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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

90 characters per line

Posted By: Janice on 2006-06-19
In Reply to:

I just started working for a new company and was told I would be paid for 65 characters per line, including spaces, at 9 1/2 cents per line.  I noticed when I was transcribing that there were really 90 characters per line with spaces.  Has anyone ran into this problem at their jobs?  I'm not sure what to make of it. 


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A gross line is anything on a line is a line. A line set at 65 characters means it sm
has 1-inch margins on each side. The maximum number of characters on that line would be 65 and that includes spaces. If there is 1 character on that line it is a line.

A standard 65-character line usually consists of 65 characters with spaces unless, of course, the employer does not pay for spaces and then it would be 65-characters without spaces.
A gross line is any line with typewritten characters on it - no matter how long or SM
how short.  So your gross lines may be longer than 65 characters, but you get credit even for a line as short as "Sincerely,".  If your gross lines are not being counted that way, then you are not being counted on gross lines and are probably getting screwed.  I'd look into that if I were you.
A gross line is any amount of characters on a line

for instance...


MEDICATIONS:


Effexor


Prevasid


 


A 65 character line without spaces is black marks on the page only and 65 w/spaces is everything... tabs, spaces, numbers, letters, bold, etc.


 


 


how many characters per line?
http://www.medicalese.org/line_count.html
90 characters per line SM

It's a long line.  However, when you are finished transcribing the 90 character lines you take a character count and divide by 65 and that's your line count.  It doesn't matter if there are 120 characters on a line, as long as you divide the character count by 65 and multiply by 9.5 cpl, that's how much you get paid. 


Clear as mud? 


Characters per line - sm
With all the discussion going on about CPL, I wonder what character count ICs use, that is if you have a choice.
Without spaces, what line is that on? 65 characters?
t
Pay by line versus pay by characters; what is
nm
Depends. How many characters per line?
nm
Do both count the same # of characters per line?
If they're different (65 characters per line, 55 characters, etc.), then you need to let us know what they are before anyone can give an objective answer.
A 65 character line is 65 characters
on a line. If have 650 characters in a document, that is equal to 10 lines, then multiply that by whatever your cpl rate ie. If 0.10 cpl then that would be 650 x 0.10 which would equal $0.65, if 6500 characters, then that would be 650 lines x 0.10 which would equal $6.50. This is if it is a 65 character line including spaces.
A 65 character line is 65 characters
on a line. If have 650 characters in a document, that is equal to 10 lines (650 divided by 65), then multiply that by whatever your cpl rate ie. If 0.10 cpl then that would be 650 x 0.10 which would equal $0.65, if 6500 characters, then that would be 650 lines x 0.10 which would equal $6.50.
Think about .07 a line ---IF a word is considered 5 characters - sm
So that would be 5000 characters/65 (if a 65-char. line), gets you ~77 lines. Divide 5.5/77 and get .07. Now are spaces included? If so how is that factored in? Presuming from the offer that spaces are not included, .07 is fine if just starting and probably the average if less than 2 years experience.
65 characters constitues a line, no matter where
they are arranged on the page. You'd count all the characters (and spaces, if they are included in the count) in the document and divide by 65...that's the number of lines.

Hope that helps!
Yes, you are paid for every line whether it has 1 word or 65 characters
I would think so anyway if it is straight gross, paying. Remember you physical sometims have short lines, family history, etc.
Line padding is also adding little blank characters

like spaces throughout the report to get paid more.  I saw reports at MQ and Sp that had lines of spaces shown on reveal codes between paragraphs where someone either didn't know how to work their expander, was cutting and pasting, or was deliberately padding their lines.


As for typing out abbreviations, I work on an account that doesn't use abbreviations at all.  I use otcx for over-the-counter, etc.


Both 65 characters per line -- one counts spaces, one doesn't NM
X
When is a word only 5 characters. I thought 7-10 was an average and 10 words a line? nm
s
9 cpl, 65 characters per line, spaces, headers, footers included. employee status. nm
 
usually one "word" equals 5 characters, so it's still being paid by characters. nm
d
My line including spaces is 65 characters. I've heard that not counting spaces
takes away over 35% of your line count. I believe it too because you have at least 15 or so spaces on each line that you type. Use your first sentence up top as an example; you had 77 char and 21 spaces - in that line that would be a little less than 30% of your characters that you didn't get paid for. I don't think it's worth it and wouldn't want to work without getting credit for my spaces.
A gross line IS a gross line regardless if it's 90 characters long or 1 character long... SM

I'm very sorry that your lines are 90 characters line and you get paid by gross lines.  You are cheating yourself - that's not my fault.  You cannot change the definition of a gross line.  So I gues I'm not understanding what you are trying to say.  Now if you are trying to say that your line equals 90 characters and that's how you figure your lines, than you are not using gross lines.  You have defined a line to be 90 characters, whereas most MTSOs define a line as 65 characters.  If that is the case, then I must say again, you are cheating yourself.


So which is it, do you get paid by gross lines or by a 90 character line?


