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Reports with a lot of templates...

Posted By: MT on 2009-03-09
In Reply to: Would love to know what type reports - sm

and very fast dictators.  Also, the MTSO counts lines in an honest manner, i.e., caps, bold, underline, headers, footers, templates, etc.


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Here, here, I agree. At one time, I was even accussed of holding MY templates hostage. Templates
L
where they 35 comparable reports - or 35 short and 35 long reports? nm
x
Typing ER reports and radiologogy reports
are completely different with regards to pay. For typing regular reports, that is a very fine line rate. For typing radiology reports, it would be horrid.
Templates
The way I handle it is I try to figure out lines I type per an actual document minus the template part.  Then I would adjust my line rate downward to compensate, e.g., if my normal rate is 15 cpl, I would charge them 13-14 cpl OR instead of my usual count including spaces, tabs, etc., I would would try to figure it without counting them. I make clear to the client that there is no way to segregate the pre-printed lines and the lower than usual rate is a way of compensating them for it.  Another way to do it is how some hospitals and other MT companies are doing it - if you're using digital, charge by the dictated minute rather than the line.
Spaces or Templates/Pay or No Pay

Interested in learning what companies out there do not pay for spaces and/or what companies charge per report regardless of line length for use/nonuse of their crappy template?  For those of you who have worked for a company that charges for templates, was that information disclosed to you by the recruiter and/or contained in your contract? Any info (and opinions) in this regard would be appreciated. Thanks.  


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.
Yes, we are paid for templates.
NM
We can make templates
In Meditech you use the F keys for every little other thing, including their canned text which you have to hit, I think, F4, to pull it up. All the F keys have some laborious function but you can get used to it. As for templates, we do indeed create our own templates for the different dictators. The downside is that once you create one and it's there, you can't go back and edit it or change it, like when the doctor changes some wording and you want to edit it.

Mainly what I'm saying is, ask IT about the MT's creating their own canned text entries for templates. Use ShortHand or whatever Expander for everything else.

Our system used to crash a lot, too, but you could do a Recover and get it back. However, they've fixed that. Meditech doesn't have to be a pain, you can work it.
Good Luck...
You get paid for the templates too
NM
With the use of expander and templates sm

basically all the prep work it's definitely possible. 


Read this about VR, templates, etc.

Ok, our profession has been threatened and outright replaced by voice recognition and/or templates which is fill in the blank type forms. Here's what I have found upon interviewing the people at these various places.


Bottom line is by going with VR, you can get rid of the MTs but they are replaced with approximately 1.5 FTE in IT help. So fire 5 MTs, hire 7 ITs. They need people to babysit the computer generated reports with which they have chose to replace us. Same for templates. So if there is any medical provider out there reading this, just beware. You will spend more money by going with VR or templates than you ever dreamed you could save. I hope this does some good but please don't be fooled by these slick salesmen who sell you this VR or templatesoftware and charge a fortune for it. Not only does it take up more time from your physicians, but you will spend more money babysitting the computers and software than ever before.


Especially if you use a lot of expanders and templates.
Then, VR is definitely NOT WORTH YOUR TIME.  If you type 5 lines an hour or something, yeah, I could see it working out for you.  However, if you are a good MT, not so much. 
How about 0.03 per line for templates?
what templates, ones I make or their's. BS
You do get paid for things in templates...sm
Please e-mail me who told you otherwise.  Thank you. 
And no pay for headers you type or templates they add
/
Templates and word expanders
Figure out which abbreviations trigger an easy memory response. For instance, I've seen people put pn for pneumonia, but that just seemed to trip up my brain and so I put pne. Do you have doctors that use the same phrase over and over? For instance, nothing to indicate; that's nti. intrinsically and extrinsically is iae. no acute disease noted is nadn. You get more lines by typing (in the above example) 4 letters and getting paid for 22 (with spaces). I organized my templates by first 4 letters of last name and first 2 letters of first name - i.e., John Brown is browjo. (This habit started when I had a large hospital with 2000 doctors and this was the only way to keep them straight.) Then, if it's an H&P, it's browjohp; or discharge is browjods, etc. Seems complicated and you may find an easier way to catogorize, but once it's set in your brain, huge masses of data can easily be sorted through, accessed, appear on your screen, and half your typing is done for you.
companies that have lots of templates

Are there any companies that provide lots of templates and normals and a good rate per line?   This is my dream job, to find this company!


Templates are created by the IT people or

The MT usually does not have access to these things.  In my day, we had to put in a request and hope to heck they got it right.  Plus, we had to wait a while.  I think they're called dictionaries (templates) believe it or not.  It has been about a year, and I don't miss that system at all.  Clunky, slow, and lost many of reports due to it going down in the middle of typing.  Grrrr.....


Keystrokes and templates question (sm)

I see Keystrokes has an ad up on the job board.  I presently work for a company who fills in every possible heading that the doctor MAY dictate throughout the report and calls it their template for each work type.  They do not pay for any of these lines.  In some cases we are expected to delete headings if not dictated.  These deleted headings are now subtracted from the total line counts because they take the total number of lines in the template and subtract that number off the top of the line count.  Any missing lines would actually be subtracted from lines that the MT typed.  It would be so much easier for all involved to just let the MT type what the doctor says, headings and all.  I'm wondering how Keystrokes handles headings and templates?  Do they include them as part of the template or do they just let the MT type as the doctor dictates them?  If they are part of the template already, how are they counted or not counted? 


Also, what platform do they use and is it MT friendly?


TIA


MT SHOULD be paid for templates. Horrible MDI
x
The built-in templates for the ones you create
nm
lower pay rate for templates
Hi folks, Has anyone heard of getting a lower pay rate for templates? The company I work for is lowering their pay rates for what comes up as templates to 2 cents per line and say they will continue to pay the 8 cents per line for what we actually type? I have not heard of this before and was wondering if this was a common practice? Thanks for any feedback you might have.

