Nobody said they were fast and inaccurate...

She just cant read fast enough. It makes her sad :( [2008-11-16]
nm

Do you have Allow Fast Saves checked on one of the computers? [2008-11-13]
Look at the save tab in the options on both computers. You need to uncheck fast saves, then both computers should give you the same count.

fast fox [2008-11-05]
Fast Fox by NCH, the Expander by the people that gave you Express Scribe. It has been good for me, it is easy and CHEAP. Go to NCH.com to download a free trial. No I don't work for NCH but I tried it because I always like express scribe.

The only "easy in" jobs are in fast food. [2008-10-23]
If you want a job in MT, you're going to have to work at it. That means doing what it takes to get an education that will enable you to get a worthwhile job, then going out and getting it.

Thought of Medi-Fast? sm [2008-10-06]
I have not used it, but I know of people who have. I am a Richard Simmons' fan myself and I have lost weight on it, but only about 25 or 30 lbs because that is all I had to lose. I have thought about alternating Medi-Fast with Richard Simmons to push up weight loss. This was before I discovered several food allergies which, once controlled, resulted in a pretty massive 40+ pound weight loss. To be brutally honest...you have enough weight to lose that actually a lap band or a bypass would be indicated. You have to be at least 100 lbs overweight before they would consider you. While most people who have them never become thin or reach an absolutely ideal sort of a weight, they DO help a number of health issues like diabetes and hypertension. It is major surgery and the complication rates are pretty high, but this would be a fight you would never have to fight again. You would always weigh a lot less. Let me say that I really think this is discrimination and that isn't right, but yours is no the only case I have ever heard of and I fear this will be the wave of the future. I also have to respect you for making the effort to try to lose the weight on your own. Please do see your doctor and ask lots of questions. There are other reasons for people to be overweight besides the fork lifting routine. Blood work seems in order. A registered dietitian might not be a bad idea either. Your diet might need some tweaking. What works like a house on fire for one person is not too effective for another. Your doctor won't know too much about nutrition, but an RD will.

No, and I'm a fast typist with experience with ESL. [2008-09-10]
it depends on the ESLs, but would not recommend it.

i'm not too fast either (comparatively) [2008-09-10]
and i do approximately 1100-1200 in 6 hours, with high volume of ESLs, BUT, i do have lots of experience with same and their not that bad of ESLs as some either. But if you are not too fast and not experienced with them, then i think you're going to have problems reaching that number...

If you like to type (fast), are fascinated by medical field, enjoy working solo, you will be fine. [2008-08-04]
You may have to go through three jobs (over several years) to get to the big money. Best to chose a specialty which you find intriguing and tends to pay well (surgery, radiology perhaps).

It could be a surprisingly fast decline, though. SM [2008-07-27]
Health care costs are becoming more and more of a burden on our aging nation, and more and more people want and need the blessings of modern medical technology. Somehow. As part of trying to trim costs and direct more of the money directly to patient care, all it would take would be the federal government to announce that as of xxx, they would only reimburse for the expense of an EMR, the physician-held punch A, B, or C variety, to make things change very, very quickly indeed. I'm not saying this will occur, but the technology is here and in use right now. So it could. Developing a Plan B is very wise. And several months' income in a savings account to cover a transition period.

can you start out at $11.50/hour at a fast food place? [2008-07-20]
nm

whenever I had problems, fast answers/fixes by emailing (see inside) [2008-07-08]
E-mail MTStars: Administrator: admin@mtstars.com Webmaster: webmaster@mtstars.com Support: support@mtstars.com

Why do Docs talk so fast [2008-06-16]
If this is what they think, someone needs to tell them that just isn't so. How are you supposed to type faster if you can't understand a word they're saying? I think it is just a very rude way to dictate and then expect back a letter perfect report.

Why do docs talk so fast [2008-06-16]
I am on account like this right now and I hate, hate, hate it. It is an ER account and they just make me sick to my stomach trying to digest all that they said. If they think they are getting picture perfect reports they are sadly mistaken, not to mention how dangerous they can be because one doesn't understand them clearly. Consequently my reports are full of holes and they are sent to QA. I have been an MT for 30+ years and I still cannot understand them.

why do docs talk so fast [2008-06-16]
I believe it is because they do not like to dictate and they want to get it over with, it seems to rank right up there with doing rectal exams.In our office is what I have named the pile of neglect, he lets it grow until it has to be divided for fear of toppling over.This is for undictated patients that were seen in the office, where for example the patient has sinusitis and is prescribed a high dollar antibiotic and the physical says Nose unremarkable etc, or where part of the report is totally unintelligible or omitted. Sometimes there are even two notes on same patient same day and I do not feel qualified to choose which one should go in the chart.

WHY DO DOCS HAVE TO TALK SO FAST? [2008-06-13]
Why do they feel the need to sound like auctioneers? I don't think I could talk that fast even if I wanted to. I just needed to vent. I am typinga report right now doctor talks fine until gets to the physical examination and then it's auctioneer time. Sigh.

Nobody said they were fast and inaccurate... [2008-05-20]
When people are shopping for an expander, they want to know how it will improve productivity. It doesn't mean we don't care about accuracy.

There is no way I could type as fast without an expander. [2008-05-16]
My Expander does about 60% of my keystrokes. I can transcribe a whole sentence or even paragraphs for some of my docs with only a few short keystrokes. There is no way for me to type that fast. I could see if you had a hard time remembering your shortcuts then an expander might slow you down, but my shortcuts are second nature now and I don't even have to think about them. In fact, when I don't use an expander, I still often will type a shortcut and then will have to go back to expand the word when I realize my expander isn't open.

Fast typing [2008-05-15]
It takes quite a bit of experience and knowledge to be able to produce high line counts. I have seen some new transcriptionists that can transcribe 1000 to 1200 lines a day within six months, and some take years. There is no hard and fast rule and, for my part at least, we have no minimum requirements for daily production. However, what an MT can produce or the number of hours they want to work may determine the volume of work they get, depending on accounts available. This may account for some of the MTs who complain there is no work available on their accounts. That's another reason we cross-train on all accounts.

Fast Chart, Inc. [2008-04-29]
Anyone work for Fast Chart or know anything about them?

Question for Fast MTs [2008-04-18]
What does it look like to be fast? I read somewhere that one can gain speed by watching someone who is fast. Is anyone willing and able to film themselves and put it on You Tube? I could use the help.

This job is not about how fast you type, SM [2008-04-18]
but how smart you type; meaning using lots of macros. There are numerous books on the topic*** to get ideas. It's not about speed. *** Edited by Moderator

ever gonna be fast enough? [2008-04-08]
Oh boy! I can only hope to ever move so fast I burn up a keyboard!

Can you tell me more about alphagrip, it really looks intersting, can you type fast? [2008-04-06]
nm

Word Expander for Vista - Fast Fox? Anyone? [2008-03-25]
Any opinions on Fast Fox for Vista? Noticed it is on sale for $19 for the month of March. Anyone use it? For XP I have been using ShortHand but just can't afford it right now.

There are lots of variables. How fast you [2008-03-20]
type, do you use an expander, do you have good dictators or lots of ESLs and crappy dictators, is the platform user friendly, are you doing acute care of clinic, do you have lots of normal/templates, do you get paid/counted for spaces, gross line versus 65 character line. You really can't compare yourself to anyone else. A lot of people (not all) care about producing lines and don't care about quality of the product. They refuse to proof reports, say that is what QA is for. Some people just seem to have a talent for MT, have lots and lots of expansions/templates, have an extensive knowledge base so they don't have to look up much. If you do clinic you tend to have one speciality and only a handful of dictators so you can make lots of normals so you can produce more lines. I can do 2000 lines/day on occasion, but can't do it every day. I've done 3000 lines before, but that is rare.

need new computer with old XP!! [2008-12-01]
who do you recommend I go through to get this FAST, and have to put it all on credit card TIA

Has anyone heard of this? sm [2008-11-28]
I have an account where they have a doctor who comes in and does nothing but dictate discharge reports. He's just some outside doctor whose job this is. He's obviously paid by the report, judging by how fast he talks. The medical profession is really going downhill when they're so cheap they hire someone to dictate their reports.

Does Editscript V8 now with USB foot pedal? [2008-11-28]
I ended up getting a laptop for my version 8 upgrade since I use another program for another account and can't do both on my desktop. My 9-pin worked fine with a USB adapter on my desktop and the old version ES, but now won't work with V8 and the laptop. It is set correctly and can fast forward and rewind and stop dictation when I tap the center but won't play when I press the center key. I am stuck having to use Alt A to play audio and tap the pedal to pause, which has slowed me down considerably. I've tried to change the brand of the adapter to one of them suggested and it does the same thing as the one I was using. I wonder if it would be worth while to just get a new Infinity USB pedal. I notice when setting the port on Editscript options that it now has a USB option. Has anybody used this type of foot pedal with the V8 successfully? I'm getting very frustrated with this upgrade, especially with the expense at Christmas time and the hours waisted trying to get it to work, that I don't get paid for.

