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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Yes, I am - worked 7 hours @ 3218 lines.

Posted By: Intelligent One on 2005-12-27
In Reply to: Anyone on this forum working Smarter and not Harder? - anon

It all depends on your account and worktype you transcribe, as well as your expander. I am an MT with 25 years experience also, transcribing all acute care, mostly op reports.

As far as tricks, I don't have any. I consistently do at minimum 2500 lines in 5-6 hours daily. I think the key is the account you transcribe.

I have been where you are now, and it is not fun. I finally found my company/account and have for the past 6 months. I have to enjoy while it is here, tomorrow may be a different story.

Keep looking for that right company/account. You will come upon it soon. Good luck.


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I do 2000 lines in 6 hours - so maybe 3 hours - nm
x
462 lines in 2.5 hours.

need lines not hours
do you do radiology?
Hours/lines
I personally have never run across a company that pays by the hour. Most companies assign you a shift, but you get paid by the lines. So, it is UT to you if you take a lunch or breaks. How long you stay off your computer will have an impact on your line count of course.
I worked for two hours right away this morning.
Then I went to the farmer's market and stocked up on the space hogging veggies I don't have growing in my garden, like potatoes, corn, and beets.  Now I'm supposed to be outside ripping off the back deck and sorting through junk with hubby and the kids.  However, it's 97 degrees out and my allergies are bugging me, so I came inside to package some things that need to go to the post office.  I have to go pick some veggies in the garden and weed the flowerbeds today, but the air conditioning is too nice.  We're ripping out a concrete pad when the deck dismantling is done.  Who said weekends were supposed to be relaxing?  Oh, well.  I can relax in my new office and dining room when it's all done.....  Whenever that might be....  LOL
I have worked so many jobs, so many hours before
in my life it is time for me to slow down and enjoy life more. One thing about working as much as I did in the past, gosh that social security really increased to a wonderful draw now that it has started. I am not planning on leaving MTing but just don’t have to sweat those 2, 3 and 4 jobs at 1 time. I did it, figure others csn do the same. I was young, healthy and willing at that time, now not so much.
2200 lines in 3-4 hours?
IMPOSSIBLE! NO WAY! unless you are counting lines with 5 characters as a line?
For all the extra hours I put in on DQS to get my lines, no way.
:
where do you work that you just do lines, not hours?- nm
nm
1,100 65-character lines in four hours.
I was doing 1,100 65-char lines in four hours. Unemployed now and big nationals don't pay enough. Why do all the great accounts go to VR or newbies and I get stuck with ESL garbage?
Hours per 1200 lines

Just want to get some feedback on how long it takes to do 1200 lines.  I did clinic notes and was an IC for four years and work on and off throughout the day, so I really never had to work straight through the day to produce.  I am now going to do acute care-hospital work minus lab and radiology reports.  I have about four years experience.


Thanks,



Doctors documenting hours worked

Does anyone else find it unseemly that some of these doctors are now stating at the end of the report how much time they spent examining the patient, talking to the staff, other doctors, the family members, reviewing chart data, attempting a lumbar puncture, etc., from 9 to 12 and again 1 to 2, for a total of 3 hours?


For some reason, this seems very unprofessional to me.  Am I just being cranky?


 


I knew one that worked 18 hours a day and had a stroke
and could not work for a long time after that. We have to be so careful in this business.
Hours Worked and Line Count
I have a question about worked hours and line count.  These are remote transcriptionists who are employees--receiving all benefits.  The transcriptionists have a minimum daily line count and are scheduled for 8 hours per day.   At the end of the week they are paid time and a half for extra lines transcribed.   Do most companies require transcriptionists to stay on the system a full 8 hours ?  If a Transcriptionist can produce the required line count in 6 hours, can they be required to stay on for their full 8 hour shift ?  On the other side, can companies require that the transcriptionist be on the system for only 8 hours and must complete their line count in that time ?  Our system does not keep track of time logged into the system, meaning that some are on the system more/less than others.   I would appreciate any input into what can be required of an employee when they are working on production.  Thanks.
Well, I just transcribed 1500 lines in 3 hours. sm

I work on the same account every day, same dictators, lots of templated reports I did myself and put them into auto correct.  I get up early, start at 7 am and today I was done by 10 am.  Cleaning the house now.  Also, the line pay is slightly higher than most, so 1500 lines is fine for me today. 


On harder days when the account is really behind,  I get up and vacuum the house after 3 hours of transcribing then come back for 1 hour.  If things are caught up, I stop for the day.  If not, I will go back in the evening. 


I can't sit for 6-8 hours straight.  Making $160 bucks in 3 hours is good for me and enough.   Tomorrow is another day!


Use templates and short cuts - that will help!  I have whole reports in my auto correct, but you have to listen through and change and correct things as each patient is a different case. 


I do have to tell you, I do not get this many lines every day in such short a time.  It just happened that today was a good day.


 


Hope this helps.


Yes, I'm back. 3 hours=255 lines. Think I'm just a little upset here!!!!

