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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Yes, you can get the records. sm

Posted By: Editor on 2005-10-04
In Reply to: Spouse abuse - concerned

First of all, let me say congratulations on getting out of a bad situation. I've been there and done that, and I know that it's not easy. Everyone seems to think that it's just an automatic response to leave, and no one seems to understand why a spouse would stay after something like that, but unless they've been there themselves, they just don't understand how hard it is. So {{big hugs}} to you and stay strong.

Now, as far as the records... yes, they are public and you can request them. You need to know the names of the towns/cities where he's lived and where he may have been charged before, and then simply call the court clerk there to request any and all documents.

As far as him having scratched himself to try to show you were the aggressor, I wouldn't even worry about it. That's a common tactic that abusers use to try to shift the blame. It won't work. He's not as slick as he thinks he is.... anyone who's dealt with abusers before knows that this is a pretty common trick that they use.

Please, stay strong and keep yourself safe. I've been there, and I know it's not easy. You were with this person because you loved them, and that doesn't just magically disappear once they hit you. It would be much easier if it did. Try to prepare yourself for the inevitable crying, apologizing, swearing he'll get help, etc. It can all be very believable and convincing, but trust yourself and your instincts, and if you need to talk, I'm here.


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Other related messages found in our database

okay, york hospital said they had delivery records, but no prenatal records. sm
they had no idea who she practiced with or anything like that and of course SIL doesn't know any name other than Freundel. i am also a midwife besides being an MT and in order for me to take her given her bicornuate uterus, i have to have her records. i guess delivery records is better than nothing, LOL, but i have to have her prenatal records. i wonder if there is a clinic there or something that med students rotate through. i couldn't even find ms. freundel on AMA, but she may not be through with her training yet either and that is probably why.
patient records and prisoner records
Does anybody know if our USA prison system is keeping prisoner records in the good old USA, or are those records offshore outsourced too? I am just curious because it seems to me that law enforcement in general does not offshore records, and I was wondering about prisoner records? If anybody knows, please post. Thanks in advance.
Can top that... in my mom's records
the pt is a 52 yo woman of "advanced age"... it put about 10 years on her when she read it... I don't think she would have been near as upset with the doctor if he had performed the wrong surgery as she was about that one....LOL
Even if ALL records are on EMR, there will
still be a need for MTs. For facilities not on VR the reports still have to be typed and the ones doing VR need editors. An EMR does not mean there is no need for MTs, just means that the records will be computerized for easier access.
I have also gotten my records for sm
hospitalizations for a chronic illness (all 64 admissions) and the records are a mess. But its not with BOS errors, it is with gross medical errors!!!!!

I think the so-called standardization should be that these places hire MTs that know what the heck they are doing. The hospitals and clients can figure out their own account specifics. I have hired plenty of MTs in my career and no way would I turn a good MT away who knows their "medical stuff" but doesn't know the specifics of the BOS! Thats like cutting off your nose to spite your face which is what htese companies are doing. I think they are more worried about the BOS because the people doing the hiring now dont' even know how to do MT themselves. I guess the only thing they can relate to and know anything about is that doggone BOS!
Doctor's records
When a physician retires or otherwise closes his practice, he must offer his patients the opportunity to pick up a copy of their records, which he may or may not charge for photocopying.  The original records must be kept by the physician for a period of 7 years after the practice closes.
Digital Records - SM
Most come with software and a docking station and software.  He would need to dock the recorder and transfer the files to you, either via e-mail or send them to a secure FTP site. If you order it through Transcription Gear, it comes with really cool software, including a player for you.
It's not so much as my records personally....
it's the idea of a large group of United States records being sent because if they can find a way to use it against our country, they will.
What do you mean, prisoner records? (sm)
Most medical records are handwritten. All records having to do with crime, time served, etc., are computerized. Many states have web sites that allow you to access the records and see if people are still in or released. What would there be to offshore?

Records for working as an IC?

