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For me, it's not any particular accent, it's the speed of

Posted By: BrainDeadMT on 2009-02-11
In Reply to: Poll - what do you think the hardest accent is? I vote Hispanic. nm - gettinold

the dictator's talking. Accent or no, when they blast through their report like their pants are on fire, what they get in return for their sloppy dictating habits is a 'swiss cheeze' report full of holes.

I just don't get it sometimes - if teh reports are medicolegal documents, and are important enough to dictate and put in the patient's medical record, I think theyre important enough to dictate more carefully.

My other pet peeve is letters. Most of the time, I find it difficult distinguishing between F and S, B and P, C and D, etc. I think they should come up with some kind of a code when they're going to be dictating letters, such as, instead of saying 'CPT', they could say, 'code cat-pig-tiger'. Or something to that effect. It would save an untold amount of time backing up, relistening, and ultimately leaving blanks in what could have easily been a complete, accurate medical report.


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No accent up heeyah. You Southnahs got the accent. :)

Nevah got how them Southnahs can't say go pahk the cah.


If you ah comin' tah Maine, you best be bringing an umbrullah.  Been rainin' like ah son of ah gun and ain't no signs ah stoppin'.  Even them birds have taken tah hidin'', 'cept them there ducks out in tha front yaahd.


Least we ain't gotta shovel it.


And remembah, if you don't like the weathah in Maine, wait a minute, it'll change.


Enjoy your vacation and welcome back. :)


 


increase speed 3, decrease speed 2...sm
increase backspace 9, decrease backspace 8. At least that's what mine does.
The same way you do any accent. Do
the best you can and go through the entire report, leaving blanks as necessary.  Then go back and listen to the report again.  I'm sure you'll get some blanks.  Also listen for what you think the blank might be.  Don't guess, but have your mind set that you know that if they are dictating CBC that your choices  are limited in what the options are so listen for those.

This always works for me.  I still may have a blank left, but I usually get most of them filled in by doing the above.  
accent
I would have to agree with the Asian accent being the most difficult.
not an accent, but
many times it's the "English-speaking" docs who are even worse to try to understand!
Not really an accent but (SM)
My very least favorites are the ones who 'swallow' a few syllables at the beginning and/or end of their sentences. It makes it nearly impossible to decipher what they might be saying and just really an annoying habit on the dictator's part.

I'll take an ESL over a 'gulper' any time.


ooh, I know him....got a So African accent?

I don't think it's the accent that is the problem...SM
I think it's the way Indians interchange Vs and Ws. For example, I have heard Indian docs say, "The patient has had chills and Womiting." Many Asians replace Rs where Ls should be. For example, "The patient had a biRateral beRow the knee amputation instead of biLateral beLow.

Some people may consider that just part of the accent. Even so, years ago, one of my favorite dictators was an Indian. He tried very hard to articulate and not mumble. Once you trained yourself that W was a V and "wise-wersa" he was a breeze. I had to toss that in there because he always said it.
I think so (Alabama doc with accent!)
I have to admit I'm flipping here a bit.  My son took my headphones to school somehow and I'm having to do this without headphones!  Thank you so much!
I have noticed the southern accent. I like it. Don't like BO though. LOL. nm
.
I wanted to put the accent on the end in coude .. sm
Can anyone tell me how to do that?  Thanks.
Vietnamese accent the worst.

There is one Vietnamese doc who not only dictates like greased lightning, he also stutters, stammers, and changes his mind. I think he may have a bit of a lisp also. This is in addition to the problems that Asians have with Rs and Ls. This doc gives me an ocular migraine almost every time.


Spanish and Middle Eastern accents are a piece of cake compared to this guy.


An accent trick that helps me...
After spending way too long trying to figure out an allergy one night that was pronounced as s/l fee-oh-REE-nul and which turned out to be Fiorinal, I started double-checking and realized that East Asian (India, Pakistan, etc.) and Arabic language dictators will often incorrectly accent the 3rd syllable if the word happens to naturally be accented on the 2nd syllable.

So when I have a problem with a word that's accented on the 3rd syllable, I'll re-emphasize it in my head, changing to hitting it hard on the 2nd, and that will often help. Or just playing around with emphasizing different syllables from how they're doing it. Now if I could only find a way to mentally blank out the 'trilling' (arrgh).
I know the lady had a southern accent. nm
0
Whisperers. Ugh. I can do any accent thanks to growing up (sm)

with my mom who had a cleft palate AND a very strong Brooklyn accent!  But why do they whisper?  Like they are embarrassed someone might hear how badly they dictate? And why can't ESL's at least TRY to improve their speech pattern?  Like the poster below who had the dictator making everything plural except when it really was plural, then suddenly it is singular.  I mean come ON. 


