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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Other MTs with multiple sclerosis

Posted By: Fellow Vermonter on 2005-09-09
In Reply to:

Hi,


I am wondering if there are other MTs out there with multiple sclerosis and how they are doing dealing with a chronic illness and working in the MT field.  Also, are you working full-time, part-time, IC?  I have only one year experience but am considering returning to the field. 


Thanks,


MSMOM


 


 




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Any other MTs with multiple sclerosis?

Wondered if there were any other MTs out there with multiple sclerosis.  I am not presently working but considering going back to MT.  Before tried to work for a company that wanted set hours and with the fatigue associated with my MS that was very difficult. 


Thank You.


Last week I've been diagnosis with Multiple sclerosis and I did sm
go to file my disability and found out what I would get paid if approve, I am working 7  days a week, 24 hours a day off and on.  My husband is deceased and I have two kids to raise and one must do what they have to do.
1500-1600 doing acute, multiple, multiple work types. NM
/
Why do you take MULTIPLE
?
The key to multiple accounts sm
Most people are intimidated by multiple accounts but think about it, an H&P is an H&P, an OP is an OP and an ESL is an ESL, doesn't matter where it comes from.  You CAN program account specs in your mind for those you get regularly so that the specs come right up along with the dictation.  The exception would be an account that you get maybe once in a blue moon and then anyone would probably have to give their memory a little boost.  With the way work is assigned these days, it is an absolute necessity that anyone who wants to make any money needs to be able to switch from one account to another without missing a beat and it CAN be done.
Does anybody else out there take multiple antidepressants?nm
x
isn't that the deal with multiple...sm
ports for extra printers, etc., and you can switch back and forth from one to the other??  I had several for multiple printers on all computers years ago.  I think that's what they were called.  I can elaborate if on the right track here, if you want.
even with her multiple personalities
you can just tell it is her. She is pretty pathetic. Makes you almost feel sorry for her........NAW!!! She has stepped on too many toes around here to be getting any sympathy.
multiple companies
you mean companies, not accounts, right? I work part time for one, one full day on Monday, a few hours most other mornings and sometimes on Sunday evenings. I work full time for another Tuesday-Saturday afternoon-midnight. Working out for me. I need the extra money.
Multiple Accounts
For those who work for transcription companies, how many different accounts (facilities) do you transcribe?
multiple accounts
So far, 7 but not all dictate heavily or daily. 
multiple jobs
I actually have three... All of them are independent contractor positions, one is strictly weekends and overflow.. One i work when there is no work for the other two, and one is full time IC
Can be one specialty or multiple ......
xx
This is not true if you have multiple cards. sm
While it's true you need to have lines of credit to show history, NO ONE will tell you to keep open many accounts, because many open accounts represents POTENTIAL debt.
I think OP meant one IC job with multiple clients...
If you are working as an IC at more than one place, you only have one job as an IC but you have more than one client. Tis true.

Same here. Very low on work with multiple accts. nm
.
multiple personalities (or names)
Yes, it seems she likes to change her name to make it seem like everyone is ganging up on you.......No, you are not losing it, but I sure wish she'd get lost. If we could all just not read or respond to any of her posts, maybe the she'll find it is no longer fun. That is what I try to teach my son. When someone tries to pick on you they are looking for a reaction. If they get it, it intensifies. If they don't, they lose interest. Hard I know, but maybe we can try?
Wow - I think she's wrong. It is an impression whether there are multiple
I didn't find it in my BOS-2E...I don't think you will.

Sounds like you need to get another 1-2 QA opinions and then to the QA manager.
Shorthand on multiple computers
If I buy a copy of Shorthand, how many computers can I put it on?
working for multiple companies
I was wondering if any of you work for multiple accounts, and if so how you manage your time between the two of them.  I have been trying to work on one during the day, and one at night, but its not working very well for me at this point.
I am working for multiple companies
I was working 1 job full time split shift afternoon and back in the evening to 1 a.m. The second job I work around it, either in the morning or third shift. They are pretty flexible.
But now I am in a similar situation. I just took one job split afternoon and overnigt and the other job early afternoon split to evening. I sleep during the mornings and after dinner time when my husband watch the kids. I will manage to get 2 full days off when I go to 2 F/T instead of 1 set and 1 flexible job. It should be interesting. I wish you luck. For me, at least the bill collectors are happy now.
Multiple accounts/templates
I now use InstantText. You can give each account and each doctor in that account their own glossary. You can use includes too for drugs and surgical, for instance. In a glossary you can either "call in" a template or you can put it in there and save the formatting, depends on how you want to do it. The template can include margins, tabs, letterhead, headers, footers, pagination, or whatever you want. Right now I only do about 7 different ones, so I just lumped them up in one (using includes) because I have done them so long that I now remember what is in there.

If you use WordPerfect (5.2 or a newer one, but I like 5.2) it is a snap. You just use PRD (which utilizes function keys) and you store your documents and templates as usual and then you can "open them up" on the fly. I love this. You just put in the path to that document or template once and it is there forever or until you delete it or change it. With PRD you can have multiple glossaries too if your computer can hold them. The key for me with both Expanders was to be consistent with the way I save things. For instance, all the addresses used for an account (which can be many) I store under ad. So, if I want Dr. Harold Smith I type in adsmith and down underneath all the smiths come up and I choose the one I want to use and their I have it - I do two for each -one in standard form and the other like this: SMITH, HAROLD MD, 1111 FIRST AVENUE, ANYPLACE, ANYSTATE 11111. The other in the form for letters and envelopes. I have a drugs glossary, a surgical equipment glossary, and one for each specialty, sometimes a separate one for a specific doctor. I then use the "include" feature and group them up or mostly I now just use them altogether and I think that glossary (my everyday glossary) has about 8,200 entries or something like that. InstantText is wonderful. Try it if you haven't or, if you have, try to learn more of its features.
I've had multiple platforms.

Once you land the 2nd job, the tech person should be able to help. 


Having multiple windows open

I mostly use online resources (rather than books) but find that it takes time to (alt+tab) through all the windows when I have a lot of open. ... When I have a lot open, I often accidentally tab right past the one I want (as I am trying to hurry) and go round and round a couple times.


Does anyone know of any other way to utilize the Internet in a more efficient way while working? 


Also, I often end up with my sound freezing, etc. which I think is because I don't have enough RAM for everything I am trying to do.  Any info on this?


Thanks so much!! 


Question regarding multiple accounts

I work for an MTSO and have multiple accounts with endless dictators.  One of the most frustrating things is the account specifics and all the changes that continually come up. 


We have online manuals, but on top of that we get tons of emails with changes for this or that account.  It is almost impossible to keep it all straight.  I will go through spells where I don't get one of two of the accounts for a few weeks, and then when I do I can't remember things or some of the new changes are not ingrained in my head yet.  Even with email search, it is so time consuming to try to find the information while I am working.  Not good for the line count!


Do many of you have this issue too?  How do you handle it?  It drives me totally crazy!!    


question regarding multiple accounts
I know exactly what you mean.  I have multiple accounts, but one account specifically constantly changes things.  My line count drops lower every day trying to keep and then, of course, QA has to jump in with their comments. I worked at one business where each client had to use the same account specifics.  Alot easier!!!  It is very frustrating, but the ones who are making the money from us do not seem to care
working multiple companies
For those you who work a full-time job plus a part-time job for a different company, are you using one computer for both?  I thought maybe I should buy a second computer??? 
Thank too. - Always good to have multiple sites
Thanks.
Friday poll - Are you a CMT? Multiple choice...>>>

Put your answer in your subject line, so we can see the results without opening every post, please.  Thanks!


Are you a CMT?


A. Yes.


B. No.


C. Will be soon.


D. Will be later.


E. Who cares???


Well I see there are no jobs available here this morning on multiple DQS accounts. What a job MQ is.
:
Shortage on multiple accounts through a national. nm
x, nope, none, zip, all EMPTY
Got a Targus at CompUSA - has multiple USB ports -can
x
How do you download multiple attachments to emails?

I just started with a company who sends their voice files via attachments to an email.  Is their an email (yahoo, aim, aol, msn.....) that will allow you to download all attachments at once instead of 1 at a time? Thanks Karen


Me, too, except for those multiple toe jobs where they ALL get broken & reset! Ugh..nm
s
Yes, been through the ovarian cystectomy multiple times. sm
Finally had a hysterectomy last year. If you are having laparoscopy, you will feel good the next day; however, I must tell you, air will get trapped in your diaphragm and you may experience excruciating pain between your shoulder blades for about a day. That has happened to me each time with laparoscopy. The CO2 gets trapped and eventually works its way out. That pain was worse than the surgery itself.

Good luck!
Speed results from multiple factors....
1. Experience: As you yourself suggest, time "in the driver's seat" will play a big role as you find yourself doing fewer and fewer "look-ups" - whether for terminology, physician names, etc.

2. Self-monitoring. Just keeping close tabs on your production will help. Try playing a little game with yourself to do just a bit better this hour than you did the last hour.

3. Make full use of your expander. WARNING: Many people actually overuse their Expanders and wind up with a jillion shortcuts that they rarely use or can't even remember. Create shortcuts when they make a difference, and use a good naming system.

4. Set up the proper auto backspace for your footpedal that will allow you to establish a rhythm in which what you are transcribing is "bracketed" by the next little bit and the previous little bit of dictation. In other words, you are always slightly listening ahead, transcribing and (when you lift your foot up and back down) reviewing the last bit. This "cycle" keeps what you are transcribing in context with what has gone before and what is coming next.

5. Pay CLOSE attention to the "story" being told - in other words, the context of what you are transcribing. Context is the transcriptionist's best friend as far as resolving ambiguous or difficult words and phrases, alerting you to omitted dictation, and alerting you to possible errors in what thought you had just heard.

6. Proofread as you go to minimize proofreading after the report is completed.

7. Spend only a reasonable amount of time on lookups, especially early in the report. You will often hear the confusing word or phrase more clearly later...provided you remember the blank you had earlier!

8. Discover "the zone". The zone is a mental state in which you are utterly focused on the dictation, almost like a trance state. Human beings are NOT MULTI-TASKERS! You cannot think about a million other things while you're transcribing and hope to achieve either quality or quantity. When you transcribe, transcribe and forget your personal problems. When you're dealing with your personal life, forget transcription.

9. Relative to #8, try to crate a physical space for transcription in which you are dealing with minimal outside distractions.

10. Use a GOOD PROFESSIONAL HEADSET. Most transcription companies distribute garbage earphones. Try a good noise cancelling headset such as the Kensingtons sold on Amazon.com for about $30...and don't let the price fool you. They're great.

BONUS TIP - POWER SESSIONS: If your scheduling permits, you will be more productive in four 2-hour sessions separated by a significant break period than in fewer longer ones.

I discovered power sessions when I was transcribing and attending college. It happened one semester that I had a class in the AM, one in the afternoon and one in the evening - that's the only times they were offered. So, I transcribed early AM, mid-AM, early afternoon and early evening, 2 hours each. I was never so productive in my life. Why? Less fatigue factor and a fresher mind. I really whomped the daylights out of the work for 2 hours at a crack, and then I got up and went to class, completely concentrating on something else. Then, on returning for another power session, it's almost like starting a new day.

The point is, 15- and even 30-minute breaks do not give you this fresh-start advantage.

A number of the people I supervise have improved their productivity dramatically simply by implementing the secret of power sessions.

Good luck!
Yes, about 65K and I've given all my tips multiple times.
no message
Macro for multiple find/replace
Please email me with some specific details of specific phrases in your list to find / replace - I will work out a macro for you that can run through the whole list. I'll also repost here if anyone else is interested


Legal dictations usually are multiple speakers
But, legal dictations usually have a longer TAT. 
Good grief...multiple personality disorder???

how horrible. But, what happened? Did you find out how she got the multiple fractures? nm
nm
Even with multiple GOOD dictators, I still find it hard - sm
to do '8 hours' worth of transcription in less than 11-12 hours, mainly due to the lack of ability to make templates, as each doc does his H&P entirely differently. Also they want extraordinary accuracy, grammar clean-up, and proofreading done on each report. So a longish H&P can sometimes take an hour.
As already said, expanders make multiple doctors easier. SM
Agree with everything said, including that you'll LOVE your Expander once you start using it. Treat yourself by starting with putting in all the stuff that especially aggravates you to type. That'll be the very last time you every do so. Like hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg p.o. b.i.d. My Keystrokes for that specific one are hyc25mpb and include a wrap code so the "25" always stays with the "mg" without my ever bothering over it again.

But the reason I chimed in was to point out that people who concentrate on building personal expander dictionaries can take their expansions to almost all employers (and woe the employer who can't accommodate the standard expanders) and apply them to thousands of dictators. They are not at the mercy of one particular employer and the availability of one particular pool of dictators, which is not a good position to be in in this very changeable world.
Multiple antivirus/spyware/adware on at same time?

  Can you run multiple programs for antivirus, etc. at the same time, such as this PC Tools free antivirus that I keep talking about, and the AVG that I keep reading about?


I know you can only have 1 firewall, but I'm not sure about the other security software.  Any input?  This computer stuff is SO and confusing and oh so frustrating!


Thanks in advance.


Thank you all for your input. I have tried changing my settings multiple different ways and still h
x
Have a look at this link, multiple doc finder sites listed in there
You might find one of those doc finders useful.

http://linksformts.googlepages.com
There's a free utility you can download to add multiple AutoText ... sm
entries at one time, but you have to format the list manually in a Word document before you can run the macro to upload. The utility only works in versions 2000 to 2003. You would create a 2-column table with your entry name in column 1 and your text in column 2, then run the macro. You can take a pre-made list and convert that to a table, but it's still going to take some manual editing on your part to format the list. It's a lot of work either way. You can find the utility here:

autotextloader2.zip Utility for loading a large number of AutoText entries into a template. http://jay-freedman.info/

ABCZ lists you can purchase are made to work with ShortHand and Instant Text only. Google Jon Knowles or ABCZ lists.

Unfortunately having been switched to Amherst I havent found this to be the case. I am on multiple
accounts and running out of work and also no extra for holiday pay or weekends so if this is the way MQ plans to go do you honestly think this is better. MQ is pushing TAT to the hilt and that means overloading accounts as they are and of course as always when you do that quality will suffer for sure. So I have not seen this bright side you talk about and others have said the same thing that have been switched.
I'm trying to purchase a new recliner for my mother. She has multiple medical problems and is ab
5 ft. tall, so her little legs always kind of "hang." I've seen on TV different recliners, motorized, with this and that feature, I keep thinking Craftmatic, but I've looked through there and only see beds. Anyone has any ideas or suggestions? I know my sweet little Mom would really appreciate it.
Wireless USB data cards routers, and multiple computers
Hi,
I have dial up and am looking into getting a USB wireless card to do my MT work with.  My question is.....do you know if you can use a USB wireless card and have more than one computer online at the same time...like with a router or something?  If so, what models and how do you hook it all up.
Thanks so much for any info you give me.

I would suggest setting a date and posting it on here multiple times
before jumping the gun and telling your employer you are not working today. If you really want this to be successful, you will need to rally and get everyone prepared and ready for it. Give us all a little time to get our finances in order so that we can go a month without pay while on strike, know when it is coming, prepare everyone else we know, etc. That will take a couple of months. If you really want success, you have to plan, not just fly by the crotch of your seat.