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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

I did this..sort of

Posted By: Getting older on 2006-03-03
In Reply to: I had to do this as my main account changed their transcriptioinist status--sm - Debra

I still have a couple small accounts but they certainly aren't worth the aggravation and may be giving them up.


The downside is getting used to only having 1/2 the money as before since the taxes are being taken out from the get go and now having to meet production on a daily basis which is getting tougher to do, having to remember to ask ahead of time for time off and vacations and especially trying to remember to ask if I want a holiday off. Having someone tell me what to do.


The upside: Health insurance, pension plan, savings account, paid holidays, extra pay for overtime, having taxes taken out immediately and not having to pay quarterly taxes. .. No more headaches. No more scrambling to find more tax write-offs at the end of the year, getting refunds from the IRS instead of paying in.Incentives for going above and beyond the call of duty.  Having weekends off (first time in 8 years), having part of a day for myself (first time in 8 years).


Need I say more?


 




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Here in NC we had a very hot summer, followed by a comfy fall. It was cool and dry, and I was able to keep the heat off, and just occasionally use the AC when we'd get a warm/humid few days. But since the temp dropped 50 degrees IN A DAY, all my savings are being sucked away as my heat pump had to go into overdrive to warm my house up quick.
I sort of do
I have one full time job of about 50 hours a week for a national MT service. I also work for an imaging center and radiologist for about 25-30 hours per week doing transcription and coding. I am a single mom of a six year old and live with my BF and his teenage daughter. It is trying sometimes. I sometimes do not work as much on the second job, but overall I work about 70-80 hours per week most of the time.
most definitely have some sort
of day care, even if it's someone coming to your house for part of the day. you're not going to be able to make any money if you're stopping every couple of minutes to tend to your child-I know because I have to have my 3 yo home with me 2 days a week and unless he's sleeping, I have to stop every 2-3 rpts for some reason or another.  in the summer it's easier because I can take my laptop outside while he plays.  even it your child is older, it will still take a while before they know when it's ok to bother you and when it's not.  it's the best thing being able to work from home but it will take a while for you to develop a routine.  good luck!
Sort of like....
asking if Bush is a good president because he's shipping out our U.S. jobs faster than he can say "Sadam tried to kill my daddy so I invaded Iraq." My opinion?  I wouldn't read that rag if I got it for free.  AAMT orgnization is  synomous with Judas, Bush, etc. 
I had one of those, sort of....lol
I had a doc who always dictated from his cell phone. Well something happened to where he didn't get it hung up or maybe he had another call and forgot he was on the other line, I don't know. Anyway, at the end of the dictation it sounded like he hung up and then the phone started to ring. He answered it and said hello a few times and then said "F-you" and hung up. I laughed my butt off because he was basically saying that to himself because he didn't hang up. Dumb butt! lol
I sort of did that

When I came home to type 13 years ago, I was expecting my third child.  Prior to that I did have 5 years on-site experience, but it was all in one specialty.  So, acute care was new to me.  I did it.  My line count at that time was 1000 lines a day.  I admit that many days I did not get to the count, but I tried very hard to make every report perfect.  I learn a lot from looking things up.  I kept my babies close by with plenty of toys, play pens, VCR, Disney movies, etc., and there were many times that one fell asleep across my arms while I was transcribing.


I think it can be done if you want it bad enough.  I love working from home!


I have sort of done this - sm
I can be paid via PayPal and had the PayPal MC, which if I have money in my PayPal account, I can use like a credit card. Just paid for some car repairs that way. I can also receive a check, which I have started doing lately as PP charges me about $40 for the privelige of getting my money this way. Has nothing to do the their credit card, just my account fees they charge for incoming funds. So to save that cash I just get checks now. In the future I will probably put some money in my account there though so I can use the MC as I am trying to not use any credit cards anymore. Just make sure there are not any fees for loading the card, or transaction fees, etc.
I said nothing of the sort. SM
It doesn't matter who is posting or on what topic. Discuss, talk about, debate, share topics, beliefs, subject matter. Do with respect and be civil.

What we don't want to see are specific attacks calling other posters out because think they should change how they post or should go away.

Again, the forums are not moderated for niceness or any out-of-norm opinions. ALL opinions are welcome.

It is not about standing for the good or the bad. It is about allowing all opinions the same opportunity to post, regardless of popularity.

Moderator

Is there any way to sort that out?
All the variables, I mean. I have been at the same company for my 2 years, so I don't have anything to compare to.

As far as platform, what is considered slow about it (and the time involved you are speaking of).

