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Recently Viewed Messages: (An archive of over 1 million messages related to medical transcription industry) Do any MTs just go buy their own insurance, is so which companies do you -
Posted By: use nm
nm
EXText and Smartype (sm) -
Posted By: Debbie
I have a few questions and would like to be able to e-mail with someone who may be able to help. I'm using EXText and Smartype. The smartline will not allow me to see what is underneath the text, such as headings within the document. I have to keep hitting the ESC key to turn ST off so I can see where I am at in the document to be able to type under the heading.
Another issue I have is that my document is running off the page and not wrapping around. In Word under VIEW, if I select Web Layout, it's a nice view and everything is on the page; however, when I do anything else, like Ctrl J to get back to the demographic screen in EXText, it jumps back and I have to start all over again. Any help would truly be appreciated. I hope that I have made my questions clear for someone to understand them. Thanks for any help.
How much income would it take to give up the MT world? sm -
Posted By: opinions?
I have been an at-home MT for 13 years but due to declining of this field and pay as we know it today, I am ready to bail and get another career. I have an interview tomorrow as an AFLAC benefits coordinator. How much income would it take for you to jump to another career and go back to the office setting?
Anyone know anything about being an AFLAC benefits coordinator or pay or know anyone in that field? I do believe it will somewhat be based on sales, not positive, but benefits look awesome all company paid. It does bother me to think of it being sales based somewhat in this economy though. I guess I won't know until my interview and will decide from there. I am currently an IC at 8 cpl, not even earning half of what I did a year ago.
How much income would it take you to jump bail and go for it?
American Idol -
Posted By: last night...sm
I think, BY FAR, the guys are better this year. Of course, I thought that last year too...Bo was robbed!
Anyway, I just love Taylor...there's just something about him that is genuine and warm, I don't know, I hope he wins!
What are your thoughts? Who's outta there tonight? I think either Kevin or Will...sorry to say, cause they're both cuties!
As for the girls, eehh...who cares? They just aren't...as Randy says...bringing it this year...nuff about them.
Ace is hot , Chris is just plain good ...but Taylor's still my pick! 
just being humerous -
Posted By: msbeanctr
Lighten up, these were anecdotes acquired over 14 years. Good grief. Missed the point totally. OK what's for dinner - honey roasted turker on wheat with a side of canteloupe.
IC Contracting -
Posted By: jc
I just signed on with a company for my first MT position (IC status). I will be receiving all of their software/programming next week. My question is, do most MTs abide by their security contract with the company as far as not letting anyone else get on their work computer? Is there a way for the company to tell when you log on and off your computer through some kind of network? We are looking for a new computer for my husband at the moment for his personal use and I was just wondering.
My Stedmans spellcheck disappeared with SP 2 for Office 2003! -
Posted By: KentuckyMT
An update from Microsoft of SP 2 for Office 2003, a reboot and now when I open Word my Stedmans spellcheck doesn't work. I tried to reload it and that doesn't work, either. Anyone else have this happen? I looked and it's in "Proof" for dictionaries as LEXB4SP, but it's not loading up and replacing the Word spellcheck. Now what do I do?

Anyone ever work at King Faisal Hospital -
Posted By: cowgirl
in Riyadh? I seriously have been thinking about it. They pay big bucks from what I've heard, no taxes, free housing, air-fare, vacation, medical, etc. Don't know how safe it is anymore since the war.
Digital -
Posted By: KH
I have a couple of accounts that I go daily and pick up tapes/deliver. One of the docs wants to start sending me dictation via computer but does not know how to go about it. I must admit I have no clue. Can anybody point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance.
Unlimited Long Distance -
Posted By: Need Your Help
I knew it was coming. AT&T finally sent me my letter letting me know that I have 5 days left of ULD. What companies out there allow us to do transcription with their ULD? Help!!
Creating a resume on MTStars -
Posted By: kel
Would someone please explain how I can create a resume on MTStars. I appreciate your help. I really need to post a resume ASAP.
