Anyone here Bayscribe Have a huge

Looking for TX Platform like Bayscribe, Etc. with Low Cost [2008-12-01]
Hi, Starting up a TX business here. Want to be able to offer clients a platform like Bayscribe or Vianeta, etc. However, I am looking for one with low cost, I love Bayscribe, but if you are low volume, which we would be starting out, their per line rate is very high. Does anybody know of a good platform with a low per line rate and no or very low startup cost? Thank you, David

Can is use Vianeta and Bayscribe on same PC? [2008-11-24]
I'm going to be working for 2 separate MT companies very soon. One company uses Vianeta and the other uses Bayscribe. Does anyone know if there will be a conflict on my computer with 2 programs running at the same time? Each program uses a different foot pedal.

Bayscribe/expanders [2008-10-27]
I use ShortHand with Bayscribe and it works fine. The only drawback I have is my wireless keyboard messes up Shorthand sometimes but not always. I tried re-installing my keyboard and Shorthand but nothing seems to work, it still messes up occasionally.

Bayscribe and expanders [2008-10-22]
Need someadvice. I have just started using Bayscribe and have been using Shorthand. Does Instant Text work with Bayscribe like SH does, and it is worth the investment? I am coming from an editing position, so straight typing is taking me awhile and I am looking for a way to help my speed. Also, would you recommend ABCZwithInstant Text. Thanks!

Instant Text does work with Bayscribe. nm [2008-10-22]
xx

Oh please! Please!!! Anyone on Bayscribe? [2008-10-15]
Heeeeeeeeeelp!!!! Suddenly, out of nowhere (maybe they just upgraded?) the doctor roster comes up in this little tiny box in the corner all of a sudden--not the big box in the center I'm used to. OK fine..I find the doctor name I'm looking for in the list (to put in the ADT screen) and I have no idea how to do this! Before you hit A or enter or whatever and the name would automatically go into the ADT screen (this after I hit the little DR box)... What happened?? I have a whole night's work ahead of me and no one to call. Please, anyone!!!!

Bayscribe [2008-10-15]
Just close it out and log back in. I had this happen yesterday.

Bayscribe help!! [2008-10-09]
I'm working on my daughter's computer today because I'm having tons of problems with mine. So, I had to download the productivity tools and kind of start from scratch. It's been so long since I've set up my tools that I cannot remember how to change my spellchecker options so that it doesn't automatically capitalize the next letter after a period. Example: Ecotrin 81 mg p.o.daily. It keeps wanting to capitalize the d in daily. Does anyone know how to change this?

Bayscribe [2008-10-09]
If you are in a report, click control F3, go to local configuration, uncheck the box that says enable capitalization after 2 spaces are typed.

Bayscribe [2008-10-05]
What do you all think of this? Want to know the good, bad, indifferent. I am getting ready to train on this platform and just am wondering how it really is.

BayScribe [2008-10-01]
Turn off the Expander in BayScribe and get InstantText! :O)

The shortcuts expander works with the Bayscribe expander as well. [2008-10-01]
All at the same time.

bayscribe re yo shortcut [2008-10-01]
On status screen, bottom right is link for transcription manual. On next menu, click bayscribe manual and scroll down to word Expander tips and tricks...an exerpt: Word Expander Tips and Tricks One handy definition that you can create is one that will easily expand to, for instance, 11-year-old. To do this, create an expansion with the ShortHand of yo. Then in the With: box type Ctrl-Backspace followed by -year-old. To activate this expansion, just type any number followed by a space, yo, space. For instance, 11 yo will expand to 11-year-old . Backspace characters show up as dark vertical lines in the With: b

Bayscribe [2008-09-30]
I imported my MSW AutoCorrect file into Bayscribe but a lot of it will not work. For instance, in MSW I useYO as the expansion for -year-old, but this now will not work after a number nor will YO work after a numberfollowed by ahyphen either. Seems it only will work after a space.Any idea how to design an expansion that will work after a number or hyphen without a space in between? Also, all the capitalizations I built infor headersget reversed to lower case when I follow them with a colon and I have resigned myself to having to re-enter all of those. Any Bayscribe experts who can shed some light?

Bolds in Bayscribe [2008-09-30]
I just started using Bayscribe (this is my 3rd day). I imported my MSW AutoCorrect file toBayscribe, but lots of it doesn't work, and what does and does not work is pretty random. I have had todelete and re-enter many of my shortcuts, in exactly the same way - THEN they work. Go figure. Something got scrambled in the import. I was told that I needed to delete all my bolded headings from the file before the import because they would not work in Bayscribe, or would not work with the hospital's software when the report got there. Question: My expansion for -year-old has always been YO and it always expanded after a numeral but in Bayscribe this will not work. Nor can I get just year-old to expand after a number with a hyphen (i.e. 80-) . The expansions will only work after a space. If you have a trick to get expansions to work after a number or a hyphen I'd love to know it.

Bayscribe Issue... [2008-09-30]
I have that same issue with the - (as in -year-old, -month-old), and it takes longer to go back and remove the extra space I have to put in for the Expander to work than it does to type it out. Let me know if you find out if this is correctable or just an oddity of Bayscribe. Typing those two little words and hypens is more time-consuming than one would think, lol!!!

Bayscribe tips? Anyone? [2008-09-30]
Iimported my MSW AutoCorrect file into Bayscribe but a lot of it will not work. For instance, in MSW I useYO as the expansion for -year-old, but this now will not work after a number nor will YO work after a numberfollowed by ahyphen either. Seems it only will work after a space.Any idea how to design an expansion that will work after a number or hyphen without a space in between? Also, all the capitalizations I built infor headersget reversed to lower case when I follow them with a colon and I have resigned myself to having to re-enter all of those. Any Bayscribe experts who can shed some light?

well, if not hippa police to enforce - quite useless. huge waste. [2008-09-27]
huge farce

Bayscribe [2008-09-15]
Anyone use PC ShortHand with ith Bayscribe? I cannot get mine to work right. It skips expansions, puts half the expansion in and sometimes does not finish the word. Anyone else have this problem or is there another Expander that works well with Bayscribe? I am getting frustrated here. I tried doing everything the Shorthand web site said to do but to no avail. Appreciate any suggestions.

Question to ponder...If there is such a huge shortage of MTs, why is everybody always [2008-09-11]

Bayscribe Question... [2008-09-11]
Does anyone know if Bayscribe has a built-in line count program, or is there another program I should download to keep track of my lines? TIA for any answers...

Bayscribe [2008-09-11]
It does...and in fact, it lets you know the number of lines, as well as what you will be paid for each and every report. I love that feature!!

I've been pleased with Bayscribe ... sm [2008-09-09]
I think it's a lease/rental all-web-based rather than a big install with equipment. It seems to be pretty easy to update account specifics and MD rosters, templates etc. I can't use the bayscribe Expander at the same time as my personal expander so I use my personal expander; however, most people seem very happy with the Bayscribe expander -- it's fast, etc.) It has a pretty good autosave feature in the event of power outage or user error. The sound quality is very good. Oh, and it has a really -- imho -- great review QA feature that lets you do side by side comparison on all blanks, qa corrections, etc. making it much easier, faster and on-point to review QA. Check it out online.

I use shorthand with bayscribe ... but yes (sm) [2008-08-31]
the code for bold-on is b and the code for bold-off is /b ... and, if memory serves, this worked just fine with the bayscribe Expander ... (underline is utext/u

Bayscribe Question [2008-08-29]
I've been trying to enter bolded headings into my Expander but for some reason, it will not longer let me do that! It just BEEPS when I tried to click the CTR B to bold in the expander box. The ones I've established are there and work, but the new ones will only beep. Ideas? THANKS!

Make your expander lists portable [2008-12-01]
The esp file can be saved as mentioned.The next step is to make it work in Bayscribe. One solution is to use Instant Text and import your esp file. Once your Expander file is an Instant Text glossary, it is portable and you can use it on any MTSO transcription platform. MarianneTextware Solutions

Have you seen photos of the tangled mess of [2008-12-01]
What an incredible MESS. To think that valuable, often sensitive personal information travels through that knotted mess made me nervous even BEFORE the attacks in Mumbai. And now the risk those records face there makes me nauseous. It's a huge U.S. security and/or identity-theft breach just waiting to happen.

Looking for TX Platform like Bayscribe, Etc. with Low Cost [2008-12-01]
Hi, Starting up a TX business here. Want to be able to offer clients a platform like Bayscribe or Vianeta, etc. However, I am looking for one with low cost, I love Bayscribe, but if you are low volume, which we would be starting out, their per line rate is very high. Does anybody know of a good platform with a low per line rate and no or very low startup cost? Thank you, David

copying or transferring Extext expanders [2008-11-26]
I'm moving to a different MTSO and would like to copy all (probably 20,000) of the expanders/abbreviations I've created over the years. Hopefully, I can copy these on to a disk and transfer them to the my new MTSO, which utilizes Bayscribe. It wouldn't bemuchfun having to re-create these. Help, anyone?

Proofing Help Pleeeez! (long post) [2008-11-24]
I am 53,divorcee with 1 child in college, been MTing for 32 years. When I started out I was one of the best in my field, accurate, at my peak was making close to 50,000 a year, only one job and only 40 hours a week. Now, here I am going through menopause, working 12 hours a day (1 full-time and 1 part-time) and barely making ends meet. My production is at an all-time low, and I'm working on my 3rd or 4th job this year- I forget, it's been so many, for various reasons why they didn't work out. But, now I find myself, going into my third week of employment with this company, still in QA, making stupid grammatical errors, and leaving out words, that I am not aware of. I would like to say one of my problems is that this is a huge Children's Hospital with a lot of procedures, diseases, and terminology I have never heard of, but I cannot really say that, as most of my errors are gramatical, i.e. not putting comma or semi-colon where it belongs, leaving out it, and, but and they. I am beginning to feel they may not keep me. I am 1 pay check from being homeless, now jobless, already uninsured, as I could not afford the Cobra. I have applied for jobs completely out of the MT field, so far with no luck of being hired. I put in an application last week for a State Job with excellent benefits, paid by company, and although the salary is 22,000 to 36,000, if they call me, I am definitely going to take it. I figure I have 15 more years before retirement, and if I can tap into the retirement for the next 15 years, that would be a help, as I don't have any 401K to fall back on. Anyways, if you guys can give me some proofreading tips that will not take away from my production, I would greatly appreciate it. Most companies don't offer a training pay that would last at least 2 weeks, which would be a help. So here I am trying to make money, which is virtually impossible when you're training on a new account, new company, new software and everything. Help Guys.

Can is use Vianeta and Bayscribe on same PC? [2008-11-24]
I'm going to be working for 2 separate MT companies very soon. One company uses Vianeta and the other uses Bayscribe. Does anyone know if there will be a conflict on my computer with 2 programs running at the same time? Each program uses a different foot pedal.

interruptions in your day [2008-11-17]
Hi all! I have been at this now for about 9-1/2 years and now that I have gotten serious about trying to work it like a normal job, it seems EVERYTHING gets in the way!!! arrgh. I work for two companies, one with assigned doctors (not much work) and one with pool work. I am struggling to consistently work enough hours doing the pool work. The money is good and the lines are decent, but it seems I have a hard time committing to it. With the assigned doctors, they have XX patients, and I know I do those patients and I am done. I can't seem to finish out my time with the pool work. It is just stupid. Anyway, after giving it a bit of thought this weekend, I decided to work my schedule like this. I will say because I have done assigned docs for so long, I am geared towards having a schedule of XX patients to work through and I don't have that with the pool work. 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. 6-10 pool work, 10-12 assigned doc, 12-4 pool work. The issue I am having is my phone is ringing or there are issues with the kids, etc. So already this morning, basically 4 hours today have been shot due to phone/kids (HUGE ordeal this morning - I still have two kids at home, 16 and 17 - the joy of parenthood hehe). I just feel like I can't get anywhere. Currently I am doing the assigned doc and of course no one is calling, no drama, etc., so I will go right through his work with no problems. How do those of you who do pool work schedule yourselves? I think if I could ever get myself on a schedule with the pool work, which there is plenty of, I would drop the assigned doctor. My thinking is December 31 Maybe my brain is just stuck on checking off patients on a list instead of playing beat the clock doing the pool work HELP!!!!!

Did you just say: You can very easily "add lines by inserting a word here and there" [2008-11-14]
I recall back in the mid 1990s, I was working with a fellow MT who was on midnight shift in medical records. He was making a huge sum of money and we all thought he was the Whiz. Come to find out, he was inserting phrases, embellishing dictated sentences I guess you'd call it, to get more lines per report. He got away with it for a number of years but was kissing up to the supervisor and director, always available to help out, nicest guy in the world - but a thief - who fooled us all. Radiologist would surely notice eventually if not QA.

