I have worked as a QA and as an MT which makes me an expert at SM

absolutely nothing, but I'm going to give my opinion anyway. 

Here's the problem with the whole QA process.  We (MTs) are told when interviewing that this or that service strictly adheres to the great and almighty, BIBLE of medical transcirption, the BS, er I mean BOS.  Then, when hired and given our assigned accounts, we are told the BOS applies, but .....  we do it this way for this client, that for that client, and the other way for another client. 

So, we as MTs are supposed to sift through all the crap and put out a flawless document and on top of all that, we now must also consider the egomaniacal QA person who has their "own style" of QA? 

So, now we must take an awful dictator who can scarcely put together a coherent sentence and make sense of what they are saying, then we have to make sure that whatever sentence we've constructed to articulate the dictator's thoughts strictly adheres to the rules of the BOS but WAIT then we must make sure that we've broken the correct BOS rules to suit the account specifics, and then we must now contend with the QA person who has decided we should dot our I's with little hearts cause that's the way she likes it?

And we do all of this for 8 cpl ?!?!?!?!?!

Somebody stop this crazy merry-go-round, I feel sick! 

• Need to vent . . . - flying fingers
  • More insight - QA
    • More insight - Confused MT
  • I have worked as a QA and as an MT which makes me an expert at SM - Tinks
    • Tinks, you are right on! but I am - maxine
  • Sick of this us-versus-them mentality between MT and QA. - We have enough problems in the industry.
    • Can't agree with you - other industries have consistent standards
    • It's not a "mentality", it's a reality. SM - Tinks
      • Yeah, right. You go change 'em. LOL - I'll be watching for it on CNN.
      • Above two replies absolutely correct! - sue
  • That's why all QA staff should cc their feedback to the - old QA
  • Send the editors an e-mail telling them the word in question and - anna
  • OMG... sounds like you have my old boss! n/m - blahblahblahblahblah
  • Don't be upset. Really. Try not to - QA
    • In reply to QA - flying fingers
      • Having worked as an MT and in QA, too, there are some - (sm)
        • QA - flying fingers
      • I am sorry, I really am, and just was - QA
        • Dear QA . . . - flying fingers
          • QA response to flying fingers - gee
            • Typing. This is NOT typing, it is transcribing. There is a BIG difference. sm - your first mistake
              • Exactly! - st
          • Not the OP, but there's no way you could "rule" on - every perspective on a report (QA supporter here).
    • Then why don't you go by the same rules, even within a company? So much discrepancy. sm - ok
      • Company QA Rules - flying fingers
        • Good post! - rma
          • rma - flying fingers
        • OK. I give up. You're 100% right. Its not - QA
          • I agree with her 100%. sounds like you dont want to admit QA needs to fix things - no name
            • I think you hit the nail on the head when you - Wannie
      • I can't speak for any other company, but - QA
        • A little note re: QA/editing...sm - luv2type
  • QA - pony
  • LOL - pony
    • Need to vent - flying fingers
      • Are you saying you left the entire report sm - omitting
        • omitting-no not the entire report just a few words - flying fingers
          • I think I have a better idea of what kind of - QA
  • Don't get mad, just document. - Me
    • Don't get mad, just document - flying fingers
      • Once again, NO job is worth shedding even as much as - a single tear.

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Hello

I am also in the process of going digital.  Some things I have learned along the way.....

1. I bought the Olympus DSS 330 for each of my docs.  It's reasonably priced, easy to use, and software works great.  I bought the recorders, because the doctors were completely happy with the tapes, and I am the one who wants to cut down on travel time and gas, so I felt like I should supply the recorders.

2. Audio files are too big (at least for my e-mail) to transport via regular e-mail, and they have to be secure or encrypted, so I bought space (personal/small business account) on CryptoHeaven for 2.49/month.  This is supposed to be HIPAA compliant and secure.  The files get uploaded to this site and can be transferred back and forth between you and the doctors' offices.  Keep in mind, if you or the docs have dial up, this process takes forever, so it is good to know what type of internet connection your docs have.  Cable and DSL are much faster.  If they have dial up, it could take up to 30 minutes for them to upload one day of dictation or even more.  Just a side note... I have found that audio files in DSS format are the smallest and thus the fastest to transfer.

