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My thoughts sm

Posted By: Lyndia on 2007-12-31
In Reply to: considering MT job avenue - Susan

First of all, I'll play grammar and spelling police for a minute (I have had some here email with mistakes I have made).

In reading both of your posts, you would need to brush up typing and spelling skills. Yes, we all have spellcheckers for medical/dental and I believe that many of us know how to use them. From my time doing QA, it is apparent to me that many MTs don't know how to use them, given the number of spelling errors they make. You would, quite simply, need to know how to spell properly and you would benefit from a grammar brush up.

Training these days is MANDATORY. With adequate training, even with excellent training, you will be spending a great deal of time looking things up. I have been an MT for a dozen years and I spend a fair amount of my time looking things up.

I think my biggest problems with your posts are 1) Anyone who thinks MT is "fun" has a screw loose and 2) I would not hire an MT to work on my teeth, why would I hire a dentist to do my transcription? If I were a recruiter I might be enthusiastic about a dentist who is also a trained MT, but not without taking this profession seriously with coursework. Not only that, but even the most proficiently trained MTs don't make very much money at first, and I know a few who have years into this business who don't make a very great deal of money despite their very best efforts.

To answer your computer questions, I am seeing more and more companies out there who quiz their prospective MTs on their computer skills. Knowing about "digital" is not as important as knowing about FTPs, .zip files, how to play a voice file, install a foot pedal, install software perhaps know a few things about hardware, etc.

You will have to understand that MTs generally take great exception to anyone coming here and asking how to "break into the business" without having to go to school to learn something, or worse yet thinking that having training in something else will make them an MT. Those of use who are long timers and have more 10 yrs into this understand that the business is changing. We have had opportunity to see the work of a lot of different MTs and most of us have done a lot of head shaking over what is a sad lack of skill.

Remember, MTs are professionals. We are considered Medical Language Specialists. We are allied health professionals, we are not secretaries, we are not typists and we are not transcribers and we are not home with our families have an a good time at the computer.


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Here's my thoughts....sm

While I feel empathy for her family wondering what happened and wanting closure, frankly I'm tired of hearing about the case on the news, and that we have tied up FBI and even the military resources to look for her.  We have people that go missing in the US every day... and people visiting countries disappear - and you only hear about the ones who have families that are rich or well connected with the media. 


In my town there's a college girl who has been missing for over a week and it finally made the newspaper in a small blurb today.  This girl missed a flight to visit her family for a vacation and hasn't been seen or heard from since then, and her family says this isn't like her and that she was excited about the vacation.  Are they getting the attention this chick in Aruba is getting?  No.... because they're an average middle classed family.


Some thoughts on that...

I do know how you feel.  There are a few things I've done to cut that type of sress down...


I'm not sure what your company is like, but for mine, we have a primary account, and many people also have secondaries (mine is so busy that I don't usually need back-up work, so I have one major account).  It pulls from several clinics, but with a pool of about 20 or 30 dictators, after awhile, you get the hang of even the hardest ones.  There are some dictators that are just really bad, and I struggle with.  When I can't figure something out, rather than spending 10 hours searching and struggling, I use blanks.  I give it a good faith effort, as best as I can, and then I move on.  Since I usually clip along at a good pace and am pretty confident in 99% of the work I do, I don't let myself feel bad for sending something to an editor, if I truly don't know what it is.  Of course, I do the research, but if I'm looking for something for more than a few minutes, it's been too long.


You may need to look for a different account/specialty or even a new company, if you think that is the problem.  I know that, at one point, I ended up moving from a difficult but high-paying account to an account that paid less, but I was more comfortable with.  I ended up making more with the lower-paying account, because I wasn't having to stop every 2 seconds, and I wasn't tearing my hair out, and ending up in tears at the end of the day.  Of course, people should move up as they feel ready for that, but perhaps you need a workload that doesn't create so much extra work for you.


Those are just some thoughts, but you CAN do it.  Be proactive in finding a situation that works for you.  You are more of an asset to your job when you are comfortable and not stressing and struggling.


