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Yup, change to create a need to sell more books.

Posted By: Misha on 2006-04-23
In Reply to: Has anyone noticed that AAMT guidelines are not - traditional MT

That's what I said the first time I heard examples of the new edition's changes. With the logic this one uses, I expect the next edition will decide that a lot should now be one word, and no one should be spelled as one word as well, because it is now so common for people to spell them that way. Oy.




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Just need to create them as you go along, when you can, and
s
create macros...
i created macros in Word that i used in the beginning to enlarge it to 150 and at the end to reduce it back 100... of course you still have to remember, but with the macros, at least you can use Keystrokes and it becomes part of the routine. hope this helps!
I think the OP just wants to create trouble

Thank heavens, most of us TT'rs are very happy there.


The built-in templates for the ones you create
nm
right, regarding VR, because I guess that to create accurate
VR draft documents for MTing is the most demanding on the VR systems as it has the most difficult vocabulary and terminology.
The vocabulary of general and legal transcription is MUCH easier than the MTing's.

But I am not so sure that the EMR system would work well for legal transcription as each case is really unique and the usage of EMR (templates and macros etc...)would not be quite practical.
Maybe more for the demographics.

I guess EMR is most fitting for coding and billing.
Do you get enough repetition so that one could create/utilize normals? Nm
nm
Reference Books?
How much are you asking and what do you have? I need a cardiology ref book for sure! Also in need of ophthalmology ref book. Please let me know. Thanks!
Reference Books
I am starting with Trans Tech the first part of September.  I used to do transcription in a hospital, but have been out of it for a few years.  I have never worked at home before.  What kind of reference materials do most of you have at your desk?  Do you have mostly books, or online references?
Question about books
When you do QA for a company do you all use the same reference books so that everyone agrees? (QA team and trans). I've always wondered about that.

(sorry for going off topic)

Books ;:Internet........................sm
to each his own.

My instructor and also my supervisors told me to look it first up online and then, if in doubt, verify it through book references.
I said already that I use both, books and internet...
And I also agree that the MTing field needs a total overhaul, but not a regressdive one, it needs a progressive one, namely more AVR, front-end and EMR.

Are you at least using an online dictionary?
This is for sure faster!

And I also do not understand why you say that one learns from books faster and better than from electronic books? Why should this be? I can also memorize terms if I look them up online.
Books vs internet
As I stated in a posting below, I learned in books. However, if used properly, I think the internet is one of the best tools available for MTs. We now have access to drug lists as fast as they are approved. Online access to the dizzying array of medical specialties via their journals provides information about the latest and greatest testing and procedures in their respective fields. The various American Cancer Society, American Epilepsy Foundation, etc., keep up to date information on diagnostic procedures and new treatments for their respective diseases. Vast data bases provide information about study protocols, gene sequence testing, standard laboratory values. Even the Yahoo yellow pages means less guessing at physician names. Yes, books have their place, but as an MT, there is an obligation to embrace technology rather than fight it, much like we went from typewriters to computers, because to do otherwise renders us dinosaurs.
I use a combination of online and books
I do radiology and have 4 Stedmans - radiology, medical and surgical equipment, cardiovascular and pulmonary, and ortho. I had a big drug book when I was typing acute care, but found that it was WAY too cumbersome and so used Medline Plus for drugs. I can't do without my Dorlands online, but if you go to dorlands.com, you have to pay for a subscription, so I used mercksource.com, clicked on Medical Dictionary and it takes you to Dorlands, and that page is in my Favorites. Of course, the reason I like radiology is that 99% of the time you're typing the same thing over and over and you rarely have to look anything up! But it's that 1% that'll get ya.
Google vs Reference Books

I admit the Internet is faster and easier, but if you put in the wrong spelling when looking up a word on the Internet, a lot of times you can find it spelled that way.  I've had it happen.  I agree with this poster.  There's too much room for error when you just Google a word and don't know the meaning or how to spell it.  I do use it frequently for drugs, especially new ones.  I just make sure to find the drug company's website or the official website for the policy.  I've seen surgical equipment come up spelled totally wrong, like it sounds, nothing close to the correct spelling.


Another thing, I worked in an office last summer doing editing with a couple newbie MTs.  One girl thought she was the computer/Internet whiz.  She was working on clinic note tapes.  One day the Internet went down. OMG!! You would have thought the end of the world had arrived.  She was lost, frustrated, and on the verge of tears.  Now there was a complete set of Stedman Word Books, as well as Dorlands and 2008 drug books in the office, but she didn't even know what books to look in.  So another good argument for reference books.  Get the knowledge, don't just depend on the Internet.


 


Um, yes employers do expect you to look in books

Employers do want you to own and know how to use reference books.  The Internet is not always the best tool.  A combination of books and Internet are the ideal reference tools.  But to respond to your post would definitely be a waste of my breath, as I can see your mind is made up that you don't need reference books.  That's fine.  I am neither too old to know about Google or to be computer savvy, as I am a college student working on a Bachelor's Degree.  You must be very insecure to have to make such catty personal remarks about a stated opinion.  So when the Internet goes down, you just sit and wait for it to come back up, the rest of us will continue working.


 


books versus internet
Well, for me, when the internet goes down, I can't work anyway :=)
I've heard of it. Do you Google only or do you have MT reference books? nm
x
Buying reference books a tax write-off, yeah? (nm)

Basic word books, spellchecker, expansion software...$450/500?? nm
s
Wait a minute now..before you sink a bunch of bucks in books..sm
I've been at this for many years and I have about 18 books that I've acquired over the years. Since I started working using internet-based platforms, I rarely have to open those books..just Google gets it most of the time even quicker. Oh, yeah and the 150 bucks I sunk into SmartType..well, it's been sitting on the shelf for 6 years now. The internet-based platforms and most others have their own expanders. A good basic word book from Stedmans or Sloans should be adequate for a newcomer; but some companies provide these as well or offer a discount. So, bascially, between Google and company-provided Expanders and equipment along with reimbursements for phone line/web access, start-up cost should be quite minimal now.
I have tons of reference books, all specialties. Going on ebay if not sold. nm

What do you mean? Who is PSI? Did OSI sell or something? nm
x
And I will sell it to ya, too. lol
p
? about Keystrokes..Did Lee really sell? nm
xxxxxx
Didn't YOG sell out to MQ?

x


yes. you should be very scared if they did sell.
SPI is a bunch of crooks.
However, if you are willing to sell yourself cheap,
x
So you;re willing to sell America out
because there's always work---(for now)?
I don't sell America out
I work only for companies that do not offshore, period.
sell not sale
just before someone jumps on that one
Fatcat - I know exactly what you mean. She does have the right to sell

her company, and if she had been honest and up front and just TOLD us, hey, I need to go in a different direction, I want less stress/work, whatever, so I'm looking to sell the company, I'd have been fine with that.  If she'd been honest and said I'm in negotiations and some of your work is being funneled into the new company so they can test the accounts or whatever, I'd have been most unhappy, but at least informed and looking for a new job.  It's the fact that they've boasted for years we're the cream of the crop and then gave us the mushroom treatment, and treated us all like we're stupid sheep that will just trot along with Transcend and take whatever they decide to offer us.  I can't believe for one minute that they had any of the MTs in mind if they didn't even bother to ask what the pay scale would be, the scheduling requirements, or even the LINE DEFINITION.  Carlotta flat out said in my call yesterdya that she hadn't even THOUGHT TO ASK what kind of a line they pay on.  For all they know we'll be getting huge pay cuts along with say losing all our spaces or whatever.  The fact that she said they never thought to ask and they knew absolutely zero answers to EVERYTHING that directly affects the MTs told me that they either knew and were NOT about to tell us and make us madder, or they never bothered to ask because they absoultely had no interest in it.  If they'd been honest and told us what was going on, I could handle this much better.  It's the sneaky underhanded way they did it, after years of touting their open communication, etc., that really bothers me.  And the offshoring is just the icing on the cake of the giant slap in the face.  Talk about stepping on the backs of the people who put her at the top. 


Fatcat - I know exactly what you mean. She does have the right to sell

her company, and if she had been honest and up front and just TOLD us, hey, I need to go in a different direction, I want less stress/work, whatever, so I'm looking to sell the company, I'd have been fine with that.  If she'd been honest and said I'm in negotiations and some of your work is being funneled into the new company so they can test the accounts or whatever, I'd have been most unhappy, but at least informed and looking for a new job.  It's the fact that they've boasted for years we're the cream of the crop and then gave us the mushroom treatment, and treated us all like we're stupid sheep that will just trot along with Transcend and take whatever they decide to offer us.  I can't believe for one minute that they had any of the MTs in mind if they didn't even bother to ask what the pay scale would be, the scheduling requirements, or even the LINE DEFINITION.  Carlotta flat out said in my call yesterdya that she hadn't even THOUGHT TO ASK what kind of a line they pay on.  For all they know we'll be getting huge pay cuts along with say losing all our spaces or whatever.  The fact that she said they never thought to ask and they knew absolutely zero answers to EVERYTHING that directly affects the MTs told me that they either knew and were NOT about to tell us and make us madder, or they never bothered to ask because they absoultely had no interest in it.  If they'd been honest and told us what was going on, I could handle this much better.  It's the sneaky underhanded way they did it, after years of touting their open communication, etc., that really bothers me.  And the offshoring is just the icing on the cake of the giant slap in the face.  Talk about stepping on the backs of the people who put her at the top.  I keep wondering what Ondrea would think of all this.


Just because companies don't know how to sell a contract,
they shouldn't pass their shortcomings on to us. This is part and parcel of what is killing our profession. Companies keep low-balling contracts and we all will lose. Very sad.
No, Keystrokes did not sell to Transcend.
Not sure how all these rumors get out. Ridiculous
eBay intrigues me, but I have nothing to sell! (nm)
.
SELL on Ebay and start over
By the way, even if KS is responsible for giving you bad information about Vista, you still would have had to get a computer to do this work. So that investment is a given.

