KEYSTROKES - I can answer questions below (sm)

First ULD - be sure NOT to use ATT.  It is really not unlimited and ATT automatically changed me back to 10 cents a minute!  (Good thing I found out before typing all day).  You can use Charter or Com-Cast.  They did not have the other options in my area, so I can't speak to me.

Secondly, the hospital that required the report at the end of each day.  You put your minutes, mr#, and job# and e-mail it in to the person they gave you.  There is time consuming and hassle after working all day, but you just get used to it.  I have found no real easy way to do this.  At the end, just give total minutes, total reports, total lines.

I have not been here for awhile and just saw the posts down below.  Hope this helps.

• KEYSTROKES - I can answer questions below (sm) - mt
  • You can use ATT - CC
  • Could it be done in an Excel file and attached? - tnmt
    • what do you mean "toggle over." and what is your formula for adding it up? Help! - Moving on
      • I'll email you..but brief explanation below - tnmt

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I'm starting the job search process and am wondering about the company Keystrokes.  Can anyone answer some specific questions for me, please? 

1)  What platform do they work on?  Word, Wordperfect, internet-based?  How difficult/time consuming is the platform to work on?  Is there a separate demographics screen that may or may not be paid for?

2)  Do they use C-phones, Lanier, internet .wav files, etc.?

3)  Do they pay for spaces?  65-character or gross lines?

4) Do they do acute care, clinic accounts, Radiology, etc.?

5) PT/FT, IC/statutory status?

6) How flexible are they with scheduling?

I apologize for all these questions but I'm trying to narrow down some companies.  TIA

I know, work for a long time and tried asking questions, but they just beat around the bush and don't answer the true question that you presented to them.

Maybe it is kite flying weather where you are !!!

to here goes...firstly, I don't know about the platform, only that it is Word based. Secondly, I have many years cardio, and thirdly, no the test was not hard. Still looking for any answers to my questions above. Thanks in advance.

What if something happens and you cannot type the required amount per day (sickness, doctor app.,etc.)?  The two ladies who run Allegiant are truly willing to work with you and are very accommodating.  If I'm not able to work I just let them know as much in advance as I can, and I've never had a problem.  If you can't work in the morning, just work later in the day.  You're not tied to certain hours to work.  Your committment when working for Allegiant is 500 lines a day.  These two ladies are truly the best bosses I've ever had.  I try to be the best and do the best that I can and don't take advantage of them.  They recognize my effort, and everybody is happy! 

Are there many ESLs?  ESL ratio was one of my main concerns when I started.  There are a couple who drove me insane at first but QA helped me through them, and they're not a problem now.  If you can't understand something, you leave a blank.  You're not punished and you don't have your pay deducted.  I'm telling you....these gals are TOPS to work for!  To answer your question...the ratio may be 75% English, 25% ESL, maybe 80/20...I really don't know, not many and not difficult.

On average how many doctors do you transcribe for?  My account is a group of clinics.  I guess I have maybe 20 docs, but if one dictates several in a row I may only transcribe for two or three docs in a single day.  Most of the docs are family medicine, but I have an ob-gyn, a urologist, an orthopedic doc, and an ENT guy that I really enjoy.  The dictations are pretty much brief H&Ps or SOAP notes.  I have done a few simple OPs, some stress tests, and even an office vasectomy but absolutely nothing complicated.

Do you get to keep the same doctors or are you switched around a lot?  There isn't really any switching to do....you just do the docs in your account.  If work runs out I have a backup account, but usually by the time the work runs out I've reached my 500 lines anyhow and am ready to quit.  Work builds back up pretty quickly.  Right this minute at 10:37 pm EST there are over 200 reports in the system.

Do you ever run out of work?  Oops, guess I just answered this above!

Do you find the EMDAT system user friendly?  I had never worked on EMDAT before so of course it was confusing just starting out.  It's always hard learning a new system, a new account, new docs....When I first started I just made up my mind to devote some extra time to learning everything.  Nobody expects you to learn it all in one day and still meet your 500-line commitment.  It took a couple of weeks before I started to really become productive.  The hardest part for me was getting all my autokeys transferred from my old national into Word and then into Emdat.  Once I got that done it made things a lot easier.  I actually think EMDAT is pretty simple.  Doesn't have a lot bells and whistles.

Are you required to buy any software, etc.?  Up until last week the answer to this was no.  However, the clinic had a problem with us transcribing in Express Scribe (something to do with HIPAA regulations) so now we have to get our audio through EMDAT instead of Express Scribe.  EMDAT requires a propriatary foot pedal which I did have to buy ($103 total)

Is high speed internet required?  I honestly can't answer this.  I have Earthlink cable so it wasn't an issue for me.

Is all work IC with no benefits?  No benefits at all other than the privilege of working for 2 ladies who treat you fairly and with respect.  I've been around the block a time or two, and I feel so at home with Allegiant.  When I type my 500 lines and sign off I don't feel like I've been beat.  These gals don't harrass, they don't threaten, they don't pull any fast ones.  They just leave you alone to do your job.  I signed up for direct deposit.  Money has been there right on time!

Do they have full time work?  I don't know if by full time you mean 8 hours a day or 1200 lines a day.  When you first start the only thing you need to tell them is which days you will be working.  I signed up for Monday-Friday, 500 lines per day.  No specific time...just 500 lines per day.  I think most of what Allegiant has is clinic work so weekends aren't much of an issue.  If work gets backed up on Friday it will carry over to the weekends, so if you want to do some on the weekend there's usually some available, and when work is available it's pretty much up for grabs so you can help yourself and do all you want.  Work is slowest on Mondays, next slowest the other mornings, and picks up steam as the day and week go on. 

I wasted a lot of years working for a large national, stressing every day over QA, line counts, residents, poor sound quality, work schedule, and a dozen other things.  I'm really, really, really glad I found Allegiant.

except the offshoring.  To my knowledge, neither company offshores.   I guess the main difference between the two would be deciding whether you want to be an employee with benefits, or work as an SE (they at least take out FICA so you don't have to mess with the self-employment tax) with no benefits and deal with federal and state taxes on your own.  Also, MDI-MD still has some accounts that require a C-phone and unlimited LD, whereas with TT it is strictly wav files.   I don't think you would go wrong with either company.

I do not know anything about Keystrokes, but judging from the posts, it seems that a lot of people are quite happy there.

Not sure if this helps, but I wish you luck. 

Does FC have dedicated accounts, i.e.,  your own doctors versus a huge pool?

How much cpl for acute care?  Do they pay for spaces - 65 character line?

How many lines are required per day?

Are you IC or employee?

Good dictators?   Lots of ESL?

Do they require high speed connection?

Plenty of work?

Thank you for your time - not original poster, but looking.

I was called by recruiter and offered position, since it is the weekend I do want to call with a few questions I have.

Are there ASR/voice recognition accounts?

If you have to work a holiday, do you have to work your usual full shift?

Do you get paid for expanders?

How hard is it to get time off? Even just a day at a time?

What is an average length of training?

Thanks for any info!!!!

What kind of platform do they have for ER work? Do you need a second phone line? Also, are their schedules strictly Su-Thu or Tu-Sa or can you just work a couple weekends per month?  Do they have a pretty good health plan?

TIA!

I've reviewed the MQ board but I don't work there and I can't post on the MQ board, so I'm posting questions here.

1.  Is there any grace period about clocking in on your proposed schedule?

2.  What happens if there is no work when you're scheduled; can you make it up without hassle?

3.  Can an experienced MT consistently average 200 lines on MT?  What about ASR?

Thanks for your help.  E-mail me privately if you're more comfortable. 

But - all I can get is dial-up in my area.  Also I cannot work weekends due to family obligations, but I appreciate the information and most of all your time in getting it to me.

K

Hi,

Considering applying at Keystrokes: Do they provide the computer and foot pedal? How are they to work for in general? How flexibe are they with hours? Do you have to work a Tues. -Sat. or a Sun.-Thurs. schedule? Are you required to work any weekend hours?  How is their pay compared with other companies? Do they pay for spaces? What software do they use and is it user friendly?  Do they have benefits and if so do they have reasonable insurance? How often are they paid? Do they have a 401K or some type of retirement plan? What is their testing procedure?

I am looking to leave a well known national and am really afaird to make the jump, but saw their ad and good things on this board about them, so wanted to find out a little more before I applied. I just don't want to go from a frying pain into the fire, yuo know what I mean? Anyone out there who works for them at this time, please share your feelings and frustrations with me.

Thanks!

For all you Keystrokes MTs... What is the insurance coverage like?  Is it expensive?  How much PTO for FT?

Also, on their new ad for oncology and ortho MTs it says some are web-based, only need wav pedal... does it matter if you have Vista for these accounts?  Some of their other accounts state no Vista. How does the web-based platform work? 

Just wondering if anybody knows and would care to share before I contact them with these questions.  I hate to bother them when they busy starting new accounts, hiring new MTs, etc.  Any info is greatly appreicated.... TIA

Keystrokes contacted me early last week about employment and sent me all the pertinent papers to sign and return.  I faxed everything back and was told they would be getting an ID for me for the account I'll be working on.  I haven't heard anything else.  Should I be concerned, or does it just take awhile for things to get moving? I realize there's been a holiday too which slows things down.