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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Mistakes

Posted By: Patti on 2005-09-22
In Reply to: I AM FREAKING OUT..... - what to do, what to do...

If the majority of us were QA'd every day they would find mistakes on all of us with the quantity  that we type.  We are all human.  But is there someway TAT they can give you everyone else but that one doctor.  I am the other way because I have one doctor that comma's me to death and so I hate to use a comma.   You have been with them for four years for goodness sakes that should be something especially if this is the first complaint against you.   They should bend knowing that since you are now aware of it you will be extra careful.   Talk with them again and explain to them you need more.   Good luck.   No one is perfect. 


Patti




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Most mistakes are not mistakes at all.
They are merely personal preferences other than those found in the the AAMT BOS which, incidentally, is not an "Official Rule Book of Medical Transcription" as AAMT would like it to be in order to sell more copies.
There would be less mistakes if
there wasn't such a nursing shortage and the nurses and physicians spoke English reasonably well. Our American HMO's and PPO's recruit these foreign physicians. Most hospitalist (and other specialties) are from foreign countries and only take care of patients who are associated with their HMO's and PPO's. With the nursing shortage, recruitment has been heavily extended to foreign countries. A friend of mine recently had CABG and could barely understand some of her nurses, nor could they understand her. The health care system in this country has become merely a business rather than a service to the sick and the system is broken!
mistakes
I caught my QA person making changes to my work a few months back - not small changes, but life-altering changes where a medical record is concerned. She is no longer with the company - having been let go on Friday after I reported it on Thursday. Have had no problems since. I would speak up. If the company has any integrity - they would want to know what you have found and correct it.
Mistakes
Are you noticing any pattern to the types of mistakes you make? Try to notice (if you haven't) and some answers as to how to fix the problem might come from that realization.

I am fairly new also and understand all your frustration. I get so frustrated with myself for not being able to retain info that I have repeatedly looked up.

I absolutely cannot imagine how people did this job before there were word expanders! Hats off to them!! :)
I think the majority of mistakes are
merely typographical or expander errors.  If MTs weren't paid such rotten line rates on production, maybe they could afford to relisten to and reproof every single report.  However, the people responding to the original post have evidently never made a single mistake in their entire lives.  Ah, yes, condescending, snotty superiority complexes on the rampage.  I'd be interested in seeing the MT profiles on those quoted reports, how many lines per day they produce, how many years of experience, and so forth.  For that matter, we could all sit here and rip on the mistakes we've found on completed reports, but personally, I don't feel better about myself by trashing other people.  My self esteem isn't measured by how stupid I think everyone else is like some people on this board.
I make mistakes too

I have almost 9 years' of experience.  I still make mistakes and always will.  There are many things that I still do not know.  I still come across things I have never heard of.  I still get corrections here and there from my QA. 


However, I think that is a good thing, QA.  I like getting corrections back when I have made an error.  That alerts me to the problem.  That makes me a better MT.  Also, I take some comfort in the fact that something I overlooked may be caught by another.  It is supposed to be team work.  The MT and QA are supposed to work together to produce a perfect report. 


It is all in how you look at it.  It is very easy to get your feathers in a ruffle when given a correction.  I believe that reaction is soley out of embarrassment over making the mistake in the first place.  That is silly, however, seeing that we all do make mistakes and no one knows everything. 


Mistakes/errors

I read below about the mistakes and I have to admit, I make mistakes, I am human.  My accounts know I am human.  I just re-read one of my physicals and I had somehow put "See expensive data base in chart" and it should have been "See extensive ..." it is not often but it does happen.  If we were perfect we surely would not be here on earth right now.  It is hard for us to see and find our own mistakes.   But for those who say that they have 98 or 99% error free, what does that actually mean -- for every 100 words you can have two errors, or what.  Never have been able to figure that out.   If I do 3000 lines per day, can I have 30 to 60  lines with errors?   All I know is that the majority of us do a darn good job and the best we can and those that make continuous errors, just like in any line of work, won't  be in it for long but mistakes and errors do happen to all of us.   For those that have no compassion for anyone that does make errors, be careful as it is a long way to fall off of the pedestal.    My two cents worth go ahead and flame me, I have broad shoulders. 


