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Regarding Walmart vs grocery store prices - Posted By: see message

This got buried on the second page, but I pointed out that Bounty paper towels are more at Walmart than my local grocer. Someone replied back saying that overall the grocery store is more. Nope. This is my reply:

The paper towel price increase is not a momentary thing. I started comparing prices a few years ago between Walmart and the grocery store. I used to buy food at the grocery store and everything else at Walmart. Until Walmart got to be just as expensive or MORE expensive in some cases than the grocery store. It is NOT just paper towels. Same with Era detergent. Same with a multitude of other products. Walmart has gotten GREEDY.

Now I clip coupons for the paper goods, cleaners and what not and the grocery store doubles any coupons 50 cents or less (I don't use them if they don't double). So with the prices being less than Walmart to begin with, plus using coupons, I come out WAY ahead. So I don't even make a Walmart trip at all anymore. Might as well just buy everything at the grocery store. It's closer, more convenient, and CHEAPER.

Expanders that are easy to add long entries? - Posted By: anon

I've been using Autocorrect for years and just recently started using Shorthand. Autocorrect is so easy to use and to add entries to. In Autocorrect, you can type up a whole page or template or whatever, highlight it, then go into Autocorrect and just choose which abbreviation you want to use for it. All the formatting stays, bold and everything. When I try to do that with Shorthand, it copies the template into Shorthand, but none of the bold and formatting is there.

I'm sure there must be a way to add templates into Shorthand, but I have no idea what that is and it seems like it would be complicated.

I've been looking at Smart Type and it looks pretty good, but I'm wondering if it will be the same as ShortHand as far as adding long entries or templates. I love Autocorrect because of this feature, it makes it soooo easy. Can anyone tell me which Expander is similar to Autocorrect in this fashion? Thank you!

Can somone recommend a good health insurance plan for my son who is in college? *sm* - Posted By: kem

He needed one more class for his bachelor's degree and because he is not considered full-time, he is no longer covered on my plan. Thanks.

Alltype - Posted By: Kathy

What do you folks know about Alltype? Thanks in advance.

Speaking of down-time, what type of dog does - Posted By: everyone have?

I am the proud mom of a 6 yr old Sheltand Sheep dog!

"larment" or Spurling's test - Posted By: tibby

Has anyone heard of Spurling's test referred to as "larament"?

If so, how do you spell Larament?

Thanks!

Radiology companies - Posted By: just wondering

Just wondering are there any good radiology companies to work for still left out there?

I remember when.... let's start a new thread. It will - Posted By: be fun. Read msg.

This will be fun, but we'll be showing our age. It must be things y ou actually remember. List as many as you want and you can separate into 'as a child' or 'as a teenager' but be truthful. I'll begin:

As a child I remember when:

TV's were big boxes that sat on the floor. Only black and white picture - no color.

Cars were all manual shift (my mom drove)

As a teen I remember when:

Gas was 25 cents a gallon, then the 'oil crisis' hit and it doubled to 50 cents - cost more to fill up my '65 mustang.

Bread was 35 cents a loaf.

Oh for the good ol days!

Can an at home employee deduct a computer on taxes? - Posted By: or can just ICs deduct?

Electronic signature - Posted By: NMT

Where can I get information on electronic signatures and HIPAA compliance regarding this? Thanks!

HARD FOR NEW MT TO GET INTO FIELD - Posted By: ConeyIslandGirl

New to the field, and I have encountered rude, self-centered MTS. I am working presently for 6 cents a line. America definitely needs more teamwork. About 99% of workers are for themselves. My last job was the same too. However, I did really well as an employee

. Also, I always helped OTHER C0-WORKERS whenever I could. NO WONDER INDIA IS LEADING US IN TRANSCRIPTION!!!!!

T 1/2 - Posted By: Graham

T 1/2 is that how you write it for gastric empyting studies? or T one-half.