I have been fortunate enough to work at only one place now for 7 years and be happy, BUT things have not been the greatest lately.  I am considering taking a position with another company part time, but it would be an IC position.


My question is, are there any special records I have to keep for tax purposes and so forth working as an IC?  I know I am responsible for my own taxes, right?


Any advice or info is appreciated.  I have never worked as an IC before, so I feel a little green on this topic.


and this is how our records are transcribed =(
x
Illegal records
I worked for a hospital years ago and sometimes the dictation did not come through our system correctly even though the doc knew he dictated it. We had several docs who absolutely REFUSED to re-dictate, stating they dictated once and that was it. Several times, I personally had charts out of the hospital (which would scare me now to do this) at my boss' request and made up or gleaned from the chart the discharge summary. This was an orthopedic doc that I also worked for, by the way, so I practically knew what he was going to say before he said it. Several of us did quite a few charts like this as some of the docs WOULD NOT, absolutely WOULD NOT re-dictate and we needed the discharge summary and/or op report in the report. Scary or not, we did it. Don't know as I would do it now, though.
School records
My husband works at a school, and I can verify that school records are legally confidential, just like medical records. Only authorized personnel have access. I do not ever remember giving family history information, but schools now are required to have a nurse on staff who handles any medications the child is on, etc. I do know schools are required to provide physical therapy and speech therapy if a student needs it, as my child has cerebral palsy and had to have PT. The school was required to either provide it there or provide transportation to a facility where she could receive it. I thought this was a bit ridiculous because I thought that was my responsibility, but I guess the state feels like some chldren would not receive the help they need otherwise.
Old patient records

Does anyone know when you no longer have an account what do you do with the old records.  Can they be deleted because they are no longer your account or do you have to save them in case the account ever needs them?  All their notes over the years have either been printed and delivered or emailed to them and I don't keep them past a year.


Old patient records
When I closed up my accounts, I always gave the reports I saved on CDs back to the clinics. After all, I didn't need them any longer.
Health records

Where can I locate the AHDI recommendation on length of time for MT business to retain health records?


 


If it's ok with you if your health records
go to some filthy disgusting third-world country, at the expense of your own job and livelihood, be my guest. FYI HIPAA laws are only for this country. they can do whatever they want with your private health records. It's not just fires. The QA sucks, communication barriers suck, economic consequences of MTs who have lost their jobs BECAUSE of greedy Indian MTs,.... List goes on. Go ahead and be a bleeding heart, but don't be surprised when your job security stops beating as well.
It's horrible, all old records mean nothing sm
Our docs' private practice uses this now. As patients we asked where our old records were as no more charts and we both had very serious illnesses. Told they are in the basement should they have to refer but were asking questions they should have known the answers to. It was as if we never existed on the face of the earth to them after 18 years. I'm disgusted, it's like your past history means nothing to them. I would like to slap them but I can't. Jeesh, what next? The pharmacy now connects electronically to them and we were told not to call for Rx anymore, just call the pharmacy. The pharmacy said it could take up to a week. We have to call and remind them to check their computer as we are waiting for a refill okay. Robotic! Electronic supermarket checkouts, Rx's, digital phones, no people. Even the casino uses paper tickets now instead of money coming out. It sure goes in as money though! And if it ever does come out in a ticket, you have to go to another "machine" to get the money. Don't gamble but once or twice a year and just a sign of the times, everywhere you go, no people - just robotic machines. Surgery included! Detachment from people!
Just because the records go overseas
does not mean the laws are being broken. Granted, they cannot be enforced, however, if the company doing the overseas transcription does not follow the guidelines, then something might be done. However, unless there are specific cases, you cannot say laws are being broken. I am sure their contracts state they have to abide by our laws.
medical records on the net
I think this drive to put medical records on the net will ultimately put us all out of work.
Are old records from AAMT available??? sm
Silly question but 18 yrs as CMT, tons of CME's (overly done) and president of local chapter for years. Was that all for nothing?? Hate to even ask!
Electronic Medical Records?? What do you think? SM

Ok, so I went to my doctor's office today and noticed that they just installed a computer station for all doctors in the clinic to start doing their own records while they are visiting you!  What do you guys think?? Is this the end of our profession or is our profession going turn it to something else..like editing those reports that the doctors have to type.


Is this a real problem or will it be many years from now before it effects us?  Let me know your thoughts.


Thanks....


50, A.S. in Medical Records Technology.
Of course now that course would be called HIM.  Transcription was included.  My first job was in a physician's office and consisted of mostly transcription.  High school courses were heavy in typing. I do not know that I could contribute to a rebuttle.  The company that I just left had mostly older employees.  This company just closed.  Now I am an IC with about the same pay.  I do not believe that there are as many young people entering the profession.  Part of that is because it is hard work, and no longer pays well in proportion to other jobs they can train for.  Also, who wants to spend money and time training for a job that may be outsourced at any time?  The only young people I know going into this profession are doing it because they want to work at home.  This once was a good profession to enter, but now things really seem to be going sour. 
Look up cyberterrorism in medical records.
Was the person in Pakistan who threatened to post VA medical records on the Internet unless they were paid off with thousands of dollars in cash?  Give me an American with a criminal background check any day.
What happens to pt. records if an MD closes his office??

If an MD in solo practice retires or leaves town, where do those records go and how would one go about obtaining needed records? Any help is appreciated.


records for line count
How long do you keep files for review or audit if you are an independent Transcriptionist for physicians.  Can they audit my lines? Anyone ever heard of this.  I was concerned because of the MQ problem; however, I only have one doctor - not anything like MQ. 
Who would be interested in my medical records?

I just can't image anyone being all that interested in my medical records, so I really don't worry about anyone seeing them.


Electronic Medical Records
/
I think that only he and Taylor will sell their records....sm
I can't envision ever buying anything that Katherine or Elliott recorded.

Katherine should have gone home last night.
I think Taylor will sell records
I have his second indie CD and it's fabulous. All original songs, written by him, and it's great. Grab it if you can. I really don't think Kat will do all that much after this, really. I don't think she has the draw to bring people out to a concert. Obviously, Taylor does. I think Kelly Clarkson could have taken that song that Kat butchered and at least tried to do something with it...made it something worth listening to. Kat really, really messed that one up.
Well, get over it. Medical records are one thing...
your boss saying something about you is another. In my opinion, the more the government stays out of it, the better off we are.  Double edged sword, ya know.
electronic medical records
Does anyone have info regarding EMR rules for doctors.   I was told by a physician today that by 2010 that all doctors were supposed to be EMR.  What will this do to our transcription jobs?  Any info appreciated.
electronic medical records

Here's the scoop on EMR.... right now not all facilities have everything electronic, but they are working on getting electronic on all records, however, there will still be paperbased files. What MTs need to do is to become familiar in the electronic field and not just limit their skills to transcription, because, lets face it today NO ONE stays at one job for years and years, no matter what the specialty, you need to keep educating yourself, better your skills, and move on to bigger and BETTER things!!! It will eventually change, after all, even AMTA changed their name:)


Electronic medical records. nm
nm
Screwed up Medical Records
My sister went to the hospital after a car accident and was there for about a week. I told her to get her medical records because things had been such a mess while she was there - she had someone else's x-ray reports - reports of things she never had done - part of her H&P and part of someone else's - and just plain sloppiness and incorrect information all through her chart. And then they charge us for our MR. I have in the past gone and paid over $200 for my records and then promptly gone to the bank and stopped payment on the check - it was worth the $15 stop payment fee but not the $200.
OUTSOURCE OF DMV RECORDS TO MEXICO

Check this out - it seems that the outsourcing is growing and growing.  Now the DMV in Orange County, California is outsourcing to Mexico.  It seems they are blaming the media for publicizing this, but not admitting to the potential for danger that this poses.  See the link below:


http://michellemalkin.com/2007/07/27/outsourcing-dmv-data-to-mexico/


I am not sure about the health records part
PO does not have any of my husband's health care records, and he does not use any sort of PO identification number when he goes to the doctor. So I am a little confused by that statement.
How is that falsfying payroll records ? - sm
she is only paid for what lines she produces at each job. I am sure her MTSOs must think she is slow though in terms of production, but that is her problem. Also what is unethical/criminal about it? I gather you only work 1 job and think it is wrong to work for more than 1 company at a time. Obviously I disagree with that idea. Sure most companies would prefer you only work for them, but most cannot give you enough work to pay the bills, so you need 2 jobs, plus it is not wise to have all your eggs in one basket. If you lose your job then your are screwed, but if you have 2 then at least you still have some income coming in.
Sounds like falsifying records to me...nm
x
My hospital uses digital records and -
We cannot keep the work up still. All it did was reduce the amount of paper generated for every chart and it also made it possible for the doctor to pull up the records and see what kind of care the patient has had before from every doctor (and they can do this from their offices and not have to wait on paper to come in).
Keep American records within our borders

Write to President Obama about the crisis us American transcriptionists are going through in having out work stolen from us and being sent out of the country.  Not only is this a possible breach of security, but it can cause us to lose our jobs entirely (just look at the Medquist refugees).  Here's the letter I wrote:


Mr. President:  I feel like a feeble voice crying out in the wilderness Help, Help! I am a proud American Medical Transcriptionist and my work is being sent to India through no fault of my own, and soon expect to be out of work because of this. Not only could this be a dangerous breach of the HIPAA practice but I expect to become one of the dreaded ranks of the unemployed. The Indians are under-qualified to do the job and our homeland health is at stake.  Help! Help!  Valerie Stanol


RE: OFFSHORING OF U.S. PATIENT RECORDS..SM
I think the solution is to send a standardized letter to every major medical facility, as well as the major medical insurance carriers (Aetna, Health America, BC/BS, Medicare and Medicaid), addressing corporate heads and informing them that their doctors' medical records risk being transcribed overseas in a foreign country where HIPAA regulations do not apply and cannot be enforced. Address the big wigs to get their attention because I truly believe many are not aware of what is happening. There are so many U.S. transcription companies who advertise, snag the client, and provide a contract for the doctor or medical facility in no way indicating that they send their dictation overseas, only to have it available first thing in the morning. So what if the time frame is good. If I were a doctor, I would not even consider the risk of sending my patients' personal information to another county and risking the issue of security to save a few dollars. The insurance companies, who pay the insurance claims on office visits, hospitalizations, surgeries, long term care, should be the first to be made aware of this ridiculous situation. Physician practices, hospitals, hospital administrators, and MTSO's need to put a stop to providing services to offshore companies who work for slave wages, takes jobs away from hard working and experienced U.S. MTs, and jeopardize the security of confidential information regarding our U.S. citizens. Let India transcribe their fingers off for their country's citizens. America, quit trying to save a few dollars by jeopardizing our citizen's most private information. This is such a joke!
Regarding medical records going overseas...

have you ever asked/educated your friends and family about the fact their medical records may be transcribed overseas and their personal information may be shipped over there, as well?


I was talking with my husband about this issue, and he was oblivious even though I have done transcription for almost 7 years.  (He was also pretty PO'd that with all the money we pay for insurance, our medical records could be coming from third-world ESL transcriptionists).


What if every person who went to their doctor said I want my medical records transcribed in the US by US MTs.  While writing to the president is a good idea, isn't educating each and every healthcare consumer a better idea?  I like the idea of a hospital/clinic having to post a disclaimer that your personal medical information is being transcribed overseas. 


I bet then their pockets would get a little deeper and all these MTSOs that are making money off shipping our work overseas would have a lot less business and a lot less power over us.  If veterans hospitals and Washington DC area hospitals cannot send their records overseas, why don't the rest of us have the same rights?  Are the politicians really going to be responsive to our letters if they know their records are safely done in the US?


