Home     Contact Us    
Main Board Job Seeker's Board Job Wanted Board Resume Bank Company Board Word Help Medquist New MTs Classifieds Offshore Concerns VR/Speech Recognition Tech Help Coding/Medical Billing
Gab Board Politics Comedy Stop Health Issues
ADVERTISEMENT




Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

summer slow?

Posted By: Swiftsail on 2008-08-25
In Reply to: I agree...I have been busy with work all summer - Keystroker

People who are low on work might try working evenings. Doctors tend to dictate after they see their patients during the day.

There is some loss of lines with some companies due to EMR I believe


Complete Discussion Below: marks the location of current message within thread

The messages you are viewing are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select the boards given in left menu


Other related messages found in our database

Slow day for me. Typed two reports in two hours. Anyone else having unusually slow day?
dd
We did that for one summer...
It was the worst and we were both resentful of the whole thing.  Once he found a great job, everything was better.  A good man needs to work, that is just how it is.  Now our issue is that because I am at home trying to work and be with the kids, I wind up working from the moment I get up to the time I go to bed.  He gets home and relaxes, which really irks me at times, but I am the one who gets to do everything with the kids.  I guess it all comes out in the wash.
since last summer
I just keep sticking with it but many days I am this close to throwing in the towel. There are some really nice people there though.
End of the summer, especially
worst time of the hurricane season. However, Aruba is supposed to be just outside of the hurricane belt so you should not have trouble vacationing there, unless you're cruising of course.
I never even got any time off this summer.
I worked more hours than usual instead of cutting back.  Now, summer is almost gone, and I still can't take any time off.
Happy 1st day of Summer!
Any exciting destinations this year? I'm afraid I just don't have anything lined up except WORK. Ewww!
Try $400 and summer has just begun... nm
nm
I upgraded RAM from 256 to 1 gig this summer for only about
$50 at Best Buy.  Maybe $30.  And they installed it for me.  The $$ included the installation.  Just a FYI
My summer has been very busy
but that's because most of the other ICs at my hospital take their vacation this time of year and the work is backed up.  It really depends on various factors but there is usually an ebb and flow like the other poster described.
My parents both worked and over the summer they LET us go to

summer camp AND it wasn't cheap for them either.  Three kids going to camp 5 days a week (Thursdays were skate day), compare that to what that would cost today.  My brother, sister, and I were at camp from 8 AM to around 5 or so and yeah we were beat when we got home, but my folks made sure we weren't "latchkey" kids or running the neighborhood getting into who knows what kind of trouble.  My folks spent quality time with us, too, in the evenings, on weekends, holidays, and vacation, but they BOTH had to work to support us.  So, for the person who has unjustly persecuted CampMom, please try to be more considerate. 


P.S. I should also add that my siblings and I have some of the best memories of summer camp.  Did I say that I'm 42 years old?


 


 


I wish. I have tried 4 babysitters this summer and each one lasted a DAY!
My kids are a little hyper LOL!!
Sort of, but can't be any worse than the AC this summer - over $450

My laptop was a godsend one summer - sm

My airconditioning went out in my house.  It was nearly 100 degrees outside and my home was sweltering.  I took my extension cord, my laptop, my transcriber (yep, I still had some accounts on tape) and the whole shebang and moved it to the patio.  At least there, I could jump in and out of the pool, stay in the shade and thankfully there was at least some movement in the air as opposed to the house.  I did that for about 4 days before the air got fixed.  It has also been wonderful for traveling. 


Now, I have a laptop and an all-in-one desktop from Sony.  Even if I need to, I can just take the whole desktop outdoors or on the road becuase it is only about twice the size of the laptop. 


Portability is a wonderful thing.


Stolen Summer (2002).
Synopsis





In 1970s Chicago, two boys bridge the sectarian divide between the Jewish and Irish-Catholic faiths and forge a friendship. When the Jewish boy discovers he is dying, his Christian friend vows to assist him in his quest to go to heaven, with predictable reactions from their families. This film is the result of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's Project Greenlight and was well received at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival.

What are your vacation plans this summer? sm
I'm getting married in 11 days so my week vacation afterwards will be spent honeymooning in Helen, GA, which is where we're getting married. 
Last Dance by Donna Summer
x
Happy Summer Solstice!!....sm

THIS second a mini-vacation begins for me - until Monday morning!!!  *does a happy dance* 


Hope everyone gets some time off for a little R&R this time of year!!! 