Thanks Graham

Conversion of wav files - sm - Posted By: CMT

I got a wav file that opens into Windows Media. I want to be able to get this into my Express Scribe. Is that possible and if so, how?

Thanks for ANY help.

Still looking forward - Posted By: scribevibe

I have been reading this board for a short time now and have been pretty grateful for a lot of the information and advice.

What I am not grateful for? The sense that MT completely sucks and is the worst career choice anyone could make. I understand that people like to vent but there are some posts that just come across, to us who are learning and just getting into the field as very, as very bitter and very discouraging.

I am only posting this because I have a voice, too. I am looking forward to working from home, having people ask me how to do "do what you do at home", making some extra money (though I DO know that I won't be getting rich in this field), and learning all there is to learn about our language and the language of medical professionals.

Every job, every career, every field has its share things to hate. I'm sure MT won't be any different. But please, remember when you post that there are some of us who really want to enjoy and succeed in MT. Advising us to turn the other way and run just doesn't seem a fair thing to do.

I'm just sayin...

POLL: How many MTs have quit a - Posted By: huh

company after working for them only a couple of days?

I was working today, hit a wrong key and... - Posted By: Need help bad!

in my report came up all of the secret code fields..and I could not finish my report..Do you know what I am talking about? It has all of those funny marks, dots in between words, etc...My tech support is out today...Does ANYONE know how to get this off of there? I tried just using my Word and it is in there too..HELP!

DSS files won't play - Posted By: Rachel

I am totally new to the at home transcription profession. I found someone to type for but when she sent me the file, .dss, it didn't play on Express Scribe. Now, I have been on their forums and tried ALL of the suggestions and nothing worked. Apparently it has something to do with the way the new version of ES interacts with XP or something. So I found a DSS Player Lite at Olympus and it played the file, but ofcourse there wasn't any foot controls or speed, et cetera. I was just wondering if there are possibly other, preferablly free or cheap, software programs that I can use to play these DSS files. I have another person I will be transcribing for as well but I guess she uses a different file format so I am hoping that it will play with ES. I am just so frustrated and don't know what to do to get started making some money. Can anybody help me??

Thanks!!

For california MTSO's. Are you charging 65 cpl or gross line? - Posted By: Souzam

Trying not to price myself out of the market. Thanks for the help.

Shorthand different than Autocorrect - Posted By: TiredOTyping

I just download PC ShortHand for the 30 day trial and I want to know what's the difference between it and autocorrect? I have not been to thrilled with Autocorrect yet because it seems to run so slowly that I have already typed the word by the time I even notice the Shorthand box in my document. I like Autocorrect, what's the difference between the two and how can SH enhance my speed. Thanks

Line Counting Software DOWN for 5+ days! - Posted By: Disgruntled1

How many of you MT's work "in the dark" for days on end, not know how many lines you are producing? Apparently there is a glitch and it is being worked on..... hmmm. But, how can we be sure the program is not eating up our lines each day? I am never unable to see how many lines each report has produced, must wait sometimes up to an hour later to get a count. Am I being paranoid?

Foot pedal control/knee control? (sm) - Posted By: Sherry

My sewing machine has a knee control built into the side of the cabinet and I find this very comfortable. I would like to somehow do the same with foot pedal I use for transcription. Can figure out how to mount it, but having trouble adjusting it so the 3 pedals are not an issue. ANyone done this or have any input?

I need to copy program from one computer to another. sm - Posted By: Hello MT techies

How can I copy Word 2003 from one computer to the other. I want to have it on both computers. Thanks so much for your help.

Can I also use 1 monitor, 1 keyboard, 1 mouse and 2 hard drives, one being Vista and other being XP.

Thanks for your help.

has anyone belonged to Parents Without Partners? - Posted By: Single mom MT

I'm looking to join. I'm 31, just wanted some opinions.

Is it difficult to adjust to the graveyard shift? - Posted By: Texas Girl

What is the best way to prepar for this.