At this point, I can see a lot of difference between accounts. It really seems like companies should try to give each MT a mixture of slow and fast accounts to keep it fair.
I was sort of in the same boat

My mom's doc told her in 1996 that she had "a touch of emphysema, nothing to worry about." (He was a lousy doctor but I didn't realize it then).


She had lived in a trailer on our property rent free for 10 years independently before this happened, then she got the shingles, "most severe case I've ever seen," was hospitalized for 2 weeks and went downhill after that. I moved her in with us as she developed macular degeneration, plus she was almost deaf.


The last straw came when she was walking through the hallway and her legs went out from under her. She broke her hip and walked on it like that for 2 weeks. I quit my job to stay home with her after that.  She spent 2 wks in a hospital and 6 wks rigorous PT in a nursing home, then came back home.  I did everything for her. She even gained weight, went up to 96 pounds (4'11"). She also came on on oxygen because of her "touch of emphysema" which turned into full blown COPD.


She then got pneumonia, was hospitalized, and then started to develop memory loss. Her macular degeneration got worse and she couldn't tell day from night and sometimes, her biological clock would get mixed up and she'd be waking me up at 11 p.m. thinking it was 7 am. She loved to read but couldn't do it anymore. My son gave her his large screen TV so she could at least see that, but she couldn't hear without the sound being turned up LOUD.


After 3 years, she was almost bedridden. Her bedroom was next to my office and I had a bell that she would ring if she needed me.


 I had a nurses' aide come in every day for 1 hour a day to bathe her and give her breathing treatments. That was all Senior Services could do for her because of her limited SS income.


In the meantime, I got a job through my former hospital working for them at home after she broke her hip. .I also worked full time 1 job, and had a couple small accounts, took care of her bills and checking account, our three accounts (both self-employed).  


We had a lot of friends that would come over on the weekends but where was I? In the house working and taking care of her. I never left the house for those 4 years except to do grocery shopping...and it was never more than 1 hour so the nurses' aide would be with her while I was gone.


She broke her other hip in January 2000.  I spent every day in the hospital with her, but there was nothing I could do. I couldn't stay the night because this hospital wasn't set up for that and I couldn't afford it anyway.  I knew she wasn't going to make it this time and 2 weeks after celebrating her 79th birthday, she was gone.


Anyway, I feel for you and know what you are going through with the exception of 1 thing....I have no siblings. Hang in there and keep doing what you are doing. You'll never regret it. Three people know you're the right person. You, your mother, and God. Forgive your uncouth (sic) siblings...and if you get mad enough, tell the one that keeps winning the money to hand some over for a change. He might surprise you. Heck, he may not even know the problems you're having. You should tell him.


But in the meantime, just keep taking care of, and loving, your mother for as long as you can...and don't forget to tell her you love her all the time, too.


How about some little stickers of some sort...maybe that will help!

I know that sort of sucks, but that's what the gov
f
A sort of update...
I still have not started, but I did call my GYN and she said to wait for about a week and if I still have a negative preg test to call her and come in for blood work. Thanks everyone for your sweet replies, it means the world to me. I will let you guys know!!
Thanks! That's what I was sort of thinking
but I really hope more post overnight or in the morning. I have been leaning towards the feeling that it can't be this bad - that it might exactly be the quality of transcription. I work for a big national, and its been getting worse and worse. I actually get upset when I see the critical errors coming thru, and nobody, from the MT to management, care. And I just sort thru this day in and day out. By the end of the day, I am exhausted and depressed. I never dreamed QAing would be what it is, and I for sure have tons of respect for QAers. I think I would rather be inspecting dolls on an assembly line. Unfortunately, or fortunately, though, I do make decent $$ at it - more near $20 an hour, and have loads of time off, but I find its not doing me any good - I use it all for sick time rather than fun. Sorry for carrying on, but thanks so much for listening. And maybe hearing my story will help some QA phobic MTs realize that its not an easy job. No matter how kind we try to be, everyone hates us. I feel like a dentist! Yet sure don't make that kind of money!
We do that sort of thing too. There is just something about
fall time in PA with the crisp air, beautiful colored falling leaves that just make it necessary to have a huge bonfire, hotdogs, apple cider, pumpkins.  Bobbing for apples and corn stalk decorations.  Its just a wonderful celebration before winter comes and we love it!
However, having some sort of certification does
not necessarily mean one is a good Transcriptionist any more than not having certification does not mean one is not a good transcriptionist. That would be saying that anyone who goes to medical school and has M.D. behind their name is a good doctor. While they have to have M.D. behind their name to practice medicine, it does not mean they are a good physician. Just my 2 cents worth.
I'm one of those MTs that can sort of get a zone and... SM

I don't hear anything around me.  My husband literally has to come up and touch me to get my attention when I'm working and then I nearly jump out of my skin cause it's like he snuck up on me.


I've been working at home since my son was a baby.  He's 14 now.  He had asthma and respiratory difficulties from birth and so I needed a profession that allowed me to be at home with him.  At first, my production was just gross, but you'll find that you adapt pretty easily.  Now, with both kids at school (my daughter just started kindergarten), I've seen my production shoot way up to the 1800 to 2000 range just because there are no interruptions and no excuses!


Your production will get better and better.  It just takes time.


may I ask what you mean? company - sort of ??
thanks.
Really?! Is there some sort of documentation...
we can access to confirm that?  That's just far out.  Ever been in the lunch line in the hospital cafeteria with doctors discussing cases while waiting for the fricassee to be dished out?  What about these third-world countries where the work is being outsourced...they have 2 generations living in the same abode--think there's any privacy screening or dedicated office there?!  Sounds like bureaucratic bull poopie to me.  Kind of like asking "how old are you and do you have kids" without asking.  I'd take a picture of me at a nice fancy-pants office set up at Staples just out of spite if I was asked such a thing.  How the heck do you prove something like that unless you make a home visit?!  Somethin' just don't jive there is all I'm sayin'.
I sort of use a laptop
but the screen is broken off so that I have to use a regular monitor. As far as the touch pad, I bought a USB mouse and just disabled it. There should be something somewhere in the settings that says pointing device. It may also be in the system tray, as it was on mine.
there has to be some sort of formula out there
to count the lines minus the headers and footers.
I sort of wondered if it was that he would be
x
Sort of figured as much...
Heard some horror stories much like you describe. Thank you anyway.
What sort of notes are these?

Do you mean that they are written notes or are they on a dictaphone system??  I am just wondering why you would need someone close by?  bj


I'm sort of confused here..

If so, I wouldn't be in a hurry to think you'll get the flexibility you desire by applying to these positions here.  Most of them require you work a set schedule, i.e., part-time or full-time. It's tough to find a company that hires true IC status.  They say IC, but then you are required to let them know which days you'll be working with a line quota.  


As far as insurance, check with your local senior center.  They may have information on health insurance providers. 


Sorry for your pain. I sort of have

the same problem but in a different way. My doc puts a check mark on files he supposedly dictates, but sometimes, he messes up. I think he puts the check mark on it first, then when he's rushed, sees the mark and bypasses that report. It usually happens when he's overtired.


Anyway, he used to call telling me he's missing certain files which, usually, are a month old. He used to use tapes, so of course, they were erased and long gone.  I cured part of the problem by getting an internet system for him to dictate on and now must keep these voice files forever. He's still stating he's missing a few files and I can't get it through his head that it's on his end.  I spent 2 hours one day listening to all the files looking for a certain record to no avail. Then on top of that, he makes me put "re-dictation" on the note when I know it's not a re-dictation. He really got mad at me the one day over this crap and I also got mad, but kept my big mouth shut.


It frustrates me but I've been with this doc for 18 years and soon to retire, so I'm keeping him because he at least pays on time and it is good money.  He's keeping me because he gets his work on time if not earlier and he says I work cheap (which I don't- I get $.17 a line and I don't think that's cheap).


Just keep track of your files forever. That's all you can do.


 


I used my BOS - yesterday --- sort of... (sm)
I had visitors for lunch in my yard, and the table that the food was set out on was on uneven ground. So, I got out my BOS, put it under the too-short table leg, and voila! A steady table. And of course, of all the books I own, it's the one I care the LEAST about, so it didn't matter if it got a little muddy.
;D
I had some sort of thing ....sm
that kept popping up that said something and the next day my computer crashed. When I took it to be repaired, he said it had been hijacked and had a virus. It is costing me $250 to repair.
I can't remember the name of it. It claimed to be a antivirus or something like that.
Have Sort of a Solution
This has always been an issue with these platforms, I can't work unless I can use Smartype and I do use the Scribe platform.

After months of trial and error here's my workaround solution: First open a blank page in Word and open Smartype. In the settings you have to set up where the line/list are going to be visible in the document. If I'm going to type directly into the Scribe platform I make the SMARTLINE checked as FLOAT. Then I go back and UNCHECK the SMARTLIST so it will/will not. You can experiment with this to your liking but I found the float works best. Then close the settings and close Smartype.

