Formula for calculating lines?
Posted By: Julie on 2009-03-10
In Reply to:
Can anyone give me the formula for calculating lines rates? I need to know how much (money) is made if I transcribe 15,000 lines at 8 or 9 cents per line. Also, about how many pages is 15,000 lines (I know that each page will be different in lines for live transcription, but I'm looking for a ball park figure.) It's been a while since I have been on this payment format.
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Formula is: Characters PLUS spaces / 65 = lines. (nm)
nm
Calculating lines using Word Count in Word
I have recently started a job where lines are calculated using the Microsoft Word word count tool. I think I read that you get cheated out of lines if a company counts this way. Is this true?
DQS not calculating correctly and repaying?
Those who have gotten checks cause DQS did not calculate correctly, was it only from one regional MQ office? Im wondering as I have used DQS for about one year and I have not gotten any letter or check. Im wondering should I contact my TC? I dont like bothering them if I dont have to cause they are not the nicest people and I truly believe they keep track of employees who call in, ask for time off, question things..ya know? So, if anyone knows, is it just one MQ office or more than one...Thanks, ya'all..
As far as calculating rates, see message inside
I also charge by the line and I use 65 character lines to calculate. I use MPCount, which is a free software that you can download and it works great and is simple to use. Sure makes the line count calculation easy to do. Good luck.
Calculating errors in a typing test
Can someone tell me how to calculate the errors in a typing test per the lines they type and how fast they type. I need to learn how to do this as I may have to give some typing tests where I work and I am not sure how to go about this. Any help would be appreciated. Or if you can tell me where on the internet I can find this information, that also would work.
Thanks
Need help with calculating expenses for bid on large account. At the moment I do not know *sm*
how many lines they dictate per day/week. I am going to call the person who sent me the bid forms and ask. I do not have my own call-in system and would be using a TASP. Can someone tell me that currently uses a TASP how to go about figuring my costs in so that I do not under bid. I know that each dictator and the type of report is going to vary but on an average what would you say? Bottom line is I need to know how many cents per line I need to charge to cover the call-in system and my other expenses. Another thing they listed in the bid is that the vendor is to provide all other supplies including plain paper to complete each assignment. The hospital will provide any special letterhead, envelopes, etc. How do you provide the paper and probably the toner if you are doing this remotely? Would there be any other expenses that would fall under other supplies that you can think of other than toner and paper? How much toner and paper do I provide or should I ask the hospital what they use on a weekly basis? I would assume I have the right to ask questions as to how much paper, toner, how many lines they do each day or week on average. I want this account very much but I do not want to have to pay a cheap line rate and I need to make this worth my while. Thank you very much for you help.
formula
take the character with spaces number - divide by 65 and mutliply by your rate (0.11)- this would be with spaces - for without use the total charater count - use only after you save your work to ensure all characters are counted.
what is the formula
for a straight line count that MTstars program gives you - when I do - tools - properties - line ocunt is is much different - what is the formula used in the program - I thinkI may have been jipping muself.
formula
Divide your lines per hour by 60 then multiply by 15.
i.e. If you type 240 lines per hour; divide that by 60 = 4; then multiply 4 by 15 which would equal 60 words per minute.
I used that formula too for $.059 per line
xx
I think you must have their formula backward.
They probably divide the total by 15 to come up with your 30 minute production rate, then multiply that by 2 to average out for 8 hour day if you are paid by the line or incentive program. What you are saying makes no sense and would be a detriment to them in any type of worker dispute hearing.
Formula of dictation
Depending on the dictation and your experience, the formula I have always used is: 4 minutes for every 1 minute of dictation or 225 lines minimum an hour. It is usually required that a Transcriptionist do 100 minutes of dictation or 1,000 lines a day if you are working full-time. I know some do less and some do quite a bit more. I do anywhere from 1500+ lines a day. I hope this helps.
this is equal to a very old formula
Back when documents were produced on typewriters, formulas were created to define the average length of a line. It was defined as 10 words with spaces, with the average word being 5 characters - thus 55 printed characters per line.
