Home     Contact Us    
Main Board Job Seeker's Board Job Wanted Board Resume Bank Company Board Word Help Medquist New MTs Classifieds Offshore Concerns VR/Speech Recognition Tech Help Coding/Medical Billing
Gab Board Politics Comedy Stop Health Issues
ADVERTISEMENT




Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

I've always verified every line I've typed (I have my ways) -sm

Posted By: Dizzy on 2009-03-25
In Reply to: The way MTSOs count lines - Brittney

If you're supposed to be paid a certain $/line, that's what you should be getting no matter how they do billing unless of course it's specified in YOUR contract with THEM.

BTW, I've never caught a company cheating me ever.


Complete Discussion Below: marks the location of current message within thread

The messages you are viewing are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select the boards given in left menu


Other related messages found in our database

I've not only typed, them, I've had a few, myself! LOL
.
i've done it several ways.
the pillow doesn't work for me -- makes it too high and too hot on my legs.

my fav way now is to fold a small lap blanket in a strip across my knees and put a piece of that rubbery shelf liner under my keyboard on top of it. that puts it at the right angle and it doesn't slide.

sometimes i just get close enough to my keyboard tray to buttress the keyboard against that and it works fine too.

I also have a thin piece of wood (like weatherboard siding) that i use on my lap sometimes, but after awhile it bothers my knees.

i'll tell ya tho, i have almost no prob's with my arms if i get that board in my lap. but i still revert back to the tray because i don't like having to move stuff to get up and down...
I have always typed mg/dl and I've been
transcribing early 20 years and have never heard anything about KCl.  I currently work for a service that has a very rigid account and we have had to change several things to avoid confusion, though they have never mentioned this one.   I would think it would be a personal preference.  We use BOS as a rule of thumb, but on Tuesdays and the holiday following the third Saturday of the monh between 8 and 10 we do it this way, and then doctor X wants it done this way, which is totally different from standards, not a coherent dictation but he wants it his way. 
If they know they've been typed.

Why can't you skip over those patients since obviously they know other girl typed them. 


Do not transcribe for free!  Ever wonder why the other girl left? 


 


That goes both ways. I can tell you out of all the MTSOs I've worked for,
only a small percentage of them worked out. It's as if they'll tell you anything to get you hired, then reality hits. You tell them when you're available. Oh, OK, no problem. Then the work doesn't show up until your shift is over, but they still expect it done by TAT. Sorry, but I don't work on-call for free 24/7. I'm not sitting around doing nothing all day long waiting for work to come in. I'm not staying up all night without sleep and blowing off my family because the MTSO is in a bind. We're expected to work more than 8 hours a day without overtime or incentive pay.
I've typed such reports
Well not celebrities so to speak, but I've typed reports where they state the patient is being seen under an alias name right at the beginning of their dictation and the alias name is the one in the ADT screens. They deserve some privacy and still abide by HIPAA like the rest of us.
oops, should've typed since 1964 !! NM
x
I'm not in QA, but I've always typed it P.r.n. if it starts a sentence, sm

as in 1.  P.r.n. ibuproben.  If you were typing out the Latin for pro re nata, that's how you'd do it (or at least I would), i.e.  1.  Pro re nata.  


However, I agree with "fixing" it when allowed.  Some accounts are strict verbatim, others are what I call "smart verbatim," where they let you fix things to make sense, be grammatically correct, etc.


I've Typed Insurnace Transcription, Also
I got a break from doing medical transcription for a couple of years doing insurance transcription, also, but this was in-house at a third-party insurance company.  Most of the adjusters' reports were quite lengthy, but pretty basic.  Nothing too difficult at all.
I've typed LOTS of reports on trampoline injuries

Some of them VERY severe, including head injuries when the person bounced off the trampoline and landed on his/her head.


ANYTHING can be dangerous if you aren't careful.  Way back in the disco era, I typed a report on a guy who had fractures of ALL FIVE metatarsals - from dancing!! 


I use EXText with my current job and I've used at a couple of other jobs I've had. I've ne

used DocQscribe, but I have used Meditech, Cerner, Vianeta, the Precyse platform (I can't remember the name), Dolbey, and  Lanier platform I think was called Cequence (?). 


Out of all the different platforms I have typed on, I have liked EXText the best.  In my opinion, it's very user friendly, easy to learn, and I really like ESP which is the built in abbreviation expander.  Plus it is very easy to create your own normals which I love.  My fingers literally never leave the keyboard because there are macro keys for everything.  You can use your mouse if you prefer or learn the function macros.  I love it.  I think I'm more productive on EXText than with any other platform.


Here is the best way...open any document you have typed for anything and count the lines both ways.

I have pretty much always been paid by the gross line...occasionally I will take a job with a company that pays by characters and I never make as money.  Remember...with gross lines, a line is a line is a line....that means anything on the lines be it one character or 65 is a line.  For instance....today I type a normal file for a client I have worked on for years...if I counted the lines at 65-cpl I got 398 lines, but counting gross lines I got 641 lines.  This is a 38% difference in pay between the two, so you would be making approximately 5 cents a line less on the character count.  Hope this helps :)


I've seen anywhere from 2 cents/line up to
x
Spell as best you can or blank them and keep going. I've passed many tests when I've left blan
s
I've given up on a decent line count. SM
I'm just waiting to be let go and hope I can get unemployment. I don't know how people get a decent line count on DQS.
OMG--4 cents/line? I've never heard of rates that low (SM)
Please, Gaile, you are worth so much more than that. My first job with MQ in 2001 I earned 7.7 cents per line. Since that at other jobs I have earned 8 cpl, 10 cpl, and now about 9 cpl. Please do not sell yourself short. Two years experience is enough to get much better than that. Good luck to you whatever you decide to do.

Sincerely,
Chickadee
I've had low line counts for about a month, but for other reasons
I've just been in a general "funk" after losing a close family member in November. I find my mind wandering while I work. But it's getting better. Occasionally, though, there are days when I'm going along really great, and then I just seem to get a gang of bad dictators, ESL and Non-ESL. That's very frustrating -- having a good day and then BAM! Mush mouths and speed talkers. Part of the job, tho.

I've bought Allegra from Canada on-line
sites for years and have never had a problem. I usually get the generic of Allergra. Try progressiverx.com. Prices are great!
As you can already see, you've come to the wrong board! By using the word professional, you've
excluded about 99% of the population of "whatever" it is that hangs on these boards. Certainly not professional for sure! But you sure are doing a good thing for someone! Its the thought that counts. Sorry you met the dregs right at the start.
HELP! I've turned my screen sideways, I can't straighten it up. I know I've seen sm
this before, but I can't remember what it is.  Do you realize how hard it is to read sideways?  TIA.
I've lost track of how many people who've asked about it to NOT
.
I've used it. It's the worst piece of crap I've ever seen.
seriously. I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy, or their Vianeta program. Awful, just awful.
Wait until you've been there six months and if you've improved
quality and quantity, I'd say go ahead and ask.  Otherwise I'd say annually...  good luck
I've seen the same every place I've done acute care, and
pointing out dangerous or repeated errors (often in normals for goodness sakes!) never got the result I expected. When I would press the issue, supervisors said if the dictators didn't complain, then the mistakes must not matter!

It didn't matter if the MT changed what had been a cardiac med in the beginning of the report to an antifungal by the end - I kid you NOT! One poor girl used facial for fascial and fascial for facial!


I've used a few expanders, and of those I've used, all must be "coded" to get things lik
One thing I do to get around this, is to create a macro and then link the ShortHand command to the macro. It works for me, but I do the same five clients every day and only have about 20 or 30 macros/Shorthand commands that work like this. This may not work well for you if you have lots of formats and hundreds of docs.
I've been doing this doc for many years, so I've learned how to function with him. sm
I can tell what's a stutter, what's another word, what's just an "uh." Years of experience will get you through a lot.
Wouldn't want to do his charts all day, of course, but a few per day aren't bad. I haven't had to send his to review in a long time, but they do take a little longer to shuffle through.
I've worn contacts for 30 years. I've had both
hard and soft.  My vision is much better with the soft ones than they were with the hard ones.   When I first started trying contacts soft ones were still new and they couldn't get me to 20/20, so I went to hard.  Hard were okay until my eyes started changing shape and then I could no longer wear hard ones.  The soft should give you better vision as they conform more to the shape of your eye. 
I've been screwed over by the big phone companies too, but once you switch to a business line,
a lot more options are opened up to you. Talk America has an unlimited long distance business line for $49.95. I've been with them for over a year now. I also tried calling cards, which are an even bigger rip off.
The above poster is right. Sadly, I've been on Escription for four years and my line counts
were going down. Apparently, the hospital decided we were being overpaid so they manipulated the way were paid i.e. footers, headers etc. They could change it to whatever they wanted and the MTSO did nothing as they wanted to keep the contract.  So we had to suck up and take the reduction, along with the fact that all of our work was/is being sent to India so it's slim pickens most days unless you want the crappy accounts.  I would ask a lot of questions, but as a whole, Escription accounts and the companies who have it rarely like to pay a decent livable cpl. JMO
I've been seeing a lot on this board about fonts and font size affecting line counts and I was...

wondering how this is possible?  I mean if your lines are based on a 65 character line then what difference does the font type or size make?  I mean, a character is a character whether it's type in Arial, Times New Roman, or Courier.


I use MP Count to count my lines and I decided to do a little test.  I typed a document and saved in Arial 10 and 12 font type and size, Times New Roman 10 and 12 font type and size, and Courier 10 and 12 font type and size.  And then I ran a line report on each individual document counting lines by 65 characters per line strict (no spaces) and came up with 24 lines each time in each font type and size.


There was an MT below who was saying she types in Arial for her client, but bills them for Courier like it made a difference in the lines.  Maybe I'm missing something, but I just don't see how it makes any difference at all.


I've been a bully; I've been bullied.
I used to sell a lot on eBay. There are some people who buy high-priced items and play games with you. I've had to call them repeatedly, report them to different agencies. It's not fun. You put time and money into the business of selling, and there are people out there who live to manipulate the system and cause trouble.

And, I've been bullied by buyers who made unreasonable demands, insist that they pay by check when you clearly state you don't accept them. It's not fun, and is one of the reasons I don't sell anymore. People!

I've also bought from some sellers who I would not deal with again because of their unprofessional attitude.

But, overall, ebay can be a great place to be.
I've become the man I've always wanted to marry.
I live alone, am 46, never married, no kids, just dogs horses and chickens and just got done building a new house out in the boonies away from the rat race. (Used to live in Manhattan) Couldn't be happier. Selfish maybe, but never out of time, never stressed, and I don't take anything out on others. There's something to be said for being alone but not lonely. I'm not looking for a man to "make me complete." They only sap me of my time, energy and money (how little of it there is with MQ). I consider myself lucky getting to choose my time with friends, and not just stuck with a deadbeat partner. Ladies especially: Be strong and allow yourself to be independent. Any old man will not make you stronger!
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.
You know I've done the grilling...I've tried it all...
And I find the best way to cook steak is in a good quality thick-bottom nonstick pan on top of the stove. I found this trick on the internet. I heat the pan on high and when nice and hot, throw on the steak, no butter and no oil. It browns almost immediately, cooks fairly quickly, and seals in the juices - tender, moist and delicious!!!! It doesn't even need seasoning but salt and pepper before cooking. ;)
That's great if I typed with 65 cpl, but my National's line figures
xx
Usually work "live" on a Cphone, while connected. There are ways to record & work off line, bu
s
I got the call; it originated out of the NJ MQ office; I verified the number. sm.
The individual asked whether or not I had received the letter announcing that a package would be coming my way. State the facts, girls.
I've done that already!


