would love to know the tricks!!
Posted By: JanieB on 2005-12-21
In Reply to: tricks of the trade - longtime mt
I've been at this for about 6 mos and have finally gotten to a pretty normal 1100-1200 a day linecount... But would love to increase that and the $$!!
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old dog...new tricks...lm
Thanks for the walk down memory lane! I once knew a senior MT who originally worked off of WAX CYLINDERS ("by 1902 the brown wax cylinder was eclipsed by the molded black wax cylinder. A typical recording on a black wax cylinder was about 2 minutes.") At the end of her shift, part of her job was to scrape the cylinders clean for the next day's recording! I started out on noncorrecting IBM Selectrics and reel-to-reel tapes...then correcting Selectrics, but we had to make multiple copies with carbon paper and blue, pink, yellow, goldenrod, and white correction fluids...then the 1-line display Olivetti...then the Wang, Raytheon and Xerox behemoths. Also, I still have my original 1973 Sloane's Medical Word Book  Now I use a highspeed internet home-based LAN with VOIP and a KVM switch...guess the only thing that hasn't evolved is the quality of dictation! Kudos to all of you MTs out there from this 30+ year veteran. We've come a long way baby! 
tricks...
Do you do radiology with a lot of canned reports? I do acute care, have been in this business for 30 years, have 4000 entries in my text expander, and a good day for me is 1300 lines. My fingers never leave the keyboard. I see posts from people like on this board and I wonder what planet you are on.
In the old days when we used DOS, I routinely did 2000 to 2200 lines, but with Windows, I have never been able to get beyond about 1400 lines.
old dog tricks sm
I too am an old dog and got very tired of clients, especially hospitals, sending me their very worst, bottom of the barrel dictators, just because I got every word. They always dumped their pail on me as far as sending me the worst of the worst, the same with a service I worked for. Their excuse was "you're the best and you're the only one who can do them, so that's why we need you." Tired of that old line, but not much you can do other then complain in a nice way that you need a "mix" to keep your sanity. I used to get heartburn and headaches just thinking about how they could be so cruel. We also have a breaking point and a little break in between these guys and girls sure would be appreciated. Know how you feel, it's not fair.
old dog - new tricks
Well it is about time for me to come into the digital world. I have ordered my foot pedal and going to try and get my accounts digital -- plus am picking up an overflow account that I need it for. Anyway one major question and bear with this old, old tape user MT. If they send me a voice file either attached or through an FTP and I download it, can I then also forward it onto one of my subs -- in other words is it like my chart notes files where I have the original and only a copy is sent to my subs or when you attach a picture you still have it on your computer. My reasoning/question is because if I need to check over a dictation after they have completed it, I will have a copy on my computer. Or can they go thorugh the FTP site, download the voice file also? Thanks for all your help. Like I said -- old dog new tricks.
Tricks........
The trick is sit down and type. I use ShortHand as an expander. The hospital account that I type for and make 11 cpl requires 1000 lines a day....I do this in about 4 hours, 5 tops. That is roughly 250 lines an hour and in 4 hours I've made 110.00. Then I work on my other account that pays me 10 cpl for about 2 hours which is another 50-60.00. Then I wrap up my day with an hour or so doing clean-up on the account that pays me 9 cpl. There is no magic to it or tricks. I might mention this is all straight typing as none of my accouts have gone to editing, even though one is going to in the next month or so and at that time for the editing part I will receive 4.5 cpl. The money is out there, you just have to work. No one is going to pay you to sit in your seat and surf the net all day. A friend of mine works on the same hospital account that I do and she types 10-12 hours a day and pulls in almost 5000.00 a month. It can be done!
tricks of the trade
I have seen a LOT of posts on here for people asking how to get their lines. Some are having trouble even hitting lower numbers like 1000-1400. I have been working for a long time on a little book of tips, "Maximizing Line Counts: 30 Tips in 30 Days." I started this at the request of my boss who wanted to give it to all existing employees as well as new hires. I am interested to know if there are any transcriptionists who would like to have something like this.
Google Tricks
First of all, if you go into advanced search in Google, it gives you tons of "criteria" you can work with.
The asterisk "*" is the wildcard. If you were looking for a medication that was 20 mg, you could put * 20 mg into Google and it would start listing all meds that were 20 mg. If you put: No wheezes, rales, or *, Google would give suggestions on what would fit here.
