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I decided I did not want to be a file clerk for the rest of my life.....

Posted By: MT and worn out on 2009-06-25
In Reply to: WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO TRANSCRIPTION - Tired MT

I was hired in a 5 doc urology practice as a file clerk. And we all know that the file room is a toxic waste dump from people who have no idea what to do with whatever piece of paper they have. After working in the file room, the docs asked me if I would help out the other transcriptionist. (She was the only one at the time). Since I KNEW I wasn't cut out to be a file clerk, I said sure. So I filed part time, helped with transcription overload. We got a new peds urologist fresh from a Fellowship at Mayo Clinic so he was a really wordy type.

Long story short, he was so busy I was out of the file room for good, typing just for him as he saw lots of kids, and loving every minute of it. He moved to Arizona in the early 2000's, called me in 2006, and the rest, as they say, is history. He is still a peds urologist and I am still working for him. Everything is done over the Internet. No paper anywhere except what his office prints out.

He is one of the reasons I LOVE MY JOB.


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Update: I did not get that file clerk job
at the hospital.  They just called and said they choose another applicant.  They said they would like to keep my name on file in case they have another opening though.  Oh well, guess it wasn't meant to be.   It probably would not have paid much anyway. 
My daughter will followup at MCV Pediatric Hem/Onc. for the rest of her life - sm
They said that is the norm there, granted this is cancer followup and not normal yearly physicals for an adult.....she is only 5 now so she still has a long way to go. But as for their normal pediatrician, I will take them their until they graduate high school (I did the same), then onto a regular family/adult doctor.
Depends...do you want to be providing economic outpatient care for the rest of your life? nm
.
Is this w/the built-in hand rest? Touch was nice, but the rest made my palms achey. Didn't
s
Transcription clerk.....
We don't have a "lead transcriptionist" at the hospital I type for.  There is transcription clerk who handles the reports coming in, getting them filed and such, but our pools are set up either by our supervisor or whatever particular work type needs to be worked on.  As an example, I get Preop H&P's, then H&P's, consults, discharges, ER notes and ops in that order.  Basically, if that pool is empty, it will bring up next report in your next assigned pool.  As I said earlier, you can interrupt a report ( on my C-phone it is 08) and you will get the next report, but then the one you interrupted will come up next.  The person in charge of the dictation would have to assign it out to someone else to keep you from getting it.  With a C-phone and the pools having been set up prior, you won't get a report that you should have to skip over.
way underpaid...you might as well be a clerk at 711...sm
Sorry to say and no offense to you personally, but any experienced MT accepting these wages is severely impacting this profession. If you owned a business, wouldn't you rather pay someone $8.50 an hour? This is disgraceful and an insult to any experienced MT. I have seen MTs work for this wage, but unfortunately 99% of them produce garbage, and then require someone paid at top wage to edit the report. EXPERIENCED MTs need to refuse these jobs, and let the companies hire someone who feels $8.50 an hour is a fair wage, and watch their clients drop like flies, or have an Editor fix everything. I've always said, there is no replacement for a multi-specialty experienced MT who works for a company and requires very little editing. You either know your stuff or you don't. If you know your stuff, you will make a profit for the company you work for. It's as simple as that. The companies who think that hiring ILPs and new MTs and paying them slave wages, will certainly be one of those companies that will not be in existent a few years down the road. Let's get real people!
A girl who worked as a clerk in our

local hospital heard that I worked at home doing transcription.  She called and asked me a bunch of questions of how I got into this.  Of course, I answered all of her questions and added that if she was interested in doing transcription that she would need to go to our local community college and take some courses.  She said she didn't need to go to school because "all you do is type what the doctors say, right?"  To which I replied, "Yeah, that's all I do, just type what the doctor says," as a wave of disgust swept over me.  She came over to the house and sat down to type.  After about five words, with the deer in the headlights look on her face, she was astonished that "just type what the doctor says" is not all that easy!  It was worth all the time trying to explain what transcription really entails. 


Applied at a hospital for a clerk

20 years later, I'm an MT with three of my own accounts and IC for a company on-line.


I applied at the hospital and told them I had done transcription in high school for my medical secretary certificate, and the recruiter asked me if I'd like to work in Radiology as an MT.  I said I wasn't very good at it and she said it pays $2.00 more an hour, and I said "Well then, let me give it a whirl!"  I passed the typing test and have never looked back.  I built up my knowledge by working for 17 years in a hospital in different departments.  I went from Radiology to the Cath Lab to a diagnostics area. 


I loved the challenge.  The medical terms and stories interested me so much that I even wanted to be on the procedures so I could learn more.  So, yes I wore lead and went in as an observer.  If you ever want to gain experience, that is the best way!  Be right there for the show!  LOL


desk clerk at a low-budget hotel -
I called in sick with the flu, and that night the place was robbed at gunpoint.  I had never been so happy to be sick!
Try a search on Clerk of Courts website.
You might try searching on your Clerk of Courts website (if they have one). If he has been sued, it should be on there. If called as a witness probably not. Seems like if you are sued, though, or served to be a witness, they actually have a deputy come out and serve you in person. Could even be something like a parking ticket he didn't know he got. Let us know (if not real personal). Got me curious.
Often it is the clerk who types up and sends emails. nm
x
Was nurses aid, then aide in ICU, then ward clerk, then
MORE medical terms cuz halo the docs were professors, and they let me play PA under their supervision, then w/comp supervisor, then pregnant, then had to find a PMs job and landed in transcription dept as trainee. If I could meet their requirements, I stuck. If not, I was fired. I stuck.
Hospital Unit Coordinator/Clerk
Anyone know what this kind of job would be like? One of the local hospitals has a few of these positions open in various departments. I'm wondering if it's a high pressure/low pay kind of thing, if only because they seem to be hiring from the outside. When I worked for a bank many years ago, they hired "outsiders" only for the crap jobs. I'm tired of MT and want to explore my options.
Life is life....the haven't bonded the same as if it were a 2-year-old!
nm
The clerk in the clearing area keyed the amount
and they can correct the mistake.  Banks use large clearing houses.  A clerk looks at the check and keys in the amount (it shows on the far right lower side on your check). They are human and they do make mistakes.  I had one key in a check for $40 as $400 years ago.  Bank was very apologetic and corrected and refunded everything.
Rename your normal.dot file to something else then restart Word. It will create a new file.
x
In 1990, when I started as a MR clerk, SMOKING was allowed in Med Records...
can you imagine, and with all the charts laying around...it is so comical now to think of it...

That lasted until about 1992 I think...

That is not all that long ago really, to go from electric typewriters to smoking being practically outlawed...

they say MT will change more in the next few years, than it has in the last 100>>>>!
I think it is the same type of file, so rename it and replace your autocorrect file with your DQS us
x
Help..I lost my word file. How can I retreive a file that has been changed? sm

I was working on a large file and had saved it in Word. I then went back to work on the file and hit a key that made the page go blank.  When I went to close the document it asked me to save any changes on the document. I answered yes, and now when I click on that document it is all blank! Shouldnt the previous info saved be there, even if the current stuff is not? Please help me!! Thank you


Depends on the file format of the Short Cuts file.
ShortHand comes with a utility file that can import various formats. You can get that file with the trial download of SH.
Depends on the file format of the Short Cuts file.
ShortHand comes with a utility file that can import various formats. You can get that file with the trial download of SH.
...with your user.aco file. Save your autocorrect file to somewhere else. nm
x
You can save the SH file in a text file and import to IT that way. sm
You may have to do some cleanup in the SH text file, but it sure would be faster than re-entering them all manually.
File taxes under the name on file w Social Security....
Name on W2 doesn't have to match, but your tax return has to match SS records. They don't want your marriage license or anything else. Did that for 13 years as instructed by IRS. Didn't have to change it with SS until state changed rules requiring drivers license to match SS records. Still use my maiden name in some limited circumstances.
I once decided to not go with a Co due to
The recruiter simply said she was the team leader, that there were two others, one which was leaving and the other that she "did not like and hoped that she would leave, too" and that made a shuddering sound.

