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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Keys to my success

Posted By: hotpink on 2009-05-13
In Reply to: Revision - hotpink

Take them or leave them.

Work for yourself..not for a money-hungry MTSO who wants to use you up, throw you away and outsource your work to a foreign country.

Try to keep yourself an employee-status hourly or salaried job at all times. You can take other jobs on the side, but again, don't accept pay lower than you deserve. This is a profession and skilled career. I dare say that at least 5 (and probably more) MTs working as MTs are not truly professional MTs, as they do not have the skill level to qualify them as such.

If you are talented and outstanding in your field, all of this can be done successfully. Refuse jobs paying by production.

Again, take it or leave it, but this is how I have become successful in my career for many, many years now. I have greater than 35 years in the field and have never suffered the economic setbacks. There are some doctors who realize the value of a personal MT working for them...you just have to find them and prove yourself to them. After that, if you do the job above and beyond what is expected of you, word of mouth travels quickly between these doctors and their colleagues. Mind you, it took years of hard work to reach this point, but once you reach it, you will be a true success story.


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WW success
I did the flex point program 2.5 years ago and lost 25 pounds and I have 20 of it still off. I tend to go up and down by 5 pounds it seems. I still follow the points, not as strict as I use to, but I got so use to it that now its automatic for the "points" to pop into my head when I think of eating something. Its a great lifelong habit. My suggestion to anyone doing it is that you need to drink LOTS of water to really make it happen. I found the weeks that I did'nt drink my water as diligent were the weeks I would'nt loose much or at all. Best of luck to you and I am always here for support !
success!
i didn't get compensation, but i am not being forced to attend. works for me! ty everyone so much for your support with this.
EMTS a SUCCESS
Thanks for your advice. I took it! I am there and extremely happy. I posted another reply on the company board, and I will say the same thing here. EMTS has restored my faith in transcription. I am not afraid to pay the bills due now. They pay downtime, benefits, provide work, a caring and RESPECTFUL atmosphere. They are the true company of days of old. Where an employee is not a number but a person who is an integral part of the transcription process. I highly recommend EMTS to everyone reading this board. And thanks for your advice. It is highly appreciated.
Our best chance at success would come from - sm
changes in how the US taxes all employers. Instead of rewarding them with a tax break for offshoring, there should be a HEFTY tax. They should pay for the 'privilege' of using cheap labor, not get rewarded for it. If something like could get passed in Congress, it would automatically include all MTSOs. Then things might change for the better for the average American worker.
and you're an MT? Now that's a success story!
btw, I don't believe you. You argue as effectively as a seventh grader.
anyone have success with herbal supplements?
I suffer extreme anxiety, but I order meds on line, Xanax, Soma, Buspar, so far Soma works somewhat, Buspar makes it worse, and Xanax is my dream pill along with Ativan.  My online carrier stopped distributing the Xanax (probably lawsuits) and Ativan, so only Soma, which barely smooths out the edges.  I only take these things when needed, cut them into fours usually and can go days without, but sometimes my anxiety attacks me like a monster and I cannot function.  Lately i've been feeling depressed too and thought of St. John's Wort, bought it a couple weeks ago, but from what i'm reading on the net, i'm completely scared to use it!  All these warnings out there, I just don't want to drop dead.  Does anyone have success with herbs? Complications?  I do not take anymore antianxiety drugs, except for Soma on occasion.  So there would not be any interractions, but the idea of taking an herbal supplement makes me nervous, but I want to feel better.  Also I heard Kava Kava is an anti-anxiety herb as well.  Anyone out there on these?  TIA.
I am very happy you are a success story...sm

I'm happy you understood about as you put it *getting your head straight* prior to the surgery.  In any event, it remains always up to the patient(s) and their own habits/behaviors. 


As for the Lap-Band and the constant saline fills, I like the fact post surgery that the patient is followed that closely....but that's just me


Best of luck!!!!! 


ASR isn't successful? Its like 100% a complete success! Are you kidding?

MQs speech rec technology is sweeping the industry. Just run a Google, dear poster, and get your facts even remotely straight before you post!  Radiology speech rec is a HUGE success, as well as their acute care. What planet have you been living on? It needed perfecting, and, well....Its nearly there! Post facts if you must - much better than completely false ignorant claims.


LOL...another success story! Thanks for sharing the info.
d
I envy you! But I am very happy at your success! Wish more of us could be as fortunate! :) nm
nm
have you had a pretty good success rate doing this?
how is the wait time?  TIA
Anyone have success in using a website to project a more professional image?
.
What success...she is a lazy, rich HOUSEWIFE..sounds like the
successful one is her husband.
Has anyone had good success with Weight Watchers flex point program? sm

I tried South Beach for about 10 days and have lost 10 lbs but I want something that is lifelong and to me SB is too strict....Thinking about switching over to Weight Watchers...Anyone have good long term success with it?  If so, how much did you lose and how fast?


