Medical Transcription Discussion Forums:

• Main Board
• Job Seekers Board
• Company Board
• Word Help Board
• Classifieds
• Medquist
• New MTs / Students

General Discussion Forums:

• Gab Board
• Politics Board

We have been having A LOT of rainy weather for a while.  When it is raining and lightening I lose my internet connection.  Also, I use a C-phone so I get off when I can hear the "clicking" coming through my phone line.  Is there anything I can get for my phone to prevent me from being struck with lightening and to help my connection better? I have dial-up.   I am tired of losing money because of the constant bad weather.

the opposite of a pay raise?  A pay reduction? A pay decrease?  What is the best way of saying I was given a reduction in pay but using the word "pay" first.

I was given a pay _____

As we all know, line rates for ICs continue to fall due to offshoring and other issues involved.  I can no longer quote a decent line rate or I hear the phone slam in my ear. 

Therefore, I've decided to do what I have to do to compete and get accounts, which is lower my line rate to 10.5.  Naturally, I am not going to give this large cardiology group a 65-character line for that rate.

What do you feel is fair for me and the group line character-wise for 10.5 cents line?  I was thinking of a 50-character line.  Your opinions, please.

Thank you!      

Just got back from Lake Tahoe.  I told some of you I would report back and let you know how it went.  This was my first experience MTing on the road, and it went so smoothly.  I worked about 20 hours from the hotel.  They had nice comfy chairs and table big enough to hold all my stuff comfortably.  It was amazing being able to look out over the lake and the mountains while working.  My only complaint was this particular hotel did not offer a weekly rate for WI Fi.  They charged by the day, and it was kind of pricey at $12 a day.  I was worried about not having my books, but it was not an issue at all. 

Taking a vacation by myself was the most amazing experience.  I would highly recommend it to any of you who need to get away from the daily stresses of life.  I feel so refreshed!

 I may have to outsource some work to ICs  what is the going rate for a company to pay for radiology reports, I was told 1.75 to 2.00 does that sound right.  I hate doing line counts.  Any thing will help. 

Thanks

It is

The patient's last clinical breast examination

I type tplc and the sentence comes into advisory to top line.  I hit [ which should expand it but after only three words, "the patient's last," it fizzles.  Sometimes it throws out mumbo jumbo, sometimes two words, never the full sentence.

THIS IS DRIVING ME CRAZY.  What is it I am doing or not doing!!!!

ahem...thank you

Since I have always picked up work from an ftp site, I am not familiar with a C-phone or re-record equipment.  What exactly is this and how much would it cost to purchase it?

Is anyone out there from the midwest that can tell me the going cpl rate in Illinois area (NOT CHICAGO).   I am starting my own MT business and I don't want my pricing to be too high or too low.  I plan on using 65-character line, with spaces, free corrections, pick-up, and delivery.  Any suggestion would be helpful.

Perhaps this doesn't belong on any board here, but I felt I just needed to say something about the very tragic state of medical transcription.  I have been an MT for over 40 years, most of which occurred in the clinical setting, but I also worked for 4 years at a very large MTSO.

No one in our wonderful profession is going to get anything changed until en masse.  If we don't stick up for ourselves and that means going to governmental officials (those people get sick too and do have medical records!), the media and other well-known sources where the message could potentially be heard world-wide, then we have only ourselves to blame.  I know this is a huge undertaking but if we don't like it (and I hear that many don't) then we have to impact it.  I would, for one, feel so much better telling my children and grandchildren that I had taken part in a grassroots movement to try and change/impact the manner in which a patient's medical visits were documented rather than leaving millions (ha, ha!) for them to use on fancy cars, trips, etc.

We only have today---some people who died on the bridge or drowned here in Minneapolis last evening will never again get a chance to make any impact ever again!

Have a great day.......  

If you had to pick just one cake, what would it be?  I love just about any kind of cake, but I have to say honeybun is my all-time favorite.  I think I could eat the whole thing if I tried. 

Any other absolute favorite desserts?  Oatmeal candy has been at the top of my list since childhood.  My mom always made it at Christmas and now I always like to do the same.  Yummy!

