How long to get consistency in lines?

I have been trying to use an Expander for 2 years. My speed is between 150-200 lines per hour, 1100 to 1500 per shift, depending on the docs and type of report. None of the docs seem to say the same thing every time so I've been having a hard time. I have a slew of normals but must change them all the time.

I have hundreds of words and phrases in my expander, but I can't remember half of them or how they are abbreviated. The advisory gives me enough suggestions but I have to stop and chose one if I don't remember the number immediately.

I have the book Saving Keystrokes but part of my problem is that I'm not consistent on using abbreviations.  My goal is 250-300 lph consistently. How can I achieve this without jepordizing the quality of my reports?

Don't say use macros. I have no idea how. I've been reading up on everything I can find about them, but it goes in one ear and out the other. I just can't figure them out anymore (used to a decade ago).

Any ideas or help here?

• How long to get consistency in lines? - Not a speed typist
  • You may be at your limit for the accounts you type on - sm - misty
  • You really have to be in sync sm - expanders
    • I used to use only AutoCorrect before, so with - Not a speed typist
      • not so great with expanders either... - D
      • What platform do you work on? Maybe I can help. - MSMT
  • How to you abbreviate your expanders? You said if you - pat
  • You might just be at your cap. We all have - limitations, even if we push ourselves. nm Reality

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On a normal good day it takes me about 5 hours, somedays I just can't stay focused so it takes longer.  I'm still debating about getting an Expander so just wanted to see how long it took people on average. 

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!

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. 

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.

I'm very sorry that your lines are 90 characters line and you get paid by gross lines.  You are cheating yourself - that's not my fault.  You cannot change the definition of a gross line.  So I gues I'm not understanding what you are trying to say.  Now if you are trying to say that your line equals 90 characters and that's how you figure your lines, than you are not using gross lines.  You have defined a line to be 90 characters, whereas most MTSOs define a line as 65 characters.  If that is the case, then I must say again, you are cheating yourself.

So which is it, do you get paid by gross lines or by a 90 character line?

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.

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.

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.

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!