All the ad your reading is saying is that they will take all the visible characters you produce and divide it by 55 to decide your final production at the end of the day. It does not include bolding, underlining, hard returns, spaces, etc., as had been defined by the old AAMT.
The new AAMT/MTIA whatever it is called monster is redefining a line as only characters you see and this ad is embracing the new definition and defining 55 visible characters as a line. A 55 visible character line is approximately equal to a 65 line that includes spaces - but I bet they are not going to compensate for thespacesyouneedtoinsertintotthelinetomakeitreadable.
there has to be some sort of formula out there
to count the lines minus the headers and footers.
QA score formula
Can anyone post formula for figuring QA score. Thanks!
Ohh, someone gave formula for figuring out
x
Formula: Dictation Minutes x 3 = 3 hours
That's always been the calculation -- a ten-minute report will take 30 minutes to type... one minute = three minutes, etc... Depending on how slow the doc is, though, you can really speed him up and sometimes type real-time.
I used to use MK foundation, but they changed the formula and now I'm allergic to it.
It makes my eyes water and I can't wear it any longer. I haven't found a foundation that I like as well as the previous MK formula. I wish they hadn't changed it.
I worked for a local hospital that used the same formula for our incentive pay.
x
127 if based on 65-char line (8243 divided by 65 is the formula) nm
c
People should have powdered formula/mild. Mix it up one bottle at a time.
x
Powdered formula/milk sounds like a good solution.
However, if you're out of a clean, nonpoluted water supply for over 2 weeks, with no resources available to receive such in the foreseable future, I don't believe even this alternative would suffice! Powdered formula needs to be mixed with something. The only alternative I could imagine available at this point in time would be urine, if you yourself were not totally dehydrated. If you were totally dehydrated & not producing urine, what is your next suggestion?
Honey Bee Wax, microwavable formula, sold at Sally's Beauty Supply for $9.99 (plus the strips for
sold at Sally's Beauty Supply for $9.99 (plus the strips for $9.99).
Aaahhhh, now I get it. Gross lines vs. Character lines. I guess I've just been conditioned to
think in terms of character lines. One of the perils of working as an IC for somebody who defines what a line is versus owning your own company and defining it yourself. After working for someone else for 15 years, maybe it's time to bust out on my own.
That is a lot of work/lines for 2 people. I do 3000 lines per day sm
if you times that by 30 days that only comes to 90K lines a month, that is working 7 days a week including weekends. I don't think 2 people can handle that.
900 lines is below 1100 lines, where the bonus starts.
x
Gross lines include all lines containing
printable characters, so a full line and a line with one word on it are charged equally. Straight lines are basically the same as gross lines, but with this method of counting the blank lines are counted as well (again, equally). I have only had one company pay this way, and they are a middle man. I would think the charge would be about the same as for gross lines, and that not too many offices will want their lines counted this way (the one I worked on was probably inherited from someone who had counted the lines that way, so just continued).
The norm is 1 minute = 10 lines; 10 min = 100 lines - sm
granted this varies per dictator. More lines if a fast talker, less if a slow talker.
I went from 2400 lines to 1800 lines
a day when I switched from clinic (through an MTSO) to hospital work. Not only was the clinic work easier with more macros (and less providers to learn, 12 vs 300+), but I was typing in straight Word (as opposed to Softmed/Chart Script). So you see, it really varies depending upon the type of work as well as the platform used. That said, I am so much happier typing the 1800 lines per day (I make over $15 per hour plus an incentive for any lines in excess of 1200 per day) plus a great health package/benefits, AND approximately 5 weeks of paid time off per year. In my opinion, hospitals really are the best employers WHEN they appreciate the work we do.
My advice for you is not to judge a job by any one criterion but rather the entire picture. The 'extra's can really add up.
