Please note: MTStars is in no way affiliated with MTSpot. There are rumors that I own the site, whic
Posted By: Sheri Steadman, President, MTStars nm on 2007-01-25
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Just my personal note to MTStars and the Administrator ...
In celebration of MTStars' anniversary: I can personally tell you that MTStars has provided so much for me - professionally, personally. I appreciate its existence and, in particular, all that I have gained and been afforded through getting to know the Administrator, the other moderators, and everyone on this board through the opportunity to moderate. You truly have my respect and admiration...personally and professionally. I'm very happy to be part of MTStars in this capacity.
Goldbird
You may experience outages/problems accessing MTStars site
You MAY experience outages/problems accessing MTStars site this week due to software upgarde.
Sorry for the inconvenience,
MTStars Administration.
Yes, the site was stolen. Contact the former owner at mtstars dot net and she'll
xx
www.mtspot.com
I don't think they are affiliated with MQ.
I heard they are a good company. I have no personal experience with them though.
The MT Wanted heading is from MTDesk or MTSpot, I think. nm
x
No, no - ATA is NOT affiliated with AHDI
ATA was formed because AHDI and MTIA were not meeting the needs of the every day, down in the trenches, MTs. They more represented big business' interests.
Advance is a magazine for Health Care Professionals. You can access it online at http://health-information.advanceweb.com/Editorial/Tools/HandsOnHelp.aspx
Indian affiliated. Think their tech support is out of India, too. nm
s
Rumors
I take rumors with a grain of salt. Usually bad news travels faster than good news and complainers scream more loudly than those with good news.
All 3 of my contacts on hiring (recruiter, hiring coord., and production supervisor) told me I was hired on the new SE plan. It does state that for my region's office you have to maintain 98% quality but no where does it address any amount of reports to QA...just maintain 98% quality on QA reviews. Also, I have to type 1600 lines on weekends (in any combination).
The minimum lines for me as an SE is 6000 lines per payperiod - they told me that was up from 4000.
I'm not worried and I don't think you should either. I just was surprised to get some of the responses I did. There are really some upset people here. Oh well.
I'm not saying that isn't fact ... I just don't believe rumors until
fact is presnted.
I guess I will find soon enough.
that's just rumors, as persistent as they are unfounded
You can go out anytime you want. You do have to wear the abiyya (the black cloak, very thin, go find it in silk!) to cover your clothes, it's a matter of modesty. Non-Muslim women don't have to cover their hair, but the Embassy tells you to carry a scarf with you in your purse, just in case. The hospital sent two buses out every evening to various destinations: Safeway and Pizza Hut, or the open-air bazaar, or the enclosed mall with red carpet, a/c, fountains, escalators and chandeliers, or to the open air fruit/vegetable market. There are amusement parks that are separated into men's side and women's side, complete with log flume. The zoo has women's days. The restaurants are divided into men's and family section, and usually the family sections are MUCH nicer, with mashrabiyya screens for privacy, your own waiter, etc. There are taxi's all over (called limos), that you can call from the hospital to take you anywhere you want to go, or you can catch them on the street of course. Far from, being hostile, the Arab women are very friendly, they are very curious about us. The slightest show of friendship on your side willl go a long way. You'll meet lots of American and British employees at the hospital, of course, but sad to say, most of them go on the shopping buses, but otherwise sit home and complain about how there's no freedom and they can't do anything. Make yourself some Arab friends (female) and you'll be out every night partying!!! Non-alcoholic, of course :)
Now Released! MTStars FlashCount & Invoice Generator. Completely FREE to MTStars Visitors.
Freeware - No Registration or Purchase required.
Lines and Word counter software. Scans your documents for lines, words, spaces and generates real time invoices the way you want. Full customization to generate invoices to save or email to your clients.
Click on link below.
They are not rumors. They are opinions. MQ is moving towards something and that is a fact and it may
well be they are going to go with the technology spoken about above totally by other posters and get out of the MT side of it. That has been spoken of many many times by many many people and is not a rumor. It is an opinion. I would rather be forwarned and have my ducks in a row and not sit her getting nasty surprises. No one has to do anything but just be aware that is all. Just be looking over your shoulder and thinking ahead and you will be fine.
I worked there briefly, and also heard rumors sm
of people not being paid. Not sure what benefits you are talking about, as they hire ICs only, or at least that was the practice in the past.
I left because of the unfair way they count lines. They use Bayscribe, but do not count spaces. They add in 15%, but it still ends up being a lot lower. The accounts are easy -- clinic work, no ESLs -- but still I only did 150 lines per hour there, compared to 300-350 plus at MDI-MD. Also, the QA person I dealt with was rather snippy and rude. that coupled with the substantially lower pay rate (8-1/2 cpl, I think) -- why stay? Fortunately, I did get paid, although when I left I did send Deb an email telling her about the rumors I had heard and that I did expect to be paid.
Good luck, whatever you decide.
You are spreading rumors not "reporting a story"
It is an inflammatory rumor unless you can prove Walmart did this on purpose.
I received MTStars Flashtype and MTStars Internet Speller!
a
You might try MTStars FlashCount. It's absolutely free to MTStars visitors.
LINK BELOW 
Several companies still train on site. In fact, we are piloting an on-site training sm
program, where everyone would come in to the Keystrokes office to train for 1 or 2 weeks. We have a large training room and feel that this may be a way to cover all aspects of an account, be right there to answer questions as they come up and have one-on-one contact.
It will be optional at this point and may not be more effective as remote training, but some people have expressed that they miss the training that you get when you start at a hospital.
We are trying to bridge that gap between working in-house somewhere and working at home.
It may seem out-dated in many ways, but sometimes going back to basics is a good step to take!
I have noticed sometimes I will try to get into a web site and that site will freeze up and I dont
know if I have too many screens opened up and minimized or what. I tried to open a website sent by email and froze up the email screen. Not sure what I am doing.
I subscribe to another web site and within the boards on this site they have
Would anybody be interested if adminstrators would allow us to have this type of board or even put it on the main board. Like on this other board they tell you to go to a certain web site for a coupon for 20% off Barnes and Noble or when Target has reduced prices on seasonal things. Anybody got ideas or bargains they would like to share to save money? We could call it the MT Stars penny-pinchers board.
Thanks for your note. SM
I think this problem must be specific to my particular account. I have tried all the things we were told, clearing, entering new names to try, etc. Thanks again.
Note to MQ: What would be
retired MTs in your workflow room and being TC's.>?
I am so tired of dealing with haughty people who don't have a clue
why I need something or what I do - and on top of them coping an
attitude with me because I get exasperated with their inability
to do their job which is make the work flow.
If MQ had people hired in their work flow areas who had worked inside
the world of transcription and knew where it goes in a hospital,
what to look at on the screens of the machines in the work flow rooms,
etc etc we wouldn't be getting hysterical messages all the time about
not meeting turn around times.
But no! they want to hire first-time jobbers to be in control of the lives
of people who have been in the business usually upwards of 15 years
in order to even do this MT job at home with no help or assistance -
and then make us put up with them and at the same time try to make a living.
I don't want a doctor operating me who has never been inside a hospital, and I
am sick to death of dealing with people in a transcription company
who has never been inside a hospital and followed a REPORT around.
They need to see WHY A REPORT is done - HOW IT IS DONE
They need to go to dictate stations - they need to go in a medical records
area and look at charts - go inside an OR - and into the ICU
they need to see how the world of medicine is and how it operates.
Only then will they understand TATs, reports, and why things are done as they
are or at least why people want them done a certain way.
Like if I keep getting dictations with LOUD BUZZING - i don't want to keep getting
LOUD BUZZING - I want to let the hospital know there is probably a bad phone
instrument - and if this work flow person sees where dictation is done he will
understand it wouldn't take much to MAKE THE BUZZING STOP - and not get
pissy with me because I'd like to talk to somebody about LOUD BUZZING ON
REPORTS. - It's not rocket science - just need to let somebody know.
I know this isn't a note, but
maybe this will be of some help, I'm still searching for a note.
Breast-Related Medical Terms
GLOSSARY OF MEDICAL TERMS
Areola The pigmented or darker colored area of skin surrounding the nipple of the breast.
Asymmetry A lack of proportion of shape, size and position on opposite sides of the body.
Autoimmune Disease A disease in which the body mounts an "attack," disease response to its own tissues or cell types. Normally, the body's immune mechanism is able to distinguish clearly between what is a normal substance and what is foreign. In autoimmune diseases, this system becomes defective and produces antibodies against normal parts of the body, causing tissue injury. Certain diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma are considered to be autoimmune diseases.
Axillary Pertaining to the armpit area.
Bilateral Pertaining to both the left and right breast.
Biopsy Removal and examination of sample tissue for diagnosis.
Breast Augmentation Enlargement of the breast by surgical implantation of a breast implant or patient's own tissue.
Breast Reconstruction Surgical restoration of natural breast contour and mass following mastectomy, trauma or injury.
Capsular Contracture Tightening of the tissue surrounding a breast implant which results in a firmer breast.
Capsulectomy Surgical removal of the entire capsule surrounding a breast implant.
Capsulotomy Closed Capsulotomy: Compression on the outside of the breast to break the capsule and relieve contracture.
Open Capsulotomy: Surgically cutting or removing part of the capsule through an incision.
Carcinoma Invasive malignant tumor.
Congenita Anomaly Abnormality existing at birth.
Connective Tissue Disease(CTD) A disease or group of diseases affecting connective tissue. The cause of these diseases is unknown. The diseases are grouped together on the basis of clinical signs, symptoms, and laboratory abnormalities.
Deflation/Rupture Refers to loss of saline from a saline-filled breast implant due to a tear or cut in the implant shell or possibly a valve leak.
Displacement Shifting in the original position.
Epidemiological Pertaining to the cause, distribution and control of disease in populations.
Extrusion A breast implant or tissue Expander being pressed out of the body.
Fibrous Tissue Tissue resembling fibers.
Hematoma A swelling or mass of blood (usually clotted) confined to an organ, tissue, or space and caused by a break in a blood vessel.
Immune Response The reaction of the body to substances that are foreign or are interpreted as being foreign.
Inframammary Below the breast.
Inframammary Fold The crease at the base of the breast and the chest wall.
Inframammary Incision A surgical incision at the inframammary fold
In-Patient Surgery Surgery performed in a hospital requiring an overnight stay
Latissimus Dorsi Two triangular muscles running from the spinal column to the shoulder.
Mammography Use of radiography (X-rays) of the breast to detect breast cancer. Recommended as a screening technique for early detection of breast cancer.
Mastectomy Surgical removal of the breast.
Subcutaneous Mastectomy: Removal of breast tissue, preserving the skin and nipple.
Partial Mastectomy: Removal of primary tumor and a wide margin of tissue, may include the overlying skin and the muscle fibrous tissue (fascia) underlying the tumor.
Total (Simple) Mastectomy: Removal of breast tissue and the nipple; sometimes accompanied by armpit (axillary) node dissection.
Modified Radical Mastectomy: Removal of breast tissue, nipple, and fascia of chest (pectoralis) muscle with axillary node dissection.
Mastopexy Plastic surgery to move sagging (ptotic) breasts into a more elevated position.
Necrosis Death of tissue. May be caused by insufficient blood supply, trauma, radiation, chemical agents or infectious disease.
Oncologist A specialist in the branch of medicine dealing with the study and treatment of tumors.
Out-Patient Surgery Surgery performed in a hospital or surgery center not requiring an overnight stay.
Mammaplasty Plastic surgery of the breast.
Mammary Pertaining to the breast.
Palpate/Palpability To feel with the hand.
Pectoralis The major muscle of the chest.
Plastic Surgery Surgery intended to improve, restore, repair, or reconstruct portions of the body following trauma, injury or illness.
Prosthesis An artificial device used to replace or represent a body part.
Ptosis Sagging of the breast usually due to normal aging, pregnancy or weight loss.
Rectus Abdominus Major abdominal (stomach) muscle.
Saline A solution of sodium chloride (salt) and water.
Seroma Localized collection of serum, the watery portion of blood, that resembles a tumor.
Serratus Muscle located beneath the chest's pectoralis major and minor muscles and the rib cage.
Silicone Elastomer A type of silicone that has elastic properties similar to rubber.
Subglandular Placement Placement of the breast implant behind the skin and mammary gland, but on top of the chest (pectoralis) muscle. Also called prepectoral or retromammary placement.
Submuscular Placement Placement of the breast implant under the chest (pectoralis) muscle, or under the pectoralis and serratus muscles. Also called retropectoral or subpectoral placement.
Surgical Incision Cut made in tissue for surgical purposes.
Transaxillary Incision Incision across the long axis of the armpit (axilla).
Umbilical Relating to the navel.
Unilateral Affecting only left or right breast.
Anyway, sorry, on a more serious note...
as regards your problem: Do you have Ad-Aware and SpyBot and have you run those? If you have run those and are still not finding anything, you might want to try a trial of this program I just downloaded myself and seems to have gotten rid of this darned WinFix (Virtumond?) pop-up problem I've been having recently that my Ad-Aware and Spybot couldn't seem to take care of. Dang, I might actually buy this one! But anyway, you can use it for 2 weeks, I think it is, for free (see link below).
Just a note: There are two MTs that I will not SM
use to this day - 15 years down the road - because they did this. They will never get a recommendation from me and they will never sub for me.
You leave a long trail when you do something like this.
on another note
I know a lot of people believe as you do, but in my family I have seen lots of evidence to contradict this theory.
I don't condemn anyone who overdrinks, but I think we spend too much time in our culture blaming genetics and other people - mostly our parents - for our own poor choices and bad behaviors.
Bottom line is, the alcohol does not force itself into anyone's mouth and neither do the drugs. To me, drugs include not just the street drugs, but the legally obtained prescription drugs that so many people rely on to get them through the day (do not flame me about arthritis meds, etc. taken for legitimate conditions).
P.S. and it's an OP note!
nm
On that same note...
I wonder if any of you report errors you notice in other reports to the QA at your office. I have seen some doozies, but I admit I have been remiss. I just wanted to know what the rest of you do, even if the report is old.
sorry -- BAD day. (no note)
.
NOTE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,nm
nm
perhaps you could drop your TC a note...sm
just to say hi, and welcome. She/he has many, many more people to get in touch with than you do, so why not make the first move? I'm not at all trying to be ugly, please don't take it that way, it's just, why not just send a message saying hi, and introducing yourself? Just a thought! Good luck with whatever you choose to do!!! 
perhaps you could drop your TC a note...
I guess you mean Transcription Coordinator -- what I called my new supervisor. I hear you, but I really don't see that as my responsiblity. MQ is so chaotic, I always get the impression they'd greatly prefer not to be bothered. I'm kinda way past that point with that. Thanks for the welcome anyhow.
perhaps you could drop your TC a note...
I think you've misunderstood me. I agree completely with your most recent post, i.e. being left alone to do my job. Absolutely. I just don't think a courtesy note from a new supervisor is too much to ask. That's not breathing down my neck; IMO, that's courtesy, i.e. Here I am, I'm your new supervisor, here's how things may or may not change, just wanted to say hi and make proper notation of the fact that a change has taken place. WHATEVER.
perhaps you could drop your TC a note...
Okay, now you're making me mad. You don't know me, and you have no right to lump me into a goup with "(my) fellow nut-case MTs" ...and you have the gall to say "nothing personal"? Freakish behavior? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! Wow, I came on here looking for some support, and now I'm a freak and a nut case. No thanks! See y'all around!!!
perhaps you could drop your TC a note...
Read your phrase: "your fellow nut-case MTs." It does not say "your fellow MTs, some of whom are nut cases."
Read your phrase: "freakish behavior en masse." It does not say "the freakish behavior of some MTs."
Both of these groupings include me. You are guilty of bad syntax and just plain rudeness. I consider these equally offensive. I most certainly did not fly off of any handle, nor did I (until now) TAKE TO WRITING IN CAPITAL LETTERS TO EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION TO YOUR POINT OF VIEW when a little careful wording would've rendered that unnecessary. I proved you point? You sure proved mine. GOODBYE.
Note for Souzam
Sorry to change the subject, but did you even test for KP? If you have any more questions e-mail me at lilygirl54@adelphia.net.
AN OPEN NOTE TO MTS
1-Do not wonder WHY work is being sent overseas when in screening applications 20 of 25 resumes are full of errors, typos and people applying that do not come NEAR to fitting the job requirements.