Hello,

I'm not even sure if this is the right place to post this.  I have been a Transcriptionist for 8 years and I just can't do this anymore.  I can't handle the unreliable workload and unreliable paychecks....I'm going to go back to school to be a medical assistant but on the waiting list until next January 2010.  I'm truly thinking about applying for a job at Walmart at this point because then I would at least have a steady paycheck where I will know exactly how much I am making.  Anyone have any suggestions or know how Walmart pays.  HELP!

I am looking for a new job, lost accout not long ago, outsourcing,VR. I don't have experience in OP reports and everyone wants that. Help!!! Where can I get some samples?

HOw do you combat burn out from MT. MT is all I can do right now. I do not want to start at the bottom of any job....Maybe a WalMart Greeter for a few days a week would work, but I am not about to go to work in an office where some 20-yo chicky will tell this late 50-yo chicky what to do.....

so how do you deal with burn out?

and MT?  Just trying to get a feel if our pay rates are in line with the norm, too high or too low (have a feeling too low). 

Working on making positive changes.  Any input appreciated.

As background ... small national, 150 MTs, all work kept in U.S.A.  Work types:  Clinic, HIM, ortho, cardiology, radiology.  All ICs, might be looking to hire employees. 

With everyone complaining about companies, it can't hurt to ask what the norm is - the good norm :)

what the going rate is in Arizona.  I have 20+ years experience.  I used to charge between 14 and 14.5 cpl, but now that I'm going digital everyone wants a discount.  Is 14 cpl a fair rate for a digital account in Arizona or is it too high?

TIA

Can anyone tell me if the ShortHand Word Expander software is compatible with Vista?  Thanks!  Much appreciated!

I have gearplayer- serial foot pedal.  I purchased new computer and have only one port for the serial which my monitor is hooked up to.  I now cannot plug my serial foot pedal up since there is no port.  Is there any adapter connector that I can use to go from a serial to a USB so I do not have to buy a new foot pedal.  I thought I read somewhere that this could be done. I would hate to purchase a new foot pedal just because I have port to install.  The foot pedal is only 3 months old when I had to use when I was in school five years ago and have been doing tapes all this time for my local Docs and may now go to a national where I have to use the wave pedal.

Thanks

Is it right-hand dominant or right hand dominant?  I thought if you were using a phrase to describe a noun the phrase should be hyphenated, as in The patient is right-hand dominant OR The patient is a right-hand dominant male; either way you are describing the noun (male/patient).  thank you

I am a contractor who has one contract, which is more than enough work for me. It is a multi-doctor practice. I have had this contract for over two years at 2 cents per word. Is 2 cents around the going rate for per word pay -- for an independent contractor, not a company? Obviously, I am paying my own taxes and I have no benefits.

I am posting this in the hopes of locating other students/grads who attended the same school in Wisconsin that I did. Thank you for your help.

Dicated "pain is  2 to 3 out of 10". 

I think according to BOS 2 ranges should be typed 2/10-3/10. Or should it be 2-3/10? (or something else completely?)

Thanks!

can be used with Vista.  I want to go out and get a new laptop this Monday.  I have word 2000.  I looked on the web and found Word 2007 but it is quite expensive.  I would rather not have to purchase word 2007 and new pc as that is a bit  pricey for me right now.  Any help would be much appreciated. 

Thank you.

I am wondering why MTs don't use those stenograph machines like court reporters.  ?

Someone on here mentioned that she/he does use one.  Does that plug into the computer like a regular keyboard, and is it difficult to learn the keys and such? 

I would love to hear more about it.

Thanks! 

your C-phone or computer with a cell phone?  If there some kind of attachment or technical "geehaw" that can be purchased?  I travel, so do not always have access to a phone and that would be a great solution if I did my work during the unlimited access times.

Thanks for your help!

How can I get an idea how much I want to deduct for the year, not what but how much money I should be trying to deduct or can.  I need to get better prepared and deduct what I can this coming year. 

Thanks in advance for your help!!

I've often thought that it takes a "certain" personality to do MT.  I'm an INFP, and I think that MTing is a perfect fit for me.  What type are you?

You can take the test here:

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp