Consistency helps
Posted By: MTDays on 2008-04-19
In Reply to: Word expanders?? - MT mom of 3
It doesn't really matter what you use, but find a pattern and stick with it. For instance, anything starting with yo I know is a hypo something (yot=hypertension, yok= hypokalemia, etc.). I start all my headings with an x (so hx= history but xhx=HISTORY:) My first use of Expanders was with an old program called PRD and since that is how I learned, I still use a lot of their patterns. In the case of PRD, you could enter your root word (say rev for reveal) and go through and add what suffixes you wanted (revd=revealed, revs=reveals). I have mine set up so that typing chf spits out CHF but typing chf2 will give me congestive heart failure (for all my acronyms/abbreviations, the number 2 afterwards will spell it out). For those that don't follow a pattern, you have to create one; in the case of a generic multiple word phrase, you might use the first two letters of the first couple words or in the case of a doctor's specifics you might call it SMITHPE (for Dr. Smith's physical exam).
You will find that it gets simpler with use and as you get more comfortable with it, the entries you make will be more intuitive and will become easier to remember. As I said, figure out a pattern you want to use and try to stay fairly consistent with it, and at least most of the words you enter will be easily recalled to your fingertips. Good luck!
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numerals used for consistency..so all is the same..
x
If only this policy was followed with consistency, now that would be new!
x
Consistency is the key. It is confusing to them if you are inconsistent.
nm
How long to get consistency in lines?
I have been trying to use an Expander for 2 years. My speed is between 150-200 lines per hour, 1100 to 1500 per shift, depending on the docs and type of report. None of the docs seem to say the same thing every time so I've been having a hard time. I have a slew of normals but must change them all the time.
I have hundreds of words and phrases in my expander, but I can't remember half of them or how they are abbreviated. The advisory gives me enough suggestions but I have to stop and chose one if I don't remember the number immediately.
I have the book Saving Keystrokes but part of my problem is that I'm not consistent on using abbreviations. My goal is 250-300 lph consistently. How can I achieve this without jepordizing the quality of my reports?
Don't say use macros. I have no idea how. I've been reading up on everything I can find about them, but it goes in one ear and out the other. I just can't figure them out anymore (used to a decade ago).
Any ideas or help here?
Have you talked to mgmt. about the lack of consistency?
Seems like mgmt would want to get all the QA on the same page, anyway b/c that is way too frustrating for the MTs to get conflicting requests all the time. Where I do QA we get mgmt emails all the time reiterating client requests and info to keep us all in the loop.
OJ is what helps me
I think it is the sugar in the juice because no one tells you that smoking digests food quicker (read that somewhere) so it will take longer for a person who stopped smoking to feel better after eating... So when I feel low I drink some juice... hope this helps
Thank you so much - yes that helps! nm
x
If this helps,
My Stedman's spell check accepts antiinflammatory. I read somewhere that we are we are not supposed to hyphenate unless the nonhyphenated word form is another separate word. I do not remember the examples they gave, but it did make sense.
What helps me...
I know it's a long list, but I have it hanging right next to my computer, and I review it every day, especially if I'm having an especially tough one.
The most destructive habit ..................... Worry
The greatest joy .................................... Giving
The greatest loss ................................... Loss of Self-Respect
The most satisfying work ......................... Helping Others
The ugliest personality trait ...................... Selfishness
The most endangered trait ........................ Dedicated Leaders
Our greatest natural resource .................... Our Youth
The greatest "shot in the arm"..................... Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome ............... Fear
The most effective sleeping pill .................... Peace of Mind
The most crippling failure disease ................ Excuses
The most powerful force in life ...................... Love
The most dangerous pariah .......................... A Gossiper
The world's most incredible computer ............ The Brain
The worst thing to be without ........................ Hope
The deadliest weapon .................................. The Tongue
The two most power-filled words .................... "I Can"
The greatest asset ........................................ Faith
The most worthless emotion ........................... Self Pity
The most beautiful attire .................................. A SMILE
The most prized possession ............................ Integrity
The most powerful channel of communication ...... Prayer
The most contagious spirit .................................. Enthusiasm
see if this helps you
http://health-information.advanceweb.com/common/editorial/editorial.aspx?CC=63718
Yes, that helps, thanks.
Not sure if this helps
Perhaps they gave you a generic contract or info sheet, you need to ask if you are to print and return or send back and they print. Also call in services charge per minute of dictation anywhere from 0.18 to 0.10 per minute of dictation. So more than how many lines, you need to know minute as if they are stuttering a lot or going through a chart and not dictating you will be charged for the minutes that they use whether dictating or not. What city/state are you in, will you be contracting out, and again find out if you have to print or they print. Sometimes the contracts that they send our are generic and do not specify which services you will be providing and you need to clarify that. So you need to ask a few more questions, also see if they deduct or penalize if you do not meet your TAT. But without know the above, to me it would be like throwing a dart at a dart board trying to make a bullseye.