I thought this was in bad taste and did not have a good feeling about her. But, I certainly never reported her. It isn't my job and I am not a watchdog group looking out for the companies who hire MTs.

I just think you have way too much time on your hands.
well, so far i have decided...

to just keep pursuing ideas and options until I hit a dead end.  A very nice MT did email me and told me how she got into mentoring.  She seemed to really have a handle on it. 


It seems that I would need my own accounts and then subcontract the work to newbies.  I just cannot seem to figure out how I would have the time to provide service to a client AND mentor someone just out of school.


Thank you for your input.  It does seem that newbies should have a better option that just "luck" when trying to gain experience.


I decided to let her go...sm
to the funeral and I'm glad that I did. She handled it extremely well and I am very proud of her. They had an open casket and she decided against going up to view the body. When it was over we talked again and she asked several questions. She seemed more concerned about how to treat her friend now that she had gone through this, than the actual funeral itself. Her friend went back to school yesterday and my daughter said that she simply started by giving her hug and telling the little girl that she was so glad that she was her friend.

That was actually the second time that she had shown more concern with ones left behind that whoever had died. In her only other encounter with death she had done something similar. When she was in 1st grade one of our dogs came down w/acute kidney failure. She got to the point where there was nothing the vet could do and we made the decision to put her to sleep. I went and got my daughter out of school and ran her up to the vet so she could say goodbye to the dog, which she did. We ran her home and then went back and stayed with the dog while they put her to sleep. We also own the mother of the dog that died. When my husband and I got back from the vet a while later we found my daughter in the backyard with the other dog. She was on the grass holding the mama dog and letting her lick my daughters face and hands. When we asked her what she was doing, she said that she was letting mama dog say goodbye to the dog we had just put to sleep. She knew that our older dog could smell Molly on her hands and clothes from her petting the sick dog and giving her hugs at the vet.

I am very, very proud of her.
When the kids started school I wanted a job in my home town. A hospital clerk position (sm)
came open. You started compiling charts, making copies, etc. Then I was promoted after a few months and began learning transcription and did that part of the day. Then a few months later they taught me coding and abstracting and I did that part of the day. It was a great learning experience to learn things from the bottom up. Needless to say, I am an old dog here who has been doing this more than 25 years now.
When the kids started school I wanted a job in my home town. A hospital clerk position (sm)
came open. You started compiling charts, making copies, etc. Then I was promoted after a few months and began learning transcription and did that part of the day. Then a few months later they taught me coding and abstracting and I did that part of the day. It was a great learning experience to learn things from the bottom up. Needless to say, I am an old dog here who has been doing this more than 25 years now.
My account has decided to go with EMR. please sm

I charge them 12 cpgl and have for 8 years.  They are still going to need me through their transition (who knows how long) and will need me for overflow to type letters, narratives etc. 


 


I am wondering if anyone has had an experience like this and how they would do their contract.  Im thinking of charging them 1-2 cpl higher, but with a shorter Turn Around Time for the overflow work since I am losing the majority of the work. Any opinions or suggestions?  Thanks so much!


Just for fun, I decided to sit down and try to remember... SM

how many services I have worked for since I started working from home back in the mid 90s.  And the grand total is 16!  Isn't that just sad?  Of course, I left for various reasons from no work, bad dictators, late or no pay checks, laid off because work went to India, etc.


I've realized over the years that it's best to work for yourself and if you have to work for somebody else, work directly for the hospital or doctor's office.  Benefits are way more affordable that way.  I have a dermatology account of my own and I work full-time for a hospital for the benefits.  I also cover for a friend of mine when she needs time off, I take over her account and she does the same for me.


It's a really sad statement when it seems not one MT has ever found satisfying work with at least one of the many services out there!


