LOL..i wasn't bashing you..just found it interesting.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. doctors increasingly have access to computers to look up information on their patients, but more than half still don't have digital health records or the ability to write electronic prescriptions, a study released on Wednesday found.

Twenty-two percent of doctors surveyed by the Center for Studying Health System Change last year had access to electronic prescription tools compared with 11 percent in 2001.

About half can use computers to access notes on their patients or exchange data with other doctors, up from about 37 percent and 41 percent, respectively, four years earlier.

"Despite substantial growth rates ... many physicians still lack access to practice-based clinical information technology (IT)," said study co-author Marie Reed, who manages data for the independent policy research group.

Overall, a higher percentage of doctors said last year they could use technology to find out about recommended treatments and patients' medications, as well as share information with other physicians.

The study comes as a U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce subcommittee prepares to consider legislation on Wednesday that would create guidelines to help hospitals, doctors and the government share patient records.

All Americans are supposed to have electronic health records by 2014 under a goal set by

His administration has funded the U.S. Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology but has otherwise relied on private industry to spur wider use of information technology in the health sector.

Some critics say the federal government should take a greater role, offering tax breaks and other incentives as well as requiring U.S. agencies to make greater use of electronic health data.

"In general, major barriers to physician adoption of clinical IT include start-up and maintenance costs, as well as the significant effort and costs of changing workflow to effectively use IT," the study said.

Researchers surveyed more than 6,600 doctors in 2005 and about 12,000 in 2001. The did not ask doctors whether they actually used the technology in their everyday practice.

About 65 percent of doctors last year said they could look up information on treatment guidelines compared with 53 percent in 2001. Twenty-nine percent said they used technology for reminders about preventive treatments for patients, compared with just under 24 percent in 2001.

The Center for Studying Health System Change, which receives most of its funds from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation philanthropy, said promoting digital health data may encourage more doctors to go high-tech.

Until then, the slow adoption rates "suggest that physicians as a group have not yet reached a tipping point in the adoption of IT for most clinical activities," it said.

I check the Craigslist website quite often, and on a whim I clicked on India and then jobs. SO MANY POSTINGS FOR JOBS AVAILABLE FOR U.S. BASED COMPANIES - customer service, call centers, computer techs, and yes even MTs. There was even one posting a few weeks ago from a "company" that would set you up with a U.S. based physical address, phone number, fax number so that you could have your business "based" in the U.S., obviously to actually be in another country and get the U.S. tax break. Sickening

most of these are old but the CBay post is fairly new...even the MTs in India do not seem to be treated fairly...I imagine there is a lot of abuse over there also.

Too bad we could not unionize them and us together...would that ever be possible you think?

I was just trying to vent with colleagues over some of my frustrations. I didn't call her names, nor did I suggest that she is a bad person in any way. My only complaint with her is that she never admits she is wrong and never says I am sorry. But that was yesterday and this is today. I have vented and I'm fine. I really didn't mean to stir up such a hornet's nest. I have no ill will or whatever. I just sometimes feel that there is a lot of talk about professionalism, but sometimes it is just talk.

I never worked for Signal, but I love MDI, and I do not think, as some have suggested, that she goes around deliberately overhiring, nor do I think she is nuts. She may be a bit eccentric, but we all are, I suppose, in our own way. If nothing else, she is a good businesswoman, and that just wouldn't make sense to deliberately cause so many MTs to be miserable with no work. I have to assume there is some kind of plan in the works. I do believe she cares about the MTs and making sure there is enough work.

I wish this thread would be deleted -- it was just a frustrated plea for a sympathetic "ear," but now has turned into some meanspirited bashing, which I never wanted.

My apologies to all for being a part of it in any way

I enjoy belonging to AAMT because they keep me informed about what is going on in the industry. I live in a rather rural area and we do have a small component chapter in our area which I also like, as it helps me stay connected with people in this profession in my particular area (networking). Our meetings are not held on Saturdays, so the other poster who said that may have experienced that, but not in my area.

I do enjoy going to the symposiums--they are not that expensive and I learn a great deal as well as network with other people in my state. That is priceless, in my opinion.

I also like being involved with a professional association, as I take my profession seriously and want to associate myself with the professional association, and AAMT is it in that regard. If there were other choices, I might feel differently.

Are they perfect? Heck, no! But, the members do elect the people who make the decisions and therefore I feel my voice does get heard. Do they always do what I want? No, but no organization would, as everyone has different opinions.

I think it is a personal choice. I've been in MT for 25+ years and a member of AAMT for the past 12. I make a very good wage, and yes, I do get compensated for my CMT, though I understand many do not. I am proud to be a member and plan to keep up my membership as long as I feel my needs are being met which is networking, continuing education, etc.

I found this on a nurse's blog - they were talking about MT mistakes they found in charts...

Nurse #1:
I tried to get a job as a medical Transcriptionist for extra money, and no one would hire me because my 15 years experience of direct patient care does not qualify me to be a transcriptionist. Oh really? Or, I guess I mean, Owe Reilly?

I have no idea why they wouldn't let you work as a transcriptionist - what sort of special training would you need that you wouldn't already have?! It might be a good way to make ends meet if there came a point where a nurse couldn't stand up for so long anymore. It doesn't seem like it would take much in the way of critical thinking skills...

We don't use critical thinking skills? Darn, then maybe I should look into the career opportunities at Burger King...

And what I love the most - if Frank himself called one of them, or actually walked up to them in an office, they'd fall all over him, gushing about how great he is to work for! Guaranteed! Its just so "catty" to claw his eyes out on an anonymous message board and giggle, giggle, giggle. I'd be saying the same thing to their faces as well, except I'd probably be their supervisor and would be canning their catty behinds.

I would check out the posts made by MQMT under "Straw that broke the camel's back". Maybe I'm seeing double....who knows anymore at this stage of the game!! Have a good day.

By the way, I did have a complete burnout on MTing after about 30 years so took a two year break; Glad I'm back now but the break was a "good thing"!!

I think you have been had and I am sorry for it. This is NOT what you signed up for and I think you have been taken advantage of. Please cut your losses and look for a real job.

I would love to tell you that no company ever charges a "setup fee" but that is not strictly true. I know that I have been asked to buy a pedal or Docushuttle before. I have been asked to upgrade to XP Pro, but I declined that job offer. There is still one major national who expects you to pay for transportation to their New Jersey facility and pay for your lodging. They reimberse you for part of this if you stay at least 6 months. I personally would not do that.

All companies are in this for the money (so are we) and that means they get you set up to MAKE money, as much and as quickly as you can.

I was just elaborating on the positive aspects which give us freedom of choice. I agree with you 100% about the negative aspects. That's why I've been "happily divorced" for 8 years.

I just made an observation that you hadn't responded yet. And I was working myself, so I was trying to be brief. Like I told Endiqua, it's not that I, myself, don't believe you or anyone else who is earning really good $$$ at MT. I don't really care if other MTs believe you or not. That's their problem. I do believe it can be done, but I want to know how I can do it, too. Honestly, I appreciate the advice and sharing of experiences. I'm not trying to come across as snotty or trollish.

My last (?

?maybe?) question for you is how long you have been on your particular accounts, and are they low, mid or high level accounts? I worked for both MQ and S, but I left for greener pastures because they kept bouncing me from difficult ESL account to another within a week of the last one.

I made more in the past year doing MT than every other year combined since I started several years ago. I'm not working a part-time job as backup any more either. I've also tripled my expander stats in the past month. I could be satisfied with that, but I believe the potential is there to do so much more.

System seemed nice at first but quickly turned out it wasn't. Someone else I know told me hers kept locking up on her. You don't have access to your Word entries and if you don't have a compatible shortcut expander, you have to start all over again in theirs. That stinks.

I found my QA to be very, very picky, over the top, ridiculous things. I don't think they want people to work for them because it seems you can't do anything right and I'm one who has been in this business a LONG time and no one ever complained about my work before.

I was very disappointed as I had heard good things about MDI-MD. Just goes to show what is right for one MT is not for another.