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Instant Text on ebay - Posted By: Christina RTMT

I just found an ad for Instant Text SOFTWARE VERSION 1.11 & PRO III, diskette. I would've bid on it, except my laptop doesn't take diskettes. My desktop does, unfortunately I won't be working from that. Anyone, I thought it might benefit someone. Auction ends in 2 days, starting bid $1.99

Here's the ebay item 120269516862

Doctors are SO inconsiderate - Posted By: venting...sm

Just need a moment to vent...why are doctors SO inconsiderate??? This one doctor, which I happen to have been working on ALL morning, is so inconsiderate. She mumbles, shuffles papers with the phone in her hand, and generally just cannot be still while she's dictating...and to top that off, she will not dictate in any reasonable order. She never indicates when she's changing from history to physical to assessment to plan....UUUHHH...I am literally

!!!

what spell check do u use? Looking for something cheap... sm - Posted By: new mt

Just starting out and need a spell check program that will do drug names also. I am looking for something that will cover the basics for now and then when I get some pay checks under my belt I can get one of the big ones like spellex. My current employer states there are literally hundreds of medical spell checkers on the market and I should be able to find one that covers some drug names also...does anyone have any ideas or can name a few?? thanks

IC STATUS ?? - Posted By: kann

I am looking for a company to work part-time for but I have a full-time job - though the work has been low for months. I'd like something that allows me to work a few hours in the evenings 3 x a week and 2 weekends a month but most of these companies have IC positions. I was self-employed years ago and had to pay $5,000 off the top for self-employment tax. How does an IC status work as far as filing taxes, etc.? Thanks !!!

I just got a funny thought about the BOS - Posted By: MT234

If a boss were in the office should they put the BOS on the desk? (BOS = Bible of MTing). I am really being silly here, but there is another conversation elsewhere about the pros and cons of putting a Bible on a desk in the school. The BOS is getting about as controversial these days. I don't think it is to the point where it is used to intimidate totally, but there are certainly some mixed feelings about this thing. Do clients come before BOS... is the BOS the final word, or does JACHO have the final word. Do we put the JACHO guidelines on the boss' desk. Or what about the company manifesto (the MTSO we work for) which clearly does not state how they count our lines exactly and how benefits can be lost if not enough lines are accomplished. Now that is one book that would have to be banned from the boss' desktop.

Of course this is all moot. Most of us are remote. There is, however, the boss' desk in OUR MIND which is there in our subconscious day after day. We often wonder how that book changes, and if it is used for good or to intimidate. Just IMHO. As anything else power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, whether it be the BOS "bible," the JACHO quiz on site at the hospital about to pop any time on the employees, or the boss' ability to take away health or other benefits. Stinks in my opinion, but the way of the world.

Thanks for listening to my rambling. Just a little ditty from an armchair philosopher!

How do you learn when you know you are being trained wrong? - Posted By: Sad newbie

I am so sad. Right now I am a newbie and need to ger my experience in and learn from the bottom, but I think this is not going to happen and I will never be a good MT with any skills to get another job. I am currently employed with a company that has a QA manager that is not very good. She corrects my work with her own made up ways of grammar, drug terminology, etc. It is whatever she says, but when you tell her of her mistakes she won't listen and say just do it the way I say. If I stay here I will never be good enough to go to another company. Also, I will not be good enough to one day get hired by a national. What do I do when I am being trained wrong, but need experience. The people who hired the QA manager are clueless because they are not MTs.Therefore the QA person's word is the law of the land even when I know it is wrong. Help!!!

Working on my tax return and have a couple of questions, I'm hoping - Posted By: someone can answer! SM

First, A company I worked for briefly at the beginning of 2008 sent me two different W2. One lists all the pertinent boxes (wages, federal taxes paid, etc). However, in box 15 where your state and local taxes are listed, they have the wrong state. It is a state I used to live, but haven't lived there for the past three years. I definitely did not live there at all in 2008. The second W2 they sent list nothing in any of the boxes except box 15 where it lists the correct state, income, and taxes I paid.

So does this mean I paid taxes in a state that I didn't even live in? And if that is the case, do I have to file a return in that state? Or do I contact the company and ask they correct my W2?

I am using TurboTax to prepare my return. My second question is I have a 1099 from IC work I did in 2008 and after I enter the information, the software asks me for a business ID code on attachment form C for my "self-employment business." I have no idea what to put on this line. I looked at a list of the codes on the IRS website and there is nothing that is specific to medical transcription. There is a code for Data entry and then under legal there is a code for document preparation and stenotype. Those are the only two codes that even come close.

So which one do I use?

Oh, and have I mentioned, I HATE TAX SEASON!

dictaphone headset help - Posted By: Dawn

i usually work online with everything. i'm filling in using a c-phone for a friend. i can't get the headset to work. it's just speaker phone and nothing else. seems like i remember having to program my old one. anyone know?

I saw an infomercial (sp?) on LAP-BAND sm - Posted By: Chickadee

surgery. It sounds pretty interesting--a lot less invasive than gastric bypass surgery.

Has anyone here ever had it done? I wonder how expensive it is since I'm sure most insurance companies won't pay for it and whether or not it really works.

Chickadee

Do hospitals and MTSOs not care that - Posted By: wannie

we are dealing with people's medical records. Obviously not since they allow ESLs who can't possibly put together a whole sentence dictate patient records. If they can actually put together a sentence, they speak so quietly or with such a thick accent that they can't be understood. I am coming to dislike transcription so very much because of a few doctors who should probably go back to their country of origin to practice medicine. I don't think I will ever go to a physician who is an ESL simply for that reason. If I can't understand what they're saying, I certainly don't want them rendering medical care for me. Sorry about this, but just had to vent before I blow a gasket. I really wish Wal-Mart or McDonald's or scrubbing toilets paid more.

Fingerless Typing Gloves - Where to buy? - Posted By: Shaina

A friend MT, the lady who mentored me, told me to get some fingerless typing gloves (to protect from wrist problems), and that it's been years since she bought hers at a company that she believes was called "PAT Systems" but she couldn't find them online. Anyone know where to get these?

Thanks a lot!!!!!

symbols on job board? - Posted By: C.J.

Don't mean to appear dumb, but when looking at the job seekers board, what does a fire flame next to the post mean?

Rod Stewart! Wow! can you believe...He is 61 years old. Check this out! sl - Posted By: Lyn

rod

Some info on credit counseling vs bankruptcy - Posted By: Patti

This is just a heads up for those that were questioning about your choices. I was doing some research on a cancellation of debt form - 1099-C that I am doing for my ex-husband as he never paid me the $9720 he owed me and found on a web page that some of the people that are going through Credit Counseling now are getting 1099-C for some canellation of the debt from credit card companies. If they forgive this debt, then you have to claim it on your income tax as "INCOME" so think about this in your situation. If you are going through a counseling agency ask them if any of your accounts can give you a 1099-C for anything that they forgive you and the only way that they can't is through Bankruptcy. So that is another consideration when wondering which way to go. As for me, I have a signed promissory note signed and it is not a verbal agreement, was not in the divorce and he just never paid. So I get to put on 12 years of interest at 10% plus late fees and he will end up paying the IRS instead of me but I get a tax deduction of $3000 per year until the 21K is used up. So that is fine, he doesn't have to pay me and I will cancel out his debt, but Uncle Sam is not as forgiving as me. But I wanted everyone to be aware of this as it tempting to pay a credit card company only 50% of what you owe them but thing of putting that other 50% on your income tax forms. Patti

To Goldbird.............sm - Posted By: just my opinion

we were joking around about Bush being offshored......you chose to remove the posts....what about Sheri's Steadmans main post above all the posts about Embracing Offshoring? I respect both you and Sheri but is this hypocritical? I'm not looking to start a nasty war...it just seemed okay to post the jokes about offshoring Bush since I saw Ms. Steadman's top post about we should embrace offshoring (no way I'm embracing this as thousands of Americans continue to lose their jobs in ALL fields).

Thanks for taking the time.....

FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR:
I never said I "embraced" offshoring. That was someone else's words and I addressed this in my Sticky post at the top of this forum. I still do not agree with it, but I also see the reality that it's not going away. I see no reason to continue a pointless battle. As I said before, when all 3 of our credit bureaus are outsourcing our private financial information offshore then what difference does it really make regarding health information? Again, I fought the good fight, even getting a bill passed in my state, but alas the legal eagles got in the way and the bill was squashed before it could become a law. Since then, I continued fighting the onslaught of offshoring, but when I saw my own credit being able to be pulled up on computers overseas, that was when I realized that it was fruitless to continue pursuit.

If you have a joke to share, post it on the Comedy board. If you have a political point of view to share, post it on the Politics board. That's what they're there for. The Main board is not the proper place and these types of posts will be removed for no reason other than they belong on the appropriate forum.

Job site - Posted By: Lois

Does anyone know the site that is from A-Z with MT jobs posted? I certainly do appreciate your help.

I need opinions from experienced MTSOs please...sm - Posted By: AzMT

My mother-in-law owns her own business and I'm an IC for her along with two other companies. She just lost a pretty good size account to India. In the last two months, she has had two phone calls from offices inquiring about her transcription. They were referred by word of mouth from other doctors. In the past 20 years that my MIL has been doing this accounts have always been dropped into her lap (so to speak) and there was no effort involved on her part. I keep strongly encouraging her to follow up with the doctor or office manager and then drop by with some samples of work and just to introduce herself. I feel that she is not aggressive enough and has lost two accounts due to this. It could be rates too I'm not totally sure.

Let me give you the scenerio from the last couple days. Two days ago the doctor herself called and spoke to my MIL. Unfortunately, her grandson was screaming in the background, but besides that the conversation went well. The doc is very behind and needs someone right away. My MIL called yesterday to fu and the doctor was with a patient but the woman on the phone sounded glad to hear from her. There was no return call yesteray and my MIL feels she should drop it that she didn't get the account. I feel she should go to the office this morning and introduce herself and bring a few samples of her work and even pick up the tapes if it were to go that well.

I need help convincing her to follow through with this. Over the last 20 years things have changed and that MTSOs need to be a little more aggressive or the accounts will go to the next MTSO that is.

Please give me some ideas that I can share with her. Thanks so much!

Please sentence. TIA! - Posted By: Carole

Cardiac catheterization showed mild coronary artery disease, osteocircumflex in the late mid right coronary artery 20% disease, normal LV function. Does this sentence make sense?

Info on minutes converted to lines - Posted By: vera

Hi everyone. I have a potential job offer and two of us are going to split the minutes. Does anyone know what 100 minute's worth of dictation would equal in lines per day. I know there is probably a formula for converting this, but I cannot find my information that I used to have. Thanks

Looking for a tray for my keyboard... - Posted By: sunny

one of those that goes under the desk, slides out, and can be adjusted up and down for height. I had one when I worked at the hospital and would love to have one at home. Do any of you know where I could order one?

Digital Access Transcription - Posted By: changes

What can anyone tell me about Digital Access Transcription as a company? I searched the Archives and came up with nothing. I have not gone to the "other site" yet. Just wondering in looking for different companies and what they have to offer pros and cons.

thanks

Printing problems - Posted By: California

I recently went digital. My clients are getting set up to print the completed reports. I'm having trouble with one client and their printer that is printing out a little differently than what my printer prints. I use Word 2003, so do they, but our printers are different brands. I've downloaded their printer driver and set them up in my Word. Just wondering if their printer is going to print the files out correctly now that I'm saving their documents with their print driver? Anyone have experience with this and have a solution? I'd appreciate your input!

I have to say I am just sick over the recent round of school violence - Posted By: MOMT

My daughter's Middle School implemented some new safety measures this year. Visitors have to be "buzzed in" and when the kids go from building to building they must use their ID cards to enter the doors.

But one day my daughter forgot her clarinet and my husband took it to her. We are talking about a "country-boy" looking man carrying a small black case. A teacher and her class was exiting the main building and the teacher actually held the door for my husband to enter as they were exiting. She had no idea who he was. Scary.

Anyway, it seems the Amish shooter targeted that school so he could avoid the security measures that have been established in most schools in recent years.

My heart goes out to the families who lost and for those sitting at the bedside of the remaining girls. I hope and pray they will recover.

Thanks for letting me ramble. This has really been on my mind a lot lately

Setting up icons on desktop - Posted By: Suggestions...

�I have a page that I want to appear as an incon. How to do? Thanks.

Laptop - Posted By: latebloomer

Does anyone out there use a laptop for transcription?

question about computer usage...sm - Posted By: justme

Hey, y'all!

Do y'all let your kids/husband/family use your work computer when you're not using it? I do, and so far haven't had any problems, but I am just wondering if this is a good idea!

How many of you work split-shifts? - Posted By: mtgurl

For those of you who work split-shifts, do you like it better? Do you find yourself being more productive? I am thinking of doing this. After 4 hours, I just cannot make myself sit anymore. My butt goes to sleep, I get antsy...just wondering if anyone else felt the same way?

holy cow - Posted By: not a good idea

I type ortho all day. So for some reason, just for fun???? I decided to give myself a Phalen's test. (If you aren't familiar, Google it and you will find tons of info, picutres and instructions) Yow, I did not feel it at first but now I am all tingly in the palm and ulnar nerve distribution in my hand. Probably not a good thing to do when you still have to type another hour.