3000 lines - 6 hours- VR editing. nm
x
I type 1000 lines in about 2.5 hours (sm)
I type on a gross line and I can type 1000 lines in 2.5 hours +/-.  When things were good at MQ on the Cottage program, I could type 450-500 lph.  Everybody's situation is different.  Sure some people stretch the true, but it is still possible, but you have to take into account all the different variables.  I utilize my word Expander to the fullest.  Any little thing I can think of to save me Keystrokes I use.  I checked my stats for my shortcuts the other day and in 3 hours I had actually saved 56% of my keystrokes.  Can speak for anyone else, but on most days, I can type 900-1000 lines in 2-2.5 hours.
That's it??! Doesn't sound like a lot of lines to me in 4 hours. nm
x
It took me 8-10 hours for 100 charts 1000 lines sm
This was with ExText, 20- to 45-second (give or take) reports. I did have distractions. I was completely bored with soooooo many short-short reports. Also took some time in the document info screen because company I was in did not have their act together. Had to search and recheck that I had the correct visit and location.

Hope this helps somewhat.
Absolutely. If I need someone to transcribe 500 lines between the hours of
8 am and 5 pm, it's up to you to take on that contract as an IC or not. But if you agree to do it, it's your responsibility. You don't have to accept the position as my IC if you can't or don't want to provide what I need.
I type no less than 1500 lines in 7 hours

On my slowest day, I will not allow myself to get less than 200 lines an hour.  Depending on the worktype, I can type up to 400 lines an hour.  It is hard for me to consistently stay at that speed as I have orthopedic issues!!!  I also can type extremely fast, (120 wpm).  I also use a lot of Expanders and shortcuts. 


I had 2256 lines yesterday in about 7 hours...
I just had a deadline I had to meet and worked my butt off...I use my Expander to the max...I can do 1200 lines in 4 to 5 hours...
Average about 2300 lines in 6 hours but
this is a mixed bag of editing and straight typing. The split is usually about 75% editing and 25% typing, If that helps any.
What do you call it when you do your 1100 lines in 4 hours? sm
and I call it normals and I call it lots of canned dictation.

Unfortunately, I am employee and I can't take the rest of the day off. Had this Saturday, had this today. IT NEVER HAPPENS and I have had it twice in a week.

Looking for my super streak to end now, go back to being a typing machine on a chase for work.
I just type 250-275 lines per hour and transcribe about 6 to 6.5 hours a day.

I am a seasoned MT who back in the day 2000 lines was nothing to achieve.  I sat for 8 straight hours, barring potty breaks and 30-minute lunch.  But now that I am pushing 50, I can hardly stay in the chair 2 hours at a time.  I have set my goal at 1600 lines per day as that is what my employer pays 9.5 cpl for.  If I drop below that, my cpl drops also.   In addition, I have a backup up IC position with another company (to compensate when I run out of work on my FT job)  that pays 10 cpl.  I type 2 hours  on that account  (usually at night) and get 600 lines per day.  Fabulous account, fabulous "internet software" everything is right at your fingertips, and they count spaces, headers and footers.   Actually both jobs count spaces.


My advice to anyone wanting to get more lines- first and foremost priorty is check out the software the company uses.  If it is not user-friendly... forget it.  There was this one company who paid 10 cpl, and I could hardly get 500 lines in a 2-hour period.  They said they counted spaces, but it was hard to tell, and they surely did not count footers or headers.


Usually lines produced and not hours. Have seen 600 lpd for part-time min. nm
x
Good so far, 1000 lines in 2 hours. Busy!
So sorry to hear there is now work for you MTs at MQ. Maybe time to find another job with another company.
Do you work outside your scheduled hours to get extra lines?
Or do you stick to your schedules and just roll with however many lines you make during that time?
Darnit! Should read 񟼨 lines in 8 hours?!'
Poop...hate it when I do that.
i think anywhere from 14 to 20 an hour depending on hours worked, kind of work, etc.
nm
Have never known shift lead who just worked 8 hours a day for 5 days. By the time they
:+
I have more than paid for VR. I achieve 1200 lines in 3 hours. No need to hate sm
the MT to use technology to its full capability. Do you think a company cares if you type everything no. The bottom line is you have to get you line count.
2-1/2 hours a day, 1300 lines/day, $150 a day, 7 days a week, IC status
a
I can do 1200 lines in 5 hours so with 2 full time jobs
I work on average of 9-10 hours a day.  When I sit down to work, I do not do anything but work.  I do not surf the net, etc.   Also, I am single and I live for my weekends so during the week I work hard.  I also have 2 kids so most of my work is done during their day at school and after they are in bed for the night.  I have a ton of short cuts in my Expander program too.  If I type something twice, I come up with a short cut for it.  Its not that hard.  I would try the one full time and one part time and see how your time is first and if it is okay, then I would bump it up gradually.  You don't want to burn yourself out but if you can do it and you have good accounts, go for it!!!!
I have a friend who consistently does over 3000 lines in 8 hours on the basic four, so yes it is pos
z
actual typing time versus hours worked-venting here

I just have to vent about companies that keep track of your actual "typing time" and then say you are not putting in your 40 hours.  I always come up short and not by just a few hours.  They have said I worked only 60 hours when I worked 80.  But they say "their system is not wrong."