If you are looking for an either or, the OR (capitalized) searches for both. Like "side effects, aspirin OR tylenol" This entry would bring up both.
If you type in "define: words" (two spaces after define) it will list all dictionaries the word is in. Google also has a calculator, does conversions, all kinds of things, just have to look on the Google site.
Hope this helps answer some questions--
 Rebekah
Where did you learn all these tricks?
I have the program and have really not got into it too much yet, but the manual leaves a lot to be desired. It is very highly recommended so I intend to keep on trying. I bought it about a year and a half ago, and admit I finally gave up and put it on the back burner, but I really want to learn how to use it. I will add, though, that I have had a lot of trouble learning the tricks with Word, since I am on my own and having to teach myself.
tricks of the trade...
ok...so create autocorrect forced entries for words that often trip you up; if 'does' vs. 'dose' is a common error, create "doz" for dose and "duz" for does (or something that works for you). one of my common errors is 'doe shave' for 'does have'; so I created autocorrect 'doe shave' to be autoreplaced with 'does have'; i also created autocorrect 'dzhv' and retrain myself to use it. make sense? another proofing trick i use is to change the VIEW of a document during proofing; it's *amazing* how formatting and text errors "pop" when i switch from 'normal' to 'print' or 'outline' view...i catch things i would have missed had i not changed the screenshot. you can also use search&replace for common format/text errors; you just have to develop the habit of SAVE, SPELLCHECK, SAVE, CHANGE VIEW, PROOF, SEARCH/REPLACE, SAVE, COUNT, CREATE AUTOTEXT NORMAL (IF DESIRED), SAVE, EXIT, ADD COMMENTS, SIGNOFF...i think you'll see your QA improve =)
My tricks - sorry long post
 I'm not an expert but this has worked for me.
Since I am the primary breadwinner of the household, I made the whole family a part of the budget process. We have two kids left at home (2 grown and gone) and I still manage to pay them their allowance (10.00 per week each).
How about we start there. I have a Chore Chart on a dry erase board on the fridge (so they see it every single time they hit the fridge) with the name of the chore written in permanent marker so they can't erase it, then put the initial of the one responsible for that chore that day. If, at the end of the day, those chores are NOT done? They get a black X in the box next to the chore. Only their initials are written in dry erase so I can change that around from time to time.
If they miss doing their chores 2 days out of the week, they get NO allowance. If they argue or procrastinate, that gets 1 check. If they get 2 checks by the chore, then that is the same as not doing the chore and they don't get the credit for it. Even if they eventually get it done, they still don't get credit that day because they procrastinated OR argued about it. Pay day is Friday.
Time is money people and I don't have the time to clean as I should, they are old enough, and they want money too. I don't give money for movies, candy, or trips to the dollar store. They now have their own and are learning to budget.
Sometimes I give them bonuses too for doing an inventory of the freezer, pantry, organizing the cupboards, etc... Helps us keep track of the things we have for the next step.
MENUS ~ If you get Woman's Day Magazine or First, or anything like them that have the monthly menu calendars in them? PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THEM. They can save you BIG $$ on your food bills.
My kids are horribly picky eaters and meal planning has saved me a lot of money. I now have them sit down with me, look over these meal planning calendars and see if it is something they would like. If they put it on OUR calendar, they initial it, and we make our grocery list. If the time comes for a particular meal and they turn their nose up at it, I send them to the calendar to see if they initialed that day. If they did.... Eat it! PERIOD. (by the way, I never put anything on the calendar that they don't agree with so, after a few months of doing this, there is never any more turning the nose up at dinner time - HA fixed their wagon!)
We also do a mass cook and freeze fest now and then. The kids get into it too. Very easy for them. THey are 12 and 13 so I have the meal calendar taped to the inside door of the pantry. When I'm working, they can go look and see what's on the calendar for that day, pull it out of the freezer, and put it in the oven. I have written the temp and time for each one next to the item on the calendar. Works out fine.
Power bills... Yikes - LIGHTS OUT. When I go to bed, every light in the house is OFF except the porch light, the little light above the stove, and the nightlight in the hall across from the kids rooms.