Now here's the most important thing: With Word open right-click in the Word tool bar to open the "options" window. With that open (you don't do anything with it, it just enables you to move things around the toolbars) I simply use the mouse to drag down the STEDMANS button from where it is seen in the very top row of the tool bar and pull it down to a lower level bar (to a place you know you will see it when you open Scribe.) (You will not lose your original Stedman's button if you do this, and you can do it over and over again if Smartype freezes in Scribe.) Then when you open the Scribe platform you will see the Stedmans button you dragged down. From there you can "enable" Smartype. That's about it. You should see your LINE/LIST appear and you should be all set. I also made a ton of shortcuts on the toolbars in Word that will work in the platform too. I have macros buttons that replace having access to say the format menu for paragraphs, fonts, etc. Just know though that when you open Smartype in Scribe you will not be able to add any smartwords or blocks. You will have to close it and then go do it in Word standalone to set up your vocabulary and such. So, in closing, sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes I just have to shut down the platform and log back in to get Smartype to be active again. Be careful too when deleting. Something due to Smartype will cause the document to delete from the bottom up if you do something wrong with holding shift-highlight-delete (or move). I can't be sure of the combination but it does happen. So I never shift-highlight-delete anything, just use the mouse to highlight and then delete or backspace. You really have to just experiment. But, making that little slide down copy of the Stedmans button on the toolbar though is the key. Hope this helps. Good luck.
Sort of makes you want to
start doing your job the way she mails your check!!
Sort of by accident. I had a

secretarial service and got a call from an x-ray tech who wanted to know if I would transcribe her tapes because she didn't have time to do it herself. I knew a little medical terminology, but not much. She would bring me the tapes and come back the next day and sit with me to fill in the blanks, which weren't too many, I might add. That lasted a week. After that, I had most of it down pat. She told me I was good at it and should really take a course in it and become a "real" MT. So I did.


Before my course was done, I got a call from a doctor who needed his transcription done plus from a school for troubled youth to do psych evals on these kids. After my course, I decided to go to the local hospital for a job, was hired, and from there ...picked up more doctor offices....the rest is history.


 


 


Can someone tell me how to sort by long form in DQS? My
nm 
sort of, I'm in our bedroom closet.
The three other bedrooms are occupied by our kids. I used to have one of the bedrooms before daughter moved back home, but I rather like the closet, it's very quiet.
Well, it sort of sounds like chum, but bad! nm

Sort of, but can't be any worse than the AC this summer - over $450

He always seems sort of confused and lost
nm
I agree and I refuse to do any sort of
make up time because I feel if the work is not there, they cannot expect me to work the hours I said I was unavailable. They better not say a darned word about my not getting my lines in this pay period due to no work situations constantly.
A year???? Is that possible? What sort of degree is it? - nm
x
They'll ask you what sort of work (sm)
you like to do best and least, and then they'll make sure to assign you to the sort of work you like least!

Amphion is 70% boring clinic notes, for which they pay a pittance. In addition, you have to input all the demographic data from some blurry pdf copy of a fax printout. Of course the info you're given in the dictation (the account number) isn't how the fax is organized, so you have to play hunt the patient for each stupid little 10-line progress note.

Tell us if you can make any money this way, because I sure couldn't.
Some sort of heater device
I read about a device you can buy for the deep cystic-type acne. I believe the machine was about $200, but it is supposed to be a miracle cure for treating deep cystic acne. The drawback would be that the device has to be held on each cyst for a couple of minutes I believe, so hundreds of cysts like you describe would take a long, long time to treat. I would ask the dermatologist if he thought finasteride would have any effect. That drug shuts down the part of testosterone that causes male pattern baldness. Maybe it would have an effect on acne, too. I think I'll research that for you.
Maybe because right now we are training them, sort of like speech rec?
Just a thought.
I sort of worked like that for 12 years but now

Had my own accounts, 1 pod, 1 attorney, 1 ENT, f/t for a hospital, and part time for a service. I worked from 3 a.m. to 6 p.m. or later. As my name states, I was getting older and just couldn't keep up with it anymore plus taking care of my mom, 5 checking accounts, hubby, making sure the bills were paid, and all the grocery shopping.


I gave most everybody up last year except the pod and attorney because they "won't let me" because I burned out and now work f/t for a service. I still don't have a life, but I'm a little happier. Hubby now goes to the bank and does the grocery shopping because I buy too much, so that's a big help and also saves money. Hopefully, your hubby will help you out with things like that.


If you're younger, you might be able to handle it for a while. I was in my 40s when I did all that. Just call me "semi-retired" for now.


My turn to rant - sort of

While it is true that change is the only constant, change should not be accepted uncritically.  *New and improved* is often neither.  While *if it ain't broke, don't fix it* can be taken to extremes such that it inhibits any kind of innovation, change merely for the sake of change doesn't result in improvement either.


Students anywhere, not just those who are financially poor, are often eager to learn when they start a new course of study.  Perhaps the difference you see between third world countries and the US is that transcription pays relatively well in third world countries when you consider their economies (not ours).  It's not a palace, but it's not a shack in the country either.  They believe they are on their way up and may eventually push for higher wages as they want to continue to better themselves and their families.  It's an immigrant's mindset without actually having to go anywhere.  In the US, on the other hand, middle class, and even financial poor, students are in for a shock when they find that they may only be making $20,000 to $25,000 a year and can't afford the average 1 bedroom apartment in their area, much less a house.  If they know any *old* transcriptionists, they may find that wages have been, and are continuing, to fall.  For them, this is not a step up nor will it allow them to do better than their parents, and the bloom comes off the rose pretty quickly.


How much feedback you get depends largely on where you work, not how many years you have in.  It's a function of how much your employer values quality.  How feedback is accepted also has a lot to do with how it is given.  Constructive mentoring that is actually helpful and collaborative is vastly different from the adversarial merely playing *gotcha*, and the response to each will be similarly vastly different.


As for the Book of Style, some clients want it and some don't.  Long-time transcriptionists aren't the only ones who say *but we've always done it this way.*  Long-time dictators have been known to get in a rut, too.


Good long-term transcriptionists have already learned to be adaptable.  Is anybody still transcribing on a non-correcting Selectric and using Dictaphone belts?  Is anybody still using WordStar?  We are already teachable.  Medical care in all sorts of specialties available today little resembles what was originally learned 10, 20 or 30 years ago.  We know how to use resources whether it's books, books on disc or the Internet and are grateful for the increased resources.  Gone are the days of only having a Webster's, a Dorland's and a PDR.  We must continue these good habits.  School is never out!


What needs to happen is for this current exacerbation of the newbie vs oldie fued to die down.  Both bring strengths to the table, as well as weaknesses, and both could learn from the other.  It was easier when we worked in the same place, but if we want to strengthen transcription as a career, we have to do it together.  Fragmenting ourselves into newbies, oldies, mommy trackers, career people, us, them, simply allows employers to play to our fears and play us off against each other.  Transcription as a career cannot survive this way.    


 


What sort of mistakes can be made, and - sm
what happens if you make them?

Are coders treated with any more respect than MTs? (i.e., not "just typing machines".)

What would average hourly pay be for a newbie, as opposed to someone experienced?

What did the coding course cost, and how often do you have to return for more education?

(BTW - THANK YOU so much for your detailed and informative answer to my original post!!!) :)
Sort of. The software usually has a settings

where you just click on it and press the pedals as it requests.  You can also change the function of the pedals - for example make the left one rewind and the right one FF, etc. 


Some software will only work with certain pedals.  Generally a USB-1 pedal will work with the majority of the software, but not always.  Some software requires a special foot pedal.  


Anyway the programming is very easy, takes 2 minutes tops. 


Sort of funny addendum to above
I do some transcription for this hospital, and they go on and on in their reports, but anytime we have ever been there, it seems they don't have much interaction with the patient. Lol ... You can help but wonder about that!
Well, the FTP clients we use are really just "overlays" of a sort - sm
that hide the commands used when your PC is talking to the remote server (in most cases, these are command line instructions, usually UNIX-style commands, as opposed to DOS, which are replaced by the point-and-click interfaces we use most of the time).
nah, I think this might be sort of a medical equipment..nm
nm
veggie too--can't stand killing of any sort--sm
too much of it is *accepted* these days, and it is just the thing that has put this world into the position it is in today. It just seems that if someone does not like something...kill it. I don't care if it is a third world country or not, they know right from wrong in their hearts, no matter what *religion* or *tradition* they have been taught. Lord, where are you now??? JMO
It sort of surprises me when we get in an uproar about our initials
on a document when we think we are so right, but are not as concerned when QA  fixes it when we were wrong and sent it in with our initials.  I would just worry about doing the best you can and let the rest take care of itself. ((hugs))
Yep, same here, FlashType. I found it easy to use, sort of like
gg