I am FURIOUS and need advice...pronto -
Posted By: totally not MT related...sm
Hey y'all,
This is totally not MT related, but...here goes; my D(ang) husband just called me and told me that his very good friend's (married man) friend (female...not his wife) just called my DH's cell phone looking for said MARRIED friend...
These 2 (friend and female caller) met this weekend at a local restaurant; he got too drunk to drive home (how attractive, right?), so she drove him home. Evidently, the friend gave the female his cell # PLUS MY DH'S cell # too! So this morning, she calls my husband looking for his so-called friend! I want this person's (I can't stand calling her a woman, much less a lady) number so I can call her and inform her that she better not EVER call my husband back looking for his MARRIED *friend*...but my husband won't give it to me!!! 
Another thing...I am dying to call this *friend's* wife, as she and I are somewhat friends...(we've been to their kid's bday parties, her bday party, etc..., but we don't talk on a regular basis...) Give me some advice please...am I wrong for being so upset that he won't give me this #...I know when he gets home, it'll be deleted off his phone and I won't see the bill...his work pays for the phone! Help me please!!!
What actions can I/should I take when contractor will not pay? -
Posted By: Trying to be nice!!
I did some IC'ing for a company, and they have not sent my $ yet for the last 2 invoices. They say they are going to send it around the end of the week, but just in case, I want to know what steps I should take because I WILL get my $ one way or the other. They are located in Houston, Texas. Does anyone know about the court system there and what are your opinions on what the next step should be for me before I sue them--which I do plan on doing if I do not receive my $ by early next week. I do not want to waste a lot of time waiting. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.
EditScript -
Posted By: susyQ_63
Does anyone use dialup? I am in a rural area and cannot get dialup at present. I have been trying to download EditScript and I am having mega problems. Anyone else in the same boat?
Selling the BOS to MTs in other countries? -
Posted By: Curious
Does the AAMT really sell the BOS to MTs in India and Pakistan? Can MTs there belong to the AAMT?
How do you organize your information for quick reference? -
Posted By: if you work on more than one account
So, if you work for a company, and have more than one hospital/account/client, how do you keep all of that information organized and easy to access, etc? Notebook, folders..? I
THE LAWS OF MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION -
Posted By: McFingers
The Laws of Medical Transcription
1. When a doctor carefully and distinctly spells out the name of a patient, drug, body part or referring doctor, it will be spelled WRONG.
2. If a doctor calls from the O.R., incoherent with rage because a note he/she dictated is not done and the patient in question is anesthetized on the table, that note will have been dictated on the Dictaphone that is sitting inside the doctor’s pocket.
3. A dictation that is stat, urgent and absolutely vital to the patient’s care will be dictated into a Dictaphone with dead batteries.
4. When dictating an involved neurosurgical op report involving rarely used instruments and multiple complications, the doctor will be sitting next to either a beeping ventilator in a crowded ICU or a screaming infant.
5. The speed at which an ESL doctor dictates is increased in direct proportion to the thickness of his/her accent: i.e., ESL = mc2 = total incomprehensibility.
6. A doctor who is a crystal clear, concise and organized dictator whom you love to transcribe for, within 15 days from the moment you begin working on his/her account will decide to accept a job at another hospital.
7. The above mentioned crystal clear, concise and organized dictator will be replaced by the only doctor in the Western Hemisphere who has both a lisp AND a stutter.
8. A doctor with a sexy, deep voice that turns your knees to Jell-O and your skin to goose-flesh will have a stomach the consistency of Jell-O and a face that resembles a goose.
Meditech Magic Platform -
Posted By: PoorPoorPitifulMT
I am about to start working on a radiology account that uses the Meditech Magic platform. Can any of you tell me the good, the bad and the ugly about this platform?
TIA!
Poll: Where you work -
Posted By: MT student
Do you work for:
--a national
--smaller MTSO
--hospital/clinic
--self-employed
I got your apology and it is absolute accepted! -
Posted By: "sm"
Thanks!
Kodak Easyshare -
Posted By: D
WalMart has a good deal on a Kodak Easyshare 6 megapixel camera. I was wondering if anyone has used this camera? Is it any good?