Hang in there!


but here are my thoughts
If your son cried, the coach tried something with him.  Why didn't anyone press charges or have the coach fired?  You don't let pedophiles coach kids.
My thoughts
For obvious reasons, I hope it is not true. But it kind of makes sense. I was working on Monday the 5th and was transcribing work from the 2nd, when within an hour, the work was 100% gone! Perhaps they routed all the work from Amherst to Ohio and then offered them unbelievable incentives to get it done. Not sure if that is what they did or not. All I know is the work was gone awfully quick and it has yet to return.
My thoughts
Direct deposit is definitely the way to go! Never a worry when and if the mailman is coming today!
I second your thoughts
Aren't these people that CONSTANTLY complain so darn frustrating? I am right here with you that MQ is a good place to work. Well, better get back to work - LOTS OF WORK THIS MORNING - YIPPEEE!!!!!!
My thoughts exactly
Great minds think alike, and I agree with you 100%!!!!!

Well said!
My thoughts-LM

  


 I would want to know what type of docs run the clinic - whether anesthesiologists, physiatrists, ortho, neurology, etc, as this will guide the typical direction of the dictation.   Because pain med Rx writing is always under scrutiny, there will probably be a fair amount of repetition for every pt on medicolegal issues.  Most, but not all, of my experience is with neuro/physiatry-based pain management.   For both these, I found the doc more likely to do further workup, which leads to much longer and involved reports. In the middle would be those docs who do extensive review of the patient's history and only minimal further testing.   The extreme other side of the coin are those, what I call, in/out pain clinics where the pt shows up every 30 days, re-signs their drug contract, has their BP checked and leaves with a new Rx.   I would always expect the initial H/P to be extensive and the f/u notes relatively brief.  Typically lots of phone call documentation and referral/followup letters or information.   Anesthesiologists lean more toward a lot of injectable therapies, blocks, epidurals, etc., at least initially, putting more of an op bent on their practices. 


As far as interesting, pain patients are very repetitive in their complaints and their needs.  Typically,  by the time a pt gets to a pain management practice, the cause of their pain has already been extensively worked up.  There are true chronic pain sufferers and those who are drug-seeking only.  Things do get interesting with the latter because they are very creative when it comes to trying to con or manipulate the docs.   If I were in your shoes, my first question would be what speciality of docs run the clinic.  As far as job security, it is way up there for legit practices.  More often than not, the average family doc is not willing to prescribe pain meds beyond a certain amount of time/quantity and feel forced to refer the pt to a pain  management practice in order to protect themselves from the medicolegal aspects of the business.    Hope something here helps - best of luck to you. 


My thoughts
I have worked for the same company for six years and my best friend also works for the same company but has different accounts. It seems that things seem to go in waves and becomes either feast or famine and seems to be this way for both of us at pretty much at the same time so I wonder if it is just kind of natural for things to go up and down. This time of year seems to slow down for me and I have come to think it is because of Christmas, seems maybe people aren't wanting to go to the doctor and have the bill due to Christmas coming up. I don't think there is some conspiracy or things are being shipped out of the country, I think it's just the natural flow of things, at least for myself and my accounts. After the new year things always pick back up for me and have for the last six years.  
My thoughts
What exactly is difficult about it?  The IC's charging a fair line rate.  The doctors use a lot of macros to save time and because if they're like most doctors, they hate dictating, and they get to see more patients so get to charge the insurance companies more plus collect co-pays.  I just don't see anything difficult about it.  
My thoughts .....
I think EVERY new driver should have a nice Rambler for their first car, then a Pacer .... it'll make 'em appreciate anything more LOLOLOL
my thoughts
your m-i-law's 'not telling you the whole story' in my book is akin to lying -- at the very least, deceit. Maybe it wasn't her place to tell you, but she could have insisted her son did (or else she would). For her to keep in touch with this other woman is inappropriate in my book, unless she is scheming to put her back in the picture. Of course you have the right to feel angry and betrayed. You always have the right to feel what you feel. i'd be sorely inclined to put some geographic distance (a lot of it) between you/hubby and her. i'd be civil, but never feel i could trust her under these circumstances.
I'm so sorry. Here are my thoughts.
I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. I can't say I know how you feel because my parents are still alive but I can say I'm so sorry. I think a death of a parent is something you NEVER get over, you just learn to live with it. I think if you feel the need to cry every day, then cry every day. But also, try to think about the good things....the things you learned from him...the things you did together. I bet your dad would not want you to feel this down over his death. He would want you to remember the happy times and focus on the future. Take each day at a time. You are only six months into the griefing process so I would think it is completely normal to shed a tear over your beloved father. He sounded like a great dad and he thought the world of you. Hang in there. You're going to make it through this.
My thoughts
Well, being a country music lover, I liked last nights show. However, besides Kelly and Bucky being in their genre, it was definitely an off night.

I LOVE CHRIS! I think he could sing an autopsy report and make it sound beautiful! He definitely rocks and I can see him winning it all!

Kellie was great! Yes, her "dumb act" is a tad annoying but there is no doubt she could be a country star.

I think Ace might be going home tonight, or perhaps that is wishful thinking. He just annoys the crap out of me.

I must laugh at the one poster below that mentions Kenny Rogers. I must say he looks pretty darn good. Actually, I think he looks younger than he did 20 years ago.

can't wait until tonight. My prediction is that Ace is going home.
my thoughts on it

Homosexuals as well as other "minorites" have been treated as second class citizens for so long now.  Let them be proud of it!  Do I think they go a bit far sometimes?  I sure do!  But I don't have a problem with it.  If a same sex couple wants to hold hands on the street then let them.  We don't need to stare in disgust and shield our eyes.  They are just trying to have the same freedoms as we have.  Discrimination is alive and well even today.  I know this because I have gay friends and hear about it all the time.  I feel that as long as you are happy and living your own lives then then let them be.  I know many "straight" people who are living in dead-end marriages,  completely unhappy and not doing a darn thing about it.  But their union is so much more sacred?  I think it's hogwash.  We are all different.  Let's celebrate those differences, not put others down because they aren't "fitting the mold" of what's acceptable.


I'm looking forward to Rosie being on The View.  I don't think she'll slam her sexual orientation down our throats at all.  She has very precise views, yes.  And she will talk about them.  She's VERY political and I feel that has nothing to do with her orientation.  SHe's given and helped raise MILLIONS for children and others who are less fortunate than her.  So why is it any time Rosie comes up people automatically make fun of her being gay?  Get over it people.  SHe's a person just like you and me.  jeesh!!!


My thoughts
I did feel that the fact that she had a REAL JOB on top of her Mom job was downplayed. Sigh....as it always is, I guess TV is no different than real life :-(

I would imagine they set up the other Mom and the husband to "work" doing the medical transcriptoin by just giving them really easy stuff and having someone go over it (probably just re-do it) before it went to the doc/hospital. But both the Exec Mom and the husband couldn't handle the MTing so I think that said a lot.

I felt she got respect at the end. Again I watched this months ago so I am trying to remember exactly, but it did stick in my memory that she was valued at the end. Love the show!


thank you. I appreciate your thoughts..sm
and yes, today WAS difficult, when I know my children are hurting inside and there is nothing I can do or say to make it any better. I DID over react to someone's words, and I have apologized, but I did not need to be called a nit wit. I did not deserve to be called anything just because I was trying to be as flip as she was. I became defensive, and that is wrong. I hope she gets her computer problems fixed, but it does not sound hopeful. thank you again for your good wishes. Tomorrow will be better.
Okay then, here are my thoughts
I don't have teens yet but I fully expect that mine will get part time jobs during the Summer if at all possible. As a teen I worked at the local swimming pool and during the school year I babysat every Wednesday evening and sometimes on the weekends.

I was able to save money and when I graduated from HS I was able to buy myself an inexpensive car. I also bought a lot of my own clothes during high school. MOST of my friends were in the pool swimming during the Summer while I was working the front desk......but believe me I had plenty of time for fun. Had I had all the extra time on my hands that they had I might have got into the same kinds of trouble they did. Seems drugs fall into the hands of kids who have a lot of spare time. I have never even tried drugs.