Kids home for summer
I'm lucky enough to have a 14 year old as well as my 4 year old. She gets extra money over the summer to watch her while I'm working and in the neighborhood that we live in there are so many kids outside, a lot of them good friends who are older, that it's not too much of a problem. I would definitely look into a teenager in the neighborhood who my need some spending money. Also, last year my youngest went to summer bible camp for a few weeks, and old older daughter went along and volunteered so I had a nice break too.
Last summer I applied to 2 companies and sm
was offered positions at 9 and 9.5, which is basically what I asked; I think I indicated I wanted 10 but didn't push it because I was in the same boat as you. I have less experience than you but am a skilled transcriptionist. BTW, I accepted the lower one because it came with a good production bonus schedule that makes my actual pay routinely between 10 and 11 and a good platform that helps me achieve a pretty high line count.
I started college this summer to get out of it!!! nm
x
? on this ungodly hot summer day, if you could live (and die) anywhere in the world, where would you
choose?  Just one choice please and assume it's your very last move in your lifetime so choose carefully. 
Sure! As soon as I'm back from my summer home in the Hamptons!

Anyone seen Paul McCartney in concert this summer?
If so, how was it?
Our gas prices are just over $3/gallon and summer's coming!

I'll want to use my A/C in my car plus do a little extra driving in the summertime.


Right now it's costing me about $44 to $46 to fill my tank up.  It HURTS! 


Thinking about buying  a bicycle to get around town on!  lol


 


 


to those of you who have young kids at home for summer

As I understand, daycare is a touchy subject here but I am looking for some opinions.  I have been MTing for 10 years now part time.  During that time I had my 3 kids.  With the PT hours it worked out great.  Now not too long ago I started FT (8 hrs/day). This has been since the school yr started.  My older two are in school all day.  My youngest is 2 and goes to the neighbors house. With summer coming all three will be home.  Its tough because they are 10, 8, 2, the older two argue constantly it seems.  I feel bad to have them have to take care of their 2 yr old sibling on summer break.  They all go in different directions.  I am weighing my options on what to do.  Anyone else in this situation or have any suggestions? If I were putting less hours in I would have no prob.  I understand a lot of you are able to do this with no prob, but it just doesn't work in my house unfortunately.


I agree...I have been busy with work all summer
nm
I dont think they will do anything on the new pay plan during the Summer for obvious reasons and
those being if people quit and with so many on vacation they may not be able to cover their accounts. So I bet we will hear pretty quickly in September. Yep I bet.
anybody bored with this summer? favorite month/season?
too hot to do anything.  give me late september or early october please.
Only during the summer. Wild colored toe socks in winter.
;-D
Just don't go in the summer. The guides say that the first week in December is ideal. nm
s
I don't have Raynaud's but I always have cold hands when I type even in the summer! I keep a

heating pad under my desk.  I turn it on and sit on my lap and use it as kind of a muffler for my hands.  Every so often, I stick both hands into the sleeve that covers the pad and let them warm up.  It works really well!  I also bought a pair of cheap knit gloves, the kind that stretch to fit any hand, and I cut the fingers tips off and wear them when I type.  In the colder months when I get cold feet, I have a space heater under my desk blowing directly on my tootsies.


When I first started out as an MT, I used to laugh at all the little quirks the older MTs I worked with had and now here I am with all my different quirks and orthopedic and electrical equipment just to make my work day comfortable.  And don't even get me started on my drugs! 


Please, I transcribe from a lounge chair at the pool during the summer.

That way my daughter gets some time at the pool having fun, I get work done.  I do mostly VR, so not a lot of actual transcribing involved, just a word here or comma or period there. 


I've worked from the beach in Key West.  I've worked from the lake.  I take my laptop when visiting family around the holidays.  That is the beauty of having an at-home job and a laptop.  You can take your work with you anywhere and never miss out on family life!  And no I do not sacrifice privacy or accuracy.  I'm good at what I do.  I'm one of those fortunate MTs that could transcribe in grand central station with trains coming and going and thousands of people milling about.  I'm very focused.  Once the headphones are in my ears, you have to pretty much send up a flare or smack me upside my head to get my attention and then you will scare the bejeezus outta me when you do. 


Don't knock it until you try and just because you can't work in anything but total silence and solitude, doesn't mean that everybody needs total silence and solitude.


