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The hospital where I work took down the no cell phone signs

Posted By: sm on 2007-09-09
In Reply to: Cell phones in hospitals..sm - tbpmt

last year. Apparently they aren't as much of a problem as they once were. Also, I was an inpatient last year and was allowed to use my cell phone in my room.

It seems like I was told that they have machines that block the phones from getting a signal in areas of the hospital where they may cause interference with equipment.


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I transfer my calls to cell phone during work. nm
nm
That's an idea -- does it matter that my cell phone won't work from the house??
It rings but then cuts you off as soon as you answer. I think we are too far from a tower.
Does anyone use laptop & cell phone/Internet Card for work?

I am not real computer literate but am wondering if I couldn't get unlimited Internet with a cell phone plan and use that for my on-line job/Internet connection exclusively. I have found plans for around $70/month.


If so, I was thinking too I could possibly give up my land line phone, Callwave, my dial-up ISP (as that is all we have available where live) and actually save a little money by doing so. I don't make/receive a lot of land line calls and I have a TracFone cell phone that I don't use much now. I get excellent reception with that where I live. We have a huge tower within walking distance of where I live but we live out in the "sticks". :D I know my connection would be dependent on the reception where I live and the cell phone service I would use. I am not sure which one truly has the best coverage and/or who may be using the tower by our home but TracFone apparently does. :)


TIA. 


I have a pay as you go cell phone
I got one for emergencies only that I pay as I go.  There are several different kinds out there, you just have to keep your eyes open and watch what you get and for what price.  I got mine at Radio Shack and re-up my minutes every other month for $30.  They have discontinued that particular program for new people though.  You can get Trac (sp) phones at places like K-Mart, Wal-Mart, and I think you can buy a year's worth of minutes on that one for about $99.  Keep an eye on commercials, too.  I saw one on MSNBC yesterday that I had never seen before. 
Cell phone
Tracfone.  Its on the web, if you want to check the specifics.  www.tracfone.com
Unless you only use your cell phone
and internet for work, you cannot take a full deduction, only a percentage.
I don't even own a cell phone..sm
I used one that belonged to a family member and they are pretty fast and reliable. But, when I called to try and get one, because of my "not so good" credit, they wanted like a $700 deposit.

Also, I am afraid if I go over the allowable amount....as I tend do a Lot of movies on my computer.

I will go with the Satellite, people in the area do not have problems with it, I will just have dial up for backup when the clouds do come in. LOL....

I am not going to worry myself over it much longer.....I tend to slowly wean away from MT once I move anyway. :)
A cell phone is not secure, so using it to

listen to dictation is not viable.  I have downloaded digital files via cell phone in a pinch, like during storms when I lose land-line.  If you got dictation via cell, you would have to re-record because there is no way to start/stop the dictation to transcribe live.  The quality of the dictation would not be as good as a land line or digital or whatever.   When you have unlimited service, it usually doesn't include unlimited data transfer so would not be feasible for downloading consistently.  


Just not a good idea any way you look at it, especially if this is your primary source of obtaining work. 


Tracfone cell phone
This is a place where I value your opinions, so here goes on a non-MT question:  I recently bought a Tracfone because I truly only need a cell phone for emergencies and thought prepaid was the way to go.  After the first time I reloaded minutes, I got "No service" message; then 1-1/2 hours later with customer service, I was informed they would send a new SIM card.  I installed the new SIM card and still no service.  Next I tried calling customer service back and found out they are down for maintenance.  Ditto for website. Anyone else had a similar experience?  Which prepaid should I go with next time if this is not resolved?  BTW, I am thinking of forming a militant branch of SHHH--the society for hand-held hushing!!
Cell Phone Laws
Here in NYS there's a law that you can't be on your cell phone unless you have a headset. The police rarely enforce the law. Every day I see someone on their cell phone. I wish they'd catch these people before they kill someone. I'm sorry your son had to go through the accident because of someone's stupidity.
can't you get her number off his cell phone?
I don't blame you for being mad but I wouldn't call the friend's wife and tell her b/c its not good to get involved in marital disputes and it is technically not your business. BUT your husband is another story! First off, why won't he give you her phone number?? And secondly, if it were me, I would most definately call her & tell her NOT to involve your husband in their affair!
OT: Amp'd Cell Phone Service
I am looking for a new cell phone service, preferably pay-as-you-go or something really cheap because I barely even use 100 minutes a month most months. Has anyone tried this new Amp'd broadband cell service? What'd ya think?

