Questions - Working with Mobile Broadband Access

Hi ..

I need to set up to work away from home and am considering mobile broadband wireless. 

I would appreciate any information ya'll could give me - I know nothing about it, other than most service is 60.00/month ... specifically, what carriers and how much time does it get you? 

Thanks so much!  I have verified the major carriers provide coverage in the area I will need to be in. 

Merry Christmas!

• Questions - Working with Mobile Broadband Access - Thanks in advance ..
  • If it's in your service area, DO NOT GET CRICKET MOBILE (SM) - BEWARE!!!
  • Mobile... - Tami
    • Same for me. nm - National MT

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First, A company I worked for briefly at the beginning of 2008 sent me two different W2.  One lists all the pertinent boxes (wages, federal taxes paid, etc).  However, in box 15 where your state and local taxes are listed, they have the wrong state.  It is a state I used to live, but haven't lived there for the past three years.  I definitely did not live there at all in 2008.  The second W2 they sent list nothing in any of the boxes except box 15 where it lists the correct state, income, and taxes I paid.

So does this mean I paid taxes in a state that I didn't even live in?  And if that is the case, do I have to file a return in that state?  Or do I contact the company and ask they correct my W2? 

I am using TurboTax to prepare my return.  My second question is I have a 1099 from IC work I did in 2008 and after I enter the information, the software asks me for a business ID code on attachment form C for my "self-employment business."  I have no idea what to put on this line.  I looked at a list of the codes on the IRS website and there is nothing that is specific to medical transcription.  There is a code for Data entry and then under legal there is a code for document preparation and stenotype.  Those are the only two codes that even come close.

So which one do I use?

Oh, and have I mentioned, I HATE TAX SEASON! 

I just recently went back to work in the office at a local hospital. We type in both Meditech and Cerner, depending on what you are typing, i.e. Medical Records reports versus Radiology.  We are currently typing blindly in Meditech, meaning we do not have access to our line counts and must depend on management to give us our totals.  In Cerner, we are able to run a line count report and print out a hard copy of our line counts at the end of the day.

We are finding that 800 lines in Cerner equals about 500 lines in Meditech.  We are not paid per line nor do we have an incentive plan, but we have a new HIM Director who would like to institute an incentive plan and the administrator over our department has laid down the law and decreed that all transcriptionists not making minimum in the department will be written up.  Problem is according to Meditech line totals that we have been given, that would be about half the department.

The transcription supervisor has taken our concerns to the new director who told the MT Supervisor to hold off on writing people and has taken home all the line counts from the last month and she is going over them with a fine tooth comb this weekend.

I am not a very trusting soul by nature, so I am doing a little research on my own.  I've been in this business for about 15 years.  I started out in a hospital and have worked for a few services at home and am now back in the hospital setting.  So I know a few things about line count and I consider myself to be pretty well informed on trends and technology in the industry.   I would like to walk into our next department meeting armed with as much knowledge as possible.  So I have come up with some questions that I would like some fellow MTs to answer, give opinions, and maybe even direct me to websites or individuals who could give me a better understanding of Meditech and Cerner.  Here are my questions:

1. Is it possible for an MT to have access to her line count in Meditech or is strictly a management function?  Any MTs that work in Meditech on this board, do you currently have access to your line counts and if so, how do you check them?  Is it an option on the main menu after you log into Meditech?


2. How is a line defined in Meditech?  (i.e. 65 cpl, with spaces, without spaces)


3. How is a line defined in Cerner?


4. What abbreviation Expanders work with both Meditech and Cerner?


5. Examples of incentive plans (if anyone would like to share that with me that would be great, if not I completely understand).


6. Measuring productivity by minutes of dictation versus typed lines.




1. What would be the minimum minutes required for an 8-hour day?


2. How would one structure an incentive program based on minutes?

I was thinking of presenting the idea that we keep track of productivity using minutes instead of lines since there is such a discrepancy in Meditech.  I also worry that if an incentive plan is put into place and we are still typing blind into Meditech, what's to keep management from shaving off a few lines here and there?

Feel free to email me or post here any responses.  Either is fine.  I really appreciate any input, comments, or just plain old supportive posts would be nice too! 

I  have a router on my main computer, which also speeds up the connection. Downloads .wav files in a flash. The router also allows The Boy to play his Xbox live in the basement.

I don't have it because of the price ($55 a month), but because I cannot get DSL or cable.  I looked into satellite, but after explaining to them the work that I do, they said that I would easily exceed their limits in probably about three weeks, leaving me with week four totally down (they don't have an overage that you can buy).  I actually spent the time tallying one weeks' worth of voice files to give them an average of what my week looks like.

The weather doesn't really affect my wireless, I have had my satellite go out during bad weather, but my wireless is still up and going.

I would be interested in the cards mentioned, but I live in an area where cell phone reception is hit or miss, so that won't work for me either.

I use two different FTPs and also a WebTop platform for my hospital account.

I don't have it because of the price ($55 a month), but because I cannot get DSL or cable.  I looked into satellite, but after explaining to them the work that I do, they said that I would easily exceed their limits in probably about three weeks, leaving me with week four totally down (they don't have an overage that you can buy).  I actually spent the time tallying one weeks' worth of voice files to give them an average of what my week looks like.

The weather doesn't really affect my wireless, I have had my satellite go out during bad weather, but my wireless is still up and going.

I would be interested in the cards mentioned, but I live in an area where cell phone reception is hit or miss, so that won't work for me either.

I use two different FTPs and also a WebTop platform for my hospital account.

Hi to everyone!