I do QA also and I've decided
not to change capitalization anymore - just for that reason.  It explains it in the BOS but still confusing to me.  I feel badly now for the times I did change knowing it could have been scored against the MT - not sure my company does that tho.  Interested to see what others say here.  Good question!
I have decided not to test for them...sm
I googled "transrx in Canada" and it has a website with a forum from Canada called Canscribe and someone was asking about them and it says they don't pay on time. That is enough for me to say forget it.
You know, you are correct... I have decided
I am not going to have any part of working for a company which is not 100% USA. I was wavering about going elsewhere for a job, but I have a great job right here with one of the best medium MTSOs and why get an IC job which operates overseas just for extra money. I think that we need to keep the money and labor here in our industry. Thanks for your input, it really did help. :)
Okay, I decided to try mobile

wireless internet through Verizon.  I currently have a Verizon cell and have no problem with reception in my home, so I'm hoping this is a go.  I also have a 30-day trial period, so I'll know for sure if I have any glitches. 


What I don't understand is this lingo about voice files, etc.  I'm on the Bayscribe platform, so any info would be greatly appreciated.  Please "dumb it down" for me, as I am not a PC person.  The lady that signed me up told me that the limit is 5 GB and that that generally means about 35,000 web pages a month.  How does this correlate to voice files?  Do I even use voice files on Bayscribe?  I'm assuming so since I have an audio player. 


At least I know if this doesn't work out, I can cancel and not lose anything.  Then I'll have to sign up for satellite, which is about $300 upfront and $60 to $90 per month for service.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Verizon will work for me.


Thanks for any info.


I've already decided to quit.
I'm just waiting for the phone call to tell me what my MT/ME reward plan will be. Then I will tell them to take a flip flying hike.

I can't handle my base pay being lowered to 7 cents per line for ASR reports.
We decided to simplify! We ditched

the new cars and trucks and ditched the big,expensive house in the burbs.  We bought a little place in the woods (1000 square feet - only two of us) and have it paid off now - pretty easy since it was only about 40K when we bought it.  We live on a canal with access to a big river and have all kinds of wildlife.  Matter of fact, I just chased a big raccoon away from my birdfeeder!  I drive a 22-year-old Mercedes and my husband drives a 10-year-old PU truck. We don't totally live like the Waltons - have DSL, DirecTV with Tivo, etc. - but by simplifying we have so much less stress.  We don't have kids at home any more so that definitely makes it easier.  


 It just got so old toiling and toiling just to pay for expensive "STUFF".   Just a thought - It's probably not for everybody, but it sure works for me.


Thanks for the suggestions, I've decided on....sm
ordering a couples massage (waiting to hear back from our honeymoon destination on setting that up) and found on line a really neat engravable key chain that let me put the title of the song I wrote for him for our wedding on it as well as a bride and groom monogram.
Yes, absolutely. My sister and I have already decided we
were going to take them in, a few months at her house, a few at mine. Our Dad is retired and our Mom will retire in two years from nursing.

I do have one other sibling, a brother, but he's knee-deep in debt and is already taking care of his in-laws so he probably can't help much.
I had one who decided lunch time ....sm
would be a good time to dictate.  Opening wrappers, eating, drinking, etc.  I was so repulsed by the eating sounds, I was ready to give them up.  I called my contact person about 3 x and asked her  to ask him to stop.  Finally, I called the manager.  When she approached him about it, HE DENIED IT!!!  Said he didn't eat while dictating.  Of course, she believed him and was dumbfounded at what I could be hearing!  I told her I knew what I was hearing and  it had to stop.  Anyone who has ever heard that sound while transcribing KNOWS they are eating.  What a jerk.  Interestingly, the eating stopped, and I still have the account.
Yes, I lost a client because they decided to go with them.
h
The BOS is just a bunch of "rules" decided on
x
Because BOS are rules decided on by ladies
x
I've already decided on Obama ----- sm
His opponents and detractors keep saying he's "inexperienced". Yeah, and look what "experienced" politicians have brought to the table in the last few decades.

New ideas are good.
Youth is good.

I think it's time for a new way of doing things in this country, not the same ol'. It's a new world, with new problems (such as the plight of American MTs and other workers), and maybe he'll bring some relief (or at least some new ideas on how to get it) for the dwindling middle class, which has been carrying the weight and finances of this country on its shoulders for too many years.

