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In the "old days" of dictation on vinyl belts, the quota was do to 15 minutes an hour. sm

Posted By: LTMT on 2006-11-26
In Reply to: Quota - Kathy

To me, it seems realistic, but then again, each situation is different.  On account I know, I can usually do 30 minutes an hour, although being money-oriented and paid by the line, I usually gauge things by lines.  I do 250-300 lph, but those little dinky reports ARE an irritation -- no argument there -- hardly enter the header info and *poof* the dictation is over.  Would be hard to make a decent line count that way.


But ... surely your employers understand there are variations on such things.  Maybe you average 8.9 one month and 12 the next ... I would think it would even out.


Anyway, i'm into that gray zone where I know nothing about, but I wish you good luck.  To me, in the days when I was supervisor, if I knew someone was doing the best they could do, that was all that mattered to me. 




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The least I do an hour is 10 minutes of dictation - sm
so in 7.5 hours you should be able to do 75 minutes with relative ease. But if you are new and somewhat slow, I'd start with 45 and work my way up to 60.
The MT average is 20 minutes of dictation/hour
x
A bad day, I do 100 minutes of dictation and more like 130 to 140 on a decent day, an 8-hour day sm
but I have been doing this for a very long time and have a perfect expander.
Vinyl belts. Thanks for the memory, Mine was legal, but all the same.
x
I did legal transcription using the old vinyl belts. A LONG time ago. LOL
x
I remember the belts. Dictation was clearer on those than sm
the cell phone and/or digital garbage available today.
OMG I did too!!! Remember the raunchy equipment and "blue belts". People these days should
.
Is there a production quota per hour?
z
30 hours divided by four days equals seven-hour days. Most of us have to work pretty much every day
.
Working 6/hour days, 5 days/week I make
$42,000.00, but the work is there to make more if I want to.  I'm in the southeast. 
80-100 minutes of dictation
Can anyone tell me approximately how long 80-100 minutes of dictation takes to do with variables I know of a good or bad dictator but on average.  A 60 minute microcassette tape on both sides of 120 minutes, is that something to compare this to? Thank you.
Wow! If you do 240 minutes of dictation in...
8 hours, that is great!  Congratulations!
60 minutes of dictation
I take about 60 minutes of dictation each day and make between 50-60 dollars each day so yes, to me that is low.
60 minutes of dictation for $40
worth it or not?
Minutes of dictation, help please
This is the first time I am on an account that gives you large files of work.

My questions are, what is an "average" number of minutes to transcribe a day? Is there a basic rule of estimating how long it takes to type a minute of dictation? What about a basic rule of lines in regards to minutes (X number of lines per hour of dictation, etc)?
30 MINUTES OF DICTATION
Hello, I was wondering if you could tell me how long it takes you to transcribe 30 minutes of dictation.  This is a clinic account that I will be transcribing 30-50 minutes of dictation M-F.  I know that there are a lot of variables, inlcuding dictator speed and expanders, but on average how long does this amount of work take you?  Thanks so much for your help!
dictation minutes
If anyone would have told me how much this could vary I would have never believed it. Currently I get paid by minutes. All very short reports and for each report we first capture patient info in the EMR, then transcribe in Word, and then save to correct folder in order for clerical to put back in the EMR. In addition, we have access to the EMR and are expected to put in any missing data, date of visit, attending, etc. 10 minutes an hour on average is a really good day, but bottom line for me is what do I average per hour and benefits. In this case, could be better but could be a lot worse.

I take a certain # of minutes dictation per day. nm
nm
actually i would rather be bonused on minutes of dictation.
it works to my benefit when i am trying to get a bonus and have a slow dictator which more often than not i get, more so than a fast dictator.  it levels the playing field from those who get fast talking ops or ERs and can get a better line count. 
How much time does it take you to do 60 minutes of dictation?
I talked to a newbie just the other day who has taken a course but has just started his first job and he blows my time clear out of the water!  I may  not be the fastest typer but 60 minutes in a couple of hours!  Does that seem real?
60 dictation minutes is only about 4-6 hours

I do 60 minutes of transcription in about 4-6 hours - I think it goes 10 minutes of dictation = approx 1 hour of transcription or thereabouts.  I am not 100% certain and it would depend on the types of dictators. 


Best of luck whichever way you go. 


 



how about 196 minutes of real dictation!