Thanks!

Shelby
you can get a net service through cell phone. sm
i have altel and their plan in the south is $25/mo for unlimited use. it picks up anywhere you would get a cell signal. software was around $99 i think. it isn't as fast as DSL or cable, but would work if desperate. you plug your phone into your laptop via the software/cable and it uses your phone as the modem to dial in and connect. downfall is you can't receive phone calls while using it, calls go to voicemail. do you have to continually download voice files so that you couldn't download before you left? not sure a VPN connection would work with cell if you used that for national.
can also use your cell phone but it's rare
If you have bluetooth technology on your cell phone, you can get a cheap bluetooth plug-in for your laptop and use the cell phone as sort of a modem. Good luck trying to do it, though :*( I have Verizon and have everything I need but they have some double-knot top secret spy access phone number that they don't give out. If you can somehow get that number, you can connect anywhere you can get phone service. (and if you can get it, PUHLEEEEASE let me know it! LOL) I think that most, if not all, of the major cell phone providers have this same capability.
Barring that, you can get a card from your laptop maker (i.e., Dell).
Here's a link to Sprint's mobile broadband card. Through 6/17/07, they have a promotion going and the card itself is free after a $49.99 mail-in rebate. You have to sign up for their service, which is $59.99/month if you have their voice service (i.e., you have a Sprint cell phone and calling service) or $79.99/month if you don't.
http://mobilebusiness.sprint.com/px500/?id12=SHOP_Promo3_UHP_060207_PX500
Verizon has several mobile broadband cards (you want one that is 'Rev A' compatible/capable). Here's a link to a page with all of them and their prices ($9.99-$179.99) which are 2-year contract prices.
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneOverviewByDevice&deviceType=Wireless%20PC%20Cards
They have 2 plans: National Access $59.99/month & Broadband Access $79.99/month.

Hope this all helps!
BJ :D
cell phone telemarketers
This is a SCAM. It was originated by internet thieves to get our email addresses. I used to fall for these kinds of emails all the time. Now, I always check www.snopes.com before I ever forward anything to anyone. And probably 99% of them are scams. This particular hoax has been in circulation for years. Also, when I DO forward an email, I send it to everyone as a blind copy (Bcc). Most email programs have this option. If they don't, then I wouldn't forward it.
Turn off that &%*@* Cell Phone...sm

I know docs need to remain available but give us a break!  When it rings, please either turn it off or turn off the dictation machine and tend to your call.  I dont need their ------g phone blasting high volume in my ear, often while some inconsiderate jerk is trying to dictate over the loud ringing.  I had one clown the other day who actually left his cell ringing the entire 5 to 6 minutes during his dictation.  I felt almost deaf by the time he finished. 


I was told to have 2 phone lines, one can be cell. But (sm)
The one time I needed to use modem for backup, it was virtually impossible to type, so having the second line is useless. Having a second HSI connection would do the trick in the event some castrophe took place and the HSI co. went out for a day or so.


Think of WiFi as a cell phone signal.
Have you ever had a call dropped, or the signal go from 5 bars to 1?  WiFi speed depends on the amount of traffic, weather, interference from construction, etc.    I think it is always wise to have some form of backup available just in case.   I have Earthlink cable, but I also get 20 hours of dial-up with that.  I have a laptop, so if my power goes out at least I can download and continue to work with a dial-up connection. 
I am wondering too. I have cell phone for back up
if cable service goes down so that is not a concern any more. Want to discontinue SBC (now AT&T) and get the cheapest possible second phone line I can.