In Word, how do I correct a spelling in dictionary -
Posted By: Added misspelled word and want to replace with cor
nm
Your own computer with company software -
Posted By: me
I recently had company software installed on my computer, and it got me wondering something. Have you ever suspected that a company installed any type of tracking or keylogger software on your own computer when they installed your software? I don't think my company did, but I wouldn't put it past some of these companies.
ahhh finally some peace and quiet, thanks! -
Posted By: nm
s
Question for ICs about SS and federal tax. I am new at this and I am wondering if you can pay -
Posted By: ICMT
your federal tax and SS more often than quarterly so it doesnt turn out to be so much money. I would pay the State and Local quarterly but would like to pay the fed more often. Anybody do this or just file quarterly.
Seasons Greetings -
Posted By: LOUISA MAY
I truly hope you all had a very muzzy Christmas and have a hairy new year.
From below regarding tapes -
Posted By: Patti
Okay, I started typing today on tapes picked up yesterday. (I deliver between 10 and noon) So I could have done then yesterday but had graduation for nephew. So I started today at 5 o'clock and it is now close to 11. I have typed, printed, showered, made deliveries and pick-ups, went to bank, know what I have to do tomorrow and made $201. No sudden files sent, no sporadic files sent, have the complete day's dictation , and can schedule the rest of the day and tomorrow morning the way that I want. So this works for me and I appreciate the input from Tikki and all, but will keep doing this if they want to continue to use tapes. All my accounts are within a 4 mile radius from each other and the majority at one of the hospital medical buildings so it takes me 35 minutes to do the deliveries from walking out my front door and coming back through. I respect everyone's opinion and hopefuly you respect mine. I get exercise as it is half a mile from my car to home round trip. -- Live on the river in a floating home. Patti
When a company advertises for multispecialty work . . . sm -
Posted By: shipaddict
Is that just a euphemism for the successful candidate will be placed on MULTIPLE accounts?
That's like saying a tiny little house is a cozy cottage . . .
Poll: Who is unhappily married -
Posted By: thinkingofleaving
and why and are you thinking of leaving?
If company sets up new pay plan and (sm) -
Posted By: diddles
and includes a quarterly bonus saying the first payout will be in the first paycheck in October and management is not saying anything and you can't get in touch with management and your first line supervisor says it's just taking a while and maybe we'll here something the end of October but still nothing is being said, what options do you have? I mean, if they would just say, hey, we're working on it and we will let you know by (whatever) date, then I would be more patient but it feels like that by saying nothing at all, management is sending a message that no news saves them money. In the meantime, the accounts are getting short of work because they are hiring new MTs in with $1000 sign-on bonuses.
Give me some ideas of how to handle this.

Any statutory employees out there? -
Posted By: A New Beginning
I'll be starting a new job soon with a service as a statutory employee. I want to get on top of my tax situation now so that come April I won't get hit with a big bill from the tax man.
Any suggestions/guidelines for how much of each of my checks I should be setting aside for taxes? I know that my employer will be paying 1/2 of my Social Security taxes. What about the rest?
Thanks in advance for your help.
downloads sm -
Posted By: Starving artist
Someone on here mentioned a download for opening up WP5 documents in the latest Word program(s). I have some old college courses which I want to review and the work was all in WP5.1 on diskettes and my Word programs will not open them, they appear in gibberish. I have tried searching on the Microsoft website but no luck. TIA
Good reason to smack this doc... -
Posted By: sm
She dictates diagnoses, giving three or four detailed diagnoses and then says, "etcetera, etcetera, etcetera"
OK, do I get to make up additional diagnoses for her? This is at the top of the report, so it's not like she's saying go back and copy admission diagnoses for discharge ones. (Not that THAT would be ok, either!) Am I supposed to read her mind? Or is this just a verbal tick that pops up whenever she's done dictating a list of diagnoses?
Garrrragh!
Don't you just love the DS for a 1 to 2 day -
Posted By: SM
stay dictated by the resident or P.A. that is 16+ minutes long and then there is the 2-1/2 month stay dictated by the attending that is 5 minutes long??? Sometimes, I just don't understand.
