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text expanders

Posted By: Tonya on 2008-06-26
In Reply to: I believe it's your choice ... (sm) - cardiomt

anything you have saved in MS word version 2003 is completely compatible.  Instant Text version 3 and 5 are compatible.  i believe that smart type version 4 is compatible as well.  any version of pc ShortHand also works well. 


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Load DQS first, then expanders. DQS will disable expanders otherwise. sm
Not sure about the compatibility of DQS and WebCorrect files.
Transcend has Escription and EX text. Medware has ex-text.

Deventure I know has Escription but I am not sure if they hire PT or not. 


OSI and expanders

Can you use Shorthand with the program that they use?  Do they have a line count utility with their program?  Thanks.


 


expanders, etc
I am not sure what you mean by an Expander for an FTP program since an FTP program is one that you use to send and receive files, not type in.  If you are working in Word, you have AutoCorrect and AutoText.  There is also PC ShortHand and As-U-Type.  I think both of these have 30-day free trials.  There are others, but I am not familiar with them.  I did try InstantText once and found it very user-unfriendly.  Please E-mail me if you have questions. 
Are you able to put your own expanders in?
Then you will know them. A good book to pick up on Amazon is When the Name of the Game is Saving Keystrokes by Diana Rolland. At least, I am that is right. It is a very good book and has amazing hints at making macros.
They are not YOUR expanders!

They are not YOUR expanders. The expansion program belongs to MQ. They are your expansions created in a MQ owned system, proprietary stuff. Start fresh, why don't ya? Bad karma to drag MQ around with you. Also, if you go around asking potential employers if you can copy MQ's expansions, it makes you look bad - willing to steal from your employer, and stealing it is. Also puts tech support at your new company in a bad spot. Some will help you, but most hate it. It is theft. It will be a good refresher for you to remember what the expansions are, and its a snap to set them up in ExText.


Expanders

I am going to be buying one for my home computer and wonder which ones are considered the 'best.'


Expanders

I saw someone just today on ebay selling that program and I put a bid on it, and took the bid down.  My husband said that there was a good chance that it wouldn't work on my computer as the gal selling it said she tried it a few hours and decided against it.  The price was right - $75.00, but not if I couldn't load it and she couldn't guarantee that I could.


Expanders and IC
How will they know you are using Expanders as long as your work is accurate? As a contractor they cannot tell you not to use expanders. They *CAN* tell you they expect accurate work.

I personally have an issue with a blanket stop screwing up email when not everyone is screwing up.

I've come across MTs in the last couple of weeks answering questions for other MTs with 100% wrong answers!! And the company does still put out mass emails re errors. It's frustrating for those of us who DO do a good job to constantly be berated for the majority (it seems) who are unable to do what's required.

There's an MT who works for the company I work for who plows through reports and gets high line counts and 50% of her reports have to go to QA to be completed first. This ticks me off!

So IC MT- Do you work the way YOU need to do it and be proud that you are able to what so many seem unable to!
Keystroke expanders
Can anyone recommend a keystroke Expander software program? I have heard Instant Text and Shorthand are good.
word expanders
Shorthand is really good.  Go to PCshorthand.com
Spheris expanders
I work for Spheris in radiology and I use IT. They sent it to me. Works well.
I use a lot of expanders AND the best part of the KS
ortho accounts, IMHO, is that I have one doctor that I am responsible for in 24 hours. He is busy and predictable. It is the best way to run an account that I have ever been on, and Cheryl is tops in any book!
Word expanders

Does anyone know if most of the companies will permit you to use your own expander? I have used the same product since around 2000 and love it.  I have tried others and just do not like them.  


For those in the KNOW:  If a company provides software/computer, are most willing to permit use of this type of software in lieu of theirs? I would wish it to be negotiable.


Expanders/Normals sm
As the poster below states, the way this is possible is by working an account that uses many normals and that you can utilize your Expanders with.

Chances are whatever national MTSO you work for will begin to use VR technology sooner rather than later.