I think this movement has to come at least in part from the healthcare consumers, i.e., everyone, as we do not have the money or the mouthpiece that MTSOs do.  It will empower the MTSOs trying to keep jobs here to offer better wages and expand their businesses while keeping American MTs employed. 


 


Electronic Medical Records
Not all EMR systems rely solely on CPOE-type technology. Every acute care account I have worked on in the last 4 or 5 years has an EMR component. The medical records are stored digitally, which allow to any physician with access to the system to pull the patient's record.

The physicians on my current account can input data through point and click (primarily ER notes and radiology which allows immediate access to the information) or they can choose to dictate (H&Ps, consults, ops, and discharges). The dictated reports are still transcribed or edited by MTs.
Petition to keep records in USA - Pass it on!

Sign petition and letters to Representatives and President.


http://www.billing-coding.com/forum/read_thread.cfm?ForumID=8&ThreadID=11607&Thread=2506


For anyone who reviews records, how do you charge?

Many moons ago when I worked for a medical group and the transcription work ran low, I asked if I could take a stab at summarizing records for medical-legal patients.  It was a nice change of pace, and the doctors loved getting out of this chore.  As an employee, I was paid my usual hourly wage.  If anyone does this as an IC, how do you charge for it?


I'm thinking by the hour would be the only way to go unless it were really straight-foward, i.e., reviewing reports in the order received, date of report, name of provider, basically copy typing test results, diagnosis, and conclusions. 


Some doctors might ask that the HPI, PMH, etc. be read through, looking for discrepancies in the history or pre-existing similar conditions and commenting on that, which can take a good deal of time to do to come up with a short line indicating no discrepancies, making cpl not the way to go. 


I know different areas of the country would charge different rates, so I'm not looking for specific charges but a general rule of thumb, if there is such a thing.  If you charge by the hour (or by the line), how does that compare to what you make per hour (or per line) doing straight transcription? 


Thanks for any input!


This used to be called ART--accredited records technician.
xx
Feedback on Digital Records Corporation

Does anybody know anything good or bad about this company?  I am looking for a good MT employment position. 


Digital Records Corporation
Contact: Dixie Krieg, CMT
3180 DE LA Cruz Boulevard, Suite #100, Santa Clara, California 95054
Recruiter@RelyOnDRC.com
Telephone: 1-800-372-7710, x225, Fax: 1-408-727-8280


Probably medical records or unit secretary
In my area the pay is about 50 cents less an hour than MT seems like a gravy job compared to this.
My first boss in medical records (the director)
had a policy that no one could break. When doctors came in, everything else was put aside and they were first to be helped and given whatever they needed, including a cup of coffee, run to coffee shop for lunch or snack if that is what they wanted (they would always pay for theirs and whoever went to get it), and had someone sit with them just in case they had a question or needed help. She, too, said they were tired and "abused".

Oh, but the payoff was wonderful. Christmas was the best with gifts that you could not believe from everyone of them. If any of us went to the doctor's office for treatment we were treated like royalty, never had to wait, and never ever had to pay. She had the bad or difficult doctors teach a class for the transcribers and coders in whatever specialty they were in to "help" us, but it made them so aware of our problems that they soon learned to be good dictators. And when new doctors joined the staff, they were escorted by a senior staff member and told to treat us like we were the most special people in the world because this was the one office that would make their life as easy as possible. Those guys were truly tired and exhausted, but they always had time for us. She never had delinquent charts, flew thru inspections like they were a routine item, and when she retired, we all cried. Sure wish the person who took her place could have taken lessons from her.

Doctors are people, too. You just need to give them the credit they deserve, including the non-American ones. Remember, they not only had to learn English to be a doctor here, they had to learn the medical field in a language that was not their own. How many of us could do that?


Guess what happens when the computer crashes... no more records...

: