Expansions for numbers/lab values
Posted By: Okay, so I'm not a rocket scientist on 2008-07-15
In Reply to:
Do you all use Expanders for numbers and lab values? - Ex.: 0-10 red cells, 10-20 white cells ... things of that nature. I have a few, but it seems there are so many different combinations of number items that I can't come up with a good system.
Any ideas appreciated. 
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If they pay by character, they pay for numbers. Numbers are characters, silly.
x
Normal Lab Values
Here are a few sites:
http://www.student.med.umn.edu/wardmanual/normallabs.html
http://www.mtdaily.com/mt1/lab.html
http://www.meditec.com/normal-lab-values.html
http://www.galter.northwestern.edu/reftools/normals.html
doctors values
Amen to that sister. It is so true that it now comes down to dollars and (sense) cents. I really can't stand when doctors are crying about money  when they have 2 loaves of bread under each arm and when we, the patients and employees stop treating them as Gods then maybe, just maybe this might change. I personally think that it should be like the 'old" days and they should get paid with fruits, vegetables and maybe even a chicken or 2. It is rare today that you find a physician that truly cares about the patient's welfare not just their checkbook.
Anywhere to find lab values?
I tried Labcorp's site but the don't let you know what the normal value ranges are. I need something that I can look up lab tests, and find out what the normal ranges are.
I do a lot of lab reports but most of the time I don't know if I'm typing the values and units right. I'm not a darn lab tech to know these things!
Since the values are always different, I'm afraid we are destined
to always type out the numbers.
I had questioned values/dosages by leaving
a blank - QA filled it in with what was said -- totally wrong. All we could do was notify our supervisor if we caught it and who knows what happened there.
We could only send a certain percentage of reports to QA, if over that percentage, then our bonus/incentive/whatever they call it now was affected. Didn't matter the reason we sent it, it was the total number of reports sent.
Hardly get to use my expansions any more
Most of the doctors whose jobs I used to not lift my foot for the pedal for from start to finish, are now on ASR and I cannot say that about them anymore. Those definitely take longer because not only do you have to change, delete and add here and there, you have to scrutinize every letter or mistakes the listening device may have made. Obvious what is saved to expansion was checked to perfection already.
Unless, of course, the MTs use only expansions
expansions
Put in a lot of the common things most physicians say for every report like: the patient, increased pain, complains of, tells me that, MRI results, x-ray of the, come back in, return to see me in, was seen in the emergency room, I told her to, I told him to, see me back as needed == things like that. If you analyze a report, you'll see that most of it is plain English and those things are said over and over. Once I switched from concentrating the majority of my entries from medical words to plain English, my speed really picked up. I still add in the medical things, of course, but with my glossary I can work on many accounts with a lot more ease and productivity. It's taken quite a time but well worth it.
expansions
I don't worry about whether I already tried an expansion, because if it's there and I don't hit it right away, it isn't easy enough, so I try again. Usually I stick to a few standard forms, but that can vary from first letters of a phrase plus x on the end to e on then end, to some 2-word phrases that I use the first 3 letters of each word together. I might delete one that is rarely used if I want to reuse the abbreviation for a more useful phrase. I've deleted a lot of the first ones I tried, because they really weren't very helpful. I like to keep the phrases short, rather than try for long ones, maybe 3-5 words, because doctors tend not to be entirely consistent in how they say things, and I have verbatim accounts...less need to reword things that way.
I think that about 40% of what I type is an expansion of some sort on my normal doctors. If I'm doing someone new or someone who isn't consistent in what they say it may be quite a lot less, but that isn't really counting the individual word expansions, just the phrases. Many of the words over 3-4 letters I get with 1, 2, or 3 Keystrokes at most. You just have to keep your eyes on the expander, and sometimes even slow down enough to see words not at the top of the list. I use Smartype, so they come up in order of most used, which I can change at any point if needed.
My expansions on MQ's server
Conditions at my local MQ ofc have deteriorated to the point where I am ready to throw in the towel and look elsewhere. My question: I am using my own computer. Is it possible to retrieve/print out my Expanders and shortcuts that I made up myself before I leave. I've only worked for MQ, and imagine I've accumulated over 2000 of these shortcuts. I know they are on my hard drive, but I have no program that will enable me to access them. Does anyone know of any such animal? Secondarily, has anyone ever left one MQ ofc for another, or just plain asked to be switched to other accounts. TIA
According to their web site they pay for expansions (sm)
I personally think we aren't paid for blanks and headers and that makes a difference. I have been working on DQS for a couple of weeks now and have gotten up to a whopping 200 plus per hour so I feel like I am making headway.
I have a question about DQS expansions.
I have 6000 phrases in my PRD which I am about to transfer to the DQS expansion program (I won't start for a couple of weeks). The tech says anything more than a few hundred might cause expansions to be sluggish while I'm transcribing :(. Has anyone been having this problem?
Also, is it better to use my own Window-based glossary program instead of the one DQS provides? The tech says he can't advise me on that and the techs won't provide assistance on it.
Watch those expansions for BM
She had a large, foul-smelling black male overnight with massive bleeding.
Need HELP to transfer expansions
I want to transfer my shortcuts (expansions) from DocQScribe to Microsoft office word. Is it possible to do this? Can anyone tell me where to go for instructions/guidelines on doing this? Please help!
drug expansions
How you set up your expansions for drugs?
I use the first three letters and the last letter. For example, for Plavix, I would set it up as plax. Also, for drugs that I type frequently, I sometimes shorten it more - Lasix is lx.
I want to add dosages also, but I'm undecided how I want to do it. I would love to hear how others do it. Thanks in advance for sharing your ideas and suggestions.
Did they ever say they wouldn't pay for expansions? More likely,
s
Adding Expansions
I was wondering how you build your expansion list, meaning, about how many words do you put in day? A few, 20, 50? And do you review them daily so you know what you have? I tend to create them and then forget I have them and then do not use them. What are you tips? Thanks in advance!
IMO, it will. I, too, used the same expansions for many years...sm
and found IT to be a pain in the tush. I did, however, find ShortHand or ShortCut to be much better choices. Not sure if they are still around as I use ESP and AutoCorrect (you can use both if you allow it in the preferences). I learned the expansions one way and found too many choices to be a hindrance. Good luck with your search!
How many expansions have you put into your autocorrect over...sm
the last 14 years. I started with a blank autocorrect 10 years ago and now have many thousand expansions from individual words, to phrases, paragraphs, and even full reports. I still add new ones almost every day. The way I have it set up I save more than 50% of my keystrokes.
Word expansions ... that is the MAIN
help for me. I do have good accounts but they have ESLs and some non-ESLs who are even worse. I have to slow down for them but then try to make up my speed with the next good dictation.
I put EVERYTHING into word expanders...words, phrases, etc. EVERYTHING. I couldn't do half my line counts probably if I didn't use my expanders so well.
Don't answer the phone. Don't check email or forums until I take a break. Don't eat or drink while working.
How does one temporarily disable expansions
x
How do I transfer DQS expansions to MS Word
I already know how to access and copy the user.aco files from DQS, but I can't figure out how to copy them into another copy of MS Word Auto Correct to use for another platform.
Not sure what you mean by "work together." Do you mean can your list of expansions for one be
imported for use in the other or do you mean can both programs be running simultaneously?
yes, need to disable your expansions in Word and...
you also need to open ShortCut BEFORE you open your platform (Word or whatever you are using).
Good luck.
How do I copy a list of my expansions?
nm
Instant Text expansions
can be 16,000 characters long.
Did you use IT with Meditech? You may have experienced the limitations of Meditech not being able to handle more than a paragraph at once.
My trick for stopping expansions from expanding....SM
This might not work for you but I find it quicker to add it in my shortcuts. I simply add the last letter on it again when I don't want it to expand. For example, BP = blood pressure but BPP = blood pressure. COPD = chronic.... but COPDD = COPD. That's a lot faster for me than to do all those other steps. Just thought I would throw that out there in case it might work for someone else too.
Need expansions for both mitral valve repair
nm
Agree---and work on those expansions..it stinks at first
but it WILL pay off in the long run. Especially once you're familiar with the doctors and you can *almost* type what they're going to say before they say it. When you're that familiar, it makes for a fabulous line count:-)
Is selecting expansions from a list a hassle?
With Instant Text how do you choose the expansion you want from the list at the bottom of the screen? Do you use the mouse to click on it? Do you use the arrow keys on the keyboard?
How do I add expansions/abbreviations in Word 2007?
Do you use expansions for common English words and phrases too? sm
I have read that something like 80% of sentences can be formed using the same 200 most commonly used words of the English language.
Think of common English phrases that you can add to your expansion software that you use quite often in MT reports such as "he has no significant" or "there are no significant" or "there was no significant," etc. :)
*This link leads to a listing of the 500 most commonly used words in the English language:
http://www.world-english.org/english500.htm
*And here is a listing of the top 100 English verbs:
http://www.world-english.org/100verbs.htm
No, but with an expander you can just set your expansions to the approved versions for that account.
nm
Wow, there's an easier way. I think the OP is calling text expansions "macros."
Instant Text and ShortHand can import autocorrect, but you have to know which file they are stored in.
If you're just moving your autocorrect and true macros to another computer, all you have to do is find your .acl file and normal.dot. All your true macros and shortcuts to run your macros are in the normal.dot. All your formatted autocorrects (those with spaces or bold) are in the normal.dot. The rest of your autocorrects are in the .acl file. You don't have to mess with installing Microsoft's macro to move anything. The autocorrect utility in macros9.dot is for Word 2000. Word 2002 and 2003 is called support.dot. There's no macro included in 2007 for this.
There's a tutorial in the program and yes you do create expansions while you work. Love it! nm
s
Numbers
I've been doing this for 20 years and never saw it done that way. It's grade 3/6. You are correct.
My numbers came from the US
O'Reilly get his stats?
800 numbers
I was told by the company I worked for that 800 numbers were very expensive. They let us use them for awhile, and then they cancelled them. All the unlimited plans I checked on said up front that medical transcription would not be allowed. I was afraid to just try anyway.
Numbers
I still spell out numbers 1-9 as ex, There are three sutures .... - as a rule of thumb and know what the big bad BOS says but I think this is safer than just pulling one little ole' nunber there by itself and spelling out is easier understood with no mistakes Untill my compnay tells me no I will continue to do this. I worry more about how it is going to be read back (missreading an 8 for a 6 or even a 6 for a 5 according to the font on the printer
The numbers....
 Seeing Bush's numbers - ratings - dip down to the teens......That must be what it takes to get this country out of the shower - pryed from the sofa glued to American Idol and the likes, and do something about this lunatic we have for president....
The last numbers I saw
I believe I saw a report about a year ago about this. Early projections had predicted the savings would be 70%, but the reality is more like 17%, according to that report. It talked about all the people that have to edit the reports before they are client ready, so the work can't be as fast as they originally forcasted either, right? So what if it's done in the middle of the night if 4 people have to comb through each report before it's ready to go to client. I'm with you. A lot of time and effort has been invested in this "great idea," and I'm sure they think it's going to get better. But come on, are these edits all being sent back to the transcriptionists so they can even learn from their mistakes?
Numbers...
30,000 to 40,000. Sometimes people misread hyphens in between numbers or around numbers when reading a document, so I always put "to."
numbers
Ditto Janet. It changed a few years back and took me forever to get my fingers moving to that top row on the keyboard! Some clients even want you to start the sentence with a number if dictated (10-year-old female). I find that very hard to do!
And run their numbers together
medicalrecordaccessiondatetime 
I don't have numbers in there, it is the
same amount of keystrokes. For years I have 40y, 30y, etc. For words with different endings, I use the root word with the ending:
tr - treat
trs - treats
trd - treated
trm - treatment
trg - treating
For headings I put an H in front of the abbreviation -
Hneck - NECK:
hgi - GASTROENTESTINAL:
hhpi - HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS:
And, for departments I use
err - emergency room
err1 - Emergency Room.
I also have in words I constantly misspell.
Numbers
How do I copy a numbered list in Word. Such as a diagnosis list...cannot get the numbers to copy. TIA
numbers
I just started a job with a new company that does a lot of things 'old school,' but what I love the most is that I can type numbers the way I was taught 'back in the day.'
numbers
This is something that really burns me up !!! When I went to school, number 1 through 9 were to be typed out as a word, anything above 9 to the typed as a number.... I don't know where these people have decided on a whim to change everything we have ever learned in our lifetime.... BOS is just something for ADHI to make money... If they keep changing the rules - what do you know, more money for them........ Don't get me started.
numbers
Whoops - I guess you know who I am and it doesn't matter....... thanks. We all have a right to our opinion.
qa and numbers
Hi Patti. I understand wholeheartedly. Where I worked (QA) WE got blasted if we didn't correct stupid stuff like that (six/6, etc), thus leaving us in somewhat of catch 22. We were damned (by the MTs) if we did change it, but damned by auditing if we didn't. I am so glad I am out of that environment. It was just so toxic.
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