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I used to be a supervisor and we allowed all MTs to make their own normals, BUT...

Posted By: KYMT on 2006-05-01
In Reply to: Does your MTSO allow you to use your own - normals/standards? see message

it was the responsibility of the MT to listen to the dictation and make sure that the normal reflected exactly what the physician dictated.  And any QA issues specifically attributed to an MT's personal normal resulted in a three-phase disciplinary action, i.e. written up for the first offense, written up and forced to come in-house to work for a determined period of time for the second, and finally termination for the third.  Also any incentive money the MT may have earned for the day of the infraction was forfeited.  It seems extreme, but we had such a problem with QA issues and many complaints from physicians especially with radiology normals that we really had no choice.  We needed to make it clear how vital quality was over quantity.


Now that I work as an IC MT, I create and use my own normals, but I listen to every single dictation and if there is even one tiny, seemingly insignificant change such as the physician says the instead of a, I change it in the report.


I think a company forbidding their MTs from using personal normals will end up costing themselves money in the end.  The solution is to institute very strict policies regarding the use of personal normals and enforce them.  Let the client know that these policies are now being enforced and if they see any mistakes whatsoever, to please let the MTSO know.  It's hard being an MTSO, I'm sure.  Assuring the client that their concerns are your concerns and making the MT's feel respected and appreciated for their hard work is like walking a tightrope sometimes.  The sad fact is that you can't make everyone happy all of the time and in the business world, you have to schmooze the one who writes your paycheck - that goes for MTSO's and MT's alike.




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If/when you run out of work at Webmedx how are you allowed to make up? (nm)
 .
Do you have to schedule your make-up times or are you allowed to just get on when you can to get the
x
MT supervisor salary, how much do you make? nm
x
You're allowed your opinion and I am allowed to
nm
Normals
I have a lot of normals for my primary account but not as many for my secondary as it is a large teaching hospital with more dictators rotating in and out.
Normals
All accounts are verbatim.  What I mean is I have many, many macros set up for PEs, operative reports, etc where the dictators basically say the same thing every time and then I will edit as needed.  Both of my accounts do have a few normals set up in BayScribe by administration for some doctors.  Those are usually operative reports.
There are normals? Never saw one. nm)

can you still use normals?
thanks for your honest feedback.  i appreciate it.  More positions open on your side according to email this morning.  Guess you guys have a lot more work - I have gotten NSA 5 times already this morning! 
Normals/templates
I let my IC's use them especially in my psych accounts.  However there was a time that one of the gals forgot to change the name on the header and I was gone and it went to the doctor directly with the incorrect name on the Header and big, big HIPAA violation and the doctor almost pulled the account since he did not catch it either.  So I understand where your MTSO is coming from but again, I would not keep the help that made these mistakes rather than make the other MT's pay for the incompetent ones and be unable to use their autorcorrect, ShortHand or whatever normals/expanders that they use.  The account stayed with me but we do watch the names closely now.   Why make all suffer for the mistakes of a few.
are they paying you for the normals?
 
Expanders/Normals sm
As the poster below states, the way this is possible is by working an account that uses many normals and that you can utilize your Expanders with.

Chances are whatever national MTSO you work for will begin to use VR technology sooner rather than later.

After all, if you can use your normals/expanders to make astronomical line counts due to the repetitous nature of the accounts, it will be much easier for those accounts to go to VR.

I wish Normals had what I needed.
Most the time, what I am looking for can't be found in Normals, Alt G, or even Echart. I have enough experience on my primary that I know the usual sayings, it is just that I struggle with the not normal sayings that a dictator rambles off so fast, while chewing, yawning, etc. These things can't be found in normals (trust me I look every time before I submit a blank) and so far consist of way more than just 7% of my monthly dictations.

Whatever. I should just quit complaining. I do really like it there other than this part. I know you are trying to help, but I just wanted to point out that I use ALL the resources I can and still send over 7% to QA.
One job I worked for did not pay for normals at all.
They had loads and loads of normals and the docs used them consistently. When I would check my line count it was not where I thought it should be. When I asked I was told they did not pay for normals. That was something they did not tell me before I was hired. It was a company in Florida.
We DO get paid for expanders & normals
nm
I bet they billed the client for normals
You can make alot of reports nothing but normals if the patient has a normal exam.  I bet that company bills for those normals too.  That is like asking a waitress to work for low wages, and she can't keep the tip!!!!!  What will they think of next?
Yes, their normals, not yours. Not all places are like this apparently. nm
xxx
Do you get enough repetition so that one could create/utilize normals? Nm
nm
All accounts are VERBATIM, so there couldn't be any normals.
x
My MTSO sends us normals for those few doctors

that you them.  They are usually a fill in the blank type thing with the doctors only giving the blanks, so there isn't much to mess up.   We do have a few normals that need to be modified and there are only a few MTs that get these dictators, because of the same issue your MTSO, that changes are not made, etc.   I am allowed to create my own normals and do.   If I have a doctor that needs to have the same normal, but occasionally does change things, I only have my normal including what is ALWAYS the same and then I have macros for statements that are frequently dictated that I can use to piece together the rest of the document.


I can't imagine my company forbiding us to use normals.  My company wants the MTs to be productive, because if they are producing they are making money and if they are making good money they are happy and the MTSO will have good retention of MTs, which they have had.  It also benefits the MTSO to have high producing MTs, so that they can have fewer MTs and less costs/hassle.


 


 


 


Keystrokes makes you count out for normals.
nm
Why do MTs who are paid by the hour cherrypick the normals off accounts.

Line counts shouldn't be that important to them. 


Employee. 0.09 cpl, 100s of normals, and downtime paid.
x
Co I work for, large national, allows normals. Of course, you must listen
zz
I have normals, lots and a huge expander glossary sm

I also have 20 years in this business, which helps.  I am not a fast typist really and I can't type at all without the expander, not anymore.  I have a photographic memory for terms and how they are spelled...see it once, know it forever. 


There are exceptional MTs and there are very good MTs, there are good ones and ones who can just about pass muster.  Don't beat yourself up trying to be exceptional.  I think exceptional MTs are born, but very good ones can be built from scratch.  There are MANY MANY facets to success as an MT.  You have to have quite an ear for voices and even the very best of us can't do every accent.  You have to either be a great typist and/or Expander user, and you have to know it well (I have used my same one most of my career).  You have to know your terminology inside and out.  You need to know how to properly organize your normals so that they are consistent and easy to use.  You have to have an excellent platform to work on, preferrably a Word client.  You also have to have a company who stands behind you and makes sure you have enough work with QA people who can and will take the time to teach you what you don't know.  My favorite QA gal is a font of knowledge, a BOS2 expert and she even corrects my emails for grammar.  I have learned a lot from her.  It helps to have someone on an IM who can answer questions on the fly for you.  I have had those in the past and now I am one of those who does the answering. 


Most importantly, do your very best at whatever mode of work you are doing.  Show up every day, give it your all.  Don't worry about what the rest of us are doing, be the best you, you can be.  Things fall into place when you do that, I know because this is how I had to approach the early stages of my career.  Persistance pays off.


I get paid per gross line. I utilize normals and macros
as much as possible, though I could do more than I do.   I also type 100+ wpm.  I don' t have demographics to fill in, just patient's name and I type in straight WP5.1, so no cumbersome formats.  I download via FTP and I batch my work insteading of having save each individual report.   I make 8 cpl per gross line.  
Sorry to hear that because that was a good account with great normals. Hope
you find a new home where you will be appreciated and with good line counts!
Disagree with this. Every company I've worked for paid for normals.
x
are we allowed to go over the 150 lph?

No it is not allowed
You cannot post names, as well as confidentiality papers have been signed to not discuss or disclose by employees.
Sorry just saw this, was the OP. Not sure if that's allowed????
x
Are we actually allowed to say the name on here?
x
Is this allowed?
Why is this person shikhar saxena  posting on the Job Seeker's Board?  He/she is an Indian.
I don't get how ICs are allowed in MT anyway.
From the IRS website:

Permanency of the Relationship:

If you hire a worker with the expectation that the relationship will continue indefinitely, rather than for a specific project or period, this is generally considered evidence that the intent was to create an employer-employee relationship.

Services Provided as Key Activity of the Business:

If a worker provides services that are a key aspect of the business, it is more likely that the business will have the right to direct and control his or her activities. For example, if a law firm hires an attorney, it is likely that it will present the attorney’s work as its own and would have the right to control or direct that work. This would indicate an employer-employee relationship.



Aren't we as MTs providing the key activity of the business? Also, none of the IC contracts I have had ever specified a length of time. We as MTs are contracted for an indefinite amount of time. These 2 things to me make it seem like all MTs should be classified as employees and we should not be having to pay additional self-employment taxes.
Are you allowed to say Christmas?
Pretty soon, everything is becoming so politically correct, we won't be allowed to use the word Christmas anymore. Maybe they were insulted - you should have sent a holiday card instead.

But, no - I don't think I've seen a Christmas card or bonus in years. Boy, in the good old days at MQ, a few years back, we actually used to have Christmas parties - imagine that!
It is not allowed at my company
Grrrr
they never allowed me to test
They just called me asking how much experience I have. I guess it was not enough for them to allow me to test. There seem to be a lot of those. They want a lot of experience, but what about those MTs who can pass with flying colors and never be given a chance. grrrrrr!
Deductions are still allowed
Even if you are on employee status, you can still take deductions for your at-home office. I didn't think so either until my accountant told me that absolutely, you still can. It isn't as much as if you are totally self employed, but there are still quite a few allowed. The best of both worlds is statutory employee. That means you do not pay both sides of the SS Tax but you still send in quarterlies. This way, you can take all deductions for your home office, etc. Hope this clarifies it a bit better.
If they allowed use to use Control-I,
they wouldn't be able to manipulate the line count!!!
Why are we allowed to discuss MQ's

pending lawsuits but not KS's?   


This is not allowed, the usage of all
reference material is allowed, but not asking other people for help with the tests.

Why don't you stay with your employer?
That's what QA is for. No one is allowed to push
nm
are you allowed to use your own expander?

Irrc, when I used to work in meditech, I used to copy/paste from WORD  into my personal Expander then expanded it into Meditech ... The use of ShortHand was compatible.


It's been about 5 years, but my recollection is that SOME versions of Meditech incorporate WORD as an overlay and so things are compatible ... other versions (cheaper/smaller companies) do not, and so direct copyd/paste is not compatible.


The problems are embedded codes in regular word documents.  copy/pasting into my expanded eliminated apparently removed the embedded codes ... I recall my copy/paste file in Shorthand was named Kinko for just that process.


good luck 


Are you allowed to say the company name, cause
XX
Didn't know anyone at TT was allowed
to straight type only anymore.  Wouldn't be fair if some didn't get to partake in the joy we are all feeling with HAVING to do VR, now would it?
DOWNTIME NOT ALLOWED

I did not get downtime even with a ticket# and having to wait 2 days for another computer. All I got was a BS stating reasons not to give me downtime and that I could take PTO or not get paid for those 2 days.


Thank God I have next week off. I don't think I can stand much more of this BS.


TRS allowed a 12-hour window to do
an 8-hour shift, at least they did last year. I only worked there a month, though.
they supply you with everything - you are not allowed to use your personal
computer for their work. Be forewarned - When you get their equipment, do not play or surf the internet for anything other than work related. They do monitor it. Use your own personal computer for personal emails and surfing outside of work related things.
YES! On MTStars you are allowed to say CHRISTMAS!


If companies offshore they are not allowed to
post ads on MTStars.  TM is not one of those companies.  They are not an MT company, more like an employment agency.  If a company pays to advertise on MTStars any post that doesn't glorify them is removed and evidently that is what happened.  
What is the big deal about posting the name? Is it not allowed?
xx
Negative posts are allowed. (SM)
As long as there is no language or vicious name-calling, etc., positive or negative posts are allowed.

If you are just coming here to cause trouble, however, you probably should post elsewhere.

If you have issues about posting policy, contact the Administrator (admin@mtstars.com).

Goldbird