After all, if you can use your normals/expanders to make astronomical line counts due to the repetitous nature of the accounts, it will be much easier for those accounts to go to VR.

Especially if you use a lot of expanders and templates.
Then, VR is definitely NOT WORTH YOUR TIME.  If you type 5 lines an hour or something, yeah, I could see it working out for you.  However, if you are a good MT, not so much. 
you type 100 wpm without expanders?
Typos deducted?
For how long?
This I will only believe if I see it with my very own 2 eyes!
does Transolutions allow word expanders and if so,sm..
which one..SmartType?
word expanders. Shorthand.
x
Templates and word expanders
Figure out which abbreviations trigger an easy memory response. For instance, I've seen people put pn for pneumonia, but that just seemed to trip up my brain and so I put pne. Do you have doctors that use the same phrase over and over? For instance, nothing to indicate; that's nti. intrinsically and extrinsically is iae. no acute disease noted is nadn. You get more lines by typing (in the above example) 4 letters and getting paid for 22 (with spaces). I organized my templates by first 4 letters of last name and first 2 letters of first name - i.e., John Brown is browjo. (This habit started when I had a large hospital with 2000 doctors and this was the only way to keep them straight.) Then, if it's an H&P, it's browjohp; or discharge is browjods, etc. Seems complicated and you may find an easier way to catogorize, but once it's set in your brain, huge masses of data can easily be sorted through, accessed, appear on your screen, and half your typing is done for you.
Deventure and word expanders

I was just hired by Deventure and was wondering what, if any, the MTs at Deventure use?  I currently don't have one and before I buy one I want to make sure it will work with the platforms at Deventure.  Thanks in advance for any replys!


Debi


Expanders and Lotus Notes

Axolotl uses a great Expander called SpeedType.  It is a great program.  It will hold reports as long as 8 pages. The platform is one of the best I have used.  Very little, if any, demographics to input. 


We DO get paid for expanders & normals
nm
Does anyone know if you can move DQS expanders into another platform. nm
:
Looking for info on the TRX platform, what expanders I can use, etc. sm
I appreciate anything you can tell me.  So much depends on the platform and I am wanting information about the actual working for TRX.  Thanks.
My last timed test was 135 wpm, no expanders
I don't think it's that uncommon amongst MTs, actually. Our fingers and brain are on autopilot and know where to go. I've worked with other MTs who have a similar speed.
Forbidden to use expanders, macros, etc! SM
We were told informed today that we are absolutely forbidden to use any type of word expanders, shortcuts, normals, macros, templates, etc.  The client complained about the quality of the work.  I would think QA is the one who needs to pay more attention to what is getting through.  I've been doing this for 23 years with no complaints....not recently anyway.   How is a person supposed to make enough to survive being when paid by production and not allowed to make use of their productivity tools?   There's no way! 
Spheris radiology word expanders
Does anybody know what word Expanders Spheris uses for Meditech radiology?
Intellectual property... she thought up the expanders
now she gets to take them with her
I agree. It takes a while because you build up your expanders
and get used to the docs, but now that I am there over 5 months I am getting over 200 LPH and by keeping on myself and doing my hours, I am finally able to get the paycheck I expected. I believe the lower line counts was because I was not used to the account, and not used to starting a new job (have been in the same place forever in a past job). I bet a lot of people are just experiencing that now they are used to the work if they started 6 months or so ago. IMHO.
In defense of poster with typos...Sometimes when you use so many expanders(fortunately = fty for me
so I bet she is a high producer 'cause she has awesome expanders... don't typos happen to you on the boards sometimes?  Or you hit enter too soon and your post looks like a first-grader typed it out...
Word based expanders work with Merit
Hope that helps
UST used to have software that didn't allow expanders of any kind, inc. AutoCorrect. Ask if you
s
Put the extra work in to studying ESL accents, word expanders, become
more proficient as an MT and you will become more valuable and get better line count. Just IMO.
Keystrokes accounts all count the expanders as characters printed with spaces, not the abbreviation.
I have checked it, but we use Shorthand. What are you using?
PS about Ex-Text
I don't think it is Ex-Text that makes it hard to get lines, it is the way the company has Dictaphone set up the line count on their web site. But why work for a company you have to contantly make copies of your reports and reverify the line counts to make sure they are not cheating you? We are not paid enough to spend another hour at the end of the day to double check your line counts. You can do that and then fight with them but believe me they are going to win because they hold all the horses.
Ex Text
You can get your line count counting by the Word program counter within the program itself by clicking on tools and then scrolling down to word count, however, this is not how ExText lines are counted. There is about a 20-30% difference per report LESS with their way of counting. The company sets the way they count lines and they don't match up. Also, the sessions function in the program is BLOCKED. You have to go to the Dictaphone website to get a total line count, but no break down of how many reports or how many lines it counted for each report. Even using a word Expander program and typing as fast as you can, I think the average person can probably only make 800-1000 lines or less per 8 hour day on this system, may even have to work longer to accomplish this much. I myself am worn out and totally disgusted that a company would call itself anything less than a big cheat and shame on them!! I am moving on out and believe me as soon as I find something else, I will blast this company on every board I can find.
Ex-Text
The company that I work for says that you cannot have two versions of Ex-Text on your computer.
Text only
Transciption Relief Services (TRS) does not do VR. They have decent accounts, no pay issues, good benefits except the medical insurance decuctible is a bit steep ($1000) good communication and grew a lot during the year I was there. I left recently over some personal issues. They were set for new accounts over the summer. When I left a month ago, they were a bit low on work, but not as bad as some. Still, I think it might be worthwhile to check out their website since they don't always advertise.
Beyond Text
Does anyone who has used Beyond test find that it is extremely slow, even the ASR is slow add to that an ESL and your almost at a dead stop? Please tell me how it is for the rest of you???????????????????




