Transcription Musings - 1
TRANSCRIPTION MUSINGS Hello to all cyber MTs who love Instant Text like I do (or maybe you're now just exploring to decide whether IT is right for you). While attending the national AAMT meeting in Dallas earlier this month, I spent some time with Jean and Marianne of Textware Solutions. They asked me to consider writing a biweekly column for the Textware website regarding medical transcription and related topics, particularly those specific to text expansion. I agreed because it was a great idea, and I'm interested in any venue for sharing information for the benefit of all of us. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sharon Allred, CMT, from North Carolina. I am a full-time instructor of medical transcription and related courses at a community college and also do some contract MT work for a couple of local hospitals. It is actually hard for me to go too long without transcribing. I love teaching; however, I also love transcription and do not want to get too rusty. I am passionate about staying abreast of the industry, and contractual short-term assignments allow me the opportunity to do just that. Immediately after college, I taught remedial language arts to 7th and 8th graders for four years but decided to stay at home for a few years with my sons. After that time, I was not particularly enthused about a return to teaching in the public school system and, instead, explored opportunities available in the medical office, specifically home health care. My journey took me from an initial part-time clerical position to reimbursement, coding, office management, and even some transcription; however, the transcription was limited to nurses, therapists, and social workers. No real doctors! In late 1996, one of the hospitals where I lived was desperate for transcriptionist, and somehow, I convinced them I could do the job. What a challenge! I had no idea the skill level required to work full-time in a teaching hospital's medical records department but quickly realized I had to either make it work or return to my prior job. I enlisted the help of another "newbie", and we studied together every night for 2 to 3 hours reviewing what we had transcribed that day. I made it! In looking back, I wonder how I did and shudder to think of some of the boo-boos I made. Note, I do not recommend this type of initiation. In the fall of 1999, I started teaching medical terminology part-time and loved it. Teaching adults who wanted to learn was dramatically different than teaching high school students who had no desire to learn much of anything. The following fall I accepted a full-time position and have not regretted my decision. The experience of seeing students of all ages learn a skill allowing them to support themselves financially and then watching them grow to love the occupation like I do is very rewarding. No, that doesn't happen to every student I teach, but it does happen to many, and I am especially gratified when it happens. It is so much fun to keep up with former students who are now in the industry and keep up with their success and enthusiasm. But enough about me. A biweekly column seems about the right frequency; however there will also be some latitude to allow for a greater degree of spontaneity. If something comes up in one of my classes I immediately want to "tell the MT world about", I'll add that immediately without waiting for the next column. If life gets pretty crazy for me in the middle of finals, biweekly may be a stretch. The direction of this bi-weekly column has been left up to me (at least for now), and I plan to use the column to provide assistance to those MTs who are just beginning to use IT, or encourage seasoned IT users to "think outside the box" in terms of expanding the way we use the software. (In the next column I'll share a little more about my experience with beginning IT). Productivity is one of my passions because I like to spend money. To spend money, you have to make money, and since MTs are typically paid on production, any hints on increasing production are worthwhile. I have given workshops at local AAMT meetings as well as some hospitals on increasing production, and I would like to incorporate some of those ideas over time into this column. Increasing production is a slow, methodical process, not a magic wand, and if an MT could incorporate one productivity booster a week, his/her pay would increase significantly over a year, and the task would not be overwhelming in the process. After we're all done with productivity (which will take quite a while), I'd like to use the column to suggest other tips related to usage, style, format, etc. -- anything that is of interest to those of us who are "students of the industry.” Responses to my column are welcomed either on this forum, or you may email me personally at MTSharon@Intrex.net. I look forward to our regular visits and sincerely hope you will benefit from the information presented here. Thank you, Jean and Marianne, for being such friends of the industry with the insight to recognize the need and provide a forum such as this for our mutual benefit. Sharon B. Allred, CMT
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