GAS- Holy Smokes. Up to 2.79/gal here now. No extra drives to here and there for anything. If you just want a cold pop to drink cuz it's hot? Make iced tea instead. Not worth that kinda money for a wasted trip to the mini mart. Just plan better the next time. The kids want to go to the pool or their friend's house... pump up the bike tire kids and grab the walkies. I make my kids take walkie talkies (Cobra brand 5-mile radius at WalMart for 80.00 and WELL worth it.)
One last little tidbit.... SAVE your receipts for EVERYTHING for at least 2 months then compare them after the end of that 2 months when you have learned to tighten up the wallet a bit and see the difference for yourself. Makes it really worth your while.
I have cut enough fat out of excess spending in the past year to put away 400.00 or more every month into a savings account that I can use for emergencies, vacations, whatever.
By the way... Would be a good idea to have a forum JUST for Budgeting and Money Saving ideas here wouldn't it. Administrators???? How about it?
I can share some Shorthand tricks if you like!
Gladly
Re: tricks of the trade from longtime mt
Awhile back longtime MT offered to share tips to anyone who e-mailed him/her. Has anyone heard from him/her on this as I have not. I've tried a couple times to contact him/her but have not received an answer or the tips, so I was curious if I was the only one who had not. I really was interested.
it sounds like your doc is sharp and on to some of the tricks -
My hat is off to you for taking such quick action. You are obviously a very concerned parent. She will thank you for it one day, I am sure of it! Best wishes to you. :-)
Tips/tricks for getting FASTER
Hi all.... wondering if anyone would like to share some "trade secrets" for have better line counts, etc. I have been a Transcriptionist for 12 years now and know there are ways of being more efficient and being quicker at this that hopefully I could take advantage of. Thanks! 
Has anyone ever heard from Longtime MT about the tips and tricks.
I haven't heard anything. Again I'm wondering if this person was just fishing for responses to see how many she'd get as she's never conacted me from the start nor have I seen any tips and tricks for boosting production. Has anyone else?
Potty Training tricks that worked for me....
I did this will all of my children. I would go to Wal-Mart or the Dollar Store and buy a lot of little cheap toys and trinkets and put them in a pillowcase. Everytime he or she went to the bathroom they could reach in and pick out a prize. They went every time and after less than a week were potty-trained and when the bag was empty that was it. This last year when I trained another one the lady at the check out asked my why I had so many toys and I told her what I was doing and she said "that is an expensive way to do it", but really $15 for a bunch of toys is the same price as a week of diapers and after that week I don't need the diapers anymore. Anyhow, I know it is bribing, but it works and you can't beat that!
FINALLY got it - Guess you can teach an old dog new tricks! THANKS!!
What tricks do I have to perform to get a transcription job at home?
I have applied for so many at home jobs and have done endless testing (some very lengthy) and have not yet received any feedback from any of these companies and then they have more ads out for transcriptionists. I have 30 years' experience and have taught med term and medical transcription at the local college for 20+ years. What gives?
Any tricks on making work more pleasant??
Hey guys:
Does anyone have any ideas or tricks to make work more pleasant?? Been doing this a long (too long) time, and the isolation is getting to me. Any ideas?
Thanks all.
I agree! A "Tips & Tricks" would also be helpful...N.M.
x
Anyone willing to share Emdat Inscribe tips/tricks?
I recently started working on the Emdate Inscribe platform. It is a little more cumbersome to maneuver than what I am used to, and I was wondering if any of you seasoned Emdat MTs might share any tips or tricks you've found to speed yourself up using this system? I've had a couple "glitches" with the function to look up/paste doctor names, for example, and not being able to close out the "prior transcriptions" box because there's no X! Not too much help from the MT company so thought I'd try here - any tips will be greatly appreciated, or if you know of any websites or other resources. You can respond here or to my email and thank you in advance!
check out Productivity Talk. Lots of tricks in their SH forum.
x
MS Word 2007 -- I have to switch over to this. Any hints, tips & tricks would be great. Thanks!
