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 I was offered a home-based MT job as a direct employee of the hospital with an extremely good per-line-rate.   But yes, apparently it was too good to be true!  Apparently on further consideration, the administrator now says it is too costly (technically) for home set-up; mentioned something about the Lanier DVI desktop and how costly etc. etc.  and some other MT has the license (?what's that about?); also mentioned "Cquence" transcription software program.   They presently already have 5 other off-site MTs.   Anybody out there with opinions and/or constructive advice...please.     Thanks in advance. 

I type ortho all day. So for some reason, just for fun???? I decided to give myself a Phalen's test.  (If you aren't familiar, Google it and you will find tons of info, picutres and instructions) Yow, I did not feel it at first but now I am all tingly in the palm and ulnar nerve distribution in my hand.  Probably not a good thing to do when you still have to type another hour. 

Don't try this at home....or at least when you want good use of your hands. Guess I need to review my ergonomic, or not so ergonomic, positioning of my equipment. 

Everyone is playing the blame game.  It doesn't matter who did what or did not do now.  What matters now is to go on with life and reach in our hearts (Although some of you do not seem to have one) and give to the less fortunate.  This disaster will not only effect those in the coastal areas.  This will effect the whole United States and the world in some form or another.  Louisiana had a population estimated at 4 million.  More than a 1/4 of that population is without homes.  Can you imagine the indignity they indure living in shelters?  As a Louisiana resident, I would like to point out that the victims in the media are not the only victims.  They are the poorest of poor.  They do have many families and individuals that are displaced, living with relative, hotel rooms, no jobs.  Other states have taken in many of the victims but there are small rural communities and cities all over Louisiana itself that have taken in these people.  In the small high school in my community, enrollment went up by 200 students almost doubling the student body.  The small Catholic school my son attends took in over 40 students. Grocery stores running out of food because the extra people and trucks being delayed.  The list of changes and difficulties go on. 

Like 9/11, this disaster will forever change America.  Not all of the changes will be bad although it seems that way now.  This is the time people should stick together and focus on the good things that are happening, not the few people that take advantage of the situation or the people who have no souls and think of themselves.  Take an active roll in helping these people, you are not only helping them, you are also helping yourself and the whole country.  I have visited the shelters and I have close friends who have actually gone to help with the rescue.  Again, this did not just happen to the gulf coast. 

I will continue to say an extra prayer for all victims, and especially those of you who seem not to have a heart or soul where others are concerned.

I just had to share this as I had been having trouble and have seen posts here before about somehow improving voice file quality.  I just received a device that claims up to 75% improvement in clarity, and it definitely works!!!!!  I mean, I cannot attest to 75% improvement, but definitely much, much clearer.  I have been recently trying to improve my productivity through various technological means, and the fact that I can now hear the files is going to be the biggest productivity booster for me . . . why, I can almost play it without stopping the file at all now!!!

The device is called an EQ50.  It works with your headphones, and thus requires no software for installation.  Just connect it to your computer or transcriber in the same way you would plug in your headphones, and then connect the headphones.   

Hi,

Need to get my own account/s instead of relying solely on the national (guess who).  Getting a client in my area is probably the easy part.  The hard part is the logistics of software, paper, etc.  Not having dealt with this stuff working with a national, it is the *simple* things that are a mystery to me (and others, I suppose).  I hate to even inquire about transcribing for someone, not knowing what equipment I will need, what software, kinds of paper.  I am sure I would come across as an idiot (like right now, maybe?) 

OKay, well, I looked online at Dictaphone and it looks like there are mini, micro, and standard cassette units (not to mention digital online programs), so I guess you WOULD have to find out which the client prefers before investing in one, and I know you can get them on EBay, but what else? Does the software come with the transcriber? I don't suppose you can type them out in Word?  I suppose one can buy a medical spellchecker.  Then you need paper if you are going to print them out...what kind?  Anything else? There are so many variables.  I suppose I should first contact the two MTSOs that I know locally and ask for overflow work.  That way, they could help me learn about this stuff. 

No slamming, please. Very sensitive tonight as I just received a call from my Supervisor, very nicely hinting that I need to bring my line count up but, as we talked and now, hours later, I have *no jobs* on my screen.  Pretty hard to get that line count up with no jobs!