PS --my accounts have been with me for 5 to 15 years and I make over $50K a year but I do make mistakes.  


I'm not defending their mistakes whether
by intention or accident. That was not in my post whatsoever, so learn to read.

What I said is true -- and the posts above just proved it. It doesn't matter if they owe you money or not, you're going to gripe about it. There's nothing anyone can do to change the past. They found a discrepancy, no matter how or why, and they are righting it by sending the money that is owed. That is the RIGHT THING TO DO...it is also the LEGAL thing to do.

You were po'd because you felt cheated on your pay so you griped. Now you're getting that discrepancy paid to you, so you gripe. You gripe because they didn't make changes. Now they are and people are still griping.

The whole start of my post was directed at the idiot who was complaining over the letter - the letter announcing upcoming changes, whining because it didn't include SEs (in her severely compromised comprehension). I responded to that.

I didn't say anything about defending their actions other than they are making a wrong right by paying money that is owed. They are legally obligated to do so. And no one is relieved about it regardless.

I'm saying what many of us feel and that is if you don't like MQ GET OUT. If you aren't leaving, SHUT UP. It's a good thing we work remotely -- the pathetic pitiful peons who can do nothing but drag their hind end around on the ground whining, "look what happened to me" don't seem capable of saying, "Hey, I'm not going to take that. I'm outta here. I don't think you're treating me fair so adios MQ." Instead, they have to just continually lurch around with their bellyaching and griping and try to keep everyone feeling like they do. They LOVE to feel upset. Makes 'em feel justified in some sick way. Justified perhaps because they're not able to do anything else maybe. Who knows why? Who cares? I don't.

I'm tired of hearing the griping about a situation you're doing nada about. Shut up and do your work -- maybe you'd have some MONEY in the bank then. Otherwise, ship your worthless self out to sea and find new populations of people to cry to.

As for your "...it is not the people on this board who short-changed their people..." remark...you are WRONG. By continuing with a company that they believe is doing them wrong, they are short-changing themselves and their families -- their kids, their husbands, their relatives, their friends. EVERYONE. You have a responsibility to not be poor, provide for your family ADEQUATELY and BE HAPPY. When you don't take care of that situation at work and feel that way, it bleeds over into your life every other way. I bet you people are a JOY to live with. What a horrible negative environment to live in.

I usually let this crap on this board roll off my back. It's usually good for a few laughs. I'm not angry but rather tired. Tired of having to wade through the mires of people who have imprisoned themselves. If MQ did you wrong, GET OUT. If any of these companies did you wrong, GET OUT.

I would be ashamed to sit here and constantly gripe about the same problems over and over and never take action and change it for myself. How handicap is that?

Lately, coming here is like jumping into what appears to be a nice cool lake to enjoy a good relaxing swim only to get out and find there's hordes of blood-sucking leeches on you. It's really pathetic and it's that way because you won't get over what has happened.

Well, guess what? IT HAS. Whatever made all the pay issues happen -- IT HAPPENED. You can't change it. It won't go away. GET OVER YOUR SITUATION. GET OVER YOURSELF. You're not the only people in the world with problems.

Absolutely the biggest group of losers I've seen in a long time. Losers -- Losers every one because you REFUSE, not just fail - which we all do, but REFUSE to get up and get past these problems.

Get over yourselves. This is a great line of work and there are some great companies. MQ is one of them - for MANY of us. If this work isn't paying you enough to live then guess what?! IT ISN'T FOR YOU unless you like to live hungry!!

I agree that everyone has a different experience but you know what? You seem all too familiar now with MQ at least and you are still there -- voluntarily. No one makes you stay.