I was 15 when I started working. Ahhh, so long ago. 40 now. LOL. Since I worked during the Summer it didn't interfere with school. During the Wednesday night babysitting I was able to work on any homework I had. It didn't interfere with school at all. Honor student in fact.

Now, as far as the divorced parents thing. Sorry for upsetting you. I just didn't see the point of putting that in the post since it is a total non-issue because that stuff happens with kids who have 2 parents as well as 4 -- which is why I mentioned it.

I think you are doing the right thing with your daughter. She will appreciate you for it later :-)

What are your thoughts on

My 15 YO daughter has a part-time job...she works 2 days a week at a local fast food restaurant.  Her best friend, on the other hand, doesn't work.  Her mom thinks she shouldn't work until she gets out of high school. I say, that's up to her, but I think it's to her daughter's disadvantage.


It was my daughter's idea to get a job, we didn't push her into it. She likes going shopping, movies, Starbuck's, and loves having her own money to do it with.


Now, her BF just turned 16 and her parents (she has 4 of them...my daughter only has 2!) bought her a car and set her up with her own checking account to pay for the gas. She has no responsibilities whatsoever, which drives me up the wall!


Oh BTW, she just got her license YESTERDAY...and last night, she was driving around to Wal-Mart, Target, Starbuck's...ALONE...with her 10 YO brother in the car with her...and we live in a small, but very busy part of town...you know, one main road that leads to everything! Is it just me or is this crazy?


Opinions please, as I know y'all have 'em!


my thoughts
I know where you are coming from.  I got a shower invite not long ago from the same type of person.  Initially, I thought "forget it" but then I realized it was a great chance to see other family members that I do care about.  I took a nice gift and card to her - no thank-you note from her which didn't surprise me.  But I did get to see the ppl I wanted.  Sort of a trade off.  I understand your feelings and its entirely up to you.  I am learning to live my life doing things I want to do, prefer to do, not SHOULD do!
My thoughts.. SM

I had no formal training.  I lost my job and my future mother-in-law was an MT with her own business.  I asked her to train me and she did.  For three years I drove over 50 miles one way 3-4 times a week to work in her office.  I feel it was better training that I could have ever gotten from any school. 


 


My MIL has told me she had many people try doing transcription without experience and I was the only one who worked out.  She even had people with training who didn’t do as well as me.  I believe it truly depends on the person and you should know right away if she will work out or not.  You have to have an ear for it and that can’t be trained.  You have to have good English skills and you have to be willing to work very hard.


 


It is possible.  It will take a lot of work on both your parts.  My MIL knew from the beginning that I would work out compared to what she had seen before.  You should know this too and be prepared to cut your losses if you feel she isn’t the right person for this field.


Thanks for your thoughts! nm
x
My thoughts with you..
I have a Dachshund that had a back injury back in March of this year with a herniated disk. They removed it and told us she would probably not walk again (20% chance), but with lots of physical therapy and TLC, she is up and about again. I would absolutely be soooo upset if I lost either one of my dogs...they are like my children, except without all of the back-talk. I wish you well.
My thoughts - again

If you get your own accounts the charge is usually less than that of a large nationals or even semi-large nationals and that is why they will lean towards you.  You don;t have the overhead of a large national and can charge less and still make great money.  Also they sometimes like having only one person handle the account.  You learn that account, make your shortcuts and you can really produce the lines.  Since I don't have the overhead of an outside office, employee benefits, etc. I do pass those savings onto the doctors and I still make a great living.  (Hitting over 5K this month and that is just me not my IC's)   And yes it is possible as in the past two months I picked up two accounts and just heard about one yesterday and these are tapes with pick up and delivery but the pay is very good and I will take them.  As for taxes, all the nationals do is to hold out your money for you to pay your taxes (with the exception of your 7.5 SS) and you just have to plan for that and budget and be strignent about putting the money aside.  With all of the write-offs I have so much more usable income with by husiness and being an IC than being an employee.  It is not MORE EXPENSIVE.  You are just in charge of holding out your taxes.  Go for it but I do not think you should go into it thinking you will get the 18 to 20 cpl that nationals charge.  But that is me. 