Working on my Masters in Counseling Psych. I should be done in Summer 2007.
x
In our area of NY, I've found that hot summer weekends are terrible...sm
for sales. No one wants to get out of their cars in the heat! Have done best in early spring or in Sept/Oct., here anyway. And a Fri./Sat. combo is more successful than a Sat./Sun. weekend. Have BIG signs at major intersections and showing the way into your neighborhood and right to your house. Run an ad in the Garage Sale section of your paper. Be prepared for early birds coming down your driveway or right into your yard 2 hours ahead of time. Block your driveway with a car or sawhorses until you're actually open, but be ready to say 'come back later' when people show while you're setting up. Have prices on everything or group things by price in one location. Have lots of singles and quarters for change. Bring your phone outside with you. Paper and pen if people want to call you later. Have packing material for glass and china, plastic or paper bags for purchasers. Some hard candy/mints on a table out of sun helps people stick around longer. If you have big jackets, long dresses, bedspreads, etc. put them up for display - on hangers, in trees, strung up between ladders. Try and keep all your displays up at table height - people aren't keen on getting down on the ground to paw through boxes or check out stuff spread out on a bedsheet. Use every card table, picnic table, folding table, etc that you can find for displaying stuff. If you have anything electric to sell, have an extension cord plugged in so people can see that items still work. Keep expensive small items near you at your 'check out' station to keep them from walking away. And always be ready to come down on price as everyone will ask you, "can you do any better?" Or "what's your best price on this?" Enjoy your sale and treat yourself to pizza after all your hard work! :)
Lost two accounts so far. Both very high volume. Another division due to go in summer.
nm
No shoes, barefoot in summer, heating pad on low in front of foot pedal
c
I live in the Kansas City area and this summer we have had a rash of pit bull attacks especially

in the Independence, MO area.  The city governments have passed laws banning pit bulls and last week something like 100+ pitbulls were picked up by animal control or dropped off at the city pound and all were destroyed.


Personally, I think the owners of these animals should be held just as accountable as the dog.  Well, I guess maybe putting the owner to sleep is a bit extreme.


I'm so sorry about your lab.


Going in the summer or the fall? If the fall, you need to be there early enough while the colors
s
To slow down....
#4 with decrease speed.  When you are ready to go back to "normal" speed just press #5  or to reset speed do a **  Good luck with that report!!!
too slow

I wish I was fast enough to be able to meet my line count and relax a little. Maybe in another year or so.


Slow for me too!
Both compaines I work for have no work--- no work = no money!
Slow day?
Wish it was - I'm swamped with residents! ARGH
Slow day - I wish!
I keep getting work from other offices dumped on me, but how am I supposed to do my regular work and work for another office when the computer guy can't even keep our computers working??? Today the problem was with the cable - HELLO - OUR SYSTEM WON'T LET US WORK OFF-LINE!
very, very slow? ... nm
x
Never had a slow day, but sure could use one.
 
Yes, it seems to slow me down (sm)
Except, of course, when I'm having a bad day with really diffult dictators. For the most part though, I can be rushing like a crazy person and then sit down to transcribe and it just eases me into a different frame of mind. My mind goes all sorts of places thinking of everything else I need to do, etc. Not in a stressful way though. It is more like when I am transcribing my brain is in a different "realm" and able to work out other stuff and come up with sometimes the onliest things. Seem to do much of my brainstorming while transcribing, whether I intend to or not. Seems easier to plan dinner, etc. Weird.
Is it slow or is it just me?
I have not had a full day of transcribing in weeks!  I'm getting a bit worried.  I know it's probably slow because of vacations, etc. but enough already!  Anyone else out of work? 
Slow with this doc

I have had this doc for a while now, but I am so slow with him. I noticed that I have to stop the dictation at least once every sentence, sometimes more, and it just took me ten minutes to do a 2:50 dictation.


He talkes very fast and quiet but other than that he is great. Although he talks fast, he is pretty clear and I rarely have to look things up with him, other than to CC at the end of the dictation which is almost every report.


I do not have this problem with any of my other docs, and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions? I have his favorite sayings in my expander, but just cannot seem to get faster at his reports. Thanks! 


PT I do 500-800 a day; I am slow though - sm
avg. 140-165 lines an hour; sometimes less, depends on the degree of difficulty and if ESL, but make a min. of $12 an hour up to $16 so I am happy enough.
How slow is slow.
What's your connection speed now?
I am not slow and ive done everything
from MT to Quality Assurance to supervisor. I have seen many a platform in my time. There are some really crappy ones out there that steal from the MTs, in particular Dictaphones managed Ichart service. Heres what they say --- As part of our ichart service, Dictaphone can help you assess the "true" cost of your current transcription infrastructure - Inadequate Billing Detail.
No true MT line counting standards for billing.
Challenging Audit Trail and Process.
"Special Characters" Can Inflate Line Counts By 15%.
"Invisible Characters" Can Inflate Line Counts Up To 20-40%!
Poorly Designed Templates can lead to Excessive Line Counts.
Multi-page Reports can Drive Excessive Characters and/or hidden words. If thats not trying to control line counts I don't know what is.