If you're tired of defending yourself for being so upset about MQ, why don't YOU go start yourself a board somewhere?

I don't believe this board was designed with MQ-haters in mind, was it? No.

So, excuse me, but YOURS isn't the ONLY attitude around! I don't care if you like what I'm saying or not! I have just as much reason and rightness in what I am saying as you do.

Hope you people sleep happy in your little tight little drawn-up world!! I can tell you without any hesitation that I have no problems sleeping and no problems making my bills and no problems going to work because I don't have the attitude you do!

Good night, little ones! Sleep tight!!
and you know the mistakes that happen
!!!
Speak for yourself. I want and need to know my mistakes.
I'm sure there are those who get offended but not all are that way.


The mistakes were trivial
They did not tell you the rules and you did it correctly. They should have told you that you were to change it. I just hired on with a hospital system who really appreciates good MTs and you can find someone who will, too. Hang in there!
we make mistakes
but what makes us better human beings is that we try to stand up and do better. Forgive yourself for that mistake and be thankful for a good husband and move on. Be praying for you!
she acknowledged her mistakes
-- no doubt she got high on herself -- there are very few that handle their fame and fortune well from the beginning. I still say she definitely has more honesty and decency than the rest of them.
mistakes in other's work

If your job is not QA, you have no reason to be looking at someone else's work. Someone should be supplying you w/ the appropriate, properly de-identified samples.Viewing a report typed by another person is a potential HIPAA violation.  Don't mean to preach, but that's the way it is....



clarifying this - okay, the mistakes that come through
are not grammar or nitpicky mistakes, but these are mistakes with lab values, especially ones that were clearly dictated. These are mistakes with drugs and dosages (THIS SEEMS TO BE THE OUTSOURCE COMPANIES BIGGEST PROBLEM). There are TONS of times that reports come back with extra sentences and things typed in the reports that were NEVER said.

I could even go on to say certain types of mistakes, but then I think the company would know who they are and I would get in trouble.

All I'm saying is, supposedly this company "tests" transcriptionists, which obviously they do not. The QA department of the company just doesn't give a crap and gets paid for doing literally nothing (I want that job for this company when I quit the hospital) and the so called "supervisor" of the outsource company wants a copy of all mistakes, but never does a darn thing about it. So basically she must have a stack of reports that go as high as her ceiling that she has probably used for toilet paper, because she sure as crap isn't doing anything else about them.

So this is not about grammar or certification or piddly little things, but major mistakes and tons of blanks on a hospital account that has but only a few ESLs and some really easy dictation. This is about an outsource company that is quite well known that gets paid for crap.

wow! I feel better again.
I sometimes make mistakes
On this board I am sometimes going so fast to get my message done and have come to rely on spellcheck so much that I find myself making mistakes.  But I must admit never have I in a resume.  And I also admit that sometimes my docs catch a mistake or two and perhaps three per month but with typing 2000 to 3500 lines per day and me being QA and MT, it happens.    We are only human and it is hard to proof your own work.  But on a resume I would have someone else check it.  On this board though I try not to worry as much.    I just don't think people take as much pride in their work and whether this came around when cpl was started, I don't know.   
mistakes all the time, tsk tsk tsk...(NM
x
Mistakes happen. Yes, there are some. Just
nm
everybody makes mistakes
One time, during my newbie days, I typed "slap reconstruction" instead of "flap reconstruction." Hee-hee! It's funny now, but it sure wasn't funny at the time!

I've typed the wrong doctor's name, too. They will surely understand; if not, well, nobody's perfect.

Stoopid mistakes
Oh, I've done far worse, and I am too ashamed to admit what that is here, but I agree with the other replies when they've told you not to sweat it. You are only human after all. Humans make mistakes. It's just how it is. The fact that you owned up to it, recognized it and feel bad about it proves to me that you're a good MT. No need to beat yourself up over this. This too shall pass.
carless mistakes
Only after she brought it to your attention just like you did hers.  Man people are such children about stuff.  When humans are perfect no one will make mistakes anymore so get off it.  Do you really think it makes you a better person, MT?  It just makes you a **tch
Are you making mistakes? If it is something

like punctuation I wouldn't worry too much, just try to do whatever they say.  If you are making big mistakes like spelling terms incorrectly, using Google to research and just because there are severl hits you decide the word/term/spelling is correct and so with it, although there is a ton of misinformation on google.  Did you spell a drug wrong, a doctor's name wrong, just did guess at a word rather than leaving a blank, etc.


I think the majority of QA is helpful.  Some get off on a power trip, but most really want to be helpful and help you be the best you can be. 


I recently made a job change and I felt like I would never get a report back from QA that there wasn't something wrong with it.  It wasn't so much an error as it was that the account was extremely particular.  I would fix one error, only the next day they would find something else.  I have 20+ years of experience.


Try not to take it personally, look at it as they are helping you to be a better MT.   If you continue to make the same mistakes get you some brightly colored sticky notes and write yourself notes and put them where you'll see them as you work.   Even though you probably want to get a high line count you need to concentrate on quality first.  Take the time to proof thoroughly. 


 


How do you handle your mistakes?

I am an IC and for the past 5 years have worked for the same doc.  He still uses tapes so I deliver on a daily basis.  I already load the work on his PC and make sure the pages line up etc. and do not get paid extra.  I also convert some reports from WP to Word and e-mail to him at no extra charge.  Now he starts calling me after I leave the clinic and expect me to either turn-around and come fix the mistakes/changes (15 minutes later) or I must wait in his office until he is finished with a patient consult, can go through the work to check for mistakes/changes for me.  The mistakes range from doctor's names misspelled (workmen's comp with lots of different doc names, impossible to search and find as no clue where the doc is located) or template changes etc. and sometimes silly mistakes which is totally my mistake.  Am I fair in stating that I do not mind doing the corrections when I return the next day but that I cannot wait around in his office for him as he does not pay me for that and I will also not turn around after I have left the office to go back when they call me? How do all of you handle this type of situation? 


 


I see really bad mistakes all the time
here on this site. I probably would not say that ESLs could do better but I do not think it could be worse either if trained properly.
Very true, but the stupid mistakes get old after you tell them
over and over and over and over again. They just blow you off. What makes me so mad is they DO NOT read over their work and if they did, half the mistakes would be caught. The sentences that make no sense...for example. He has pain with driving the walking on concrete that lessens on lass. That sentence should have been...He has pain with driving and walking on concrete. It lessens when walking on grass. (THAT IS WHAT THE DOC SAID).
it is still being entered by people, and there will still be mistakes (NM)
xx
They are calling me on all sorts of mistakes
formating, headings (they say things like "use your best judgement" and then say you did it wrong), abbreviations, for some rules they follow AAMT and some they dont. I feel like I will never get it right.
Article on Medical Mistakes (sm)

Very interesting article in the New York Times today. When you compare what this reporter has to say about doctors' survival statistics and compare it to medical transcriptionists, this is what one can discern:


1.  Doctors are fatally wrong 20% of the time (we are allowed 2% errors).


2.  Medicare and other insurance carriers are looking for ways to provide "incentives" for doctors to get it right (sounds like a QA bonus if I ever heard of one).


3.  Doctors have available to them a program called "Isabel," where they can punch in symptoms and get a diagnosis. (More machines replacing more people.)


My conclusion? Maybe it doesn't matter what level you perceive yourself to be at in the heirarchy of medicine, there exists a group of people trying to replace you with a machine that they believe does a better job than a human.


What are your thoughts?