Good venting post Wannie.


coude (small c) (with an accent over the e - my computer does not do it.
source: The Surgical Word Book by Claudia Tessier, third edition.
which accent do you find the hardest to transcribe?
I do okay with Oriental, Greek, Indian, most European accents.  However for some reason when it comes to Spanish docs, forget it ! It just sounds like gibberish to me.
Mine was an American with no accent, but I just realize I seem to react (SM)
to these horrible dictations the same way I do to jumping into an ice cold pond. I hold my breath and try to type as fast as I can, then go back and see if I can clean it up. Just hope they aren't too long so I don't turn blue while I am typing.
Try to think with an accent as you replay. Really helps! And to say it out loud, too! Play your
s
Had to share. Indian with heavy accent and stutter;)
this should be interesting!!!
Poll - what do you think the hardest accent is? I vote Hispanic. nm
/
C-phone speed help! PLEASE! Speed key!
I am in tears - typing speedy gonzalez - a total knee replacement, not a standard, dictated in under 1 minute - FULL REPORT!  Can you imagine? I have a C-phone that is just hanging in there, but lost all its programming.  Isn't there a # key on the number part of the phone that reduces speed?  I need it way slooooooooooow!! I'm afraid to just start hitting numbers, though, cause I've lost reports that way!! Anybody have a # to hit for me???
Not to change the subject.. but in Medical Phrase Index, debride doesn't have an accent mark. nm
.
Speed when it comes to DSL

I would love to cut my bills, with my DSL carrier have to have land phone in order to have internet. I do both VR and straight typing, mostly VR. Has anyone had any issues with similar, using the fastest DSL (which costs more) and then going to the lower rate (which costs less). I might be interested if I can find is there really that much difference in your speed?


Probably will! Maybe we could speed it along - sm
by sending the link to our local TV stations!
speed
your processor is what adds speed or diminishes speed. being as that your computer is 4-5 years old, your processor probably just cannot keep up with the expectations you have of it. With increased files and using an online platform, you probably need an updated processor. Also depends on how much you have *open* at the time of working on the online platform.
Speed

Definitely have to have a split keyboard.  My wpm went up considerably with the split keyboard plus your hands don't get as tired because it is in a more natural position. 


Speed

I have found that timing myself with a stopwatch makes me get more done.  Otherwise, I take my time and then I do less work.  I make a limit for each transcription, and then I try to beat that time. 


Abby


Speed
what speed do you all keep your dictations on? normal or chipmunk style?
I did this, what did it say your speed was?
It said mine averaged 180.
speed it up
I am in the same situation. My computer is fine, just slow, and I don't want to buy a new one, especially not with Vista. I bought 1GB of RAM from an ebay seller (new) for $35, watched a YouTube video on how to install it (super quick and easy), and now it is running a lot faster. I also ran a Scan Disk and Defragmenter to clean it up. I had hundreds of thousands temporary internet files that got cleared out.
MT'ing isn't all about speed, although...

of course it helps to type fairly fast.  However, there is sooooo much more to it than just typing speed.


That being said, my own speed without using any text expansions isn't nearly as great as some mention here.  I tested using expansions recently and hit well over 200 wpm.  Thankfully, I am able to use a text Expander while working . . . otherwise I might starve to death. 


how to test for speed ?
is there an online test we can take? I'd love to take one nowadays ... it's been a while since I have !

JoJo
How long does it take to get up to speed at a new job?
Also, which is better, acute or clinic?  I can't seem to get my production up to where it used to be.  The reports are super short, about a minute or less.  The header info is a tedious process of checking this, checking that, verifying everything.  I don't know if this is going to work out, but I can't afford to be changing jobs again this close to Christmas.  The work itself is super easy.
Had a speed-demon doc whose
nurse, whom I could hear in the background, asked him, "Geez, how can they understand you when you talk so fast?", and he replied, "Oh that's they way they like it!"  Wonder where he got that idea?  At least he talked to her so she could understand him...LOL.
speed typing
Okay, ladies.  I have been working for 8 months now as an MT and my typing accuracy still is lacking quite a bit.  I have the typer shark program that I use sometimes.  I type about 50 WPM.  Not good enough for me.  I was hoping that somebody could give me suggestions or hope that it will come with time.  I seem to be a little bit better lately, but I keep hearing about MTs who type 300+ lines per hour.  It takes me a couple hours or more to do that.  Depending on the dictator, of course.  One woman said she used to type the news and that seemed to help her.  I just need some encouragement that I will get better, or maybe some people don't. 
speed typing
I also use IT, as it is through the company I work for. I am still getting to know the program. I tried Mavis. I found her to be cute, but annoying. I think am just being impatient. I really like the typer shark program. It's actually fun. I think I will take the time to work on understanding IT, so I can get it to work for me.

Thanks your input. It did make me feel hopeful!
speed typing
Will do! Thank you for the encouragement.
Speed was an issue for me....
Hi, Sandi - If you've been working with a dial-up at home and haven't had a problem, I'll bet you won't have one with the PC card. My problem is that I am spoiled - in my home office I have the fastest DSL we can get in our area - 7 mbps. So, when I use my laptop remotely, the Verizon service almost seems like dial-up to me. Just to give you an idea, the last time I used it remotely, I downloaded 20 discharge summary dictations, most of them around 5 minutes long, and it took about 45 minutes for all of the audio to download. Of course, I was camping in an area where the cell phone signal wasn't that great, so that might have been a factor.

If I were you, I'd try out your card for a few days before you dump your other service, just to compare.... It's all what you are used to, I guess....
playback speed
Thank you, I will check on this. You all have been so helpful. Thank you very much!
Can you get high speed?
That's VERY expensive for dial up.  Most high speed services cost about that.
VR - speed and training

Honestly, how fast will VR type the dictation. I read somewhere about 160?  Is that all?  I don't understand how a Transcriptionist can train the program when it is the doctor that is dictating.  Can someone explain.  I am trying to figure out if this is something I want - whether it be to save my wrists for the future/ or if it will type the work faster than I do.  I am generally about 200 now, depending on the work, sometimes better, sometimes worse. TIA.


My speed is really high but this job is not what
it was years ago. With being an engineer, it would seem that the money should really be good there. I have done this now for over 30 years and if I had to do now and raise a family, I would have to work more than 1 job, possibly 3-4. It is really not the money maker it was once, not at all. The work is not easy, not just a typist job, in fact after all these years I still am always trying to make sure my QA is not lacking, otherwise your job is lacking as in gone. My speed is around 140 wpm but the speed is not what is really important. I found it extremely difficult starting out and trained for over a year inhouse before I ever earned production. This would not be a job I would recommend now unless you just want to stay at home with a child, do part time, retired, in other words where you want to put in time and really don't need to make a living doing it.
Speed Type
Has a utility available that will convert your present files to ST for a $15 fee .. well worth it from my little chair!! Also, Betsy works with people to make sure they are on the right track with ST and has a toll free number and she is the help desk and not overseas, which should indicate that she does not have heavy volume of technical calls. It is a great program.
I did downgrade from 5.0 speed sm

to 1.5 speed and I notice no difference. I have done both VR and straight typing on Extext and notice really no difference. Saved me a bundle of money. Sprint DSL.


With your experience and speed.....
I don't know why others are telling you to try production-based before going home. With a typing speed of what you say you can do, you would well exceed 18.00 an hour. I don't think my typing speed is much over 100-110, but I average 25.00-28.00 an hour. Good luck in whatever you decide.
Exactly what I was talking about, if not for speed
and I mean my typing, nothing else, I would not be able to make what I want to make. I have to absolutely without any doubt keep all my attention on my work for the straight full 8 hours, no breaks, no lunch, dinner, hardly bathroom breaks until I finish. I could have break and/or food but then would just have to work later on in the evening. If not for the fast speed and having my dictation set as fast as it will go and my keeping up with most times, I could not stay in this business. Like I said, in 80s almost 60thous, in the 90s 40thous and now in the 20thous. Next 10 years I will be paying to work for them, I guess!!!
I speed them up every chance I get!

What is your typing speed? - sm
Though most of being a great MT involves excellent listening skills, to make the most of production, IMHO, you have type like the wind and use macros, including macro sentences rather than words only.  Just a thought - when was the last time you took a typing test?  I think there is a free Web based typing test...
Doubling Speed

I am pretty new at transcription and only typing approximately 100 lph.  Any good tips on ways to help me double this?  - I do use word Expanders (constantly making new and revamping as see fit).


I suppose practice, practice, practice is the main way; but I am guessing many of you who are experienced have discovered some helpful things along the way.


Really need to pay my bills, so I am willing to give any ideas a shot!


Thanks,


Kristy


doubling speed
One neat trick a fellow MT said was to push the dictator speed up just as fast as you can to still understand them. It really makes you perk up and pay attention, and keeps it going. Slowing down to understand them clearly seems to d-r-a-g you down. Hope it helps. :^)