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Recently Viewed Messages: (An archive of over 1 million messages related to medical transcription industry)
Glen Beck right now: How not to hire Americans video!!! - Posted By: He's got it and airing it now!!

NM

line rate - Posted By: michelle

Hello.  I am applying for an MT job and I have 21 yrs of expereince.  They want to pay me 8 cents/line.  Is that the going rate?  It seems it should be more since I started 21 years ago getting 7 cents/line.

PLEASE HELP!! Just accidentally deleted 1 hour file in Word...sm - Posted By: dummy!

It wasn't one I was currently working on.  Is there a way to recover it??

Line Counting Software - Posted By: bpark

I would like info on line counting software so I can see if they are calculated correctly.  



Big Brother fans. Looks like Jennifer double crossed Kaysar. Sorry but Kaysar is dumb as a rock - Posted By: giving up HOH.

Maybe he should be voted out AGAIN!  Stupid is as stupid does.   Bye-bye Kaysar. 

anyone want a free Tb racehorse - Posted By: to retrain? sm

They would be suitable prospects for riding and ? even eventing.  My daughter in KY knows of 3 horses that the owner will give away to a good home, 4 yo gelding, 4 yo filly and 8 yo gelding.  E/m me for more information. Thanks! 

The birds have been swarming like crazy around here today....sm - Posted By: Georgia gal

it's obvious the atmosphere is changing between the cold front heading this way and Wilma working her way to Florida.    The last time I saw the birds swarming like this was right before Katrina hit. 

Typing a letter on EMDAT - Posted By: mt12

I am typing a letter on EMDAT that needs to be addressed to two doctors.  How do I make sure the second doctor listed in the cc box gets the dictation in the form of a letter and not just a cc?  Thanks in advance.



anybody have any good PT sites/books?? - Posted By: JanieB

I do a lot of PT reports and some of the exercises dictated are not very clear and spelling is unknown, and having a tough time finding reference material on the web.  I have the Dorland's Orthopedics book and that helps sometimes, but wondered if there were other things out there that other people use?? 

Equipment - Posted By: Sherri

What companies provide equipment?

Brash friend - Posted By: Mom-CMT

I wonder if I am just being moody or if I just get my feelings hurt too easily.  Today, I ran into a friend of mine while picking up my child from kindergarden.  I know she works and is rushed, but, in my opinion, she was quite rude.  I said hello to her and she very rudely said, "I can't talk, I'm in a hurry."  I wasn't expecting an hour long conversation but a pleasant exchange would have been nice!  She does this a lot - she is sooo moody.  Also, sometimes she calls me when I am in the middle of typing a job, and I very politely tell her that I will call her back.  She always gets her feelings hurt.  She is not from this country (Germany).  I can't seem to get used to her ways. 



Does anyone know of a place for online education or materials I can use at home for my second grader - Posted By: for summer school education?

My second grader is really struggling through the end of school. I want to work with her over the summer so she is prepared for third grade. Our school district will only provide summer tutoring if the child has actually flunked. I am trying to prevent her from flunking. She is a B-C student and I want to help her maintain or acheive better than that. Her older sister is a straight A student, but I know every child is different. I am not trying to make her a straight A student, I just want her to get as much out of her lessons as possible. Does anyone know of a virtual learning site that will provide me with the correct materials to teach her over the summer? We live in a small town in the country in Ohio and we have no tutoring available unless i driver her about 50 miles one way! Thanks for any help!

Web Sites! Lots! - Posted By: toomuchfun




http://www.dressings.org/dressings-datacards-by-alpha.html


New/unusual terms




 has been useful in finding OB phrases I’m not familiar with on my new job.


http://Rxlist.com


  for drugs


http://www.mt911.com






for drugs


http://www.docboard.org/


  chemotherapy drugs


Medical tests, signs, and maneuvers:



http://www.oncologychannel.com/prostatecancer/stagingsystems.html


The “everything” site:


   That goes for drugs or anything.  Customize to start looking in medical books firs and not in general dictionaries.


http://www.TheAGAPECenter.com    


http://www.upinregistry.com (very comprehensive listing of doctors in all states with ability to put in specialty if it is known to narrow the search


http://www.mercksource.com/pp/us/cns/cns_home.jsp


now available on line.drugs, etc)


http://www.labtestsonline.org/


diseases and syndromes, etc)


http://www.thebody.com/content/art40488.html



 


  Online Medical Dictionary,



Wikipedia has images and diagrams from Gray’s Anatomy and links to related body parts.


Chemo acronyms – this same website has chemo drugs



http://www.cancer.gov/Templates/db_alpha.aspx?CdrID=46138


types of lymphoma






  


Site for names of bacteria


http://www.bacterio.cict.fr/


Drug list


http://www.list.com/cgi/rxlist.cgi


Acronym finder


http://www.acronymfinder.com


Spellings for drugs


http://www.healthsquare.com/drugmaian.htm


(scroll down to Medline search)


http://www.medworld.stanford.edu/medworld/reasearchcorner.html


Books list – any book an MT could ever need:


http://www.cyberstreet.com/users/connie/mtbooks.htm




Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary ONLINE:



www.yourdictionary.com/diction5.html#medicine


Online Medical
Glossaries


http://www.1000dictionaries.com/medical_dictionaries_2.html#medicine


Over the counter drug list:


http://my.webmd.com/medcast_toc/pdr_drug_and_herb


List of FDA drug approvals:


http://www.fda.gov/cder/approval/index.htm


http://www.Hypersoft.net


   -- links that might be helpful


http://home.adelphia.net/ ktm58/links.html


Wound V.A.C.


http://www.kci1.com/35.asp


Sleep Studies


http://www.sleepnet.com/definition.html


To find doctors by state


http://www.upin.ecare.com/


Good fibro website


http://www.emedicine.com/pmr/topic47.htm



Sites to find docs


http://www.mt911.com/site/search/search_form.asp?sid=12


OP note samples


http://www.mt911.com  on it and has a lot of different samples. Also a good reference book is The Surgical Word Book by Saunders.




http://www.myspecialdiet.com/Shop/Detail.aspx?p=101



Dressings



http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/pdfs/PatientEd/Materials/PDFDocs/dis-cond/burn/glucan-ii.pdf



Dermatology



http://dermatlas.med.jhmi.edu/derm/cd_lists.cfm



http://www.montanaspinecenter.com/patient_education?disp_type=topic_detail&area=45&topic_id=7330825af5d6579f10bdc867957abda0



Antibiotics site


http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/bugdrug/antibiotic_manual/antibiotic%20costs.htm


Found this site with injectables etc.


http://files.medi-cal.ca.gov/pubsdoco/publications/masters-MTP/Part2/injectlist_m00o03o04o11.doc.


Surgical Instruments


http://www.ssrsurgical.com/index.html






coag = coagulate
coags = coagulates (add s)
coagd = coagulated (add d)
coagg = coagulating (add g)
coagy = coagulopathy (add y)
coagj = coagulation (add j)
(use J for tion)

apx = approximate
apxd = approximated
apxg = approximating
apxs = approximates
apxj = approximation
apxy = approximately

The possibilities are endless.

Also, enter words you frequently misspell:

berast = breast
teh = the

add mixed case words:
tricor = TriCor

add dosages:
q3hprn = q.3 h. p.r.n.



http://www.mt-stuff.com/freebies.html (MT-Stuff is an MTStars sponsor)


This website is a good one for us newbies. I found it during school this year. I also use the express scribe for practice files. The freebie page lists several free downloads.


 









[ "Education is when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if you don't." 




To daycare or not to daycare?! - Posted By: Alyssa

I am a home-based Transcriptionist who worked VERY part time (2 hours a day or less) until my daughter was a little over 1 year old, and then my husband got promoted, I went back to school and quit my job.  Now my degree is almost finished, and I am getting ready to start back at home again on a full-time basis with my old company.  I cringe at the thought of sending my daughter to daycare, especially while I sit at home all day typing, but I am not sure I can get enough production done with a 19-month-old around all hours of the day.  Does anyone have any experience with YOUNG children at home and working full time?  I'm not going to push myself to produce the huge numbers I know I otherwise could, but I would just like to still be in the mix and have full-time status AND be with my daughter...I guess I want it all!



Breast cancer - Posted By: MT in new field

Does any one on this board know where I might find a sample report with regards to breast cancer?  Any tips greatly appreciated.  I want to be sure to get all of the stages ect. right on and though I have MT experience this is my first shot in the area of breast cancer clinics.

An MTSO's perspective. - Posted By: dizzi

I read these posts and see the complaints about lack of work and how nationals/MTSOs are so unfair etc., etc. I am a small MTSO and have 7 transcriptionists working for me. I am very flexible and easy to work for, but I have a time service committment to the clients for 24 to 48 hours and my goal is to have the work turned around within that period. Now I don't charge my clients a lot, and I pay up to 10 cents per line. I do expect a high quality of work (which I don't always get). I have a lot of work, but I feel that 7 transcriptionists should be able to keep up no problem. My problem is that by the time Thursday and Friday come around, no one is on production and the work falls behind. I have sent out emails and asked everyone to please put in the required production time so we can keep up but I swear, I'm getting nowhere. Every week by Thursday we are falling behind and out of the 7 transcriptionists maybe 1 or 2 is on production and the rest slack off. Now, I have kids and I understand that we all have lives outside of work, but I keep the clients in order to have work for these girls and along with that come a lot of headaches for me, which I am willing to deal with as long as they help me keep up with the turnaround time. My problem is that I'm not getting the production I need from them and unable to keep up the time service. So, do I give up the clients and just keep enough for myself or become a very mean MTSO and demand required minimal lines each day? I give up!!!!

The point being that as MTSOs, we have the pressure of maintaining the turnaround time for the clients, otherwise they go elsewhere...we need the transcriptionists to honor their production committments daily (barring any unforseen problems, of course). I understand that being an IC gives you the luxury of working the hours you want, but if the MTSO cannot count on the production committments from the ICs on a daily basis, then we cannot keep the clients/work for the ICs to have work......it's a vicious cycle.

Where, oh where does an MTSO find reliable, quality people who are willing to work every day and honor their production committments.......[sigh].....



.zix files???????? - Posted By: MIchelle

How do I open a .zix file?  I'm so confused right now

To: MTME Re: Best online companies - Posted By: tekgirl1

I have thought about that.  Right now I have cut my hours to 32/week through FLMA because my husband had a car accident and is in rehab, so that wouldn't be an option for me right now.  Thanks.

Little red note book? sm - Posted By: Kimberly

Anybody heard of this?  My SIL was offered this program with her Career Step course.  She was told that a lot of MTs use this to store important information for future reference.  I have been doing in this business for 13 years and have not heard of this program.  I told her that I felt if she had adequate reference material, as well as knowledge of several reference web sites, I thought she would be fine.  I told her I would ask around though. 


So, has anybody used this and if so, was it worthwhile and useful?  Thanks!!!


K


 


 



When typing, do you rest your --sm - Posted By: Dee

wrists on the keyboard tray or hold them up in the air?  Am having arm pain and have tried both ways but do not notice any difference.

good companies to work for - Posted By: Jen

Hi,


I am a recent M-TEC grad who is beginning the job search. Does anyone have any companies that they really like working for or have heard good things about? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


Jen



How about a doctor who is part pig? - Posted By: ME

This man snorts every other breath and makes the most horrible noises.  I swear he is part pig.

What's typical for your email addr. w/nationals? sm - Posted By: NMT

Help! need info. Would like responses from multiple people please.


Just started a new job last week. Everyone I get mail from, supervisors, tech, mgmt, etc. have a  So&so@OurCompany.com type email. (I'm not saying what company), but they are having me use my personal email.


Can't help wondering if I have been singled out for some reason. I feel totally excluded.


Also, even email that is obviously addressed to a large group has only my name/email in the To: box. This seems very strange. Why would it be top secret what group/s it is to, i.e., "All MT's, Hospital XYZ group, etc.


It seems as if I'm only getting email as a blind copy from everyone. How can I figure out whether all the other MTs have So&so@OurCompany.com addresses assigned & some higher up just hates me for some reason, or whether all MTs do not get a company-assigned email address? 



Best price for Instant Text...$189... - Posted By: can you beat it?? nm

x

HELP! Anyone know how to convert AutoCorrect to Shorthand? sm - Posted By: MEMt

I purchased ShortHand and tried converting my AutoCorrect to it.  It saves as a dictionary but is not expanding.  Anyone know what I can do?

EI exam? - Posted By: Liz

I am hearing "EI" exam showed a tender liver? Heavy accent. Not sure what he is saying that sounds like EI

Benefit question - Posted By: Siren

I have worked only in-house for years and am now beginning an at-home position.  For those who work for nationals who have benefits how do you work under the stress of having to keep your line counts at a certain amount or have your insurance dropped?  What if you do not make your required line count? 

Anyone else have trouble with - Posted By: insomnia? - sm

I recently started working from home as an IC.  This is my first job as an MT.  I am really enjoying it thus far, but I am having the hardest time getting to sleep at night.  For the past two nights I have been awake until 4 a.m.  Can't seem to turn off my brain.  Since it was the weekend it wasn't that big of a deal, but tomorrow is Monday, and I have to get up early to get my son to school, and get to work.  I was just curious if anyone else ever seems to have this problem, and if so, any suggestions on how to shut off my brain?  I'm exhausted and I know my work quality will suffer if I don't get some quality sleep.


 


 



Does anyone know how to go about applying for a government job? - Posted By: i.e., the post office nm

nm

Lanier help - Posted By: Lvgonadream

I need the command prompts to use to access a Lanier system with non-Lanier equipment. 


I access 2 other Lanier systems with the same equipment with NO problem at all.  But this one is recognizing me as a "dictator" and not a "transcriber".


The prompts I do have, don't work.  They are "call in, wait for beep, enter #6"  I should hear "welcome" then enter my ID and should be good to go. 


I've spent almost 3 hours searching for the solution on the internet and I need help fast.  There are a ton of jobs waiting for me on this new system - so I'm losing $$$


thanks in advance for any help or suggestions,


 



typing test preparation question - Posted By: sandy

Will be applying at a local university hospital for a transcription job. Applied there last year, did not pass the typing test. Am determined to pass it this year - (requesting an ergonomic keyboard which I am used to, instead of testing on what they gave me). Question: They say one must pass a 10 minute typing test accurately transcribing 1437 characters. As I recall the transcription itself was not difficult, it was just using their keyboard that slowed me down. So besides requesting another one, how can I best practice for this? How can I determine how to judge that amount of characters for practice? Thanks for any advice. I am an experienced Transcriptionist with 5+ years.

Query: How many have reference books and how many? - Posted By: MSMT

Wondering if I should expand my library.

Express Scribe: Is there a way to change the play speed without using the mouse? - Posted By: JMc in WA

I can't imagine that there isn't a keyboard shortcut to slow down/speed up.  I see Play Real Speed, Play Slow Speed & Play Fast Speed, but what if I want to speed it up to somewhere in between Real and Fast?   TIA!

Maybe I'm not suppose to ask this, but.... - Posted By: Penny

Would anyone be willing to give me the ballpark range for what contractors charge their clients in Florida.....like 13-15 cpl.  Also anyone from California with the same information?


I am just starting out and I don't want to low-ball anyone!  Thanks!



verizon FIOS likes/dislikes please. n/m - Posted By: anna

nm

Need an IC Contract - Posted By: Terry

Hi. Anyone know a good contract form to use for Indepedent contractor status using line count or hourly?


 


Thanks,


 


Terry



Sending a report--HIPAA compliant - Posted By: Kris

I am searching for possibilities to streamline getting reports back to my client.  Is there a HIPAA-compliant way to send medical reports securely via email so that they could be printed on site?


 



Probs with Editscript - Posted By: me

One of the companies I work for have recently switched over to Editscript.  I have been moving and have finally settled down and for the first time this week attempted to type.  The company says that you have to buy a special footpedal that goes with the software.  Instead you have to use hotkeys.  I could not even make my way through one dictation without giving up.  It is so hard not being able to use my footpedal.  Has anyone else had this kind of problem?



To RockinMT...am curious..what version of ExSpeech are you working on? - Posted By: Anon

I think they are up to 7.5 now.  Just wondering if you are working on an older version.  According to Nuance, the new version is supposed to be better.  I have not tried it myself but am about to and need input on it.  Thanks!

using autocorrect - Posted By: Eileen

 found a new way to use autocorrect by turning Inscribe on first and minimizing the screen.  Then typing the file in Microsoft Word and then cutting and pasting it into Inscribe.

how many lph on ave is everyone doing in acute care? sm - Posted By: roadrunner

i know there are lots of variables. i am just looking for a general idea of about where most people average, lph. TYIA

Dell offering support based in N. America - Posted By: for a price

By Peter Whoriskey


Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 11, 2008; Page D01


If you prefer a customer service agent who speaks "American," then computer maker Dell has a deal for you.


Catering to consumers put off by the accents of Bangalore, Manila and other call-center hubs around the globe, Dell will guarantee -- for a price -- that the person who picks up the phone on a support call will be, as company ads mention in bold text, "based in North America."


The Your Tech Team service, with agents in the United States, costs $12.95 a month for customers with a Dell account, or $99 a year for people who buy a new computer. It also promises that wait times will average two minutes or less. Without the upgrade, a customer is likely to get technical help from someone in India, the Philippines or the other places where Dell has operators.


By charging customers extra for a North American voice, Dell's program represents a novel strategy for easing the strains of globalization while maintaining profit, industry officials said.


Occasionally, "we've heard from customers that it's hard to understand a particular accent and that they couldn't understand the instructions they were getting," said Dell spokesman Bob Kaufman. "This illustrates Dell's commitment to customer choice."


for complete article:


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/10/AR2008121003574.html?hpid%3Dtopnews&sub=AR



Hi Everyone! - Posted By: Michael M.

I am new to the boards! I just started MTing and these boards are hilarious. It gets lonely when you work from home, so it is a nice place to go! 



 



Good Doctor Finder? - Posted By: Glenna

Anyone know of a good doctor lookup without the thing where you have to type in one of those codes before viewing.


I can't seem to find a good, fast doc search site.


Thanks! 



So what is it?? - Posted By: Sunshine05

I am considering getting into MT.  I have decided to train with the Andrews School if I end up going into this profession.  However, now that I have read this message board, I am having serious doubts.  I've read the various reasons why MT sometimes drives you guys crazy, and I can certainly respect that, because every single job in the world has SOME things that are undesirable.  But after reading this message board, "undesirable" doesn't seem to do justice to the way MANY of you are describing this profession.   I have a lot of positive images of how life will be after I graduate from Andrews (assuming I get accepted), but now I am starting to think that this career is akin to torture.  Is it tortuous to sit--presumably with a good posture--all day, every day, for hours upon hours, in the same spot, typing and typing and typing and typing?  Is it tolerable?  I hope so, because I've done a good bit of research on this profession and I am convinced that the Andrews School would be a quality education and that MT is a great field.  Can some of  you give me some direction here?  It's probably not even clear what I'm asking, but if anyone can make any sense of this, I would appreciate the help.  Thanks!



DQS...wiped out much of my expander..anybody else? - Posted By: boop

this really pisses me off.

Thanksgiving - Posted By: trish

I am a newbie at this and so far no one has said anything about working Thanksgiving.  Do most companies just expect you to work if you are an IC.  I work for a small company in Florida and have not  received any e-mail or anything about what I do tomorrow - should I e-mail them or just assume I do not have to work.  Thank you.

Tension headaches - Posted By: sm

Do any of you get daily tension headaches from wearing the headset?  It is a daily problem for me and makes me have to stop to wait for the headache to go away.  Any suggestions on what I could do to stop these headaches?

Ugh! Correction Reports! - Posted By: Chavera

Does your heart ever sink into your stomach when you look at your correction reports? I really don't make many mistakes, but just made 5 out of 31 reports on a particular account that I really want so badly to do perfectly! And 4 of them were doggone header things (how did I miss them?) GACK!!! I feel so dumb!!

Check out website - Posted By: sm

www.letssaythanks.com