Patti


My thoughts

Depends is it all digital, will you be picking up and delivering, printing or what.  If it is all digital and you don't have to print or deliver I would go probably 12.5 to 13.  Once you get the doctors down and you macros, templates, auto correct or whatever shortcuts you use, it will be good money.  Also is it gross or cpl, character line.  I pick up and deliver, print, and start my accounts out at 12.5 but this is Portland and I count gross lines.    Just don't tie into a written contract that prices cannot be negotiated or raised within a certain amount of time.  It will take you a while but bet even at 12.5 to 13 you will be up to $40  to $50 an hour fast.  So I think you are in the ballpark.  Don't want to go too high but not too low.  So if you can get a lot of shortcuts and once you get used to them you should be able to do 300 to 400 lines per hour which is good money.  Good luck. 


My thoughts exactly. Don't want the IRS to ever

have reason to question my returns! 


My thoughts exactly.
Plus there are always the little extras in having your own account.  This way you are making it worth your while, especially since it is not like you raise your rates every year.  I think you'll make out fine with 12 cpl gross and it is more the turnaround time that will look really attractive and the communication insofar as they know that they can count on you to do the job.  
What are your thoughts on VR?
Or does it make it more difficult to get lines? Ive been offered a job that is a little bit of straight typing and VR combined...what do you think about this scenario?
My thoughts were the same but sm.
since I am the only one having this problem I am now wondering what else could be the problem.  I haven't gotten much help from the place where I work though.  No, I don't work for FutureNet but it is their software program.  Thanks for you advice. 
My thoughts

If he is going to be fairly easy to do after a while and you can easily get your lines per hour up to about 250 to 300  and perhaps more if you can get his exams down and save them and insert them as he dictates them.  I would charge around 12  to 12.5 cpl per gross line.   Even with pick-up and delivery it is only once a week  20 miles is perhaps a gallon of gas a week or less which is only $3.   My toner in my printer lasts me 6+ months and I run approximately 600 - 700 sheets per month  This could very well work out to $35 to $40 per hour.  Of course it could turn out to be the other way but they usually don't for clinic notes and even even the worst dictator  if you have him every day you do get used to them.  But I would not overprice to start but do gross lines at 1" side margins at a Courier 12 font and you will do fine at 12 cpl.    If he wants a different font used, and most of my accounts do, I simply change the document back to Courier 12 and my margins and do that for my line count.  I use sticky paper and so as to not use so much use .5 margins on the side.  Good luck.  


 


My thoughts exactly


My thoughts exactly

I think a pool should consist of priority down, by reports, and whatever you draw as a report that is what you transcribe.  This picking and choosing sucks.  The work should be done oldest report done first, and in that order.  No one should be stuck with all the crap!  I work nights, and this is happening to me because everyone on days picks and chooses and they get the easier reports.  I'm working the shift that no one really wants to work, and guess what I get to choose from the bottom of the barrel.  I'm switching to days!


What are your thoughts on this?
Is using the phrase oriental male any different than the phrase black male? I know the politically correct alternative is Asian and African-American, but if you work a verbatim account and they dictate oriental or black, do you change it?

Why or why not?
my thoughts

I am constantly reading on this board how you cannot make any money and how terrible this profession now is, but in my opinion, we - or let me rephrase - I am still making darn good money!!!  I have no problem getting 2000 lines in 6 hours a day (which is about 200.00 - do the math) and my experience has been that the in-house positions are not where any money is!  I have been offered two in-house positions in the last 6 months - one offered me 14.00 an hour (with 15 years experience), topping out at 17.00 an hour and 75% ESL dictators!  The other offered me $10.00 an hour! 


 


I agree that we deserve more money for what we do - I agree that we are still being paid the same or less than we were 15 years ago when I started this - but I do not agree that going to work at Wal-Mart or McDonald's is going to pay me the same money that I make. 


 


So in my opinion, yes it is worth it!


thank you all for your thoughts and
advice. It's much appreciated. At least I know I'm not alone. Thanks!
More thoughts on this

You say:  *Years do not give you a leg up in this business, knowledge and application of it do.*  But where does the knowledge, verbal and technical, come from if not from years of working on different accounts in different environments?  No school, no matter how good it is, is going to teach you everything you need to know by graduation.


I cannot understand a service owner wanting to turn her back on a class of workers (long-time transcriptionists) in a market that cries about a shortage of skilled workers and uses that as an excuse to offshore.  It's no different from saying you don't want to hire based on gender, ethnicity, national origin or religion based on your preconceived notion of any of these things.  Why deny yourself access to any portion of a supposedly limited talent pool?  Is it a pain in the tail to have to wade through resumes, perform testing and do interviews to try to find the right person?  Sure it is, but that's part of the owner's job just like transcribing a disorganized, Klingon-speaking dictator who is barely audible is a pain in the tail part of a transcriptionist's job.     


I have to wonder how many experienced, valuable, long-term transcriptionists who might be looking to make a change in their situation have been turned off by this MTSO's comments and now would not consider working for her because of her perceived attitude.  Those who know her personally may be able to look beyond it, but others won't.  If her service is as good as you say, then it appears that her comments may lead to an unfortunate lose/lose situation all around. 


just my thoughts
I don't think learning to use the equipment is a problem.   MTs make different amounts depending on various factors but certainly not what a dentist makes. But you say that does not matter to you. The most important thing here, I think, is what others have suggested-  listening to some actual dictations to see if this is something you'd really want to do or have the knack for. I never had a training course. I studied medical record administration for a year but have B.S. in nutrition. - a much greater than average exposure to medical terminology, but nowhere near what MTs know.  I took a test for a small company. They said if I did well enough they would train me. Most of what I know  I learned on the job although the medical  background helped and I think I have what you would call a knack. And an interest in medical things. I'm sure that MTs who go to a good school are better prepared than I was -    but that's how I got into the business.
Try listening to some dictations. You might be surprised that it's more difficult than you think to understand what they are saying.  It's not just knowing the terms and what they mean, it's making sense out of their dictation. 
My thoughts exactly
I mean a "bleed" is a "bleed".  Something is not right.  They are treating this like "oh well".  They said that he will experience a bad headache for 5 to 6 weeks, and they are going to give him something for pain.  Here's the kicker.  He has hepatitis C, and he cannot take a lot of pain medications.  This diagnosis is from a well-known Chicago hospital.  I was worried about him at our local hospital, which I personally do not care for, but now I am wondering.  I asked what they are doing to stop "the bleed", and my friend's sister said she would let me know when they found out.  I had just left the hospital when the doctor came in and consulted with the family. 
my thoughts as well

My thoughts
I use email alot!!!  But your clients have to be digital voice files also, so you need to talk them into that.  I still have one client who refuses to even try the digital because he likes to see the cassette tape roll around so that he knows it is listening.  I also have a call-in Lanier system that I purchased off ebay for $1000, but to tell you the truth, only one client uses it and that is just when he forgets to take his system with him....which is about once every three months.  I have probably lost my bottom on that system, plus I have been paying for a phone line.  I don't want to ditch it cuz it looks good on my brochures, etc. that says I have th capability for that...makes me look larger than actuality.  It is more of a promo than a real benefit, except to the fellow who forgets his machine!
My thoughts exactly. Also...
The way I typed that out made it sound like the person asking about MT and the person who asked the teacher were the same person. The other person is already in school and was also replying to the person asking about MT. Not that it really matters, just to clarify.
My thoughts exactly...
x
My thoughts .... sm
It doesn't matter what degree you have. If you haven't been trained in MT work, you are lacking some basic skills. Your experience is showing you this.

MT work is not something just anyone came pick up, even if they have other medical-related training.

It is a very short, steep learning curve. It costs companies to train MTs and they lose out on profit so that's one reason they want MTs who can hit the ground running.

You might look into an MT training program. Without catching up on the MT skills you need, you'll probably always be in this boat.


MT thoughts...
How much do transcription companies charge their clients? What percentage of that rate are transcriptionists paid? Do you think some companies manipulate line calculations to a higher number for billing purposes and a lower number for paying transcriptionists?

Just wondering what your thoughts might be.
thoughts
what about the train?

Or, why couldn't a trailer hitch be put on your car? I believe the trailer places will install them.

