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If I change computers how do I get that back into the new computer as I dont have a disc or anything I just do it over the internet. I have the original disc that I purchase 2 years ago but have since upgraded over the internet as I said.

I'm on Guru and Elance for freelance work, and I have been a Transcriptionist for 17 years. Now, if you're not familiar with Guru or Elance, it's a site where potential employers can post projects for anything and you bid on them, BUT YOU have to pay Guru if you are awarded the project. And a lot of times, the projects posted will state what the project pays IN TOTAL, and a lot of times it is $40, $30 - EVEN $10 for something like 2-3 hours of transcription. $10!!! For what could be up to 10 hours of time of transcribing, plus, I believe, you have to pay Guru a portion of that.

Well, I've never been awarded anything because quite frankly, I can't compete with the $40 and $25 per audio hour people. I mean, really, I don't think I can transcribe an hour of multiple voice transcription that for every hour of transcribing, I'm only making $10 and then have to give a portion of that to Guru.

Here is my curious question - the people bidding on these projects have just as many years, if not more, of transcription experience and they are bidding $40, $30 or $25 for the WHOLE project. Why would experienced transcriptionists sell themselves so cheap! It baffles my mind. It actually frustrates me because I can't help but think there are transcriptionists out there with 5-10+ years experience working for $7/hour and sometimes less, especially when the whole project pays $10 or $20. Yet, it seems that the projects are always awarded.

Just curious as to the thoughts some of you may have. Oh, and by the way, these are being awarded to US transcriptionists most of the time.

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Well, I've got the new transcription blog off the ground and right now I'm in the process of posting stories about how we all got into the world of MT, and also a few personal things too, to show that MTs are not just sitting behind the computer screen all day...

Would anyone here like to be a "guest blogger?" You can tell your story. Unfortunately, I can't compensate you other than having your voice heard and you can of course put links to your biz, your yahoo group, or anything near and dear to your heart. Please email me privately if interested. Thanks!

I have a priceless message, left by my son, on my digital phone/answering machine, and am wondering if anyone here would know how I can transfer it to the computer so I can share it (and delete it from the phone).

Is it okay to work for more than one service at a time? Do you have to be IC to do that, or can you mix and match with employee status? Is a small service better to work for, generally, than a national? If you work for a clinic can you also work for a service at the same time? Thanks for any input.

Come to work for Soft Script. If you are a "newbie" transcriptionist, do not mind us stealing your lines, enjoy rude, threatening, and hateful e mails, and among numerous other things - you like to work for less than minimum wage, then we have the perfect position for you.

Yes folks, this is what you will get when you go to work for Soft Script, it is a lot of fun, everyone should try it.

Is there a way to tell if low RAM is slowing things down or if it is just the platform? I have various problems (aside from several-second delays with certain things) that I think may be due to lack of RAM.

who says what he REALLY thinks about the JCAHO. Funny, I found it on Google when I typed in JCAHO and q.i.d. since I wasn't sure what to do about q.i.d. ........

The Death Star of American Medicine

I wish I had written this (JCAHO Unplugged; registration required), because it gives voice to the feelings that I (and probably 99% of the physicians in this country) have about the Death Star of American medicine -- JCAHO. A few excerpts (emphasis is mine):

That is why it really upsets me to watch the JCAHO people walk through my hospital like they were navigating a toxic waste dump. What upsets me even more is the utter paralysis of normal activity that occurs months before their visit and the huge sums of money spent on mock drills and consultants to prepare for the JCAHO invasion. JCAHO (the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization) arouses more fear in hospitals than MRSA gone wild, and their "visit" has a greater institutional paralytic effect than circulating a neuromuscular depolarizing agent through the ventilation system.

A few unsigned verbal orders, or an anesthesiologist carrying a syringe of Anectine in his or her scrubs, or not locking up I.V. bottles of normal saline will result in conditional or provisional approval, and failure to take remedial action within 30 days may result in the death penalty, which for the hospital means bad PR, and more significantly, loss of all federal money. That's right, you can get the chair for parking tickets in the JCAHO world.

It doesn't matter that the hospital admits 50,000 patients a year, saves countless lives and performs daily miracles. Write q.i.d. twice and you can get your liver transplant someplace else.

A response by Russell Massaro, MD, FACP, Executive Vice President Accreditation and Certification Operations, JCAHO, follows Dr. Cossman's screed. The only thing I can say about it is that he makes clear that unannounced surveys will be forthcoming in 2006. Oh, joy!

