Thanks for your input. We type regular medical reports in Meditech and radiology in Cerner. SM
Posted By: Lori on 2005-10-02
In Reply to: Line counts in Meditech - IC for a hospital
I am really considering presenting the idea that we measure productivity on minutes transcribed instead of lines. I don't know if management will go for it, but it seems like the best scenario considering all the trouble we've had.
Thanks again!
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Meditech questions and Cerner questions. Any input is appreciated. SM
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:
- 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?
- How is a line defined in Meditech? (i.e. 65 cpl, with spaces, without spaces)
- How is a line defined in Cerner?
- What abbreviation Expanders work with both Meditech and Cerner?
- Examples of incentive plans (if anyone would like to share that with me that would be great, if not I completely understand).
- Measuring productivity by minutes of dictation versus typed lines.
- What would be the minimum minutes required for an 8-hour day?
- 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! 
Radiology transcription, what type of reports are considered radiology
I have lot of experience with everything and I would like to know what exactly is considered radiology so I know if I qualify for that type of work? I've had many types that I think qualify for radiology.
I seriously doubt that type of work is as complex as medical reports.
nm
Your English teacher does not do medical reports. This is for medical reports.
.
The MR reports were being filed. Referring physicians/medical care providers reports were not.
This is a hospital radiology department with in-house MTs and a clerk who is in charge of the report distribution.
Meditech/radiology
Does anyone know if there is a way to get a line count in Meditech's radiology platform. Each report has a line counter at the top but that is all lines including blanks. MP count (Free program) does not work. Meditech has its own character counter/line counter for other reports. Just wondering if they did for radiology.
Meditech radiology help please
Hi: Does anyone know how to change the Transcriptionist on a rad report already transcribed in Meditech? This could cause legal issues if a report is placed in held, and then another MT goes in and finishes it, leaving the first MT's initials in place. We can just delete the whole thing and start again, which is what I do, but I cannot trust others to do the same. Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated. thanks
how will you know what you type is ASR and what is regular transcription?(nm)
x
I NEVER type on a regular keyboard and neither does my son.
have used MS ergo since I quit typing on a typewriter.
Meditech radiology MT question...please help.
For several years now, I have had my own account with a small hospital. I do most if not all their transcription including radiology. Radiology usually takes me anywhere from 2-3 hours to do a day, depending on the radiologist (which consists of 2-3 with alternating weeks). I also work for a national part time doing ops which I love doing. The radiology reports for this hospital has increased over the years which I thought was good but when I compared it to what I was making in those 2-3 hours to what I was making with the national part time there was a huge difference. (I get paid per minute by the hospital). I was thinking about asking the hospital to pay me differently for the rad reports since it does take me quiet a bit longer for these reports with all the different screens and lookups that I am doing because the rad doctors will not provide the info. What I want to know is what MTs who work rad Meditech charges so I can have some idea what to ask for. TIA
Meditech Radiology question, please help
Okay, after much worrying over, I have decided to ask client to be paid by line versus minute for rad reports. I have one problem. Is there a way to count lines in the Meditech system without having to due it manually. I know it counts lines for acute care but radiology runs differently and can not find a way to count lines other than manually after each report.
Have been doing radiology on Meditech for 15 years
It just depends on the version the hospital is using. It does have a spellcheck but again it depends on what is in it. I was there from the beginning so I had to input a lot of things through the years. The only Expander I found that works with Meditech is Shorthand.
I work in Meditech for a radiology account and have no lag time. sm
There are a few things to try that might help. The first is to try to go through an NT connection if possible through their Citrix. Another is: Disable your virus protection, log in and re-enable the virus protection. I have found this solved my problem.
I am also answering your cut and paste question from your other post: It is HIPPA as the possibility of putting the wrong report on the wrong patient exists. However, I would go above or beyond your company's IS dept (they tend to be the most paranoid) and go to a production person such a Lead or Coordinator or even MTSO. If they are MTs, they tend to be more sympathetic and will often allow cut and paste when IS will not. If you are the only person experiencing this, IS is not going to be too diligent in helping. Worst case scenario? Ask for another account. Sometimes it is an account-specific, computer-specific problem, almost like putting the wrong size tape in a tape player.
Thanks for the reply. Meditech reports
Now if I can only get them to agree and be brave enough to leave if they don't. After I asked for an increase last year after 8 years, they had started looking at national companies but found that they were three times what they were giving me after over 10 years of service. Thanks for the information.
? about radiology reports
Can anyone give me some comments? I just signed up to work part time with a radiology account and I love the dictators but you have to type in all the header information which is a lot. The information is picked up by going to a separate efax web site for each clinic and looking for the patient's name for that particular report. Some are hospital stamped and others are all handwritten and you have to keep jumping in and out of 3 different screens to type this all in; this is ridiculously tedious and very time consuming and it is very hard to get your line count up. Is this a normal thing to have to type all this information like that? It's the only thing that is not good with this account. The pay is 8 cents per line. Thank you for your comments.
? about radiology reports
So, to answer your question about it being normal, it all depends who you are typing for. If you are typing for an outside facility yes but if you are typing for a hospital no because most have a platform that MTs type the reports in. With this, you only have to type in the patients MR# or accession# provided, look to make sure the patient name match with what the dictator is saying, you then will get the header(s) for the report, select the appropriate header for that study and then you get a document to transcribe the report on that is formatted with the patient information. After typing the report, you then update it in their system and move on to the next, it’s that simple and easy. When typing for an outside facility, they have their MTs typing reports in a word processor program like Word for example using their template which you have to enter in all that header info.
It would be easier if you could print out the lists since it is time consuming having to go in and out of screens, that is ridiculous. As a radiology MT, you type many x-rays reports that are short and you really can’t make a line count when having to go in and out of screens. When I had worked for a company similar to who you are working for, I found myself having to really type hard to make my lines. I no longer work for that company and now work for a different company that I enjoy and I do not have to type in the header info, doing hospital radiology transcription. I make a little more per line and I make twice as more per pay period versus the other company because I have nothing to slow me down. I think MTs should be paid more than 8 cents per line or per report to compensate for their time when having to enter in header info and having to move between screens.
radiology reports
I made $50,000 last year. Work for a teaching hospital. The Neuro Interventional reports rack up the line counts.
Radiology preliminary reports
I need to hear from in-house radiology transcriptionists please. Once your report is typed, primarily on inpatients, do you send a preliminary copy of that to the patient's chart? Does your Radiologist have to read over all Radiology transcripts before signing and sending to the chart? Thanks for any info you can give.
Radiology preliminary reports
Thanks for the info. I ask because our attending physicians are not getting reports on inpatients until sometimes 12 hours after admission. It seems to me that as soon as it is transcribed it should be sent in a preliminary form to the nurse's station and then the original with the radiologist's signature would be substituted for the prelim. Our Radiologist insists upon overreading every report and signing before ANY report is sent to the floor. Seems unnecessary to me and we are working towards preliminary reports. We have both electronic and paper records and in the very near future the radiologist will be e-signing the reports. I do the acute care transcription and seem to be getting a lot of dictation with "x-ray report is pending" on next day transcriptions and sometimes two days afterwards. I think we might have a bit of a struggle on our hands but hopefully he will see the necessity of the preliminary reports. (Or I might be forced to seek other employment) LOL
radiology reports what to charge
When starting your own transcription business typing radiology reports such as x-rays (plain films) and mammograms, what would be a reasonable price to charge a client per report? Should I charge per report or per page as some rads read multiple exams under one study resulting in two page reports.
Radiology reports what to charge
Thanks, that helps alot.
Types of reports in radiology transcription
Can someone tell me the types of reports there are in radiology transcription. I've transcribed for years and have experience transcribing so many things and I think I've got enough experience to transcribe radiology but not positive exactly what comes through to radiology transcriptions as I've always been considered acute care. Just curious about the types that come through to radiology.
Anyone out there type in Meditech? How is it? TIA. nm
x
We get paid $1.10 for radiology reports and my supervisor transcribes also sm
she pick all the easy doctors. How I know this is because if she doesn't finish them all she says "I have work that I couldn't finish I need someone to finish up." They are all the same doc no more than 3 lines or normals.
What does Meditech Direct Type mean
Hi -
At the risk of sounding like a dolt  ... could someone please tell me what Meditech Direct Type is? I have spent years typing hospital reports into various Meditech programs through a VPN. Is this considered direct type?
Thanks.
how about looking for a company that pays radiology reports by report and not line? nm
x
It's possible. I type Radiology IC and
make anywhere from $4000-$6000 a month. Really depnds on how many reports I want to do each week.
I started out doing radiology, then went into medical records. SM
It was a hard transition, to go from one speciality to doing them all. ER notes would be a good start, good money. I prefer OP notes myself.
Editing Radiology Reports - Need info RE charging per report (Exam)
I am in the South - any suggestions on going rate for editing Radiology Reports per report (exam)? I have seen charging prices from $1.25 to $2.00. Thank you for any input, it is greatly appreciated.
Does satellite internet work to type into Meditech?
I can't get cable or DSL, and wonder if satellite will work.
I used Stedman's when working in Meditech, but I would type in Word and
copy to Meditech.
She's right. It is not as hard as medical reports
Just like people who type for insurance companies, they also think they are qualified to be an MT - NOT. Social work reports, although probably a lot more interesting, are nothing like typing medical records.
I know AMS (Applied Medical) has ER reports. However,
...not sure if they offer the money you are used to. I think pay depends on experience, but call them or e-mail them. You may be offered a different pay rate with your experince level.
Trying to help.:) Good luck.
