iChart...is this a good or bad platform to work on?

Any info appreciated.  I have never worked on this platform.  TIA

• iChart...is this a good or bad platform to work on? - fastfingers
  • It's Dictaphone's ExText and it's good/easy, but some feel the line counts are skewed at - some companies. nm
    • They can set the line count any way they like. SM - not me
    • Agreed - MT3

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Hi there,
 
Can anyone tell me if WebchartMD is an efficient platform?  I'm thinking about subcontracting with someone who uses it but would love to know beforehand if it's a good platform before I commit.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Peacebug

I have been applying for and training for jobs for weeks now.  I have been accepted by a number of top companies, but I have found their word Expanders to be a big problem.  I have trained on a couple of sites already and ended up turning them down because of this. 

By now I have thousands of entries into MS Word/Smartype, and if I have to start with a new Expander without the ability to import my words, phrases, templates, etc., from Smartype, I just cannot afford the time for the learning curve. 

The technical aspect of transcription has always been my weak point, so this is perhaps a bigger issue with me than it would be with others. 

Right now I am willing to take even a mediocre line rate, providing it is an employee position with benefits and it is in MS Word so I would have some hope of making a living. 

Is there any hope for me?  Does anybody have any good companies to recommend who work in MS Word? 

We are at the point of losing our house and land.  This is serious! 

New user to Dictaphone ExText. Can someone tell me how to use iChart for my own personal line count?  (I do have my user & password, but not much else).

If a MTSO advertises that the MT works in MS Word and sends dictation by FTP, does this usually mean there will be no demographic/doctor database and the demographics will not be autopopulated?

I got into a mess with a small company (got out real quickly too).  I was required to print out daily email copies of the doctors' office patient schedules (which were barely legible) and type in all information.  I spent more time hunting for the correct patient through pages and pages of these schedules.  Then I had about 25 pages worth of doctor's names that I would have to go through to find the attending, referring, etc.  A total waste of time as I didn’t get paid for that. 

I wish MTSO would give more information as to what platform they use (if any).  Proprietary software is such a generic, totally useless description.  Would they buy a new car that listed, "Car has gasoline operated motor?" 

And for Pete's sakes, why so secretive about the pay?  Give a ballpark figure.  Just say, pay is between 7-12 cpl depending on skill, testing, etc. Tell me if you pay for spaces, headers, etc.  It would save them time because I wouldn’t even apply for a 7 cpl job. 

Before I spend an hour or two testing, I need more information from a company to be sure it is compatible for my needs.  If the MTSO would spend a little time on their website detailing their platform, how they send/receive files, pay rates,  how line rate is determined (spaces/no spaces) employee/IC/SE status, minimal line count, whether work pools consist of 100s of doctors, or smaller pools with 25-50 doctors etc.   Having all this information on their website would save them time and the MTs time.   Phoenix Medcom has a really good layout describing pretty much everything an MT would want to know before testing with them.  I am just tired of testing with a company and then finding out the job wasn’t exactly suited to my needs. 

I've been working for MTSOs for years now, using their templates which sometimes cause productivity problems (macro issues, etc). I'm wondering if productivity is increased when working on a structured platform, such as one that a national company provides for its transcriptionists?  I've never used a platform, but it would seem that all one needs to do is straight type onto the screen and the platform program takes care of margins, page breaks, etc?

Any thoughts (as well as companies who are hiring who use platforms) would be appreciated.  Thanks

Thus -- the pay stinks! 

Hi,

I am a recent M-TEC grad who is beginning the job search. Does anyone have any companies that they really like working for or have heard good things about? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Jen

I have found Spheris to be an excellent company to work for.  They provide you with the equipment and with on-line paid classes to teach you their system.  The supervisors and help personnel are terrific.  You set your hours and can have as much work as you want without ever running out.  They have terrific benefits and fun things to do and an on line info system that teaches you whatever you need to know about medical transcription.  I have been self-employed, and have worked in a clinic for 15+ years and find Spheris to be the best of all.  Good luck in your search!

Dee

I'm 120 now from previous 150.  I know that doesn't sound like much, but I just make 5 foot 2 if I stand up perfectly straight. So I guess I've lost quite a bit of "butter."

I do have tons of butter on hand to bake with and I bake all the time, but I don't eat the stuff that I make.  I feed it to my tall skinny hubby and all 4 tall skinny kids.  It's just NOT fair!

Congratulations! I'm glad you found a job that works for you.

I, too, have found my niche. It's pretty unique and probably wouldn't work for anybody else, but it works for me. 

before the naysayers (or the ones cycling through the system) start, we pay top money, always have AND the work is there...have never had complaints of not enough work.  I have had people claiming to do 100+ reports a day that do 20 a week...I have had MTs claiming that they have never had reports returned and yet every report they produce is full of errors or blanks.  So either there are clients out there that take anything produced and have editors they pay to fix everything or these people are in LALALALALAL land. 

I have had seasoned MTs apply that can not produce quality work...so while I have "been there and done that" as to working for national companies that give you 3 or more accounts because they over hire...worked for national companies that get you up and running then switch you to ESL only accounts so you never make bonus or even lines for the day...I have also been on the end of hiring and setting up people that have stolen equipment, programs and clients.  I have hired people after good screening that have never started work, or worked one day and then never worked again. 

It is a two way street...there are good MTs (all of which must be working because I sure have not found any lately) and there are bad..the same bad ones that slam newbies on the boards or give snippy answers for everything posted.  AND htere are bad MTSOs out there too.  Not everyone is a perfect match for each other, but as someone that has been on both sides, it gets old to constantly hear about the bad MTSO or even national companies, but we never hear ANYTHING about the bad MTs that are out there...and there are...ask any MTSO :-)