Can anyone recommend any good acute care reference books
Posted By: ??????? on 2006-02-15
In Reply to:
I am thinking of changing from clinic to acute care transcription. Can anyone recommend any good reference books that I should have? TIA
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You will spend a lot of money on acute care books because there are many that you need sm
since acute care covers ALL specialties in a hospital setting: Neurology, cardiology, nephrology, psychiatry, gastro, urology, ENT, infectious disease, orthopedic, ophthalmology, orthopedics, podiatry, laboratory medicine, some pathology depending on where you work, OB/Gyn, pulmonology, and maybe some others I am forgetting.
Stedman's has a full line of reference books for EACH specialty and each book can cost between 38.00-42.00 or more.
To be honest, I have all of them, but don't use them very much since Google and search engine websites offer more up to date answers than any Stedman's who can't compete with the internet. Good luck! Acute care is fun!
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention - emergency medicine!
Now do you know why radiology transcription has a dept. unto itself? LOL
What would be the best way to go about getting good at acute care
(particularly ops) when you only have clinic/ER experience. I've got 10 years of experience but none in acute care and I'd like to expand what I can do. I don't have much extra disposable income so can't see taking any formal education at this point, but can you give any other suggestions? I know I can just read up on stuff, but there's just so much to know that I don't really know where to begin! I'm also very wary of just jumping in at a big national. I guess I'm worried that I've done the same types of reports for so long that my terminology beyond that would be too rusty. 
Thank you!
FYI I HAVE reference books, but in case you hadn't noticed, thing change a lot faster than BOOKS
I was simply asking for suggestions of other places on line that I might look for the latest info, especially considering that my work is on the internet, what the hell is wrong with trying to be more productive and efficient?!?! Good Grief!!
Wow! Sounds good for you! BUT, are you acute care.
I don't think they are going to give clinic MTs 9 CPL. What office are you out of? Do you really think you can do 16,000 per pay period? Sure wish I could, but don't think that will EVER be the case. With 100 doctors, there is no such thing as a 'normal' as far as I can see! Seriously, good for you!
8 cents with spaces not very good for acute care ic sm
clinic work maybe okay for 8 cpl
When I applied looking for acute care, Jane told me it's 70% clinic and 30% acute. nm
s
I recommend Gregg Reference Manual for
There are many other good books out there too. It took me months in medical transcription school to stop making the same punctuation mistakes over and over again. My teacher told me repeatedly, but sometimes it just takes awhile to sink in, so you might be better off taking a class or reading a great book on the subject. There are also a lot of websites to help with that sort of thing if you want to Google it. Have you looked into joining AHDI (formerly AAMT)? I believe they offer help from mentors.
Needing to invest in a new Drug reference... what do you recommend? THANKS! nm
nm
Reference books
I use my pharmaceutical word book most often, then Stedman GI/GU & Stedman Equipment. I have a used 2004 Pharmaceutical word book (Drake & Drake) if you would like it.
Reference Books
Good reference books (and abbreviations book!) are a must also. I Google a lot, but I really verify with my BOS and my Stedman's reference books. Agree with other posters. Stedman's Medical Speller a definite must have for me.
Reference books
I have many, many books, but use fewer and fewer of them as I find good internet sites - it is much faster for me to look up something on a website than to pull out the books all the time. I would say that I use my Dorlands and my Webster medical word books more than any others, though.
new reference books
I am in need of reference books and looking at Stedmans Medical and SUrgical equipment book. I see the fifth edition is out, that must be the newest edition?
Also looking at Stedmans Ortho word book, fifth edition but dated 2005. Is this too old to consider purchasing? How do you know when a new edition will be coming out?
Thanks
reference books
When I look up a term in a reference book I use a highlighter pen to highlight the term in the book. Like Lucy said, the act of just doing something like writing it down or highlighting the term helps me remember it.
What are the must have reference books?
I'm wondering what the must have reference books would be to start out with. What are your faves?