Good luck in your job!
Which is the one where they are sc*&ing us the standard lines or the qualified lines? SM
Mine show up as STD when I pull up my transcription log. But I see now there is STD/QT.... So which is the one where they are ripping us off, standard or qualified? Need to know. I am about to switch companies and I will not do if they are actually taking lines from me. Thanks guys.
Question versus gross lines versus 65-character lines....
I have always charged or been paid by 65 or 60 character lines or per letter or space typed, but have never been paid or charged per gross line.
What is the advantage of this? If I were to charge 11 cents per 65-character line including spaces, what does this figure out to for an average line rate and how do you do this calculation?
I'm wondering if it is financially beneficial for me to bill by gross line or to keep it the way I have it. I do know some accounts will only pay per 65-character line, as this was the deal my first own account I recently acquired. They were adamant on a 65-character line, but didn't specify with or without spaces and I personally would never not charge for spaces.
Thanks for explaining this. I appreciate it and hope everyone has a speedy day.
Word count: 824 lines. DocuCount count: 897 lines.
I just counted the same file in Word and then in DocuCount, and DocuCount was higher than Word.
Just as an aside.
lines
I always say a good average is around 250-300 lines an hour.
Lines
I have been flamed many times about my production, rate and how much I make. I think it is great for you. But there are those 10 hour days sometimes but I like the fact that I have my own business, and get paid for the hard work. One account that I have is surgeons and with their consults have hit close to 600 lines per hour but with my IM's, and their chart notes can only get up to 350 to 400 or so. It is hard when I switch to my clinic account where I sometimes go in and get paid hourly as I feel like I am not working fast enough on their electronic charts. Again, I have said it many times, it may take a while but if you want to work hard the money is there to be made in this field.
How many lines??
Everyone just wondering how many lines did you do a day when you first started MT? And, how many hours a day?
SS lines, pay,
They are a total rip off. E-mails are plain rude. Cherrypickers like one could not believe. Management does not exist. QA a total joke. Roaming payday. Anyone else who states other is not an MT with the company.
lines...whatever it was.
Well you see, you stated right in your post that you can't possibly cherry pick...so what do you know about what is going on with the rest of us out here who DO have to deal with cherry pickers.
Ma'am, I have 25 years in this business, 15 of it in a nest of the worst cherrypickers you have ever seen, at the largest hospital in my state. I was the supervisor for 5 years and I would have fired somebody on the spot if they'd done that, but they all knew it. Had no problems.
Don't know what you make per line but getting about 666 lines per hour is quite astounding. I'm sure you must be quite happy where you are and with no cherry pickers!
I work for 3 hospitals, doing operative notes. They are assigned to me by someone 6 states away. I go down the list. There's no way to get anything other than what I get. And yes, I am completely happy where I am.
Good for you. I've been an acute care MT for over 30 years and am rated as one of the best as far as QA and quantity and have NEVER, EVER in my life been able to come close to your line count. Maybe you are from another planet and have powers beyond us or maybe you have some special secret you could share. Or maybe, we should just ignore your statement of getting that kind of line count, especially when you are not dealing with cherry pickers. 
I don't deal with cherrypickers because I won't work where there are any. I get that kind of line count every single day, because that is what is assigned to me and I have to do it and turn it in on a deadline.
It is all in where you work and what you are able to put up with. I happen to have the freedom to work where I please and working there pleases me.
It's unfortunate that you have 30 years' experience and you are stuck where you are.
lines
Well it took me a little longer 5 typing and 1.0 delivering but I did 2295 at 0.12 cents a line. So guess I will quit until later this evening. Two surgeons and two IM' and 1 plastic surgeon. Lots of consults, auto corrects but pays off. 13 consults at 3 to 4 pages each.
LINES
I have gotten 500 lines but I should not count as I do clinical notes for two surgeons that do the same consults for most breast CA, hernias, cysts, etc. I just whipped out between the two almost 700 lines in about 75 minutes but I have been doing them for so long and have so much saved that I type perhaps on a general inguinal hernia consult and letter, 30% of the actual consult. Sometimes more. On regular chart notes, I average around 300 to 350 but again have had the same docs for 5 and 7 years. And when you read closely, you will see that is how we do it. But if you are with a national and new docs all the time, I would be luck to get 200 lines an hour. So it is sometimes like comparing oranges to apples as they say.
lines
Working 2-1/2 hours, all ops, mainly ESL, 308 lines which comes out to about $10 an hour. Am I crazy or what?
lines/pay
I've been transcribing 25 years, only 4 months being production paid with a large national, no incentives, no bonuses, no extras for working holidays. I find it terribly depressing when the check comes and you see your gross lines, divide the number of hours you worked--it has been improving each pay, but still not near what I was making previously. I now have been offered a position (not transcription) at a local hospital (where I lost my transcribing job to outsourcing) at $16/hr. An easy job that I'm seriously considering. No holidays, no logging on all hours to find work, great benefits. But I've been working at home 5 years now..... I never realized how the big companies are underpaying good transcriptionists. Thank heavens I have extra accounts that I've been doing on the side for years or I couldn't survive on what I'm bringing in now. Thanks for listening!
lines/pay
If that is true, many not making $10/hr., then yes, I guess I should consider myself lucky. I had no idea others were being paid such a minimal amount - and I never considered that I was "in the dark" about things!
lines
My max after 4 months with the national came out to $13.42/hr. I have extra accounts that I've been doing for years and make $25-$30 an hour on those - letters by specialists which I breeze though, 15-20 extra hours a week, so when I went to the national, pay by the line, what a shocker. Never been paid by the line, even though I was told not to worry with my experience, etc., I would have no trouble with getting good line counts, doesn't seem to be happening. At least it doesn't seem good to me and at this point the in-house hospital job (not transcription) seems more inviting at $16/hr Mon-Fri, no weekends, no holidays, great bennies...Even though my love is transcription my feeling is I'll still have my fingers in it with the extra accounts I have but will feel more stable. Single parent, need the bennies.
lines
Glad to know it is not just me. New to this at home thing - only 4 months with 25 years experience. I struggle to get 1200 lines a day unless I get lucky and get an ER account - which doesn't happen very often.
$13/hr plus .04 over 150 lines/hr
Just went back to the local hospital I used to work for. I usually can easily type 300 lines per hour, so the hourly rate plus incentive is fairly decent.
Lines
I checked this when I first went on DQS. Do a select all on a completed document in DQS, paste it into MS Word, then go to tools, choose word count, look at the characters with spaces total and divide that number by 65. You will find that it matches with DQS. 
lines
It takes me about 8 hours to do 2000 lines
lines
one day
lines
How? I could only dream of doing that. I started workign as an MT in July, I currently am getting only about 500-700 lines a day. I made $20 my first day. I also have a 2 year old that constantly needs my attention. How did you get so good? Any tips would really be appreciated.
500 to 700 lines isn't bad at all
if you just started in July.
I do right around 1500 a day (more or less) and I've been at it nearly 20 years.
Take the time to add in expansion settings, templates, etc. I did 650 lines today for one doctor I do and he does almost the same exact progress report for each patient. The template runs right around 10 lines and I did 30 patients so there were 300 "free" lines (that I didn't have to actually type) right there. Add the expansion settings of only having to type "pmh" for "past medical history is significant for multiple medical issues, including," etc, etc., I can do 600 lines for him in 2 hours.
However, if I get a new guy, I'm luck if I can do 300 lines in 2 hours.
So it sounds as if you're not doing to badly if you can get 500 to 700 lines done especially with a 2-year-old! If I have my 18 month old twin granddaughters here I get ZERO lines in a day! 
lines/hr
Thank you for responding. I really appreciate it.
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