MQ offshoring - My response to the President -
Posted By: Movin In With The President
Here's MY letter--below--to our President. Our jobs are going people. But our president has other plans. To the poster below--do you think that lovely older woman who asked the question about offshoring--or any of us lovely people sitting comfortably in our home offices right now working--are cut out for jobs such as (taken from the transcript) building solar panels or wind turbines or the new biofuel -- that involve these higher-value, higher-skill, higher-paying jobs ?? Are you ready to climb a friggen wind turbine and service the propellers?
I was so upset with his answer. First, I called the White House. This is our right. You ALL should do that. Second I wrote the following letter to the President. My own little two cents. Then I copied it to every news agency out there that I could think of. Again, just my two cents. You all should do the same. Let him know that his answer just will not do. What are we all supposed to do, in the meantime, to buy food and pay our bills before we get trained to build turbines, solar panels, or go to the lab to create the next biofuel?
----
President Obama—
You owe the American displaced workers an apology.
How dare you.
I am shocked at your response to the video question about the offshoring of American jobs. How dare you say to us that we don’t want those jobs that are going offshore anyway. Mr. President, for those of us who have lost or are about to lose our jobs to offshoring, yes we DO want our jobs.
You then went on to blame offshoring on the credit situation. Oh come on! The financial disaster has nothing to do with offshoring. Offshoring is the bastard child of government ineptitude and the corporate greed running rampant in our country. Offshoring means getting the same job done by cheap third-world labor. Offshoring is about not paying decent wages and benefits. Offshoring is about stuffing corporate pockets with more money.
If there was an international symbol for offshoring, it would be a picture of a CEO’s heel grinding into a third-world worker’s back.
These greedy corporations have sold out the American worker and are stepping on the backs of the low-wage third-world workers .
I am outraged. I DID go to school Mr. President. I HAVE a degree. I have invested thousands of dollars into reference materials and equipment to help me perform my job better. I also have invested almost 30 years to my career. My career is very technical. I could rattle off a bunch of words here for you, and I bet you would not know what they mean. But I do. And I have performed my job with pride all these years.
How dare you brush off the offshoring question with such simplicity.
Well, I would rather Americans have jobs, not undereducated or poorly educated third world nations.
A lot of the work from my field goes to India, Phillipines and Pakistan. Didn’t I see a group of Pakistani’s burning the American Flag on TV recently? Do you know that when my company’s work goes offshore, it contains the name, birth date and social security numbers of Americans? This is information, that in the wrong hands, could be used to ruin someone’s life. How can we be sure in countries with unstable governments, with such widespread hatred for America, with the arrogance to burn the American Flag on national TV, that this information will be guarded with care? The sad part is, after the Pakistani’s anti-American demonstration, chances are they all went back to work---doing jobs taken from Americans.
How dare you say we don’t want our jobs. What is your solution? Wait for these “green jobs” to be created some day? Go to school while we are waiting and then hope that we will be hired when we are in our golden years?
How dare you belittle what we all have worked so hard to achieve in our lives. Not all offshored jobs are call center jobs. Many of those jobs are now degreed and highly skilled jobs also.
And—your comment about our children becoming engineers was laughable. With all due respect—get with it sir—those jobs are also being offshored. Also, what are we, the displaced workers, many of us middle age, supposed to do in the meantime before we get trained to build solar panels, wind turbines and create biofuels. How should be pay for our food and our rents and mortgages?
No, Mr. President, you are so very incorrect. We DO want those jobs. They feed us, clothe us, and keep us off the street. Not to mention they help us strengthen the tax base in our own country--America.
Yes, We WANT our jobs, Mr. President.
You owe all the displaced American workers an apology.
You Are Wrong.
Why on earth would doctors -
Posted By: Dumbfounded
WANT to keep dictating in a lousy, ridiculous manner? Apparently many do, because they continue to do so when QA has to keep leaving blanks or asking for guidance.
I simply cannot understand this. I have one who will literally leave small phrases right out. What does he expect us to do with that?!!? 