Save yourself more headaches: Sell your computer on ebay (keep the peripherals) and buy a new computer with XP. You are likely to lose $ but you will probably lose more trying to replace Vista with XP UNLESS you call in a professional to do it for you who guarantees their work.


If you believe the answers below, I have a bridge to sell you.
VR produces a big mess & it takes a lot of time to correct it all. I'd hate to see an audit on those flying through it at full speed, and I'd hate to be the patient depending on a quality report.
They may initially find a way to sell us down.....sm
the river BUT the real issue is that MTSOs jump on any and every chance they can to cheat the MT. It IS, after all, all about $$$ and whose pocket they are in!
Nothing will change unless we make it change..SM
As long as we accept the exploitation that this MT profession has reduced us to, it will keep going on.  The top of this is the outsourcing.... well, get your legislators involved....better yet, the MEDIA.  How many patients know their private medical information is being outsourced to halfway around the world? The squeeky wheel gets the grease.  Do the patients know that their info won't be sold by some unscrupulous MT (halfway around the globe) to insurance companies, etc., making all this Medical records privacy a joke. It's not just our T-shirts being made in other countries; it's our most personal, private medical information, of which the public is not being made aware of.  Not to speak of undercutting out profession to the bare bone.  Granted, most US MTs are willing to work below market wage just to have a job, especially in economically-deprived areas, where outside jobs are scarce, and kids need to be fed and mortgages need to be paid.  MTSOs know this.  I'll bet they'll be the first to lobby against any action against outsourcing.  (Wouldn't you be...if you got people to work for pennies while you're raking in the big $$$'s ?  Still, notwithstanding the outsourcing problem, we're still going along with all the BS...working for pennies, whatever the client wants, he gets... ever notice how all of the MTSO flak seems to be re. unpaid work...mostly, demographic issues we're not even paid for... bec. It has to be done.. Part of the job... The client put the wrong info but we have to correct it...all unpaid work.  Just give me a job with nothing but straight transcription, w/o the unpaid/demo. flak..I'll take it even at the present, absurd pennies-per-line state of the profession.
Agree. Got any swamp land to sell her? nm
x
I was just thinking of that -- Carole swore she'd never sell, right up until the day she sm

announced it was sold.  I do not blame her for selling, and I guess there were legal issues that made it necessary for her to lie, but it does leave you with a mistrust for what people say.  At least we still had jobs, although I quit the minute I heard The Squid had bought the company.


I wish the QTers the best of luck.  There are still lots of great companies out there. 


Not much left to sell since they lost big account.nm
nm
I don't sell myself short but don't have 5 "current" years
nm
Spoken like a true corporate sell-out.

Get a loan on the item rather than sell it if it is sentimental.
Gold is at about 900 an ounce. Get a loan on a ring and it will give you 4 months before buying it back, at 800% interest but hey, ya gotta be resourceful and when it comes down this far, time is of the essence.
I've been through mergers and sell-outs before. SM
I don't work for work for the companies being specifically discussed here; however, I have worked for many other companies (in the MT world and other job environments) that have gone through such changes.

This is my opinion and mine only but while I have been nervous of the outcomes of such actions, I have never once taken it personally. It is business. Businesses have always and will always do what is best for them. It is no different than what you and I do for ourselves - we make the best choices we can, sometimes make deals, sometimes have to compromise, sometimes have to completely change our game plan. I cannot blame them for doing what they feel is best for them.

And before anyone starts bashing me with the corporate greed song-and-dance: Companies are about making money - the same as you and I are about making money. Not one of us is here on a volunteer basis, just doing this out of the goodness of our heart. Neither are companies. You and I are PAID and COMPENSATED for our work. Company owners have sunk all their money into their business and are taking the risk. They owe NO ONE bonuses when they sell, etc.

Enough said, I suppose, but just keep in your heart, people, that these are business decisions and that you, as a worker and supporter of your own household, have/will/do make the same types of decisions that are in your home's best interest.

Here's my hat off to everyone here - I truly wish the best for each and every one of you.

type there, oh yes, should be about -- why would you sell yourself and your knowledge for half your

pay ? ? ?  Can't you see that a speech document Editor has to have the same education/knowledge as traditional transcribing has.  Why wouldn't you be worth the same amount of money per line? ? ?


If you have any experience at all and any knowledge of medical terms, then you are worth your regular line rate whether doing VR or traditional.  THINK ABOUT IT !


Whaddya mean bail? Did they sell the company or just quit?
Very interesting.
The owner of the company I work for says she will never sell but I doubt anyone could
pass up millions if put in front of them. I couldn't, that's for sure. A nice island somewhere with someone to bring me slushy drinks :)
Because they actively OFFSHORE and sell American MTs down the river?
That's ALL the reason I need NOT to give them a chance.

Glad it's okay for you, it's an individual thing, apparently, but MY skills and my patriotism are NOT FOR SALE.

AT ANY PRICE.

Thanks for your post.
You are the one who is incorrect. The owner of Zylomed would sell his mother for a dollar if he
They most certainly DO outsource offshore.  Perhaps you're not as IN THE KNOW as you thought!