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CMT application questions

Posted By: Chris on 2006-12-17
In Reply to:

After so many years of transcribing, I am going to take the final step by taking the CMT exam.  When I went online to schedule a test date, there were options for CMT exam A, exam B, and exam C.  The website doesn't explain the difference between the 3 tests.  Does anyone out there know?  Also, is there any other way to get a discount (besides being an AAMT member)? 


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job application
Once upon a time I held the credentials of RHIT,but let that lapse.  I am filling out a job application for a transcription job.  Do I leave it in? Leave it out? Put in the years I was accredited?  Thanks.
no, but had to on an application
and only the last 4.
Meditech questions and Cerner questions. Any input is appreciated. SM

I just recently went back to work in the office at a local hospital. We type in both Meditech and Cerner, depending on what you are typing, i.e. Medical Records reports versus Radiology.  We are currently typing blindly in Meditech, meaning we do not have access to our line counts and must depend on management to give us our totals.  In Cerner, we are able to run a line count report and print out a hard copy of our line counts at the end of the day.

We are finding that 800 lines in Cerner equals about 500 lines in Meditech.  We are not paid per line nor do we have an incentive plan, but we have a new HIM Director who would like to institute an incentive plan and the administrator over our department has laid down the law and decreed that all transcriptionists not making minimum in the department will be written up.  Problem is according to Meditech line totals that we have been given, that would be about half the department.

The transcription supervisor has taken our concerns to the new director who told the MT Supervisor to hold off on writing people and has taken home all the line counts from the last month and she is going over them with a fine tooth comb this weekend.

I am not a very trusting soul by nature, so I am doing a little research on my own.  I've been in this business for about 15 years.  I started out in a hospital and have worked for a few services at home and am now back in the hospital setting.  So I know a few things about line count and I consider myself to be pretty well informed on trends and technology in the industry.   I would like to walk into our next department meeting armed with as much knowledge as possible.  So I have come up with some questions that I would like some fellow MTs to answer, give opinions, and maybe even direct me to websites or individuals who could give me a better understanding of Meditech and Cerner.  Here are my questions:

 


  1. Is it possible for an MT to have access to her line count in Meditech or is strictly a management function?  Any MTs that work in Meditech on this board, do you currently have access to your line counts and if so, how do you check them?  Is it an option on the main menu after you log into Meditech?

  2. How is a line defined in Meditech?  (i.e. 65 cpl, with spaces, without spaces)

  3. How is a line defined in Cerner?

  4. What abbreviation Expanders work with both Meditech and Cerner?

  5. Examples of incentive plans (if anyone would like to share that with me that would be great, if not I completely understand).

  6. Measuring productivity by minutes of dictation versus typed lines.


    1. What would be the minimum minutes required for an 8-hour day?

    2. How would one structure an incentive program based on minutes?

I was thinking of presenting the idea that we keep track of productivity using minutes instead of lines since there is such a discrepancy in Meditech.  I also worry that if an incentive plan is put into place and we are still typing blind into Meditech, what's to keep management from shaving off a few lines here and there?


Feel free to email me or post here any responses.  Either is fine.  I really appreciate any input, comments, or just plain old supportive posts would be nice too! 




Yes. I went and filled out an application at a

temporary company and got called for a job in a short while. I kept my MT position.


For about 3 days I did the whole dress up in pantyhose and heels thing, drive to work, do monotonous tasks, etc. and I was cured. It was a good experience. It made me appreciate working at home again. Anytime I get fed up again, I just remember the details of what it was like to work in the office for that temp job and other office jobs I've had, and I'm much more satisfied with my boring at home job.


Application process
Thanks, MTMommy, for your encouragement. I will do that from now on.
Application process

My apologies if posting on wrong forum, but I am beginning to get paranoid and am wondering if I'm not doing something correctly.  When I respond to an ad on MT Stars, I click on the "Apply now" button, fill out the boxes appropriately with MY email address, etc., and then click "Submit."  It tells me it has sent the message to the "Desired recipient" (employer).  Am I doing this correctly?  I have applied for so many positions, am an experienced radiology MT with 30 years' experience, and am having a hard time accepting the fact that absolutely no one is responding to my applications. I've tried Keystrokes (needed 15 MTs for rad) and others.  I check every hour to see what new ads are posted and respond within that time frame.  I know it can take a couple of weeks or longer to hear anything, but when I hear that others hear back the next day I have to wonder if I'm just not performing the application process correctly.  Any feedback would be appreciated.  I'm getting worried and cannot find work.  Thanks.