Thanks for any tutoring and/or advice. 

Stuck in a rut!!!

Lost my 2-year word-expansion dictionary and am changing jobs.   I noticed after my dictionary crashed and starting from scratch I was coming up with new abbreviations since I was in the mode of adding them back in.   Think we can get stuck in a rut and not challenge ourselves sometimes.   I have used Smartype in the past and loved it, but I am curious about Instant Text.   Anyone ever try both??????

Any information on Meditech-ChartNet would be extremely helpful.

TIA.

He's a good kitty.  He's a big kitty.  Actually, he's a 27-pound kitty and he's not but about 2 pounds overweight!  BIGGGG KITTY!

He's always been great about his litter box.  Lately, however, he seems to be missing it (it has a lid or housing on it).  So, I've been watching.  Doggone it!  He is leaving his whole back 2 legs OUT!!!  He crawls in head first, and then DOES HIS BUSINESS RIGHT THERE ON THE MAT!!! 

He crawls out after scratching around a bit in the litter and then sniffs on his business on the matt and scratches the mat and the floor!!!

WHAT?!?!   HOW do I get this cat to get his butt into the litter box?  Same litter box - no problems before.  Just suddenly seems to like leaving his behind out!!!

I'm exhausted!         

to BioLife, owned by Baxter. They pay about $50 a week for this (put on debit card). Does anyone else do this, and what other things like this is anyone aware of? It's not as gross as it sounds, just like giving blood, and they separate your plasma from the blood and give you your blood back.

I am considering working as an IC employee.  I have always been a full-time employee.  I would like information on what it involves.  Thanks so much.

KG 

How do I keep Arial type in MS Word?  Every time I start a new document, it flips over to Roman again.........sigh........making me crazy.  Thanks for any help!

I noticed an ad for an MTSO above the messages on this site for a company that offers to do MT for clients for 9 cpl?   I make that as an employee, and can barely survive on it.  I wonder what it's employees have to work for?   Oh, let me guess -- 2 cpl perhaps?  It says it's a "US-based company", but I'll bet all it's employees are slumdogs that are anything BUT millionaires.

i thought i remembered seeing on these boards that to hook up a peripheral keyboard to a laptop, you have to disable the laptop one? i cannot find info when i try to search...if so, how do you do it?  

many thanks.

Can anyone estimate a percentage of letters/words straight typed versus expander?  I am quite sure no one type 100% expansions, but I am hoping some of you can give a good estimate.

I make lots of them but am wondering what your ratios are.

Thanks for your feedback! 

This doctor is particularly annoying in that while she is looking for information, she repeats the last word she just said.  Add to that her nasally voice and I am ready to rip my hair out!

Lab reports revealed that...that...that...that...that...

The patient....patient.....patient.....patient.....patient also had....had....had...had

period....period....period.....period.

Stop the madness!!!    (Okay, I'm done. Back to work.)

I'm hoping someone will be able to advise me about some good questions to ask of the HR person of a hospital in my hometown; it's really hard for me to be objective about this decision because I want so much to leave the city where I'm living right now.  I go back and forth trying to decide if I should even try this. First of all, this job was advertised as "per diem" -- forgive my ignorance, but would that be the same as a contract position?  I had trouble once before making a living doing at-home MTing as an IC and paying my own health and life insurance, as I'm 100% supporting myself.  It was certainly a shock after employee status--but I was so burned out at that inhouse job--transcription force cut in half, pay reduced, phasing out dictation in favor of computer templates! I took a chance even though I had an unrealistic belief in my own abilities, I'm afraid, and tried IC for a national company.  I'm not working at all right now and am currently living on my savings. 

I feel like something, anything would be better than nothing.  Some foot/ankle problems also, related to standing at the last clerical job I tried, so a lot of even part-time jobs are out of the question at the present.

I do have some family at home and this hospital has a very good reputation as a good place to work, good (happy) employees...but, of course, don't want to move and still risk getting in an impossible position again!  Please let me know of some good questions to ask during the "assessment" and interview Friday AM (tomorrow)!  Sorry; realize this is rambling--many thanks--

I may sound dumb, but what is a SOAP note??