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I see job listings for experienced hospital MTs at 7 cpl subcontractor status.  Ladies and gents, don't take it. I hope  nobody applies for these jokes of a job.

Spheris purchases Heartland Information Services.. more to come later in the week

I am new to this board, but not to MT.  I have been doing this for 13 years with an acute care hospital.  We went home about seven years ago.  My problem is trying to get in my typing around my family.  I have a 5 yo, 3 yo and 1 yo and my husband is a police officer with rotating schedule.  The kids go to a babysitter three days out of the week and are home on the days my husband is.  My husband is on me all the time to make more money, keep the house in better order, plus take the kids to activities (gymnastics, soccer).  I don't have a problem with any of that, but when he is home with the kids and when I should be able to get more typing done than normal, I end up watching the kids when he is outside, sleeping or is just tired of them.  I personally want to take them five days a week so that I can get into a schedule better.  I feel now that I don't have a schedule because if I get up early, so do the kids and then hubby doesn't get up so I'm taking care of them.  I stay up late, but then the little one will start crying and then I'm back up taking care of him instead of typing.  I feel like everything is chaotic and hubby tells me it is because I don't have a schedule, but I can't make one unless he is going to commit to REALLY watching the kids.  Can anyone offer me some suggestions here?  I am just about ready to scream.  Thanks all.

Tami

On another unrelated board someone asked about medical transcription.  I mentioned that pay goes down instead of up because of offshoring reports and isn't the most secure job.  She came back and said she asked her teacher about offshoring and she said:  "They used to do that but they are sending it back to us now because what the clinics would have to do, is hire someone to edit them and then redo them so it wasn't working out.  They talk about it at every advisory board meeting apparently."  Hmmmm, okay.   

Just wondering.

Mine is "initiated."  It makes me nuts.  In 20 years, I have never typed that word correctly and I keep forgetting the expansions I develop for it.

What are your least favorite terms to type?

I typed:  CHIEF COMPLAINT:  "I was hallucinating."

I was corrected as:  CHIEF COMPLAINT:  "I was hallucinating".

Am I wrong here?

I have the need to go out and find some more private accounts. The one I have is too erratic to depend on, and I fear will dry up shortly.

What information should I put in the brochure? Do I just say "experienced" or list the local places I work for and have worked for?

Bright color paper to bring attention to my services or good business quality?

Send to the office or the office manager ?

I have so many questions. Does anyone have any good suggestions, or even samples you might be willing to share with me? I have always gotten work by word of mouth. All suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

I have many problems with express scribe.  Hard to explain, but it stems from stopping and starting the recording just one time too many, and the express scribe "freezes up" for awhile.  Sometimes I have to sit and wait for 2 minutes before it will play again.  I have uninstalled/reinstalled it - no help.  This has been going on for years and I am sick of it.  Sometimes I have to reboot my computer to regain control of it.

Anyone know of any other free players out there I could try?  Thanks!

What is the average lines per minute?  I know it is going to vary, but I just want what the average is.

TIA!

I read a lot of bad about SoftScript on here, but all of it was 2 or 3 years old. I'm wondering if anybody has any current information about the company they'd be willing to share. I've been talking to them about a job doing editing work and am curious to know if their reputation has improved at all. Thanks.

as Executive Communication Systems.   I bought a foot pedal from them that was SUPPOSED to be compatible with a particular program.  Right out of the box it didn't work.  Told me to send it back and they would repair it (shipping at my expense of course).  Received the foot pedal back and it will work for a little while and then won't work and I have to reinstall it.  They say the only way to unstall it is to unplug it from the computer.  I'm sitting right in front of the computer with a job open and the *$#*$!#@)$ pedal doesn't work.  I have asked to return the pedal (again I eat the expense) and get a refund and they refuse.  I paid $75.00+ for a pedal, had to pay nearly $9.00 to send it back for repairs, and now they won't give me my money back.  I can't even sell it to try to recoup some of my money, because I don't want to shaft someone like they did me. 

I'm going to file with the BBB and also my credit card company. 

Hi fellow MTs:

Just wanting opinions.  I find some days, my fingers/brain are really "on" with transcribing, but then I have other days, where reaching my line count is a struggle.  Obviously, I'd prefer to all "on" days and I'm wondering if any of you have suggestions on being "on" more than off.

Thanks in advance and happy typing!

Hi people :)

When MT gets very boring (which is most days for me), I have a few things I'll do to keep producing. Will you please share any games you play with yourself to crank out some extra lines (something more than "I need to meet the bills, and that keeps me in the chair").

Here's mine. I hope these will help. Please share yours!

• Try to get the % keystrokes saved in Shorthand higher than the last time I worked.


• Keep a timer with me - transcribe 20 minutes, clean home for 10, transcribe 20, clean for 10. Not a very productive way, but I use this when I am truly climbing the walls and nothing else works. Sometimes if I'm on a roll and the 20 minutes are up, I'll just hit the timer again and go for another 20 before the cleaning break. The break gets my house in order (amazing what can be done in 10 minutes - folded laundry and dishes running and so on), gives my wrists a break, gets the blood flowing.


• I find the times I have the worst trouble sitting there and working are the times when it's been a while since I've been out of the house. Getting out regularly helps working go much easier.


• Sometimes set a goal of a specific amount 300 lines or whatever is a slight stretch but can possibly be reached in an hour, and aim for that.


• A walk to the mailbox or other light exercise can help.


• I haven't tried a regular exercise break in the middle of the day (say a 1-hour break to reenergize and really get a good workout in), but if that helps you I hope you'll share.


• Try to get to half of my line count by noon.


• Get done for the day in time to watch Dr. Phil as a reward. :)

So many companies have different ways of sending and receiving work that I am a little confused.

I work for a local hospital. We used to send and recieve work via a DVT transcribe station and phone line downloading work from the Lanier system. Now we use Lanier VXP interface and player.

My question: Is the DVT transcribe station the same thing as a Lanier for Voice that some services state you need? Or is it completely different?

I had to pay mucho $$ for this station and don't want to see it gathering dust.

Does anyone know what the most popular program companies use for sending and receiving work? I notice ExText is mentioned quite often, but I seem to have conflicts all the time with that program shutting down on me for no reason when I'm in the middle of a document. I, nor tech support, have been able to figure out why.

I'm thinking of changing jobs as I am totally bored/sick of doing the same dictators  over and over again. I need something to perk me up. I'm also sick of ESL dictators, of which I seem to get more than my share during each day. Since I would rather give quality instead of quantity, I'm finding it harder and harder to get my line production every day.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

Throw me some suggestions. I've tried Weight Watchers but always felt like I was starving, so that's out. I tried counting calories but always went over the limit. Anybody with any good ideas?  I need to knock off about 30 pounds.

   ..... guess it's time to think about building an ARK!  

I just opened the mail and got a bill for approx 150.00 that my insurance company is denying. 

My  21 year old saw her gynecologist and was given a pap smear (paid) and as test called:

Chlamydia by amplified techology/GC by amplified technology.  Okay... I know this is a test for STDs. 

Haven't spoke to daughter yet but is this a test she requested or is this standard for this age along with the pap smear.  I'm just trying to figure out if I should fight with the insurance company or daughter. 

I am pleased.

I can't get anywhere on a line count, I cannot understand what they say

Are all MT jobs like this !!!!!!!!!!!

I AM SELLING MY DICTAPHONE C-PHONE AND HAVE LOWERED THE PRICE TO $130.00 PLUS SHIPPING.  IT WORKS GREAT AND WAS BARELY USED. EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED, INCLUDING THE FOOTPEDAL.  I ALSO HAVE (2) 9-PIN FOOT PEDALS THAT WORK FOR DICTAPHONE (NOT THE C-PHONE) AND ESCRIPTION, ETC. FOR $25.00 EACH PLUS SHIPPING.  EMAIL ME IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.  I CAN SEND PICTURES OF THE ITEMS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE SERIOUSLY INTERESTED.  THANKS!