I've heard some people are not very happy with it. Any suggestions on how to get started, and any good tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your help and expertise!
love, love, love the show. hate american idol. this show is for real.
the only reason i entertained watching it was because of mark burnett and as usual he has such genious casting and editing. btw, don't know who anything about "metal" music but these performers make me like it. love marty and jd as performers. HATE JESSICA. susie is so nice and so emotional. it seems they all support each other and enjoy each others skills. regarding ty and bob marley, ty was excellent but he also lucked out on the song! bob marley was genious too and his music is very easy to listen to. i don't like 3/4 of what the others are given to sing but their performances make me love the music. dave navarro shines on this show, very gracious for the most part and letting the contestants down easy when they have to leave. he was great last night with brandon (?). sweet, sweet show. i am so impressed with everyone involved.
Yep that's it, 4000. Love, love love the zoom
But I feel like a dork typing...every time I try to type But it is coming out as Nut!
I love it too - love doing my nails 5 hours a day and staying awake
Love NOT getting paid while sitting doing my nails too. It's a real turn on.
I tell all my friends to try it -- sit in front of your computer while you have no money to pay your rent and instead do your nails, you get a real buzz down in the pit of your stomach.
Also LOVE LOVE ESCRIPTION and make good money but...
Can I ask how you sit there for 8 hours. Lately, I'm having a motivation problem. When I focus, I can rack up the lines, but lately, I get so easily distracted. My mind wanders and I struggle to get my lines. Any tips on how you stay productive who do you work for?? I work for Transcend.
People either love it or hate it. I personally love it
but I know a lot of people say you cannot make any money on it and will not work on it. I do okay. I'm obviously not getting rich but I am making a living. I found it easier than Dictaphone and faster such in downloading and uploading job and you only have to log on one system and not like Dictaphone where you have to log onto the VPN and then log onto the program. It's always worth a try, but yes, the biggest complaint I hear is that no one can make a living and the cpl isn't that great.
I went back in house and love it. I love not being
secluded. I was working in my PJs, less organized and feel much better now that I get up and dress for work and see people (even those in traffic aren't so bad anymore). I find that I have more of a life now, and my family says that I spend more time with them now.
Working at home served its purpose for a long time; I was ready to go out into the world again now that I have no little ones at home.
BD WONG! I love him! I love all CSI and Law and Orders!
I am so addicted. I actually schedule my job and family around the shows LOL.
Love love love my chair
The arms can be lowered so they won't be in your way, I don't know about the tilt limiter. But I bought my off ebay about 6 years ago and can't do without it. No I do not think you can find another chair that even compares to the aeron, changed my working life completely, no sore back or butt. You won't regret it, but you will if you go for a cheap imitation.
LOL. I love it. I also love the song sm
I wouldn't take nothing for my journey now. Miss the Happy Goodmans!
Repeat after me: I love my job, I love my job. :) nm
nm
You can love a job and still love being home! sm
I got into medical transcription for many reasons. Yes, one was that I wanted to be home with my children, another was that I wanted to be in the medical field, and yet another was this just fits me. Medical terminology and grammar are two things that have always come easily to me. So, this fits. I can work early, early mornings and late nights when they are asleep. Also during afternoon naps. Yeah, doesn't leave a heck of a lot of time for myself, but THAT is a sacrifice I am willing to make, leaving my kids for someone else to raise/care for all day wasn't.
I do not love money but I love what it can buy
for me. I work 4 days a week now and was not bringing home what I wanted every 2 weeks, for some reason that is at least 1,000.00. I just decided to turn up the speed and put my mind to doing at least 3000 lines a day and figured by that should get what I want in the pay line. Worked well for me. I tell people if you want to talk with me call before I go to work, do not let outside influences bother me during my hours. Other than a bathroom break, glass of water, here for the straight 8.
I love Google and I love MTs
Okay, who in their right mind would not only discuss but have passionate opinions about hyphens and apostrophes? I love it!
Anyway, in googling grammar rules I found numerous references that two days' time would not but hyphenated but when used as a modifier like two-day history, it would be.
I remember telling an OB nurse friend of mine about fretting over 38 weeks pregnancy and whether the hyphen belonged in there and she just laughed and said she thinks she would get the point either way. Well harumph!
Love Judge Judy but love Judge Joe
Brown. I often wonder how many of the people involved in Judge Joe's cases have to go home and look up in the dictionary what he said to them. Some of them just have blank faces staring at him when he is giving them a lecture, w/o a clue of what he is actually saying to them.
Love Sci-Fi!
cant wait to see it!
I would love to but
my husband does not think we will make it on the bills (I think he likes all of the extra money I'm making on the side) He is a good guy with a good job and does support my choice since he bought me a new computer and paid for my school, but he also is use to a life style that he leads where he does not worry about money. In my day job I make about 27000.00 a year and I know in my first couple of years I might do close to that if I'm lucky and can land a decent account. Sorry I'm just venting and I'm so tired of working so much, thank god I dont have kids right now I don't have the time to go to the bathroom anymore.
love IT
:
sure do love rather
A true patriot and truth teller..too bad the source he got his truthful information from about Bush running away from his military duties did not have the original reports..Bush, warmonger, military deserter, governor who murdered the most on death row, destroyer of environmental protection, jerk when it comes to global warming, idiot when it comes to understanding evolution..just a plain low IQ idiot..who should never have been president but he had plenty of oil biggies who paid his way and now he is repaying them big time to the detriment of the middle class of America..
the one I love the best is (sm)
the incinuation (sp?) that I don't have a "real" job! I even hear my kids telling their friends that I "don't work, just at home". UHHH, hello? I get a paycheck, don't I! No respect! I just like to think the other folks are jealous! Oh, well, too bad for them! 
Love my job
I have an associate's degree in secretarial studies. I ended up working as a secretary in a multispecialty clinic, which led me directly to the transcription department to train as a transcriptionist. I love being home to be there for my children. My husband, on the other hand, has a master's degree in business, and he is the main breadwinner in our family.
Love rad but...
teaching hospitals tend to have really long reports due to residents and their tendency to TALK A LONG TIME so as to impress the attending physicians. That is my only complaint about it, tho. Its understandable - they're new on the job and all - but its funny when an old-timer doctor gets on and tosses off a CT or MRI in a few sentences while the new resident makes it into a thesis or term paper! ARGH! But overall, I highly recommend rad.
I love my MT job!
I am an IC and absolutely love working for myself! Its not all bad
Okay, how many of you can truly say you still love being an MT?...
I am really close to leaving MT work, but so far the benefits are outweighing the negatives. I just need to hear that someone out there still loves being an MT, works for a good company, and is making enough money to not only pay their bills, but are doing okay. Is anyone out there?
I don't love being a MT, but
I work for a great company, always have work, make a good line rate ... and it's all done from home.
As the song goes, "who can ask for anything more."
Hey, I am from HI and we love him, believe it or not! sm
He has done some real good to the people of HI. He has a ton of money and uses his money to help people, give them jobs, pay for rehab, etc. He is a "born-again Christian" although I know some may not believe it since he acts like a hellion sometimes, but we really do love him!
I no longer live in HI since I married, but my entire family still lives there. My sister was visiting me a few months back (she actually has never left the island we are from) and we were sitting in my living room here watching it one night. All of a sudden she starts yelling and screaming at the t.v. saying that her neighbor was one of the fugitives they were looking for! We didn't know whether to laugh or cry! Needless to say, she ended up moving from that neighborhood! She knew the guy personally and had no idea he was a fugitive or even did drugs like that! She is an MT too.
As far as the guns, well they don't believe in them and they only carry mace to catch the criminals. I am worried that he and his team will be shot one day. Of course, the locals who are clean and are NOT fugitives love to get the bad guys out of their neighborhoods, but the bad guys hate him! I'm sure there may be a bounty out for him because of the way he goes about things. But, I love him. I had to get used to his wife, but she's sorta grown on me and now I like her! I know behind that mean persona she has a real soft heart!
My sister ran into him at the airport when they were filming one day. I got her hooked on that show!
Can you tell I am a big DOG fan? I just have to get past that darn mullet and wife-beater t-shirt. My DH says I like DOG so much that he's thinking of dressing up like him for Halloween. I asked him not to wait that long! LOL :)
I did and Love it!!
I know everyone's experience is different, but the only thing that really changed for me was it put me back on track workwise, nothing else really changed as far as accounts or anything, I am just more motivated to get my work done in the proper time frame now so instead of working 6-7 days a week I work 5 and am earning PTO, have health insurance, etc.
I love these!!
The "Poor transcriptionist" got me going  and the "operator" kept it going....I will be smiling the rest of the day. Thanks for sharing!!!
Don't you love when that happens?
NM
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