 


Yes, the Dynex is working perfectly and trust me I have tried many adapters and finally success.
I can now work on my laptop when I travel.
Sounds like he will do great then. Again, best wishes for great success!
x
I Take the Keys Off
I take the keys off and then clean it with a keyboard cleaner kit I bought.  It contains a little vacuum, lint-free cloth, and a few attachments to get between keys or whatever.  I use alcohol for the keys and the keyboard itself.  To just clean the wrist wrest and 'My Favorites' buttons, (I have the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 4000) I use Lysol sanitizing wipes.
well in my 40s, looking for keys and....sm
my eyeglasses all the time began.....and is still happening and I'm no longer in my 40s....*LOL* - you have to laugh at it, or you'll cry, and we don't want you to cry so try to laugh at the aging process......try fighting it if you want...you know, you're as young as you feel/look, etc.  Certainly try NOT to worry about these things that happen to EVERYBODY!! 
use alt keys
you can use the alt keys:
f2-slow speed, f3, fast speed, f4 stop, f7 rewind, f8 ff, f9 play, f10 play reel speed.
hot keys
my last job we used the alt F keys and i actually got used to it. i never had a pedal. the stretch on the fingers tho does a number on ya. i will be back to using the pedal soon tho with this new job...back to tapes, oh my godddd. i took three steps back. surprise surprise, the voice recognition thing didn't go over well...
keys
You must be working with VR. I never use my function keys either. I follow along with my mouse. To me it is easier.
F keys
You dont have to use them, the mouse is fine. I personally dont like having to use the mouse and keep typing. I also use the F keys instead of the foot pedal. After 20 years, my foot and ankle are in pain after about one hour of typing.
Any others use hot keys only? sm
I know of someone in same situation, however, I did not suggest the hot keys as I tried them myself and I found it to be extremely slow and thought no company would ever put up with it, so I didn't suggest it. Does anyone else use hot keys exclusively? Could you be an Editor this way, just wondering. Seems very cumbersome, time consuming and probably could not keep up speed wise and get canned. Perhaps I've been wrong all this time, it would be nice if some company had the patience, they all seem to want speed, speed, speed.
Hot Keys
I transcribe with my footpedal for 1 account and then my big money maker is editing which I do exclusively with the hot keys. It works very well for me.

When I first started on-line transcription (I worked locally with tapes for nearly 3 years) I wanted to make sure it would be a good fit for me and find a good company ( I had heard and read many horror stories about not getting paid, etc) so I used the hot keys exclusively then too. I have found many transcription companies are looking for a certain number of lines a day (they do not care how long it takes you as long as it is within turn around time) rather than speed, but I understand that is not everyone's experience. Anyway I became quite fast with the hot keys on transcribing as well so it can work, but not for everyone certainly. Of course I do not and never expected to transcribe more than 200 lines per hour or rihgt around there:)
Hot Keys are....
They are your "F" keys at the top of the keyboard. This way your hands stay on the keyboard at all times. It can take some time getting used to, but it is well worth it!
hot keys
It took me probably a month before I was really comfortable with the hot keys.  I would try and learn a new hot key every few days.  The first one I would recommend is the ALT-K.
Hot keys
I give you lots of credit if what I understand is that you have been doing transcription without a foot pedal, but rather are using hot keys! I am utterly lost without my foot pedal!
If you can't get used to the marker keys, then
right click on Phrases, go to Options, Marker Keys and pick the ones you want to use. I used the space bar for a long time and maybe this option gave me the comfort to use what I knew. Use what you know for now so you can get used to it. IT really is a great program. I like the single and multiple file compilations too as IT then picks out the terms and phrases that you use a lot for you. Keep trying, it's worth the trip.
I have it too, but find the keys take
a lot more pressure than my previous keyboard. Do you have that problem?
Never use the mouse, only hot keys. nm
x
Blob Keys
Lol - yes the good thing about the lack of paint on the keys is it freaks anyone else who wants to use my PC! That'll teach 'em!

Yes, it is now looking quite fargin' ugly. The last keyboard had black keys and the sliver letters wore off. I used to write them back on with a white marking pen and ooooh didn't THAT look perty!

This time, the letters are not fading, but the black paint is chipping off slowly but surely. I am so disappointed because I did NOT get mine at Sam's Club and it was very expensive, as keyboards go. I've been going through keyboards about every 6 months for the past bazillion years and I hoped this would last longer. It functions just fine, but my H and N keys are no longer black but bright white. E and T are not far behind.

BTW, I am quite partial to the purple - just wish the lighting was brighter. Anything to make this job more exciting. Doesn't take much, huh? There is a keyboard in the works where each key is a LED. How cool is THAT?
shortcut keys

I am wondering if anyone knows this- there is supposed to be a shortcut key that you can circumvent an Expander with.  Say I want to type the name Lee and lee is my expander for lower extremity edema, is there something I can hit that would keep it from expanding just when I typed the name?  I swear I remember someone telling me this once but now nobody in our entire facility seems to know what that would be.  Thanks!


The short cut keys help.
You move around the document much more quickly. The short cut keys for the header, ccs, template, etc are key. I'm not a huge fan of the alt+K but I still try to use it. I also use just my autocorrect for expanders.
Try the shortcut keys
You will do much better with the shortcut keys. Remember, the linecount varies, depending on the physician and the customer. Give Alt-K a try.

Good luck

Try looking at the function keys...sm
in your laptop. If you have that CRT/LCD key, press "Fn" and then that function key (on mine, it's F8--I have a Dell). Your extension monitor should show your desktop, and your laptop monitor would go blank. Of course, I am assuming you already dealt with Control Panel/Display/Settings, and you've matched the physical arrangement of your monitors. I also have my "Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor" unchecked. If you do leave it checked, your laptop desktop is going to show in your extension monitor as an "extension" of your desktop, meaning, you will be able to drag your mouse onto your secondary monitor. But, if you're like me and want to extend the life of your laptop monitor, then try to look for that function key. Good luck!
you mean keys instead of mouse?
Using the keys is always faster than using the mouse. I learned this the hard way going from an old key system to a mouse system -- my productivity was cut in half.
Clickiness of keys?
Are any of these keyboards nice and *clicky*???  I like springy keys, not the soft barely there mushy keys. 
Emdat F keys
I work with Emdat. I use the F keys all the time. What function are you trying to do?
ExpressScribe hot keys
If you open the ExpressScribe and go to control, then hot key set up you can make it work by assigning keys.  I work in MS Word and was using F5 to open files, but when I have the ExpressScribe reduced and hit F5 it opens the ExpressScribe window instead of my Word file.  I just assigned a different key to open and close the ExpressScribe.  You can also create a new one to assign a file to "done" so you don't have to use your mouse.
I just use the F keys with InScribe

Go to Options, Set actions, and select which F keys you want to have which function.  I thought I would die at first, now I don't think I would go back to the pedal!


 


Please, what are hot keys? How does this work? Thanks. NM
nm
Function keys with IT
I have a doc that says the same thing over and over. I have made a template for him and I use my F11 key to jump from field to field to "fill in the blanks". How can I get this to work with IT. I have added it to my glossary using the formated option and the F11 key does not work. I have tried using the command key (I insert the F11 key before every field in the template and then save it to the glossary) and this has not worked either. Any suggestions?
Short-cut keys
Do you all use your mouse much?  What short-cut keys do you find the most helpful?  I am trying to cut wasted time where I can and think maybe I can pick up something new from you. 
Try other F keys. I had platfor where F2 you
x
Already tried all F keys and nothing worked...nm

Function keys

I am typing now, but wanted to send you a quick note and say that you are right about the function keys for playing, FForward, and Rewind....I have been doing that this morning, and it works well!  I thought it would just be too much confusion to try and use those function keys instead of the foot pedal, but honestly, it's working great, so thanks!!  I appreciate any advice that's making it easier for me to use this system, and I got some good tips!


Have a good day


Hot keys and practice.

How long have you been on this account?  My average is typically between 550-600 lines an hour but I have bad days too, today is only 394 but that is with the kids home and lots of distraction.  At night is when I get my good lines in.  I use the shortcut keys, keep it mouse free, try to keep the audio speed increased whenever I can and do my proofing as I do my spellcheck and throughout the report.  I also still use my autocorrect a lot during editing for common mistakes that must be typed in (usually the same VR mistakes every time). 


I know that when starting a new account and still checking on specs and such it does take time to get that number up.  There are also days like today myself that typing just seems to be faster.  It happens.  I also noticed when I did a short sting on a clinical acount on Escript that it had horrible lines.  I much prefer Acute Care with VR. 


How long did it take you to get used to hot keys only?
I've been on escripiton for 2-1/2 years and only now has the company I work for even mentioned hot keys and they trained me. I'd love to get my lph up, but so far I am no where near you and the OP. Just wondering how long it took of daily practice to get used to using hot keys and not using the mouse. Thank you in advance for your response.
Right now I have 10 keys without letters
on them and it works fine. I don't seen need to replace unless the keys are sticking or not working.
skipping keys
No, it is just a plug and play
Plus and Minus Keys
It has the plus and minus keys by the backspace key, and they work the same as the 10-key.