If Ichart deducts 8% from ExText line counts, you are actually not getting paid for spaces
Posted By: OK on 2005-12-16
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It is the equivalent of a 70.2 character line with spaces, 65 characters without spaces.
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Yes to old reports! Their ExText has all the regular functions except line counts are done on line
s
Of course they pay for spaces and I believe the line counts to be appropriate sm
I said appropriate without making a statement about accuracy. My body knows when I have made my 1100 minimum. I can do that in about half to two-thirds of a shift. I can tell when I am at my usual 1600 to 1700 lines for a day too.
I'll agree...base rate is not stellar, but then again I never make that...I make more. I am routinely on the third line rate incentive tier, which puts me up above the last line rate I was paid. There is a QA bonus and I have gotten that which is per line bonus back to line one. It is easy for high-caliber MTs to make very good money.
With the better insurance rates they have come up with, all those bonuses and the wonderful people...well I have found my heaven on earth.
Line Counts and EXText
I work for a company that uses Dictaphone EXText. They deduct 30% off our total line counts for headers and footers, saying they will not pay for it because we do not type it. Of course, we do type it and the template is very time consuming (looking up referrals, etc). Do you think the headers and footers are 30% of the documents? It does not sound right to me.
Why Extext line counts are usually less
Most companies set up the line count to deduct a flat percentage which is supposed to guesstimate how much the headers and footers would be. I know - I used to work very closely with a top person for a very popular/unpopular company that is mentioned on here quite a lot. One of the reasons I left that company was because they used Extext to basically rip off their MT's. I have made my rounds with quite a few nationals and I would have to say that Extext is used in this way by most companies. They deduct a flat percentage. And by the way - counting spaces etc? Don't count on that either. The flat percentage that is deducted for headers and footers also is padded even more. It is a sad state of affairs. You can be certain that they charge the MTSO's a pile of money and it does not reflect in the MT's paycheck. I have my own clients now. Too much hassle with these companies ESPECIALLY those that use Extext which is the perfect format to rip off the MT's.
ExText line counts
I have heard so much about the line discrepancy with ExText and how it is cheating MTs on their lines. Check your lines with Abacas or TextTally. Very accurate counting systems and are free downloads. Does anyone question this with the company or hospital? It is pretty sad to spend 30 minutes on a long note and then see that you are getting paid for about 20 lines. There are better companies out there who do not take away lines from MTs. Ask if they use ExText and then RUNNNNNNNN. Also, many companies will set up the system to give the minimum lines to the MTs but are charging their accounts the maximum. Ask questions and ask for verification of your lines. There are some good companies out there who are honest and fair.
As for line counts on ExText, sm....
that depends on the client and/or MTSO and how THEY configure it to count lines on THEIR END....My last job was on ExText with this client out of florida.....the MTSO had it to where that thing did NOT count spaces, headers, etc....it was SO HARD to get line counts on it, but of course, that was because of the dishonest, full of Indian filled, MTSO.
Difference in line counts with/without spaces
I'm looking at swtiching companies but I'm tryint to figure out approximately what the pay would be like. If I take the new job I would start at $ 0.005 less than what I currentently am paid but I would be paid for spaces and the job I curerntly have does not pay for spaces. Any imput is appreciated.
Thanks
Line counts not great on ExText, IMO.
No idea why but seems to be the case for me.
I work for TT, low line counts on ExText for me. nm
nm
Line counts with Dictaphone EXtext
How long should it take to get up to a decent daily line count with Dictaphone EXtext. I have started with a new company and it is not looking good yet. I am hoping it gets better and I can get up to 150 lph. I have had my share of ESL doctors also so far, but they have been okay. Thanks for any help or suggestions.
Also love ExText even though the line counts can be low. Easy to use! nm
s
ExText Users: Can we look up line counts per report?
NM
I, too, went from MQ to TT, and line counts are much harder to get at TT with Dictaphone ExText.
I have always been called *firey fingers*, so know it is not me, as I am very fast and accurate on the keyboard. Line count continually gets harder to achieve. I know it depends on how the company has Dictaphone set the line count parameters -- whether to pay headers, footers, spaces, demos, normals, expanders, etc.
Also speech recognition using ExSpeech at TT is so cumbersome and awful. Really made good money and line count with DQS speech editing. Just must my opinion. Other comments would be interesting.
Watch your paycheck go down. Transcend does not pay the same line counts that MDI-MD paid.
nm
TT sent out email saying CTRL i function is 7-12% higher than paid-for line counts,
so you would need to deduct 7-12% off function of CTRL I.
Per TT email regarding this subject, the headers and footers average between 7-12% of a document . . . Conversely, if you are transcribing a two to three line report/addendum, the header and footer may be as much as 50% or greater.
So, it is true that if we transcribe short reports, we are given the pleasure of transcribing almost FREE for TT !!!
This is about as clear as we MT's can get from TT regarding this line counting issue.
Ctrl i in EXText for us MT's with TT gives a higher line count, because we do not get paid
for everything that that function shows. I-chart is as close to the exact amount of lines we get paid for than anything that we have. Ctrl i was blocked from us, but lately opened up for us to use; however, it is not what we get paid for. Hope this helps you.
This is not true. I have been there a month and get a good line rate and paid for spaces. ??? nm
nm
ExText - iChart platform -- HELP!!!
 I am starting with a company that uses this software. I've never used this before and I'm FREAKING OUT. Can anyone offer any advice on this software? Bea
Companies using Extext/Ichart
I got a very interesting email from the Ichart team from Dictaphone. I had written them because I had been questioning my low low line counts with a particular company that I am no longer employed with. They had disabled the control I feature so you could not see your session statistics. The excuse was - they didn't pay for headers or footers thus the line count not accurate. Well, fine and well, I asked for a breakdown report by report of what my line count was for each of my reports. I was told they didn't have this information, I was told by Dictaphone in this email that the administrator certainly does have this information, and that the way lines are counted varies and are totally set by the administrator (or your employer). The Ichart team did tell me they are working on getting that available on the Ichart site so you can see report by report what your line count is. I think this is the only fair way. Line counts should be verifiable for each report, not just a lump clump number. Lets say you did 700 lines like I did one time. Well, I did about 28 reports. These were H&Ps and consults mostly with very minimal progress notes. Do the math, the 700 lines just does not add up right with the # of reports. So, bottom line, if going to work for an account that uses this system beware, ask questions. There are a lot of companies out there using it and disabling the session statistics
Documented line count each report, then compared to ichart end of day
nm
So, if not spaces paid, what cpl would be comparable to at least 9 cpl w/spaces, do you know??
Thanks.
I work on Extext and get my own counts.
Feel free to e-mail me.
Yes, it counts spaces. It does not count headers/footers. sm
Chartscript counts the demographics i.e. headers/footers. That may be where your difference is. ES used to count them, but no more. It is about 15% less lines now that they do not count them.
Spaces are counted.
Prior post said it's so-so to use, but only counts the black chars., no spaces. nm
s
Line counts - the lower the line count requirements
the harder the account and problems with trying to get production off the platform the company uses.
TransTech uses ExText so you can look up MD examples. They pay for spaces, too. Don't know how mu
s
Spaces are not taken into account with gross lines....a line is a line...sm
if there seven words on a line.
or two
one
or a full line of typing...all of the companies that I have worked for define a gross line as 1 inch margins, 12 pt courier font....does not matter what we type in margins or font.....we convert all reports to the 1 inch margins and courier 12 font and then count the lines. not the blank spaces between the lines.
Hope this helps.
I see they pay on a VBC line. Isn't that a huge paycut from a 65-char. line with spaces? nm
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Keystrokes has very few accts on line using ExText. Most use Cphones/2nd line. Lots of Rad
s
Ctrl+I counts headers and footers, but we don't get paid for that sm
and we don't type it in, in any case. The headers and footers usually have text that is a lighter color and these are embedded headers and footers. We get paid for the regular color text. You aren't being cheated in the least. Consider, I worked for a company where they charged the MT a 65 character line for every report, although the headers and footers compromised a whopping 30 to 40 characters. On a short report, you paid the company for the privilege of transcribing it!! Embedded headers are not things we transcribe, but ARE paid for what we DO type.
This 1.236 accounts for the headers and footers, on ICD1. Different accounts have different headers or lack thereof and so it varies.
paid for spaces
you can bet the companies are charging for spaces; and the buck stops where? not here, anyway.
Cy/Med and No spaces being paid!
MTS: I applied and passed Cy/Med - they tell me they have over 600 people working for them - why are so many MTs out there working for companies that do not pay for spaces - to get 600 lines you have to work at least 20% longer - why are you working for no spaces - I am told that many clients are doing this now - this is really going backwards in the MT business I think - Your comments please!
We do get paid for spaces. sm
Employee handbook states 65-character line, including spaces and all characters necessary to create the document. You must be mistaking Webmedx for another company?
You are not getting paid for spaces.
xx
Do you know if we are paid for spaces?
Yes we get paid for spaces.
nm
Is TT the one who deducts for edits?
Tell me how that works!
Getting paid for spaces versus not...
any good or bad experiences? Thanks
A post from May said they paid 7 cpl with NO spaces. That's all I have. nm
s
YOU ARE WRONG!! We are paid for spaces. nm
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OP did not ASK if paid spaces, SAID didnt. Re your
x
This is current, no spaces paid for
A response to my inquiry. Not for me, we make nothing as is or what we should.
RE: MTJobs Probity Penn.
The line is a 65 character black and white line.
The line rates vary from 8 to 9 cents per line and will be discussed if you are granted an interview.
I must DISAGREE. I get paid for spaces!!! (nm)
Yes, not being paid for spaces would reduce your pay A LOT!
x
Spaces, paid or not paid. Do you know? sm
I just started with a company and when I asked specifically if I would be paid for spaces, they said yes. When I started using their program I noticed that the line count for each job did not include spaces. I checked it with more than one program. I called them and they said there was a glitch in the program that would be fixed. It has been almost two months now and that glitch is still not fixed. My checks do not include spaces either. No one at the company knows what is up. I can't believe I am the only one at this company who has deduced that they are not paying for spaces. So, do you check your line counts to see if spaces are included? You might be in for a surprise. Man, I am tired of being burned when I am a reliable and honest IC. Maybe time to do something else. Thanks for listening.
What I meant by "making up" for not being paid for spaces was this.
I've been paid for spaces before but have had awful software (ex. - unable to refer to past reports, being down constantly, etc.) as well as no work situations and no pay for headers, footers, etc. Also, I've been assured of not running out of work. Based on the above, I accepted the position. Of course, if things aren't as described, I'll certainly look elsewhere. Other than the no spaces, everything sounds great - soo, gotta give it a try!
Yes I am happy, tho I'd be happier if I got paid for spaces - sm
I am very lucky I guess to have a good steady IC job, have about 22 hr TAT and take as little or as much work as I want (with notice). No minimums and can work whatever hours I want. Just have to finish all the work I am given whether it is 30 minutes or 90 minutes by the following mid-afternoon. Except for not being paid for spaces (I lose about $200-$300 a month due to this), it is very good and as close to perfect that you can get.
I just asked. We do get paid for spaces. If QA said that, they are wrong.
nm
Still need help on figuring what would be a good cpl if paid w/o spaces.
See my first message above. Thanks
Probably not getting paid for headers, footers, or spaces. Do you get
s
In orig. post; she did not ASk if paid for spaces.
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