My mom got a 200 minute file and she couldn't open it on her computer and asked me to do her a favor and transcribe it (which I do when this happens), figuring the doc left the tape on... Well.  She didnt leave it on.  She dictated.  The whole time.  About two weeks worth of dictation.  And she never bothered to tell me when the date changed, just went ahead and dictated, and dictated, and dictated.  It took me days cause even though I could have had it done within a day... it was just the thought of the same person speaking for so long!!!! :)


How many minutes of dictation do you type a day?
.
I have been give 300 minutes of dictation...

I am an IC and have been given 300 minutes of dictation (digital) due by Wednesday.  Is this possible?  I am not the fastest MT either, which has me very concerned.  Is this something most of you can do?  I may have to give up this job if it is not something I can accomplish.  ');> I am just so stressed out and want to cry. 


 


TIA


I am an IC who averages about 120 minutes of dictation per day. SM
I am quite familiar with my accounts, and only have to look up occasional words, e.g. new devices, and the dreaded address for the referring physician that the dictator does not bother to take the extra five seconds to give you when the information is directly in front of him! I use no Expanders as the doctors who I transcribe for are not repetitious with their reports. It takes me about 6 hours per day to do 2 hours worth of dictation. I have to be pretty disciplined, but take frequent quick breaks (probably 5-10 minute breaks 5 times) to just stretch, get a drink or grab a bite to eat. Unless you would work a 24-hour stretch and are extremely quick, I don't think 300 minutes is very realistic. I have been doing this for over 20 years, and I can't imagine how your client or company could possibly expect this time frame? Did they just give you the work or have you had it for a while? Good luck. However, without having the actual dictation in front of me, I cannot say for sure. Some doctors can stretch a lot of "BS" out to consume a lot of dictation time, when in reality maybe they only dictated several pages. Speaking for myself, my doctors usually productively dictate for 2 hours worth of typing. I don't know your situation however.
Will minutes of dictation be considered? Some

I did 103 minutes of dictation today
and it took me 6-1/2 hours. Let's see if I can do the math ... 6-1/2 hours = 390 minutes of my time, divided by 103 minutes' worth of dictation, comes out to 3.78 and change, so that means each minute of dictation took me 3.78 minutes to transcribe... right?

That included several difficult dictators, the ones with the long pauses while they shuffled papers--and a lot of e-mail reading (and answering) and internet-surfing on my part in between. Shh! Don't tell anybody!
Formula: Dictation Minutes x 3 = 3 hours
That's always been the calculation -- a ten-minute report will take 30 minutes to type... one minute = three minutes, etc... Depending on how slow the doc is, though, you can really speed him up and sometimes type real-time.
how long to transcribe 60 minutes dictation
I've always heard this used as a standard - Transcription equals 2-3 times longer than the dictation.  Lots of factors such as clear sound, clear dictation, formatting of typed work - going in and out of jobs, typing speed, use of expanders, etc.  but its a pretty good rule to go by.  So 60 minutes would take 2-3 hours to type.
minutes per hour sm
I am old school. I still cannot figure out how they can assume you can type so many minutes per hour when some dictators are horrible and some easy. I think quality has to be of utmost importance. How about the double speed tapes, some get twice as much on a small cassette as others and try explaining this to the docs, and boy do they know how to take advantage of you on this subject. Some won't understand, but the old timers will, you can dictate in either speed and they'll try to tell you it's only a "half tape" when they know they're getting twice as much on there. Shouldn't be "timed", it's quality that counts if you want to be worthwhile in this business IMHO.
What about minutes per hour/day?
Often times for me that is more consistent. Generally average ~140 minutes per day, but that can equal anywhere from 1200-1500 lines--a pretty big discrepancy, I think.
Minutes/hour
I know everybody measures their line counts by the hour, but I just had someone ask me how many minutes of dictation I could do in an hour.  Really not sure.  What would most of you say?  I can usually crank out about 180 lines per hour when I actually sit down and type. 
I generally request 60 minutes of dictation for the weekend