It totally depends on the VR platform your company uses...sm [2008-11-27]
Some are very good and the reports require little editing, others are awful the reports can be typed almost as fast as editing them, not good when there is such a difference in pay.

Same as SM and MTMommyof2. Proof on the go, SM [2008-11-26]
come to the end and sign off. Unless I'm feeling fuzzy or the report's a toughie, then I relisten as long as it takes until I have as good a report as I can make of it. People who type and then reread, much less relisten, must be incredibly fast typists to be able to make a decent living. But whatever works.

This may seem odd, but [2008-11-24]
I'm your age, so I know what you're talking about. Try to keep your blood sugar/energy on an even keel throughout the day, especially when you're working those long hours. A protein drink (make sure it's not high in sugar), a handful of raw almonds, even a slice or two of deli meat every 2 to 3 hours throughout the day will do wonders for keeping you mentally alert. Since you've been doing this for so many years, I assume you know where the commas go and that you're just trying to work fast enough to earn a decent paycheck and pay your bills and, therefore, end up with those QA dings. You're not alone.

Those buts, ands, etc. [2008-11-24]
I have found that often dictators leave out those little connectors or sometimes just say them really low. I find when I proofread, I sometimes relisten to a spot to see if I missed it or if they just didn't say it. Seems like a time waster, but if you see a spot like that, it is probably worth listening again until you get out of QA anyway. I am surprised they make a big deal over the commas and semicolons. It seems everyone in my company punctuates a bit differently, and they don't make much of a deal about that. Hang in there. Maybe try to relax and try not to think about speed. That (trying to be fast) often makes me screw up more.

Good luck, but you'll need your CMT... [2008-11-21]
The only other way possible I can think of, and someone above already mentioned it, is have another Transcriptionist train you. That's how I got into this field. However, most transcriptionists aren't in the situation to train to nor do they probably want to. If you do choose to do online courses, I would personally recommend CareerStep... just stay away from PCDI! I have two friends going through CareerStep and they both are enjoying the course. Otherwise, this isn't a job you can just walk up to and start without any knowledge. If you want an easy job like that where you need no training, or training on the job, try a gas station or fast food restaurant. Sorry, I'm not trying to sound harsh, just truthful. You need a lot of training before working as an MT, as another poster said, it really is like a second language! You have to learn terminology, pharmaceuticals, anatomy, etc. However, I wish you the best of luck. If you *really* want to become an MT, then you can do it!

I make more editing or transcribing SM [2008-11-21]
depending on how the lines are being counted and how good the SR is at transcribing the dictator at a particular institution. Compensaton is particularly subjective and variable in editing, which offers opportunity for lowballing in a period when hospitals are pressuring hard to keep costs down. I prefer editing, though. As said, it's significantly easier on the wrists, you're a lot more productive, it's somewhat higher-level work and (if the job survives at all) likely to become more so, in part because only a high-skilled Editor can figure out the leavings of these very clever transcriptionist-computers. The days when a content slob with flying fingers was a valued MT are fast departing.

I don't post here super often but I could use some thoughts (m) [2008-11-21]
and support. Don't flame me for sounding weak or needy. I had a client call me out of the blue today (actually his secretary called me) and told me that I was no longer transcribing his letters. But were clear I'd still be transcribing for his partner. I asked why, she said she didn't know what his gripe was but that he made her be the bad guy. It feels personal to me, not because he did it on a personal level, but I guess it hurts like a personal attack because my work is very serious to me and I'd hate to think that he thought I wasn't do my job well enough. I know I was. I often felt undermined or a little accused by the staff at times. I was supposed to pick up x number of times per week and about a month ago they called and said now, how often ARE you picking up? which sounded like they were not believing I was coming when I should. I pick up after hours, have my own key. Other times I'll get lists of reports they need. Some I've given them weeks or months earlier. Some I don't have at all, BUT not because I lost them, because they weren't dictated. I keep a physical list of all reports on each tape I do and if it's not on the tape, it's not on the list. I mentioned this to the sec. once before in my defense when she's said he dictated such and such when he actually only thought he did or accidentally taped over it something, kwim? Things are so tight for us right now as they are for so many of us. I guess I just need to vent and ask if this has happened to others? Where you felt undermined and let go unfairly? Or if you've just had doctors come and go every so often for really no good reason? I feel bad. These doctors' wives are my friends (were before I worked for him) and I think that makes it feel more personal. I've been very good about and tried really hard not to mention personal in the office or the office when I see them socially so the two are separate. I just feel like he was unhappy with me and I often wondered if he was just by the questions the girl asked me and made me feel like she thought I wasn't doing my job right. But I really thought if HE had a problem, HE would talk to me so I was okay. Guess not, huh? Thanks if you even read this far. If you have a prayer or two to spare for me that it all works out, that I find work fast to replace this income and that my family doesn't feel any effects from it. Also that the relationship and my feelings are healed, that I can overcome it. I'd just appreciated any shared experiences. Thanks. (P.S. Not in the best frame of mind right now, so I apologize for any typos or errors. This is my disclaimer that I'm not going to proofread this, lol).

By the minute [2008-11-20]
I'll bet the speediest speed demon dictators are those who are charged by the minute and pay their own bill! If only they were charged by the line and charged extra for fast talking, I'll bet they would slow down rather quickly!

Well if the file is 60 min in length [2008-11-19]
How long does it take you to transcribe 60 min of dictation? If it doesn't take that long, then swell, but if it takes you all day, then that's not much hourly... Paid by the dictated minute is horrible especially when you've got a speed demon dictator that turns out it's actually 120 min worth of dictation because they talk so darned fast...

Single person and bills [2008-11-15]
How does any singlepreson today make ends meet as an MT? I work a 2nd job and still way behind in bills. Job-hunting for a full time position other than MT is fruitless, as employers take on look at all of your years in transcription and ask you how you think can do anything else. It seems like a curse. The dreaded transcriptionword is getting me nowhere fast when it comes to breaking in to other clerical work. Had I know this would be the case, I would have left the MT field years ago. I can do SO much more than transcription if given the chance. Maybe I should lie on my resume and not mention all the years of transcription.

Can I take a quick poll? How many of you are sick of seeing ads promising....sm [2008-11-15]
Be a medical transcriptionist, fast start-up, make 60,000 plus your first year!!!! Guaranteed!! It makes our profession look like a get rich quick scheme instead of a vocation/career/profession, and they never talk about the difficulties newbies can face getting IN to a great position.........I just think it is so misleading and hurts the profession, and I worry about young girls/moms trying to make a living, what do you all think??? Especially since this site uses their advertisements, more truth in advertising perhaps???

Just received e-mail of new virus [2008-11-14]
Sent: Friday, November 14, 2008 11:54:53 AMSubject: FW: NEW VIRUS WARNING! With Christmas fast approaching . . . . . . . . . . .watch out for this... be alert..Please read the following. It applies to FedEx and UPS ================================================ Thenewest virus circulating is the UPS Delivery Failure. You willreceive an email from UPS Packet Service along with a packet number. NOTE: The word packet is mis-spelled on this line. It will say that they were unable to deliver a package sent to you on such and such a date. It then asks you to print out the invoice copy attached. DON'T TRY TO PRINT THIS. IT LAUNCHES THE VIRUS! Pass this warning on to all your PC operators at work and home. This virus has caused Millions of dollars in damage in the past few days.Snopes confirms that it is real: http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/ups.asp

Do you have Allow Fast Saves checked on one of the computers? [2008-11-13]
Look at the save tab in the options on both computers. You need to uncheck fast saves, then both computers should give you the same count.

or [2008-11-12]
Get out all together, like I'm doing...I have 20+ years of experience and am tired of this line of work...the only time you get acknowledged is when you make a mistake. No benefits, no paid time off, no thanks, no nothing and I am an IC so I have to pay self employment taxes, and I don't even really get a say in my schedule anymore even though I stay as an IC. These companies really take advantage of MTs, but I guess everyone will continue to complain about the pay, but still take the jobs...I say, let them have it. I'm taking my civil service test and applying forother jobs because this is getting old fast. I don't enjoy my job anymore like I used to and so I know it's time to get out and besides when it's the only source of income, as I am a single mother, it just doesn't feed the family anymore...so I'm out! Good luck to everyone that stays in it...it's not worth it to me anymore.

Actually no sm [2008-11-12]
I use Smart Type and I am well aware that I have shortcuts that aren't really shortcuts. There are many, many things that I can type just a few letters (1 or 2 or 3) and get the word I want. I also have over 20,000 expansions. NONE of them are set to a given doctor or hospital. I don't look for anything very long and prefer to have combinations of terms instead. Right now, I have gone from OP notes all day, all the time to primarily cardio. I had a great many expansions for it from a time when I did more cardio and I don't have to think or remember any of those, they just roll off the fingers. I don't remember my expansions at all, but my brain types in the patterns for the shortcuts and that is how I find a cross over, or one that is already in there. That said, my Is, As, Cs and Ss are pretty well out of things I can do at this point, they will all cross overs. I have enough, I suspect, that I don't need them anyway. Oh, and speed is never a problem. Still at about 260 to 350 lph, depending on my transcription software. One runs really fast and the other less so. Also, I am still a breeze on OPs and having a bit of a learning curve with the cardio just yet and working on speed only right now.

My answers [2008-11-11]
1. Are you living paycheck-to-paycheck? Defined: Missing one paycheck would seriously harm your basic living (housing, food, utilities or necessary meds/medical care). Yes, but not out to the street. Would put us behind, which we cannot afford to be. 2. If you lost your job today, without warning, do you think you could be employed again within 1 payperiod? Not sure. I imagine it could take a while with the holiday season fast approaching. 3. Do you have an emergency fund in case a loss of job happens? No and this is something DH and I need to start getting serious about...hard to do when you live paycheck to paycheck though.

my answers - sm [2008-11-10]
1. Yes, we live paycheck-to-paycheck. Missing one would hurt, but not put us on the streets. Kids have health insurance, but not DH and I. 2. Yes, I would be able to get a job pretty fast. 3. No, I'm ashamed to say.

Don't be ashamed... [2008-11-10]
With kids it's hard to have a savings account. It seems all my hubs and I do is work, work, and work and then when we do get a vacation, we tend to use what should be in savings for fun money. I'm sorry but life is way too short. I have a kid in braces and another one that wears glasses. Copays just went up majorly. We have Aetna, and there are deductibles out the ying-yang. Hope and pray none of us are majorly ill, we'd be done for. I could find a job very, very fast but I'd probably slave for minimum wage since experience doesn't count in this profession even though they claim you must have 1-3 years before they hire. I have 19 and make the same as someone with 2 years of experience. Go figure!! Thank goodness for my own accounts to stay afloat and thankfully I am here when the kids get home from school and can grocery shop when it's not busy. I save money by not buying fancy clothes for work but do treat myself to the hair salon (need a little something once in a while). Don't be ashamed; we have no savings either... Oh well... Hopefully, the kids will get scholarships for college and if not, then I guess we'll just finance that too or they'll have to work their through and appreciate it more in the long run if they have to earn it the hard way like I did. No silver spoon here and no handouts either. We work hard. No, we would not be hurting if we lost one paycheck, but 2 or 3, most definitely would leave us behind in our bills.

I posted that higher earners at my company SM [2008-11-07]
are bringing home that kind of money. The key word, though, is earners. Not job. Pay is on a production basis, and those high wages are a result of base pay + incentive bonus pay x 40 hours a week of actual keyboarding, 50 weeks a year (or close to). If they work less quick or less long, the money drops. So, do I feel sort of jealous because working 35 hours a week doesn't earn that much? No. I am envious of those with a natural talent for fast keyboarding, though. I'm so bad that in the past I would never have imagined myself doing work based on typing; that would have been a really dumb move. :) I have to work hard to keep my production up and have invested long hours developing my Expander skills to try to compete, but any of them who also work smart still outproduce, and outearn, me easily.

fast fox [2008-11-05]
Fast Fox by NCH, the Expander by the people that gave you Express Scribe. It has been good for me, it is easy and CHEAP. Go to NCH.com to download a free trial. No I don't work for NCH but I tried it because I always like express scribe.

Yes and no [2008-11-05]
At the time that I purchased mine, I was fearing that I would not be able to continue transcribing at all. I had caused my own arm injury by attempting to move into a recliner (not reclined, but just sitting back in the chair) while still sitting at my desk in order to try to relieve my back pain, which it did, but did not realize until too late that by reaching slightly more upward and all the mousing in that position I was causing an arm injury. So, I will never be as fast as I once was (not the fastest typist out there at 75 error-free wpm) I have achieved (timing on the free typing tests on-line) 60 wpm, but I now use a combination of expanders, voice recognition (Windows Vista), and straight typing, as well as having the mouse literally right there, and I feel that, with these modifications in place, typing speed is not as important anymore and I am able to complete the same amount of work in a given timeframe as I once was with straight typing/limited expansions.

there are many [2008-11-03]
variables why this could be occurring, but 5 minutes to download a 2 minute job is too long. Exttext software does not function well with slow internet service providers, works much better with a fast connection, cable to DSL, and even still if a lag or lull in the connection, it can set things off. It is good to keep you temp files cleaned up, but that is not usually a reason for lengthy downloads. Call support people who installed the software.