Bless my doggie, Lady, who passed away tonight. -
Posted By: Sheri
Lady, I'll love you forever. Mama
If you are complaining of low pay, why?? -
Posted By: Pattie
do you stay in this business?? I have just read loads of posts below and I lady talking about just paying the bills and housing and to me that is sad because sounds like basically just surviving. Tell me, if so many are fed up with the low pay (and I would like to make more myself) but what are the reasons you continue to work at MTing? I would probably be truthful in saying most of your fast food places and maybe some of your box stores now pay what a Transcriptionist makes. Why complain if you continue to work for these wages- I really would like to know.
Own accounts -
Posted By: Patti
Have had several contacts to me regarding own accounts. I don't mind sharing general information, etc.but please do not ask me for samples of my brochures, flyers, business cards, etc. and ask for a step by step procedure to go through for obtaining your own accounts. I am not a consultant you pay for those fees. If you have been in the business even working for someone else for many years, then you should have a basic idea what is needed with regards to equipment, etc. No one can know you have a service unless you go out and advertise it. Get your name out there and let them know you are available. I am not being mean but I had to do a lot of learning along the as well as time spent in research and development and if you want to do this there is no easy way. Guess I could write a book and sell it. As for rates, if you are working for a small MTSO in your area add on 25 to 35% of what your rate is currently. To me, I would rather start out low and raise in a year or so to get the account, the experience of doing my own clients, etc. Patti
How do you pronounce the acronym HIPPA?-nm -
Posted By: MTG
.
foot pedal -
Posted By: Karen
I have a problem and need to see if it has ever happened to anyone else. My dog chewed off the cord to my foot pedal (long story). Computer said there was a power surge when it happened. Now I cannot get any foot pedal to work on computer. It will connect for a second and then disconnect, I keep hearing the windows ta dunk sound I call it. The local computer people sounded like they thought I was crazy when I called them. If anyone has any suggestions I sure need them. I am trying to do my files by the hand control and it is driving me crazy.
Using Word instead of WP -
Posted By: diane
I am looking for feedback about how hard it is to switch to using Word after using WP. I have lots of experience with WP and using my PRD expander. Don't think PRD works with Word.
I'd appreciate any comments, observations, recommendations - also what are good, inexpensive (?) Expanders to use with Word? I'm feeling clueless here. Thanks. 
Question for small MTSOs - sm -
Posted By: Dizzi
For those small MTSOs, do you use Q&A/editors or do you do that part of it yourself? I have been doing the Q&A for my service just myself, but so much for one person to check, that I am considering bringing on a Q&A/editor. Would like some feedback from any small MTSOs that have people on Q&A, pros, cons, etc. Thanks in advance.
see link -
Posted By: Lori
See link
Just curious...for those of you who use a Goldtouch -
Posted By: keyboard. Question
I am considering purchasing a Goldtouch keyboard. I have had a total of 4 wrist surgeries in the past and did some reading about this keyboard and would like to give it a try.
I am just curious, for those of you who use one, how long does it take to get used to using it?
Any info you could give would be very helpful!
TIA
For financially related Christmas issues, please see -
Posted By: Mrs. Santa Claus
gab board. I know some have posted about this and not being able to get presents for their children.
This is only a test of the URL link spot. -
Posted By: test
Need Help!! programming DVI for Dictaphone System -
Posted By: Andrea
Can anyone tell me how to program a DVI transcriber for Dictaphone System. The documentation I have for my DVI says it is compatible with Dictaphone but when I try signing onto a Dictaphone system, nothing works - keys or foot pedal. Any suggestions?
Pilates - sm -
Posted By: sammypot
Just bought an Areo Stamina Pilates Performer at a Play It Again Store, but it did not come with instructions. Has anyone used this type of equipiment and can you share your experience/exercies with me.
Thank you
Anyone else read the article -
Posted By: anon
about India having a shortage of skilled workers and how they are worrying about having to pay them higher wages due to the shortage? Anyone else also find that they had a big old smile on their face after reading the article?
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