7.2 CPL for Medical editing reports...NM
x
I type radiology, but have done some clinic work
I briefly tried acute care, but felt that was a little too hard to do working from home. I have done some clinic work, which worked out fine. The hardest part of that was learning lab values, specific tests, etc. I feel your pain, as it is very difficult to transition. I've done cardiology, internal medicine, and nephrology clinic notes and have done well with them. Things like wound care can get a little tricky because of all of the terminology with bandages, sutures, etc. My advice would be to get some reference books and maybe try to find a part time job, where your livelihood would not depend on the account, and give it a try! With this job, you won't know if you can do it until you try! I know it's hard with the national companies. They don't like to take time to help you learn. I learned my clinic stuff from local doctor's offices, where they gave me sample reports and I could take as much time as I needed to look stuff up. I wish you luck!
You are not supposed to do it in medical reports any longer.
This is for clarity reasons. Now numbers are written as numbers just for the simple reason of it stands out. This has been that way now for a couple of years.
To not have to type ER reports any more. Want
more of anything except ER notes. Yuk!
Can any of you MTs who type operative reports tell me
what are some good websites to look for spellings of surgical terminology, instruments, equipment, etc.? Much appreciated!!!
depends on what type of reports.....
130-160 per 8 hours, if typing combinations of everything; i.e. MRI, CT, nuclear medicine, fluoro, x-rays, angiograms, etc.
depends on type of reports sm
do not sign on to do MRIs, CTs paid by the report, you'll lose money big time.
What type of reports do you get the most lines on?...
I was wondering if you had to choose, which type of reports would you want to do exclusively that would net you the most lines, of course other than a wonderful account with normals on every report  .
Is Keystrokes a good company for any work type other than radiology? sm
I have seen really good reports on this board (and others) about Keystrokes being the place to be for radiology but have really not seen much discussion regarding other work types. I am primarily interested in op notes as I understand they will only hire if you have spent the last several years in a particular work type and ops are it for me. I wonder about their platform, pay scale, flexibility, whether or not weekend work is required, etc. I have left my email address in case anyone would like to privately email me. I would really appreciate some input. Thank you.
Cumbersome is a good word here to describe Meditech. The designer obviously doesn't type.
cc
They don't remove eyes based on transcribed medical reports. SM
Hate to burst your bubble - we're important, but not that important.
I take great pride in doing great work and doing a bunch of it.
I think it probably depends on the dictators and type of reports.
Personally, I think it depends on the dictator, how familiar you are with the specialty, and if there are expansions/normals that can be used.
For argument sake, lets compare $1.15 per minute to 9 cents a line, if it takes someone 1 hour to transcribe 10 minutes of dictation.
If you have a slow dictator who reads the chart, changes their mind every other sentence, or uses terms/equipment that you have to constantly research, and at the end of the hour, you only have 100 lines typed, then you are ahead of the game. You earned $11.50 that hour.
10 minutes x $1.15 (typed in 1 hour) = $11.50 per hour.
100 lines x 9 cents per line (typed in 1 hour) = $9.00 per hour.
BUT, if you have a great dictator who knows what they want to say, are organized, normals or a great set of expansions are used, you never have to stop to look anything up, and in the end, you have typed 200 lines, that is a whole different story. You could have made $18.00 an hour.
10 minutes x $1.15 (typed in 1 hour) = $11.50 per hour.
200 lines x 9 cents per line (typed in 1 hour) = $18.00 per hour.
So in my opinion, unless you can talk to other MTs with the company doing the same work, there is no way to know in advance if you will be making more or less by being paid by the minute as opposed to by the line.
Please update us after you have worked for awhile and let us know how things are going. GOOD LUCK.
I tend to proof my reports as I type,
during pauses in dictation I read the paragraphs above and also while spellchecking. Unless it is a difficult report, I do not relisten.
I type fire claims/investigation reports
It's really easy work and pays pretty good. It's also nice to have a break from medical, but some of the reports are really sad to type. I do the work for a local fire chief that has a side business and he investigates a lot of car accidents when the car catches on fire. A lot of times there are fatalities involved, and they usually involve children too. They can get pretty gruesome when they go into detail though. I get paid by the page and most of the time I type depo summaries, which are just highlighted parts of the deposition that I type into a summarized report. I actually put an ad in the local paper for transcription work and got this account. It's only about $400/month, but I do MT part time too.
VR reports get paid VR rate whether I straight type or not.
I have just gotten to the point where on certain docs I know their VR sucks, so I straight type because it ends up being faster. It sucks, but that is the way the business is now a days, so I don't have much of a choice. I need a job, and I like where I am at, so don't like to speak up too much because the are really pushing the VR.
Marie, what type of federal job, is this still medical? nm
x
Make sure you have selected Medical as your speller type.
Tools, Options, Spelling and Grammer. Select Medical from the drop down list under speller type (right side).
I would not; most of the time those type files, although not usually hard medical terms, take lots l
to type and are very difficult as it is hard to hear with background noise, different speakers, usually no macros, etc. I think they are worth more pay, not less. I also get paid by the word at 0.008 and had figured mine to be about 0.09/line as well in the past. stick with where you are.
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