Time to stop letting our country get s*****d by India, Mexico, Asia, and others. And I think he has the ability to say "no" to these countries without starting a war with them.

Sometimes "inexperience" is a refreshing change.

I decided to stop working two MT jobs and just keep the one - sm
but I work at another job totally unrelated to the medical field. I was getting too burnt out doing transcription and the taxes were killing me.
I have decided to quit my job. I hate this company.
It's worse than ANYWHERE I have ever worked before.  The problem is that I don't have another job yet.  However, I know I can easily find another job.  I just don't know if I should hang on to do the responsible thing and find another job first. ~ OR ~ If I should take some time off for Christmas with the kids instead of busting my chops for this company when I know I'm not going to stay anyway.  I wonder if they give Christmas presents or bonuses.  LOL  I can take my $7 an hour from their lousy ESLs and crummy platform and go buy lottery tickets and a bottle of cheap wine!  Hooey!  McDonald's, here I come!!!!
Was gonna post, then decided not to. Opened
my door, went outside to water my petunias. Went to turn on the water and uncoil the black hose, and there was A HUGE SNAKE COILED IN WITH THE HOSE!! AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! It did not move - it had a fly walking on its back, and I PRAISED THE LORD THAT IT WAS DEAD!! DEAD SNAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not as bad as a living snake. As I was going to poke it with a stick to fling it, my daughter screamed - ITS NOT DEAD!!!! ITS JUST SUN BATHING.  I looked and looked, and it sure looked dead. IT WAS NOT.................................. It was about 3 feet long, which will probably morph into 8 feet by the end of the week as I tell my tale!! It was HORRIBLE. I live in NJ, and moved to a new area a few years back. Never saw a snake, a tick, or a black widow spider in my LIFE. Now they are everywhere. I laughed at the posts to call animal control. If you live in an area with snakes and the like, they LAUGH at you. Believe me, I know. I actually called the POLICE when I found my first bonafide black widow spider guarding her nest. She ATTACKED US!! They are actually aggressive when by an egg sac. Turns out they are everywhere in this 1 section of NJ - brought in via immigrants, per the Health Dept. So, I feel your pain!!  I wouldn't kill them either. Killed a 2 foot rat about a year ago, and still feel bad. The thing lived under my fridge.  HORRIBLE. One night the thing ate a 12 pack of English Muffins. Anyhoooooooooooooooooooooooooo....I can relate!! My only advice - RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My DH has decided to become a Pampered Chef demonstrator.

Does anyone have any info on this?  Is it a good way to make some extra money?  I said NO, he decided to do it anyway.


That's one of the reasons I decided to give up my IC status
and become an employee. There's no way I'd work when I'm on vacation. When I'm on vacation that last thing I think about and would want to do is work. I know that IC status does have advantages, but for me the disadvantages outweigh them. Good luck with whatever you decide.
I think it is decided, and you can kiss this account goodbye. I would present the sm
finished work, along with a bill, and when you expect payment.

Meanwhile, get real busy looking for something else to make it up.
I was teaching, and Katrina hit, and I decided I needed a job that could move with me if need be.
I have a friend who was an MT (actually, she and 2 of her sisters are MTs). When I asked her what she did, it was like a light going off in my mind--it sounded really interesting, since I loved typing and grammar and had good ears (I thought). When Katrina hit, I took time during our enforced semester off to take an online course, loved it, and began working as an MT. I discovered quickly that having good musical ears is not the same thing as having good MT ears!

What I love about MT work is that it is so interesting. I get to learn every day without having to actually be there to see/smell/hear. I am fascinated by the human machine and enjoy learning about it in detail.

Eventually, I'd like to move into a mentoring/teaching position with young or new MTs, but I need more years of experience before that happens. I totally admire those of you who have been doing this for a long time-- you guys have amazing ears and I'm always impressed by the knowledge you have picked up by working! That's what I aspire to, as well.