I agree 100% especially with reading as one types (I do also) and if a company sm
Posted By: You know what on 2005-07-22
In Reply to: How to make money MTing - Dano
constantly have no woek or constantly runs out of work. At least half of the MTs on MTstars need to follow this advice. This would stop the majority of the whining on this board.
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- How to make money MTing - Dano
- I agree 100% especially with reading as one types (I do also) and if a company sm - You know what
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I agree - there are those types in every profession - SM
I was just making the point that we can't expect to make the same amount of money that a doctor does when he has gone to school for at least 8 years of his life to be an expert at what he does.........
Do a lot of reading on the company and
Medquist boards on this site. That might help you decide whether to come back to MT or not. Good luck.
If you will spend some time reading the company board
you'll see that the industry is more volitile than ever. Work is being offshored to India and other countries and the garbage is left for the US MT. Companies are going to VR. Pay is low, you can expect to make 9 to 10 cpl average as an employee, maybe up to 11 cpl as an independent contractor. A lot of companies cannot provide steady work and insurance is very expensive.
I would not recommend leaving your job to pursue MT full-time. Most companies want the experience to be current, within the last 2 years, so you could potentially have some issues with being 3 years out.
I would suggest trying it part-time to get a feel for how things are before you decide.
I agree with Amanda. How many people reading this should be working right now?! nm
x
i used to work for a company that divided the work types up and i loved it. sm
there were only 4 of us working a major teaching hospital. someone was assigned surgery, different assigned discharges, different admits, etc. we all had the backup work type in case the original assignee wasn't available and were cross trained. it made us much more efficient, ability to get used to dictators, set macros, and in the long run we were all much happier.
Can point in a direction but takes reading, re-reading sm
Goggle.com and enter various phrases to get articles and companies. I use a free doanload of ExpressScribe, yep, it is free. They have a number of various software things on their site to read and perhaps one will fit. The express Scribe is a piece of sotware to download, it is very simple and I like simple. You can listen and transcribe various voice file formats. You can use a wav pedal one is called a serial pedall and I think it is 9 pin and plugs in the back of PC and also another pedal I think a 15 pin wav pedal and goes in the USB port in front. However, you can also use it without a pedal and it works fine. You use a couple of key to stop, pause, rewind, I forget the key. There are a lot of pedals so don't just jump in. On this site you may benefit from emailing the company after reading and rereading, even if you don't understand. .
_______________
http://nch.com.au/
Express scribe site above Copy and paste into address bar in your browser.
Need help can email darleneh1111@earthlink.net
An error reading or a negative reading? (nm)
nm
I agree - if the company won't pay for this....sm
If you don't have another job right now, go ahead and work for them for 30 days while you are looking for a new job. The company should provide any software that you need. If they don't, then they are not a good company to work for.
You might post on the Company Board and see what kind of experience other MTs have had with this company.
I agree! I just refused a job with a company because
the tech didn't do what he was supposed to do for my computer to work with their software and then got extremely upset with me when I questioned him about it. He told me that if I had used their computer, these problems wouldn't have happened and it would have been so much easier and better for HIM! So much for support for the MTs. I guess we should all acquiesce to what is best for tech support and help to make their lives easier, not the other way around.
I agree with you to forget them, as one would think the company itself
would carry that insurance and cover their MTs. You are worth more than they seem to think and I would look for a company that sees your worth.
Agree. MTSO/DO out for company, MT just a
x
I totally agree. Best company I have
ever worked for. Have been working with them for over a year. Work when I want, excellent dictators/accounts, paychecks always good and have never been late even before I got direct deposit. None of the transcription is done out of USA. They do other things
I agree with medical supply company .../sm
I just finished staying with my uncle during his last few months of lung cancer. The motorized lift action was a godsend the last few weeks when he had trouble standing up to get into his walker and move around. We were fortunate in that one of the relatives had a relative who had a relative... etc... anyway, we were able to get a used lift chair in good condition for a lot less, but even if you have to pay full price at medical supply store, it is definitely the way to go if your mom has mobility problems or you think she will in the near future.
I agree. I forgot to mention that my company
gives each doctor a test to see if they qualify for VR. I do not know what the criteris is to qualify, but I noticed that the ones who are heavy ESL do not do VR. So, I should modify my response above, in that some companies, at least mine for a fact I know, keeps the high ESL on straight typing. That makes sense, because the turn over in MT labor would be enormous. I guess what I would do is delete the VR content and type as fast as the wind on that heavy ESL at 40% less the rate of straight typing. That would be my solution, rather than sit there and correct.
Anyway, you are right about the bad dictators being off VR, and my company apparently recognized that already.
I totally agree.. Hey, I think I've applied to that company ..LOL
Agree! This company is great! Fast service. Big selection. Willing to help, too. nm
s
As far as company VR for critical care it is not very good and I agree with the other poster. I tend
to leave little words in or if I have to take a lot of words out an extra word gets stuck in. It is a mess. If you are speaking of your own person VR at home to help I know nothing about that. With companies at this stage of the game you will not increase your productivity as you think.
I agree with MOMT, but be careful not to print company names or you'll
p
I totally agree, the company I work for is switching from IT to Shorthand :( yuck!
xxx
I'm 45 and have done all types (sm)
of transcription. I did formal training for MT in 1998, after my training I was doing pretty well. Now that I am getting nothing but leftover, terrible dictators doing medical transcription, I make more money doing general transcription.
NOT planning on taking on anymore medical dictation since the offshoring got going. It has been a nightmare to find decent accounts, companies and decent dictators in the last year or so.
How come whenever someone types a lot of
lines in a day it is considered cherrypicking? I just finished my shift for the day and had 3897 lines. Did I cherrypick? No! I can't see what work I'm getting until it shows up on my screen. I worked a total of 11 hours with my 3 breaks figured in. Yes, I did work 2 hours OT but they asked for OT so I sat and worked. I can work steadily for 3-4 hours and then get up and stretch. I had no normals except the ones that I put in myself for the doctors. I've been doing the same accounts for about 8 years and have tons of "normals" for a lot of the doctors. Once in a while they will change their wording to throw you off course. The only doctors that slow me down nowadays are the new residents who must talk for no less than 30 minutes for each patient. Out of the 132 charts I transcribed, I had about 65% ESLs. Just because some people type a lot of lines in a day does not mean that they are a cherrypicker.
That's one of the things I hate about some nationals. You should NOT be allowed to see the other line counts of your fellow workers because all these accusations happens. If you see someone with a constantly high line count, you automatically assume they are getting all the "good" doctors when it is not the case with a lot of people. It may be true in some cases but you're lumping everyone with a high line count into one group.
There are these types in QA and in MT, too.
NM
so who types it? they only way around that would be to outsource
and that seems ridiculous.
Report types.
Easiest-family practice. Hardest-OB/GYN.
skin types
It does depend on the skin type and the type of laser machine they used. Many of them do not do darker skin. They all do tend to work better on lighter skins. I have dark hair due to a hormone imbalance my whole life since childhood. Dark hair on my arms, etc. Some laser brands of machine are better than others. Let me know if you decide you want information on the one I work for or I can give you the name of the top selling laser brand out there that I would recommend from what I know.
you can ask these types of questions
such as laborlawtalk.com
There are different types of USB pedals
There is Olympus, VEC, Infinity, many, many. Look at the bottom of your pedal to get the code. If it is an Infinity, you will see something like IN-USB1, or IN9B (for 9 pin) or IN-DVIUSB. All the Infinity foot pedals work with ExpressScribe EXCEPT the DVI because it is a higher technology than is compatable with ES. Run the foot control wizard on ExpressScribe to help it locate the foot pedal and recognize it so you can use it. You may have to try all the COM ports on the wizard before you hit the right COM port and the foot pedal is recognized. My Infinity foot pedal USB1 is recognized in ES as the _VEC_ if that helps you.
I have had to do the hand control thing and it is very frustrating and can make the test take 4 times longer than with a foot pedal.
There is a whole list of these types
of things I got through my MT training classes. To make the ' over the e in debride, you would do Alt + 233 on your number pad. Let me know if it works. good luck.
Others have other types of jobs?
 Hi everyone,
Do any of you have other types of jobs besides MT, QA, Editing, etc. like me?? I just started another type of job for evenings to help out financially, and I like doing so. I still do my main MT thing, but the other one is actually fun for me, and not just slaving away all day at a computer!!
Work types
Has anyone ever quit a position because you get work types you were assured you would not have to do? I absolutely despise discharge summaries and was told upon hire that I would not have to do them, there were plenty of other reports I could do, now I get big chunks of DS throughout the day, I never have liked them, I lose about 75-100 lines/hour doing them. Does anyone else have this problem? I am not a newbie, I just do not like discharges and get a real mental block, I think mainly because I get so tired of sitting while the dictator is trying to figure out what to say.
Work types
Yes, they all have to get done but I used to work for a company that you were given a certain work type all day long, and it either rotated or if there was one person who liked ds or op, they were routed to them - the work got done, the MT had more production, thus the company benefitted also, why take an MT who can do 300+ lines on everything but DS and put them on DS when you have people who do 150 on everything, including DS
work types
Most won't allow that.. Especially the ones that pay well. The one I work for requires you to be skilled in all ares, even radiology.. It is a great job.. Have them for 20 years and 10 years in the MT department working from home. Hospitals are the way to go.
other types of transcription
I have been doing medical transcription for about 5 years now and I am very interested in getting into other areas such as auto insurance claims, police reports, interviews, etc.
I was wondering if anyone has ventured into this area -I would like to try something new but do not even know where to start.
Thanks for any advice!
I have had many different types of jobs s/m
from the lowliest to corporate level, and I take pride in all work that I do. I do not find this profession in any way boring -- there is always something new to be learned and every case (usually) is different and fascinating to me. Sometimes they make me laugh, sometimes they make me cry, but it is never boring!!. I just get so frustrated with the regard that everyone else looks at this profession -- that because I work from home, it is not a "real" job, or that what we do is not important or significant. This job requires a myriad of language and technical skills that I believe an "average" person could simply not do. I have done brain-numbing data entry, and this work is far, far more involved than simply transferring numbers or names into a format.
Anyone who types enough lines
to survive on these days cannot be called a 'slacker'. No way.
What types of reports were they?
Did you leave a lot of blanks or guess? Were you familiar with those work types? Were the accents difficult? Did you follow the BOS (BS)?
Of the 10 years' exp you have, is it well-rounded (including acute care and clinic). Have you ever worked in house (in a hospital or clinic)?
Just some things to consider. I wouldn't throw in the towel just because some national didn't like your test. Consider a local service with specialties you are familiar with and ask the owner/QA person to help you with learning new ones.
types of keyboards
I just recently purchased a Logitech wave computer, switched from the ergonomic ones I have used for years. This one was easy to adjust to, my spend is just as fast and yet the rest of the family can use it, they were so confused by the ergonomic ones. I just want to know who makes a keyboard that the letters do not wear off, have had this one only a month or two and the L is just about gone along with the S, E and N almost unrecognizible.
Do you get choice of which report types are sent to you?
>>
There are all types of cherry picking
Sometimes it's like the game of Monopoly - I'll trade you St Charles Place for Marvin Gardens. You take a couple of choice dictatators in exchange for doing a couple that other people have trouble doing.
Another example is giving a "good show." By that I mean ... there are 20 reports on the system - Two of them are 10 minutes each and the rest are 2 minutes each. You've got two hours to get the work done, so, you do all the small reports. Changes are it'll be the same amount of lines either way, but it's psychological for the client. They think they're getting more work back.
I remember years ago when I worked in a hospital. There was one doctor who sent me screaming from the room (he sounded like a deranged chipmunk). They hired a new gal who had no trouble doing him (she also had a lot more experience than me). She knew I hated him and said, "I'll go him if you let me down so-and-so." You betcha!! We were happy as clams. I got rid of the worst one, and she got to do her favorite one.
The truth of the matter is, I would speak with those in charge and explain the situation. Tell them how you feel (very frustrated). See what they can do/say. If they won't ... personally ... I update my resume and look elsewhere.
Then again, maybe I just have a lower tolerance level than others.
The transcription manager types it.
x
Is my post about different types of glossaries
nm
Realistically with all work types
and various dictators, I average about 17.5 minutes per hour at the end of the day. But the first few hours I'm still working with my coffee buzz, so it is a little more, maye 22-25. I get a lot of 10-15 minute reports with a lot of dead air time, then will get a 2-minute report that is two pages long. I could never go by minutes unless it is the same thing over and over again.
I think there are two types are care/discussions going on here(sm)
On the one hand there are the elder parents who are still very functional but maybe not able to live alone. In that case I feel they should move in with the middle-aged children or vice versa.
However, on the other hand, there are those elder parents who are no longer able to function and require 24-hour nursing care. In this case, I think it would be better if they were in a nursing home setting where they could get the around-the-clock care rather than the children having to pay a private-duty nurse. Yes, the elder parents, when they are young, provided for and took care of the children. However, we're talking nursing care at this point. And the other argument is: How far do the middle-aged kids take the nursing care? Do they get to the point where they're having to sell their house and belongings in order to keep the elder parents at home? JMO
What types of procedures? I love doing
cardiac caths because most docs will say the same thing over and over, same for bypass grafting, just different grafts and locations. All in all the procedures stay basically the same. This also works for cardioverting, just change the joules where appropriate. When I do a cath or other procedure for the first time. I will make a normal for it then make changes as they come along. These procedures can be good for the line count!. Also, in your short keys, make short cuts for left and right anterior descending, ejection fraction, end diastolic pressure, etc., you get the picture. They will use these a lot.
I have found that most of the time the more difficult dictators are the ones that will basically go word for word in dictating their reports. Good luck!
Talk to the doc about what types of screens are
time on the PC. Also I was told that stigmatism is a common thing to have but a lot of people do not know they have it. I wear glasses now, but I think my eyesight is getting worse from the looking at the screen as well. You should probably take more breaks from the PC.
Rate differential for job types
so, is it just me or are operative reports on the whole more difficult/time consuming than other types, like ERs or discharge reports? Seems like a more thorough knowledge of anatomy, not to mention surgical equipment, is needed for ops...
Does anyone here type other types of transcription?
If so what type of transcription is it and how did you go about getting that type of work?
Basic 4 isn't one report, it's 4 different types. sm
H&P's, discharge summaries, op reports, and ....i'm blanking on the 4th, sorry.
Shorthand types 62%, I type 38%. nm
nm
Different types of errors are weighted differently ...
so more serious errors count more, less serious count less. I have 8 reports a month QA'd. My QA person listens to the dictation while reading my transcribed report and marks errors and classifies each error. The total is weighted on a percentage.
Last month on my 8 QA'd reports, I had only 1 error and it was a style format error (I used a "dash" as the physician dictated but the BOS2 says to use 2 dashes if dashes are being used and BOS2 prefers using semi-colons). That was the only error of any kind I had and it was not serious. My monthly QA score (because of how this type of error was weighted) was 99.9%. I have had a few times of 100% but I have never had below 99%. My QA person gives me a full explanation of why it is an error and sometimes marks information that is not counted against me but is given as "information only". Noncritical errors are only counted once in a document and critical errors are counted as often as you have them (ex: if you used perineal instead of peroneal --that is a critical error).
Well, I have 25 years experience also in all work types
and only do acute care with a line rate of 10.5 cpl M-F and 11 cpl on the weekends.
You can negotiate it a little harder, and you will get it depending on their needs, I guess.
It is MDI-Maryland.
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