Need advice on beginning MT Business

Hi.

Was at my chiropractor's office today.  As the conversation progressed Dr. suggested that I might be able to get involved with their office doing MT work.  Offices in five states, new doctors that become busy need MTs to do their transcription.  I have owned my own business in the past and understand the in's and out's of that part of it.. My question is how would I set up a platform to do the work in case it would become busy enough to need another MT to help, software, expanders, etc.  I have a few very simple ideas like using MS Word and creating macros that can be sent to aother MT, etc.  but not sure that is what I would do.

Is there anyone out there with any suggestions or ideas?

• Need advice on beginning MT Business - MTWI
  • just an idea - Good luck

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I'm looking start up my own small bus., just a couple accounts, but I need to know if there are any HIPAA contracts or anything else that I should be providing for the doctor and myself to sign.  Any advice would be truly appreciated!!

Thnx, Rachel

First of all, I have worked for several nationals in the past few years, and equipment has always been provided.  I currently have a f/t position with a national that I use my own personal computer for, they just put their software on it.  I had what I needed already, as far as foot pedal, Expander program, etc.

I have just been sort of rolling ideas around in my head about possibly starting up something small perhaps on a p.r.n. basis just to bring in a little extra income.  As I am still just mulling this around in my mind, my questions are:  How do I go about getting started? Do I try to purchase equipment first, or start out using tapes? I am worried about spending the money and not having any takers, so I am thinking, I should send out some sort of letters first; but, without having the equipment already, how do I tell them I plan on doing their transcription.  Maybe mention tapes first, and tell them I have plans to go digital after I get up and running? These are all just things I wonder about.  If anyone has any ideas, please feel free to email me with any advice. 

I have been an MT for 16+ years, but as I said, I have always had all of the stuff provided for me and just don't know how to start. 

Thanks in Advance!

I see these kinds of questions so often.  I was beginning to think everybody worries about this junk. 

If it were ME, I would be blaming myself.  Each and everyone of us are responsible, one way or another, as to what happens in our lives.  Too many people over the past so many years find it much easier to place the blame elsewhere.  That is one of the problems with our society.  I was "accused" of being an over-protective parent as my child grew up, but guess what, he never, ever even came close to an incident such as that, or close to being kidnapped or any of the other things going on in the world; didn't fall down steps; wasn't involved as a passenger in a car accident, wasn't around drug users or "bad" people, because I PAID ATTENTION...I didn't allow accidents.  Accidents are only LACK OF ATTENTION and lack of common foresight! 

Also, my "over-protectiveness" did not in any way inhibit my child's growth.  He is a Gunnery Sargeant in the Marine Corps and handles great responsibility well and has the foresight and the attention needed to prevent accidents! 

As for the driver of that car, I'm not trying to "take their side"....I'm just saying we don't know what the circumstances were....my goodness, we have all run over something in the road at one time or another and when the weather is inclement or it is dark, sometimes you don't know what it is.  I would certainly hope that if they knew it was a child, of if they find out through newscoverage that they ran over a child, that they will come forward.  I'm sure that at least 99.9999% of people out there will not willfully run over anyone.  Perhaps he/she looked down at the dashboard or the left rear window for just that one second and felt a thump as he car moved on.  Probably wondered what it was but had no idea whatsoever that it was a child....why would any driver in their right mind think that a 2 year old was out on the highway at 2:00 AM or midnight or whenever it was????? 

Believe me, that $2000 is only the beginning.  I do feel for these people but many of them are only used to hand outs and they will be getting them left and right.  Lets see how many of  them stand in line for a job.  I heard that WalMart will hire any evacuee, no matter what.  I wish they would report how many have been hired thus far.   I was watching Fox news the other day and one of the  guys they were talking to said something along the lines of "They aint helping us at all, its like they shipped us all on slave boats again"  He then said the F word, which Fox didn't see coming because you could hear it plain as day.  Now that is the state of mind of many of these people. Give me, give me.  The welfare system has tought many that the government will take care of them, they do not have to take care of themselves.  Now I am not talking about all the evacuees just the ones that are not used to fending for themselves.  

Okay, said what I had to say.  This just all gets to me.

I think it's great and a step in the right direction.  I think what this industry needs from us is proactive steps toward making it known to people outside of the industry just what is taking place.  If every MT concerned about their job security wrote letters to the President, their representatives, media people - reporters, in particular, and it began to resonate with people just what is taking place, maybe changes would actually happen.  It costs nothing to shoot off an email to a local reporter, a member of Congress, the Senate, etc.  Let's get them to pass laws making it illegal to send medical records overseas. 

I know that if a number begins a sentence you spell it out, but I'm not sure about after a colon.  We type:

BLOOD LOSS:  50 cc.

but what about

FLUIDS:  500 cc normal saline. (?)

Does the "500" need to be spelled out since there are words after the quantity, or is it considered part of a sentence beginning with "FLUIDS?"

.

I have been an MT for over 10 years.  I also am getting burnt out, tired of my job, day in day.  However, I do love transcription and make excellent money at it, have grossed over $50,000 per year the last 5 years.  I decided to go back to nursing school and am very happy with my choice.  However, over these 10 years of transcription I have had my ups and downs.  My biggest issue with being at home working is lack of socialization, being home day in and day out with just the kids and the animals really gets to a person, sure hubby is home at night and thinks working from home is the easy life, thus the return to school and boy has my overall enjoyment of life changed once I realized I was the problem, not everyone else and I needed to find myself again.

Anyway, my biggest advice to you three-fold:

1.  Get into counseling for yourself, find out who you are and what your needs are, whether or not you think you need to, I sense you are feeling overwhelmed and need someone other than your family to talk to that can be nonjudgmental to your feelings and needs.

2.  If you're only making $100 after you pay preschool you can either keep doing it and be miserable, or quit because you are lucky enough to have a husband who can support the family without your income. (See how fast his mind changes just by losing the income you do have as to whether your job means anything.)  Or look for a different company or office that you like more and are more productive if you really want to do transcription (lots of fish in the sea as far as companies).

3.  Find a local "mom's" group where you can get out and socialize.  MOPS (mother's of preschoolers) is an excellent one that is nationwide, they have a website.  Also Mom2Mom is in a lot of areas.  They provide a once a week time for moms with kids the same age to get together, socialize, (some offer spirtual guidance some don't) and each week a different mom takes a turn watching everyone else's children at the facility that hosts it so the other moms can talk about things they have in common.  Every stay-at-home and work-from-home mom needs to socialize with adults, without their kids, or they will have a nervous breakdown eventually no matter how much they love their kids.

Sorry so long but it does get better but you have to take the first step at making yourself happy.