Wow, there's an easier way. I think the OP is calling text expansions "macros."
Posted By: sm on 2009-06-19
In Reply to: Backing up AutoCorrect Entries - Just passing through
Instant Text and ShortHand can import autocorrect, but you have to know which file they are stored in.
If you're just moving your autocorrect and true macros to another computer, all you have to do is find your .acl file and normal.dot. All your true macros and shortcuts to run your macros are in the normal.dot. All your formatted autocorrects (those with spaces or bold) are in the normal.dot. The rest of your autocorrects are in the .acl file. You don't have to mess with installing Microsoft's macro to move anything. The autocorrect utility in macros9.dot is for Word 2000. Word 2002 and 2003 is called support.dot. There's no macro included in 2007 for this.
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Instant Text expansions
can be 16,000 characters long.
Did you use IT with Meditech? You may have experienced the limitations of Meditech not being able to handle more than a paragraph at once.
Well that is real mature, calling me a rimrod. Why the name calling?
I am not telling everyone to leave this site. I gave info about MTSTars.net to let us, who have been on this site MTStars.com for many years to make up their own minds. YESTERDAY, I never got a straight answer about the owner of this board and now I know, but I was in the middle of asking questions earlier and my posts kept getting deleted. I was not calling anyone names, like YOU have and I am not insuling anyone like YOU have. NOT offshoring? Well he is from Pakistan am I right? I still do not know the truth. Can you supply me with more information about Dr. Ahmed?
Hardly get to use my expansions any more
Most of the doctors whose jobs I used to not lift my foot for the pedal for from start to finish, are now on ASR and I cannot say that about them anymore. Those definitely take longer because not only do you have to change, delete and add here and there, you have to scrutinize every letter or mistakes the listening device may have made. Obvious what is saved to expansion was checked to perfection already.
Unless, of course, the MTs use only expansions
expansions
Put in a lot of the common things most physicians say for every report like: the patient, increased pain, complains of, tells me that, MRI results, x-ray of the, come back in, return to see me in, was seen in the emergency room, I told her to, I told him to, see me back as needed == things like that. If you analyze a report, you'll see that most of it is plain English and those things are said over and over. Once I switched from concentrating the majority of my entries from medical words to plain English, my speed really picked up. I still add in the medical things, of course, but with my glossary I can work on many accounts with a lot more ease and productivity. It's taken quite a time but well worth it.
expansions
I don't worry about whether I already tried an expansion, because if it's there and I don't hit it right away, it isn't easy enough, so I try again. Usually I stick to a few standard forms, but that can vary from first letters of a phrase plus x on the end to e on then end, to some 2-word phrases that I use the first 3 letters of each word together. I might delete one that is rarely used if I want to reuse the abbreviation for a more useful phrase. I've deleted a lot of the first ones I tried, because they really weren't very helpful. I like to keep the phrases short, rather than try for long ones, maybe 3-5 words, because doctors tend not to be entirely consistent in how they say things, and I have verbatim accounts...less need to reword things that way.
I think that about 40% of what I type is an expansion of some sort on my normal doctors. If I'm doing someone new or someone who isn't consistent in what they say it may be quite a lot less, but that isn't really counting the individual word expansions, just the phrases. Many of the words over 3-4 letters I get with 1, 2, or 3 Keystrokes at most. You just have to keep your eyes on the expander, and sometimes even slow down enough to see words not at the top of the list. I use Smartype, so they come up in order of most used, which I can change at any point if needed.
My expansions on MQ's server
Conditions at my local MQ ofc have deteriorated to the point where I am ready to throw in the towel and look elsewhere. My question: I am using my own computer. Is it possible to retrieve/print out my Expanders and shortcuts that I made up myself before I leave. I've only worked for MQ, and imagine I've accumulated over 2000 of these shortcuts. I know they are on my hard drive, but I have no program that will enable me to access them. Does anyone know of any such animal? Secondarily, has anyone ever left one MQ ofc for another, or just plain asked to be switched to other accounts. TIA
According to their web site they pay for expansions (sm)
I personally think we aren't paid for blanks and headers and that makes a difference. I have been working on DQS for a couple of weeks now and have gotten up to a whopping 200 plus per hour so I feel like I am making headway.
