How long have you been transcribing? I average
Posted By: jr on 2008-03-20
In Reply to: Production - Laurie
1800 - 1900, but I have been doing this 30 years. It takes time to build up your speed. Be sure you are using every expansion you can.
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- Production - Laurie
- How long have you been transcribing? I average - jr
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What average line count do you type per pay period. what is considered above average and how long
how long, on average, average a knee replacement would one be on Oxycontin?(sm)
My DH recently had knee replacement surgery a month and a half ago. The doctor has been prescribing oxycontin 30 mg this entire time. Husband has been trying to wean off of it and is down to 10 mg. He asked the doctor if he could come off it completely and the doc said to "just keep taking it." His next visit is in two months. With all the discussion lately about pain medication addiction, is it normal to be on this medication for this long and for the doctor to say "just keep taking it?" How long should one be on this med?
As long as you are transcribing the
dictations correctly, what does it matter to the company how you transcribe??? As for tips on this board, some are good, some are not so hot, just like in life or anything else.
How long on average (hours) does it take to type
I know it depends on lots of things such as difficulty, typing speed, expanders, etc. Just looking for how many hours people have worked to get to 2000 lines.
How long on average should it take to get up to speed on a new accout
for an experienced MT? I started a new company this week, 50-70% ESL and I have yet to make my lines. Im falling short by 200-300 a day. I find the software to be really slow and I think this has a lot to do with it. Not sure if it is their server or my PC that is making it so slow.
How long on average does it take to type 30 min of dictation?
nt
I remember hearing it should take the average MT twice as long
transcribe as it takes the physician to dictate. So for 30 minutes of dictation, if you sat and transcribed without interruption, it should take about 60 minutes. However, I believe that was a MTSO telling me that, soooooo
Now years ago, probably in the mid 90s, I used to work for a hospital that tracked our productivity based on minutes a day versus lines. The minimum requirement for that job was 90 minutes of dictation in a 7.5 hour day (they deducted 30 minutes for lunch and two 15-minute brakes which equals a 7.5 hour day). So that kind of debunks the "30 minutes of dictation in 60 minutes" theory that the MTSO had.
I don't know if my ponderings have helped you at all, but there ya go! 
I hate Instant Text. It is expensive, long long learning
curve, and too much distraction for me.
How long should I wait after applying for a position before I follow-up. It has been as long as two
without hearing from some. Just wondering if I should send an e-mail to follow-up to see if they received my resume or not. I don't want to offend anyone but feel two weeks should be long enough for someone to at least acknowledge my resume and that I have applied for a position. Right now I would accept anything even a note saying no thanks. Any advice would be appreciated. I haven't had to apply for a job for the past 10 years so I am a bit rusty at this. Thanks again for any advice.
Congrats! How long have you been a MLS and how long did you study for the test!
Please see message. I have three daughters with long, long hair.
I also have long hair down to my waist and my three girls have hair that long too. My daughter brought them home from school last year. I was devestated and grossed out!!!! I have never had to deal with lice. Anyway, we did the treatments and two of my girls broke out in a severe rash with the OTC stuff. Their little heads were so sore!! I thought I was being meticulous with eggs, only to find them hatching again down the road. A nurse at the pediatricians office suggested I try oil to suffocate them since my girls were allergic to the lice solution. I bought a huge bottle of veggie oil and dumped it on all three heads, plus my own. I then wrapped the heads in platic wrap and then a towel. I left this on for 30 minutes. It takes a while to wash out the oil, but we never, ever had the lice or eggs again!!! If you try this, make sure you put on an old shirt and put a towel around your shoulders. Obviously we were desperate, but we all have such long hair and very thick hair so I was willing to try anything. And I figured there was no chemicals involved so that was pretty safe. And it sure did help my littles ones since their scalps were pretty raw from the solution. Hope this helps and Good luck!
It's been a long, long time since I've used a C-phone, sm
but I do think jobs can be paused.
new at transcribing
im new at this, worked for a local cardiology office for 1 year as a medical secretary.then got this at home transcription job, lowest pay with a 1200 line a day minimum, it has been very hard, if i made more money i wouldnt mind it. when you guys were new, where did you get your foot in the door?
Sometimes when I am transcribing
I will type a word out of nowhere, it's like my fingers are typing without any thought behind it.
. 
Transcribing while in a car?
Does anyone have any experience with this? My family is involved in different activities that involve traveling two or three times a week with at least an hour's commute one way or more. I hate to sit and twiddle my thumbs while traveling when there is work that could be done. Is it possible? Have to download internet files from my national. Could I do that with a cell phone? Any help at all would be much appreciated!
transcribing in a car
I have thought about this but in a park with a laptop. For my particular situation, I was going to email voice files to myself. Theoretically should work.
transcribing help
Hi! I'm new to this forum and am seeking help. If a Dr dictates "extension -5, flexion 90..." do you leave it like that or do you add the term degrees?? I have been transcribing for a little over a year now but have not come across this yet. I appreciate any help anyone can provide me :) Thanks!
Transcribing from CD?
Can anyone tell me if it is possible to transcribe from a CD and use a USB foot pedal to play back? I have been asked to transcribe a documentary and I am not very savvy when it comes to things like this (applications), so any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
I had a problem with this for a long, long time sm
I have always worked days, like from 6-3. Over the last few years, it didn't matter how much sleep I got, I became real groggy between 7 and 11. Really shoots the day. Talked to my doctor and he said my blood pressure pills were the culprit but he refused to change me to another brand or dosage since I have multiple aneurysms (2 in the brain). My BP has been stable for a long time and he wants to "keep it on the low side". I tried taking them before I went to bed instead of early in the morning, but then I had headaches all day. So, I am changing to a night shift for a few months so I can sleep when those pills kick in and so far it is working pretty good. I stay mostly awake during my shift and die when I hit the bed from 6 am to 10 am, then I lay down again later in the afternoon for 2-3 hours. I still get 6-7 hours of sleep, it's just split up during the day, plus I am mostly awake now when I sit down to type. I don't have to deal with the heat in my office, either. It tends to warm up real fast in here with the south sun on the house and 2 pc's running all day, even with the air conditioner on.
Way back when, a long, long time
ago and in a galaxy far, far away, I had my own accounts also and some years cleared $75,000. Yes it can be done, but you need to have your own accounts. Also lots of delivery, and other duties involved. I work for a large national now and make much less, but I got tired of accountants, having to deal with hardware problems, deadlines, driving deliveries, printing, printers, etc. So I decided to simplify my taxes and stay home and just type. Don't have to worry about computers either, because the company will just send me a new one.
Long, long files. Seemed like they'd never end! I'd never go back to VA again. nm
s
I've been doing this a long, long time...
I used to make $70,000 and up a year and did so for most of the late 80s and 90s (one girl used to make six figures a year working 7 days a week!) Because we were making more money than the supervisors and Medical Records Directors in hospitals, they began to switch to transcription services which were sprouting up all over the place. Plus AAMT came into existence and even though in the beginning it claimed it was to fight for transcriptionists (although assured us it was NOT a union), they eventually morphed into an organization that was more management friendly. They developed the "guidelines" and the 65-char line. That was the beginning of the end for those high-end wages. Then all those mickey mouse transcription schools popped up, and now outsourcing overseas. YES, we're complaining.
Been in this biz a long, long time, 30+ years and....sm
I love/loved MTing. However, things have changed so much during these years. The job definitely gets easier; don't have to look up much, can decipher ESLs much easier, in other words, you get pretty comfortable with things and you have confidence in yourself. The more experience you have the easier the job, but....
I actually made more money 10 years ago!! We didn't have speech recognition and you actually got paid for headers/footers, demographics, carbon copies, etc., you got paid for what you did fairly; today, I am not so sure.
You will feel burned out at times, but that passes and you find you like your job again.
Good luck to you!!
Is anyone out there transcribing for Cardiology?
Just wondering if it is fairly easy to catch on or a pain in the butt? I might take a position but I'd like to know if I will be able to handle it as a newbie? What do you think?
editing vs. transcribing
Hi everyone! I have been working (at home) for a medical group for 10+ years and they are now in the process of switching to Dictaphone voice recognition system. They tell me I will soon be an "editor" if I choose to stay with the group. I have been transcribing for about 30 years now so I am looking forward to editing rather than transcribing, but I have no idea what the difference will be in pay. Do most editors charge by the line? Any info folks could share on the transition would be appreciated. Thanks!
if you are only transcribing 2 hours a day - sm
don't turn it away. What's a measly 2 hours a day!!! They cannot tax you on it and by the end of the year, you will have more writeoffs to offeset anything you may have to pay in for taxes.
Don't know about transcribing for the Military, but...sm
your transcription skills will most certainly qualify you for an Administrative Assistant/secretary position for the Military. I started as a GS-4 in Aug 04. Got promoted to a GS-5 in Aug 05 and now am lead secretary in an office of 50 people. I get an automatic promotion to a GS-6 in Aug 06. On top of the all the benefits, they are going to pay for my degree too. I know a lot of people complain about Federal jobs, but mine has been a blessing all the way around.
transcribing on treadmill
Haven't figured out how yet but there has to be a way to transcribe while walking on a treadmill. Any suggestions?
transcribing for Doc's office
Moving to Idaho soon, would like to type for doctor's office..Any idea how I can find out how to go about this. Where would I look to find out particulars. Working for outsource now but do NOT want to get into that situation again..Too many confusing signals.
Slow down while transcribing (sm)
and proof then? If you're making so many errors that proofing is time-consuming, then you need to change your work method. Are you using an Expander so you don't have to think about spelling/capitalizing drug names, for example? Are you saving copies of each report and creating normals from them so you don't have to retype the doctor's standard phrases? After 4 years, you must be doing something very wrong to be stuck at 900 lines/day.
You should not be transcribing what you don't understand.
Do you know the diff between peroneal and perineal? If you don't, you are making a fool of yourself and the field. If you don't understand it, you aren't doing it right. That holds true for ANY field of work.
Is doing QA easier than transcribing? nm
nm
Transcribing vs Dreaming
You know how they say sometimes your dreams are your brain's way of finding solutions to problems? I find that when I am transcribing my brain does the best thinking. Yes, I am focused on what I am typing but I find that all sorts of ideas/solutions just pop in my head while I am transcribing--things that have absolutely nothing about what I am typing. Can't tell you how many times I think about what to plan for dinner, etc. I wonder if it is because I slow down enough and am still in one spot that my brain is finally able to focus. Or maybe it is because I am so focused on my typing that my brain has room to think of other things too. Does anyone else do that?
dreaming or transcribing
Whenever I am working I think of cooking and cleaning. Then when dinner time rolls around I have already cooked and done all my housework (in my mind only) and am ready for bed. I call this mind-cooking, or mind-cleaning. Sometimes it is only place where I can find peace. Isthat how you feel?
Transcribing since 2000, now 31....
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Drinking and Transcribing sm
Someone's life is placed in my hands when I sit down to transcribe. One letter out of the way such as an "a" could change the meaning of someone's medical diagnosis. One slip of a wrong medication or dosage and the patient could die. We all know when docs get used to us getting things right, they don't even read what they sign. One pass-over of a word that we don't want to take the time to look up could kill a patient. Don't tell me to lighten up, please. That's your excuse! I have had an anaphylactic reaction to a medication. If someone decided to skip over this or whatever - I could die, yes, DIE! I would no more drink and transcribe than play Russian roulette with an infant. Sorry, it's probably what you don't want to hear, but I would not want you NEAR my medical history. I once had a student skip over an allergic reaction and instead of looking up the name of it she just typed "the dye". When I caught her on it, she shrugged her shoulders as if it didn't mean a thing. She just wanted to get her line count in, looking things up took away from her $$$.
Please take me seriously, it's worse than drinking and driving. It's a serious, serious thing to do. Alcohol definitely affects judgement and makes you sloppy. Slop and medical transcription do not go together. I don't want to kill anyone tonight, do you? If you want to drink, that's your business, but don't drink and type someone's medical record! Don't bother responding for me to "lighten up" because anyone with half a brain knows I'm right! If you drink constantly, then you're still "drunk" when you get up in the morning, coffee does NOT sober you up. That's BS.
 Put the plug in the jug!
Transcribing is not typing. sm
It includes typing, but so much more. It absolutely includes tools of the trade, especially word expansion programs, and normals, and sample of difficult doctors. Typing wpm actually has nothing to to with transcribing lph. If you think of it as typing, you will always be slow at transcribing.
tired of transcribing
Yes. I feel that same way . I have been transcribing for about 28 years, and you are absolutely correct that the pay is just not going up, and you work all day and make peanuts. I would like to be the middle man and make the money they do. If you are interested by any chance in partnering in a company venture, let me know. I need to get out of this field too.
transcribing expletives sm
I have heard different approaches to this. In this case, the expletive has to do with the employment of someone and harrassment. I think in this case it is okay to spell it out, as it is his part of the complaint. I usually use quotation marks. Anyone else had this problem? Help wanted on this subject.
@ 380 lpm transcribing, 800 editing
Rather slow typist, working for national (Transcend), semi-anal good-quality work, use ShortHand and templates, acute care accounts I'm familiar with. That's actual work time only, not coffee-break time, and I can do better when I try.
I'm not talking about transcribing.....
I am talking about "scoping", or rather, editing a transcript that has already been made..this is not court reporting or transcribing...fyi
I am considering using VR for my transcribing. Does anyone have any NEGATIVE
comments about using VR? Best program? Like to know what to be prepared for. May be my only hope to continue in transcription due to wrist problems. Thanks.
I welcome transcribing correspondence
that is not patient-related now and again, but not if I'm not being compensated for it. I don't know how long you have been with this practice, but I would send a letter outlining what you posted regarding both matters, and state that you feel you are deserving of a pay increase because the job entails more than you originally agreed upon. See what kind of reply you get. Ya never know! Good Luck!
Digital Transcribing
I sent you an email. All you need is the software, a foot pedal, probably USB, and the doctors need the software and some dicatating hardware. It is all very inexpensive. And SO nice. Try it, you'll like it.
I am transcribing the most considerate doc sm
ever. I'm doing a stat transfer summary and I'm going along as fast as I can and all of a sudden as I proof this is what I read-I have to imagine that you would have to be pretty sick of listening to people just flip pages all the time, I'm sorry about that. I wish there was a better way around it. Now, isn't that sweet of him?
editing vs. QA vs. transcribing
Wondering what you guys in editing and/or QA can tell me about the stress level of your jobs? I love transcribing; have done it for 25+ years, but this year I've been extremely burned out. Some days, I can barely make my quota. I'm easily distracted, I get sleepy, my back hurts, and my wrists seem to lock up. I have to stretch my 8-hour day out to about 15 hours just to get my minimum line count. I wouldn't say it's "stressful," just monotonous and boring. Tried editing at one point, but found it to be even more boring; just MY opinion. What's the stress level for you guys who are strictly editors and strictly QA? Is QA worth the extra money, or are you stressed to the max?
When I first started transcribing,
it was most comfortable to put the keyboard on my lap, and I spent much of my time transcribing in that position. I did not require a pillow due to long arms and short upper body. One arm is a little longer, so the keyboard was on a little angle.
Everybody's body is different, so you just have to pay attention to what's happening as you type and adjust your position. It's not bad to have more than one position you use each day. And I can't stress enough the importance of exercising. I know you don't want to take the time, but if you would use little free weights and proper form in a few exercises, moving the weights slowly with no momentum (some of the form I see on The Biggest Loser is not ideal!) you would really help your posture and get rid of the knots before they start getting bigger and pressing on nerves.
There are also chiropractic exercises for your neck that have been around for decades that can really help keep neck pain away. It's where you put your hand on one side of your head and push against the hand for a count of 10, with 10 sets. Then do it on the other 3 sides of your head.
You just need your muscles to be a little stronger to support your arms more comfortably. And with exercising you also learn to detect tension.
Are you squeezing your jaw muscles right now? That's where tension starts. Stretch and relax your jaw. Where are your eyebrows? Raised for no reason? Knit together in a frown? Let go and relax your face.
did not say she was new - said she had many years transcribing - nm
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13975 -- all transcribing
Did not realize it -- three psych reports 15 to 18+ pages each
transcribing with the AlphaGrip
Before I discovered the AlphaGrip I had been searching for a tray to hold my keyboard on my lap, and I wound up buying the one offered here: http://www.laptoplounger.com/
I have never been able to work comfortably with my keyboard in my lap, and still was not able to with this tray, but it works great for my foot pedal and is adjustable both in height and angle. I will have to try to take a pic of my setup and post it here. I have my recliner on an old futon frame so that I can use a rolling laptop desk and have my computer in front of me while I am reclined, with the tray I mentioned for the foot pedal set up on the end of the frame (need to stabilize it a little better).
BTW, when I bought the Touchsmart computer, the wireless keyboard that comes with it is smaller than the one I was using prior, and I was able to take an old lapdesk and Velcro attach the keyboard to it, and I was finally able to have the keyboard in my lap. When I bought my AlphaGrip, I was able to immediately discontinue use of the traditional mouse, but gradually switched from the keyboard. The AlphaGrip web site has tons of information and free programs to help with learning to use it. I started with a program that one of their early customers came up with and is provided free, and then downloaded some of the typing games they offer. Most of the keys are hit with the same finger as on the QWERTY keyboard, but to fit all of the keys from the traditional board in such a small space, some of them are chorded. Basically, there are three shift keys, regular for caps, red for numerals and some special characters (-, +, =, etc.) and green for punctuation and some other special characters. I love mine, and with the pain I was having before, I do not know that I would have been able to stay in transcription without it.
Sorry so long . . . I guess I'm passionate about my AG :)
**transcribing - too late in the day (lol)
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