application process...
You need to go directly to the websites of different employers. Spheris.com medquist.com, transcend.com, etc. Then you can fill out an application directly from their site. You are a dream for any medical transcription company, being that you have 30 years experience. Don't get bummed out. I promise you will find something. Just go directly to the employer's website's.
Noritate cream which is once a day application...
I take Tetracycline 500 mg twice a week and was put on a cream that had to be applied twice a day. That was impossible for me!! So, my family doctor told me about a cream, Noritate which is applied once a day. The tetracycline is good for breakouts, but I don't have to take it every day. The cream can be put on once a day, at night. So this works out pretty well for me. Good luck!!
I you don't have a zip application, download a free one like 7-Zip. sm
then follow the instructions and compress (zip) the ShortHand file.
Metroscript is best TASP for this application
www.metroscript.com
I liked Vianeta, too. In our application we could work offline, I do believe.
Some days, I wish we had Vianeta back again....

There were some downsides, especially if you had to get in on the management/QA side, but as an MT it was dandy.
opting out of that is part of the membership application.
   
USATasp is application service provider.
TASP - Stands for "Transcription Application Service Provider". They aren't the MTSO, but providing Voice and Text solutions/platforms to MTSOs to utilize.

P.S. USATasp is the subsidiary of MTStars :)

Transcription Application Service Provider.
IOW the smart computer folks who deal with the headaches! :)
They provide HIPAA complaint file hosting/ftp set up for MTs. Some charge per line, other charge per month, it just varies. Some provide a call in dictation service and charge per minute. It's great if you have no capital in invest in equipment. :)
I'm not sure but I think it's what some MTs refer to as a platform?


ES is not a transcription application; it is an audio playback app.
ES provides the means by which to obtain and play audio files. You actually transcribe these in any text-editing application.

Some text-editing apps such as Word have provision for counting production such as characters, words, lines, etc. Or, you can use a third app such as Sylcount for the counting function.

Questions like these should really be directed to your supervisor for the best answers.
Dictaphone Word Client Application
Hi everyone! I have a question that I need answered as quickly as possible. I have the opportunity for a job but it requires use of a Dictaphone Word Client Application.  I've used a Dictaphone before and then just typed the dictation into Word.  Can someone please explain to me what a Word Client Application is??  Thank you so much!! Have a good day!
ITVPro also works in any Windows application sm
If you find you need a glossary, write me and I'll send you mine. Only about 19K to 20K strong and I have used for about 12 years.
I use IT and love it. It works with Meditech, which is my client's application.
No other text Expander could/can link with Meditech.
I can't ever remember a question of bankruptcy on an employment application. They usually just as
s
it is some type of time clock application..just wondered if anyone used it.
x
re questions
yes i drink green tea, but prefer black tea. No, i've never had any such symptoms from it though and have no idea why it would happen, unless there are other things in that brand of tea that might irritate the colon?
questions

i am very interested in taking courses on mt and would like some help in guiding me in the right direction....can someone help me on that


 


Questions about VR
I am getting ready to train on VR and I am wondering if this is part of the latest, newest technology in our industry that I have been hearing about.  Are just some companies going to use this or is this something that is going to be required in the future from us throughout the industry? 
Questions....

If a person takes a job and finds out they aren't happy and then looks for another job, what happens if the recruiter overpromised?  Do they find another job?  And if they find another job and that one is running out of work all the time, do they start the search again? 


Final question....if they do all this, why do so many people on the boards call people who complain about companies good-for-nothing job hoppers who are never happy?


Looking for a new job. What are some questions...sm
I should ask besides pay, benefits, and hours to make sure I don't miss anything and then find out I've been screwed later?  Should I get pay in writing to make sure they pay me what they tell me. I never worked for a National, so I am unsure how a lot of things work with them.  Thanks.
IC Questions
Hi. I just accepted my first job as an IC and I am nervous!  Did I do a stupid thing by going IC instead of employee?  They are paying 8.5 for 65-char line including spaces and returns.  Does this sound reasonable?  How do I pay my taxes?  What about social sec? HELP!
Any questions to MQ

you can be an employee and ask, what will be my new


pay under the new plan.......NOBODY KNOWS.


you can ask what do you pay to be an Editor of voice recognition....


