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If starting with a larger service, yes, you'll get training... sm

Posted By: ChuckM on 2009-03-25
In Reply to: questions about starting a new MT job - questions

...sometimes one day, sometimes 2, 3, or more days, depending upon how much depth they go into. You should get account specifics for your account(s), as well as their expectations as to style, procedures, etc.

Of course, the depth and quality of the training can vary, both with the company and with the trainer (and, to some extent, can be determined by the others in your training sessions and how much instruction they need).

If starting with a smaller MTSO, I have no idea what to expect; but, with a larger company/national, there's usually a couple of days plus a period in which you're on 100% QA so they can monitor your output and let you know what you may be doing that needs changing, etc.


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Starting a new MT service
I am really curious about starting my own service, or getting my own accounts at least.  Any ideas on how I would accomplish this i.e. finding accounts, platform, equipment..etc.  I would appreciate any help anyone could offer.
starting service
I don't have the answers but while looking on amazon.com after putting in books and medical transcription it came up with a book on the list that tells you how to start your own service and get accounts and such. I cant remember the name of the book but maybe you could check out amazon and try to find it. Good luck!
I saw this happen in MQ office while training. Supervisor was supposed to be training but
account was behind so she did transcription while she collected salary for "training" me. Of course I asked others for guidance rather than bother the furiously typing supervisor. I don't know if she cherry picked but she definitely double dipped into the MQ payroll.
there is a world of difference between MT training and NP training
honestly, I am in nursing school and have lots of health care experience as a paramedic and medical assistant. I think you can relax and leave your family's health either in your mother's hands or their physician's...
Do you like the larger font?
/
Yes like the larger font. Thanks.
nn
Probably why the larger Nationals have their own
qq
not MQ, not SS, but see, most larger companies are ALL doing this...
everyone is trying to cut costs...

my question is, when the hospitals cut back on staffing (for example, the entire transcriptions departments, most all ancillary departments, nursing, etc.), the salaries/pay for all these Jobst, where did all that money go?

all I hear is how 'broke' supposedly hospitals are etc etc, but with all these cut-backs, all throughout the country, even in government, WHERE is all the MONEY?

why are we now to want all the savings to go to the heads of these corporations (hospitals are now businesses as well). they do not want to share the earnings anymore with employees, and we are supposed to like it?

benefits no longer have to be supplied by employers, etc, and every chance they get they are now making them contingent with hours worked or production...

well, where is all the money from all the savings?

it does not go to the patients (in the case of hospitals) because they do not even get to have nurses anymore, and are pushed out of the hospital immediately before they are even well.

it does not go to the employees, it does not go to the community, because none of taxes seem to go toward community programs much anymore...

where is the money?

why are we made to feel 'bad' about wanting more in our paychecks?

just not getting it here...I am worth every penny I get, and more, and deserve to have benefits and everything I used to have. rather, I am making less than I did 10 years ago in this business, plus less benefits...

sorry to go on about this...for those who are making tons of money right now, you obviously do not have to worry, but I am old-school, I guess. too much has been taken away from when I started...
10 is smaller not larger than 12, so it would be more than 65 cpl- nm
xx
I think mainly the larger companies have

incentive plans, or the companies that have an unfriendly system so that it is hard to get lines, or horrible dictators so that MTs do the minimum and no more.  From what I have seen of the incentives there are a lot of strings attached and a lot of times the company finds a way to get around them, others make the line counts so high that is is near impossible to get the incentives without working 16 hours a day.  My company offers incentives if they get in a bind and get too far out of TAT.  They pay a 20% for any lines over your normal line count, so that anyone is able to reach the incentive level, just how much depends on how much they are willing to work extra.  I am an employee, but the ICs are offered the same incentives.  I have worked for other companies that did not offer an incentive until they got in a bind. 


I think some companies try to confuse you with an incentive, so that you think you could make more than 7 cpl, but then the incentives aren't that easy to make and you'd have been better offer spending the extra time living instead of working. 


We have decided to add this to our current service not have a new service. It will be easier to sm

keep track of and will just be a different department. 


It looks like we will work out details over the next 6 months, talking with community college program directors as well as a few of the distance-learning course leaders to work on the recruiting end.


We will train current staff to mentor if they would like to do so and want to work in the office.


We are still working on production requirements, goals to set, pay, benefits and other fine details but we have 6 months to get it all in place with three months to pull it together after that with a tentative start date of 09/01/06.  We need to build the building as well, although that is already at the blueprint stage in a spot next to our current office. 