Don't try this at home....or at least when you want good use of your hands. Guess I need to review my ergonomic, or not so ergonomic, positioning of my equipment.

Dear thinking........ - Posted By: KAT

Could not resist bringing this to the top and to the attention of anyone wanting to get into this business. Be sure the following applies before even getting involved in an on-line course or any "schooling"

I did not read your original post - but you definitely hit the nail on the head as far as MTs go. Most that I have dealt with on these boards, as well as those I have worked with are either alcoholics, drug addicts, have numerous personal/personality disorders and problems and most are just downright crazy - I think that is the first thing that you have to be in order to go into this business. They do not work well with others and are constantly trying to sabotage their co-workers - even if they work at home. Stealing and lying are not beneath most that I have dealt with. I considered myself quite a normal person until I got into this field and now anyone will tell you that I am not that person any longer. I think that listening to the depressing reports about illness, surgery and death takes its toll on you after a few years and is somehow ingrained into your psyche. I don't know if it could be called an MT phenomenon or what - but MTs are definitely a breed of their own. For any child that gets a check mark for doesn't get along well with others - they should be directed to this field for their life's work. please take this with a grain of salt - I have not had my afternoon medications yet.

? for Meditech/Citrix users - Posted By: pdqtrans

Okay, aggravation. Still have dail-up. Had appt. to have cable hooked up tomorrow morining they just discovered today they don't run cable where I live, which incidentally is only about 3 miles out of the nearest town!

Typing in Meditech via Citrix metaframe. Due to current with delay from dail up I am typing body of report in Word and pasting into Meditech which has speeded things up a great deal.

I was planning to have satellite hooked up next week. Before I chunk out that money, I know satellite is very slow with a VPN and that the Citrix metaframe may work similarly.

Anyone out there working in Meditech via Citrix Metaframe ON SATELLITE without problems. I read that it can slow it down 50-75%?

Beware of computer virus. - Posted By: copying from politics board.

I got this email from a friend today and thought I would share it with you all.

*Emails with pictures of Osama Bin-Laden hanged are being sent, and the moment that you open these emails your computer will crash, and you will not be able to fix it!!!

This e-mail is being distributed through countries around the globe, but mainly in theUS and Israel.

Don't be inconsiderate; send this warning to whomever you know.

Confirmed at: http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/osama.asp

Origins: There are few headlines that would grab the attention of more computer users around the world than Osama bin Laden Captured, and that's exactly what whoever created this lure was counting on to snare unsuspecting victims who use Microsoft platforms.

Osama bin Laden Captured isn't a virus in itself; it's the text of a message that includes a link to a file called EXPLOIT.EXE. When a message recipient clicks on this link to view what he thinks are pictures of Osama bin Laden's capture, he can end up downloading an executable Trojan known as Backdoor-AZU, BKDR_LARSLP.A, Download. Trojan, TrojanProxy.Win32.Small.b,or Win32.Slarp.

Clicking the embedded link in the Osama bin Laden Captured message auto-executes a file called EXPLOIT.EXE, which exploits a known security hole to download the Trojan.

According to McAfee Security: The Trojan opens a random port on the victim's machine. It sends the Port information to a webpage at IP address 66.139.77.145. The Trojan listens on the open port for instructions and redirects traffic to other IP addresses.

Spammers and hackers can take advantage of compromised systems by using the infected computer as a middleman, allowing them to pass information through it and remain anonymous.*

CMT certification - Posted By: Dee

I need some help here please. I have been thinking of taking the CMT test but cannot decide. The company that I work for will pay extra for the certification but is it really worth it? I have been doing this job for almost 25 years, however, I worked for a local multispecialty clinic that did not have any idea about BOS, we simply typed what the doctor said and the format depended on each doctor. They phased out our department several years ago and I have worked for a few services so I have definitely grown in all areas and learned BOS. Can anyone give me the pros and cons of taking the test? Is it as intimidating as it seems? To me, one of the pros would be, after doing this job for so long, feeling like I really accomplished something in my field. Any opinions, pros, cons, etc., would be greatly appreciated!!!

TIA

Question about call-in dictation - Posted By: Medtyper

I was wondering if anyone knows of any call in dictation systems that do not utilize an FTP site to access the dictation. Is there any other way to access dictation using a system of this type.

headphone recommendations? - Posted By: ouch!

I am currently using the Koss Plug. I like how they block the noise but the design of them is hurting my right ear a bit, and I have not been able to adjust the bass well enough on my pc to fix the sound to my liking.

Can anyone recommend a decent pair of headphones for under $70, or preferably under $50? The $20 price tag on the Koss Plugs was great, especially since many people seem to like them - I will definitely keep them, but I just cannot use them 40 hours a week long term - ouch! In the meantime, I will keep fiddling with how I put them in to see if I can relieve some of the discomfort.

Thanks!

Webcam modeling for extra $? - Posted By: kelly

Does anyone here who works from home also do webcam modeling for extra money? I work from home as a MT and thought it might be a good idea to try out webcam modeling for some extra cash. I'm at home on my computer almost 24/7 anyways.

You know what really surprises me? - Posted By: C-msg

That some of these hospitals who had been "online" with their dictation the past couple of years haven't realized what a great opportunity they have to run their own virtual transcription departments now that they know how it works. There's a vast amount of talent out here they can draw upon with no distance boundaries with the ability to control the quality they receive back. They also would not necessarily have to provide equipment, only software. I'm honestly surprised the hospitals are not checking out this route.

Need help again - how do you download your autocorrect entries into a computer with only word and sm - Posted By: and not MS office - where do you put them?

nm

Line count question . . . - Posted By: Just curious

For those typing on acute care (I am only on summaries, HPs, and consults), how long does it take you to get 1000 lines?

Thanks in advance.

Noisebuster headphones ? - Posted By: Noisy Nora

Just got mine delivered and am wondering if any one else has them. I used them and I noticed that between dictations or when I'm not pushing the foot pedal, there is buzzing or humming, I don't know if this is normal. Anyone know?

VPN Connection - Posted By: Lilly

When I am working if I get a call I lose my VPN connection. After several minutes I can reconnect and pick up where I let off, most of the time. Sometimes I have to save my work and completely reboot in order to conneect. Does this happen to any one else. So annoying and time consuming.

The pt is layed off or laid off from her job? - Posted By: yet another brain freeze

gosh. I cant figure out anything today

Does anyone know anything about the Greenwood Lake area of New York? - Posted By: Lori

.

Who watched American Idol tonight??? - Posted By: AI fan

Cannot even believe that Bucky went home before Ace, Katherine, or Paris. Ace cannot sing at all! Bucky was not great, but it was definitely not his time to go!

question on ESP expander - Posted By: sm please

New to using ESP Expander (ExText ESP). Does anyone know how many entires (not characters) but entries I can put in a list? I know I can only have 2 lists open at a time. I rely very heavy on my shorts for transcription. Can ESP support a lot of entries? I know I can put a lot more in "normals" but find it too bothersome to put my regular phrases/words, etc there because of the way they make you retrieve them. Would anybody have any information on this? Thanks so much.

Shorthand versus Instant Text? - Posted By: mtmtmtmt

Pros/cons? Any info on either would be great. Also, if anyone could elaborate on how much they increased their lines using programs such as these. Thank you!

Any in-house MTs or MTSOs... - Posted By: Dr., Dr., Dr.

...or MTs who used to work in-house, have doctors/clients who want you to call them by their first name and insist on it. I'm in California, so I'm used to the first name stuff - though I was raised by "formal" parents who insisted that I call everyone by Mr. or Mrs. or Dr., saying I should do so even when I became an adult, particularly with customers or clients. But I still want to keep it professional...just my pet peeve I guess.

Anybody Know? - Posted By: Greener Pastures

I have an offer to work for a company called PMT Inc out of Scottsdale AZ. Does anybody know if they are good? Pay on time? Good accounts? etc. Please email me. Big decision for me. Would appreciate any input. Thanks

to diane in NY or other ICs - Posted By: sm

Really? if you are an IC for a company/service, they still considered as 'your' client? as far as stating what line rate we need, etc?

ExText Question - Posted By: Carol Johnston

I am hoping that someone can tell me if it is possible to have 2 computers networked together with one having ExText on it and the other not? It seems as though every time I try to network my 2 home computers so they can both have access to the internet at the same time it seems that I have problems with ExText so I just don't bother. But, if there is a way I would greatly appreciate hearing how.

Best digital system to buy - Posted By: MT Out On Her Own

I want to start my own MT business by getting my own private accounts. Tired of relying on others for work. Anyway my potential clients are in another state. What is the best system to get by which doctors could log dictations to my PC or a server? Any ideas? Thanks in advance for any help. I'm sure I can land the accounts -- just need a set-up that works.