Is anyone out there using the wireless broadband, like Sprint or Verizon (not so unlimited)?  I am currently using Verizon and have now found out the unlimited is not so.  I have ordered Sprint and the USB modem will be here in a few days, but am now paranoid about 0ver-Use on that!

I just moved to a house in the country, with no DSL, no cable and am unsure about Wild Blue for satellite because of the start up cost and then not being satisfied.

Any country living transcriptionists out there with advice?  I am in northern CA.

Thanks for any help!

I just want to be able to move around the house with a laptop, which I am still looking for a good deal on.  I am looking for a 17 inch screen.  What is your laptop?  Give me the specs please.

Thanks

KC

Interesting question!  I own a small MTSO that is essentially a family business.  My Dad is retired, but does sales and bookkeeping for me.  My Mom is retiring August 1st, and she is planning on getting back into transcription, working for me.  They own a big RV and are planning on being "snowbirds" - living in Arizona for at least 3 months of the year.  The place they are going to is a big RV community which has WiFi internet, so they can both work remotely. I am also an avid camper, so we've been looking into remote internet options.

We explored the different satellite options, but it was very expensive initially for the equipment and the setup at each stop seemed kind of complicated.  The other problem was the upload/download speed - I can see why many services won't hire someone with satellite service.  We ended up going with Verizon Broadband access - anywhere I can get a cell phone signal I can get internet.  The speed isn't the greatest, but it works for us.

What I've found is if you work for a company that requires you to be logged on to the internet the whole time you are working, this option won't really work because of the connection speed.  However, we use a product called DocShuttle by Bytescribe that allows my staff to download the audio and disconnect, type the reports, and then connect and upload the documents.  It works great for that - I even have an employee who lives in the country where there is only dial-up available, and she works just fine like this.

It can be done - I've worked while camping several times this way.....

wireless internet through Verizon.  I currently have a Verizon cell and have no problem with reception in my home, so I'm hoping this is a go.  I also have a 30-day trial period, so I'll know for sure if I have any glitches. 

What I don't understand is this lingo about voice files, etc.  I'm on the Bayscribe platform, so any info would be greatly appreciated.  Please "dumb it down" for me, as I am not a PC person.  The lady that signed me up told me that the limit is 5 GB and that that generally means about 35,000 web pages a month.  How does this correlate to voice files?  Do I even use voice files on Bayscribe?  I'm assuming so since I have an audio player. 

At least I know if this doesn't work out, I can cancel and not lose anything.  Then I'll have to sign up for satellite, which is about $300 upfront and $60 to $90 per month for service.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Verizon will work for me.

Thanks for any info.

Shop around for repossessed homes. I have a double-wide Palm Harbor that we picked up for about 60% of book. Yes, they do depreciate like cars, and some brands hold value better than others. Palm Harbor and Patriot seem to have the slowest depreciation rate, and do have pretty good records for storm survival (always remember, they have earned the term Tornado Bait honestly!)  Our home was barely lived in, with very little evidence of wear, and a great price.  Try to look for a repo-only lot - they are usually run directly by the mortgage company and if you have good credit, a good deal can be made, especially if they have had the home back for a while. They can also show you homes alreay set up in parks, or on lots of 1/2 to 1 acre or even more, and if you like the location, won't even have to wait for moving and set-up. Make sure they are able to demonstrate that the heat and air work properly, even if they are lot-set in a temporary sales lot. Don't know about AZ, but in Texas they do have to have certain warranties for roofs, appliances, etc. for at least 90 days.  New home dealerships often have some repos, but they are usually dogs to make you want the new ones.  Shop around, take as much time as possible (we stayed in contact with the repo dealer we brought from for about a year, and he called when he got in what he knew we were looking for) and you can find a deal, especially if you have great credit. We are way more happy with the mobile home we bought when we remember how little we gave for it. Stay away from Fleetwood, Shulte and SOUTHERN ENERGY (run-don't walk-away), unless they just give you one, then be prepared for problems anyway.  I am running on, aren't I? I just wish someone had steered me this direction in the first place.   21st Century Mortgage Company is a good lender for mobile homes. There are not many companies out there who still do trailers, but you can find them if you look. Hope this helps. Contact me if you want more info. 

Be sure that you're using a secured wireless network/hot spot. Your laptop should have the wireless card already installed, unless you're using an old model. Try Google search for VPN to learn more.

Most importantly--make sure it is allowed by your company!!

Anyone have an idea about using a desktop computer as a laptop?  I am wanting to take a roadtrip and I had a laptop that has a cracked monitor screen that I used a Belkin wireless internet PCI card in the side of it with WiFi internet connection.  Is there a way to use my physical harddrive and establish the same wireless internet connection with WiFi?  I do not have the same port that the laptop has on my harddrive that the Belkin wireless card fit into, but is there another card that plugs into the desktop harddrive that will have the same effect?  Thank you all.

here is the section on Cingular's web site.  Sprint also has one.

http://business.cingular.com/businesscenter/solutions/wireless-laptop/modem-cards.jsp

another excerpt: 

It is no longer a question of whether medical transcription will survive. The move away from traditional, free-text medical transcription is inevitable, given the improvements in speech recognition technology and natural language processing; the development of standardized templates through HL7’s CDA (clinical document architecture), ASTM schema, and other similar efforts; XML-based communication; and point-of-care mobile devices that will ultimately facilitate real-time documentation. And it is very clear that real-time, point-of-care documentation by the practitioner will replace transcription! This can already be seen in countries outside the United States that are developing direct entry, interactive, structured text documentation without going through all the evolutionary steps from traditional, free text transcription.