Does anyone know how to change font - Posted By: Huge font

When I read web pages everywhere, the font is huge and I do not know how I ended up with it this way? Does anyone know how I change it? I have AOL.

Thanks!

Question for ICs - Posted By: IC MT

For those of you who are independent contractors, can you answer a question for me?

I currently work for a small, local company and they have assigned me a few clinics that I transcribe for on my own. However, I am considering finding my OWN clinics and 'cutting out the middle man,' so they say. I've been doing tons of research, but the only thing that I can't find an answer to is what to do about vacations.

With my current company, they have about 150 subcontractors. So in this situation, if I need to take a vacation, then I can just have a few of the other ICs fill in for me. But what do I do if it is JUST ME???

That's the only reserve that I have about jumping in and doing it on my own. Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated!

For those of you working for more than one company... - Posted By: How do you juggle?

I am looking to move some of my eggs into another basket, if you know what I'm saying... I'm wondering how those of you who work for more than one company juggle the work load. I am talking part-time, IC work here.

The company I work with now is great, but like I said, I would just like to have a little something in my back pocket. They do call me and email me all the time asking if I can pick up this job or that job. What if I'm bogged down with other work?

Do companies look down on IC's that have other companies they work for, or do they kind of expect that?

Thanks for any advice.

what do the sm, ks, nm, etc. mean on this board? - Posted By: newbie

looks like a good place for new transcriptionists to get good information and word help. Hope to learn the lingo soon.

Incompatable foot pedal?! - Posted By: bindysmom

I bought a Lanier 219 XL and what I thought was a compatible wav foot pedal, but it wasn't... ones the 9-pin hole, the other is the 15... Is there an adapter or do I have to replace one of them instead? Anybody else do something as dumb as this?!

I can't wait for school to start either, and I don't even HAVE kids!! nm - Posted By: neighborhood full of screaming, shrieking kids!

xxxx

Anyone in the NE having Hughesnet problems? - Posted By: nymt

Our service has gotten slower and slower recently and a lttle over 2 weeks ago it got to the point where I could run DocQscribe, but beyond that no search pages would load and IM wouldn't work. I called customer service and a tech from India tried a bunch of things including resetting our modem and by the time he was done, we couldn't even connect. The modem is not in my office and I specifically asked him if I should check it and he said no.
I called again in 2 days and talked to advanced support and he tried some things and then started wanting me to disconnect cables, etc, so I told him my husband would call back because all that is in his office. He called the next day and no one could figure it out, so they wanted to send a dish tech out to check the dish.
He came and said the dish was fine and when he looked at the modem he said it had been decommisioned and he got online and got it restarted, which we could have done over the phone if we had known, and the techs on the phone should have known it. And now they wonder why we have a problem with paying 125 bucks for the guy to come here.
We have been on the phone for hours trying to settle this. Billing won't take it off the bill without "documentation from tech support" and tech support in one breath will say that it was a phone techs fault and in the next breath say that they can't document it.
The whole system should not have been touched in the first place because it is a problem with the satellite we are aimed at, not a problem with our dish or modem and evidently we could be aimed at a functioning satellite, but no one is offering us that option.
Sorry to vent, I really just wondered if anyone else in this area is having a problem. I am in upstate NY near the VT border.

How's work flow going today? - Posted By: Qurious

No work with MQ and just checking to see how others are doing with January work flow.

Part-time work using Extext/word client/dictaphone - Posted By: Thanks

Anyone know any companies that are hiring that use this system? I really want to start part-time and then probably commit to full time later. I really want a company that supplies your equipment! Thanks.

MT University Is this legit? - Posted By: question

Got this in email..

I think they are in the Phillipines... (I didnt know where else to put this.)

*****

Interested in an Online Medical Transcription Career?

Start your MT Career with MT University Now!

MT University (MTU) provides a very affordable and comprehensive, yet

flexible Online, Anytime, Anywhere MT training, through our customized

course management system and technology platform featuring Online

Discussion Boards, Chat Room, and Messaging systems to provide dynamic

collaboration and communication between students, mentors and

administrators. Students have access to an electronic medical language

library, through MT Word, and can network with MT experts, professors and each other, and participate in online "real-time" chats, through our online MT Community.

MTU's Medical Transcription training program is based on the model

curriculum endorsed by the American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT). Our curriculum is also customizable which means it may be adjusted according to the needs and requirements of each of our prospective students. All our online instructors/mentors are practicing medical doctors and expert medical transcriptionists.

Currently there are three Levels of Medical Transcription Education to

choose from. Level 1 Basic Training for beginning Medical Transcription students with NO Medical Background priced at US $ 699 (course fee only). The Level 2 Intermediate MT Training for beginning Medical Transcription students with previous medical or allied health backgrounds, priced at US$699 (course fee only) and Level 3 Advanced Medical Transcription for practicing Medical Transcriptionists who may want to specialize in any of the systems specialties listed and currently available in the website (check website for pricing). Since you have a nursing background, we suggest you take the Level 2 Intermediate MT Training. You may also opt to purchase your Active Search Pedal or Active Search CD after you complete your registration for the course.

For a detailed course description, go to the home page of MT University (www.mtuniversity.com), click on the Medical Transcription courses link at the top menu bar and pre-enrollment requirements as well as detailed information on the courses offered will be shown.

Since this is an online course, students have the flexibility to begin the course anytime and choose the pace that they want at their convenience.

You also have the option of paying in full for the entire course at US$699 or on an installment basis of US$ 104.85 for four (4) months with an initial downpayment of US $279.60.

Prior to registration, please ensure that your technical requirements meet and exceed the following:

� Pentium 2 and above

� Sufficient RAM memory to run video applications (typically 64MB

RAM)

� Sufficient Disk space to store downloaded course materials

(typically 10Mbytes space allocation)

� Sound Card and Speakers (for listening to voice files)

� Fast and Reliable Internet Connection � Minimum DSL connection �

Windows Operating system � Win 98/2000 Professional/XP

� Windows Media Player v7.1 and above

� Preferably MS Office 2000 or higher version

� Acrobat Reader 5.0 or higher version

As part of our service to all of MTU graduates, once the student takes the final examination, he or she will be placed in our master database for mass marketing to numerous MT companies looking for MTs to work in-house or on a subcontractual basis.

Should you need more information, please visit the website at

www.mtuniversity.com.

My grandmother's opinion of the new styles - Posted By: too funny

My grandmother, now 85, with more money than you and I will ever see, just refused to to to dinner with my brother and his wife. They arrived in their almost new Cadillac Escalade and she refused to get in the car, saying it "looks like a hearse" and no one is going to fool her into going to a cemetery before she is darn good and ready.

voice reginition systems - Posted By: ksm

If you get dragon and have it listen to the dss files that come in will it automatically start typing the doctors dictation or does it have to be the same voice over and over?

Need some help on how to cut down on spam - Posted By: Enough of this

I don't know if there is a free web site I can install or just how to get rid of all this unsolicitated spam I get each and every day. Anyone out there, help!!

to diane in NY or other ICs - Posted By: sm

Really? if you are an IC for a company/service, they still considered as 'your' client? as far as stating what line rate we need, etc?

paid by report (help) - Posted By: cv

I am now getting paid by the report (radiology) and I was wondering if anyone knew what this consists of. What I mean is a two page report count as one report or what. I guess I am confused and need to know if this is a good thing or bad. I have also been paid by the line. So I am new to this.

Radiology specific CMT - Posted By: How do I become one?

How can I become a CMT which is radiology specific? Do I contact AAMT? It is my hope that the focus of the test is primarily on radiology and anatomy as I have been out of the other fields for such a long time, it would be impossible to pass the test (I have heard the standard CMT test is quite difficult, is this true?).