We were required to get up once an hour for five minutes
to stretch, walk around, do hand exercises, etc. Our hospital was very much into preventing repetitive motion strain injuries. I still do it at home. I type for 45 minutes or so, then I get up, fill my beverage, throw a load of laundry in, run out to the mailbox, ride my exercise bike, whatever.
So it doesn't matter if you got a 30 minute file and only 3 minutes of it is actually dictation,
nm
Also agree, but average 15-20 minutes an hour...nm
nm
Legs.....I move around for 5 minutes every hour, no matter what. nm
:)
Hour of dictation
In an hour of dictation I get 800 to 1000 lines so I would say that $40 is quite low.  When I did courts, council meetings, seminars, insurance interviews, it almost always averaged out to well over $100 per 60 minute large casette tape.   Stop and think it takes 2 1/2 to 3 times to transcribe and so for that hour you would average 13 to 15 per hour.  But it all depends on what the is on the tape, is it meetings, insurance interviews, seminars or what.  I vowed after my last time to never do it again as the quality is bad, cannot get any speed because it is not repetitive use, etc.   Good luck. 
I average 20 to 25 min of dictation in an hour ...
so I'd say 3:1 for me...on AVERAGE.

Sometimes I can do better, sometimes worse. As long as I can average 3:1 for the day, I feel I've done okay.

One time I had a dictation that was 3 days long! sm
The jerk didn't disconnect Friday evening when he was finished, and the darn thing recorded all weekend. Oh, did I wish I could be paid by the minute then!

By the same token, one of his colleagues would leave the dictation running while he gossiped with other docs (I heard some really juicy stuff!) about other docs and would resume his dictation when he felt like it. I did one report for this guy that registered over an hour. I had to listen to it all to get his dictation. Got sick of hearing about the cowboy boots he always wore (an ESL, too!) There was nothing, NOTHING good about that doc, and I pity the MTs who have to transcribe him daily.
You are really not that far off the average of 20 mins per hour of dictation. NM
s
If MTs want to work 10+ hour days
...more power to them.  Not me - I'm gettin' tired of this.  They're lucky if they get 6 hours out of me.  I worked 10+ hours a day and weekends when I first started.  Now, I could care less.  I may not perform 1200+ lines a day, but I have excellent QA. 
Duragesic 12 mcg/hour every 3 days (nm)

x


No. I work four 10-hour days. I'm really fast, really
occasions, about every other month, I might do 8-10 hours overtime.

I dont have quota. Have U met your quota on
x
Most in-house hospital jobs allow only 30 minutes for lunch! So I wouldn't call an hour lunch
"rigid."  If you are an employee, there are rules, set schedules, etc. that you have to expect. 
Gross lines and 12 hour days!!! I stand corrected, you weren't stretching the truth, you were...

misleading everyone.  The majority of MTSOs pay by a 65 character lines.  Paying for spaces or not paying for spaces is usually the only variant between companies.  You come on here and say that you tyhpe 3000 a line a day and leave it at that.  Don't say how many hours your work, how long your lines are, etc.  That is misleading!


I probably am typing 3000 gross lines a day in my eight hour day if I were coutning gross lines.  For fun, I think on my next work day, I'm going to jot down my gross line count in each document and add it up at the end of the day and compare it to my actual line count.  I'll let everyone know what the difference is.


Geez!  Really burns me up when people get on here at start spouting out nonsense as if it were fact and we should all be in awe of their skills and expertise!  For future reference, the truth lies in the details.  You can't just say you do 3000 lines a day and leave it at that.  Notice when I posted below how many lines a day I do, I added that I work a strictly 8 hour day and that my lines are 65 characters with spaces.


Give accurate and detailed information people, PLEASE!


belts
Same here. Then went to IBM MTST (sort of like a computer. It was huge and had a desk of its own. I could not even use one now if it existed. To me, it went down when the big companies tried to take over more and more hospitals. When the small companies or individuals had it things were much better. Also they were on tapes. I used to drive up to 120 miles for one hospital to pick up overflow. Yes, I would love to go back! Even then you never knew when you would have work or some one would undercut you, but it was better.
"Old Timey" MT?

Just saw this on MT Jobs:


I don't need an "old timey" transcriptionist, I need "new age" with lots of computer experience as well as transcription experience.


Geez Louise - what is considered "old timey" and what is considered "new age"? These companies R becoming a joke.


"Old Timey"
RadGuy, at last you and I agree on something!

Jennie
"OLD TIMEY MT AND NEW AGE MT"
GET WITH THE PROGRAM PEOPLE!!
Shame on all of you!! We no longer transcribe with the help of computers, guidelines, reference books or critical thinking! Your work station should be well defined - wireless, keyboardless, your crystals should be well placed in strategic, harmonic positioning so that your loaded brain can teleport the information in real time, your aromatherapy should be adjusted to the account you are working on at the time, and you should watch your astrological forecast for maximum speed and effect! Geez ... couldn't you figure that one out?