We did not want to cause flames and bashing by listing the company name as there are always so many negative people on this site, but we are national with over 200 transcriptionists, located outside of Chicago (40 miles west) and have the best team of transcriptionists around!


We will have an "official" announcement after the first of the new year. 


Thank you for all of your feedback and suggestions!


Yes, a larger font would be more comfortable. Thx! nm
,
Yes I like it larger..helps my old eyes! nm
nm
Can't please everyone although we try. The majority like the larger font.

Does anyone know how to make the text larger in Word?? TIA
nm
larger text in Word - start by
to preview and select what suits you best. Toolbar should be showing at top of screen, pull down where is says what font type is in there. Otherwise, you can to either go to Tools to select the "formatting" toolbar, or go to View, then Font. Since my old eyes are going, I also choose the option to increase my page view to 150% (also on the toolbar at the top of your screen displaying some kind of number) by dropping down the menu (use the arrow next to it) and select the % that suits you best. Hope this helps.
Making text larger in Word
Ctrl+A to select all text, choose font size from format menu. Also make sure view is at 100%.
Yeah, we just moved and got a larger house...
so we have brought the dogs in the house now. I love having them with us and I know they are loving it, but the hair is just horrible. They are labs too, so they need lots of attention.
EMRs already in place and working well in larger institutions
The midsize MTSO I edit for uses an internet-based transcription system. Our programmers re-wrote some of our proprietary software so we could interface with one of our clients' (university hospital) EMR system. What it amounts to for us is that the dictator now dictates only the objective portion of the procedure/op note or followup note. The demographics, history, etc., are already in the record. In other words, what used to be a 150-line job is now less than 50.
I connect a larger screen - having two desktops is nice. sm
Just got my laptop cooler with its built-in USB hub, so I am adding other things.

Of course, the greatest thing you can do is take your job on impromptu vacations and not have to worry about approval from the boss.
keyboard shortcut/make letters larger
Somewhere I saw a simple keyboard shortcut that would make the letters in a program appear larger without changing the font size. I have a program I have to access at work and the letters are hard to read, but I'm not allowed to change the size. Does anyone know about this? Thanks!
Softer touch, clicky, yet larger size keyboard.
Don't know if you'll see this, but you may want to try the "cloned" IBM keyboard by the company I mentioned previously. It is the same size & layout as the IBM, "clicky", and yet there was a subtle difference in the "touch". I felt it "was" a "softer" touch compared to the original IBM. Wish I could offer a better explanation, but it's such an "individual" thing that it's hard to describe. What is comfortable for me may not be for you. I have the one I bought from them years ago boxed up for repair, so I'm just recalling this from memory. Haven't used it in quite a while, but do remember I did get comfortable with it in the interim without my IBM keyboard.

Oh - the memories - I'll never forget the "mag card" & how the part-time worker at night never failed to wipe out the "negatives" I had stored on "certain labeled" cards everytime she worked at my desk :o)

Well - if I do run across another keyboard I think you might be interested in, I'll address it to you as "me" & hope you'll see it.
I don't work for one of the larger nationals, but a good-sized national and

in 5 years the hospital system has been down twice and my company wasn't able to pull work and the company's system was down once for a hurricane and once the power was out for part of a day.   I never went a full day without work.


I think maybe some of the nationals are poorly managed and they use "server down" as an excuse for no work.  For a company that depends on their servers for their livelihood I don't believe they actually have the much down time.  I don't think most companies pay for downtime. 


 


Most larger drug stores carry a selection of OTC braces and will order others, too. nm
s
My telephone service is VOIP, but it s through my cable service, along with my cable internet. .
We have had VOIP for about a year now and I love it. I really can't tell a difference in traditional service, except the price. One of the best calls of my life was to Bellsouth to cancel our service!
It'll be the most expensive magazine subscription you'll ever get! No point in joining. nm
s
I am not asking for a service, I AM the service looking for recorders
nm
I'll go! I'll go!! I won't take hormones and will be ready to defend your honor :) n/m
.
No. It'll be the most expensive magazine subscription you'll ever get, and it's unnecessary
s
You'll get used to it. It is keeping the right leg propped up at the same time that'll be the
When I broke my ankle, I was just grateful it wasn't the hands. Without our hands we'd be totally screwed.

I broke my right ankle slipping on ice and was lucky to have gloves on because the palm of the glove was totally torn up and my hand was okay.

Good luck and be sure to do your exercises when it is time.
It'll happen. You'll find your fit.
You might have to kiss a few frogs first, though.
Oh she'll spice it up alright, she'll be
placing hidden cameras in the other ladies' dressing rooms! LOL!
continue your goal; he'll/they'll get used to it/over it
nm
I'll vent and I'll sign my name sm
I have two IC contracts right now. I recently went back to a job I had quit earlier in the year to work for the other company I am still working for.

The newer job has 80% ESLs. I transcribe OP notes primarily and I can fill in other work types as the opportunity arises. I am frustrated with this particular situation. After 6 months, I am making less money and working longer hours. I am past the learning curve and I should be doing better, at least in the number of hours I am spending doing the job. We have run out of work for 24 hrs at a time at least 5 or 6 times since December 1, and in November it was more than that. I have a friend who worked for this company as well and she was having similar difficulties. The only thing that we can figure is that they are shorting us line count some way, because after 6 months at it, it should be easier/faster/more money, but it is less and less every single pay period. It is not a nice thing to accuse a company of doing, but it SEEMS that way to us. I am fed up with being expected to type every single OP note that comes in 24/7 and meeting the 6 hr TAT for them on weekends, evenings, holidays, wee hours of the morning...

I took back a job I held for 2-1/2 yrs. The team leader has changed and this gal thinks that I should be on call 24/7 for whenever she has work. I might have some at 7 a.m., or perhaps not until 6 p.m. or later. I can't plan my personal life and between these two IC situations, I find that I am not eating on a daily basis, not showering on a daily basis and not sleeping more than 3 or 4 hours at a time. I have lost weight and I don't feel very well. I woke up today with a rip roaring head cold (my first in nearly 8 yrs) and it has already moved to bronchitis and I am expecting pneumonia by the weekend because I develop it very easily. I already have deep pain in my back.

Yes, I should call in sick tomorrow, but I really can't take the fallout. The job I took back I am covering for another gal who wanted vacation over the holidays and if I have to call in sick, the team leader will call me and pitch a fit about how this is my responsibility. It IS my responsibility, I did say I would do it, and I will do it, despite being quite ill. In the past, when I worked for this company, they would not allow me to call in sick for a "cold" without a doctor's note. I worked through many illnesses with them and only called in sick when I developed West Nile Fever and while I was sick for over a month, I only called for my last 12 reports one day when I could no longer see the computer screen because my head hurt.

The problem is that yes, many MTs lack work ethic. They don't take their responsibility seriously. This is not a work as you please career, not even for an IC. I can see the MTSO's point of view, I truly can. Like finding experienced, reliable and capable MTs, for the MTs who are these things, finding a company will treat you like a human being is equally difficult. I sit here, feeling lousy and like I am an utter slave labor with no consideration whatsoever. I know that my work needs to be done, but when I am this sick it is better that someone else do it for the sake of the work, for accuracy and for speed of getting it out. I know that I am needed, but to be the MT these companies need me to be, I also need to look after my own health.

I will also mention that when I have asked for vacation, I have been approved for the time, but the MTSO queues up my work and calls me then I am not on the system getting it done. I have told them I had been approved for time off, but the MTSO didn't schedule anyone to cover for me and I am told to get on work, vacation or no, if I want to keep my job.

Thus, I work 24/7/365 and have for years. I work sick, I work when I am in pain (I have an AI disorder), I work exhausted from staying up all night covering for others who are allowed to call in sick and have vacations when I can't have either. I work having no health insurance and not being able to afford the $125 a month to buy some with a high copay so I can see a doctor. I work without breaks for breakfast, lunch or dinner and I sometimes come close to having an accident because if I leave my desk to go to the little girls' room I get nasty calls about where I am at and what I am doing.

Many MTs are mistreated, and I am one of them.
Tell him you'll give him your macros if he'll give you his Lexus, his ski cabin, and (nm)
;p
I just went through training and they
told me that MQ itself does not pay for spaces. I was trained on DQS and again it was told to me during training when I asked about that and the answer was, "No, DQS does not count spaces as MQ does not pay spaces."

?? I'm all confused now.

Training (sm)
To tell you the truth, and I'm not dissing the trainers, but I really would be sure they are passing on correct information by asking your transcription supervisor.

When I was trained, they told us to disable some of the features of the platform, like the capitalization after the period and the thing that corrects your text if you type 2 capped letters. These are probably some of the best features of the program and I, nor any MT who wants to produce as much as possible, would dream of disabling them.

So... I really wouldn't put a whole lot of stock into somme of the info they give out. To be sure, get a second opinion. :)
You will need a LOT more training
than you have to be a successful transcriptionist, or even a mediocre transcriptionist. Simply from reading your post, it is apparent that English is probably not your first language. You will need to improve your English-language skills considerably before you will be employable. On the basis of your post alone, I would not hire you. I would not even bother to test you since you have so little training and your English is so poor. You need to take a GOOD transcription course, not something offered by one of the matchbook-cover schoools and certainly much more than you already have taken. Self confidence is all very well and good, but simply believing you can do something is not an acceptable substitute for good training. You do not yet have the skills you need. It is, of course, unlikely that you are going to believe any of this, so to satisfy your own curiosity, just start submitting applications to transcription companies. One or two might let you take their test. Your results should be an indicatino of just how far you have yet to go to be properly trained. Good luck to you.
MT training is not enough
it is just a foot in the door. The real training comes in by doing various dictations from various clinics/hospitals. Every doctor talks differently or uses different terminology.
MT training is not enough
it is just a foot in the door. The real training comes in by doing various dictations from various clinics/hospitals. Every doctor talks differently or uses different terminology.
OTJ training
I had on the job training. I trained for about a year. I am very lucky that I have a family member who is in the business who was willing to train me. She actually talked me into it. I have now been working for seven years as an MT for her and another company.
My DH is in training for this job.
:+
Training
Just another word of advice from somebody who has been there many, many years ago. Please remember that you send mixed messages when you switch back and forth from underwear to diapers. This confuses them. I did what this other poster did -- make it a game, praise, praise, and more praise. In the end, he will get the idea. It does take perserverance on your part. Set that timer and then have a race to the potty. The winner gets to use the potty -- and we all know mommy never wins this race. Good luck -- he will be fine.
Training at MT
So how do you know when you've received proper training? I have finished a program with a local college but when you compare the training hours versus other colleges its way lower? How can I be assured that I am trained enough to be able to do a MT job? Any suggestions????
Training VR
That sounds wonderful.  However, this sounds like something that the doctor would set up on his own.  I am looking mainly for something I install on my end, train, edit, etc. from here.  I have a small account with three people, and maybe a couple more coming.  They would not want to be bothered with doing anything different on their end.  I wanted it for my end to speed things up for as they expand so I can keep up. 
But are you in training?

I notice the first poster spelled clarity as "clearity".... A very easy third grade spelling word.  Are you coming to the job with experience of any kind or do they know ahead of time that they are training from scratch?  Are the editors paid well?


Because training an inexperienced person takes a lot of time and sometimes it's not successful. 


BOS training
About the BOS AAMT guidelines. I am relatively a newbie with 11 months experience. When I started with my first job and I had been trained like you said to strictly follow AAMT guidelines. But when I got a job oh was I in for an awakening. They wanted things done the way they had always been done and didnt go strictly by AAMT. The acute care account I do now is the same way. I have been penalized for doing things according to AAMT. But every company and client has their way they want things done and you have to learn to follow them. Little things like AAMT second edition says only use disk now do not use disc anymore. Well I got penalized for that. They want disc used when referring to the spinal cord no matter what AAMT says because that is the way they have always done it. That is just one example. But yes knowing AAMT guidelines is good but it doesn't always give a newbie the advantage.
As far as training, you get what you pay for.

training
Just to let you know - they will take you off of training before the two weeks is up if you don't need it anymore. Mine only lasted three days but I had overlapped training with my last two weeks at MQ, so when they told me I was off training early I told them I had to finish up my last two weeks at MQ and I could only give them 200 lines a day for the rest of the two-week period since I had made arrangements around the two-week training assumption. They were fine with that.
More training
I have been doing transcription for 9 years now and am not making the lines or money I need to.  Anyway, there is a local school I was thinking about going to that trains in coding/billing and they have placement assistance afterwards.  I have heard it is next to impossible to get hired without already having experience in billing/coding.  They do have federal loans/grants to help you pay for the training, but the costs is 7,600; seems awful high to me, but if they can get me a job paying better than transcription, might be worth it?  Then again, I was thinking about just trying to get a job in medical records at a local hospital going in as a medical records tech.  I know I must sound crazy, just trying to figure out how I can bring more money into my house.  Thank you for any advice you can give me.
on-the-job training
Trust me, if you have no medical work background that involves terminology you would be totally lost doing MT. It's really like a second language. The only on-the-job training I've ever heard about was someone who worked in a medical office or a hospital records department for a long time and was taught MT while they were there. I know of no companies or hospitals, small or large, that would hire you with no experience AND no training/schooling to go straight to work doing MT. There are some that will give you a chance once your schooling is done if you test well.