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for those using DC-10 headsets - Posted By: sm, not OP

I was all ready to purchase this headset on-line when i noticed they appear to be monoaural (1 stripe) rather than stereo (with 2 stripes on connector). I plug into my PC -- do i need a headset with a different connector, or is there an adaptor of some sort? thanks.

Does anyone watch Medical Incredible and - Posted By: wondering

Mystery Diagnosis on Discovery Health Channel? Just curious. I love those two shows.

the days doing MT just crawl along - Posted By: HELP

I want to be productive, 1800+ per day would be nice.

I'm thinking of covering all the clocks in the room where I work and using an alarm clock.

Closing browser windows. Set the clock for every hour or two hours.

I have no idea. Help i'm in a rut and can't get out.

How much do you charge for copies? sm - Posted By: Ga Peach

One of the doctors I transcribe for wants me to print the notes and the cc's to other docs, but I don't know how much to charge for this. I have never had a doc ask me to do this before, as my other docs just copy everything themselves. TIA

How do you calculate lph into words per minute? - Posted By: anon

I know I transcribe an average of 200 lph, but how do you convert that to words per minute?

syntax? - Posted By: noviceMT

Hi! I am new to this board. I posted a message a while ago, but i can't find the thread. Anyway, i will just repost my query.

In one of the reports I transcribed, a doctor dictates "labia majora swelling" and I typed it verbatim. The report was pulled for quality check, and the statement was recast into "swelling of the labia majora". Sadly, it was credited to me as a syntax error.

I feel that the statement is medically correct and acceptable. If, it is syntactically incorrect, is there any ruling regarding medical syntax?

Are there resources or articles, which could help me regarding syntax in transcription? thanks

How to send a resume - Posted By: me2

I see a lot of posts on people upset because they send in resumes and never get a reply. Here are some tips.

1. Make sure your name and address are on the document. I will not repond to "partygirl27" as the only name on the email or document.
2. If the ad says you must have X number of years experience and you do not, don't apply. There are reasons we post you need a certain amount of years. Received a resume yesterday where the person just graduated this month.
3. In your "objective" area, try to put something better than "I hope to do gooder."
4. Be a little more specific about the types of documents you have transcribed and the types of dictators. It doesn't help me much when you say, "I typed reports."
5. Working near a hospital or medical instrument doesn't count as experience. Example: "I packed up surgical equipment for shipment."
6. Spellcheck your document! If I see one that says, "I am a very accurate typier", I am not going to respond.
7. Set yourself up an email just for your job or job hunting. There are numerous free ones out there. I received a resume first thing this morning from "Baby_Got_Back." Good for Baby, but it's the brain we are interested in.

I kid you not folks, some of these just make you want to bang your head on something!

Any other MQers out of work today? - Posted By: WA

I have been staring at a 'no jobs' screen all day (about 5 1/2 hours so far). I even called the office (Denver). Anyone else out of work? I am going out to check the mail and see if I have a check!! (See below posts.)

Does any one have acute care series tapes they would be willing - Posted By: Souzam

to sell and overnight! Thanks a bunch.

QA typical per line pay - Posted By: anon

I am thinking about changing over to QA but am wondering what the pay per line normally starts out at. Can anyone give me some help.

Does this every happen to anyone besides me? (please SM) - Posted By: Overstimulated

After transcribing for lengthy periods of time, do you feel irritable? Kinda like you want to run to the nearest window and jump out cause you feel all this inner energy but have to sit in a chair and type and it is driving you nuts?

I probably need to takes walks or do something physical but am working 8-10 hours a day.

Just wondering if I am going nuts or what. It is rather unnerving, this feeling. Maybe it is menopausal as I am nearing that age, also. Can anyone identify with this strange feeling?

company computers - Posted By: Ellie

The hospital I work for is forcing everyone to use company computers because of privacy issues. The thing is, I use ShortHand extensively on my own computer and can't work w/o it. They have a paper I'm supposed to sign that I won't "tamper with the hardware or software" of the computer. Is installing a decent word-expander tampering? I'm afraid to ask, they can be real jerks sometimes. Has anyone faced this issue before?

A really thorough doctor - Posted By: trose

One of the doctors that I work for gives a lot of details about his patient but this one really seemed a bit much.

The patient is seeing him due to snoring.

The patient states that she snores very loudly. Her husband complains of her snoring. She also has a dog that sleeps in her bedroom and the dog snores as well.

Very important info LOL!

What to charge for radiology? - Posted By: ME

What is the going rate to charge for radiology reports? Would you charge by the report or by the line?

Bringing up my DQS problem from down below, how many of the MQ MTs that use this..sm - Posted By: passing thru

are running it under XP AND have updated to the service pack 2? Tech Support says that's the only thing he can think of as everything else looks fine on my system. And on the converse, how many of you use DQS and DON'T have XP with or w/o service pack 2, or are just using the original XP w/o any upgrades. I don't want to be doing something to my machine that's going to screw it up even more. Thanks for your help. nm

Line counting - Posted By: D

I have yet to find a decent line counting program. What does everyone else use? Do you count a line as 65 characters or 55 and with or without spaces?

Thanks,

Sad Newbie..happy news LOL - Posted By: Sm

Hi there,

Tried to email you but it would not go through. I am an editor and wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help you out. Maybe see some of the stuff she is correcting..see if it is or isn't right and help you address it either way. I can help you find good resources and I can also help you find a good way to speak with your editor if she is in fact wrong. Quoting different references and a copy to the big boss is always a wonderful way of doing so. SOMETIMES..the big boss and the editor are "friends" and it backfires, but you don't want to be in that type of work environment anyway. Please email me. I have taught several girls medical transcription and they have gone on to work for decent/great companies without even taking a transcription course. I am going to begin doing free seminars in my area about transcription.

Mary

Apply for a job I really wanted, when just started another 2 weeks ago? - Posted By: Dilemma

I just started with a national 2 weeks ago. I took that because the place I really wanted to work didn't have an opening for many, many months and it was finally time to just find something, so I took the other.

Now yesterday an opening was posted at the local clinic, the one I'd been wishing for. I'd normally apply, but I just started this other and I'd feel really bad. I'd also have to work in-house for around 3 months to get used to the new system and the way they do things and then I'd be turned loose to work from home. I'd also have to work more hours a week (28) then I presently do, but it's not an awful number.

Has anybody had a similar dilemma or held a job only a short time before moving on? I never do things like this! Any advice?

0.075 cpl for acute care, 1 normal, 500 staff physcians. - Posted By: Tell me what this means.

1025 lines per day and 0,075per line. Acute care, Benefits, one of the big corps employing foreign labor. This is after 1,46 per exam in Rad for 4 years.

0.075 cpl for acute care and shorthand, 1 normal so far (new acct).

I am in my 50s and would like to be assuresd at 0.075 cpl in 8-hour day will givce me enought to live on for a single woman. Hired at different rate but considered "new hire" which I feel requires a contract or some type of informativce interview.

What is this? More "fleecing of America" in the disguise of pilferation?

This has never happend to me before, need advice! sm - Posted By: gracie

What do you guys do when you don't get paid? I am an IC and the company I work for is a month late paying me and won't answer my e-mails or phone calls. I am ready to scream! What can I do?

Thanks

May want to hold off on cashing it - Posted By: Message to MQ, MT

One of the attorneys handling the lawsuit or an associate of, suggested I hold off on cashing the check that came to me from MQ. This is the one that came with a letter saying basically the reason they robbed us of so much money over time was a system error. Yeah, right. The attorneys want to check into the true purpose of the checks. So listen to your gut on this one If this has already been said on the boards, sorry, I haven't read them lately.

help with transition - Posted By: mt2mt

I have been typing radiology for about 6-7 years now and with this new account that I am on my line count has dropped alot....and I mean alot. There are plenty of mammos and geez a tons of chest x-rays, and not too much in between. So I was pondering the thought of just changing to a different area where I might be able to acutally make money, which is why I started working out of the home in the first place.

SO MY QUESTION IS, is what area would be the easiet to transition to where I could actually make some decent money??????????

PLEASE someone help with this. I have typed a couple of different posts on this message board and NO ONE really ever replies, so that makes me think gosh...does anyone care about helping their fellow scribers, unless it is their problem and if they need help then it is different??!! SO just want a little advice.

Thanks to those who do care enough to reply.

IC Questions - Posted By: Sharon

Hi. I just accepted my first job as an IC and I am nervous! Did I do a stupid thing by going IC instead of employee? They are paying 8.5 for 65-char line including spaces and returns. Does this sound reasonable? How do I pay my taxes? What about social sec? HELP!

End of year...anybody gonna clear over 50K? - Posted By: ??

If so, how much? What is your secret?

Need a sample contract - Posted By: sunnyMT

I have searched, but not really found one I am totally happy with. If anyone has a good IC contract, please email me or let me know a link.

TIA!!!

Sunny

Anyone using Magic Jack with their C-phone? - Posted By: NCmtmtx9

nm

This gets my goat! sm - Posted By: TechSupport

Is it just me, or does it annoy anyone else to see something like this on a transcription company website:

"Welcome to XXX Transcription Services, an outstanding, customer service based company hiring only the most experienced and highly trained medical transcribers in the United States."

I need hardly point out that for a transcription company not to know that a transcriber is a machine and the person using it is a Transcriptionist really makes me wonder about that company. Okay..I need to cool down. Thanks! I needed that.

Medical Dictation Transcription Company - Posted By: Laura

Is anyone familiar with the transcription company Medical Dictation or know anything about them?