I make mistakes too (who doesn't?) but (sm)
some of the more obvious errors, like the difference in "their, they're, there", definitely spelled definately, accomodate, things like that are what I mean; they are not typos, but errors.  If someone told me I was spelling "definitely" wrong, you'd better believe I would put it in my Expander or SOMETHING.  I still say a lot of people just don't care and don't like being told anything.
Ditto on below, mistakes happen -sm
I had several errors at a previous job, sometimes short, sometimes too much. I would always let them know and they would make the necessary adjustment in my next paycheck (unlike Missy I had to wait 2 weeks for my discrepancy). It happened about 3 x, but is was always just an accounting error. Since you did get paid, at least I am infering that from your post, I would suspect it was just an oversite on their part. Email or call them, be nice about it though, and I am sure you will have it fixed relatively quickly. Good luck.
They cant take direction, make same mistakes over.
adf
The harder I try, the more mistakes I make...
Go over report twice.
As an IC MT, how much should I charge for correcting their mistakes?

This happens often lately, due to being new at dictation.  I never charge when it is my mistake, but lately I am wasting an hour a day making corrections to their previous reports.  Should I charge by the time it takes to make the corrections and also to reprint the report? What is the norm?


 


Thanks again!    


Scan through and hopefully catch mistakes as I go. sm
That don't pay me enough this day and time to proof every single word I type. Take our wages minus IC expenses and we aren't making much. I look at it like you pay for what you get sometimes. Now that isn't to say I don't care about quality as I do. I just proof as I go and try my best to catch it and be accurate but I do have 15 yrs exp and can usually tell immediately if I have made a typo. I may get a he or she mixed up here and there but no major errors in the report.
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!!!) :)
None of us are immune to making mistakes
There's not one of us who has not screwed up before (or will at some point). Try not to be so hard on yourself!
25+ years exp. here and mistakes happen! sm
No one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes, sometimes small ones, and sometimes real BIG ones.

As long as it doesn't happen repeatedly, I wouldn't worry about it.

It does make you feel inferior and shaken....Own up to it, apologize, and try not to do it again. Then, move on...Don't beat yourself up too much.

Been there, done that, and will probably be there again sometime in the future.
I agree with your reason for the majority of mistakes -- SM
being merely typos or expander errors....that is, for experienced MTs. Newer MTs might have more serious errors.

However, I work for 2 of the biggest national companies and make over 10 cpl at each one. I make great money. I'm not being paid "rotten" line rates.

I do NOT relisten and reproof every report...I don't have to. I have not had a QA score below 99% at either company...so, yes I make errors, but rarely and nothing major. I obtain the highest production incentive at each of my jobs so I do have great production. I have a very stable and impressive "MT profile".

I am not without mistake. I am not the fastest gun in the West. I'm not the most experienced...but I am skilled, polished, and top notch at what I do. I am rewarded for it from my employers.

Yes, I have had bad experiences in the past. That's the key though -- they are IN THE PAST and I don't keep them in front of me. I got over it and moved on. I did not allow others to treat me in a manner I did not want.

Not every work situation, worktype, workload, dictator is for every MT. Everyone has different niches in this business. Everyone has different levels of expertise and different speed/production.

Your generalities do not apply to everyone. You can only speak for yourself.

You most certainly do not speak for me.
Since i am QA, i could write a book on really dumb MT mistakes!!
Did ya know that tough is now spelt tuff!!? This man with flat feet, had FIVE feet ROFL. There are soo many. I would be embarresed to turn in some of the work i end up editing.
I have seen editors/QA people act put-upon because we make mistakes.
That's their JOB to correct mistakes.  And while we are working on production and a QA/Editor has time to listen to something over and over, they act like we should have gotten this and why was it sent to QA blah, blah.  Editors forget the sole purpose of their job is to fix the report and move on.  Some of them have to lord it over you with comments that are totally unnecessary.  Just give me the answer and I certainly don't need a speech or reprimand with the answer.  You do your job and I'll do mine.  I don't lecture you, don't lecture me.
Sorry, an "MT" should never make such basic mistakes,
FLAME AWAY.
Mistakes found in other people's work