Overhiring and hospital MT [2008-11-14]
I hope your friend knows how lucky she is. Some of our doctors fussed about server issue problems with this new company. We could not get work, so hospital did not get work. This week has been better so maybe it got fixed. I wish our hospital would bring us back. Hospital had excellent MTs, but they did not want to spend money on new equipment which was always breaking down and really we needed more MTs on evening shift which we had none which was crazy because my ex-hospital was huge. I never could understand why they did not have at least 2-3 girls on 2nd and 3rd shift and then we got behind a little, not much, but it was mostly due to hospital dictating system, then a few docs complained to administration and that was itm out the door and we were history. I think we did excellent for the work volume we had. The thing is that I do not understand is that they got rid of use acute-care and cardiology MT, but kept the in-house radiology girls, and luckily my acute-care friend had a friend in radiology dept so they called her and asked her to come and work for them FT, so back to the hospital she goes hourly rate again too. She is lucky. We were a good group of girls who worked very good together, but as usual Administration never asked us our opinions on how to improve anything. They never listened but what else is new. What it boils down to there is no security in the job field anymore.

Why are we not valued? [2008-11-13]
I cannot, for the life of me, figure this out. One would think that an MT with skills and experience would be something of value. The MTSOs and the physicians we serve seem to not even see us as skilled human beings but rather like dull drones, machines without real lives who were created just to just pump the work out without much thought (it is as if they think we do not THINK!). With the ASR game in full swing, this feeling is more prevalent than ever before, at least in my experience/perception. Why? Why are the years of dedication it took to acquire these skills not appreciated? Why are they so quick to get rid of us? If our job is so easy a monkey could do it, then why does it seem so hard to me? Why do they think it is okay to not only freeze and regress wages, eventually cutting our pay in half for ASR work? I find all this very depressing. My company has announced it will begin switching us over to SR/ASR. I am really afraid this means more work for me for less pay. I wish what they are saying now will be true, that I will be able to do 3 times as much in the same amount of time, but I don't believe that. I am afraid it will turn out to be snake oil. I also think that if they are charging the clients the same for SR/ASR reports, then I should be paid the same. WTH is going on? :( (Do the MTSOs the cut rates for us to do ASR/VR charge the clients half as much as well? Somehow I doubt that. They get to pay us half for the same skills/work and make the same, thus THEY get a huge pay raise while we get slammed. Am I wrong about this? I would like to be.)

My poll answers: [2008-11-10]
1. Q: Are you living paycheck-to-paycheck? Defined: Missing one paycheck would seriously harm your basic living (housing, food, utilities or necessary meds/medical care). A: Definitely. On both accounts. 2. Q: If you lost your job today, without warning, do you think you could be employed again within 1 payperiod? A: Only if I wanted to work for one of those huge, 'McTranscription' companies which pay even less than I'm making now. 3. Q: Do you have an emergency fund in case a loss of job happens? A: I used to. But over the past few years I had to keep siphoning funds out of it because even though I work full-time, the pay isn't enough to get by on. I expect to be in rather deep doo-doo by the end of this year.

My answers [2008-11-10]
1. Are you living paycheck-to-paycheck? It would be tight, but we could do it. 2. If you lost your job today, without warning, do you think you could be employed again within 1 payperiod? Yes! If not in MT, I could go back to nursing where there is no built-in learning curve money hit for a new job. 3. Do you have an emergency fund in case a loss of job happens? Yes. It's not very huge yet, but it is there! I love Dave Ramsey's methods. We are very happy debt snowballers and savers. :)

Stick with it.... [2008-11-09]
I agree with Gloria. But what may surprise some (from my experience anyway) is that even though I've been doing this for 15+ years, I still have to leave blanks, in fact, a day without any blanks is a red-letter day for me. I should add I do 95% ESL docs and it amazes me that QA is able to fill in the blanks most of the time (yes, there are some even they cannot get). And to any new MTs starting out, most of the blanks turn out to beregular words, or areroutine phrasesthat are slurred over. And, until youhave done a huge amount of varied transcription reports it takes a while to become familiar withthe thousands of drugs, and then there are newonescoming out.We just can't know it all.That is why there is QA. It does get better, so hang in there.As Gloria says, if you care enough and are smart enough to ponder about it, you're doing fine!

I have had a pair of noise-cancelling Bose for (sm) [2008-10-31]
around 3 years. I can tell a huge difference when I switch to the traditional stethoscope or Dictaphone brand headphones. The sound quality is really enhanced by the Bose. My office is in a loft above our living room. I bought mine because of family being downstairs with the TV on and kids playing, etc.

Long reports, dead air time [2008-10-29]
Does anyone have any good tricks for dealing with the long reports with huge segments of nothing? On top of that, the people I am dealing with are ESLs so that's slowing me down enough already. At this point, all I do is speed up and fast forward but am wondering if there are other ways to compensate for this issue. Seems like someone would teach them how to pause when they stop dictating!

Thanks everyone who responded! [2008-10-27]
I appreciate all your comments and it looks like a few of you have very little work and many of you have more than you know what to do with. How very strange. I just wonder what's really going on. In answer to a couple of your questions, yes, I do acute care-the Big 4 and with some other stuff thrown in once in a while. It's a huge account that usually doesn't lack work and we have 2 FT MTs who are no longer with us (as the boss puts it) within the last couple weeks butdespite their loss that has made absolutely no differencein the amount of work. It still continues to spiral downward. Again, this is just on the account I work on, but the boss says it's the same with all the accounts with this company and in the industry as a whole right now which, judging by some of your posts, aint true at all. No, the company I work for isn't Spheris.It begins with a P. I guess I'll give it a couple more weeks and see what happens. Either they'll tell us what's really going on or things will improve, right?!! I may be pounding the pavement again before too long. Sigh. Anyway, thanks again for your support. Egads! I sound like a politician now!

Bayscribe/expanders [2008-10-27]
I use ShortHand with Bayscribe and it works fine. The only drawback I have is my wireless keyboard messes up Shorthand sometimes but not always. I tried re-installing my keyboard and Shorthand but nothing seems to work, it still messes up occasionally.

MTs are not recession proof, but sm [2008-10-26]
As things go, if you are good you'll have a job, even now. We are not recession proof, but isolated is a word I would use. Yes, job loss means fewer people with insurance and therefore more people who can't afford to be sick or go to the doctor if they are, but as long as the Medicare, Medicaid and CHiPS bills are being paid, we will be paid. Those programs require dictated reports, after all. I have two pretty diverse jobs. One I do a hospital with an aging demographic and most of them are 65 and older. The other job, my main account is a huge teaching hospital, and my secondary is actually 3 hospitals including a children's hospital. Older folks and kids are more likely to need health care and are more likely to have those bills paid by our tax dollars, for better or worse. For some time it has been MY sense that these demographics are the primary users of health care and as time has gone on I have seen fewer patients who fall between those extremes. I don't think that the majority of Americans have been able to afford to be sick for a very long time. This is supported by the fact when I do see those in between, they are generally very, very sick and could have been better served, i.e. not be dying, if they had been able to seek health care earlier. I don't look for work loads to drop to any degree, not now anyway. Have you noticed how many more people are having heart attacks with all the stress right now? There also seems to be an increase digestive problems (GI bleeding especially) lately too. NOT good news...not even for those of us who transcribe those things.

large macros [2008-10-25]
Huge macros have never seemed to help me, but on one account, there's a cardiologist who puts two huge jawbreakers into his mouth and then dictates at top speed. I managed to take his long ROS and his short ROS and his short PE and long PE and make four very useful macros, but I put @@ in at the variables. Works great for me. Turns out the guy says the same thing over and over, but it just sounds different if he's speaking Martian that day, or Yugoslavian, or pig latin. Good luck.

Misunderstanding? [2008-10-25]
I kinda got the feeling the OP was referring to the posters who try to tear other posters (ones who are happy with their employer, their job, offer positive suggestions, etc). If you read some of the threads, you'll see precisely what I'm referring to - pretty much comments which hold the sole purpose of belittling or humiliating other posters, or even straight out calling them liars, etc. It's disturbing, to say the least. I don't think the OP meant everyone should pretend to be happy when they aren't or that someone shouldn't be able to vent if they need to. There's a huge difference between venting such as you have done and viciously attacking the character of another poster. Anyone who needs to vent should be able to do so here, and should be able to expect some support and perhaps even some helpful advice. To me, one of the best features of this board is the ability to do just that - Vent, let off some steam, get some advice or at least a few shoulders to momentarily cry on, and then carry on. I'm so sorry you're at such an unhappy place right now and hope things start to look better for you VERY soon. Venting such as you've done should always be encouraged. Sometimes we only have each other to vent to, and sometimes the anonymity of it makes it easier to do so. We're all in the same proverbial boat and should be able to turn to our fellow/sister MTs for encouragement. Best of luck to you, and I truly hope things start getting brighter for you!!!

Bayscribe and expanders [2008-10-22]
Need someadvice. I have just started using Bayscribe and have been using Shorthand. Does Instant Text work with Bayscribe like SH does, and it is worth the investment? I am coming from an editing position, so straight typing is taking me awhile and I am looking for a way to help my speed. Also, would you recommend ABCZwithInstant Text. Thanks!

Is this our overseas competitor? They ALMOST grasp the English language sm [2008-10-22]
We promise you complete medical transcription document, which need not any further proceedings from your side. Its not mere talkativeness that we proclaim such a huge appraisal. Our clients' talk will take you to the fact. We are getting compliments globally just by maintaining global standards in medical transcription. Our transcription service has verifiable quality, turnaround times, security and pricing. We have developed a host of software products that act as an aid to hospitals, doctors and other outsourcing companies that can effectively handle the data from the moment of dictation, to the final delivery of transcribed files to be preserved as medical records. Our medical transcriptionists are highly experienced, trained to understand the various speech patterns, English accents and dialects, as well as to the continuous development in the lexicon of medicine and technology required to assure transcription accuracy. The reputation in transcription is not built in a day. A gradual process with patient, accurate, but speedy completion of the transcription jobs assigned with extreme care brings all those rewards. Intense heed is provided right from the EMR process. Our aim-oriented team is extremely engaged with maximum effort to bring you the excellent result in transcription work. Our team can never go below the level from assuring you the optimum return of your investment. Highly sophisticated transcription solutions are offered by our crew resulting in the optimum performance to provide an end-to-end transcription. Implementation would be a breeze, and your staff should not have to make any changes to the transcribed records. Consequently, our transcription satisfies all HIPAA regulations. While you are contacting us in case of any further clarifications regarding the software or any other service, related to transcription jobs, you may be surprised because your call may be attended directly by our technical department. We are ready to go up to any extend to provide you the full-fledged solution concerning our transcription works. Our squad can assure you the quickest remedy for any tribulations regarding the transcribed item. Our EMR(Electronic Medical Record) solution assists you to retrieve the recorded transcription at any time. Consequently, our organization provides you a permanent database for the future too.

Coding [2008-10-15]
There is a definite advantage to being an MT and switching to coding. I found a course through an adult education course (excellent course and virtually free except for the books) and it was great. It is difficult and very technical, more than just assigning numbers to diagnoses but I liked it. The thing is, at least from where I am (So Cal), I would have had to take a huge cut in pay to take an entry level position, work into coding, apprentice, and then once certified, then the potential for earnings is there. Also, I think you really need to have a lot of experience before you can do it from home. I can't take any kind of step backwards in pay or I'd be pursuing it. Who knows, maybe I still will. I just want to alert everyone to check their adult education programs, ROP, and local colleges first before paying a lot for this education. Good luck!

Yup, junky, high fat, starchy food is higher sm [2008-10-13]
I went to the grocery in the big city this last weekend. I get to do this about twice a year. I bought fresh produce: Yams (10# $10), HUGE kale bunch 1.79 (same as 5 years ago), mushrooms $2.89# same as a year ago here. Tomatoes, hydroponic organic $2.89 same as the last year when they are full price. Boy choi 99 cents a #, half of what it has been for the past year. Red bell pepper $2.79 each, but they were $3 this time last winter. Blood oranges, always a special treat $2.89 a # and had twice a year if I can get them. Zucchini because I have already cleared a couple local gardners out, $1.79, but they were $1.99 in August. I got cottage cheese for $1.99 for the big container and eggs for $1.99 for 18 count. Left me in good position to buy 6 kinds of rice and other celiac-friendly food. Total? $80. I live alone and that will go for at least 2 weeks, the rice and stuff for 4 months or better. That racks up the same amount as it has been for the past couple of years, and probably a little better. In my basket, not a box of crackers, cookies, snacks, chips or junk food. THAT has gotten sky high. Real food, you know the kind you cook? Still about the same prices.

Where do you work? [2008-10-13]
I work for a hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana. We got bought out by*** a year or so ago and**** is the one who signed the 5 year contract. No news yet, just that we have a job if we want one. They said it will take the next 36 months to convert over, but you just never know, and I would like to have myself prepared in advance for anything (I am a huge planner and organizer, go figure!). I have heard good and bad as well. The unknown is a killer! They are suppose to be setting up a forum of some sort so we can direct our questions to Spheris. I am hoping and praying for the best possible outcome, but still trying to be prepared and not stupid. Thanks for info. Best wishes to you on your conversion. You will have to keep me posted.