3. I also use WinZip with this as an added protection.  The practice felt comfortable with the protection of WinZip, but WinZip alone does not provide the vehicle to transport the large DSS audio files, and DSS audio files cannot get compressed much more, so that is why I went with CryptoHeaven. 

You can e-mail me if you would like.  Keep in mind, I am no expert, and I am finding out things as I go along.  I will let you know how it goes.

Lynn  

Do you have a "sample" report of something you've already done in whatever format you're currently working in?  If you do, you could take your report and figure out how much you made doing that report in the format you're currently working in.  Then copy the report and put it in a new document with Times New Roman 11 and one-inch margins.  Then, using 0.9 gross lines, figure out how much you would make with the new format.  Compare it to the old.  Maybe do this with a few different reports to get an idea of a true comparison.

Hope this makes sense. :)

Even my QA person can't get this one, so I thought maybe someone here might have an idea.  Podiatric.......the doc says, "The patient relates that approximately four months ago, the patient stepped into a hole and twisted his foot.  He heard a pop and has since had intermittent heel pain.  The patient does relate ______  dyskinesia with pain on extended periods of weightbearing." 

Once, it sounded more like prosthetic, only without the "r" sound, and the second time maybe even like postatic, which I know is not a word.  Any help would be much appreciated as he has gotten me on this twice already. 

Were it my personal account, I'd just call him and ask him! 

does anyone know of where I can find or how I can go about looking for a consulting person to help me out with trying to get local accounts and what I need and should do such as contract, how to go about charging the client, what software is needed and the ins and outs of various ways of getting the work back to the client?  any information would be so greatly appreciated.  I just need pointed in the right direction. 

Or can somone give me advice as to what they did to get up and running?

Have a beautiful day!

but it seems the experience that I have had with these, they are fairly short.  I guess they could be lengthy, but I would say on an average $3.00 a page should make you a mighty fine living.  You may want to see some samples before pricing this one out.  The experiences I've had were with a hospital, and these were fairly short reports.  The pathology department employed two full-time hourly MTs for a hospital that probably held about 650 beds.  The OR had about 12 rooms.  The ambulatory surgery department had about 5 rooms.  These are all just my opinions though.  Good luck to you! 

Going into the printer properties and checking your printing preferences. If your not sure how to do this....Go to your Control Panel, open up Printers...find the printer, right click on it, hit properties, and under the General tab, there should be an area at the bottom titled "Printer/printing Preferences (something like that)..hit that and check out all your settings. I'd play around in that areas with your settings to see if somehow something is in there wacko.. Just a thought. I hope it works..

I just downloaded the EditScript (Escription) program onto my computer but I'm not getting any prompts from the Installation Wizard to install it.  This is a brand-new computer and I'm kind of a Vista imbecile since I've never used it. 

Is there some other step I need to take to get the program to actually install onto my computer so I can use it, or have I done something wrong? 

I'm SOOOO confused and can't reach my supe to ask her, so I was hoping someone here would be able to offer some advice.

Thanks ever so much!!! 

HELP! Does anyone else have this problem and what did you do to solve it?

I use ExText and if I do a Cntl-S then Cntl-T, ExText will close both the document I've been viewing AND the job I'm working on, then open a completely new BLANK document, no headers, etc. I still have the voice files, but no document. I lose the job I've been working on as there is no time to save it to disk. It  usually near the end of transcribing a job. It happens every day, usuallly near the end of my shift. My production is suffering because of it, too.

I'm getting so frustrated and don't know what to do anymore. ExText has been reloaded a couple times and that doesn't solve the problem. I've been told it's my Word causing the problem and I have to remove it and reload that program, which I had done months ago, but still have the same problem.

I don't know where else to turn or what to do. Am I destined to NOT work for any company that uses this program? If so, that leaves out a heck of a lot of jobs.

Other than this problem, I really love using ExText. I think it's great...when it works right.

I have never heard of them and they sound kinda metal to me.  What category does INXS fall into?     I said I know very little about the music that these people are singing for the most part.  Is Nirvana metal? 

Thanks.

You have to be disciplined to make yourself work when baby is napping instead of maybe watching TV or doing housework, etc.   

I might also go the route of having a teen come into your home, or either trying a mother's morning out program at a local church/daycare.   I've been home since my youngest was born and he has never been in all-day daycare, but I did have him in a mother's morning out program 15 hours a week at a local church.   It didn't help a lot with my work schedule because I had an older son in school and was a room mom and tutored other kids, but that might be an option.  The only problem with the mother's morning out program is they are around other kids and tend to pick up every germ.  I finally took my DS out of the program because he stayed sick.  You were supposed to keep them off if they had green nasal discharge and I did, but no one else did.  Every time I got him well after 2 to 3 days back he would be sick again.  Other than that it was very good for him because he would not have had a chance to be around kids his age otherwise. 

1/cent for no reason....I'm telling you the CHECK is fulfilling

some legal purpose.  Please run this past an attorney again.

I will try to call Drew, Eckl et all on Monday myself too.

You can use Ctrl + Shift + hyphen and Ctrl + Shift + Space for the hard hyphen and hard space.  If your work platform has overwritten these Word settings you can reassign keys for them.  Both commands worked for me in the beginning but IS did some sort of upgrade on my work computer which disabled my hard hyphen (Ctrl + Shift + hyphen).  I tried reassigning it back but no go, so I reassigned Ctrl + H.  Works like a charm plus saves me from hitting the extra key.  I know you can ESP words with hard hyphens.  I don't remember if I tried with the hard space or not (oldtimers!!). I'll have to try tomorrow at work because my interest has been piqued.  For the hyphen, I highlight the words with the hard hyphen, hit Crtl + Ctrl for the ESP box to come up, and then give it a short.  I'm going to try this with the hard space tomorrow to see if it works. 

OS = offshore

You know, people........ it just makes me want to cry out loud!  I am getting more angry as we speak.. you have all heard from me before about this business, but I'm going to be VERY frank and spill my guts right here in front of you and the whole MT world, hoping that someone who is in the right position will read it and HAVE THE GUTS to make a stance. (Can you say "hospital board of directors?") This is something that AAMT (or whatever the daylights they are now) should be doing for us. It's about time these "high and mighty" doctors listen up!

We are a family of hard-working people who practically have to become doctors just to transcribe these stinking reports.  I don't know about all of you, but I DON'T MAKE A DOCTORS' SALARY! I truly believe that all of you as well as myself try every day like the devil to do the very best we can to participate in patient care and earn a decent living, but as I have said a million times if not more, it is nearly IMPOSSIBLE and at this time, there ARE NO ANSWERS TO ALL THIS CHAOS.... 

Actually, I take that back... there are a couple answers..We are all reprimanded for the incompetence of the doctors.  THEY ARE NOT GODS as they would like to believe they are. They put on and take off their pants just like we do and when the he _ _ are they going to take some responsibility?  I, for one, am NOT afraid of them and if I had the chance to do it over again working "in-house", I would have the guts to tell them how bad they are right down to their burping, farting, yawning, chewing, mumbling, whispering, non-English speaking two-sided faces.  Let us not forget the 50 second operative note that should have been dictated clearly in 10 minutes.  Yes, they're busy, but the bottom line on this issue is that they don't want to do a surgery and BE TOLD to go and tell someone about it, so they dictate like their hair is on FIRE. IT JUST MAKES ME SICK.  It's part of THEIR JOB.  If they don't do a good job, how the sh _ _ do they expect us to do a good job!

Let us not forget QA.... We are punished and yelled at for leaving blanks........DUH! and I just hate the thought of a QA person (whose quality of work I don't even know), making corrections to my work - and don't tell me that at times, they are guessing... AND WHOSE NAME IS ON THE REPORT - OURS !!!!!!!!!!  In the end, if there was a lawsuit, we'd most likely be the ones to have to answer to THEIR blunders.  I would rather make my own mistakes and have to answer for them than have one or two opinionated QA people telling me what I did wrong... one telling you one way to do something and another telling you a different way.  I say, "leave the stinking blanks and let these JERKS" remember whose country they are living in.

BOTTOM LINE.......... Make the doctors more responsible... after all, they want to get paid and couldn't without us.  I say, "stand up and be heard", tell them to get with the program and most of all, SPEAK DISTINCT AND PROPER ENGLISH!!  THIS IS AMERICA, NOT PAKISTAN.

Please don't get me wrong.  I love what I do and for the right dictating physician (s), it is a gratifying experience.  Something has GOT to change. Thanks for listening... we're all in it together.  We need some mercy...   it's a thankless job  and   !