Anyone thought about doing medical transcription?

hanlonfive · #1 05/04/09, 05:14 PM

Has anyone thought about getting into medical transcription to do at home? I have thought about it off and on for some time, just didn't have the money to do it. LOL

Does anyone here do medical transcription at home, and if you do, do you make enough money to pay the bills?

Thanks in advance!

Cassie · #2 05/04/09, 06:42 PM

It's an excellent way to make money at home. I personally know people who make more than their husbands do. You can even work for companies like Medquist and have employee status so you have benefits and no self-employment tax.
I didn't do it for two reasons. The first is that I can't type fast (55 wpm, tops) hard as I've tried I never will be faster. Your typing speed will have a direct effect on your income. The 2nd reason is that I'm prone to carpal tunnel, I've had to wear braces on my wrists in the past. This is a job that can almost guarantee wrist trouble. Maybe even back problems as you must sit for long periods.
You also need great auditory processing skills, sometimes the dictation is very unclear either the doctor is mumbling, eating lunch or flushing a toilet.

The best way to get a feel for the business is to hang around people doing it. Hear their complaints and praises. A good board is mtchat.com just go to their forums. You can learn a lot there.

hanlonfive · #3 05/07/09, 10:14 PM

Thanks Cassie for the info! I'll check into it!

hsmom2four · #4 05/08/09, 04:10 PM

Hi, I've never posted on this board before but I wanted to chime in. I do medical transcription from home. I live in FL and work for a hospital in NY. I can basically work any hours I want (up to 20 per week) and my pay is salary which is very rare. I took all my classes at the local community college 10 years ago. I started working for a service right after and stayed with them for 3 years until the owner moved out of my state. This was before VOIP phone lines with free long distance so I couldn't afford the LD charges. I decided at that time to just be a SAHM mom for a while and homeschool my kids. Two years ago a friend of the original person I worked for needed help and remembered me and called me up and offered me a job. She downloads work from the hospital onto a digital voice system at her house and I can dial in to her system from my own phone line to do the reports. I send the work directly to the medical records staff at the hospital via encrypted email.

another board with good info is mtstars.com

HTH and good luck!!

Cheryl

mthome · #5 05/08/09, 05:26 PM

I'm new here too, and I've been a medical transcriptionist working at home for the last 13 years. I also do QA.

It's a great job, good hours, good money. I still like it. I have a lot about it in my blog if you want to take a look there.

Nevada · #6 05/08/09, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mthome

It's a great job, good hours, good money. I still like it. I have a lot about it in my blog if you want to take a look there.

I already asked for your blog address in PM, but I suspect others might like to see it too. Got a link to your PM? I know I'm interested.

mthome · #7 05/09/09, 01:23 PM

I PM'd you back, Nevada.

Here's my blog link, hope it's allowed to post here: http://medicaltranscriptionforyou.blogspot.com/

saremca · #8 05/31/09, 11:20 AM

mthome, I love your blog. I'm an at-home MT too. I really like it. It allows me to homeschool my kids and basically make my own hours. Decent money too.

mthome · #9 05/31/09, 11:26 AM

Thanks, saremca! Homeschooling and MT are a good match.

I can't imagine working out in the real world anymore...I'm pretty spoiled working at home.

KindredSpirit · #10 06/01/09, 12:50 PM

How do you think Electronic Medical Records will affect the individual medical transcriptionist in the long run? In our area, nurses and doctors are inputting much of the info directly into the EMR. I worked for a local transcriptionist for a while and the hospital wanted her to type her information into the EMR, which she ultimately agreed to. It is my understanding that this resulted in a loss of wages for her. I know that the threat of voice recognition used to be what MT's worried about. Anyone had any issues with EMR's reducing the amount of their work? I know there is a huge push for all medical records to become electronic. I am not a transcriptionist. I have just done a little work for some and have heard this was their concern. Your thoughts?

mthome · #11 06/01/09, 01:11 PM

My hospital has been using an EMR system for 4-5 years. The clinic docs use point & click to enter their clinic notes into the system. The radiologists use speech rec and some others as well.

But a lot of them still dictate as usual for discharge summaries, H&Ps, consultations, and op notes. The pathologists still use transcriptionists as well.

There are many different kinds of EMR systems and some offer various methods of getting the information into the computer, including speech rec, point & click, and dictating, whichever works best for the particular type of info being entered.

Speech rec requires MTs to be editors. A lot of transcriptionists are hybrids now...doing both straight transcription and editing. Some like it and some don't. Some systems are better than others and easier to work with.

GoslingFever · #12 06/09/09, 10:25 PM

This is great!

I was just looking in to this a few months ago and wasn't sure if it was for me - couldn't find any resources to research.

THANKS!

Momoftwobabies · #13 06/15/09, 09:56 PM

This sounds really interesting. I've been looking for some way to generate income while I'm home with my kids.

hsmom2four · #14 06/23/09, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Momoftwobabies

This sounds really interesting. I've been looking for some way to generate income while I'm home with my kids.

Momoftwobabies,

I replied to your PM--sorry I just saw it and I also sent you and email. Sorry, I just saw the PM today.

Cheryl