In fact, I am considering just having a cell phone for phone service and that is it. Does anyone do this?
Thanks!
I have her on my quick dial on my cell phone
but I wouldn't share it without permission.  She is Editor of one of Elsevier's MT publications so visit their web site and you may be able to find an email address for her.  She still frequents another MT web site and you could put out an SOS call for her there.  Good luck.
Listening to a cell phone conversation
My doc left his recorder on again. LOL
How did SHE get YOUR husband's cell phone number? nm
nm
I have had cell phone for 2 years, newbie but
yesterday had 2 text messages (I do not do those myself) from my cell carrier. Never before had I gotten the first thing like this.
He also listed his cell phone number. (no msg)
xx
Cell phone & modem reception can be very different sm
I have very iffy cell phone service with Sprint but have been using a USB modem through them for the past month with an external antenna and amplifier. I get up to 1200 kbps download speeds without the antenna being installed outside yet (it's sitting in my window until we get a lightning protector). 3gstore.com is where I bought my equipment, and they can answer any questions you have. In fact, the tech person I spoke with has actually written transcription programs, so he definitely knows what is involved.
If you don't get your wireless through cell phone signal,
I haven't heard of any other way to get wireless broadband other than through the cell phone companies.
Does anyone use a cell phone for their long distance to transcribe? I am just
wondering if this would work since a lot of plans have free long distance now. I'm assuming there must be some kind of adapter out there to connect your cell phone to your PC or laptop. I am wondering if anyone has tried this and how it worked out. Thanks!
is there such a thing as a cell phone with pre-paid minutes,
and no monthly bill?  A couple years ago i heard one was being developed, and yet, at least here in the middle of the country, have yet to see such.   I would like to have a cell phone for emergencies or very occasional use, but can't go for the monthly bill...
LOL. That's funny. I like the retro cell phone headset. nm
nm
If you have a cell phone, why not use that for your LD calls and CX the LD on the land line?
.
Cell phone dictation in the middle of the night
First, they are inaudible, and they are so tired that they forget where they are at and backtrack or forget parts of the surgery. Then you have to figure out what they are saying when yawning and everything else. Also, I hate it when there are screaming kids or a bunch of people in the background that are louder than the dictators, and the dog is barking like crazy. Ambulances: Why do doctors dictate in front of ambulances when the siren is going?
Also got rid of our house phone because we all had cell phones and that saves me about 75.00 a month
or so.
not sure about cell phone, but you can sign up for free efax messenger. sm
you can get a free efax messenger as long as you don't care what number they assign you. then you can have them fax to that number and it will come into your email inbox and you can print from there.
c-phone from cell phone
I believe if you check with your cell phone carrier they have an adapter that you can use to plug into your cell phone from the c-phone. Not sure about this but I think I had a friend tell me she had to do this but it was a year or so ago. Hope this helps.
C-phone used to call in to dictating systems to receive work. A special phone. nm
nm
I agree. I work for an exceptionally difficult university and those people dictate on cell phones in
trains, in cars, everywhere and they cut out and they just have an exceptional amount of residents dictating on anything imaginable. My blanks are never for words I dont know they are for crappy dictators or those that simply dont know what they are talking about.
If you use a C-phone for work and have a digital phone

through cable, have you tried to take an incoming call?


We only have one phone line.  I rarely get/make calls and when I do we have cell phones.  I just started working with a C-phone and got digital phone.  I can go a month and my phone not ring, so far have gotten 3 calls today, but I'm afraid that if I try to answer the phone that I will lose my report. 


I guess I could pull up a report and have my husband call on his C-phone and test it that way and then if I lose it no biggie. 


 


 


Have a hospital I work for and they consistently change work types and do line counts. (sm)
Management just doesn't understand in order to crank out the work you need to be proficient by typing the same accounts. Go figure, they just don't get it ??
the hospital I work for already has started to implement this and lessen our work
I see it every single day... they are going to EMR... meaning the doctors simply use a template already in the computer and check boxes or something... The doctor's office i GO TO actually does this too. This is why it creates tech jobs to create those templates and takes AWAY MT jobs because the doctor is no longer dictating, they are just pushing little buttons or checking boxes straight into the computer.

