May have to grin and bear it. Another option . .
Posted By: Long-time MT on 2008-09-19
In Reply to: Wow! Now I know what everyone - mt
Keep documentation for a while. It's a good CYA move if/when they use it against you in QA audits.
As you noted, you are aware a lot of us have been there. Personally, I think commas are the most subjective points of punctuation. Maybe it depends on the QA's mood or the phase of the moon! ;)
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Yes mac - I see now. *grin*...thanks....nm
Wry grin
Yep, I figured out I was making about 25 cents an hour on some of my first dictators. And to think I went to school to earn way less than minimum wage, huh?
I knew that was you, Jay *grin*...*S*...sm
 Always up to doing GREAT things.....I sent off your wavs on WP5.1 and about this business to others in my community who got a kick out of your links too.....one lady knows you from the AAMT from years ago.
Back several years ago when I used to frequent that other MT board...the one where they started CHARGING to use it.....is where I first met/saw you and so that was a good 10 years ago. *L* - Nice to see you still up to those good things you were up to back then....always in our interests!! You are much appreciated, just in case you didn't know it. 
Be well, some of us love *reading* you online!!! 
Of course, that's basic living *grin* ...... nm
xx
Hey Kerri, glad I could help...*grin*...nm
x
we called it EMDRAT sm
find a smaller MTSO that uses WinScribe or similar program - Dictaphone Transnet is good too. There ARE others out there you just gotta weed through them. Good luck!
It means grin-the speaker is grinning nm
nm
off topic, but bear with me here
would you be upset if your husband had been somewhat unfaithful in the past, but the two of you worked through your problems and sought counseling and now had a stronger marriage than ever? except you didn't know for certain about the somewhat unfaithful part until after you had reconciled and renewed your vows? but then you find out that your mother-in-law knew about the infidelity and preached to you about marriage and family without telling you the whole story? because it was her son's place to tell me, not hers. and now you find out that she is friends with this other woman and calls and emails her on a regular basis, which is more than she does with you? do I have the right to feel angry and betrayed here? or am I seriously just overreacting and freaking out about something that's in the past?
mama bear
it reminds me of the simpsons. Homer makes a good papa bear..
Smarter than the average bear :-)
xx
So what? 8 cpl is what the market will bear. If you don't want 8, don't take a job that pays
x
You're right. I can't bear children! BWAHAHA!!! nm
Sucker!
you should be setting your rates according to what the market will bear...
not what you feel like getting. If you like the account, you're familiar with it and able to make good money off of it, you might want to stay at the rate you are at. As a service owner, I used to plan to hire at 7 but bring everyone eventually up to 10 cpl by 0.5 increases every six months. I also used to be able to raise the rates from the hospital, clinic or physician office every 2 years. Nowadays if I bid on a new account, I am regularly outbid at 11 cpl, with 24 TAT. I have discussed it with my IC MT's. If they want a raise, I can try to negotiate a raise from the hospital...but it jeopardizes our account. Every time you raise your rates, it's a signal for them to start shopping around. So I would say, based on what the market will bear, don't expect to be getting raises. Ever. 
Okay, now I am goign to type this verbatim so bear with me.....
If you have tried unplugging the back of the unit and it still won't let you re-program but you hear a dial tone OR after you press PROGRAM KEY and SEC# comes in the window instead of KEYS window THEN try to push calc/clear and hold down until window clears OR push pund key first and then calc/clear and hold down together until the window clears THEN press PROGRAM then KEYS, etc following instrcutions to re-program each work type number and bottom row.
Let me know it this works at all!
My tips (and I can't type tonight so bear with me) (sm)
Also if you're serious about starting out on your own, here are my recommendations (been there, did that last year).
1. Be patient ... realize that unless you hit the offices at just the right time when they're looking for a transcriptionist, you won't get a billion calls just because you "opened your doors" (I was sadly optimistic for quite a while).
2. Market yourself as a professional ... meaning no email addresses such as "ilovemykitties@catsrus.com". Have a business name or simply YOURNAME transcription service but have something to print on those business cards and flyers and brochures you're going to create!
3. Get business cards. If you go with vista print's free ones, pay the $3.99 to have a BLANK back side. I didn't at first and had to redo mine because they all said "free business cards at vista print" which looked like ca-ca.
4. Create a flyer or a brochure advertising what you have to offer. You can do this in MS Word (we all have it) and there are free templates you can down load or just use the column function.
5. Decide WHAT market you want to target and go for it. I didn't want acute care/hospital work so I only targetted clinics.
6. Send out introduction letters (do a search for client getting letter on the internet, there's one out there that I found but I didn't like it so created my own but it's some place to start) ... enclose a business card and a flyer or brochure advertising your services. Ask them to please keep your information handy in case they need transcription help.
7. Get a website (if you like that kind of thing ... I did). Also you can advertise on craigslist (all I got was spam from it though) or on freeyellow, kijiji, etc. I took advantage of all the free resources there were to get my name out there and I did get calls from people that had to have found me on the internet.
8. IF you live near a big town, it might be worth it to pound the pavement and go directly to offices to drop off your information. For me, I found it more economical to send out letters to every single doctor in the phone books in several nearby towns/cities.
9. Be patient and realize that once you get your own clients, you will feel amazing ... it will revitalize your career when you can say good bye to the middle man and know that every single line you type is YOUR money!!
Feel free to email me if you have any questions. :)
New giveaway! $50 Build A Bear Bucks, see sticky post above.
/
Elaine Johnson of Boise, Idaho, you won the Build A Bear Bucks!
Email to admin@mtstars.com with your full mailing address and we will send you your gift.
Agreed -- Bear is pretty much THE authority on accreditation and distance learning (NM)
nm
SBC has an option ...
called Call Trace. You pay for it only when you activate it. When an offending call comes in, you hang up and then dial a keycode. That runs a trace. It is a legal trace and you can obtain the information from SBC who will send it to the authorities. You have to acknowledge that you will press charges if there is enough evidence.
At the least, I would drop that cell phone number immediately and notify your carrier of the harassment.
P.S. We all would probably say neither, but it isn't an option. ;-)
nm
possible other option
I live in Michigan and also live in the sticks. I thought I had exhausted all possibilities until someone told me you can get a (sorry I do not know the technical name) card for your lap top that has an internal antena. You get them through Sprint, Cigular, and I think a couple of others have it. I have Nextel cell phone but cannot get good service unless I go down my driveway to the road (then it is not that great either). Sprint (nextel and sprint are not merged completely yet) is running a deal where you can get this card for free for 14 days to see if it works. The sales person told me you would still have high speed internet even if you could not get good phone service. You then would pay a monthly fee for unlimited access no matter where you go with your lap top. I am ordering today, and if it works, I will try a home net work to get my other PC on board (which I am also told you can get an external card like above for a PC also). If anyone out there already has this or knows more about it-PLEASE tell me. Dial-up jobs are getting fewer and farther between.
first option b, then if still not
happy go higher up than manager, if that's an option, and if it's not, go the the bbb
There may be another option
All I have ever had available to me is dial-up where I have lived over the years. However, I personally have no problem working on Emdat's InScribe platform. It may take a minute or two for the first job to download but then I always have two waiting and when I upload one job another one downloads, so there is always dictation waiting for me. However, I have a laptop now and I have noted with having more RAM (double what my PC has), everything works faster!
Also, my laptop came with the new ExpressCard slot and I plan to get that. It works basically like a cell phone and in my area unlimited Internet for it will be $79.99/month but well worth it to me if things are a little faster AND I can use my laptop in a lot of places that I travel (particularly in the summer camping), IF a signal/connection is available to me. I hope to be trying this out within the next month or so, as soon as the ExpressCards arrive at Verizon or Sprint.
If a laptop is a possibility for you, then that may be your way around dial-up. My satellite is not reliable enough and plus too costly I feel for Internet. Of course, you have to make sure that the laptop card will work with the platform the company uses that you work for/plan to work for. Emdat told me it would with their platform.
Of course, I first have to see what type of signal I get at home with the ExpressCard! :) We get "all the bars" on our personal cell phones (and actually have a tower within walking distance of our house out in the boonies-lol) so I don't think it should be a problem.
HTH some. :)
No that is not an option...sm
They told us if we fixed it up just to sell it then we would have to split it 50/50 with my husband's sister - even though she would not be putting any money or any effort into it anyhow. A few people have looked at this house when they were trying to sell it for $5k - yes just $5k - but noone would buy it. It is horrible shape. When we told his dad yesterday, before the fight between ourselves, that we were not taking it - his snide remark was "That's just more money in my pocket." You cannot win with his parents involved. I know they are his parents and I respect that and try to hold my tongue. Eventually his parents will lead to our divorce and that is what saddens me the most.
Another option...
Wristies work well, too. They're just fleece gloves with the fingers cut out, so they don't offer a lot of support, but they sure keep your hands/wrists warm. I got mine from plowandhearth.com.
there is another option
When I sold my house...I went with a flat fee company. I paid a flat fee for them to list my house on the MLS, put up a sign and give me a lock box, help me price the house right, and go over any offers.......
The flat fee was considerably less then what a commission would have been. She was a licensed agent with a lot of knowledge.
I was responsible for showing the house. Getting the inspection and some other miscellaneous paperwork and an agent usually does.
I think there is a national chain called Help-U-Sell (too expensive for me), but there are sometimes local small companies that do this as well.
Option 2
I don't want to go back to hourly.
Another option would be to
receipt to the practice getting your money back faster than writing it off at the end of the year, but I just figure that ink and paper are part of my expenses. That is a small price to pay as opposed to what you'd spend to look for a new account.
Furthermore, if this office is looking to slash, it may get worse for this IC in that she may lose the account regardless as the practice could go paperless with an online company for probably half of the cost they pay her.
Another option
You could look into Ameriplan's discount health and/or dental plans.
I'm an IC with no insurance and use the dental plus plan (which includes vision, Rx and chiropractic). I pay $14.95 a month for the plan and save $84 a month on my two monthly prescriptions.
Some people prefer insurance to discount plans, and it's up to the individual and their preferences on whether or not a discount health plan would work for them.
Depending on the plan, the monthly cost ranges from $14.95 a month to $59.95 a month. With these plans, you save up to 80% on all dental and medical fees.
You can get an idea of what providers are in your area and their fees by going to:
http://providersearch.ameriplanusa.com/
If you want more info, here's a website:
http://www.mybenefitsplus.com/mkj
Again, it's a discount plan and not insurance, and some people would prefer actual insurance, but I'm personally happy with them because the monthly cost is cheap and I get what I need. You can email me if you want more info (I'm an MT but also a rep for Ameriplan on the side) :)
Well she has been given that option...sm
but has heard that they run out of work a lot at Spheris and offshore most of the good work. Someone she knows works there and is going broke. This person who works at Spheris said one day she only got to work 2 hours and she is supposed to be full time. My friend has the problem that she makes $46,000 a year, and her budget is set to that amount. If she doesn't make that she said she can't pay her bills. She doesn't think she can make close to $50,000 at Spheris. There aren't many places you can make that kind of money.
Thanks. Vonage may be my only option around
nm
You have provided that option already. (SM)
When you posted, you filled in your e-mail address in the e-mail field. It activates a Reply By E-Mail option for those who want to e-mail you. Your e-mail address will not be revealed even when they e-mail you. If you reply to the e-mails you receive, then your e-mail address will be revealed by your own reply.
Onesuite is an option with MDI? - sm
I used it when I started working for them, but didn't know I would continue using it?
DNS gives you the option of attaching it to the
word processor you are using; however, in your case, if you are working through a network (I'm assuming it is a stripped version of Word?), it may not attach due to restrictions placed on it by your company. I may be wrong, you could try it. I would plan on spending 16 hours of training per physician to get it up to a point that would benefit you. Yes, that is a huge investment on your part. I'm not trying to be negative but if you are a slow typist, how computer saavy are you? Unless you really know how operating systems work, you could end up being very frustrated. Also you would need to train DNS to recognize all the medical terminology in your spell check unless you buy their terminology module (which is very limited).
IMHO, you would be better off getting an abbreviation system as the learning curve is much less and it would be more portable if you changed jobs. If you are a slow typist, an abbreviation/expansion program is invaluable to improving your line count. I have used Dragon on my own computer when I did not work through someone's platform and it really worked well for me but I had help from BG and a very good computer skills knowledge base.
d~
Possible Option for Acne
I always see the commercial for Proactiv solution on television, maybe you may want to give that a try. The commercial was originally hosted by Vanessa Williams.
Offshoring is still an option
I am working in an offshore MT company and our US client is happy with the result of our transcription work. To those against offshoring, do not be greedy. Have the heart to share! ... PLEASE check your spelling, it's "REQUEST" not "REQUIST."
Dial up is my only option
Believe me, if I could get cable or DSL I would. There is a rumor that a wireless internet tower will be going up in a few months. I have also considered satelite. I will just have to see how my companies platform works with dial up and then I will probably get satelite or the wireless because it will be cheaper, but it won't be here for another few months if it is approved by the county.
Thanks
INMT
Dial-up is my only option too
I'm in the same boat but I refused to go onto DQS/DEP after a disastrous experience trying to move over in 2004 - using dial-up. Some MTs have been able to make it work, I was not. It was a production nightmare. I was told by techs very clearly that DQS/DEP is not designed for dial-up and requires broad band (high speed) to be efficient. The company is keeping some dial-up accounts for those of us who this is our only option. I posted this before not long ago - there are plenty of accounts that ARE going to DEP/DQS and that is company goal (to have all accounts on DEP) but there are accounts being kept for dial-up only MTs. Check with your supervisor. My current dial-up account is moving over to DEP next month. I will have to transfer to another office in order to go to another dial-up account (that will NOT be moving over to DEP). I don't know the office because... I have a PS who does not respond to emails and phone calls, so I'm working on that aspect... Good luck.
Save as option
I do not use Word, but is there a save as option? From there it may give you options as to what type of file to save as. I think if you choose something like a text file, it may get rid of formatting, but not sure.
Do you have an option on your computer
of restoring back to a certain date? I used to use this all the time. You choose a date back when you know the file was working and it restores your system to that point.
A very low cost option without having to
spend a lot of money on hand held units is EZ-Voice. We offer a toll free call in solution for 9 cents per minute REGARDLESS of how many or how few minutes you need per month. We also offer FTP server space. Click on the link below to learn more...
This is actually the option of the employer. Some
want the name in there and it is there responsibility to redact the report should information need to be released. It is not our responsibility as a Transcriptionist to make this determination. Always check with the "boss" for clarification on this.
Okay, thanks, really need a slider option here
nm
QA position better option?
I know this was discussed to some degree recenty, but I can't seem to find the posts now.
For someone having trouble making line counts, is a QA position a better option?
What is the pay like, and are there any quotas? What all (typically) comes with this type of position? It would seem that it might be very stressful as far as all the blanks left due to horrible dictators and such.
Due to various circumstances, my MT position is very stressful and nonlucrative right now. I really need a mental and financial break of some sort before I crack, and a QA position might be an option.
Information and advice greatly appreciated! 
A really good option...sm
if you can afford it ~ and I know it can get expensive ~ is have the massage first and then an adjustment. I used to work in a chiropractor's office and she has a massage therapist right in the office and lots of people would see the massage therapist first and then have their adjustment. I did that, too, a few times and it really makes the adjustment easier because the muscles are all relaxes.
I see my chiropractor every 2 weeks since I started working full time. I feel so much better after an adjustment. And she is a Palmer graduate as well.
Nope. We were given the option of
telling the court how we felt, but there is nothing anyone can do about it now.
On our platform, you have the option of
whether to accept the edited version or not. If you choose not to accept the recognition document and edit it, you can transcribe it from scratch and are paid the straight transcription line rate for those lines.
What platform will you be working on? Maybe it is the same way.
Thanks, but unfortunately this individual has no other option.
She uses wireless high-speed now for internet and her company has told her that their new platform won't work with that. She's "a little bit country", so has no cable or DSL service.
Me, too, but getting pregnant is no longer an option.
I wish I'd never started up again after 8 years without smoking.
No, it means you will have the option of offering it
to the next highest bidder if the original high bidder does not pay. Usually you will just leave it there until item is paid for and shipped. It's really just in case the first deal doesn't go through.
Nicer option inside sm
Why make the cashier feel awkward for simply trying to be nice?
Mother's Day doesn't have to be about being a mom. It can also be about YOUR mom. Accept the cheer to have a nice day and HAVE a nice day!
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