Expanders and proofreading sm
Posted By: Starving Artist on 2008-09-29
In Reply to: DG, critically important, not just SM - MsIndigo
This is a response to Expanders and is a little late but as a proofreader in a hospital once, I saw some horrible errors come past my desk, i.e., "The patient is restricted from driving her carcinoma for a week." Expanders are wonderful but proofread, proofread, don't be greedy! I'm sure most of you do proofread but some newbies may think they don't have to take the time.
Complete Discussion Below:  marks the location of current message within thread
The messages you are viewing
are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select
the boards given in left menu
Other related messages found in our database
proofreading
I have always proof read by work but am gunna stop now!! My line count sux!!
Proofreading
I proofread (past tense) for a small publisher in central Maine in 2003 and was making less than $150 a week. Of course, I had another job and could only do a limited amount of pages, but the fact remains that proofreading is not very lucrative.
proofreading
I quickly read the report, but also proof as I go. I quickly read the report to myself (out loud) after transcribing before sending it on. Yes, this takes a little time, but not a bunch (I am quick), and I've never heard complaints from employer/s. 100% accuracy. I've been doing this for a long time. I catch my own mistakes, but still it's a comfort and takes worry out of the quality of the job I just did.
Is that with or without proofreading ; )
x
Proofreading
It is most certainly not the QA staff's responsibility to proofread your work. I have never heard of that.
Proofreading and had to laugh. sm
In one of my word programs I noticed I apparently typed does not too fast and it came up as "doe snot." The spellchecker didn't pick it up.
After I got done laughing about the poor female deer with post nasal drip, I entered a quick correct in my expansions. 
I gave up proofreading...
when it became clear that I had to move fast to produce reports in bulk in order to make my production requirement as well as a decent hourly wage ($20 to $25 which I feel is fair for this type of work). My feeling is that if that MTSOs wanted error free reports they would pay by the hour and not by production. Most places which say they want 98% accuracy get this figure from a random sample of reports sent to QA. If you were falling below this consistently, and I am talking gross mistakes in the reports, hopefully the service would hear it from the dictator, who has the ultimate responsibility for ensuring his/her work is accurate.
Proofreading problem too
I mostly work in EditScript doing VR. The majority of my account is VR. I find proofreading to be the most difficult thing, especially when the report is a long rambling one. I would love any ideas to help me catch those elusive typos and words. I read everything over, and over, but still miss things sometimes.
Your method of proofreading? -- SM
I feel like I'm pretty slow on my lph because I might spend too much time proofing. Sometimes I proof each section before starting the next. Sometimes I just do the whole report and then go back and proofread in one shot.
Is there a best way? I don't dare skip proofing because about once per report I do find that I left out a word or did something similar, and I wouldn't want it to go through like that...so I know I need to invest the time.
What are your tips to speed up???
but it isn't helpful with proofreading as QA
was still finding errors in my reports. I also found proofing like a boring book and found I kept nodding off.
And get THIS! I looked into proofreading - sm
on a tip from a friend. Checked with the companies she mentioned (there is a whole proofreading industry, just like there is for MT, coding, etc.) This was for universities, medical papers, etc., and they actually want their proofreaders to be working towards their DOCTORATE degrees in the same field they they are proofreading! ????
If I was that far along in my education that I was working in a doctorate program, don't you think I could probably find more lucrative employment than PROOFREADING, for goodness sake?
Proofreading and high production
Does anybody now exactly what 98% accuracy means. I have been working for a local company for many years and have always been taught to always proofread my work and if you get a report back with a mistake every 6 months that is a lot. I am seeing on some of the national ads for work 98% accuracy. How is that calculated? I have also seen in some posts people saying "voice recognition is no good because then I have to proofread", implying that maybe they do not proofread after they type. I am just wondering after years of typing are some people so accurate that they do not have to proofread their work to achieve 98% accuracy? How does QA work in these national companies? Do they proofread everything or just there for questions? I was under the assumption that the transcriptionst proofreads their own work that is what I have been doing for years at a small local company. If anybody could give me their insight that would be great. I am also wondering how some transcriptions produce so much? Do they kind of proof as they go along or do they read over all of their work at the end? I am trying to get my production up without sacrificing accuracy and I feel that I am pretty accurate. I really do not find too many mistakes when I do proofread but still I proofread everything. I just do not want to be wasting my time. I just want to now what everybody else out there is doing. Thanks for any insight you might have 
To be quite honest, I absolutely do not do any proofreading
at all!! Never have, don't have the time, and nobody has E-V-E-R given me a report back or told me that I have transcribed something wrong. If I cannot get a word, I leave it blank. I've been doing this for quite a looooonnnggg time and realize that most doctors do not read their reports.
Isn't editing basically proofreading!?!
Or do you just hit upload and that's how you get 650 an hour? Oh boy!
The swiftness and accuracy of proofreading is mainly reflected by (sm)
length of experience, as well as your fund of medical terminology knowledge. I am fortunate in that years ago I took an Evelyn Wood Speed Reading course. I would suggest trying different methods, such as those you stated, until you feel what is most comfortable for you, in addition to producing error-free reports.
Expanders
What is S/H? Are we allowed to run these programs with DQS? If so, where do you purchase them? I would be more than happy to spend $120 if I could get my quota.
Thanks for the tips.
Expanders
I have worked in Meditech for about a year and a half and find that Shorthand does work just fine with it.
Expanders
Also, Abbreviate works well.
EXPANDERS
I keep seeing people say get an Expander you will get more lines. I currently just use what is provided on the DQS (the Ctrl+E function). Forgive my ignorance, but is this a separate program that you can use with DQS? If so, tell me what it is and where to get it, PLEASE. I am to the point of throwing my hands up and working at McDonald's. I am so frustrated. I normally typed close to 2,000 lines per shift before DQS, now I am getting no where near that. I have been on this for over a year. 
expanders
if i didn't have instant text, i'd be an unhappy person; i use it for probably 40% of my stuff; i also use autocorrect for words and small phrases.
expanders
The only Expander I have ever used is InstantText. I can add really long entries in there with bold, underline, etc..... you add the entry into InstantText and then there is a "formatting" button that you click on and it will keep the original formatting from when it was copied/cut and pasted from Word or your report. I really like InstantText.
Expanders
Looking to get an Expander and curious which expander most use. TIA
expanders
I was very interested in trying to get Smartype but I think from what I am reading it is not compatible with Word Perfect which is my main account and then I use Microsoft Works Suite. I was wondering if there are any other Expanders out that could particularly be used with Word Perfect. I thought I remembered talk about Fast Type that could be downloaded here from MTStars but I'm not able to locate that and I don't know if it can be used with Word Perfect or not. Any suggestions or help??
Expanders
They should expand the text in whatever font your document is currently using.
Actually, I use auto correct specifically for those instances when the the font, formatting, and size cannot be changed...if that makes any sense.
Expanders. sm
How do you use such abbreviations without going into your autotext you already have running. I.E. I think if I tried to abbreviate Webster's words, It would clash with my medical words I have. Any suggestions appreciated.
expanders
Which is the best Expander program?
ROI of expanders
An Expander pays for itself within weeks as your productivity goes up and you will make more lines per day.
What you need to consider is which expander provides the best productivity features as well as the best comfort level for you.
Looking at expanders and
I have been working as an employee with the EXText system/Wordclient by Dictaphone. I really love the "esp" system that is part of this program as I find it very quick and easy to use.
Years ago I tried IT and didn't really care for it, but I don't know if I didn't become familiar enough with it.
I guess it comes down to an Expander that works with just hitting the spacebar and entering the shortcut I know I am getting with that abbreviation. Really mastering the shortcuts without having a list to choose from.
If anyone out there has any recommendations for a similar expander as the Dictaphone esps, I would love to hear what you have to say.
Thanks.
Expanders
Thank you for your input.
Expanders
Hi Robbie,
I was told that Instant Text V Pro works well with Meditech. I just received the program yesterday and installed it, but haven't had a chance to see how well it works.
Expanders
I keep seeing everyone uses expanders. Those of you that use them are you on set accounts? I can't figure out how I would use them when I do a whole pool of about 20 different doctors. I have some things in my quick correct but I just find it easier to type it then to remember to turn on the correct as you type option and then remember the abbreviations...everyone keeps saying that you are more productive with the use of expanders...I guess my question is how do you incorporate this with different doctors?
expanders
My goodness - EVERY doctor uses the same words i.e.the patient, blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, etc. also "the" that' those" Every op report states the patient tolerated the procedure well, usually, and the patient was extubated. You make up Expanders for common english stuff plus most of the medicine names and dosage times amd acceptable abbreviations like LAD, MI, CAD, CHF, etc. and headings in a physical exam, and body parts/anatomy. Expanders increase your speed greatly plus cuts spell check time also. I currently work an account with 40+ docs on staff and I'm using the same expanders I used for my 200+ account.
expanders
Which system are you on?
Expanders
Believe it or not, I have been transcribing for 20 years, and have never used an Expander such as Instant Text. Is it truly worth investing in. Does it really increase your production more than the expander that is in the Dictaphone program?
Expanders
If I produce approx 200 lines an hour, would it be worth the investment?
expanders
I just started using Instant Text after 18 years transcribing. I think it slows me down sometimes because I am still getting used to it, but I feel it is worth it because there is less wear and tear on my hands/wrists. Even if I only equal my production with it, I feel in the long run I am better off if it helps me avoid carpal tunnel, etc.
Expanders/ASR or VR
ASR takes just as long as straight typing. You might save 5 to 10 minutes, especially if you are dealing with an accent or a doctor who mumbles (which I run into a lot). Eventually everybody will move to ASR because they will go out of business if they don't. Who wants to pay 10 cents a line when you can pay 5 cents per line? Then soon we will be competing with the Phillipine's wages...God help us! We are headed nowhere and FAST if we don't do something quick. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I am speaking the truth.
expanders
Of course I use Expanders - most companies that you work for supply an expansion program and if you are an IC you can still get one that would make your money back for you quickly... regardless of whether I type the lines or I use an Expander program to do it, I am still producing those lines and it makes me more than minimum wage.
Expanders?? SM
Please tell me what the names of them are, where to get them, easy to install or learn?? TIA Doing this for 14 years and almost on welfare now.
Expanders
As to your first question, Smartype only works with Word. whereas Shorthand, Speedtype, and Instant Text work with mostly all transcription platforms.
As to your second question, each Expander is different except for Speedtype and ShortHand which, as mentioned, are the same.
Smartype comes with quite a substantial vocabulary file and uses a word completion feature.
Instant Text includes a large number of glossaries with medical words, phrases, and drug names, and IT has some unique features described on the Textware website.
Marianne Kleen
Textware Solutions
Expanders
No, I never thought to get one. I would though if there are less bugs. Which do you recommend?
Expanders
Hey Carla I've got over 2000 Expanders in my list, and I can remember almost all of them at any given time because of the logic I used to create them.
Anyone is welcome to a copy in Excel format, if they'd like. Just drop me an e-mail!
RE: expanders
I just got the book Saving Keystrokes. It is wonderful. For anybody out there that needs shortcuts, get that book. I can't just sit and think them up. This gives me good stuff to go by.
expanders
I used Smartype when I worked on a word program, but now I am using meditech. How do you use Expanders with other programs? An old MT asking for help.
How much do expanders help you?
I have never used an Expander since I started transcribing which was a little over a year ago. How valuable are they? Do they really help you with your line count? Does anyone know of a good free one? I do not have a lot of money to spend on expensive software. Thanks!
Ah, NO!!!!!!! Expanders are the only way to go, until
nm
expanders
What exactly do you mean by the word Expander in word? I am computer illiterate. Would that be the same expander I use in Extext where I put a phrase or word in, and make a shortcut for it? Is that any different than an expander you can purchase? I have been an MT for 21 years, and currently do 200-250 lph on average. Would another expander benefit me? TIA
Expanders
You definitely want to use some kind of word/text expander, whether it's Word's Auto-Correct or Auto-Text utilities or some other retail product. They're especially useful for alphanumeric terms and phrases that are dictated frequently but not so consistently that using a macro is possible every time that situation arises. Once you get the hang of it and figure out how your brain best remembers expansion clues, you can create your shortcuts quickly and they won't be difficult to remember as you're typing.
If you're like me, I hate having to type out -year-old after every age, so although it took a little time, I created an entry for every age from 1 to 99 that I key in as the age followed by yo, e.g., 43yo, which then expands to 43-year-old. For phrases or multiple-word terms, some MTs like to create a shortcut using just the first letter of each word. That works for a lot of things but not everything because of accepted abbreviations. I create shortcuts based on what my brain knows it will remember and how it feels when I type it. I experiment with it a little bit until I come up with a shortcut that will fly off my fingertips. I use lapchole for laparoscopic cholecystectomy, but avh for auditory or visual hallucinations. Be creative!
You can also create custom toolbars for various accounts and/or speakers, then create toolbar buttons out of Auto-Text entries for longer passages or pain-in-the-neck stuff like inside addresses you type frequently, and drag and drop them to those custom toolbars. It takes a couple of minutes to set up a toolbar button, but it's worth it for certain kinds of text expansion data.
Another tip: Create a toolbar on your desktop for your work-related programs and resources. To do it, right click on your system tray, select Toolbars, and give your new toolbar a name. I call mine My MT. Then create a folder on your desktop with the same name you gave your new toolbar. Drag and drop or copy links to the items you want in your toolbar to the new desktop folder, and voila, they immediately show up on your toolbar. Customize your icons so you can easily find the one you want, and keep your link names short to maximize how many links your toolbar can hold and use the space efficiently. The kinds of links I have on my My MT toolbar include Google, One-Look, Word, Excel, My Documents (shortened to Docs), platform links, Volume and Audio controls...anything you know you use a lot and don't like having to minimize windows for to find on your desktop.
Have fun!
Expanders
An Expander (or macro)program allows you to save keystrokes. There are many different Expanders out there; in the jobs I've worked they've been built into the platform. You can also purchase ones like Instant Text and many others. You create your own expansions in a way that makes sense to you. I think of it as typing in shorthand. So instead of typing "the patient tolerated the procedure well" over and over, I just type tpttpw and it spits the whole phrase out. It is the absolute best way to increase your speed. A great book I could recommend is "When the Name of the Game is Saving Keystrokes" by Diana Rolland.
expanders
Thank you very much. I will check into this. anything to make my life easier, right!
expanders and such
Thank you VERY much. What Expander programs do you recommend? Also, I wanted to ask you something else. I had started my MT training several years ago, ended up stopping halfway through to work for a company that does medical conferences. It's a lot different, easier, I think. You get paid by the word, not the line. So my question is, in your opinion, do you think the traditional kind of MT work would be better? In other words, is the field a good one to get into? I see a lot of mixed thinking on that in here, so I would like to get your opinion. Thank you, again, in advance.
|
