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.

• Does your MTSO allow you to use your own - normals/standards? see message
  • I used to be a supervisor and we allowed all MTs to make their own normals, BUT... - KYMT
  • Like, how are they going to know (sm) - Yuki
  • Co I work for, large national, allows normals. Of course, you must listen - to report, but no big deal. They encourage that.
  • What is the problem. You do not have a "normal" unless - ??/
  • Normals/templates - Patti
  • You need to use them for production & to presvent repetative stress injuries. nm - How ridiculous!
  • My MTSO sends us normals for those few doctors - me
  • My company allows it....SM - Gatrans
    • Edit BP normal? - PT Cruiser
      • What is the difference? - Deborah

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as well as other locations outside the US

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.

whose workforce is predominantly Indian?  You're okay with the loss of American jobs, the falling recession we are in and the falling economy due in big part to the offshoring of American jobs?  How okay will you be when you lose your job to an Indian and you have to apply for food stamps and unemployment?

Sell-out MTs like you are the reason good MTs cannot make a decent wage anymore, why good MTs cannot find a good job anymore, and why sweats shops in third world countries are thriving.  How do you look at yourself in the mirror?

Focus Infomatics employs 800 American MTs and over 3000 Indian MTs.  Tech support is in India.  The company itself is still run by the same Indian man who started the company and sold out to Nuance.  He made a bundle when he sold and he is still making a bundle running the company while he pays his own countrymen and woman peanuts!  He's selling out his own people and you are selling out yours!  On second thought, I guess you belong at Focus with your own kind!

Line counts shouldn't be that important to them. 

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.