Best reference books to get
I am going to buy some reference books to have. Can you all help me in getting the ones I need. I will doing a variety of reports...cardiology, radiology, emergency departments ect....
I appreciate it!!!! :)
Reference books? GOOOOOOGLE. :)
Opinion on reference books.
I am a newly graduated MT and am beginning the job search. So far so good. I got a 98.2 on the first test I did and it was long! That was a real confidence booster, too bad they are not hiring immediately. I am reallizing that I will need to invest in more books.
Which books should I absolutely get the newest versions of and which would it be okay to get slightly older and cheaper used ones?
Query: How many have reference books and how many?
Wondering if I should expand my library.
Reference books and Google
Google is not always accurate either!!!! In my 7 years as an MT, I find it taking way too much time trying to find the correct spelling of referring physicians or primary care physicians online, especially if you have no clue as to which city they practice in, and when they dictate all these physicians names they want a cc to go to. I also would just like to add that maybe QALady should consider taking the word "Lady" off the end of her name. Obviously no one will ever be as "perfect" as you and I feel for the man you're married to, if you're at all married. If you complain about a few MTs, don't refer to all MTs, do your job, provide feedback, and if those same MTs continue to be sloppy, then the supervisor isn't doing his/her job at all. I'm a firm believer of shame on me once, maybe even a second time, but no more than a second time for the same mistakes. I welcome feedback and print every single report I have had a blank on for future reference. Sloppy may describe some, not all.
I seldom use the reference books...
or the software my company has provided us, and I have some nice reference books. I use Google with good results. I personally won't invest another dime in reference materials if I can help it, just not necessary.
How often do you replace your reference books, or (sm)
do you all strictly use medically acceptable internet sites for research now? I've been using the internet a lot, but I'm thinking of getting a new Surgical Word Book. Wondering if it is worth my $50 to do this. Thoughts? Thanks in advance.
I, too, remember lack of reference books. I'd tug on sm
the doctors' sleeves to get answers to my questions, or I'd go to the OR and look at product boxes for proper names. I wouldn't trade a minute of it, would you?
use resources means to use reference books or - sm
look up things on-line to research, like google. A lot of times you can figure terms out by putting in a few of the words you can understand. Being able to reference well is key to being a good transcriptionist, especially when you are doing a new specialty. The company you are testing for should have told you how they wanted blands left, some want just _____, some *, or maybe a highlighted line. I would just go with a ___ if I were you. Type it all up, then go back over it with just your speakers on (no headphones) and sometimes that helps you pick up words you did not hear before, also change the speed, slow them down if they talk real fast, or speed up of real slow, you get the idea. Fool around with it. Tests stink, but when you are a total novice they are really rough. Good luck.
Do MTs bother to use their reference books or the internet? SM
I just wonder because I am so sick of correcting reports where the MT has obviously just guessed at what is being dictated or what she heard rather than taking a minute to crack open a freaking book or at the very least Google it.
QA is a resource not a freaking safety net for MTs who can't or won't do the job they were hired for. Part of the job description for medical transcription is to be both productive AND accurate! Nowhere does it say, if you don't know, just guess or if you don't know, just leave a blank -- don't look it up or use the internet -- just leave a blank.
While I'm at it, let me just say to all the MTs out there who have being "doing this for years" and don't think they could ever possibly make a mistake -- YOU ARE WRONG! To the MTs who use "that's how we were told to do it at my last job" as your battle cry -- THAT IS WHY WE HAVE A STANDARDIZED REFERENCE BOOK CALLED THE AAMT BOS!
I don't care how you did it at your last job. I don't care if that is what you thought you heard. I don't care if your spell check didn't catch it. And I don't care how long you've been an MT. You should have known how to spell it, you should own a reference book, you should own a copy of the BOS, and years of experience in no way replaces a good solid education! Finally, you should take the time to educate yourself, look things up you aren't sure of, and just plain care about the content of your work -- not just how much of it you can get done.
 << Getting off my soapbox now.
Reference Books versus software
I am running a poll here. How many prefer to use reference books over software programs and vice versa. Does using one or the other assist in your production? I am just getting back into at-home transcription and am wondering which, and what, to purchase. TIA
If it was a clinic, it might have been urgent care, but it was NOT acute care. sm
Acute care refers to work in an acute care setting, a hospital, doing at least History and Physicals, Discharge Summaries, Consultations, Surgery notes, Emergency Department notes, and much more, including GI procedures, Cardiology procedures, Neurological procedures, Pulmonary Function Studies. It goes on and on and it means and acute care hospital setting, not a clinic.
I'd send you my hardcopy books, but here's an online reference.
http://www.grammarbook.com/notgrandmasgrammar.asp
The site states that it's only in recent times that the quotation marks come outside the period, essentially because people are too lazy to follow the "proper" rules. I'm no old lady, but I was taught not to be lazy just because the rest of the world refuses to follow the rules.
Reference books/sites for breast cancer (sm)
I just started with a breast cancer surgeon. I am wondering if anyone can recommend some good reference material for this. Thanks.
I prefer software as opposed to looking it up in reference books...
I like the Stedman's word books software that you download on the computer and when you want to look something up you just click a button versus getting the book out and looking for it. I seems much quicker to me.
1/2 rad and 1/2 acute care
Does anyone have an acount where they do some radiology and some acute care? Do you get paid differently for rad/acute care on this account? I get paid the same and have one radiologist that slows me down considerably (I transcribe for 2 radiologist alternating weeks). I make 1/2 with him than what I would make doing acute care or the other radiologist.
Acute care
Can someone please explain acute care setting in detail?
Yes, and also known as acute care. (sm)
To me, the next thing would be OPs right after doing radiology, because you have lost most of your drug names by now. But it is hard to break into OPs, especially exclusively. You would also likely do well with (office) orthopedics or gastroenterology. I'm not saying you can't do acute care, but you would want to be in-house with a mentor nearby for the easiest transition. The drug names and all the various mispronounciations will be a thorn in your side.
I do know that the acute care...
would benefit me in the long run because I would have more opportunity to learn more. I currently do not take on the variety of work that you do, hence, the boredom. I only do discharge summaries on a regular basis and just started with consults and H&Ps. I have yet to do any regular workload of OP reports, etc.
I have always been interested in the psych field. Maybe that is why I think that I would be more interested in doing the transcription. Also, yes, I am on the hardest account we have. Thanks for the input though.
Acute care, 0.07 and 0.075....maybe??
I was hired making 0.08 cpl doing acute care for a national right out of school. Personally I think your numbers are a little low compared to what I have seen out there.
Acute Care & QA
I guess that is where my problem lies. If I send a blank to editing/QA, I do not get the corrected report back so I never know what was filled in for the blank. Obviously, that hinders the learning process quite a bit. Since I have only worked for 2 companies (the first one I could view my corrected reports, second one not), I am wondering if this is the norm.
how many lph on ave is everyone doing in acute care? sm
i know there are lots of variables. i am just looking for a general idea of about where most people average, lph. TYIA
Acute care is
all the basic work types found in a hospital, H&Ps, consults, discharges, op notes, cardiac reports, the whole shebang. The work is so varied and you get to touch on just about all the specialties, especially if it's a larger hospital.
acute care
Just to clarify, in no way did I mean that as an accusation that she was misrepresenting herself. I wanted to make sure she knew the difference between acute care and clinic work, as she seemed new to the world of transcription outside her experience with her doctor for the past 3 years.
Acute care...nm
.