A lot of the press in the past few days has been discussing issues such as oversight, accountability, and clearly expressed legal authority. JCAHO operates without any real semblence of these niceties, and does so with all the subtlety of a bureaucracy run by Darth Vader. Watching hospital administrators lose bowel and bladder control the minute a JCAHO inspection is brought up has always reminded me of Vader's underlings wilting in his presence --- and for good reason. Without the JCAHO seal of approval, they cannot operate an otherwise well-run, caring facility. The organization, as it was originally intended, was designed to ensure a basic level of safety for all hospitals. It has now become yet another "certifying" agency which must come up with new "critical" problems to fix in order to ensure its ongoing existence (those of you who have gone through the most recent mental masturbatory experience of banning QD and QID in orders know what I mean). What is most galling to me, however, is that hospitals must fork over a hefty sum for these frequent torture sessions, and the inspections are done not by practicing physicians or nurses, but by folks who long ago gave up the difficulties of actually caring for patients for the safety of a clipboard to hide behind.

Maybe I have my metaphors mixed up --- JCAHO comes in like the Death Star, but leaves no room for different institutions to solve problems in their own way. The JCAHO mantra can really be translated as "Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated!" As a result, I suppose JCAHO is really The Borg.

I've been transcribing for nearly 10 years, so I'm no longer considered a *newbie,* but there are still a few things I don't know about, so I'm hitting this board to see if anyone can offer up some advice...

Does anyone out there work for more than one company as an independent contractor?

I already hold one IC position and I am considering taking on a couple of more. I have to commit to a certain amount of lines for each, but no set schedule. They all are paying the same primo-rate with no incentive scale, so it doesn't pay extra to put all my lines in with one company.

You might ask, *Why don't you just increase how much you are working with your first company?* Well, my answer is that I don't like having a primary and then having my backup account constantly changing in order to provide me with work. I am thinking that it would work better to work for a couple of different places, each giving me just one primary account (and yes, there are still companies who do that!), and then just sign off of one and onto another when the first one runs out of work...

In my mind, this works out beautifully, but since I have never done it before, I'm hoping to get some pointers for those of you who have.

I have been doing MT for a little over 6 years. I have experience in several different specialties. I currently work in an ENT office and am looking for part time work to do at home. My only problem is that I never went to school and am not certified which makes it difficult to find a job. I have only had on-the-job training but I feel that I am very good at what I do and have learned quickly in my experience as an MT. Does anyone have any tips on how or where to find a job?

Just curious if my suggestion worked. Did you try it and, if so, did you get it to work?

I have to type for 10 hrs a day right now. Can anyone recommend a soft touch keyboard that is under 100 dollars? Has anyone ever typed so much that it felt as if the fingertips were bruised? Mine feel so tender. I have been doing this for over 20 years and have never had this happen!

My docs have now switched to a new platform, which does not utilize counting lines, which is how I am paid now. They suggested paying by time, but that would be irritating for me to have to keep track and multiply and do all sorts of other stuff by hand (rather than having software to do it).

I have thought about asking them to pay me on salary. I have been with them for 7 years with no raise. NO RAISE EVER. Seven years this September, and I have made between 25 and 28 thousand dollars each year with them.

I am thinking of asking for $36,000 a year and was wondering how reasonable that is. I get absolutely no benefits from them and in turn, have to pay my own health insurance, retirement, taxes, etc. (so really it would be about 24K a year).

First, I can't believe that Kevin dodged the bullet and got into the top 12...but I'm glad, he seems like such a sweet kid. Kinda figured Will would go, but I liked Gedeon too.

I'm glad Ayla (sp?) got the boot, didn't like her. She was snotty! Kinnik was nothing special either, so guess she had to go too.

Now it gets good...the top 12...who's your pick to win? Mine's Taylor...or maybe Chris!

I love being an MT, but it is a very physical job, one that I am not sure I can or want to be doing for 35 to 40 more years because of the wear and tear on the body. But I think I can handle it easily if I'm doing SR editing full time or straight transcription half of the time and editing part time.

for an experienced (12 years) high producing op note MT that is hiring either SE or employee status and that has a good platform? I can't pay the winter heating bills when there is no work. I don't need lots of benefits, just work.

Hi there - can anyone tell me what to charge for the line rate is in So Calif (Riverside County.) I had an account about 2 years ago and was charging 12 cents per gross line. Is it different now?

My husband has a possible job opportunity in the northern Colorado area. I am just wondering if anyone on this board is out in that area? I am wondering what the average pricing is on housing, apartments, etc. Anything really fun to do out there? This would be in the Fort Collins area. Also, what is the usual temperature in the summer and winter, snow fall, etc.

I have found most of this information on-line, but I would much prefer to hear from someone who lives around this area. I would take a personal view over a computer anyday! We live in Florida now, so this would be a HUGE move for our family!

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who says what he REALLY thinks about the JCAHO. Funny, I found it on Google when I typed in JCAHO and q.i.d. since I wasn't sure what to do about q.i.d. ........

The Death Star of American Medicine