I've actually done that, seems

like it's slow getting the needed information.  Thought I could do some research on my own. Thanks!



I've seen this too (sm)
and it took me a while to figure it out, but because of a particular acct this gal was placed on I was able to figure it out.  She is top notch when works at her usual pace, but when she has something better to do she will leave her work until the last possible minute and it is crap when she turns it in.
i've got 3 going right now and have for

several months. 7 days a week, 6a-6p then a little after my son goes to bed. 1 full time w a hospital, two part time. all are from home.  i'm dumping the hospital one today and going full time at one of the current part time and i will probably get rid of the part time one once i know the new full time will work out. did that make sense???


no life, but had to be sure before left the full time job......


I've been through a few

of these things and where there's smoke, there's usually fire.  MRC acquired Medifax (both swore it wasn't going to happen), MQ acquired MRC (both swore it wasn't going to happen) and lastly, I was working for ddi when the owner sent out an email adamantly proclaiming that ddi would NEVER be sold.  I think it was a week, maybe two, and guess what?  Another email stating what wasn't going to happen had just happened.


For all MQ-ers, I wouldn't worry about it.  Life goes on.  So what if Spheris does buy MQ...I doubt individual MTs will see much change except the signature on the paycheck.  I guess I worked for MQ about 3 years or so after they acquired ddi and not a thing changed until I was transferred to another office and the "new platform."  They were constantly out of work, not to mention the line count going to hell in a handbasket.  I didn't have time to sit around all day waiting to see if they had a report they needed typed,  so I moved on.


So....please everybody, cheer up, it isn't the end of the world coming or anything like that.


Now I've seen it all...
Just got a check from corporate for...hold on...1 cent. Yes, thats right - 1 CENT. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Actually I didn't think you could even WRITE a check for a penny. Oh well, I guess a penny saved is a penny earned. Rotten bananas to MQ, I say.
That's it...you've got it.
Does it make you feel better attacking someone you don't know like that? AND insulting a huge group of people you don't know anything about? They're not the enemies, nor am I.

Who did you vote for? Was it someone who said "Offshoring is good for America"?

THAT, my friend, is your enemy.
YES! I've been up since 4:00 a.m.
because the dogs were barking in the living room at something outside in the yard.  Hubby just made me lunch of a tuna sandwich and minestrone soup.  I'm done working today, so I've got three hours to go take a nap.
I've been with them for a while...but...
even the starting pay is very, very good. 
I've still never had a NEW new car.
I don't see the point in it.  They lose their value so quickly.  Plus, why would I want to drive something that's worth half what my house is with all the nuts on the road?  And insurance and licensing costs are so high, too.
I've done max 200 per day. nm
x
I've never tried that!
I like to make soy candles in Mason jars. It is a hobby that I absolutely love! Last summer I sold them at the local farmer's market and gave some as Christmas gifts. It's a lot of fun!
we've all been there

I dont really understand what is going on but i think we have all been in that situation where you try do something nice or helpful and ended up regretting it. it makes things difficult for future references because it causes us to be hesitant when trying to be helpful or nice in the future, which is one of the few explanations i can think of for ppl who never seem to be nice or helpful. maybe they have tried in the past & got burned by it and now they are bitter.


anyway all you can do is move on and try not to let other ppl & their negativity get to you. don't let their issues change you as a person. you did the right thing by deleting the rude email, don't waste your time on it.


I've had that before, and I

also noticed, looking back, that the very first thing that happened was I was suddenly extremely fatigued before it happened.


Reminded me a little of labor pains.  I'm glad you're feeling better.  I know that when it hits, it knocks you right on your butt.