Personally I still think that is more time than the doc wants to take but whatever, i dont see how generic charts are good, what happened to detailed information...

But this is definitely how i see it going along. Maybe not everywhere, but plenty of places are going to go to this, it's all about saving money now isn't it???


The company I work for said cable phone wouldn't work, just FYI.
nm
If you work for a hospital - how come no one from the hospital
called you?? Were they in the dark, as well?? How sad, that no one in your hospital communicates with the at home staff.
Depends on what kind of hospital? Large urban hospital or small community hospital? SM

Also, is it a large teaching hospital? If so you have to consider there will be A LOT of different residents dictating, usually a lot of ESLs at teaching hospitals, and the residents rotate out and new ones rotate in every summer. So you can't expect to get the same dictators and build up your macros because the dictators change all the time.


I would say 9 cpl would be a pretty good offer for a small to medium community hospital where you will be doing the same dictators on a daily basis.  But for bigger, urban or teaching hospitals I would want at least 12 to 15 cpl. 


I work for a hospital and can do in less (sm)
than 8 hours (65-char line).  Are you sure you mean per week?
Actually, I do work for a hospital now
and there are 8 of us who work from home. BUT, they have begun to do things the way the "services" do (NAMELY MQ). They stopped counting our spaces, and so forth, because it is "the trend".

Even the hospital MTs are not as safe as they used to be. We are the only hospital left in my area that has not outsourced yet, and anytime we complain about our pay being reduced (which has been several times in the past five years), we are threatened with outsourcing.

So, it probably is a good idea to start thinking of a change.
I do work for a hospital
that is the position that will be going fulltime. It is 28 hours a week now. I work at home for this very large Level 1 trauma hospital right now doing radiology. I have insurance, I have short term disability through them. I have one national as a sideline, and another local clinic as a sideline.
Well then don't come work for my hospital because...
if you type something for one of your co-workers, you have violated the confidentiality agreement signed when you were hired.  I've typed celebrity reports too when I worked for a national, that's different.  If it were the other way around would you like a casual acquaintance to know all your business?  I wouldn't.  I have the same respect that I would want.  There's 23 other MTs in my hospital.  I don't NEED to type a medical report on my children's elementary school principal (happened a few months ago).  So, get off your attitude.
I work in a hospital and sometimes we have had - (s/m)
"blanket" messages on our blackboard - or in memos - meant for one or two, even those of us who work our tails off have to read it and feel chastised. It's very demoralizing. Next time I get one of those nasty memos or emails, I intend to tell the boss that if he thinks I'm so lazy, then he can just pry his fat arse out of his genuine leather easy-chair, turn off the computer games he plays all day long, and type the #*%<)!@% work himself.
I work in a hospital
in a city with a population of like 4000 people, it is only a 23-bed hospital and I started working here a year and 1/2 ago. I make a little over $12/hr. For this area, this is great pay for any kind of job if you don't have a bachelor's degree. My mom is an LPN/office manager in a clinic owned by the hopstial and she is only making like $4/hr more than I am.
The hospital I work for will
Well some people can get away with it, others get dropped.  Why I am looking elsewhere. 
I did work for a hospital that used one of those.

They called it a 'CryptoCard' and it was about the size of a credit card.  You needed it to log onto their system--whatever number was displayed was the log-in number you were to use at that time.  It always changed....security precautions.  I never paid for it, but had to return it when the company lost that account....dumb bastids...was a great account.



the hospital I work for does that too.
They call it a Biometric Screening. When you enroll you have all the lab work done that you need.Glucose, lipids, TSH, triglycerides, etc. You also get a reduction in your health insurance premiums per pay period. Depending on what you participate in, you can also get up to $300 back at the end of the program.They have smoking cessation incentives, exercise incentives, etc. It runs from September to September. Pays usually in January, or midway through. You also get discounts on different classes that are offered, ie pilates, yoga, circuit, etc. For a reduction in my health insurance, I think it is well worth it. And I haven't heard of anybody being popped for drugs of abuse or anything like that.