http://mtmasterycenter.com Medical Transcription: Educational Insights From A Veteran Medical Transcriptionist Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:00:44 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Yesterday I gave a medical transcription critical thinking "pop quiz" so to speak. Here is a link to that post. An Example Of Medical Transcription Critical Thinking So did you figure out the answer? Well, if you noticed from all the information provided, this patient had had two arthroscopic surgeries within the past year. ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-critical-thinking-the-answer-to-yesterdays-post/ I know I've talked before about critical thinking for medical transcriptionists. It's the difference between average MTs and extraordinary ones. Here is an example of what I mean: I'm typing a medical report about a patient who has had two arthroscopic right shoulder surgeries within the past year, per the history. ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/an-example-of-medical-transcription-critical-thinking/ Yesterday afternoon/early evening, I was starting to breathe a sigh of relief. The acrid smokiness enveloping the area where I live was starting to abate. Then, about 7:30 p.m., I noticed that the unmistakable smell of smoke was increasing. I went outside and looked off into the ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/california-fires-still-a-concern/ I thought I'd give an update on the fire situation. I was very frightened last night. There are two fires that may affect me, one to the north (Brea), and the other to the east (Yorba Linda). The wind was pushing the Yorba Linda fire west (great, ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/yorba-linda-and-brea-california-fires/ It seems like the entire state of California is on fire today, and that has prompted me to post about having an emergency plan for your at-home medical transcription business. I must say, I am extremely nervous right now and plan to stay up all night. The fires in California ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcriptionists-what-is-your-emergency-plan/ I hope you enjoyed the doctor dictation gaffe I wrote about in the last entry. If you did not get a chance to read it, here is the link: Doctor Dictation Gaffes. I am revisiting this because after the initial chuckle we all get out of it, a more ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/doctor-dictation-gaffes-revisited/ This is a great example of a doctor dictation gaffe. Let me set it up for you. The patient had been using a weed whacker for months and developed a left middle trigger finger. The doctor, however, dictated the following: The patient had a "chief complaint of ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/doctor-dictation-gaffes/ I came across a website that I thought all medical transcriptionists would be interested in: A Google Custom Search Medical Transcription Word Seeker. Here is the link: Medical Transcription Word Seeker Be sure to mark this site as one of your favorites. It will come in very handy. Happy Halloween, everyone! http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-word-seeker-google-custom-search/ Are you are considering a medical transcription career? Here are some important questions to ask yourself: Is this a good career move for me personally and professionally? The first thing you should consider is whether or not becoming a medical transcriptionist will enhance your growth as a professional and as an ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/why-you-should-consider-a-medical-transcription-career-stat/ Simply doing your medical transcription job these days is not enough to ensure that you will be recession proof. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures so take what I've said in this series to heart. As a medical transcriptionist it is a given that you have the basic skills required ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-recession-proof-tactics-part-iv/ The next tip to recession-proof yourself as a medical transcriptionist is to become a leader. Notice I did not say a supervisor or manager. A leader may or may not have an official title but nonetheless has influence and is respected, admired, and listened to by others when ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-recession-proof-tactics-part-iii/ The next tip to make yourself recession-proof in your medical transcription job is to keep a list of contributions that you have made to the company over and above your job description. First of all, you have to pay attention to what the overall processes and systems are in place. ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-recession-proof-tactics-part-ii/ Medical transcription is one of the better recession-proof jobs in the healthcare industry. However, when times get as bad as they are now, it is time to assess just how much of an assess--or liability--you may be if you are working as an in-house medical transcription employee. This week I ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-recession-proof-tactics-part-i/ Some organizations are realizing that medical transcription is important and that we will face a critical medical transcription shortage if nothing is done. Enter the great idea of having military spouses train to become medical transcriptionists. Someone has definitely been thinking outside the box. As most know, military men, ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/82/ Hi Folks: It's not often that I come across an article that angers me, but this one sure did. It is such poppycock! Medical Transcription Outsourcing - The Future? It is an established fact that at least 20 to 30% of medical transcription work is outsourced to other countries that include India ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/this-medical-transcription-article-is-pure-rubbish/ Hi All: I know that English is a hard language to master, but medical transcription and those who do not have a good command of the English language do not mix! The following article demonstrates my point: Medical Transcription for Physicians Medical Transcription is concerned with the transformation of physician dictation recordings, ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/why-medical-transcription-should-not-be-outsourced-period/ Hi Everybody! I have written some new medical transcription articles which have been published at EzineArticles. I think you will benefit greatly from reading these, so I have listed them here: Medical Transcription Training On A Budget An MT Sounds Off About Outsourcing MT Jobs Medical Transcription Rates--The Good, The Bad, and The Downright Ugly Medical ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-articles/ Here is my answer to an e-mail I received from Peggie which is listed in this post: Medical Transcription Education Question Dear Peggie: Thank you for writing to me and asking me for my opinions/recommendations. I am gratified and honored to provide information to you and to all who are ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-education-answer/ Periodically I get e-mails from people who are interested in medical transcription and wonder what medical transcription education is required. One such person named Margaret wrote to me this year via e-mail: Hi there- I'm actually looking at getting into the medical transcription field and have some questions. I was ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-education-question/ Hi Everybody: It's funny how some things work. I submitted an article to Ezine Articles sounding off about outsourcing medical transcription. Here is the link to that article: An MT Sounds Off About Outsourcing MT Jobs Well a dear relative of mine went to her pain management doctor yesterday for her ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/the-horrors-of-outsourcing-medical-transcription/ I have found a blog post that has a comprehensive list of companies that hire new medical transcriptionists. Take a look at this and see if it helps you out. Please give feedback. Here is the link: Companies that Hire Medical Transcription Newbies http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-employment-for-mt-newbies/ Hi All: I came across a page of slang acronyms that doctors use, and it is absolutely falling-off-the-chair funny. I've put the link below, and you will definitely want to take your time perusing this page. So have a ball and de-stress by reading the list and howling out ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcriptionists-some-hilarious-slang-acronyms-used-by-doctors/ Hi All: It has been ages since I've posted anything to my blog, but you'll see it was worth the wait when you read this one. I received a request for help from a medical transcription newbie who e-mailed me with the following request: (Part of e-mail has been deleted to protect privacy.) Can ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-help-for-medical-transcription-newbies/ Hello All! Hope you are well. Here is a great website to test yourself online about the human body. The website is called Get Body Smart -- An Online Examination of Human Anatomy and Physiology. Here is the link: GET BODY SMART WEBSITE Test yourself to see how much you know. I just ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-get-body-smart/ Hi Everybody! I have a great link to share with you today regarding neurological examination. This is great information for medical transcriptionists to know. Like being able to put a name with a face, it is great to be able to see a demonstration of certain medical tests, the ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcriptionists-neuro-exam-videos/ Hi Everbody! Today I am going to address how medical transcription is like niche marketing. The field of medical transcription is HUGE. There are many, many specialties and even subspecialty areas. For example, specialties consist of orthopedics, neurology, oncology, gastroenterology, urology...the list goes on and on. Subspecialties ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/how-medical-transcription-is-like-niche-marketing/ Hi Folks! As you probably know, medical transcription is a production based business if you are self-employed (and I do believe we all want to get to the point where we are self-employed!). Consequently, finding tools that help us to speed up our productivity without impacting quality is essential to ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/wordtext-expander-software-for-medical-transcriptionists/ Hi All: Well, I was reviewing medical records today and I came across two huge blunders that absolutely had me and others laughing. So here they are: The patient sustained a right shoulder injury in a carcinoma accident. Status post right shoulder rotator cough injury. Well, what do you think of that? ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-getting-it-right-is-everything/ Hi All: I've managed to learn how to use Stumble Upon, and have come across some great medical websites that can help us all expand our knowledge of medical terminology.  Click on the links below: The Human Face Artificial Anatomy - Body Parts Drug Library Atlas of Anatomy Upper and Lower Extremity Atlas I'll continue my search ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/great-medical-websites-for-medical-transcriptionists/ Hello Everybody! I have another medical transcription website which I'm sure you would like to visit. Here is the link: Medical Transcription Mastery Center There are many articles and resources available at this website, so please visit this as well to get more great information on medical transcription. Regards, Mary Ruff-King http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-mastery-center-website/ Hi All: I need your help! I am going to write an e-book about medical transcription, but I need to know this: What are your most pressing questions, challenges, problems? What do you need to have answered most? I want to write a fabulous e-book to help out medical ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/mts-what-are-your-most-pressing-questions/ While medical transcription may seem like a great field to pursue (and is, in this author's opinion), if you have difficulty hearing/deciphering what is said, you may not be able or want to pursue it. It also takes a certain personality to put up with (for lack of a ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-challenges/ Networking is essential in any fielld, but especially the medical transcription field. This cannot be overstated/over emphasized. The medical community is small and tight knit; it seems that everybody knows everybody else who is in the field, even if it is by reputation only. Whether you ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/networking-in-medical-transcription/ Hi Everybody! I know that medical transcription in and of itself is very challenging. But to become absolutely invaluable--almost to the point of being indispensible--learn more than just basic medical transcription. Learn more about how to be an asset to the company by developing systems that help the company ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/how-to-be-an-invaluable-medical-transcriptionist/ Hi All: I'm taking a much-needed break from reviewing medical records and thought I'd write to you about the thought process that goes into reviewing medical records. Ok, if you recall, the review I am currently working on involves a female patient who had filed a workers' compensation claim regarding her bilateral ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/more-mt-thoughts-on-reviewing-medical-records/ Have you ever heard of Habba Syndrome? Probably not. This is a syndrome that has been written about by Saad F. Habba, M.D., a gastroenterologist who has studied the link between the gallbladder and chronic diarrhea. Patients who have Habba Syndrome have a dysfunctional gallbladder which secretes too much ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-terminology-habba-syndrome/ Hey All! I've found a website touting "medical transcription phrases, words, and helpful hints" which I visited and would like to recommend that you visit as well. It's subheading reads, "The Complete Guide For Medical Transcriptionists All Over The World." Now that sounds like hype, but read on: Besides the standard medical ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-terminology-website/ Medical transcription consists of much more than transcribing dictated reports. As a specialist in the workers' compensation field, working for orthopedic surgeons, I review medical records before a patient is examined for a work-related injury claim. When a worker is injured on the job and makes a claim, ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-review-of-medical-records/ Click on image: http://mtmasterycenter.com/a-graphic-of-median-medical-transcription-salaries/ Hi All: As noted in a previous blog entry, I was contacted by a previous employer who wants me to work as an outside contractor. This work involves reviewing medical records and is very important in matters of litigation, such as workers' compensation and personal injury cases. So I ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/other-types-of-medical-transcription-work/ As technology advances, many medical transcriptionists worry about whether or not this field will remain viable. Advances in speech recognition software has left many people wondering what impact this will have on the medical transcription field. The way I see it is this: Let's say that speech recognition technology ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/will-medical-transcriptionists-become-obsolete/ Here is a medical transcription tip that I stress time and time again: Do NOT burn bridges when leaving a medical transcription job or when you stop working as an outside medical transcription contractor. Case in point: I used to work for a company as an employee several years ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-tip/ http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-terminology-video/ Medical transcription certification is a professional achievement to which most medical transcriptionists aspire. It is not something to be undertaken lightly as it requires a considerable committment of time, money, energy, and resources. A two-part test is administered: The first part is written, and the second part is hands-on ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-certification/ I just love pathology; always have. I think it is important for medical transcriptionists to have an understanding of pathology, including looking at pictures that reveal medical diseases and conditions. I have discovered a great pathology website created and maintained by an active teaching pathologist. Allow yourself a ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcriptionists-here-is-a-great-pathology-site/ When I first got into medical transcription, I wanted so badly to become a certified medical transcriptionist. I just thought it was the absolute end. Then I got incredibly busy and soon was loaded with work. As fate would have it, I happened to luck into ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-to-rmtcmt-or-not-to-rmtcmt-that-is-the-question/ Hello To All: I live in California and am grateful to report that my home is still standing and I am safe and sound. It has been a rough couple of weeks with terrible weather, fire, and in my case a water leak in my condo. I was ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/safe-and-sound/ Here are some more medical transcription articles that I have written: Let me know if you enjoy them and what other medical transcription topics you'd like me to write about. Regards, Mary http://mtmasterycenter.com/36/ Hello to All: I have been writing a number of articles that my blog readers might like to access easily. Here is a link that will allow you to search EzineArticles.com for my articles: I just want to emphasize that there is a lot of information here in the blog ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-articles-on-ezinearticles/ Hello to All! I've found a great website that lists medical abbreviations for diseases and physiological conditions. In addition, there is a list of abbreviations for terms used in pharmacology. A graphic of a prescription is presented and each part of the prescription is explained in detail. Furthermore, a ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcriptionists-medical-abbreviations-page/ Imagine that you have the sensation of bugs crawling, stinging, and biting underneath your skin. In addition, open sores that do not heal develop on your skin. Worse yet, you can see colored filaments that can be extracted from the open sores, on the surface of the skin ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/morgellons-disease/ Hello to All: I am writing to ask how I may be of help to you in your medical transcription career. That is the goal of this blog. I mean it when I say I want to help. Ask any questions that you have about getting into the ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcriptionists-do-you-have-any-questions/ I know how hard it is to learn medical transcription and how overwhelming it can be to get into the medical transcription field. I made a midlife career change to become a medical transcriptionist; if I did it so can you. First off, I want to say that most people ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/slip-slide-into-medical-transcription/ This post is about resumes for medical transcriptionists who have been in the field for awhile and have established credibility within this job market. (A separate post will address resumes for new MTs.) Since many of my medical transcriptionist associates have asked (over the years) about resumes and what ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/established-medical-transcriptionists-whats-in-your-resume/ I believe in supporting those medical transcriptionists who have not only gone before us but have made a huge difference by paving the way for us and future medical transcriptionists. With that said, I want to introduce you to a low-cost way to not only get all the ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-low-cost-start-up-business-plan/ I know the burning question is how much do medical transcriptionists make? That all depends on your experience level, where you live, and what type of company for which you work. However, I found a site that might be of interest to all who really want to get ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-salaries/ Have you ever heard of Hidradenitis Suppurativa? Most medical transcriptionists have no idea what it is. Even most doctors usually misdiagnose this condition. There is no known cause and no known cure. So what is Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), which is also referred to as Acne Inversa? I've ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/hidradenitis-suppurativa/ There are some medical transcription books I consider essential when building one's medical transcription reference library. The books I specifically use and consider essential are listed under the Recommended Books section in the sidebar of this blog. The Independent Medical Transcriptionist is an excellent book. I have met one ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/essential-medical-transcription-books/ As an entry-level medical transcriptionist, it may seem that finding your first medical transcription job is nearly impossible. With just a little imagination and broadening your job search, you will certainly find a transcription job within the medical field. Medical transcription job opportunities are hard to find but not impossible. ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/where-are-medical-transcription-jobs-for-new-mts/ Here is another strategy that may help you get your foot in the door of the medical transcription field: Take a veteran medical transcriptionist to lunch. What's that? A way to a medical transcriptionist's heart is through his or her stomach??? Not quite. This ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/the-mt-information-interview/ If you are having trouble finding medical transcription job opportunities, think in broader terms. Ask yourself what companies are associated with medical clinics, hospitals, and doctor offices. Insurance companies and law offices use medical transcriptionists. In fact, law offices like to hire transcriptionists who have medical backgrounds ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/tip-finding-mt-work/ Dystonia is a term used to describe involuntary muscle movements and sustained contractures. Abnormal muscle tone is present. Twisting, jerking movements and/or repetitive body movements are classic signs of dystonia. Abnormal posture and tremors may accompany dystonia. The cause of dystonia is not clear. When this ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/dystonia-and-its-variant-forms/ Hello to all! I am writing to let you know that I am adding a new category to this blog called "Diseases." I'll be posting to it from time to time, adding information that you can readily access while visiting this site. I won't be focusing on high-profile diseases ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/a-new-blog-category-diseases/ I just ‘love’ those Internet ads for medical transcription training that say, ‘Earn up to $40,000 per year as a medical transcriptionist. Enroll Now!!’ To all medical transcription newbies: This is bunk. Disregard these ads as overblown hype. The job outlook is very good for medical transcription and will continue to ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/realistic-job-outlook-and-income-for-entry-level-medical-transcriptionists/ I've always rankled at the title, 'Medical Transcriptionist' because it merely describes what type of work we do rather than encapsulates who we really are as professionals. We are Medical Language Specialists. To infer that medical transcriptionists simply transcribe medical reports is akin to saying that doctors simply dole ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcriptionists-are-medical-language-specialists/ If you are a new medical transcriptionist, it won't be long before someone screams in your ears. I don't mean that literally. I mean it won't be long before you're listening to a tape or a digital recording and someone in the background screams or some other awful ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcriptionists-protect-your-ears/ When starting out as a medical transcriptionist, I was so focused on medical terminology that when I got stuck on something, I was sure it was a medical term or phrase with which I was unfamiliar. Many times that was not the case. For instance, if someone says, "Did you ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/english-words-can-be-a-landmine-too/ This post should knock your socks off; if it doesn’t, I don’t know what will. I am going to show you how to find the names, addresses, contact information, number of employees, and yearly income of any type of medical company—whether it be a hospital, clinic, doctor’s office, ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/the-power-of-sic-codes-and-how-they-help-you-find-a-medical-transcription-job/ 8000: HEALTH SERVICES 8011: Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine 80110000: ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/sic-codes-useful-to-medical-transcriptionists/ In a previous post, I mentioned that one of the ways to get your foot in the door is to volunteer. I am going to post my personal experience as a medical transcriptionist to show you how it works. I live in Orange County, California, and in the 1990s, this ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/a-specific-example-of-how-volunteering-works-for-medical-transcriptionists/ In an earlier post, I referenced having a credibility kit, which is a notebook that contains information vital to setting yourself apart from other candidates vying for the same medical transcription job. Get yourself a notebook and divide it into the following sections: 1) Resume 2) Letters of Recommendation 3) ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/what-every-mt-credibility-kit-should-contain/ I know that a lot of people want to know how to get their foot in the door and land that first all-important medical transcription job. This requires a plan, and I will outline exactly how I did it. First off, let me explain that I viewed myself as a ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/breaking-into-the-medical-transcription-field/ Working as a medical transcriptionist has its many challenges. Not many people know just how much goes into becoming a great MT because such a person works behind the scenes and makes it look easy. The Technical Aspect: A medical transcriptionist has to have a solid foundation in the ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/medical-transcription-do-you-have-what-it-takes/ First off, let me start out by saying not everyone is suited to medical transcription. Being plugged in all day, listening to voices, and typing reports is not some people's idea of fun! So forget everything you've heard and read about medical transcription for now. Start with ... http://mtmasterycenter.com/is-medical-transcription-for-you/