I would go with acute care, only because
I have a short attention span and doing clinic notes day in and day out would put me to sleep. It is bad enough when I get a bunch of monotone dictators, but it helps when they talk about something other than GERD and immunizations. JMHO.
acute care........
acute care
I started with a company back in June of last year as a newbie. Due to a terminal illness, the owner sold the company in August. The company who bought the business kept me on, which I am thankful for. When I hired in with the original company before they sold out I transcribed clinic reports for a general surgeon who was an awesome dictator. When the other company bought it out they said they no longer had that account and put me on acute care. A huge hospital with tons of doctors. A lot of ESLs. Doing everything from H&Ps, consults, op notes, discharge sum., cardiac caths, sleep studies, etc. Needless to say I was lost. I am so thankful for the opportunity but isn't this a bit much for a someone with not much experience. Anyway I came to find out later I was lied to and they still had the clinic account but gave it to someone with much more experience than me just because they didnt WANT to do acute care. Now since I know they still have the account they let me do leftovers and use me for when no one else is available to do the clinic account but otherwise I have to do acute care. Shouldn't a company give accounts based on the exp. level you have not what another MT wants to transcribe? I think I should have gradually worked my way up to an account like this acute care account. It is a very difficult account which slows down productivity a lot. That and I am only making .065 cpl. Which I know I have to start somewhere. But on an account like that it is hard to make any money. I don't have a lot of experience with companies but have you ever known a newbie to do a difficult acute care account when there was more appropriate accounts available?
Acute Care?
Subject: Acute Care?
I have been applying for jobs but all or most of them say Acute Care experience. I am not sure what that means? I have been with a small company for almost 3 years now and type several different docs for them. What is acute care? Sorry. May be a dumb question but this is the only place I have worked since I started transcribing! thanks.
acute care
I could be wrong but I think acute care means you have experience transcribing the basic 4.
You can try searching "what acute care means" here on these forums. Just type it in the search box up above.
acute care
It means you have experience typing hospital reports, i.e., discharge summaries, H&Ps, consults, operative notes, and the like. If you type doctor's office notes that is considered clinical, not acute.
Acute Care?
What about in hospital acute care patients? Will all their records also be generated via EMR or is that the plan in the near future also?
Unfortunately, they do not have acute care.
It baffles me that my experience does not seem to even be considered. I am a quick study and I learn and retain well. I really want to expand my horizons and I am open to suggestions. I am a good Transcriptionist with 99.8% accuracy and I am motivated, yet I just keeping running into wall after wall. Would testing on company websites be helpful at all? I don't want to waste my time, but I am almost desperate.
Rad Vs Acute Care
I've done both and, to be honest, I think it depends on your dictators, their use of normals, the length of the reports, etc. I've had rads that will blather on for 12 minutes (yes, 12) on an essentially negative CT abdomen and pelvis. And it's not 12 minutes of dictation. It's 12 minutes of start/stop dictation, with lots of pauses and dead air time, which is a total line killer. I've also had rads that have a normal for this type of report, have it blown in, fill in a few blanks, and wrap it up. I've also had dictations that show up as a 6 or 7 minute total time dictation, only to find the first 3 minutes are actual dictation, the rest of the time is "Transcriptionist, go back up and where I said...", and proceed to spend 3 minutes changing the first 3 minutes of dictation (always a delight). In an 8 hour shift with the right dictators, I can slam out about 1900-2100 lines of straight transcription in Rad; on the other hand, I've had 8 hour shifts where, depending on the dictators, I've been doing good to eek out 1400 lines.
Having done both rad and acute care, I'd say it's a crapshoot as to which one actually pays more. There are a lot of variables with accounts and it's difficult to really differentiate which of the two would pay better. It all comes down to the account...doctors' style of dictating, usage of normals, ESL physicians, etc.; the same things that impact one's line count on an acute care account.
Good luck to you. I really think with the right account, you'd see your line count increase dramatically.
I did rad then acute care...sm
Did Rad work for about 4 years then switched to acute care elsewhere. I worked in-house for about a year and that helped me a lot. As GothMT said, it was overwhelming, but now I definitely prefer acute care.
Do you do acute care and
there are people here who tell you the certificate is not worth much, employers are wanting experience. It would seem if you are working 2 days in the transcription department, what is wrong with working more or do they not have any more than 2 to keep you occupied?
Can you apply for both acute care and rad at MQ?
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