If you haven't heard it already, you gotta listen - sm - Posted By: I have a new hero - Ray Nagin

Ray Nagin, Mayor of New Orleans, in a radio interview with Garland Robinette.

I can't even begin to describe the love for his city, the desperation, heartbreak, and anger in his voice. Talk about the captain going down with his ship. He's not going anywhere. He is my new hero.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/02/katrina.nagin/index.html

The link to the radio interview can be found at the link above.

I need help finding a good company with steady work..sm - Posted By: good MT

that pays a minimum of 10 cents a line. I have been an MT for 27 years and I take pride in my work. Things have changed at my current company and cherry pickers have taken over so I end up doing all the reports no one else wants to do. This takes me longer and my line count is suffering. I know there have to be good companies out there that pay well and need good employees. I have left my email address if anyone would like to offer me some hope and share names of companies. Please no flames, I am just an honest MT wanting an honest job with decent compensation. Thanks for any help.

New RMT exam by AAMT - Posted By: Knocked up MT in Iowa

I was chosen to sit for the beta. Of course, it looks like the first day it's available to take is the day before I am due to have this baby. What do ya'll think of this credential? I've worked part time as a MT for a year in March doing the big 4 with a small national. I am a nurse-turned-MT. In fact, I took my nursing boards the day I was due with my first girl. Weird.

I wish I could just go sit for the regular ol' CMT exam, but this will pacify me in the meantime.

write offs when working out of the home - Posted By: KSM

As an independent contractor, where can I go to get a list of what I can write off legally when working from home?

TIA.

KSM

For those who use Shortcut expansion program... - Posted By: MT

I have been a ShortHand user for the past 2 years and prior to that Smartype. I need to try ShortCut to see if I can get it to work in CS.net (Chartscript) since my Shorthand does not. But before I download the trial version, I wanted to find out: Does it also offer a "suggestion window" like Shorthand...like a preview window to see that the expansions are as you type? I relied on that with Shorthand (and Smartype) and hate to give that feature up. (I can't afford Instant Text)

Could one more person slam a door? - Posted By: having a bad night

Could one more person talk in the hall right outside my office?

Could you turn your music up a little higher?

Could you come in and interrupt me one more time?

Doggie, could you whine a little louder? (has to stay in my office -- long story).

Could ONE more doctor dictate from a speaker phone?

Sheesh... now I know why I work the red eye!!

Would it be worth it? - Posted By: MT Texas

Hi everyone. Been reading your postings and thought you could help. I presently work in a clinic but have been mulling the idea of working from home. Would it be reasonable to assume I could make at least $9.00 an hour working from home (realizing I would get paid by cpl) Should I quit my job and go for it?

Thanks

Looking for work - Posted By: mollie

Hello. Would anyone know of any companies that come into Ontario. I really am desperate for work. Mollie

What is it with OM anyway? - Posted By: Carmi

MT Light" color=navy size=4>So the OM calls me from doc's office last night. Every time she opens the Olympus program so she can dock the recorder and transfer files, she gets an error message. The error message is from Microsoft so there must be some kind of conflict. She did a reboot twice and it didn�t get rid of the error message and when she sent the error message, it didn�t give her any feedback on it, like it sometimes will give you a link where you can update your drivers or something. So I suggested she call the toll-free help number in the back of the Olympus booklet so they could try to help her figure out if it is Microsoft problem or Olympus problem but since I just installed it on a new computer and it was up and running for the past week and we transferred files just fine, I don�t see how it could be an Olympus problem. The other computers either don�t have a working USB hub or Internet access. When I went in to do the install I found this computer has an outdated Norton Anti-virus that they haven�t fixed yet! I suggested she try doing a system restore to an earlier date, closer to when I did the install for them.And I asked when was the last time a complete system scan was done. She was all frustrated and said, �I�m not the IT person for this office.� And I told her, �well, I�m sure not either. I came in and installed the Olympus and FTP transfer program as a favor, on my own time, but I can�t be coming over fixing your office computers for you. If you have an office that has computers in it, somebody has to manage them. You can�t just expect them to run without any problems.� I told her I could find somebody that might come in and do some cleaning up on their system but she didn�t ask for their number. The doc likes to think he is a computer wizard but I�ve been through some glitches with him before and it wasn�t what he thought it was, it was what I thought it was. ... this OM is a big baby. If you have her do anything with the computers, like talk her through some settings over the phone, she gets all frustrated right away and sits there making noises, like �uh! I can�t do this!� For Pete�s sake, just do it step by step. She can�t even figure out how to use the Help function. How does she think the rest of us learned? Same way. Get on the Help button, use the toll free numbers, go online and look up the problem at the manufacturer�s site, get an IT person for assistance. Sheesh. Just had to vent.

I feel so bad for those who are going through the floods and fires. - Posted By: No name

It doesn't have to be a huge disaster to reek havoc on someone's life and if you are affected by these disasters, my prayers are with you.

How do you organize your information for quick reference? - Posted By: if you work on more than one account

So, if you work for a company, and have more than one hospital/account/client, how do you keep all of that information organized and easy to access, etc? Notebook, folders..? I

DSS files - Posted By: Jennifer Beatty

I am curious if any of you know about DSS files. I have an interview with a lady tomorrow for a contractor position. She said they use an Olympus DSS system and I would need to purchase an Olympus DSS foot pedal. I have 9 pin, 15 pin, and USB pedals. Wouldn't one of those work with DSS files? Any info would be greatly appreciated as I do not have $300 to invest in a new pedal!! Who does?? Thanks in advance

Radiology MTs - Major cuts in outpatient - Posted By: See Message

imaging by Congress - called the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. Signed by Bush in December. Over five years will amount to 20 Billion dollars cut from outpatient imaging payments for Medicare and medicaid patients. This will have a ripple effect. Private insurers soon will follow suit. Posted the DRA but it was removed by Administrator.... This will have a detrimental effect on us all, as cuts will begin occurring in every aspect of radiology.

Here is a comprehensive article. Please do not remove this post for one day, Administrator. This will impact MTs in radiology significantly.

imagingBiz.com - The Information Service of the Imaging Center Institute

Does anyone here use VR? - Posted By: VR

I was told that VR is a great way for quick turn arounds on IC accounts. Does anyone really succeed at using these programs? If so, what is the program you use and how long did it take for you to get the program to work? I am interested in going this route, if it is worth it.

TIA

Is this job posting real?! - Posted By: mt

Did yall see the one posted, asking for 5000 lines per day?! Most places are per week, and I haven't even hit that yet?!

Comment about New Orleans and Ray Nagin, the Mayor...sm - Posted By: Dancin Shoes

I just read below that a lot of you believe that Ray Nagin is a "hero" for speaking his mind, etc. My DH just told me this morning that he read the evacuation plans for New Orleans and what the city and its leaders (Nagin being the main leader) were supposed to do in the event of a hurricane, flood, etc. The manual stated that ALL public transportation was to be used to but the elderly, sick, poor, and those unable to get out to higher ground until the storm or catastrophe passed. He did not do that. He got on tv and told those to get out. No public transportation or school buses were used to get these people out.

I hate to judge, but I just cannot help but think that this guy is all talk and no action? I don't know, sure does sound like it to me. I too thought he was awesome, until my husband explained the evacuation procedures and how the city did nothing but warn of people to get out - and did not help them....

I know, sounds like the blame game and I am sorry if it sounds like I'm blaming. I just can't help but state this when now the facts are coming to light.

Accounting software - Posted By: CMC

Can anyone recommend a good software for keeping track of charges, supplies, taxes, etc?

Does Shorthand work with Chartnet? - Posted By: MTer

Does ShortHand for windows work with plantform Charnet? Thanks.

How do I get AutoCorrect/Text to do a backspace, i.e. {backspace}-year-old? - Posted By: jlo

I use yo in my Shortcut and that can handle the backspace function but now I'm using a new platform and had to import my Expander BUT it won't import entries with {BACKSPACE}. I'm trying to put it into the AutoCorrect/Text but it won't take the command to backspace so now when I type yo it comes out looking like this: 35 -year-old and I have to manually go back and take out the extra space. When I try to enter the command exactly like in ShortCut, {BACKSPACE}-year-old, AutoText sticks it in EXACTLY like that.

Is there a way to get it to do what I want???

Chickadee are you from Portland, OR area?? - Posted By: Patti

If youwent to Mt. Hood CC you must be. Are you still in this area? Patti

In Word I can't see my field boxes anymore that I use F11 to skip around to. Does anyone know ho - Posted By: can get them back so I can see them? NM

x

MTs: What, if anything, can be done? - Posted By: FootOnMyNeck

Hi everybody! Well, upon completing my 2005 return, I made $13,000 less at my full time job than I have for the past 3 years. So, I have been scrambling around typing this and typing that for various doctors, filling in for MTs who are sick, and typing for a national. I currently work full time for a local hospital that is part of a health system. Things used to be so good, and now it seems like every other month or so, they are finding a way to squeeze every penny possible. They have even resorted to labor "loopholes" where they can force you to work mandatory overtime at less than your actual overtime pay. It's like the harder we work, the more they take away. I'm curious to know, how many other MTs are experiencing this or have experienced this. Can anyone offer any advice/suggestions? Are they trying to make us all so mad that we just quit? I might add, the transcription dpt is comprised of some very good MTs, most who have been with the hospital at least 6 years, some 10-20 years. If anyone has been in similar situations, do you have comments to offer?