Could even check some websites for horse transportation; if someone is going empty one direction, they might accommodate you.

My thoughts exactly!!
Poor english skills are a-ok if you're a doctor. You can speak any darn way you want when dictating then, and the MT gets the blame when there are errors in the report. I get your point, and it's a good one.
Two Thoughts
1) Yes, we enable them by answering them.

2) Back in the "good ole' days" we did the same thing ourselves. We called a coworker over to listen. We called it mentoring, and usually the coworker would let us know in one way or another if we were abusing the privilege for words we should have looked up ourselves.
Some thoughts...
My client dictates on a little Olympus digital recorder. To transfer files, we hook it up to his computer via USB cable, and the recorder is recognized as an external storage device.

It happens that I personally go down to his office and unload the files myself and then copy them over to a thumb drive, which I then take home. I have a USB WAV pedal which comes with its own software, and is very easy to use. I also print out his work and take it in. If I didn't do this, I might never get out of the house all day. His office is only a mile away, and I often combine that trip with grocery store runs and the like.

A former client used to just copy his files over to a folder on his PC, and I would go onto his computer from home via GotomyPC (he had an account so he could get into his office computer from other locations) and simply transfer the files to my computer that way, via drag-and-drop. GotomyPC is not terribly expensive; you might want to check and see if your clients (a) already have an account, or (b) might be amenable to opening one.

Alternatively, someone in the doctor's office could upload the sound files to a secure FTP site, or they could be e-mailed to you via secure e-mail. E-mail is a little tricky, though, because e-mail tends to choke on large files....

There are many discussions elsewhere with suggestions for secure file transfer. And you didn't hear me say this, and I didn't hear your reply... but there are also free file storage sites like Mediafire where you can set up a free account and set it to "private," where if only you and the client have the user ID and password, theoretically you will be the only ones who can access the files.... I am not sure how secure that is. Again, you did not hear me suggest it as a possibility. :)

Good luck with the conversion process, and let us know how it goes! I finally got my one remaining local client off the tapes when my last working tape machine died and I just plain refused to buy a new one, and I dragged the client into the 21st century kicking and screaming. But he had no choice. I am glad to hear your clients are actually willing to make the switch.
Thoughts
I respect your beliefs.  The answer seems simple to me.....don't work for an ITOP clinic.  Years ago when abortions were illegal, ITOPs were performed as routine "D&Cs"  in house with diagnoses of "menorrhagia, metorrhagia."  If you worked in a hospital word got around which were really ITOPs, it depended on the size of the woman's wallet and the docs moral beliefs.  I don't believe in abortions myself but I don't see that merely typing the reports should defile one's morals.  You aren't performing the act, just typing words.
that's what i mean. you are agreeing with your own thoughts?

in my church the preacher makes statements and the congregation says amen.  he doesn't amen himself making himself in agreement with himself.  if you don't agree with yourself, why bother to make the statement?  just sayin....


Some thoughts and tips...SM
Your question: If we have
the same tools available to us, why is there such a disparity among earnings?

There is no "secret" or "magic" trick. Everyone is different and has their own skills. There are "great," "good," and "adequate" people in every profession. Some people are "naturals."

Here are some of the things that helped me:

I read VERY quickly and can also proofread as I go.

I rarely have to look up a grammar/punctuation question because it's just natural to me. I can't explain it; I just do it.

I can research and find things very quickly because I simply see/find the information faster.

I worked hard to refine my research skills, learning how to create effective searches and how to find the best information. I find 90% of my information on Google in 1 or 2 searches. I don't go around to site after site after site.

I developed a system for my expander that's very natural for me, so I don't have to stop and find what abbreviation I used.

I add everything I can think of into my Shorthand so I almost NEVER have to look things up twice. I add phrases, names, addresses, etc. I add drugs so I don't have to check how it's capped.

I created Word macros to handle many tasks for me, from removing prefilled headers to format changes.

I spend long periods of time at the computer so I can focus and hit a rhythm instead of doing bits here and there.

I keep my mind on my work. I think about what I'm hearing and how it all fits together. That way, I have a good "fund of knowledge" when the dictation is less than clear.