I have a question about DQS expansions.
I have 6000 phrases in my PRD which I am about to transfer to the DQS expansion program (I won't start for a couple of weeks). The tech says anything more than a few hundred might cause expansions to be sluggish while I'm transcribing :(. Has anyone been having this problem?
Also, is it better to use my own Window-based glossary program instead of the one DQS provides? The tech says he can't advise me on that and the techs won't provide assistance on it.
Watch those expansions for BM
She had a large, foul-smelling black male overnight with massive bleeding.
Need HELP to transfer expansions
I want to transfer my shortcuts (expansions) from DocQScribe to Microsoft office word. Is it possible to do this? Can anyone tell me where to go for instructions/guidelines on doing this? Please help!
drug expansions
How you set up your expansions for drugs?
I use the first three letters and the last letter. For example, for Plavix, I would set it up as plax. Also, for drugs that I type frequently, I sometimes shorten it more - Lasix is lx.
I want to add dosages also, but I'm undecided how I want to do it. I would love to hear how others do it. Thanks in advance for sharing your ideas and suggestions.
Did they ever say they wouldn't pay for expansions? More likely,
s
Adding Expansions
I was wondering how you build your expansion list, meaning, about how many words do you put in day? A few, 20, 50? And do you review them daily so you know what you have? I tend to create them and then forget I have them and then do not use them. What are you tips? Thanks in advance!
IMO, it will. I, too, used the same expansions for many years...sm
and found IT to be a pain in the tush. I did, however, find ShortHand or ShortCut to be much better choices. Not sure if they are still around as I use ESP and AutoCorrect (you can use both if you allow it in the preferences). I learned the expansions one way and found too many choices to be a hindrance. Good luck with your search!
How many expansions have you put into your autocorrect over...sm
the last 14 years. I started with a blank autocorrect 10 years ago and now have many thousand expansions from individual words, to phrases, paragraphs, and even full reports. I still add new ones almost every day. The way I have it set up I save more than 50% of my keystrokes.
Word expansions ... that is the MAIN
help for me. I do have good accounts but they have ESLs and some non-ESLs who are even worse. I have to slow down for them but then try to make up my speed with the next good dictation.
I put EVERYTHING into word expanders...words, phrases, etc. EVERYTHING. I couldn't do half my line counts probably if I didn't use my expanders so well.
Don't answer the phone. Don't check email or forums until I take a break. Don't eat or drink while working.
How does one temporarily disable expansions
x
How do I transfer DQS expansions to MS Word
I already know how to access and copy the user.aco files from DQS, but I can't figure out how to copy them into another copy of MS Word Auto Correct to use for another platform.
Not sure what you mean by "work together." Do you mean can your list of expansions for one be
imported for use in the other or do you mean can both programs be running simultaneously?
yes, need to disable your expansions in Word and...
you also need to open ShortCut BEFORE you open your platform (Word or whatever you are using).
Good luck.
How do I copy a list of my expansions?
nm
Expansions for numbers/lab values
Do you all use Expanders for numbers and lab values? - Ex.: 0-10 red cells, 10-20 white cells ... things of that nature. I have a few, but it seems there are so many different combinations of number items that I can't come up with a good system.
Any ideas appreciated. 
My trick for stopping expansions from expanding....SM
This might not work for you but I find it quicker to add it in my shortcuts. I simply add the last letter on it again when I don't want it to expand. For example, BP = blood pressure but BPP = blood pressure. COPD = chronic.... but COPDD = COPD. That's a lot faster for me than to do all those other steps. Just thought I would throw that out there in case it might work for someone else too.
Need expansions for both mitral valve repair
nm
Agree---and work on those expansions..it stinks at first
but it WILL pay off in the long run. Especially once you're familiar with the doctors and you can *almost* type what they're going to say before they say it. When you're that familiar, it makes for a fabulous line count:-)
Is selecting expansions from a list a hassle?
With Instant Text how do you choose the expansion you want from the list at the bottom of the screen? Do you use the mouse to click on it? Do you use the arrow keys on the keyboard?
How do I add expansions/abbreviations in Word 2007?
Do you use expansions for common English words and phrases too? sm
I have read that something like 80% of sentences can be formed using the same 200 most commonly used words of the English language.
Think of common English phrases that you can add to your expansion software that you use quite often in MT reports such as "he has no significant" or "there are no significant" or "there was no significant," etc. :)
*This link leads to a listing of the 500 most commonly used words in the English language:
http://www.world-english.org/english500.htm
*And here is a listing of the top 100 English verbs:
http://www.world-english.org/100verbs.htm
No, but with an expander you can just set your expansions to the approved versions for that account.
nm
There's a tutorial in the program and yes you do create expansions while you work. Love it! nm
s
structured text from free text...
eventually just templates filled in. being that I am near 50, I will probably be okay, but I feel bad for all the younger MTs just now in school. according to this article, we will all have to be willing to learn the new ways.
no more 'blind faith'
It's a lot easier to get rid of a BF than a DH
I wouldn't put up with it, but that's just me.
I think it's easier but.....
I also think MTSOs add them so we don't get paid for them, after all if they add them we do not actually type them. Just my opinion.
It will get better, and easier. My one sm
inhouse experience was awful. Not only was I transcribing for $15 an hour, I had to make copies and go down 2 flights and stuff their mailboxes with copies.
I so much prefer working at home of a national, where all I do is transcribe, and they take care of the distribution of the records. I just push send. Plus I find the dictators a lot more doable than at that hospital. They were a mess. They didn't even have a standard format. It was just, whatever.
We have it easier than we think
My youngest sister came by this late night after getting off work. She works 2nd shift at a local factory. It has provided an okay and steady living for her and her family but it has taken its toll on her.
Her beautiful young face is worn and tired. Her clothes are nasty from the oil and sweat and metal shavings. Her poor little hands are literally worn out, muscular, rough with callus. Her back hurts all the time from all the standing. Some of the attitudes she works with keep her humble little soul in discomfort.
She gets in trouble by management and by every line worker if she has to miss. She has no opportunity to move anywhere really within that plant.
We don't always have the work we want in this business and sometimes we have to really take a stand to get where we need to be. All said and done, though, we have it easy.
I don't have to wear my self out physically. I can get up and stretch and take a break. I can be somewhat flexible with my time. I don't have to put up with people who try to control or intimidate me. I have a marketable skill, though that market is changing rapidly ... it is still a skill that I can adapt and use. There are so many ads on this very board that I can explore if I need a change or additional employment ... all those opportunities and I don't have to move anywhere, I don't have to uproot my life .. just go to work for someone else.
We have it easier than we think.
Again, easier said than done.
I have found that many transcriptions who say they want to work for me have one of three issues:
1. They embellish on their experience/quality.
2. Time off--they want more time off than I get and they usually wait until they're walking out the door to say they're not available. Deadlines are seen a "negotiable".
3. They are asking for more per line than I am able to pay (usually they want .12-.14/line--I only charge .12/line on my accounts because that's all the market will bear)
Many of these are newcomers to the field who have somewhere gotten the idea that they can get away with all of these behaviors. (I would bet more than one of them are some of the criers on these boards as well.)
I would LOVE to find someone who is dependable and experienced, who knows how to work and is not looking to take my accounts on a permanent basis; someone who would do as good a job for me as they would want someone else to do for them if they needed some time off. Apparently, they're all working for other companies and are happy, which is great for them.
An easier way...
If you are typing in Word, there is an easier way. Where you have the ?? in your document (I am guessing it is a template), erase the ?? and hit CTRL+F9 This will insert {} Use this throughout the document where you need to insert things. When you load your template, you can hit F11 and it will automatically take you to the next field.
is it easier to use
the CD for the computer...easier to use than the 2007?
This will get much easier sm
I was nervous about first podiatrist as she talked fast, used some not so good English, etc., but after the first few days, I realized she used almost all the same terms repeatedly. I bought a book - don't have it with me now - but one of the "word books" which helped me tremendously, it covered podiatry as well as other such entities. Just look up on the book search, believe it was a Stedman's. After that first week, I knew exactly what she was going to say next. I made more progress on this account than others. Just hang in there and it will be a breeze. I almost refused to do this account and was very surprised at my progress and earnings. Go with it! It only hurts for a little while. It's only the lower extremities usually and the rest is "history" which you should be able to figure out. It is important in podiatry that they mention diabetes and other such history which would bring on podiatry problems. They only know their own specialty usually and will admit they don't go outside the box much. They are insecure out of their box so you are helping them trememdously. Be patient.
easier yes, but a job
is still a job, and that part is not so pleasurable. but i do think after 30+ years that i would enjoy it much more if i were working only 3-4 hours a day. I still get great satisfaction from doing a job not everyone can, and doing it very well.
do you guys think it would be easier on the
To work a split shift, example 6-10 n then 3-7, OR would it be less painful to get it all done at once so you have more time to rest fully? My hands kill me constantly. I've tried everything. Don't want to be in more pain if the split would end up being worse. Thanks.
It would be faster and easier to ask
which companies treat their MTs well than to go through the masses that haven't treated people well.
Is doing QA easier than transcribing? nm
nm
It's easier if you are in India, I think. nm
x
I am MT/ME and ME is easier on the hands...
I love ASR (automated speech recognition) aka editing as it's easier on the hands for some (me!!). It does pay 20% less per line but I'm very fast with editing. I like it a lot but to each his/her own opinion on it.
Good luck!!
I can tell you how to do it using Autotext, which is easier.
I'm using Word 2003 with Instant Text as my Expander software. I have been trying to figure out how to insert *stop codes* literally for months using Instant Text. I finally gave up and here's what I do. There may be easier ways around it, but I just learned today. lol
I transcribed the report,, which is a pain center report. I get the same doc everyday who has a style that he sticks with pretty much. After I was finished, I copied the report and went into a new document to tweak it up. I left in basically all of his repetitive phrases along with the exam, and all of the headings. Anywhere I wanted a stop code or field as MS Word calls it, I pressed the combination of ctrl+ F9. When I was finished I highlighted the document and clicked on Autotext. If you've never used autotext, when you want to retrieve an entry you've created, you start typing the name you've assigned to it, and either press F3 or enter and BAMM there it is. The stop/field codes look like this { }, but you can shade them gray. To access each field you simply press F11 and it takes you right to the next stop. I hope I didn't confuse you.
I just bought a book that is truly a MUST HAVE for MTs working with Word. It's called Tips N Techniques to boost the productivity of the medical transcriptionist. It was put together by an MT. I think you can find it under www.cherylflanders.com.
Good luck!
Rin
Thank you all!!! i do use templates, but its easier for me to just add the cc on the ones i need as
i put the cc: in autotext and it is working like a charm!! i have never used autotext, just autocorrect and it wasn't working in autocorrect. never knew what autotext was about. thank you so much!!!!!
I think that as long as you are available, it is far easier
than learning where to look for things. When I worked in an office when someone would ask me, I would show them how to look it up. Somehow, that came across wrong and I got in trouble. If I asked for help, I wanted to know where to look the next time. I would sit and run down the entire list of fractures, or whatever, to see if I could find the correct one, rather than leave a blank or have to bother someone. I think some people have had things done for them for so long, they don't know how and don't care to.
Yes, it gets easier. I do find it to be (NM)
dd
Found an easier way for me
I have the voice file load in ExpressScribe and type it in Word and copy it over. So much faster for me and I can use any of the pedals I have.
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