NOBODY KNOWS


But at the same time they want people to work for them.


Now you are saying there's a new mystery something?  This is


hilarious.


No legit company every does business this way.


two questions
I am also single and 50K is what I am thinking as well. I have very minimal bills. My only "dependents" are my 3 kitties and bird. To be honest, I got into medical transcription after my first year in college. I wanted to be a veterinarian. As much as I love animals, I really love what I do and honestly cannot say what else I would want to do.
Ok, I do have some questions...
Is it possible to speak to you via private messages or something? This board is a bit awkward to use and I have a few questions for you.

Thank you both... I have a few more questions...

Is this something that will happen on a regular basis?  How often do bipolar people get like this?  Is this the worst of it?  We both watch each other's kids a lot, and my kids absolutely love her.  But I'm a little worried now that it might not be safe. 


I'm also concerned for her as she just started a new job and is working on her master's degree.  I'm afraid that she may fail at both if she doesn't get this under control.  Is there anything I can do to help her? 


ok, so you have 2 questions?
1. i'd think that is great money.

2. i gross about $1200 weekly in 40 hours as an employee.

More questions

Do you find their work flow to be consistent - you don't run out or anything? It is really hard for me to decide to make a move - am not happy where I am at and want to come back home, but have really good insurance for family - I know there is no perfect place to work, but I would just like to enjoy getting up and working again without all the office politics. Thank you for being so open in talking - I find this board much easier to talk on than the previous one I was on - more open answers. Also, what kind of platform is used. Do you have to type in demographics and if so, do you get paid for them? Do you have a good word Expander and macros? It is so hard to make changes and want to know as many specifics as I can before I apply.


Thank you so much.


more questions

Do you charge more for printing?  How did you know the price range to charge? I live in a rural area and I have no idea what people are paying for this and I would feel stupid asking them what they are paying.  Did you go to the office in person and sell yourself or did you do mailings?  I don't know anyone in my area that is doing this so I am kinda walking bling here. I am sure I can do the work, it is just sollicting the accounts that I fear.  THanks to all that responded


Have all the same questions
you do. Also does anyone have a used c phone for sale?
your questions--sm
There are no connection problems with this voice player, as you are not on the internet while you use it. You type into Word and then connect to the internet to return the files. As far as the quality of the voice file goes, the digital player has nothing to do with that either. It depends on how the file was recorded from the company you are receiving it from. my files come from a call-in service on my employers server. If the docs use the telephone connection, like they are supposed to, the quality is great. If they use a speaker phone, cell phone, or head set, it can have more *interference* on it. I have one doc who dictates onto a tape recorder, then calls in on the *system* and plays the whole 30 minute tape. He uses the tape over and over again, so it degrades with time, but I have learned to understand him anyway. I have another doc who also uses a tape recorder, but likes to do it while he is waiting for a train at a depot and while on the train. I mostly hear the background noise, which is awful, but I can still make out what he says...most of the time. so, the file is only as good as the person recording the dictation. you have good ones and bad ones, just like any other dictationists. anything else, just let me know. relax, it will be fine.
questions
good day to everyone.  i have just finished my medical transcription course.  however, i have questions regarding how to put negative points on errors on my transcription. how would you rate the gravity of an error in punctuation marks as against an error in the MEDICATIONS SECTION of the report.  for example, my punctuation error was given a negative point of .5.  in the same manner that the dictated KCl (potassium chloride) was transcribed as KCL.  would you also give the latter a negative point of .5?  if not, how many negative point would you give? thanks a lot and i hope you could help me.
More Questions

To those of you who so kindly gave me advice on working from home:


What kind of equipment should I invest in?  Do most companies us the internet. One company I talked with still has clients that us Lanier equipment.


#1 I would think would be a wav pedal and headset but what about an LX-219?


What do you use?


Thanks


Your IC Questions
You are responsible for your taxes. I recommend w/each paycheck, you put 20% in a savings account so when you file taxes, you don't have to scrounge up the money to pay IRS - or you could do like others and file taxes quarterly. You will have a 1099 instead of W2/W4. You don't establish yourself...as an MT you are either an employee with insurance benefits, 401K and taxes withheld or not.
Questions about DQS
Good morning, I am about to start with a company that uses DocQScribe and I understand that MQ uses it also. Since there is a specific MQ board here I thought I might get some answers here. I really like Stedman's Spellchecker, and want to know if it is compatible with DQS? Also use ShortHand for Windows, wondering about that. I have used built-in spellcheckers in other platforms, and just don't care for them, they just don't seem to be as good as Stedman's. And in general, your opinions about the DocQscribe platform itself. Thank you.
VR Questions

I have an office going to EMR with voice recognition software.  The OM tells me I will still have this account because there is no way the VR will work for their Indian doctor and another doctor that mumbles horribly.  Is there anyone that has experienced this?  Also, will editing of the VR be needed?  The OM mentioned that if it does work, she will need me to edit reports.  How much does one make per line for editing VR?


I know I have lots of questions, but this is my largest account and with a disabled hubby and three kids, I'm a panicked breadwinner right now.


Thanks!


More questions
Does he hold out your taxes?  Do you have benefts?  Do you get paid the same amount no matter how much or how little you transcribe or if you take time off?   Have you figured out how much you get paid per cpl or hour?  I would figure out how much I am making per cpl or hour and go from there.  Be sure to figure in the time you are not working and getting paid.  That is a little unusual to be an IC and paid monthly and not on production. 
Questions
Are you using an Expander along with the keyboard? (I sometimes mess up by assigning F keys to things that I shouldn't).  I've linked an article from Computer Hope that might help.  If it were me, I'd just go out and buy a new keyboard.  Nothing more frustrating than a semi-functioning keyboard (except perhaps a semi-functioning toilet).
asking questions

I get the feeling that many MTSO do not liked to be asked questions.  If I am looking to make a switch I am just looking out for myself.  Mind you, I send in the resume and THEY call me. While I may get some that offer 3 insights to the job right off the bat, if I ask if there is a chance to make more of a base pay I either don't hear from them or they think I should look into something else.  I have run across 1 company that was very very informative without me asking too much, but they didn't have direct deposit, and they were on the other side of the country from where I am and was just not too keen on the thought of a check by mail. I guess I'm just kind of feeling not to happy right now with all of this.  Thanks for listening. 


 


Questions

You have several hundred addresses typed out, but are they in a table format or free style?  If table, then keep the doc open, then go to Tools, Envelopes and Labels, select the label you are going to use under options (refer to the Avery label sheet for label number).  Then you click New Document.  Go to the doc where you have the addresses, select all and copy and paste.  You may have to copy and paste by table row, to make it work correctly.


If you are trying to integrate them into a Word Mail Merge doc/letter, I can explain but Word help does a much better job.  Look in Help, Mail Merge, data source, show data source, or something like that.


two more questions....

What companies do you use and what were the up-front costs?  I believe the monthly fee is around 50 dollars from what I've seen.  Thanks in advance.


I did ask those questions!!!!!!!!!!!
I did ask those friggin questions!!! My company did what a LOT of companies do--they tell you one thing in the interview and then when you actually work the job, they change it! There is no reason under the sun that I shouldn't be able to work a split shift. One of the women who has been there 30+ years said it's possible.

I know what I was told in the interview and it was that women with small kids are their "ideal candidates". Certainly they don't think an ideal situation would be to have toddlers running around while you are trying to type.

Give me a break.
FTP questions...

I work for a small doctor’s office and the time has come for us to have outside transcriptionists working as independent contractors.  How do I set this up for them to send me their completed work via FTP? Help!! The only thing I understand about the FTP is you can transfer files from computer to computer securely – the rest I am totally lost about.  How do I set it up? How/where do I log on to get the work? How/where do they deliver the work? 


While I am asking questions
the voice file is coming from a service out of Oregon who posted a job position on MTStars.  She did not give her company name, but I found it on the Internet.  It is BMT Office, or Bassel Medical Transcription.  Has anyone heard of it?
Two Questions

Does anyone sit on an exercise ball while working?  I am wondering if it would be too difficult to balance because of the foot movement and the typing. 


Also, about running enrichment (from previous posts) ... can anything similar be done in MedRite?  That would be awesome if I could search out the common phrases used!


Thanks for any input! 


If I can help with any questions...sm
feel fee to email me!
Why can't you ask questions for
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