Macros are better suited to repetitive tasks like formatting.

• Just starting macros... - need someone who knows macros
  • Go to productivitytalk.com and found out - all about this stuff. nm Save your keys for typing
  • Not stoopid... - Typo
    • Use of Macros - LinK
    • Macros are better suited to repetitive tasks like formatting. - sm
  • If you are using Word use auto-correct to - what I know
  • Get yourself a text expander instead. - sm
    • The only way to make money now is typing SM - GM
      • Websites? - curious

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Thank you for replying to my VR macro question on mtstars.  I was hoping someone like you with knowledge of Instant Text and VR work could help me out.  Could you give me an example of how you would set up a macro to change a period to a comma and uncap the next letter in Instant Text for example?  Do you think using macros and commands like this in Instant Text is more productive than creating them in Word? 

tapes.  I'm sorry to have to disagree, but the time spent picking up tapes is equivalent to the time spent uploading and downloading files.  Printing takes only a few minutes and the ink is a deduction.  Furthermore, just because you offer a digital service does not mean that you will never have to go into the office.  There are times when a digital account requires you as the MTSO to go in and be a "techie".  With a tape, you rewind it, and then you type it.  With digital, you must maintain an FTP, which also costs money and is probably the equivalent of gas. 

Not only is "socializing" a great way to not become a "homely" MT in this business, but it is also a great way to network.  I know for a fact that a new office will probably move in where the office is that I transcribe for, and don't think for a minute in passing I may just drop off my business card.  Word of mouth and being "visible" is a good thing.  How many times do you hear on this board that MTs feel so lonely!  Completing the work from home is great, but also getting out in the public is a great way to build up your clientele.  I do agree that not all practices can afford the Nationals or want to bother.  They like to see "you" and give "you" feedback and know who is behind those reports at any given time.

I'm so tired of hearing the "poor MTSO."  Cut me a break!  Yeah, I have a big attitude, when most of these MTSOs are paying peanuts and demanding that ICs follow a schedule and also commit to a certain amount of lines.  I am so sick of it!  Don't worry yourself about MTSOs, they get their compensation or the wouldn't stay in the business! 

If they want quality work and someone who is reliable, then pay more!

have been working on and off as an MT for 20 some years. One year I worked radiology and I can remember actually putting out 200 reports one day. I never got carpal tunnel with the keyboard but could get it with the mouse. About two years ago, I had a busy stint where I was probably working 6-7 straight hours, then my fingers began to hurt. First it was the thumbs, then it was all my fingers. Just ached. Not arthritis, because joints were not red or swollen. I even bought a parafin bath, tried NSAIDs. Finally investigated on the internet to find out I had repetitive stress injury. I stopped typing (fortunately I own a small MTSO) and just let my fingers rest. To this day, two years later, of almost NO typing, all it takes is about 3 hours straight typing and it's back. I've decided I've hurt my fingers irreparably and any further damage I do now, I will just pay for later with arthritis or something. Sorry to hear about your disability.

I have a few questions about formatting:

If more than 1 presciption is dictated should it be seperated with a period or a comma? For example: Prozac 100 mg. , Provigil 200 mg.

Thanks

Angie

Can any MTs with the AAMT BOS 2nd Ed. tell me the recommended way of formatting headings and operative titles?  TIA

If the patient has a drug allergy do I make a new heading for Allergies or just include it in the HPI as dictated?  Also do I put the medication in all caps w/in the HPI if it is left there. 

I know I should probably know this,but I can not remember tonight.

TIA!

It's been a long time since I had to do this.  I've been given a couple of report types to do.  The first appears to be a discharge summary.  Should I just type in the headings the way I "think" they should be based on how I was taught in the past?? 

Also, is it best to transcribe verbatim or try to make the test report look as professional as possible (like we would be expected to when on the job)?  As far as listed items are concerned, i.e. medications.....The old MT in me wants to number them.  Is that acceptable?   I'm really concerned with trying to format the report based on how I "think" they would want me to. 

I would appreciate any helpful advice anyone is willing to share!!

They have a basic template that they like us to adhere to as far as headings, font, font size, etc.  However, when it comes to more detailed formatting, they really have no set standards and leave it to our best judgment.

My question is regarding the medication heading.  Do you list the medications in a numbered list or in paragraph form?  I have a friend who is a nurse and she says the clinical staff, i.e. Nurses and Doctors like to have the medications in a numbered list because it makes finding them in a report a whole lot easier.  So would you list them even if the dictator is not saying "number 1, 2, 3,..."?

I am not a Medquist Transcriptionist but could you tell me to record a macro and then run the macro that you just made.  I used to work at home and used Instant Text.  I now work for a hospital and can't use that.  They totally rely on Word capabilities.  I do use the Auto Correct but I think if I could use a macro it might be better.  However, it is hard to remember the various macros or abbreviations.  I also have to contend that more than one person is using  my computer.  Linda

At Productivitytalk.com there is a forum for WP for Windows macros.  Hope this helps. 

I need serious help recording macros.  If someone has macros for the following actions, I would greatly appreciate it if you could email them to me as an attachment.  I need one for jumping that uses ?? and ctrl+J to get from ?? to ?? and one that starts automatic numbering in the 1) 2) format flush left.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The template idea is a good one.  If that doesn't work, something like a macro to do your report headings might work.  One company I worked for wanted them to be in bold. It was a hospital account and I was doing consults, so a template wouldn't work as far as stock phrases, etc.  I created macros for all of my headings and had all of my keyboard keys assigned with them.  I had Ctrl M assigned to me IMPRESSION that was in bold and I was in the right spot to start typing the paragraph.  I had all of my keyboard keys assigned to shortcuts that I had created - I overrode all of the standard shortcuts that Windows does.

The other poster is also correct in terms of phrases.  Anything that is more than 3 letters that can be condensed down to 3 letters easily, you need to do.  It does slow you down at first to do all of it, but it'll be worth it.  Even things like "further evaluation" I have that condensed to "fe".   You have to use a system that works for you and your brain.  If I have two words I use the first letter of each word and if that letter combination is taken, then I use the first letter of each word and the succeeding letters from the second word, for instance "renal insufficiency" is "rin" since "ri" was already taken for respiratory insufficiency.

If you can change the position of words in your expander, i.e., change the order that words appear on the screen, that helps.  I use Smartype and there were some words that Smartype didn't think were as important that I use a lot, so I was able to move them up in the "rankings" and have them appear on the screen sooner so I was able to get to them with fewer characters.

Good luck. 

I actually set up macros in Word.  I have HPI for HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS and "hpil" for history of present illness, as sometimes I don't want it all caps.

I set up macros for all my headings, HPI, ROS, PE, etc., and assigned keyboard shortcuts to them.  Ctrl + R was REVIEW OF SYSTEMS, Ctrl + P was PHYSICAL EXAMINATION, Ctrl + C was CURRENT MEDICATIONS, etc.  I had to make a list as I used every single one of my keys for the different headings, but it saved a ton of time in the long run.  You can set the macro up to have it bold and all caps and then either put your two spaces, or return to the next line wherever you need to start your typing. 

I don't have that job any more, so I don't need those headings specifically, but I work on the Bayscribe platform that has some weird formatting things.  To bold something you need <B>, so I set up a macro to do that and to give me the end bold code which is </B>.  Saves me a ton of time so I don't have to look for the < or > keys.

Hope that helps.

give you extra lines because of the time involved in doing those particular reports.  Not so much you get paid more per line, you just get extra line credit.  For example:

You have a 100 line report, but it is weighted because of a table that you have to input.  Then you would maybe get credit for 130 lines for that report.

When I do clinic notes I need to make a log, so have been copying the heading over to another document.

However, someone told me that in WP8 there is a macro that can do this automatically. If true, is there such a thing in Word?

If anyone keeps a separate log, can you tell me how you do it.

Thank you.

This is not the first time this has happened to me.  However, I always have a hard time getting my pont across when asked.  I once again have a doctor who would like to cut his rate, go to voice recognition, etc.  However, he wants me to give him my macros!   Am I to give him all my macros that I programed so that he can give them to someone else?  I feel that whatever means or vehicle I use to give him the finished transcript is my proprietary information.  I could really use some help in this fight though.  Any thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated.