Thanks for sciatica answers!
Posted By: Lisa on 2006-03-06
In Reply to:
Thanks to all of you for your advice about sciatica. It gives me hope to know that others had it and have gotten better - and I am really happy to know what all the options are for being treated.
To the person who said this is a result of being a Transcriptionist and sitting so much - is that true??? I never thought about that being a factor. I normally walk about 4 miles a day (not right now of course) but I guess that doesn't outweigh the loooongg sitting that we do, does it?
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Sciatica
They thought that mine was sciatica and went to PT and so on. It was my quadriceps and if I do steps and stretches for the quads my hip pain goes away. I also use either a rolling pin or a tennis ball to roll around on the very sore spots. I am serious, spent a lot of money when they thought it was the sciatica and went through a lot but once I get the quads stretched out it really helps. Last night I could barely get out of a chair, did my steps for about 10 to 15 minutes and some stretches on the using one of the PT balls, and today I literally have no pain. Last month I was convincend I needed a hip replacement as could barely walk or sit but since dong this, it really helps. I do the core workouts and that has also helped. But this is just what I found out.
Ever had sciatica?
This is the worst pain I have ever had - had a shot of Toradol, have used muscle relaxant, Flexall, heating pad, hot baths, still hurts.
Urgent Care today said it is most consistent with sciatica and gave me rx for anti-inflammatories and then said to go see my family doctor and possibly set up an MRI. Has anyone had this and were you able to get well without surgery??
sciatica
Was in bed for a month with this two years ago. Had two epidural steroid injections almost 16 months ago and have not had a problem since. It was like a miracle......
sciatica
Had it for years, since I was a teen, then one day nothing worked and had to have emergency surgery or risk losing motor below the waist. Had L3/4 discectomy, and ZERO PAIN from either the surgery, or the disc level after that.
sciatica
Yes to both questions. Try to keep pressure off your hip/leg/thigh when sitting, stretch leg out under desk, walking kills doesn't it? But, with time, it will get better and numbness/spasms/pins and needles will abate. I do hope you feel better, it is not a very pleasant thing when you have to sit and type for a living.
sciatica
I don't know that I would abide by the comment of the massage therapist regarding chiropractic, but I do know that I will look at the information for Rolfing. I have suffered with sciatica intermittently over the past 30-plus years, but last year it got really bad. A back x-ray after a car accident showed LOTS (in the words of the ER doc) of arthritis, so I figured some day the problems would start. I was determined I would not undergo surgery and had to find something else. I have been seeing a chiropractor regularly for over a year, and he has helped me immensely. I decided I didn't need to go so often, and managed to get myself in trouble again, so am back to twice a week at this point. Today he told me I'm the only patient he has who flips back and forth between which leg is shorter than the other. I would hate to give him up. But he doesn't do short-term work. He expects a lifestyle change and a commitment to health and wellness, including chiropractic. My whole family goes, and my hubby for the first time in years has a normal blood pressure. From November on, however, he didn't go to the chiropractor, and recently his BP was back up again. The only difference is stopping chiropractic. So he's back in there again twice a week. I'm not saying it's a cure-all, but it certainly has its place. I think I would be a cripple in extreme pain now if I hadn't gotten treatment when I did.
Sciatica from below
They thought that I has sciatica, they thought it was my ileo psoas, but it turned out to be my hamstring. I could hardly walk, had trouble sleeping, one part of the thigh just hurt/burned/ached terrible. I went to PT and then to the gym and worked on my hamstring stretches and especially just doing step exercises. When my hip and thigh begin to really ache while typing, I take 5 minutes and do 50 steps on my step and it really helps. I also bought one of those foam pads for my bed even though I have a brand new pillow top mattress and that also helps. But the stepping and hamstring stretching worked the best. I could not bear the thought of walking up and down stairs but now now problem. 
Sciatica pain help
Any hints on pain relief for sciatica while working? 
