Couple of hints.
Posted By: FIFO on 2005-08-05
In Reply to: How can you tell if you're being assigned certain jobs or not? sm - suspiciousMT
ANYBODY assigning work to MTs is a bad idea. Whenever human intervention is introduced there is the potential for mischief and abuse. Even if the person who starts the practice of assigning work is an honest broker, there are no guarantees that that person will be there next week doing it. People often tend to exercise what power they have, big or small, to advance themselves and/or stifle their rivals/least favorites. Nothing beats letting the machine assign jobs, oldest first.
The following does not address the issue of MTs finding a way to reject jobs they don't like. Most of the systems I have worked on have disabled that capability.
It may be obvious that there are two basic methods of large-scale cherrypicking/assigning work: 1) Assigning all the good dictators to "somebody", leaving all the bad dictators for "somebody else"; or 2) assigning all the bad dictators to "somebody else", leaving all the good dictators for "somebody".
The main indicators of cherrypicking that I look for are large gaps between job numbers and/or dictation times that don't seem to fit.
Example: Last 3 job numbers were 13605, 13610, 13618, and 13630, and were all decent or a mix of good and bad dictators, but current job number is 14221 and it is a crummy dictator. Especially suspicious if more crummy dictations follow.
Another example: Dictation time of last 3 jobs indicates they were dictated on 1st shift but then suddenly you start getting dictation times from 3rd shift and the dictator(s) is pretty bad. What happened to 2nd shift's dictations?
Basically it's about irregularities in the pattern of jobs you get.
As you suggested, it may be that the in-house MTs get an incentive bonus or just don't like doing all those crummy dictators so they casually assign themselves the good work.
My experience is that MTSOs typically do not want to deal with "crummy dictator" issues. I've never known of one--or anybody else in the medical field for that matter--that has shown any willingness at all to try to help a crummy dictator improve his/her dictation skills or to find any other solution to this enormous problem.
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Hints and tips ...
First, please do NOT even use the term FAILURE to identify yourself in anyway. NO ONE doing this job is a failure, period.
You state you do not use any normals or standards because everything MUST be typed from scratch. Is that "must" coming from your employer or because you don't see a way to do it with the changes you have to make?
I don't often have to use a long "normal" or "standard" such as an entire exam or review of systems, etc. I use word expanders, autocorrect, shorthand, etc., for individual words and phrases more than anything. Nest them. Examples of individual words: Use "ow" for "otherwise"; use "ht" for hematocrit; use "hps" for hepatosplenomegaly. When making your shortcuts, make sure you use what comes naturally. Then do phrases: "hpm" for "0.5% Marcaine" while "hpmx" is "half-percent Marcaine"; use "mzb" for "Metzenbaum scissors", etc.
My most productive times are when I am NOT using a large cut of canned text but literally 'skipping along' shortcutting phrases as they are dictated.
Operative note example: For the phrase "The patient was taken to the operating room and placed on the operating room table in the supine position." -- I have this in 3 separate shortcuts and type:
tptor and poort isup
The only "word" I typed was 'and'...the rest of that sentence was in shortcuts.
Don't jump in there and do them all at once. Try to do 5 to 10 (I would not recommend doing more than 10 a day) shortcuts a day. Write them down in a list and keep by your monitor until you can use them without referring to your list. Then do another 5 to 10 shortcuts.
I'm not boosting my line count in any fashion whatsoever. My accounts are verbatim accounts. If I had long spills of canned text, I'd spend all day editing that to fit verbatim. Instead, I use individual word and phrase shortcuts. The key is to name them so it comes naturally to you.
I do all my medications by starting the shortcut with a "k" because it is so unused and I can easily look at all the med shortcuts in the list. The meds I use most are vancomycin, gentamicin, Tylenol, and ibuprofen. For me, those are listed as kv, kgg, kt, and ki.
Use your autocorrect to capitalize acronyms. I type copd in lower case and have that entered into autocorrect so it automatically capitalizes it for me as COPD -- saves me the "struggle" of having to capitalize it. Then I add an "x" to the end to expand it out, so copdx is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Sometimes, if it is more natural, I double the last letter of the shortcut name for expanding it such as gbb for gallbladder.
Shortcut some of your punctuation, too: Using "ft," is "Following this," for the beginning of some sentences.
Design macros to carry out functions for yourself. I hate it when doctors number the first of a list and then there is never a 2nd item. Therefore, I NEVER number the first item even if it is dictated. Instead, I built a macro so that IF he goes on with "#2..." then I hit my macro and it goes back to the beginning of that line, numbers it, and returns to the end of the line, returns, and numbers for the 2nd item. I have a macro that goes back and changes the capitalized heading of "DIAGNOSIS" to "DIAGNOSES" for when there are more than 1 diagnoses listed.
Learn to use your search/replace features, etc.
???? Will any of this help ????
hints and tips
can you email me with how to make the macro for the numbers? That sounds wonderful (and helpful.... I hate it when they give a diagnosis, med, what ever, and THEN say 'next number"!!!!!) If you can I will give you my address, don't want to post it unless sure :)
helpful hints
I've worked midnight to 4-5am for 13 yrs now. It takes a bit getting used to but make sure you take a nap before you start. If you plan to sleep after your shift, stop drinking any caffinated beverages 3 hrs before you end your shift. That was my downfall, drinking coffee during my shift then I was way too wide awake to sleep when I needed to. good luck!
thanks for the suggestions - will do your hints
thanks again so much. Time to add to the paper trail.
Some possible helpful hints. s/m
1. Never list your date of birth.
2. If not in your remume, add a section regarding programs you have worked on, what type of computer and operating system you have, what software you own, what medical references you have, etc., including little things such as Computer:, Pentium 4 processor, 2.00 GHz, with 512 MB of RAM. Makes you look tech savvy, and helps....
Google search hints...sm
This is an interesting video about techniques for Google searching IF anyone needs help.
I have had problems with buffering on some of these sites (buffering...a few words...buffering ... a few words). I usually wait until it goes to the end and then hit play and it will play all the way through. There may be someone on here that can tell us how to do this part better! Any suggestions welcome!
You may have to copy and paste this...don't know. Hope this helps some of you. It helped me!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXHCcwS00bk&feature=related
I have 2 middle age couple friends. One couple became pregnant from condom failure.
This is not just "irresponsible" behavior! Both couples are "fixed" now, because for them, reliable birth control was NOT. But it's an error to assume this stuff happens to people who are unmarried or irresponsible. Both these couples are raising 2nd families, now, but it wasn't "irresponsibility" that did them in!
Training on Bayscribe - Any helpful hints?
Is there anything about Bayscribe you had to learn the hard way? Anything that will speed me up right off the bat? Thanks for your help.
how to file a health insurance complaint - any hints?
Background - I had to have radiation treatment for colon cancer and for the most part charged everything on my VISA. I have all the VISA receipts. Two office visits I wrote separate copay checks, which have cleared my bank. The billing company for the oncologist says I still owe $20 copayment which I absolutely positively refuse to pay. I have faxed to them a copy of all the VISA receipts and have spoken to the billing office and they have receipt of the two checks so they have receipts of all my visits/copays. My insurance company says I only owe a single copay per visit so if the billing company says they have received the copayments then I have fulfilled my contract. So who do I complain to? It's bad enough to have to go through radiation, but now I'm getting burned again (LOL - punny punny, gotta laugh) because of their inadequate billing system. Grrrrr. I am so incredibly mad I feel like, go ahead, turn me over to a collection agency and MAKE MY DAY!!!!! Anyone else go through this rigamarole/nightmare and who did you complain to? I want people's bottoms to get waxed on this - I have spent literally hours on the phone trying to clear it up, not to mention the cost of mailing/faxing/etc. Thanks in advance.
MS Word 2007 -- I have to switch over to this. Any hints, tips & tricks would be great. Thanks!
I've heard some people are not very happy with it. Any suggestions on how to get started, and any good tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your help and expertise!
i take a couple but i too wonder if it's
the mind over matter thing working. i take flax oil capsules for my skin and i can definitely tell a difference if i stop taking it. grape seed plus (antioxidant), i can't tell one way or the other if it works. my neurosurgeon suggested glucosamine for the aches of joint surgery and the grape seed extract because he thought it was pretty good. i stopped the glucosamine because after 2 months i didn't feel any different.
i have been buying the least expensive or whatever is on sale so that might have a lot to do with the results. i would love to find a great energy source!!!
I use a couple..
I have two of the Olay Regenerist products. I like them. I especially like the thermal skin polisher, calls itself a "mini-peel treatment".
Also I have a couple of ESL
who spell things wrong all the time so I can't usually go by them spelling something. After they spell it and it come up when I do the spell check, I always end up having to look up the work anyway.
Yes, I do have a couple of ...
... jobs in mind and plan to put in applications for them tomorrow. I'm single and I have been out of work in the last 2 years for 9-10 months; also have gone through my meager savings--that's gone. I do want to work. But as I've worked for several companies in the past (other than MT) and paid taxes for over 30 years, I feel I've earned some unemployment compensation. Thanks for your input--
There are a couple out there.
I can't remember the name of the company but one of the owners was Tari. I think they were getting eScription work from Focus but weren't actually Focus.
here's a couple
labtestsonline.org
medilexicon.com
No, there are a couple.
x
Just a couple
For one thing, with the ESL dictators, as you may have guessed the more you type the better you get. When you're new, and especially when your testing and not under production pressure, you might be better off listening to it all the way through once or twice. The cadence and the way sentences are formed, and their syllable accents, etc. will become more clear, especially as you hear them in phrases that you can catch. Then it will be easier to go through and say things like, "Oh, yeah, this guy's E's sound like A's and he says GULLBLUTTER instead of GALLBLADDER.
It gets easier in time, to the point where now I can type with a Hindi accent without thinking about it(and even learned a few cuss words to toss at the doc at appropriate intervals). Most of the companies that I have tested for have maybe had 1 out of 4 or 5 test dictations that were ESL. I would assume that if you did swimmingly on the English speakers and even just fair on the ESL, they would give you a chance, but then again I'm just a worker bee and not very corporate at all!
Here are a couple that I use. sm
www.superpages.com
http://doctor.webmd.com/physician_finder/home.aspx?
Hope they help.
Try e-bay. There are a couple for --sm
$120+
Here are a couple lazy MTs now...
Its attitudes like this that give our line of work absolutely NO respect. Take pride in your work girls, you'd get treated a LOT better.
I have only been at it for a couple of weeks..
Having several years experience, I thought I could step right in and nail it. There are a variety of issues/concerns most importantly the accents, getting use to the different accounts (I have several) and unrealistic expectations I have set before myself. It is a good thing I get paid by the hour because if I got paid by the line, I would be starving!!! Some files are easy to zip through, others are are a real dragon!!!! I am going to give it more time though. I have wanted this position for a while and I don't give up easy! Thanks for letting me vent.
Just a couple of things I can think of...sm
You poor dear - we all remember being in your shoes. You will get your break. Keep up your confidence. Here's a couple of thoughts:
First, go through your resume and cover letter with a fine tooth comb (you definitely should send/e-mail a cover letter with your resume). Make sure there are no typos. Also, give to someone else to check for typos and look at format.
I think I have seen a few companies that say satellite is OK, but yeah, expensive! Keep looking for a company that will still allow dial-up. And, never fear! DSL came to me in the country, and I never would have dreamed that! You might call and tell them you need it for a job. If there are others near you requesting DSL, it helps alot.
Have you asked for any feedback on your online tests?
I hope these suggestions help. I'm sure other MTs will have good suggestions to give you too! Good luck to you. Keep us posted!
I always preferred a couple
bong hits while typing... it made the work a lot easier. Not sure I could type while doing alcohol.
A couple of ideas...SM
I would suggest you pick up a copy of your local area's business journal and see what terms other businesses for sale are offering. Then place an ad in it yourself once you decide what you want. If you don't have a business journal in your town or one nearby, check the classifieds in your local paper (you won't find as much there, though). You may even want to pick up the Wall Street Journal as a last option, just to see how the ads are worded and what terms/rates are out there.
To add value you need to be offering things like an established company name, any archived files you have, hardware and software used in the business, any "norms" you have set up, etc. You will also want to offer your services during the transition, as a liason between the new owner and the clients to train and troubleshoot.
Finally, be sure to get a well-written contract that spells out exactly what you are selling and what you are/are not liable for. Be sure your business is in compliance with all regulations and don't release any medical records without the knowledge and written consent of your clients, and then only to the new business owner who has a "business need to know".
Good luck!
I had that for a couple of months and it has
recently gone away. I tried pillows, sitting up straighter, etc. Nothing seemed to help. It was to the point I could only sit for about an hour at a time. I didn't realize it until I saw your post, but I'm not hurting anymore. I haven't been as stressed lately and I wonder if that was causing it. I tend to manifest stress with a physical ailment, used to be migraines, then back spasms when major sudden stress.
As of about a couple months ago, we are to
not spell out any number at all. I hate that because it looks ridiculous.
A couple of thoughts for you....sm
Rule #1 for any business that requires you pay "x" dollars to get involved is to ask yourself the following question: What is the commission rate and how much do I have to sell to recoop what I spent to get into the business? Do I know enough people that would buy the product to recoop and then keep buying so I can make money? Will my family, friends and neighbors get annoyed if I ask them to buy something from me? Do I really believe in the product/products? How will I sell the product/products after I've approached all friends, family & neighbors?
Good luck with whatever you decide.
A couple of additions
That should have read put the DISK in the A: drive and then search for the *.acl file. (If you want to transfer the *.acl file you have on disk to your computer in case something happened to the one on your computer C: drive).
When the *.acl file that you are working with becomes corrupted and will not work right (most often because of large size) -- what I do is rename the one on my computer C: drive, the one that is not working, by searching for the *.acl drive on the C:drive, right clicking it and renaming it the file name plus the word "old" and then transferring the one from the A: drive to the C: drive and that way it just becomes the new *.acl file, named the same way it was.
One of our MTs just went a couple weeks ago. nm
xxx
A couple things... sm
You mention being depressed, so I'm wondering if you really might benefit from an antidepressant? (I know mine works wonders for me.)
Another thing, I love to watch Oprah when she does shows about inspirational weight loss stories. You can read some of them at: http://www2.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/tows_2000/tows_past_20001109.jhtml
Oprah's website has a lot of info, and message boards for support. Apparently, her trainer, Bob Greene, has some great books out about weight loss and emotional eating.
For me, it helps a lot to keep a "food journal." My weight is okay, but I feel flabby. My challenge is eating healthy and exercising. I hate to exercise and I don't know why because I always feel better when I do.
Good luck to you. Hang in there, and keep looking for what works for you.
Couple of comments
I have been dieting for three years....just trying to lose about 25 pounds. It's been hard. Now I have to tell you that I am just under 5'8" and now weigh 140 pounds. Sounds great doesn't it? Well, my significant other has never seen me naked in 8 years because I think I still look kind of gross. My point is, that while being fairly slim is, of course, a good thing, you may continue to have issues with your looks. I still focus in on all the places that I find unattractive or flabby. I don't think I would ever be happy with the way my body looks.
I think part of the problem is cultural, in that we are daily bombarded with women on TV, in magazines and in movies who are not representative of what women generally look like.
Yes, your weight right now is probably too high but perhaps you should set some realistic goals rather than trying to look like, well, you know, all those women I was talking about. I found that exercise combined with the dieting was the most beneficial. But you probably already know all this.
A couple of months???
Gheesh! They're nickle and diming her to death for the love of Pete, and you want her to do them a favor and give them two months' notice? Heck! Why not give them a couple of years' notice so they can continue to take further advantage of her???
I did a couple of years ago
I did about two years ago, two years after I got divorced with a lot of debt. At first I tried to settle the debts at 25-40%, and supposedly would have 3 years to do so, but then got sued anyway and had two lawsuits, so I was back to where I started. Spoke to a lawyer about bankruptcy and he said go for it and encouraged me to do it myself. Of course I didn't own anything except for a car that was worth about $200.00, so it was easy. It was the last thing I thought I'd ever do, but it flew through without a hitch and four months from the time I filed it was over. Yes, my credit has been stinky, but it's coming back. Wish I would have filed sooner.
Don't know about your situation, but a lot of lawyers will offer a free consultation so you could see if it would be worth it for you.
Good luck!
I have a couple of ESL doctors who say
"full stop" instead of saying period at the end of a sentence. The first time I had one I didn't know what he was saying because he wasn't clear. After QA told me what he was saying I could hear it, but still drinks me crazy.
I also have an ESL doctor who says "paragraft" instead of paragraph.
Couple of remedies to try sm
I had severe eczema a few years ago stemming from medications that I take. Couldn't stop taking the pills so had to try the remedies. He had me try Vanicream skin cream and Robathol oil . It worked pretty good but I found the oil worked better if I applied it to dry skin and the Vanicream directly over it and I could use it once a day instead of twice, so I just put in on before bedtime and my clothes didn't messed up. Kind of pricey though, the cream was 12.00 and the oil was 18.00 and it lasted about a month if you used it twice a day. Now I just use Avon Skin So Soft and Vaseline creamy every night which I think works 100% better. You can get a big bottle of the oil for about 15.00 and the Vaseline creamy at the dollar store for a buck. I tried using the oil in my bath and quit (clogs the pipes), then tried putting on wet skin and towel drying and it didn't seem to work as well as putting it on dry skin and then the cream over it. It seems to seal it in better. Give it a try and see how that works for you. It completely took the itch away. I tried Benadryl for the itch and it just dried my skin even worse.
I was in the same boat a couple
years ago. There is just so much you can deduct in paper, pens, etc., including electricity and on and on. I decided to change companies and go to an employee status. This way I don't have to worry about deductions for SS, taxes, etc. Good luck and I hope things work out for you.
There are a couple of things you can do - sm
1) Did you know the TAT going in? Obviously you did and you've been doing this for 3 years now. As an IC, you have the right to accept or deny these terms. If you dont accept these terms, then you need to either walk away or try and renegotiate with the idea that you risk losing the account. 2) They will not give you a raise. Again, as an IC you need to be the one to set your rates. Basically you renegotiate your contract with your MTSO again with the idea that you may or may not have this account any longer.
Realize that as an IC, you are basically an MTSO who contracts with other MTSOs rather than directly with a client. Begin thinking like a business rather than someone who is lucky to be able to work from home. Figure out what you need to to make and then adjust your rates. Also, feel free to start obtaining more work from other MTSOs/clinics.
Good luck to you.
A couple of years ago . . .
this lady in California won the lottery. She divorced her husband and didn't tell him about the lottery. He thought she was being very generous because she let them have their house and most everything else. Well, he started getting all this mail for lottery winners and put 2 and 2 together and took her to court. The judge was very hard on her for lying and made her give everything to the husband. Live and learn. 
You have said in a couple of sentences SM
what I have felt about this field for years now--it is next to impossible to deal in a normal way with most MTs--they have warped personalities and have no concept of how to act in everyday social situations.
I'm going there in just a couple weeks.
I'm going to Sedona to check out Valley Verde School for my son. Are you familiar with it?
There are a couple of downloads to put on
regardless of the operating system you run. I did this because a "boyfriend" let his brother "borry" mine when I wasn't home and he put a lot of porn and spy ware on my work computer.
I ended up having to reformat the hard drive and reinstall everything. According to HIPPA, you are to safe guard the medical records on your computer and you are supposed to have a contract stating your methods to protect your compliance.
I started a couple
I thought they were a fun way to get to know everyone and have something else in common (besides MT).
Yes, I tip. Usually a couple of dollars but
if I have a lot of groceries, will make it $3. But last year on Christmas Eve when I had LOTS of groceries and the store was packed and it was pouring down rain and the sacker got soaked loading my groceries in my car, I gave him $5.
i have a couple favorites
one is a zuchinni spice pie (mix it all in blender and pour into crust) -- the other is a casserole using mushroom soup. e/m me if you'd like these.
a couple of things
I can *de-stress* by taking a break and sitting down on the floor and playing with my kids. Or maybe eat some chocolate. Or lay on the couch for a few minutes and turn on my fav radio station that plays 80s music (drives my older daughter NUTS, LOL).
Takes me back in time........ LOL.
Basically, if I am in the middle of a bad dictation (as long as it is not a STAT) I just take a few minute break. It always helps me.
I hope things get better for you!
I saw a couple interviews
but Barbara and the producers told Star to make her exit "her way" and when she did, they screamed foul. The producers LIED to Star, that they knew nothing about the 'rumors' (which they established) etc etc. I used to respect Barbara Walters, but Star outclasses her by far.
A couple things you could try
I am able to use my F10 for normal speed/100% and F12 for 200% for proofing purposes. In settings, there is a place where you can edit hot keys too. :)
HTH.
Couple of things
First, she should realize that it doesn't matter whether or not you deliver the work - if you transcribe it, it's billable. I would just tell them you don't want it sitting in your office when it's already done, and take it in. LET THEM DEAL WITH IT! If they can't handle the volume all at once, they can let it sit there. You've met your turnaround and they can't say you didn't deliver on time and use that as an excuse.
Second, you don't have a contract? I would get one.
I would let this play out without rocking the boat too much but I would advise also that when and where the doc and his wife take a vacation and how much they make versus your vacations and what you make are completely irrelevant and shouldn't even be part of the conversation. Your financial commitments and obligations are your problem, not theirs. They have no obligation to make their travel plans with you in mind, or budget for the business based on whether or not they know you have kids who require expensive tutoring.
Not after a couple of days, but
I think in some cases I have seen the bitter end by that point. I have quit in the first month or two three times. By then the empty promises start coming out, if they are empty that is.
a couple of other points
This is not only about our jobs - this is about our medical records - the quality of what is done overseas is not the same as what is done here. Errors made in medical records should be taken seriously. Secondly, our privacy is protected we are held accountable for that in the US - do you think for one minute we could prosecute someone in India who does not follow the rules?
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