Thank you and Happy Holidays Inspite of It All!!!!

CalfRadMT@aol.com

Question for Instant Text Users - Posted By: Siren

I have been using Instant Text now for about 3 months. I really like it and it has helped increase my productivity. However, I have a question. I use the abcz method for words, but when I make a short for this it wants to pop it in the phrase section, not in the word section. If I add words to my phrase section like this will it clutter the phrase section too much? Also, does anyone have more in their phrase section than in their word section, and if so how is this working for you? I do tend to glance at the phrase section more than I do the word section. Any answers or advice is greatly appreciated. TIA

Do not download the Panda titanium software for virus checker and spyware protection. It corrupted - Posted By: use care

my entire computer, had to have service man fix it to the tune of $150.00.

I'm not a prude by any means, - Posted By: but...sm

do those KY "personal lubricant/warming massage-stuff" commercials turn your stomach, too? I don't know what it is about those particular commercials, I just find them particularly...um...gross!

Am I alone here?

Does anyone use Dragon Naturally Speaking? sm - Posted By: Ortho MT

I am strongly considering purchasing this to do the listen and repeat, edit, way of transcribing rather than typing everything out. I am hoping that after I train it to my voice it will increase my productivity and help me with a little of the burnout I am having from typing for 12 years...lol. Anyone with any opinions? I do mostly ortho work right now...I have read that Dragon is best for radiology but not as good for medical.....opinions?

Thanks so much!!

Chop Suey for supper tonight!!! - Posted By: NCMT

Any takers? YUMMY!!!

those cherrypickers....... - Posted By: early bird

are at it again. I can tell when they are doing it because the platform software slows down, and then I get one dictator from one account, and then one from another account. I guess SOME of the cherrypickers just do not like the harder jobs. Oh well, the larger jobs I like.

Faster quota that way! Hail to the cherrypickers, keep up the GOOD? work.

Microsoft 4000 keyboard - Posted By: OP MT

Does anyone ever experience problems with their Microsoft 4000 keyboard where it will suddenly appear as if the Caps lock has been pushed, and your punctuation marks come out wrong and words are suddenly filling in with all caps and no matter what you do, it continues to happen?

I�ve worked in ChartScript and DocQScribe (currently working in the latter program) and had this happen. It�s as if my keyboard and the software are having compatibility issues or something totally out of the blue. Oftentimes, it will remedy itself, but if I do not want to wait that indeterminate amount of time, my experience has been that the only way to fix it is to totally shut down the computer and reboot, but that doesn�t always fix it. It doesn�t only happen in ChartScript and DocQscribe. I can open Word and type in there, and it does the same sort of squirrelly thing!

It�s so frustrating and wreaks havoc on productivity!!!

Problem with PDM License key ?? - Posted By: Frustrated but ready MT

I have been offered to work for a transcription company from a friend (she knows the boss) and have already installed Gear Player on my computer. The boss sent me a Philips Digital Pocket Memo disc to help me hear the sound and during installation it asks me for the "License Key." I don't have it or the book or anything with a number in it. I called this boss and she said the book was lost and for me to contact the Philips company. I did via email and I left a voicemail and hope they call me tomorrow (Monday, 10/2). Shouldn't she have handled this since she bought it? grrrr I'll see how far I get with the Philips people and if I can't then I'll ask her to please call. I'm near to Gear Player but if I can't install this disc and do some work (I need the $$ badly!) I'll have to look on the job board for any that require this. Signed_ Frustrated but Ready MT of 23 years experience!

Bringing over HIPAA question - Posted By: from new MT board - sm

Can anyone answer the question: Do you HAVE to remove PHI from reports legally?

What hours do you work? - Posted By: New to work at home MT

I am having a hard time setting a schedule. I would like to work early mornings, but it is hard ot get motivated.