Rolfing for sciatica
Drugs have their place, so do chiropractors. I once had a massage therapist tell me that if you get chiropractic done without soft tissue work, run the other way. So my search took me down the path toward a reputable, qualified Rolfer. I had problems in my 20s with sciatica and have been on a long road to find good care sans surgery. I founding rolfing to be an excellent form of treatment. Much different than massage and deals with the origin of the problem. I feel better now than I did when I was a teenager. And I have learned, from my Rolfer, how to attend to my own hot spots. Also, check out the Sacro-Wedgy; this little thing works great to help the sacrum/S.I. joints (a problem source for sciatica).
Also another sciatica question
For those of you who have had this, did you have numbness of your leg and/or muscle spasms in the thigh area? I am having both of these, and walking is the hardest thing of all!
Perhaps sciatica paresthesia? nm
nm
Ischial bursitis --> sciatica
Do you know the cause of the sciatica? In my case I get pain in my ischial tuberosities from sitting pressure, especially the right side. There is a bursa at each tuberosity, and they can develop inflammation. Since the sciatic nerve runs close to the bursa, swelling annoys the nerve - ta-da - sciatic pain. That's why it's important for me to walk or do bum-firming exercises. Keeping the muscles in shape keeps it from getting started. The other thing I always mention is the right chair. I need support at my sacrum and along my thighs to distribute the weight around and away from my sitters.
Just Finished Treatment for Sciatica
I was diagnosed with sciatica/piriformis syndrome about a month ago. My physiatrist sent me to physical therapy for Graston therapy and iontophoresis. I was to the point where I had to sleep in my recliner with a heating pad on my hip. Of course, this is the result of sitting for too long......a battle wound common to the medical transcriptionist.
The Graston therapy is pretty painful and you really wonder how it could possibly help. The iontophoresis consisted of a patch with two large circular pads connected by an electrode. The pads are soaked with dexamethasone. The patch is then stuck to the butt for 24 hours. It's painless, except I pulled off a couple of layers of skin when I removed them. I had this done about 5-6 different times over a three-week period. I was also taught some gentle stretches to stretch these muscles, which I haven't been too diligent about doing.
Bottom line is that I completed my PT about two weeks ago and I haven't had any pain since then. I hope you get some relief for your condition. I know how very painful it can be.
Sciatica - small knots in calf muscles?
Sorry to keep asking sciatica questions but I am in terrible pain! Did anyone have small knots in their calf muscles, probably from the spasms pulling so hard on them? They are about the size of a fingertip. I felt a snap in that area when I was stretching last night, but it didn't hurt all that much, probably because my calf is relatively numb.
Does this sound like it could be a little snapped peice of muscle or do I have a tumor? (Always reminds me of Arnold in Kindergarten Cop "It's not a tumah"
Answers
ESLs -- English second language dictators (foreigners who have difficult accents)
Cherry picker -- Someone who choose only the best reports, best dictators, easiest work and refuses to do other work - therefore, leaving everyone else to do all the difficult dictators and bad reports. NOT FAIR. Cheats, jerks, lots of more names come to mind. LOL
Answers ...
First...to the one who posted that I did not answer...I HAVE BEEN WORKING!!! WORKING. Do you do that? Or do you just sit on these boards and whine?
As to everyone else:
I said I work PT for each of 2 companies. YOU are ASSUMING that what I type is what the PT requirements are. NOT!!!! What I'm typing in production is NOT the minimum requirements. I go WAY beyond. Those are averages. Some payperiods I don't hit those but 4 out of 5 payperiods I do.
I work my 20 hours as an employee with Spheris and usually get my 7000 lines in that time...that is per week.
With MQ, the payperiod is different. It is the 1st through the 15th and the 16th through the end of the month so I have slightly more days to get my work in.
I'm an IC with MQ...I work whatever hours I want. My stipulation is that I produce 6000 lines per payperiod or more. I happen to do more. Great tiered incentive plan so I take advantage.
For all you who are busy doing your math instead of typing, I average around 350-375 lines per hour. All-in-all, I'm typing about 45 hours a week, sometimes 50.
I didn't start out that way with these 2 companies...I was already extremely fast but I had to work up on my accounts and learn my dictators, etc. I use word expanders, AutoCorrect, Shorthand, etc.
YES, I have a life. My youngest son still lives at home (17 years old) and I'm a full-time student at the local university. I have a very full plate. Yes, I do other things as well ... I teach a free music class weekly at a local church (anyone who wants to learn to read music and/or play keyboard) and I teach a small literacy class every other week. I go out of town 1 weekend every month alone to help recouperate and get some extra studying done.
I'm also a very ambitious person, don't like grass growing under my feet, and have a VERY specific goal in mind financially and I'm almost there.
I could not have done this well when my children were small. I tried working at home then and I sacrificed both my children's time with me and my work so I went back inhouse until they grew up. I also got rid of my husband. He was more a child than my 2 boys and since he did not want to grow up and be a responsible adult, I moved him right out.
I know a handful of MTs who are faster and better than I am at this -- they blow me away and I respect them deeply. Amazed by them. HOWEVER, JUST AS MUCH -- I am respectful of those who don't do as well but hang in there; I believe you can earn what you want out of this profession and you can be happy in it if you want to, but it IS up to you to find it. I happen to be very good at this. Believe me, there are plenty of things I couldn't do to save my life.
When I work - I work hard. When I play - I play hard.
Does that answer everyone's curiosity? LOL
Answers
I work for 2 companies, not one, and only one time can I remember running out of work at S; I don't remember running out at MQ. My accounts are very large hospital complexes. I do have secondary accounts and have trained on tertiary accounts though never worked on them. We are always asked, especially every weekend, to do overtime. Always. I just committed to overtime this weekend for both. ???
I hate difficult reports. Mainly, it is a mindset to get through them. I try to think of it as a learning experience and a challenge that I am determined to learn so it won't slow me down as much next time. I look up old reports, I copy text for some really difficult reports as reference (no patient info, just selected text that is difficult). I have a few references, The Surgical Word Book by Tessier, a really nice Dorland's Medical Dictionary. I also have lots of websites I reference. I've done this 25 years though and have learned a great deal. Virtually anytime I leave a blank, it is because I cannot understand the dictator - not because of terminology I could not find.
My quality - yes, I've not had below 99% at either company. Does NOT mean I don't make errors; means that on the reports that are QA'd for me that the errors that were counted were noncritical and were so little in number that I scored 99% or higher.
??
thank you for the answers...
No matter what I do, every national I have worked for, I end up running out of work. As you, when the work is there and there are no difficult dictators (which is rare anymore) I can transcribe probably 1600 lines/minutes a day.
Right now today, which has been the norm the last couple of years, I am lucky to get 1000 lines/minutes in a day, only because of difficult/no work.
Also, I work on up to 5 accounts, and still run out.
Maybe it is a longevity thing, I am new so do not get the work? Have you been long at this company so that you never run out of work?
What am I doing wrong?
Answers
I'm happy to give you any helpful information I can.
Yes, I am a parent...two boys 17 and 20. Oldest is out on his own. I waited until my boys were both in their early and mid teens to go back to school. I could not have done it while they were very young. I know many young parents in school but for me, being a single parent, it was not possible.
I had to make compromises with them. I remember the first semester I went back, I told them I would cook breakfast or dinner but not both-- they chose breakfast so I got up extra early every morning and cooked breakfast. Second semester they changed their minds. Hahaha They wanted DINNER cooked. Hahahaha They were excited for me the first semester; however, their enthusiasm waxed cold the second semester when they realized that if I was bringing home the books and studying and making top grades, they had no excuse not to do the same! Hahaha When they would gripe about social studies, I griped about world civiliation; when they griped about biology, I griped about chemistry, etc. Hahaha
I attended my first semester with just 12 hours (full-time is 12+ hours) and then asked for academic clemency so that everything before my returning semester was wiped clean and I was starting over.
I have attended full-time every semester since and went 2 years in the summer terms but they were tough.
I knew I would eventually need to work from home to make it easier on myself and my boys while going to school. I started with one of my present employers (I work PT for 2 different companies) before starting school and while I was working FT as an inhouse hospital MT. After 6 months on my remote position, I quit the hospital job. I was making so much more money at home anyway that I didn't need to work FT. I signed up for my first semester of classes and have been at it ever since.
Of course, classes were easy at first and it seemed all would be a breeze. After 2 full semesters, looking down the road I realized that I did not want to incur such great expense as my younger counterparts would in medical college. I was already reviewing how to pay for med school. I decided I would apply for a program through the med school in my state that pays for your medical education and in exchange you give your first 4 years to an underserved area in the state. That will pay for my tuition, books, lab fees, miscellaneous expenses educationally. I still have to purchase my insurance and pay for my living expenses. THAT was when I really decided to buckle down on work and save. I do NOT want to be a starving student in my early 40s! Hahaha So, I picked up with a 2nd PT remote MT position and save all of that income. I also increased my pay (production) with my first employer so that a large portion of it is saved as well. I need 4 years of living expenses in cash before starting next year. My parents and sisters are very supportive. After being in school my first year, my middle sister (I am the oldest of 3 girls) quit her job and is living off her savings while she pursues her Ph.D. in psychology!! Though I am going into emergency/trauma, we make jokes about my going into orthopedics and sharing an office with her, the psychologist, and calling our clinic "Head and Shoulders, Knees, and Toes"! HAHAHAHA
I can say I have truly had prayers answered ... my family and their churches have all prayed consistently for me that I would have door of opportunity opened for me and they have been. I can see it in my job opportunities and educational opportunities. I also prayed to have the emotional capacity to handle the challenges I would face and God has seen fit to provide for me in that way. When I had first started praying about this change, I "asked" if this was the direction I was supposed to take. Then, I began praying with the mindset of "okay, I take it this is right", and then ended up being so absolutely positively sure that I said, "Okay, if this is NOT it, You are going to have to stop me because I'm doing this" and I've not found resistance yet! Trials sometimes yes, but always have found a way around it -- letting me know that I am in the right direction.
There are so many advancing opportunities in medicine today; tomorrow will only hold more. Therapists, med techs, APNs, any of those fields are on the rise and will continue to be in high demand.
Get an undergraduate bulletin from your local university. Even if you don't start full-time, like I did, try a course or two. Make a plan...make a study schedule..hahaha. Trust me, the real-life-don't-kid-yourself study schedule will help you more than anything! Fill out a FASFA and see what opportunities your U can offer you for financial aid.
You'll NEVER feel like you wasted your time, energy, intellect, money on an education. Never.
Let me know if I can help you in anyway. You can do this!!
Where is ALS when we need answers
Just wondering where your info comes from (since you seem so confident and say AAMT BOS is incorrect)?!?!
thanks for all your answers
I went with crepitance. I guess if it's not acceptable, they will let me know.
Some answers.
Demographics: It's a field where, if the MD puts in the correct number, is wonderful. Everything autopopulates by itself. You just have to check it to be sure it's correct (correct admission, patient, etc.). Then you just get out of it in one keystroke.
If it does not autopopulate, you have to do a search, either by patient name or number (if dictated). If you have high-speed connection, this just takes a second. BUT, you run into problems if the patient's name is unclear, not spelled, or other things that come up. Also, some patients have multiple admissions and you have to decipher which is correct. Like everything else in MT world, this can slow you down at first, but it gets better later. But I must admit... there are days...
Change: I was a basket case for months before switching over. They kept pushing back my start date, so that made it worse. It was not worth the worry, though. It is pretty easy to learn, but again, takes a little time to become second nature.
I've always used the built-in expander, so I can't really compare it to Smartype. I did use PRD way back, and loved it. But this is just your basic expander. The expander is also where you save your "normals" and no, unfortunately you cannot transfer them into DQS. But IMO, the expander is just fine, but I'm sure that's because it's all I've ever used and probably you'll get some different opinions here. But be sure you can't transfer it. I thought I read somewhere that you can.
The text field is easy to maneuver and has some pretty nifty features.
I am also the sole supporter of my family and I did have to work longer at first to make my personal quota. I'm basically up to what I was doing on the old platform, but I did not exceed my previous production. I'm assuming it's because of the demo field and the fact I used to get paid for those characters.
I think the majority of MTs who switch to this platform like it and find is easy to learn. However, it is also true that we all stress like mad beforehand!!
Good luck! :o)
a few answers
No, you don't need a regular modem/phone line if you have wireless internet and are only going to be working on DQS. No, you don't have to rent their computer. Just tell tell them you don't feel comfortable using or renting their computer and that you will be sending it back. You don't need to explain working for other clients, etc. Tech support will help you get DQS installed on your computer through the internet. DQS looks intimidating by the manual, but the manual is extremely detailed and there mostly to help you in case you forget something later on. DQS is fairly easy to learn and use, so don't worry.
Looking for answers
Can someone with a Lanier LX230 help me out? I have the quick reference card to program the machine but I need the instruction manual. Does anyone have this? Is it small enough to fax me a copy? I would like to see if this thing is working or not but I don't know how to hook it up.
Thank you so much
Tabatha in Charleston, SC
Answers.
I am 52. I have been a Transcriptionist for 10 years. I actually was an RN and decided that I pretty much just wanted to be at home. I got tired of being an RN. The hours got to me. Now I can make my own schedule and do things when I would like to do them. It just worked out great for me.
Answers
First thing - DON'T MOVE, let him move. Can't he owns this house I live in. I have to do the moving. That is why I want to buy. Sick of putting time, energy and money into something and having it taken, so to speak.
Second thing - WAIT FOR THE FT JOB. One parttime I work for now is with the hospital. They are 1 1/2 hours away from me. I go in once a month for meetings. I work from home with them. I do not need daycare. They just opened a specialty clinic and this full time position is not promised of course, but I have a good chance.
Third thing - Be getting that child support coming in.
Going to court over child support or placement of the kids is not additional stress I need right now. If we can work it out ..out of court we will. If he starts having fits, I told him I will be in that courthouse so fast his head will spin.
And, a 2 bedroom is not an option. Must be a 3 bedroom. I would need to have my own room to do my typing if anything. With a 1 and 2 year old, typing in the living room will not work and I will not even try it. Thank you for your post.
Answers for you....sm
1. Usually yes they can, but there wouldn't be any real reason to do this unless you're one of the people that downloads work and sits on it for several hours without returning it, and don't answer the phone if someone calls looking for the reports you have.
2. There are at times ISP or phone line connection disruptions (depending on how you obtain your work) so you shouldn't assume that it's the company kicking you off on purpose, especially claiming that they want the work to go to certain people without having facts to prove this. I'm not going to say that it can't happen but if you believe this to be true then keep a log of how much you lose your connections and whether or not you get any of the reports you had previously downloaded back when you reconnect, and take it to the higher powers in the company if you're confident that you smell a rat so to speak.
Answers 4-U, not OP though
Hi -
My husband is Bipolar and we've been married 15 years. The only times he gets really manicky or depressed is when his medications have been changed or when he doesn't take them regularly (not often). Once he was at a meeting for a week and by the time he got back (he was out of state and didn't pack his meds) he was in a phase of increased mania and "off". Please remember Bipolar is a real "medical" problem affecting brain chemistry and be supportive of your friend. If you are close enough friends for her to reveal her Bipolar, you should be close enough to tell her you'll help her through this. You should feel comfortable voicing your concerns to her about the safety of your children. You should also be firm and insistent (but not pushy or rude) that she should see her Psychiatrist or MD regarding her meds, as she obviously recognizes she is "not making any sense". A simple med change may be in order. Sometimes Bipolar people don't think they have a problem (especially when they are in the manic phase and are "invinceable") and will refuse to take their meds because there is nothing wrong with them. Since she obviously knows she is not making any sense, she should be open to discussion and maybe your support is what she needs. Bipolar is a terrible burden to those who carry it, because they cannot fix it and it involves medications for the rest of their lives. However, Bipolar people can be extremely successful in whatever they do, as long as their meds are working and they are taking them as prescribed. I hope this helps answer your questions.
