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line padding

Posted By: wonder? on 2005-08-04
In Reply to: there a note on the company board from QA regarding cherrypicking and they mention "line padding& - wondering MT

Okay. I have doctors who dictate words like "toc" for tocolysis, "conj" for conjunctiva, and other shortened versions of words that are not proper. I call this sloppy dictating and I always spell out the word IF I know exactly what they mean. If I don't know what they mean, I flag it for QA. Would you call that line padding? My account doesn't give any specifics on this. I was also taught to NEVER use abbreviations in diagnoses even if dictated. Is that considered line padding? Just wondering.


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I hardly think she was padding line counts.
There are a lot of doctors out there who are completely ignorant in regard to spelling, proper sentence construction, and grammar.  And with their grandiose and overly inflated egos, they don't like to be corrected by a peon transcriptionist.
Line padding is not using standard abbreviations and
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Line padding is also adding little blank characters

like spaces throughout the report to get paid more.  I saw reports at MQ and Sp that had lines of spaces shown on reveal codes between paragraphs where someone either didn't know how to work their expander, was cutting and pasting, or was deliberately padding their lines.


As for typing out abbreviations, I work on an account that doesn't use abbreviations at all.  I use otcx for over-the-counter, etc.


Line padding is also adding extra words. See inside.

Doc says:  "General. Alert and oriented, no distress. HEENT:  Eyes clear. Lungs:  Clear."


MT types: GENERAL EXAMINATION:  In general, the patient is alert and oriented. The patient is in no distress. HEENT EXAMINATION:  The patient's eyes are clear.  LUNG EXAMINATION:  The patient's lungs are clear.


I kid you not. And there are companies out there that will defend the MT's right to do so. But, would the client's approve of it? I seriously think not.


 


Besides padding counts
I worked with someone who got into the Lanier system and moved jobs typed from other transcriptionists onto her number. We were all "judged" by how many minutes we could type per day besides lines and also judged for raises by difficulty of the dictators we typed. Everyone could not figure out how she did so "well" until we started logging by hand the job #s that we did each day and then checked on it later. Lots of them magically moved over to her number. Somehow she got the Admin password and was putting it to "good use." It was mind-boggling and eye-opening.
Yes, like why do MTSOs allow padding to
x
Most of the Logitech ones seem to be less clacky. Put some padding under it, too, if
s
Is that called padding lines, LOL?
x
Could this be the reason padding allowed to
x
I agree, and it's also how they get more money out of their customers, too, by padding
s
MTSO usually also repeats benefit of padding
x
Discussion re padding counts. Anyone remember where it was?
nm
Excuse me -- that is called "line padding" and
one can be fired over that.
Employee padding time-card = "unethical".
Employees get fired for padding their paychecks, but employers don't mind how much overtime you work, as long as they don't have to pay you for anything but the lines you typed.
Be glad they didn't ding you for padding your lines.
sm
there a note on the company board from QA regarding cherrypicking and they mention "line padding&
This is a new one on me.  I've heard of cherrypicking but what constitutes line padding?  Isn't everybody typing what the doctor dictates?  How can you possibly add extra????
A gross line is anything on a line is a line. A line set at 65 characters means it sm
has 1-inch margins on each side. The maximum number of characters on that line would be 65 and that includes spaces. If there is 1 character on that line it is a line.

A standard 65-character line usually consists of 65 characters with spaces unless, of course, the employer does not pay for spaces and then it would be 65-characters without spaces.
Anything on the line makes up a line even if just one letter or number. Every line of print is a
s
Gross line = each line on page counts as a line, even if it's only 1 word. nm
x
Gross line means anything on a line is counted as a line.

You can get an idea in the difference using documents you have already created, assuming you're working in Word. Simply open a document and check the properties. Click on the statistics tab and you will see the number of lines as well as characters with and without spaces. If you're currently getting paid by the line and a line is 65-characters with spaces, do the math and see how that number of lines compares with the number of lines in your stats.


One thing to keep in mind: if you have a blank line between paragraphs, instead of hitting the enter key twice, format your document to give the appearance of blank lines between paragraphs.


Gross line, also including blank lines because my line rate is so low. It all works out in the wash.
x
$.06 gross line / .70 = approximately $.0857 cents per 65 character line.

A gross line is anything on a line versus 65 gross characters per net line the other way.  You make more money working for the gross line than for the 65 gross character line, as long as the line rate's OK.


A gross line is any line with typewritten characters on it - no matter how long or SM
how short.  So your gross lines may be longer than 65 characters, but you get credit even for a line as short as "Sincerely,".  If your gross lines are not being counted that way, then you are not being counted on gross lines and are probably getting screwed.  I'd look into that if I were you.
Yes if gross line or 65 character line with spaces....Good Deal!!! nm
x
1) do you have a contract stating line counting and line rate,sm
if you look at the IRS website it's pretty clear what constitutes IC versus SE versus employee. You might want to photocopy that along with a copy of your contract with your next invoice and also put on the invoice any monies due from past invoices they "changed"...maybe catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Good luck!
New England, 16.50/hr, 8 cents a line after minimum line count..
full benefits available with general contribution by the hospital before you start paying for them, retirement, 403b, all benefits, and working at home as an employee, BUT, you have to live local to the hospital.
I changed my line to a business line, talked to a supervisor sm

at SBC, told him what I was using the service for, and got the okay to use it -- $49/month unlimited. 


I have also used The Neighborhood, and their unlimited is truly unlimited.  I also explained to them when I signed up what I was using it for and their comment was "unlimited means just that -- unlimited, no matter what."  I cannot remember how much they were, but it might be worth checking into for you.  (www.theneighborhood.com)


 


Good luck!


What is the average line/hour for a 65 character line with spaces? NM
.
Curious, do most IC's usually charge by the gross line or 65 character line?
Thank you~
it certainly is not pay worthy at 4.5 line or 3 line. I know the companies cram it down our throats
nm
That still is not a paid line rate. If your base is $0.10 per line, it will be $0.08 cpl.
Considering other companies pay 4 or 5 cents per line for VR - you are still making out.

Question about what is PAID for a line and what is BILLED for a line
Does the MTSO actually bill for headers, footers, and other things the transcriptionists are not paid for?  I worked for a company a while back and their copy of what each Transcriptionist typed the day before and our copy was a lot different, about 30% different.  Their copy was the billing copy. So, double their enhanced amount and subtract our 9 cents a line, it comes to a bigger profit than what I thought.   
What's the diff between a gross line and a 65-char line?

Mebbe just got my first OWN ACCOUNT YAY!  He said to charge him the "going rate" since I pay him that.  This could be the start, baby!  (I hope)



A gross line is any amount of characters on a line

for instance...


MEDICATIONS:


Effexor


Prevasid


 


A 65 character line without spaces is black marks on the page only and 65 w/spaces is everything... tabs, spaces, numbers, letters, bold, etc.


 


 


that should be "up .02/line" NOT up "to" .02/line. geez. nm
x

Gross line versus character line....Sm please

I am thinking of taking a job that pays by the gross line and not a 65-character line.  I have never worked this way.  Does this literally mean if there is one little word on a line you get paid for it?  I have not pinned her down on a line rate but I am just thinking I am going to be comparing apples to oranges and am wondering how to accomplish that. 


Thanks for any help!


gross-anything on line counts as line,even one word
xx
gross line is anything on a line, even just your initials. sm

spaces really don't matter in a gross line count.


 


But that's a GROSS line, not a 65 character line.
So a newbie would have no problem at all hitting 150 lines per hour.  A gross line is any line with a printed character on it.
Which is better? Gross line or 65 character line? It's
nm
I don't make 0.08/line.. I work for no less than .13/line. nm
.
IC, by line, 68-72 character spaces/line
@
I would go with the line rate. At less than 9.5 cents per line sm
I make $30 an hour.  I would never transcribe for $15 an hour, for anyone.
7.5/gross line or 10/65 char line?
Anyone have any idea which would come out to more?  TIA
A gross line may be close to 65 ch.pl but she said line
z
Anything on a line (even just initials) is considered a line.
I prefer to use the 65-character line count (including spaces).
gross line and character line
I am an IC currently doing one doctor who pays me by the hour but I will be starting another doctor soon and he will be dictating differently so I was going to charge him per line.  What is the difference of charging gross lines or per 65 character line?
Gross line is anything on a line is a line
so if there is just one character, it is a line. Font definitely makes a difference though particularly if there are true type fonts involved. That's one you have to be careful on and insist on fixed fonts.
Just do a gross line - anything on a line is a line. sm
I use Abacus - free line counting software.

The bottom line is doesnt matter what they pay if there is no work you make no money. Bottom line.
:
What is a 55 char gross line compared to a 65-char line including spaces?
t