13 cpl 65 characters. nm
x
more characters
well, if there's not enough lines available, there's just not. However, most employers don't mind if you add "articles" such as "and" and "the" when the doctor may not exactly say it or you can make complete sentances out of incomplete ones. as long as your employer or doctor's preference is not verbatim, that's fine and most of them prefer it actually. you'll eventually "train" yourself to do it automoatically. most employers don't mind you adding a few "the patient" in there either as long as it's not excessive.  word Expanders are good too. i use shortkeys. also, if not already in place, maybe 4 characters for the year (on the date) would add some. may sound like little things, but it adds up! good luck!
Also get 2 more characters if use okay.
x
characters (with spaces) / 65
xx
Is 11 cpl 65 characters good pay for
for an IC doing discharges with alot of difficult to understand ESLs.   Just started with a company that I thought I was going to be doing mostly Ops, but that has not been the case.   Do you ever get to learn and perfect the ESLs.  I hate leaving so many blanks.  Any suggestions?
Usually 2 cents more, so same as 11 cpl 65 characters. nm
x
Number of characters used

Wondering how many accounts are charged/or pay a per line rate based on a character count and if 65 is always the # of characters per line used or can that vary?


 


Thank you.


It said my speed was at 600 characters. (sm)
Make sure you reset it and then take the speed test.

It thought it was kind of neat how it showed how much it is typing for you and how much time you save.

Totally cool little feature on there!
You can count your lines and characters yourself sm
even if you have no counting program. You can copy and paste into a word document or clipboard and count the characters in Word. At least you will have some idea of what you are being paid for. I have done this many times and if it doesn't add up to what the company's count has, I was right on the horn and sometimes even quit because of it. I will not be cheated in any way by any one.
It would mean NO spaces included if it's only the B/W characters. Better ask for sure! nm
s
About 8.5 cpl 65 characters including spaces. nm
n
65 characters w/ spaces = ? lines
Anybody know any valid convertions?  I would really like to know how many characters w/ or w/o spaces 1,000 lines converts to.  Thanks for your help!
Visible black characters (VBC)

As of the recent AHDI/AAMT annual meeting, it appears that the method of line-counting known as VBC (visible black characters) is becoming a trend.


All MTs should read the following report from Perspectives in HIM, February 14, 2007.


http://library.ahima.org/xpedio/groups/public/documents/ahima/bok1_034023.html


To summarize:  counting by VBC results in a 31.5% reduction in line count, compared to the traditional 65-line (with spaces) count.


Thus, to avoid a pay cut, any MT now earning 9 cpl should be raised to 11.8 cpl if line counting is switched to VBC.


This is a critical issue, and it does not appear that AHDI is taking any action to promote fair pay for MTs under VBC compensation plans.


You are paid for all characters that appear on the "screen".

Line count includes all the characters that print out, not what you typed in to get that result. Keep using that expander; you've already seen how it has helped improve your productivity.


Boy, if it worked the other way, I'd never use an Expander again and would make even more money with the typos!



Very good point! I say go for more characters!

I used character count, 65 characters. What I
personally like about The Abacus is it will create an invoice for you, listing each document and the characters, lines, however you want to count it. It gives you choices on how to count.
can you put bold characters in autocorrect?
ss
Anything on the line makes up a line even if just one letter or number. Every line of print is a
s
Gross line = each line on page counts as a line, even if it's only 1 word. nm
x
Correct me if I'm wrong but I think courier 12 gives 65 characters

is less characters since it's larger.  So you probably have a 60-character line instead of 65.  You are probably making more money this way.  Plus a gross line usually pays if there is anything on a line...not just 65 characters.  Each line is counted separately so if it ends with one word, you get paid for a line.


When I was taken from a gross line count to 65 characters, I estimated a 15% reduction in lines.  That's just a guess.


how many lines does 90K characters equal out to roughly?
I'm thinking 1300 or so! That would be 90K divided by 65 characters = roughly 1300. Am I correct on this? 
Gross lines are not counted in characters.
A gross line = any number of characters on a line counts as a complete line. The actual number of characters per line will vary.
Bytes versus characters? Does anyone do their billing this way? sm

If billing by bytes do you divide this by say 65 (standard line), same as for characters?  Thanks so much.


 


 


Formula is: Characters PLUS spaces / 65 = lines. (nm)
nm
It depends on how many characters constitute a "word."
If it's 5 characters per word, that's a 55 character line. So 1,000 lines per day would work out to be 55,000 characters. You'd make $65 for the day.

Take that same 55,000 characters, divide by 65 cpl to get 846 lines times $.08 equals $67.69.
If you go to HBO they have chat area and someone predicted they will kill the characters off (sm)
one by one, and a few other predictions.  I'm really going to miss this show.  I guess the last one in August 21st.  I will say that since all the TV companies seem to be ending the shows I watched the most, it'll make it easier for me to give up TV this fall, dang it. 
How do you put in little blank characters with a macro and not have it show up on report?
I never heard of this type of padding and I'm not sure I'm not doing this by mistake.
Does the dividing by lines sound right instead of characters or words?
tia
all work types - 3000 lines a day @ 12 cpl 65 characters
18 cpl transcribed line - private hospital account. These are the only specifics I am willing to give.

Do not e-mail me and ask where or who - I will not reply!

I understand companies are paying 4 & 8 cpl edit/transcribed. I do not work for a company. I caught a hospital account using the platform at the right time and signed on quickly as an IC.

Hope this helps.