Patti
thank you that helps...nm
nm
Thanks, that helps!!
This helps me........sm
I get up and wrap my arms around myself in a big bear hug as tight as I can to stretch out the back muscles. I bend over and let my arms dangle until my fingers eventually touch the ground, if you're one like me who cannot flat palm the floor with straight legs (my MIL at 70 could!). This really stretches out everything. I get a lot of relief in the neck by doing chin tucks to the chest and relaxing there for a couple of minutes.
This is a trick a PT told me...while sitting in a chair with your legs a foot or so apart, bend over with your arms inside the leg area and grab for the floor...this really stretches out the upper back.
I know what you mean though -my muscles will burn in my arms and shoot pains through to my hands. Hope this helps!
That helps a lot.
Thank you so much.
yes it helps a lot --
but do you plug Lanier into a phone line? I am not familiar with Lanier.
Not that it helps but...
Not sure if this is being used in word? However and FYI for those who might need it, if you type LEE and it expands, do ALT E and enter, which is for unedit and it will return to the abbreviated text.
yes, that helps
That seems like it would be very time consuming! I'm using a pedal now and can't imagine controlling my dictations without it. Doesn't that take away from a lot of typing time?
See if this helps
http://www.pcshorthand.com/sh10dnload.html#docs
Thanks, that helps. nm
no message
what helps me
Black-out drapes purchased at K-mart and a black sleep mask ($3 from a catalog) have been a tremendous help in getting/staying asleep when you have to sleep during the day.
Hopefully this helps! (sm)
Turn on or off automatic bulleted or numbered lists:
On the Tools menu, click AutoCorrect Options, and then click the AutoFormat As You Type tab.
Under Apply as you type, select or clear the Automatic bulleted lists or Automatic numbered lists check box.
helps very much
and i just asked for a raise so im sitting here twiddling my thumbs... so nervous!!
i live on the west coast, so things are NOT so cheap here... but im thinking of moving to the south to be able to pay off my credit cards...
i really appreciate your honesty and help!
and go to the doc anyway if something is wrong!! :)
See if this helps
This is a VA account? The VA pretty much expects contractors to pay their workers. If you're not working for this woman any longer, you might try complaining to the facility that you have not been paid. Try calling purchasing and contracting, as well as the chief of HIM. You can get the main phone numbers on the VA website--just Google it.
See if this helps you
This is a site I find helpful and turn to often.
http://medicaltranscriptionwordhelp.googlepages.com
maybe this helps......
My computer has 2 holes for the headphone set:
One is in front of the modem and one is in the back of the modem.
Put your hedadphone into the hole in the BACK of the modem.
Thank you! This helps. And thanks to everybody.
Great suggestions.
thanks, that helps a lot. NM
x
Don't know if this helps...
... but here is a shot of my left hand, on the keyboard, in its usual typing position. (The right hand is holding the camera.) It's hard to tell... but hopefully you can see that my wrist is absolutely flat, and my hand comes straight off my forearm without any angle to either side.
Because I have a curved keyboard, the wrist rest is an Imak Ergo Beans beanbag, which of course conforms to any keyboard. I picked it up at Office Depot for pretty cheap. The keyboard is the Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000 which costs under 20 bucks and has pretty decent action. The curve is actually pretty slight---but it's JUST enough to straighten out those lateral wrist angles that first gave me tendinitis back in the old typewriter days.
What you can't really see is that the heel of my hand is resting on a wrist-rest, which is at a height that keeps everything perfectly level. And what you can't see at all is that my forearms are basically parallel to the floor, with my elbows tight at my sides. It took a good bit of chair and desk height fiddling to get this combination right; but believe me, it is WORTH IT!
Anyway... see what you can do to get your wrists into as neutral positions as possible, both vertical and horizontal. And do try wrapping with an Ace bandage--even if only at night, to keep yourself from sleeping on it "wrong." (I do that from time to time. Not fun.)
Best of luck, and keep us posted on how it goes!
Thank you so much...it helps, even if you're not my QA! nm
x
One of my fav. mottos is Just Do It! It really helps me. I just DO IT! nm
nm
Hope this helps...
I have a Stedman's 3rd ed. (2003) that I purchased new (still in plastic) off of Amazon for $22. I like the HPI books, but I have never used the psych one, so I don't know how much difference there is, but I do know you can get the Stedman's cheaper than $36. Another book that I used a lot is the PDR Drug Guide for Mental Health Professionals 2nd ed. I bought it at Books a Million. I don't use it as much now since I am familiar with the meds, but it was great when I started doing psych because it only has the types of meds related to mental health in it. Check ebay and Amazon for books. They are SO much cheaper. I have bought almost all of my ref. books that way. Good luck! I love doing psych. 
Hope it helps
http://forum.mtstars.com/main/v/1/14507.html
Thank you - that helps immensly
Thank you. That definitely helps me a lot. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I am happy where I am and if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?! Plus, I am in a position where I can extend myself a bit and make more where I am, so not sure the switch would be a great idea.
Thanks again!
It helps if we know the whole sentence
x
Hope this helps
I buy all my stuff from Majestic Mountain Sage. They, and many other links, are on this site. http://waltonfeed.com/old/soaphome.html
that helps tremendously..thank you both!
nm
In the same boat if it helps...sm
It is a whole new ballgame out here finding an MT job... I could have written your post... same story. If you find something good, better stay put!!
Hope this helps, sm.
I don't know exactly how to do it, but I think the file is called Web Correct. Here is a website for some folks who can help! They are wonderful with technical questions like this:
http://www.productivitytalk.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1805
Hope this helps!
running a fan helps too
It drowns out the rest of the noises while everyone else is up and about.
Hope this helps
Yep. I had 2 scares within 2 weeks of each other. Found blood on the tissue very similar to when I start my period (I was 8 weeks and 10 week both times it happened). Hubby rushed me to the ER and after blood tests and ultrasounds I checked out OK. I'm now almost 18 weeks along with baby #3
I also had this with my son (second pregnancy) about 7 years ago. I happened almost every week. I carried him to term with no additional complications. And, with both of these pregnancies the bleeding ceased once I was out of the first trimester.
Hang in there.
That helps a LOT, Elaine! Thank you!
x
Hope this helps
You're going to need to be in "heading" when you number your pages (sure you already know that). When you are in your heading, a toolbar should pop up called "Header and Footer." This toolbar has an icon on it that looks like a piece of paper with a # on it. That is what you use to insert the page #. It should number consecutive pages 1, 2, 3, etc., unless you manually go in and create a new section (Insert Page Break, Section Break Type--Next Page). If you inserted that type of break, a new section would be started at 1, 2, 3, with new headings if you wanted them.
One thing to look out for--when you are in your "heading" section, a box is visible around your header with a broken line around it. Sometimes it will say "Same as Previous." That means, even though this might be a new section, you are telling the document to keep the header information from the previous section--which will really mess up your pagination! To get rid of that, roll your mouse over the "Header and Footer" toolbar until you see the icon "Same as Previous." Make sure it isn't highlighted.
Hope this helps and isn't too confusing for you. Good luck!
I hope somebody helps me out. SM
The two-space thing was for typesetters and typewriters. With today's proportional fonts, it is no longer necessary, and in fact leaves a "river of white" through a document. <--- this is from memory. I wonder if the BOS says so?
Me 'n' my big mouth. I can't document it without leaving this website and going to google. :)
Hope this helps.
You need to belong to get your CMT (ka-ching!). You have to pay for the honor of taking the test (ka-ching!). You have to pay yearly dues (k!). You have to maintain your continuing education credits. You have to pay to renew your CMT (k!).
The cost is significant. The payback, unless you want to pursue a higher calling of being on AAMT boards/leadership, is basically nil.
I've worked in supervision/upper management for 3 nationals who really didn't care if I had a CMT or not. I've served on AAMT boards, so I've seen both sides of the game.
I will never again align myself with an organization that has so little vested interest in my success, and overtly works to take food off of my table.
It helps you regroup!
 I would have to agree that even a newbie would know to spell check their resume. If they do not, then they don't belong in this field. I have to admit that there are many "Americans" that do not even know how to fill out an application. I say money is not everything. I just landed a position with a company that is not paying the most, but guess what? They are friendly, the hours are great, they all speak English (no IS ESL people). If you think transcribing an ESL is difficult, try learning a new system from one????!!!!! I applaud you for venting. Your post is nicely said. On the other hand, be explicit in your recruiting! Do not post "nicey-nice" advertisements, and then believe you will get the best of the best. Most MTs in this online setting know that not everything is rosey, no matter what the company is offering! It is tough out there, but not just in transcription! Take care and good luck in recruiting great staff (that can spell)! haha
hope this helps a little -sm
Maybe you should let things ride out. She may realize that she is not able to do the work and get frustrated and quit. You know how starting new jobs and be horrible.
I would just go with the flow and see how things pan out and then talk to someone if that doesnt work.
Ask for samples. It really helps to see what they are saying. sm
Most ESLs say the same things the same way, over and over. You just need to see what they are saying. Then you get it.
This is specific and helps.
nm
Use, it, love it, it helps nm
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