSO, I'm sure. Assuring the client that their concerns are your concerns and making the MT's feel respected and appreciated for their hard work is like walking a tightrope sometimes. The sad fact is that you can't make everyone happy all of the time and in the business world, you have to schmooze the one who writes your paycheck - that goes for MTSO's and MT's alike.
Keystrokes makes you count out for normals.
nm
Why do MTs who are paid by the hour cherrypick the normals off accounts.
Line counts shouldn't be that important to them.
Employee. 0.09 cpl, 100s of normals, and downtime paid.
x
Co I work for, large national, allows normals. Of course, you must listen
zz
I get paid per gross line. I utilize normals and macros
as much as possible, though I could do more than I do. I also type 100+ wpm. I don' t have demographics to fill in, just patient's name and I type in straight WP5.1, so no cumbersome formats. I download via FTP and I batch my work insteading of having save each individual report. I make 8 cpl per gross line.
Sorry to hear that because that was a good account with great normals. Hope
you find a new home where you will be appreciated and with good line counts!
Disagree with this. Every company I've worked for paid for normals.
x
Lots and Lots of info about them in the archives. nm
Lots and lots of work. You will love
XY?Z
Lots and lots of posts in the archives.
Lots and lots of info in archives and several
posts just down the page. Open your original post and near the bottom click on the blue see related posts and you'll get the most recent posts.
Lots lots, cuz I prefer
the OP/PR notes over any report......
One would think if 5K was so huge ...
One would not let it accumulate to that. Only gamble with what you can afford to lose, and letting it get that far was a gamble. Though, sorry, you only wanted to hear how horrible the MTSO is (which it is horrible) and everything through rose-colored glasses about your friend.
I know about TT's huge hem/onc
account but isn't it totally VR? In fact I thought they had 2 big hem/onc accounts and both had gone to VR? Am I wrong about that?
huge thank you from me, Have done it
and forwarded to all I know. Have already heard back from one senator, and I was the 49th person from Texas to sign that petition. Thanks again. Have you put it on the politics board?
Not small, not huge. When I was there it had 350+ MTs.
x
I think there are a huge number
who lie about their qualifications and experience. The company I contract with has hired MTs who claim to have 10 years experience. Their final product looks like they are recent graduates of IHA who failed high school English.
Because the accounts are huge
Yesterday was a holiday, so many docs took a long weekend. Transtech is not a company to jerk you around, if they promise work, you will have it.
There are HUGE variables
Formulas that MT companies give as average are usually based on average work that a MT is well versed in - which companies do not always make available to MTs then act surprised. Duh. Connections, software, familiarity, accents, account types, etc., etc. are huge variables for production and should be considered. Left on the same work for awhile I used to be capable of producing 2,000-2,500 lines, but that changes if my work is changed or if I'm put on a subspecialty I'm not familiar with. It's why companies that have people on a zillion accounts and are not rewarded for it have unhappy MTs. People making huge counts are usually people who are happily typing away at familiar work. Been there, not there now, and am miserable and burnt out.
It was a mistake and not a huge one...
GET OVER IT! The poster said they were sorry about the mistake twice now (I wouldn't have after the first time), and it's not that big of a deal anyway! What are you this guy's wife/mother/sister or something? I can't imagine getting so upset about a post about some guy you worked with that again was a MISTAKE?
Take a Valium or 12 and settle down, LOL You keep calling someone out for making a small mistake that's is not going to hurt anything or anyone and who already apologized twice! Plus, your getting yourself frazzled over nothing.
TT has just taken on several HUGE clients
That is the reason for the ad
huge insult!!
I agree! This is such a huge insult to our profession. I started out with Focus on Edit Script at .04 cpl also, and would recommend them to get a start. The are other companies who pay a little more, but .04 is usually the norm. Please, do not go any lower than this. Focus is always hiring, as many people do start there and move on, but I still work for them part time and have never had a problem with them, despite the negatives I have read.
Sue
HUGE APOLOGY DUE HERE
I APOLOGIZE sincerely about my comments regarding Transolutions out of Illinois. All these companies sound so much alike anymore these days that I confused Transolutions with another company (I would say which one, but I believe I've said quite enough)! I'm MORTIFIED to have said what I did above.
To my knowledge, Transolutions DOES NOT offshore. They're really good people, too. The company to which I was referring above is a different company altogether located out of Atlanta, GA.
I don't often post, but I'm zipping my lips for a while. Sorry to have caused this confusion.
That is a huge yes..no doubt about that one.
And since they got their new investors in the last what, year or so, the offshoring has increased. I look for more changes to come as well.
There's a huge difference
The abuse is far worse on-site. I was pulled to do so many other things it was not even funny when I was on-site. I'm finally home and glad to make the money I deserved for a lot of years.
E-mails - you can hit delete. Meetings on-site you have to sit there while they drone on and on... Boring! I could get a load of clothes in or clean the litter box out and back to banging out some lines.
Yes the work needs to be done, but gosh it's easier not having to rush to get a shower, head out in the dark in the winter in the early a.m., fight the traffic (none of this is paid). I'd rather spend that time seeing my children and hubs off to school and work - much more pleasurable...
IMO... Happy Holidays!
MQ's huge losses
Maybe, as we Los Angelenos say, their karma is catching up with them. Hope so!
I never worked at the Q but TT is a huge
Good luck. You won't regret it and you will wonder why you didn't check out Transtech sooner than you did. Never too late...
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