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.

• Do MTs bother to use their reference books or the internet? SM - QALady
  • I agree with you and wow sm - Michael
  • If MTs didn't make mistakes or leave blanks, - you'd be out of a job. nm
  • You need a new job. - momof2sons
  • How Sad - Both MT and QA
    • I see you cleaned up your original post! - nana
      • Funny visual - jmr
        • Dictators - nana
      • SORRY, NO GLASSES - nana
        • Sorry, No Glasses - AnotherOldTimerMT
  • Be thankful. If we were perfect like you obviously are, you'd be out of a job. OMG I thought we - Disgusting. nm
    • ...thought we were a TEAM to create perfect documents! Why be so adversarial? - nm
  • What a positively disrespectful, terrible post... - MTnest
    • $$ should have nothing to do with your skills and conscientiousness. (sm) - old timer
    • But I agree with everything she said. - Not QA
      • oops - posted in wrong place. I agree with everything QA said,not U. - Not QA
        • mistakes all the time, tsk tsk tsk...(NM - MTnest
      • Thank you, for the support - cool! NM - MTneset
    • Oh please, drop the drama - she is absolutely correct. - AnotherQA
      • She is not correct. She needs a new line - of work. NM :)
        • Chuckle, okay, now thanks for the support! - MTnest
      • Would you please note you have no message inside... - MTnest
  • Nice rant. Here's one from the MT side! - paints
  • Brava!! Thank you!! These so-called MTs sm - fakename
    • Agreed, but... - nana
    • Work is being sent offshore - because there is too much of it.
    • and they don't like to be told how to spell anything either (sm). - Ditto
  • You make some valid points; HOWEVER, - Nothing is Standard
  • Oh please! If you don't like your job, find another one. nm - MLS65
    • I love my job. I dislike careless MTs. - QALady
      • I love MY job. I dislike careless QA. LOL - From an MT
  • QALady: As long as there is need for QA, YOU have a job. lol - Amazed
    • As long as there is a need for QA for American MT, SM - QALady
      • Don't blame you - I refused also. - nm
  • If the shoe fits... - Deb
    • Agree completely. I have seen some god-awful things in reports. - MSMT
    • You are absolutely right - a lot of them don't care - (sm) - nm
    • And is QA allowed to let her know - And
      • And is QA allowed to let her know... - AnotherOldTimerMT
  • You should QA your own post. - SM
    • Yes, we are all human BUT my post isn't going to part... - QALady
      • Maybe not, but it's a reflection of you. - nm
        • I've been known to cuss when I'm angry... - QALady
          • Again, HERE HERE!! - nm
            • Brain dead today - or is it hear hear? I'm going to bed. - nm
      • Thank goodness because you just made - another mistake. Left out the word be. NM
        • Hey, NM, the word "be" should be in ""! x - fn
        • Are you one of the ones who gets made when you get a correction? - nm
          • LOL - I mean mad. - nm
  • Having bad day - shorty
    • Maybe thinking she should have been a maid - cleaning up others' messes. - Probably not a bad day
  • Think of it as job security for you -- when you QA people pick out the ^easy^ reports and transcrib - MTMadam
    • Huh? I don't pick and choose and I certainly... - QALady
  • We careful MTs see those reports - Well yeah
    • Ya know, I should add that I do see... SM - QALady
      • Agree, it is terribly sad. nm - fn
      • I should add... - Sharon Metcalf
      • What is your background enabling - you to be QA?
        • Pray tell, what is a "job lady?" Where can I find one of those? - fn
        • Well, let's see 15 years ago I completed a transcription...SM - QALady
          • Well it sounds like you should be - doing more than just QA then.
            • Okay, you work doesn't need QA because YOU are the QA... - QALady
              • BURNOUT? - nana
              • Funny you should say that - because I had a physician
                • Trust me when I say - Not the OP (sm)
                  • So if you can narrow it down to 5 MTs - then why don't you get rid of them.
                    • Ummm.... - Not the OP (sm)
                      • I'm not the OP either, and I have only - Okay
                        • Another reasonable post!! Thanks! - fn
                      • I also want to add... - Not the OP (sm)
              • Yeah, yeah, that should be "your work..." - QALady
          • I believe you are my QA headache -- English degree -- uh la la nm - Ahhh . . . impressive
            • This is why it is so unfortunate - Huh
  • And may I add........... - anon
    • Reference books and Google - typing fool
      • QA DRAGONLADY - nana

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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.

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!!!!  :)

have Stedman's Medical Dictationary on CD and I do use it quite a bit, but that's more because the actual print dictionary is so darn heavy to pick up and look a word up!

but here goes.....

I am not for "outsourcing".  I am not for it because it is a way for greedy americans to try and get cheap labor.  If someone wants to compete fairly with me for a job, I am fine with that. 

But I am also not for belittling people and picking apart their posts no matter who they are and where they are from.

I also think that if you are proud to be American, you would rise above losing your job to outsourcing.  You would not spend your time whining and complaining and insulting strangers.  Rise above your circumstances...create your own opportunity...isn't that the American way?

I was hired with 2 other MTs to do a new acct for a national whose name shall not be mentioned. 

During the first several months, it became noticeable that one MT who was the largest producer was cherry picking and their reports were riddled with errors.  And this is a fantastic account for the most part - very easy to make money without cheating.

So, the other MT and I mentioned it to each other and agreed to what we were both observing.  She took it to the supervisor who concluded that there was envy on our part because he typed the most.  She dismissed our claims as did the QA person/assistant to supervisor after I mentioned to her I was seeing his work (like when 2 rads dictate the same report and you find out by seeing the other report in place) and it had typos in it or the skeleton of a canned report not filled out at the bottom of the page (must have put it in twice). 

A few months later, the account (a hospital) requested this MT be taken off the acct.  He was placed on 100QA and then let go (policy). 

The sup and the QA person, although never mentioning it, must have realized it was not jealousy at all at that moment. Right?  That we loved our jobs and did not want this type of work to go through and all of us be considered fly-by-nights.

Rather, there appeared to be something close to resentment as we began to be both QA'ed to death with the other MT nearly losing her job until she put her foot down and refused to be on 100% QA (25 yr veteran). 

The tension was palpable and it was made worse that every lead MT in our dept appeared to know about it and began to treat us like we were whiners and complainers. 

I was then dx'ed with BC and in a state of panic told my group.  My sup told my the QA person had been dx'ed with BC too and that she was call me and reassure me. We spoke for quite some time on a few different occasions on the phone and and e-mailed back and forth.

She said she was also engaged to a radiologist who worked at the hospital in her hometown.  A team member with an investigative mind decided to check it out and found out he was married and had a child with no divorce recorded in his county. 

I was contacted and told not to take her advice regarding BC treatment and maybe I should be more private about details..

It has been over 3 years now. I am still alive.

But.. I cannot for the life of me answer the phone when my sup calls.  I dread talking to her and actually have not for nearly a year (lol)

I feel as if they pretended she was a cancer patient so I would share details about my prognosis and they would be better prepared for coverage should I end up unable to work.  

Have you ever heard of anything quite so strange in the new world of work place telecommunication?   Should I just shut up and count my money and thank the MT Gods that I have an account with no ESLs? 

Sorry, I have wanted to write this for a year but was afraid the details would reveal who it was should anyone peruse this site.  Hopefully, now, it will go unnoticed.

Appreciate your feedback if you have any at all. 

I was a CMT for 12 years, but let it lapse last year when it was up for renewal.  It never made a bit of difference when I looking for a job, either you're a good Transcriptionist or you're not.  There's some CMTs that are book smart, but don't have a bit of common sense and that's just as important.  Being a CMT is a matter of personal choice, but in no means does it guarantee a better job or a higher paying one.

AHDI supports offshoring and always has.  They try very hard to remain "politically correct" and not upset their Indian buddies.  In fact, most of the board of directors are employed by Indian companies.  They do not support the American MT at all.

AHDI would like you to believe the certification may become required.  If it does, it would not be through them.  It would be a state or federal licensing program, not through AHDI.

You have to earn 30 CEC's in a 3 year period to renew your CMT.  You have to pay for continuing education classes or attend AHDI functions which you also pay for. 

they are just trying to survive like all the other creatures whose habitat is slowly being destroyed.  Most snakes are afraid of people.