There is a tape
Posted By: "do not cross" on 2005-10-13
In Reply to: Not MT-related (sorry). - Re: Crime scene tape
and available at most Home Depot or Lowe's stores. Bright yellow with black lettering. Used it on our home when we had a major disaster so no one would fall in major holes in our yard. Worked well.
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Tape - sm
I just saw some down the street from me, it was yellow with black letters saying "CAUTION".
tape
A few years ago I was shopping for Halloween goods and in a store like I-Party they have that tape for Halloween - try one of those stores. I bought some years ago for a mummy and coffin for front yard. Just an idea.
that is why I tape them
I'll watch them while I iron, etc. Then I don't feel so guilty for "just watching TV". Plus you can zip through the commercials.
The one I used did not use tape
Sorry, I don't remember make or model, it was a while ago. But I would dial into the hospital's dictation system. That was where the voice files were stored. I had to have a dedicated phone line with unlimited long distance for the C-phone.
I too used to tape the tape together (sm)
You might lose a bit of dictation where you are taping it together, but I was usually able to salvage most of it. Good luck! :)
Anyone know how to erase tape with...
a Lanier transcriber? Bought it on ebay and do not see an erase function.
TIA,
Dawn!
Tape erase
A lot of people also have disabled the erasing mechanism so that tapes cannot accidentally be erased and have to manually erase them. I have always done that to prevent it after my first accidental erasure. Other than allowing the tape to play forward without background noise, to tape over what is there, no answers here and have been using tapes for 15+ years. A manual eraser cost is cheap.
Patti
Tape eraser
You might wish to invest in a tape eraser; the one I have is from a company by the name of Geneva. The device consists of some strontium-ferrite magnets in a housing; just pass the tape through the housing and it is erased. The part number and description are as follows:
Audio cassette / mini-data cartridge eraser QM-230
Phone: 1-800-328-6795
Hope this helps.
Do you have a tape transcriber, or does it have to be
voice files? I have some practice dictation minicassette tapes here that I'd be willing to send you. As for the voice files, you could try Google searching. I typed in "medical transcription" practice sound files download but don't really have time to search through the results. I don't even know if there's anything out there.
tape her or get it in an e-mail or IM, something
x
try barricade tape
or cordoning tape, but I didnt find much on that
To MTs who transcribe via tape- SM
I found great, low-cost software that allows you to convert tapes to digital files (MP3, WAV, WMA, etc.). Check out www.dak.com ! Your PC needs a sound card and a line-in connection (usually next to your line out to plug in your headset or speakers), as well as a tape player and an actual line that plugs from your PC line-in to your tape player. Think they call that line a male-to-male or male-to-female or something like that (got my line from www.martelelectronics.com). Use Dak to convert your music cassettes, too. Hope this helps!
P.S., I'm an MT, not from DAK 
The end of the tape becomes detached
from the spool and is no longer winding outside the case/housing. It is all wound on one spool. Our office manager has been able to repair some by taking the tape apart and reattaching to the spool, so we can get some of the info off of it, but by handling the tape, etc. it distorts it to where we can't hear some of what was dictated and we lose some notes. Thanks! I will suggest one of those brands.
I never got rid of my tape-player or my -sm
typewriter. You just never know what sort of disaster could come up in the future, where those things would be a real life-saver. And amazingly, PCs never increased my daily work output. It actually DECREASED a bit once we went to PCs.
One tape about 2 hours.
or make templates.
Broken tape
HELP! I have had a microcassette tape break. Any ideas on how to fix it (if possible!)? 
Thanks!
fixing tape
I had that happen quite a few times - take a very small piece of scotch tape and splice the pieces together- cut the scotch tape as narrow as the cassette tape is so that it will line up on the rollers. You will lose the dictation at that spot - probably a sentence or so - but it's better than nothing. On mine, I had to pry open the cassette case because the ends were inside. If you end up having to do that, pry it open carefully. Hope this helps.
Scotch tape
Try putting a little scotch tape over the letters. You can rewrite them with a fine sharpie.
I have 2 tape accounts.
I love it! It is so cut and dry. I throw the tape in and start typing. You may save time so people think by going digital, but it takes time to upload and download voice files. I just find that throwing the tape and typing is just simple! Of course, I'm a simple person.
In answer to your question, yes I think you may have something there as the tape doctors do not want to go digital because they like doing things simply. They don't want a lot of hassle, and yes, I do believe there are physicians that still like the old method. Some do not think that digital is very user friendly.
The other problem with digital is there needs to be someone in the office doing the uploading, which mean the physician is paying them to do that. With the tape, the doctor puts it in a folder with his patient list at the end of the day, and then leaves it for me. The only thing required by the office staff is the copying and mailing when I bring the work back usually anywhere from 3-4 days later. They do not require 24-hour turnaround, which is great. But, if they do need a note, which happens very rarely, I can simply fax it over to the office.
I am quite content with my tape accounts and the other thing I like is the networking. I can network with the office staff and feel like a movie star since they don't see me every day. They usually stop what they are doing for a friendly quick chat, which is very nice. I have business cards that I carry just in case someone mentions to me that so and so is looking for a transcriptionist.
Broken tape. sm.
I just broke my dictation tape while rewinding it. Should I try to open it and put it back on the wheel. Any ideas. I has three days of dication on it. Thanks.
if you need to cut it, you can tape it back together.
nm
mangled tape
I was able to take the cassette apart to get the tape inside unmangled, but now I'm trying to figure out how to roll it back up as tight as I can so it doesn't happen again, and I don't know how to do that. I have a few feet of tape hanging out and I can't roll it tight by hand unless I want to spend days on it, and it still may night be tight enough around the spool. The tape is intact so I don't think I need any splicing. I'm think right now this is just ridiculous that I'm having to do this and yes, the doctor is technotarded. He kept erasing his dictation accidentally on the digital recorder so went back to using cassette tapes.
tape broke
Did you hear me scream? I guess I'll cut and tape and try it from there.
mangled tape
A company I found on the web called audio-restoration.com repaired a tape for me. The cost was $25.00. The doctor's office paid for it because it beat having to redictate 1-1/2 hours of dictation. It took about five days to get the tape back.
Do you have a tape in the machine?--sm
If there is no tape with dictation, there would be nothing for the machine to indicate. My Lanier has a counter but is not this model. This site has info on the 210--http://www.transcribesolutions.com/lavwmicama2.html
Hope this helps.
erase tape update
See below, don't want to rewrite the entire thing but it did all work out. Basically I had put the envelope and tape from one day in a different spot due to being in a hurry and the other one the doc did not hand in as he was going on vacation. So when both were gone, I thought I had erased them and handed them back in. When I told the doc that I thought I had erased one and he grinned at me and gave me the tape, he told me to include some extra charge for the time I spent looking for the tape -- so it did all work out. God just threw me a curve to tell me to slow down. I averaged 2500 to 3000 lines per day last week and that was with one doctor on vacation. So just hurried, hurried, hurried. Thank you to all of you for your support, it really helped me in a tme of need. Patti
Patti
Also many offer $30 for a 60 minute tape -sm
so if 600 lines you get a whole .05 a line, WOW!! I have only seen 1 I was remotely interested in doing so far, but have not bid on any as yet, doubt I ever will.
All the different colors of correct-tape!
Sure does bring back memories. I remember sitting at my Selectric in my basement when I was a newbie back in 1975 crying my eyes out because I had just finished a 3 page report and the doc wanted me to insert a paragraph at the beginning of the report! There was no "memory" back then and the whole thing had to be retyped just to add one paragraph! I remember them fondly, but am much happier with my computer! Thanks for the walk down memory lane, though!
Oh no! Tape missed part ....