answers
ok. I don't have to look up patient information. I do have to look up physicians if they are cc'd on report, names not addresses. work 2 main accounts. work 5 other accounts as a backup. been an MT over 15 years, at this job 6 months. was not looking for a job but got "head-hunted" and switched. employee. took 2 weeks to get to speed. not sure what you mean by platform. worktype I like best is ops, but I do H&Ps, discharges, consults, etc. etc. no radiology. acute only. line rate .09. type whatever comes.
the point I'm trying to make with this is that no matter what you type, you can use your shortcuts to the max. I think most people have never had anyone show them how to make shortcuts that will work for them.
answers
sorry, but i don't know what a proxy is. Using IE, and same on both machines -- with qvc switch to toggle between...
PLEASE I NEED ANSWERS!!
I have been offered employment by this company called Entente Health Care. They are a software company that is into transcription. Has anyone ever heard anything about them or had any experiences, good or bad with them? I am new to this forum so I am not sure if this is the right place to be asking a question like this. Please I really need feedback, because so far from what I have seen I don't think they have thier act very together, but then I could be wrong.
Many thanks for the answers (nm)
Many thanks!
answers
I cannot remember the whole story about Jill and Katherine as I do not watch it every day. My grandma could tell you. I will ask her later about it. Somehow she found it out though I just do not remember details. As far as the baby it is biologically Victor's but Brad has raised the girl. For a while there was a fight so to speak as Ashley would take her to Victor's to ride horses and such but now that I have been watching it I see they have calmed down on the fighting on that issue.
Maybe some answers?
If you type up "pled" in Merriam-Webster's, it takes you right to "plead." Pled is really not a word, but has become acceptable in America.
As far as "went missing," from what I can find, it's an acceptable phrase used in England. I got this info from: http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/english/2005/08/went_missing.html.
The one that always drove me batty was "an historic event." What's with the "an," since "H" was not a vowel the last I checked. Anyhow, I answered my own question if you would like to check it out: http://www.jimloy.com/language/historic.htm
In short, it sounds like these newscasters are trying to sound like they're from jolly old England, as this is where all these phrases originated. Have a good one!
Thanks for all the answers!
I recently started working for some local docs. My best friend told me that she would rather me do her reports than anyone else. I was checking a patient list one day and noticed a family member name on it, so I thought I would see what everyone else thought
THANKS TO ALL ANSWERS
THANKS ALL!
Answers
1) He does not hold any taxes.
2) NO benefits.
3) Same salary regardless, but I do transcribe everday of the week except Saturday.
Thanks - It helps to get some input from you'll. I feel totally embrassed to ask for a raise.
A few answers
Most programs have a built-in spellchecker. Not all of them are the best in the world, but they suffice. It's a good idea to have a MS Word-compatible spellchecker on your own computer - that way if the spellchecker on the program you are provided isn't adequate, you can type the word into a blank MS Word document and check it on your own medical spellchecker. Saves a little time versus Googling it, especially if you keep MS Word open but minimized.
Text Expanders you have to supply, if they don't have a full version of Word (and a lot of them don't).
Some companies will supply hardware as well as software, such as C-phones, computer foot pedals, etc. Not all, but some.
I don't know if you have mentioned your age in any of your other posts. As I said in a different context, I would not advise someone who is in their 20s or 30s to go into this field, because I believe voice recognition software and other innovations will make it obsolete within the foreseeable future. I only have 11-12 years to go until retirement, so I am going to try to hang on. But if you are young, I would advise you to at least consider a different field.
Just my two cents. 