Elizabeth MT since 2001
I worked for one company that did not pay for any templates.

The client had many templates. When I started I received pages of templates with the codes.  It was after my first paycheck that I was informed that the company did not pay for any templates.  You know they were charging the client full price and guess who was pocketing the profit?? 


You probably aren't paid for templates.
Ask your supervisor. And I hope you aren't using your real name. Good luck. I hope you find your answer :)
Anyone know of a company that uses a very easy platform with templates...
and lots of fill in the blanks? I am trying to find part-time work that doesn't require a whole lot of typing because I have pregnancy-induced carpal tunnel syndrome. I still have several months of pregnancy left and I still need to work, so my only option is to find work that requires a lot less typing! I am just happy that this CTS is usually only temporary! I do wear wrist splints and take frequent breaks during my shift but this provides little relief. If you know of companies that use easy platforms with templates, fill in the blanks, cut and paste, etc - please let me know! Thanks in Advance!
Line count involving templates
I need advice!! I am typing in a template that consists of 205 gross lines before any typing is done in it. The client isn't questioning the body of the template where we add the meds, past history, etc., but there is an area of a preprinted form that is added that consists of about 85 lines. The client doesn't want to be charged for this, as this is not part of the typing. How can I bill for this exclulding this preprinted form? I would have to get the total number of characters for the entire document including the form and divide by 65? Help!!
I don't know if this can be asked or not, but how does Keystrokes handle templates? (sm)

Are they prefilled by the platform and if so are they paid to the MT as having been typed by the MT or does the system subtract for the template? 


I have no problem not being paid for template characters; however, I have found (with a couple of services that I have worked for) that the platform (or client or maybe even the service) will fill in absolutely every heading that MIGHT possibly be dictated by the doctor.  We, as the MT, have then had to bounce up and down the template looking for the heading that is being dictated and in some cases, having to modify the template by extracting words to fit how the doctor is dictating that heading.  In both cases, the line counter was set up to deduct the characters from the ORIGINAL template (which we were not paid for).  If the doctor dictates a shorter heading than was prefilled by the system, we are essentially losing lines.  (I hope that wasn't too confusing.) 


It's just so much easier to type as the doctor is dictating and use my expansion program rather than jumping up and down a template.   I'm wondering how Keystrokes handles their templates.  TIA


Shine templates take too long to load sm
Isn't too bad if you can go straight into it and start typing, but the account I do you have to go in and fill/fix the template after it loads before you can start typing, so it can be time consuming.
The majority of places have you use templates and software platforms. Maybe someone can suggest a
s
ER Reports
Can you make a good living typing only ER reports with a national company?  Do any companies hire you just for ER reports?  Thanks.
Maybe that is why they only let you do a few reports a day but
nm
I believe they will get them to do op reports, in which
zz
I luv Op reports
:)
ER reports
Was there a posting on these boards recently about doing mainly ER reports?  What was the name of the company?  I cannot find it now.  Thanks.
Are the reports
in the accounts worse than what is on the TH test when you apply?

I have had years of proofing horrid accounts. :)

My really great fear is that I won't be able to get my line count. I HAVE to get my line count. I will be leaving a job with awesome benefits, retirement, blah blah blah, but I want to come back home with my children.

Sigh. If only it were easy.

Lynn
IME Reports
I need some opinions!! I may be typing some IMEs in the near future and am getting paid by the gross. Do you think that should also include the templates, or only what is actually typed??
IME reports
If I am getting paid by the gross line for these reports, do you think the line count should also include the templates? I have never done these before and some say it should, and yet that may seem unfair??
reports

I do radiology too, but I don't near anywhere close to 200 rpts per day.  Is that all plain films minus the MRIs, CTs, etc.?


They allow you 10 reports a day, I believe.
train, which I think lasts 2 weeks.  Not 100% sure if this is still the case, but that's what they were doing at one time.  The recruiter is very nice and will answer questions like this one.  If she doesn't know, then she'll get you the answers you need.
yes they can see reports at TT
Control S, quick find, highlight a job or jobs and click statistics. 
OP REPORTS
Absolutely yes. When checking the Lanier dictation minutes, the same amount of minutes was almost double in line count as compared to H&Ps. The other reasons posted below also play a part. Otherwise, why would be have Voice Recognition anyway?
rad reports
$1.20 at some companies but the work is low so if you get a lot of work for $1.10, you will make more.
Op reports
Try TRS - Transcription Relief Services.
ER reports
I've never seen a single one!  They're probably typed offshore since they're considered easier!
As an IC, 10 yrs exp. in all but OP reports
what would you say is a good wage for a 65 CPL?  I was thinking 10 CPL, but then I've been offered two jobs now at 9 CPL.  What do you think?
Reports.....
I also applied and got the same response, but I must point out that these are long IME's, 4-40 pages in length, so one report could take you a while to do until you know the full format and correct way of doing it. Stop bashing people and companies until you know the full story.
So if you have to fix the reports anyway, you still
@@
ER reports
ERs are my first transcription love.  I made a lot of money typing them and enjoyed the variety they offered.  The doctors dictate the same review of systems and physical exam repeatedly, and that's where you learn quickly to become one with your macros!  The reports are fast, unlike discharge summaries, for example, where there are frequent long pauses (i.e., a waste of your time) while the dictator lollygags and reads the entire chart while dictating.  ER doctors are accustomed to working on the fly.  If you can find an ER account, grab it!  You will love it.
ER Reports
Does anyone know of any companies who have specific ER accounts? Thanks!
Those reports
are going to be awfully hard to read without spaces.
I also have my QA reports, all of which are 100%, would YOU like to see them?
nm