I have Desperate Housewives and Grey's preset to tape every week. Wasn't thinking with the Super Bowl that Grey's would start late. The tape cut off right after Dr. Burke sent everyone out of OR except for 2 other people. He had just told the EMT that her hand was keeping the man from bleeding out and the bomb squad was coming. Then <poof> that was it! What happened next? Anyone, please? Thanks.
I don't think anyone is saying give up a tape account but
I think what started this whole thing is a person asking about how to go about getting a new account, picking up tapes, how much to charge for paper or whatever. In that case, I think OP should research the options out there and start with the approach to go digital first, then accept a tape account only if you have to. Of course you don't give up an account. No way. Never. Ever.
Re: Going rate for tape tx/delivery
The only advice I can offer, since I have never been in business for myself, is to state where you live. Rates can vary by region.
If you mean one side of a mini tape
For my private mds, each side of a tape yields approximately 500 lines, takes me no more than 2 hours to do a side, sometimes 1-1/2 hours if I'm a speed demon and take no breaks!! 
huh? even if you speed up tape you'll
albeit, if the OP does speed up tape, she'll make those lines quicker!
I'd go for at least $60 a tape; if 600 lines then .10 a line - sm
but I would not go any lower than that. If you can get a sample and do a count that would be the best way of course to figure out a fair rate so you don't get the short end of the stick. Obviously try to use an Expander to its best ability so you can maybe get your time down to 4 hours, which would be a reasonable time to do 60 minutes of work. Plus printing and delivery, yeah, no lower than $60. Think I'd go for at least $72 since you are doing printing and delivery.
Broken tape memories
One of my docs about 15 years ago broke a tape and he spent more time putting the tape back together than it would have been if he had redictated. Another time, the same doc walked in my office and handed me the tape while I was running a finished tape through the little erase box and I immediately took it out of his hand and erased it right in front of him. I almost died. He always dictated on half speed to get more on a tape. What would you have done if you did that?
Sounds like tape delivery sm
Do you still do tapes? I would like to do this, so there is hope. I am going to retire and want to offer such service to those docs who have not gone digital. Am I going backwards? Yes, but I would like the flexibility of a 48-hour turnaround and going back to what I used to do. I like it better, as I was totally in charge of my own destiny. Don't laugh, I loved it!!! As long as it's close by. I live in New England. I loved the one-on-one contact with the client, etc., and I was appreciated! Let me know if anyone is still doing this horse and buggy type work.
Tape crisis solved-so far
I manually wound the tape up, holding it taught with one hand while winding with the other. It only took an hour. So far, so good. Thanks for the responses. If it ends up getting mangled again, you will all hear me scream wherever you are:)
I suspect it's another newbie doing a test tape to get a job
"D-dimer"
"Parenchyma"
"Acidosis"
Any first year terminology student wouldn't have to ask about these elementary MT words. It's a cheater trying to pass a test she is in no way qualified to be taking.
so then why did you LIE and say you were doing a practice tape of your friends??? if it truely was a
'
barricade tape it was, but can only find it online and need
c
Daily minutes - time per tape
I have two Internal Medicine docs that average 25 to 35 minutes per day which equals about 500 to 600 lines each. (time to do each tape 1 to 1.25 hours per tape) Monthly line count is about 15,000 to 16,000 per month average .
Two oncology surgeons that dictate three days per week -- one is 25 to 30 minutes per day which can equal up to 1000 lines as a lot of letters and consults the other surgeon is shorter about 10 to 15 minutes and equals about 300 to 400 per day. (time to do tape -- long ones about 1.5 hours and short about 20 to 30 minutes -- good money maker) Monthly line count is about 11,000 to 12,000 per month
Plastic surgeon -- short chart notes only 10 minutes = 100 lines per day - 3 days per week. Only get about 1000 lines per month if he has some letters.
Hand surgeon - some IME's, chart notes - 2 days per week depends but usually about 30 to 40 minutes per day. About 4500 to 5000 lines per month.
Psychologist -- 3 to 5 psych consults - ADHD children - 35 to 40 minutes per report with accompanying letter about 600 to 700 lines per report/letter. (takes me about 1.25 hours per report/letter) About 4500 lines per month.
I have been doing these for so long I can type them in my sleep.
I tape Days of Our Lives and can watch
it in no time. Between fast forwarding through commercials and fast forwarding through scenes where they are looking back at previous scenes I think I can watch an hour long show in about 20 minutes. LOL.
I like some of the reality shows like The Apprentice and Survivor. Oh and I LOVE The Amazing Race. Don't have much time for them though :-(
Even with taping.
Recording files from C-phone to tape???
Hi, has anyone ever recorded files from a C-phone onto cassette tapes? I have an account that is accessed via C-phone. I am going to be going out of town for a couple days and wanted to record some work to take with me. Can this be done? I have a Lanier micro-cassette player and a Dictaphone C-phone. Is there an attachment of some sort that could accomplish this? Thanks for any help you can offer.
I have a broken cassette tape - where can I get it repaired
I tried doing a search on here, because a few years ago there was a post about a place that repairs broken cassette tapes. I kind of remember it being in Florida somewhere, but I cannot find the thread. Does anyone know where I can get a cassette tape fixed??? RAdio Shack says no, they don't fix them.
mangled mini cassette tape
I have a sony mini-cassette tape that is bunched up on the inside to the point where I can no longer pull it to straighten it out. It is just stuck. This has a full day of dictation on it. Anyone know a gentle way of trying to pry this cassette apart? It's the only way I can straighten up the tape. I did it once before over a year ago and it took 4 hours, but it worked, but I don't remember what I used. I don't know how it happened. I just want to fix it because I'll have to be the one to tell this doctor he has to do his dictation all over and it won't be pretty. Thanks.
Not to mention, most tape accounts are private practice
Lots of normals and Expander entries so you can just pound out the lines in no time. I have a tape account where I can easily hit 400 lph due to the normals and expander entries I have created. I can finish a whole day's worth of dictation in no time and who cares if I spend 15 minutes running to pick up? I make enough in two hours to make up for that!
I am trying to get them to go digital and when they do, that will only save me 15 minutes a day so it's not like I'm going to make out like a bandit over it, but I'll take that extra 15 minutes and spend that time on myself! :)
I think most of these people don't realize that those of us who do still pick up/deliver, do so locally and therefore the offices are usually within a 5-10-mile radius at most. I say let them pound away at their acute care with different docs every few minutes! ;) I did my time with all that and I'm happy to work the gravy train now, even if that means I have to take a little drive now and again. In fact, I'll be done, deliveries and all, in about an hour (12:30 p.m. here) and have the rest of the day to spend doing something fun with my kids or gardening. Can't beat that! :)
Are you referring to a cassette tape that has dictated material on it?
I would try to spool it back with the eraser tip of a pencil, but I wouldn't waste alot of time doing so. I've had this happen in the past, and fortunately for me, I returned it to the physician, explained the problem, and he said, "no problem"...I'll just redictated it.
I am again stating here that the single most important thing one can to do to ensure the quality and lifespan of tapes, is to keep them in their plastic case when not in your machine and being transcribed.
I have a microcassette player with an edited tape of dictation that
No, really, I keep it with me because I get these questions and responses ALL THE TIME. I got so fed up with trying to explain that I just pull out my recorder, hit play, and then watch the looks as they realize that can't understand a single thing the dictator is saying. Now, THAT, my friends, is PRICELESS!
No, they didn't. Just the tape covering that I had thrown out when I first opened them.. NM
.
Oops, too long subject line, meant to say on the uncased tape.
We also had one or two real winners who taped things to the tape and then wondered why we couldn't get all the dictation done when the scotch tape tore the cassette tape. Oy vey.
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