Lee VR to TEXT
Lee,

I will be more than happy to tell you. I more than doubled my line count with VR and still did not come out ahead. I would rather type it myself using my ShortHand and templates (much slicker). VR cannot figure out what ESLs are saying any better than I can, in fact a lot worse! Also, the other day, I had a 33-minute report (most of it instrumental music). If you can believe this, the VR typed paragraphs of jibberish for the music, just unbelievable? If doctors knew what their reports looked like before we edit them, they would come unglued. Get all the doctors front-end machines and let them go to work - I would love to see it.javascript:editor_insertHTML('text','');
Instant text and OSI
When I was there about six months ago, I used IT and it worked fine. You need an expander to make any money there....and still not easy to make with the system/amount of demographics you have to enter.
I use Instant Text sm

I use Instant Text with EXText without a problem. 


I believe the EXText software is better than some, and certainly better than DocQScribe. 


I think the pay is fair -- the more difficult accounts are paid at a higher rate. 


The real problem with OSi is running out of work due to overstaffing, even with backup accounts.  The flip side is the bonus program for high production when the account falls behind.  Seems like am employee stability problem for some reason I can't figure out. 


INSTANT TEXT
Does anyone know if Intant Text has a trial version to use to decide if you like it before you buy it?
Instant Text

Instant Text
All I can say is that I have Instant Text and it has interfaced with every kind of platform I've ever connected it with. Never have had any trouble with it whatsoever.
Question about Beyond Text

At first I had a pedal that was a 15-pin that I hooked to a game controller adapter to make it a USB.  It worked okay for about 2 days.  Then I lost my sound so MDI sends me another 15-pin pedal and a sound card to install so I wouldn't have to use the adapter.  Well I get the sound card in and install drivers after cutting off my onboard sound card.  I have sound okay until I open up the DA player that Beyond Text uses.  Then I lose sound and have to reinstall drivers.  It happens every time the DA player is opened up.  Anyone else experienced this problem?  I don't know what to do now.  Technical support couldn't seem to get the sound back the other day before they sent the sound card and I have put in a ticket but was just wondering if I am the only one with this problem. 


Is this similar to Ex Text
.
Can Instant Text be used with
TIA!
Your text looks totally cut off to me. nm
x
Rapid Text
Very good