I work on a platform where we can pull up previously-transcribed reports for samples.  I have worked for this company for about 7 months now and have never had a QA done on my work.  I like to know if I am doing something wrong or if there is a better/easier way of doing things.  While going through some reports to get samples I have noticed things that are not that big a deal, but more along the line of somebody padding their lines, i.e., in the laboratory section writing out the number seventeen, in extremity examination writing out plus-two pedal pulses, cranial nerves two through twelve, things like this.  Also, things like sclerae IS instead of are.  Our accounts are not verbatim.


I guess my question is what would most of you do, leave it alone or say something about it?  I have left it alone for this long, but it just doesn't sit well with me.  I'm sure I do things that are wrong too and that is why I wouldn't mind getting reviewed every now and then to ensure consistency and quality.  Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions. 


hmmm...perhaps you should edit your OWN posting about someone else's mistakes. nm
nm
True, but typos and minor mistakes aside... SM
I is a MT and I can post without sounding like I be uneducated.
It's not just about mistakes and it's not just about medical transcription jobs. SM

It's about the unemployment rate rising in our country while American jobs are sent to third world countries.  It's about the ability to protect our medical data and our identities.  The government makes laws to protect our health information and our privacy, but then our records are sent to another country where the laws cannot be enforced.  So who is accountable when the unforseen happens?


I get so tired of the MTs who have the "if you can't beat 'em join 'em" mentality or say we have crappy MTs here and so it's okay to send the work to another country.  That shortsighted thinking.  Sure there are crappy American MTs.  Look in any profession and there will be crappy workmanship from somebody.  That is no excuse to offshore.  If you are an employer, you develop a hiring and testing process that weeds out the uneducated or underqualified candidates.  And when you find the one that meets the qualifications and passes the test, then you pay them what they are worth!  You show them they are appeciated and respected by paying them for their skills and offering them a great benefit package.


You get what you pay for.  If you going to pay an American MT 8 cpl, then you are probably gonna get a fast typist who makes a ton of mistakes because in order for her to put food on her table, she has to produce, produce, produce at 8 cpl.  If you are going to offshore your work to an Indian MT at 2 cpl, then you are going to have a fast foreign typist who doesn't have a solid grasp of the English language and makes tons of mistakes and all of his or her work will likely have to be proofread by an American MT who has taken 4 cpl to be an editor, but she isn't really an Editor because all she does is fast-foward to blanks and fill them in and send it on to the client because in order to put food on her table she's got to do twice a much as the MTs.


It is a viscious, never-ending circle as long as we let it be.  You need to jump off the merry-go-round.  It's the only way out. 


Have had three major surgeries and mistakes were made...
So, I fully understand how he forgot but admitting to this would have been worse than saying the procedure was completed. However, you do have a case that can be proven simply by no incision lines that correspond to the operative report's description. Finding any physician who will testify against a high standing member of the medical community sounds like the challenge. Sorry this had to turn into a nightmare for you.


Even grammar police make mistakes

let's? 


we're all humans here and we all make mistakes
nm
Verbatim = mistakes left intact.
And true verbatim includes every "duh, uh, muh, and wuh" like you would see in a transcript of a cockpit voice recorder on TV.

An unreadable document littered with mistakes and grunts and false starts and backing up and redictating things is definitely not in the best interest of the patient.
You proof read signs and get irritated when there are mistakes.
 
Losing batter against India-Seen plenty of MT mistakes in USA!!!!!

Comparing other countries to ours, we sure have a lot of sloppy MT's too.  In the local hospital where I work, all the supervisor can say is,"Type faster, type faster." WHO CARES IF SOMEONE GETS THE WRONG LEG CUT OFF OR WHATEVER.  I WOULD NOT TAKE MY DOGGY THERE!!!!!