For one thing when you look up old reports or do research on-line or if you walk to the fridge, that shouldnt count as "not working" as long as you are getting your line rate.  Also something is wrong because I dont take that much time looking up things.


Also how can they get by with making you work 40 hours when you are paid "production?"  This is wrong.  Either pay me by the hour or leave me alone!!


 


I have 17 years acute care experience and don't make 1200 lines in 6 hours. sm
I work for a company that is VERY picky about their work, 100% QA everything.  I have been with them over a year, and have to go back and listen to my work a second time while proofing.  I only make 160-170 lines an hour, but the pay is good for that, and I have learned so much in the year that I can go to work anywhere without problems.  For me it is worth the extra time to put in the few extra hours a week to have really top QA.  There is room for all types in this business, the really fast ones, and the slower ones who work differently, you just have to find your place.  Ideally, we should all type 200 lines an hour and have 99%+ QA, but I don't thank too many of us make it.  Good luck to you.
Yeah, but full-time lines does not necessarily mean full-time hours, so I would do it if your produc
-
For us slow pkes---my best would be 3 hours, worst 6 hours - just depends on the dictator ,
I have to look up (i.e. Dr. names, addresses)...I have to do a lot of that and it majorly slows me down, without all that and good not too horrible dicators, in 1 hour I can do anywhere from 15-20 minutes of dictation.
But in transcription, if you are good at what you do, you can do 8 hours of work in 4 hours. So eit

you slice it, both companies will still get 8 hours worth of work out of you.


That is the problem I've been having lately being an MT.  Companies want to pay us on production and they set minimum productivity standards, but want us timed in for 8 hours a day.  My thinking is, if they want 8 hours of work out of me, pay me hourly with production incentive.  If they want to pay me on production and tell how much I have to produce in an 8 hour period, then when I hit that mark, I should be able to call it a day even if I've only worked 4 hours.


Seems these companies want it both ways and it is simply not fair to us MTs.  JMO, tho.


If it's my fav doc with lots of shortcuts, 1-1/2 hours to 2 hours max
x
I see, we sit at the keyboard for 40 hours and then throw on 20 more hours
Is this how you do it? Me? I got a PT job so that if my FT job didn't have enough work to meet my needs financially, the two jobs together would.

They hired me to work a specific shift and that is what I am working. If they want me to type after I clock out, then I will happily do so.
I must say, I work long hours, sometimes 12-14 hours a day.
I thought it was important to mention that. However many hours it takes to get the work done is what I do. Some days 12 hours, other days 6 hours and sometimes 14 hours. So, I guess there really is no easy answer.
typing 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week
is TOUGH.
on my wrists I mean.
and not getting any benefits... and for a salary of less than 30K? not really worth it...
Aaahhhh, now I get it. Gross lines vs. Character lines. I guess I've just been conditioned to
think in terms of character lines.  One of the perils of working as an IC for somebody who defines what a line is versus owning your own company and defining it yourself.  After working for someone else for 15 years, maybe it's time to bust out on my own.
Every company is different -- I worked FT for one as an employee but worked a split shift - sm
So I never took breaks. I would work 5 hours, break for about 4 hours then do another 3. Another company I worked for did not care what hours you worked (IC) but wanted a min. amount of work each day, 500 for PT and 1000 for FT-- BUT they paid you by how many lines an hour you put out, the higher the lph the higher up the scale you made per line in pay; they have since changed everyone to a flat rate with incentive. But bottom line, if you are an IC it does not matter what hours you work, though many ask for a schedule and ask you to stick to it, they just want you to meet line requirements daily, i.e. 1000 per day, 1200 per day, whatever it is.
I got up early, worked during naps, and worked when DH got home.

You have to be disciplined to make yourself work when baby is napping instead of maybe watching TV or doing housework, etc.   


I might also go the route of having a teen come into your home, or either trying a mother's morning out program at a local church/daycare.   I've been home since my youngest was born and he has never been in all-day daycare, but I did have him in a mother's morning out program 15 hours a week at a local church.   It didn't help a lot with my work schedule because I had an older son in school and was a room mom and tutored other kids, but that might be an option.  The only problem with the mother's morning out program is they are around other kids and tend to pick up every germ.  I finally took my DS out of the program because he stayed sick.  You were supposed to keep them off if they had green nasal discharge and I did, but no one else did.  Every time I got him well after 2 to 3 days back he would be sick again.  Other than that it was very good for him because he would not have had a chance to be around kids his age otherwise. 


That is a lot of work/lines for 2 people. I do 3000 lines per day sm
if you times that by 30 days that only comes to 90K lines a month, that is working 7 days a week including weekends. I don't think 2 people can handle that.
900 lines is below 1100 lines, where the bonus starts.
x
Gross lines include all lines containing
printable characters, so a full line and a line with one word on it are charged equally. Straight lines are basically the same as gross lines, but with this method of counting the blank lines are counted as well (again, equally). I have only had one company pay this way, and they are a middle man. I would think the charge would be about the same as for gross lines, and that not too many offices will want their lines counted this way (the one I worked on was probably inherited from someone who had counted the lines that way, so just continued).