Better answers would come through if they
knew what they were doing - and there were be far fewer problems. Most of the MT company middle managers with little or no experience (yes, it shows up by your lack of understanding) are incompetent. A decent manager would look for methods to reduce the problems which would reduce the complaints, and reducing problems is not done by beating people to death.
Some answers
"What is the difference between AMD Sempron, AMD Athlon and Intel Core processors?"
AMD and Intel are competitors for the main processor chip in the computer. They have different grades, too. AMD: Athlon is a higher grade than Sempron. INTEL: Core is higher grade than Celeron. All of them should have a number associated with them that tells the speed of these chips, expressed in Gigabytes. The higher the number, the faster. AMD chips are generally cheaper than the equivalent Intel chips.
"SDRAM size at 533 MHz and 667 MHz."
Again, speed is the issue. Higher the number, the faster the memory access. Get as much memory as you can afford. System crashes and problems are USUALLY memory problems...either not enough, bad memory, or conflicts.
"Hard drive speed 5400 RPM and 7200 RPM (I have a vague idea about that)?" Hard drive speed is not capacity. I'd go with 7200, but 5400 is fine, too. Again, for the higher speed you'll pay more money.
"What is considered acceptable for doing MT work?"
MT work isn't really demanding on computers, so last year's model is probably okay. You don't need the "bleeding edge" system, those are expensive and geared more toward gamers.
"How do you tell the speed of the processor, and does this mean the surfing speed and the speed work can be uploaded and downloaded?"
Speed of the processor will be noted as above. It is NOT the surfing/upload/donwload speed. That is solely dependent on your internet connection, dial-up, DSL, or cable, etc. As long as the notebook has an ethernet port, modem, and a wireless card built-in (and most do, now), you'll be set for nearly any situation.
"I really feel lost here!!! TIA."
We all do before we learn about stuff! You're welcome! Hope it helps some.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR ANSWERS
I am new to ShortHand and appreciate learning anything I can.
Some answers for you.
Recorders name the files with letters and/or numbers. Once the file is off the recorder, it can usually be renamed manually before uploading. (My docs just hand their recorders off to the OM who takes care of all that for them.)
Having said that, if your docs are really phobic about renaming or just don't want to be bothered, depending on the recorder, you can have the dictator dock their recorder and use software to take it off the recorder and upload directly to your FTP site. Specifically, the higher-end Olympus recorders can do this.
You could set your FTP site up so that each doc has their own folder and when they upload, they can only access their specific folder. The voice file(s) would just keep the name given on the recorder but you would know which doc was which by the folder the voice file was loaded to.
Hopefully, this answers your question.
Appreciate the answers!
nm
answers
1. 32 yr
2. passed adult education course in anatomy and transcription.
3.Interest in medicine and not wanting to go to school a long time.
4. work at home now, but many years in hospitals and offices.
5. spelling, grammar, common sense, attention to detail, integrity, work ethic.
6. I had some trouble developing a good ear; spelling and grammar came easy.
7. no
8. difficult to keep all the rules/changes in mind, starting new accounts/doctors, concentrating, staving off carpal tunnel.
9. researching much easier now than 30+ years ago!!
10. Sometimes do need another ear/opinion, and that is where QA comes in.
Answers
1. We have to meet min quality standards to get our monthly bonus.
2. Yes, we have a performance management ordeal. They give an oral warning and keep reviewing your work. If you fail the next time, it's a written warning and then if you keep failing you can be fired.
3. I think anyone (in any industry) who does not meet quality standards should be let go.
JMHO
Some answers for you........
It will depend a great deal on your past working experiences, as well as what you have learned and retained in your MT coursework. If you have prior secretarial skills, computer skills, good grasp of the English language along with good grammar and punctuation skills, you will most likely fare better than those without such prior experiences. If, for example, your only prior experience is perhaps working in a sock factory and have little typing or computer skills, or have no prior secretarial exposure or poor reading and comprehensive abilities, it may take you a lot longer to achieve success, if any, in this field. It takes a lot of intelligence to perform MT well, and unfortunately, the field does not draw strong intellectuals into it because of the low wages.
Once you graduate from a formal MT program, your true learning experience will begin. The lucky MTs who have deep pockets and can afford to purchase multiple reference books and other equipment have an advantage over those who must pinch pennies.
As in any other job, you start out at the bottom and work your way up. If you are fortunate to land a job right out of MT school (and many do who apply themselves properly), and work a full-time position, depending on what type of MT work (it varies from chart notes from an individual physician to hospital reports from a variety of physicians), you should be able to begin transcribing at 50-100 lph. Average pay is 6-8 cpl for transcribing just starting out (and many sadly never progress beyond 8 cpl, even after years of experience). So you can expect approximately $6-8/hour initially, if all goes well. You will progress slowly but steadily each day, but it all depends on your abilities and prior experiences, listening skills, whether or not you are transcribing ESL physicians, etc. There are a lot of variable that come into play.
There is a lot to cover on this subject, but I hope that I have been of some help to you. I LOVE MT and have been doing it a LONG time, but it is not an easy way to make a living. If I were younger and could do it all over again, I am not sure this is the field I would choose as a
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Blanks do not go against your QA score. If the sound quality is poor - always put a note in the comment box or pend the report and ask for full QA review due to sound quality.
As for accuracy and QA scores. Critical errors cost the most points. Some critical errors would be incorrect medications names, dosage, incorrect diagnosis, wrong patient name, words not spelled correctly.
Verbiage = 1 point deducted most times. That would be grammar.
As for punctuation, it depends if changes the meaning of the report, but usually nothing counted against you for commas and the like; unless you do not puncuate at all and have run on sentences throughout the report.
Does this help?
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Are you a CMT?
***No. I was, but chose not to renew.
All of the CMTs are AHDI lovers and the rest of us know why AHDI changed their name to include the global MT, and so what? They are entitled to do so. It's their organization.
***Actually there are quite a number of CMTs who don't know what AHDI is up to, who still think AHDI is the next best thing to having a union.
How about practice what you preach? If you don't like what AHDI is doing, then start your own organization yourself!
***The way to start that is to raise awareness on a board such as this. Next step will be a blog. But people have to know who, what, when, where & why first.
I, quite frankly, am tired of hearing the same old story.
***Then you should stop reading these threads.
It's old, get over it already.
***No.
P/S: I'm entitled to my opinion and I'm allowed to post just like you as long as I follow the rules, so why brush me aside?
*** I'm entitled to my opinion and I'm allowed to post just like you as long as I follow the rules, so why brush me aside?
If anyone wants information from AHDI, they can e-mail them just like this original poster and see the response they get.
***I have done this. See link, but only if want to know about AHDI. If you think AHDI issues are *old* and we should *get over it,* you probably shouldn't check out this link. It will make you even crabbier.
My Answers (sm)
Q: Do you think AAMT/AHDI did their best as advocates for us and our profession, yes or no? Not exactly.
Q: What do you think they should have done differently or better? I think that AAMT/AHDI should have made it's purpose more clear: It was not ever intended to be a union organization. It is a trade association. It should have done more to educate its' own trade practitioners on what to expect.
Some answers for you
I used it for a while, but too many company platforms are not compatible with it. I liked it for the most part. I could not get my Stedman's spell check to work, but my Smartype did. That was almost a year ago though so some of that may have changed.
Yes, you can have both running on the same computer without interfering, but which ever one you opened last will be the one that opens up the next time.
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I had to change my hours. The main account I love working on seemed to dwindle. I had a heart-to-heart with my supervisor and asked her to look at the peak times for the account. So, I changed. I work Su-Thu evenings/nights. So, I also get some shift differential with it. But it also keeps me well stocked on my main account. I do get other accounts too and hate that part but it is all part of being an MT, in my opinion.
When I'm working, though, I am very serious and keep all distractions away. Work, get it done and then I can play, surf on the Internet, chat, go shopping, watch TV, whatever.
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