2-Do not wonder WHY work is being sent overseas when you are hired to work hours YOU REQUESTED and then you do not even bother to start work, call, email, just nothing.
3-Do not wonder WHY work is being sent overseas when you are tested and screened only to find out that several "friends of friends" circulated the test around and while you do wonderfully on the test, now in the real situation, you can not figure out the difference between discrete and discreet.
4-Do not wonder WHY you were given less and less work, but take a look at the quality of work you produced...full of blanks, not formatted to specifications in the manual sent, skipped reports. When Q*A has to redo 90% of your work, it is easier to quietly phase you out than to continue to "train" a supposedly seasoned MT
5-Do not wonder WHY you were taken off an account, but look at the feedback you were given regarding the continued mistakes with spelling (you do not use the spellcheck as too time consuming - your words), continued mistakes with doctors signatures, names, formats, phrases. Your position is to "pound out lines" and not worry about the quality.
6-Do not wonder WHY no one will hire you...after all, MTSOs communicate with each other too and the same names just seem to cycle through
7-Do not wonder WHY companies look overseas for workers...because at least THEY want to work. They are not taking days off at a time with no notice...leaving a company and client in the lurch.
8-Do not wonder WHY your resume was not answered...you applied before, were tested before and never bothered to answer emails regarding hiring...never bothered to start on your start date...resumes are kept and note made of why someone that seemed very qualified was not hired.
9-Do not wonder WHY you were not hired...remember me? I am the one that tested you, screened you, then talked to you for quite some time on the phone interviewing you. Remember me? I am the one you "sold" yourself to as far as being ethical, good worker, etc., only to find out that you received the hiring package, then contacted the client directly and suddenly, you did not want the job and then I see you are working FOR THEM....
10-Do not wonder WHY you were not hired after taking the test...take a look at the test results and the responses back you made like "that is how I have always done it" and I do not think you are correct because that is not how I was told or trained to do it.
11-Do not wonder WHY you were quietly let go...check your invoices and the inflated lines and/or hours on there? The system SHOWS the reports you ran, lines you did, but you continue to add report numbers not done by you and lines not done by you. AND for bonus hours...you continue to add bonuses that were not earned.
12-Do not wonder WHY I cringe when it comes time to hire again..I cringe because of every MT out there that shows NO RESPECT to a potential employer now or down the road by ignoring remails.....receiving a test, but never taking it...getting a test graded and offered position but never responds back....going through entire hiring process with access codes, start dates and times but then NEVER even starts...or the ones that we PAY a computer guy to get set up and they never start working...or we send software and equipment to and then never get it back or have a legal fight to get it back.
There are two sides to ever story, this I know, but as an MTSO the above are simply a FEW of the hundreds of things experienced in trying to hire just ONE good MT....
Thank you so much for such an encouraging note!
I am going through a separation from my husband. He thinks a sacrifice is giving up going to the local bar when he gets of work, giving up his drunk he has on a daily basis, and just all in all growing up and taking on responsibilities.
I have been so down and depressed lately that I have to FORCE myself to work.
Thank you for being the angel on my shoulder today!
On another note, it is proven that
addictions are hereditary also. I am not saying everyone who has alcoholism in their family will be alcoholics, but you are more likely to suffer from addiction than someone who does not have a family history.
Geez!! Take a note of the pay.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/hea/122382546.html
Isn't being a medical Transcriptionist being an interpreter. Seems like our pay ought to be commensurate, don't you think?
I can't imagine why my note
has all of these hits, especially since it wasn't a general question and had nothing to do with transcription. Must have been a slow work day :)
Op note account
Anybody out there that does surgery notes exclusively and how do you like it? Thanks in advance.
How to get more OP note training
I had dabbled in operative reports quite sparingly at a prior job, really only typing STAT ones that the hospital called about since I was the only Transcriptionist working nights, so I really do not have much experience and dreaded them. I think it would have been easier if I would have had some training or examples prior to just doing them, but they were quite frustrated most of the time. Anyhow, my question is how to get experience on OP notes so they aren't so frightening? I had asked my current employer when I was hired, but they of course (and I understand why, not complaining here) did not want to have to train or 'help' someone. So I type the rest of acute care minus the OP reports. I would like to get some experience on them however, so any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Little red note book? sm
Anybody heard of this? My SIL was offered this program with her Career Step course. She was told that a lot of MTs use this to store important information for future reference. I have been doing in this business for 13 years and have not heard of this program. I told her that I felt if she had adequate reference material, as well as knowledge of several reference web sites, I thought she would be fine. I told her I would ask around though.
So, has anybody used this and if so, was it worthwhile and useful? Thanks!!!
K
You too!! What a sweet note! Thank you.
Looooooooooong note
Did you ever do a note sooooooooo looooooooooooong, that by the time you were at the PHYSICAL EXAM you had forgotten who the patient even was and what was wrong with them, and by the time you got to the IMPRESSION you had forgotten even what day it was, and by the time you finally signed off, you were asking WHO AM I???
Good grief, help this man bring this to a close!!!!! We have every lab value and every sneeze all the way back to birth!!!!
The only good thing is all those lines, but honestly that doctor kept saying, "um, um" like he was afraid to hang up. Well, he COULDN'T hang up. He just added some more.
A little note re: QA/editing...sm
 QA is supposed to be for when you just cannot make out the dictation, and this lends a new pair of ears for listening. Apparently, that is not the case in some companies. It sounds to me that some companies feel QA is "better than" the Transcriptionist in some way and that is sad. Never forget that the QA personnel were most likely transcriptionists themselves, so they should know better than to respond with snide remarks, but well... this is life! So, if QA feels they are better, so be it. As long as a company is not charging or penalizing you for it, then let it go... it is not worth the lost time. If you feel that you are right, then prove it. If not, then let it go, and try to remember for next time. As far as conflicts, present them to your supervisor. If you don't get a response, oh well! At least you tried to do your best. I do believe no one is perfect, and I would have to admit the QA people I have worked with have been very good about my feedback towards their QA tactics. I actually edited an "edited" report, and received an "I'm sorry!" You may be an editor/QA'er one day and think back... hhhmmmm. You know it should really all depend on what the doctor/client would like to see. Samples, samples, samples! Ask for them, and if not provided, then post a reminder with each marker or blank left if possible that a "sample" would be great for new or hard to learn dictators. Most clients will provide them, and remember NO ONE IS PERFECT! I have 17 years of experience and am still learning every day! I feel like I've truly "done it all", but I am always amazed at what I learn each and every day! Please try also to remember we are in health care no matter you slice it, very unpredictable! Take care everyone...
Positive note
Melissa,
MT is a real, legitimate work-at-home job. You can't do it, usually, without either contacts, past experience or formal training. I formally trained for 7 months and got a job working from home 2 weeks after graduating. The formal training costs are reasonable...and I think anyone would agree with that after the money they've spent on their BA (of which I have one too). If you are serious about this, get formally trained at one of the good on-line schools, and you should have no trouble finding an at-home position. Working with a child or children (as I do) is not easy, but it can work if you want/need it to. You will have to have some help...maybe your spouse or an in-home babysitter sometime, but it beats working full time and leaving your kids in daycare to get pneumonia, of which I speak from experience. Good luck to you in your decision. Becky
Sansie- to your note
I do not work nor do I use anything that hooks to electrical current. I have reached a very nice older age and do not care to do something that would hasten my demise. I am not putting my life on the line for my job- they can blow a gasket if they would like- we had severe storms this past Saturday and several homes in the area hit with lightning and homes burned. You can do what you would like but I sure wouldn't sit hooked to anything electrical during a storm.
Thank you, small note
Who knows when I get my account I will hire the experienced MTs to do QA:-) for my work.
A note from an MT to me today
I feel slightly ill at the moment. I just got an email from an MT who is a very nice woman and I do like her very much. She works touch and go, kind of sporadically and she does only one dictator, by her choice. The boss has accommodated her request. I just received an email from this MT and she told me she does not like the raise she got and she is not taking the time to look things up. She said sorry about all the blanks and the wrong format for text but at this rate of pay she can't afford to take the time. I am wondering what ever happened to pride in one's work? I'm a little stunned here since I am the one who will get to fix her work. Should I get more pay maybe? Actually I think this is the last straw for me. I'm going back to being an MT.
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