Medical Transcription - Getting Started

Getting Started
By Chris Dunn

In most cases, the only things you will need to get started in a medical transcription (besides an intense motivation to work at home) will be a computer and an Internet connection. The Internet connection assumes that you select an online medical transcription school, which is highly recommended. An online program will most closely approximate the real world experience. And as you start out this extra online experience will give you a significant competitive advantage.

As far as computers go, it is generally not necessary to go out and buy a brand new computer in order to get started in a medical transcription school. A used Windows based computer will do nicely. You really just need something that is a Pentium class or higher and that has Internet connectivity. You will also need a good word processing software package, such as Microsoft Word. Any computer that was manufactured in the past 5 years or so should be adequate for most medical transcription schools. If you feel compelled to purchase the latest and greatest computer make sure you shop around. A lot of the high end capability of most new computers will be wasted as most of what you will be doing will revolve around word processing. The most intensive computer activity you will likely be performing — either in your training or on the job — will be downloading digital dictation files from the Internet to your hard drive.

Once you have the requisite equipment, you are ready to enroll in a medical transcription school. If you have done your homework you should feel confident about your enrollment decision. Paying for your schooling is probably the biggest obstacle most people have to overcome. Many medical transcription schools have counselors that work with prospective students to help them explore financing options. A reputable school will probably have access to Sallie Mae financing, which is an academic finance company that specializes in educational funding. Depending on your school, you may also find a variety of other financing options and possibly scholarship opportunities that will help defray the costs of the program. Don’t be afraid to ask about these things when you discuss your enrollment options with an enrollment counselor.

It can be hard to know where to start in selecting the right medical transcription school. Make sure you choose a medical transcription school that understands your needs as a person, and can work around your budget, schedule, and lifestyle to aid you in becoming the best MT possible! Remember, all you need are a few basic skills and a medical transcription education, and you'll be on the road to personal freedom and financial stability!

Chris Dunn has created a website to help stay-at-home moms (and others) pick a good medical transcription school. Visit it at http://www.MedicalTranscriptionSchool.com.

Medical Transcription - Medical Transcription Employee

There is a lot on the internet about starting your own medical transcription business and that is a wonderful idea! But did you know you can work from home as an employee?

Many people do not want to have to contact doctors and hospitals to obtain their own clients. This is why being an employee is so attractive. It is sometimes difficult to get your own clients if you live in smaller cities or rural areas. There usually isn't much employment at all in rural and smaller areas without commuting a good distance to find work.

If you are an experienced transcriptionist and generally have around two years experience, you could be hired by the many companies in the United States that will provide the work for you. Many of these companies have health insurance, 401K, life insurance and other benefits.

Another advantage is if you move anywhere you can take your job with you and that truly is a luxury. Although the pay is somewhat less than it would be if you had your own business, you can make a good living from transcription at home with a company providing you the transcription work and avoid all the headaches of self employment taxes, paying for your own benefits, etc., that come with starting your own transcription business.

Working from home as an employee is a very good option, when starting your own business is not feasible because of your location and when the extra work of running a business comes into play.

Diana Owen, MT

If you would like more information, visit my website at =>http://www.medical-transcription-home.com

The author has worked from home as an employee for 10 years and has written an ebook titled "Medical Transcription at Home".

Medical Transcription - Medical transcription resources

It's Your Home Business - Will It Sink Or Swim?

by Michele Miller

Businesses fail for many different reasons. Here's what you should be thinking about so that your business is not one that sinks, but one that swims and stays afloat!

If you're looking at a new business, make up a business plan, include your goals and financial projections. YOU need to know more than anyone where you are headed. Your business plan doesn't have to be drawn up by a professional business planner, you can do it yourself. Write down the hard costs of getting the business started and maintained, including costs of licenses, equipment, inventory etc. Don't forget to include how much income you will need to be bringing in, or have saved up until you start to show a profit. Always have a Plan-B in place. Lack of planning will have your business sinking in no time at all.

Business owners are generally "go-getters", which means they are usually hard workers.Staying disciplined, even for the hard worker can be difficult at times, especially when there is no boss or supervisor around to crack that whip and make you do your work.Getting lazy and not being productive with your business is a surefire way to sink it.

Here are some tips to keep you on track and keep your business afloat.

Daily "to do" lists are constant reminders that keep you on track. They keep you motivated, and it feels good to cross things off as you get things done. You need to have a sense of accomplishment, and this helps serve that purpose.

Push your business to new heights every day by doing just a little bit more than you need to. This will ensure that it will SWIM

Break up your day into segments; plan your day properly.Give yourself a proper work time schedule and try to stick with it. Even if you don't work 9-5 anymore, pretend you do. Having your own home business often means working more than eight hours a day to turn a profit. Be prepared for that. That way you will SWIM and not SINK.

Give yourself a proper lunch break.This will give you a routine and give you something to look forward to.Reward yourself for keeping up with your work.It will keep you positive and motivated.

Post inspiring quotes and verses in your home business area.

Don't allow friends and family to drop by and take up your time. In the beginning, I had friends that thought because I worked from home that I could sit around and chat with them all day longŠ It's amazing that they think this, but they do. Be firm with them. My friends now know that they had better call before they "pop in for a coffee", and I do tell them "no" if it's not convenient. Lazing around watching TV or chatting with friends is 100% guaranteed to help SINK your business.

Another time taker is the telephone. I screen my calls and let the machine pick up almost all day, unless it is about business. Caller ID was a super investment! It will help your business to have Caller ID. I promise.

Mentally remind yourself from time to time that one of the reasons your home business can fail is procrastination.The fear of this should help keep your business on the right track.

I think you know what bad employees can do to a business; be careful who represents you/works for you.

If you don't have time to do your work and work your business, it's bound to SINK! Don't let other aspects of life get in the way. Sure the car needs washing, the laundry needs doing, the house needs cleaning, you need to get other things done, but not during business hours. The key here is to PRIORITIZE properly and take your business seriously.

Try and get some daily exercise. It refreshes you and clears the mind. It will help you stay positive. Plus, it's good for you.

Network with other "successful people" who own a similar type of business. If you are having trouble finding these people, try your local Chamber of Commerce, or just contact other business owners. Try to learn from people who have been successful; make sure they¹ve walked the walk before you take their advice.

Taking this advice will hopefully give you some ideas about keeping your business afloat, swimming, and very successful.

To Your Success!

Michele Miller is a home-based business owner and a medical transcriptionist.
She is also the author of The Step-by-Step Guide To Medical Transcription at Home. Michelle has
helped many people start their own medical transcription business. She can help you too. Click here for details.

Top Recommended Medical Transcription Resources

Medical transcription at home is legitimate work and a real at home business. Do you want to make $25.00 to $35.00 an hour? If you have typing skills, you should seriously consider a medical transcription at home career.
You can start small and build up your business at your own pace, in your spare time.You don't have to give up a job to start medical transcription at home if you don't want to.

My friend Michelle has helped many people start their own medical transcription business. She can help you too.The Step-by-Step Guide To Medical Transcription at Home. Click here for details.

Medical Transcription -Start medical transcription career

Start a Medical Transcription At Home Career!
By Michele Miller

As a medical transcriptionist, I do get asked several times a month, how I got started in this business. So many people nowadays want to work from home, especially mothers with young children. That’s the primary reason I started my home business ten years ago, so I could be there for my daughter. I didn’t want someone else taking care of her after school instead of me.

It’s really not hard to start a medical transcription business. The start-up costs are low compared to many other home-based businesses.

You need a form of education, via home study courses or by attending your local community college. You do NOT need a degree in medical transcription to start a business either. In a short amount of time, usually nine months or less, you can be working from the comfort of your own home, just like me.

You will need some equipment, such as a computer, a printer, a transcriber, and some reference books. All of which can be purchased second hand if need be. The latest and greatest equipment is not necessary to get started.

Now, there are some special skills you will need, outside of the education, which include:

* Excellent grammar skills

* Good Listening Skills,

* Basic computer skills with a word processing program

* Research Skills

* Ability to type – your speed will increase with experience

* Must be detail oriented

* Ability to work on your own

* Ability to maintain work deadlines and be a

self-motivator

You will also need some computer programs such as a medical spellchecker and a word expander utility to cut down on the amount of actual typing you do. Some programs, such as Microsoft Word® include this type of utility. It is the best invention by far, in my opinion.

Basic bookkeeping is necessary, but not difficult. A good bookkeeper is great to have when it comes to taxes and advising you about saving money with tax deductions for your business.

Medical transcription is usually paid by the amount of work transcribed. Therefore, it is quite normal to charge your clients by the line. If you charge 13 cents per line and type 200 lines per hour, (this is a very comfortable speed to type) your hourly rate would end up being about $26.00.

Being self-employed does have some pitfalls. One must consider, as with any home based business, that once you become self-employed you are responsible for securing your own health insurance, and putting away money for retirement.

However, there are many positive things about being self-employed, as I’m sure you can imagine. For me, what I love the most, is the flexibility I have with my time. If I want to work late in the day I can, and if I want to work early in the morning, that’s up to me. Running a home-based medical transcription business is a lot of fun.

Medical transcription is not for everyone, and it is important before venturing in to any business that you weigh up the pros and cons of it all and do what is best for your situation.

Michele Miller is a home-based business owner and medical transcriptionist who helps others start their own home based medical transcription companies. You can visit her website: http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com/medical-transcription.html

Medical Transcription - How to become a medical transcriptionist

How does one become a medical transcriptionist?
MT Daily - medical transcription, work at home.:

For an experienced word processor, it is possible to learn medical transcription while working in an entry-level position, but it is rare because of the need to learn medical vocabulary and formats. Some colleges and hospitals offer classes, and there are several home-study courses available.

MTs work in doctors' offices, clinics, hospitals and transcription services. They also work from home, usually after 2-3 years of experience in an office or hospital. With more experience, MTs go on to teach, supervise, consult, edit and write in the field. Step-by-Step Guide to Medical Transcription at Home, book by Michele Miller, http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com/medical-transcription.html

How to Be a Medical Transcriptionist, book by Cynthia Peavler Bull, http://www.cynrje.com/medicaltranscriptionist.htm

Medical Transcription, Getting Started,
book by AnnaBelle Berg, http://medical-transcription-gettingstarted.com/

How to Become a Medical Transcriptionist, book by George Morton, CMT, http://www.workingfrom.homestead.com/
609-924-4748, georgecmt@aol.com, Interview, 11/98

Medical Transcription - Scared to start a business?

Are You Scared to Start a Home Based Business?
by Michele Miller

Every year more and more people are working from home, starting their own businesses. Men and women, even teenagers are starting their own home business ventures. In the last ten years work-at-home businesses have tripled, according to statistics. I think it's probably more than that actually. Just look at how many people make a living selling things on EBay!™

It's no wonder really why so many people want to work at home and there are a vast amount of good reasons why.

The costs of traveling, including vehicle maintenance, the cost of gas, child-care, and dry-cleaning, are just a few good reasons why it's cheaper to stay home and work, right?!

Not having to answer to a boss or a supervisor is another great reason too. Being able to set your own hours and work when you want to work is a definite plus as well.

Some people can't see how they are going to do it though. I mean, how are you going to give up work and replace that income and not worry about how you are going to pay the bills? It's impossible, right? -- Wrong! -- It's not impossible, and it will take some hard work at first, and some extra working hours, but you can do it if you want to badly enough.

Choose a business that will allow you to work in your spare-time and keep your job, and you have eliminated the risks. This is not possible in all circumstances, but for the small business person, it's the ideal way to go. If this is not possible, make sure you set aside enough income to live on while you get your business established.

There's going to be some sacrifice in the short term, such as working extra hours in the week building your business. But those kind of sacrifices will still allow you to sleep at night and not put you in the poor house, thereby increasing your chances of success!

A lot of people do some "side work, or extra work" at first to gain customers or to save up some extra cash to start a business or pay for inventory. I know one mechanic who did some evening and weekend work so he could save enough money to buy his own tools and work out of his garage at home, for himself. Now that garage has grown into two workshops in his back yard and he employs another mechanic to help him out.

I have two friends who do the home parties. One lady sells Mary Kay and the other lady sells candles. Both are quite successful. The lady who sells the candles has only been doing so for just over eighteen months and her income exceeds $50,000 per year. Once you have the vision of working from home, you will find a way to make it happen.

You need DISCIPLINE AND MOTIVATION. That's as important as your business idea. You need to be a go-getter kind of person to have your own business. You need to be willing to get things off the ground yourself, and often willing to work for no financial return at first, or very little financial return. It helps to have vision; you have to sow the seeds to see the flowers. Overnight success is quite rare.

You can help yourself stay motivated by making a "to do list", and "working your business" every day in some small or big way. It doesn't really matter as long as you have a "plan" and keep chipping away at it until it happens. You hear people say all the time that you need to set your goals, well that's great advice, and a "to do list" will enable you to cross off things as you work through them, giving you a feeling of accomplishment as well.

If you really have the dream of working for yourself out of your home, it is possible, you just have to be determined to find a way to do it. Millions of people are realizing this dream, - you can make it happen for you too!

Michele Millaer is a home-based business owner and the author of an ebook about starting a Profitable Medical Transcription At Home Business. http://www.medical-transcription-at-home.com

Medical Transcription - Finding a legitimate home business

Avoid the Home Based Business Scams and Find a Legitimate Home Business!
by Michele Miller

Nowadays, there are so many scams around! People who take advantage of innocent people since they know so many of us want to work from home.

Remember: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! But, you need to know more than that if you are to truly avoid getting ripped off.

I think it's good advice to give when I say, AVOID anything that talks about stuffing envelopes, pyramid schemes, and people that say you can make $2,512.16 cents working in your pajamas in the next 24 hours etc. Yes, you've heard about these golden opportunities before, I'm sure. Now there may be some legitimate stuffing envelope opps out there, but most are just a way to get your money and give you a list of companies that might pay you to stuff envelopes, but they don't give you the actual opportunity! Usually the information you're given is to place the same type of ad yourself.

Don't pay for lists of companies that provide work at home. If somebody needs an employee, it's up to them to advertise where people can find the opportunity, and not where people have to pay to see the opportunity. These lists are usually a list of companies straight from your phone book and these companies have no idea they are even on a list that has been sold to you!

If anybody tries to pressure you into joining a multi-level marketing company, take the time to think about it and make sure it is a reputable business opportunity that you even want to consider joining. Don't let yourself be pressured into anything. A lot of these are legitimate, but some are not.

Ask for references, testimonials etc. Check there have been no complaints against the company by checking with the Better Business Bureau etc. Most larger businesses do belong to this association. Also, check with the National Fraud Information Center http://www.fraud.org You can also check http://www.groups.google.com and see from the newsgroup postings if anybody has reported a scam.

The US Chamber of Commerce now apparently has more members than any other small business association. This can be an important resource when it comes to your business. They offer members all kinds of advice about starting and maintaining a business, and even have workshops you can go to. They also help their members get discounts on various products and services, from office supplies to health insurance.

Look around your area for other small business associations before joining the Chamber of Commerce. There may be other associations better suited to your needs.

The SBA (Small Business Association) has been around since 1953. http://www.sba.gov/ They have helped provide many small companies with business loans and other professional advice. Definitely worth checking out their website.

http://www.score.org/findscore/ This is an outstanding association. The SCORE Association is a national nonprofit organization. SCORE's 10,500 volunteers provide small business counseling and training through a network of 389 chapters, 800 branches and its Web site is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

There are legitimate work at home opportunities available, but you must do diligent research before succumbing to any of them, especially the ones that seem too good to be true.

Michele Miller is a home-based business owner and a medical transcriptionist. She is also the author of an E-book about how to become a home based medical transcriptionist. You can visit her website at: http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com/medical-transcription.html

Medical Transcription-why does a business fail

Why does a business fail and what can you do to stop it?
by Michele Miller

I believe the number one reason why a business will fail is lack of planning. This can be due to various reasons, perhaps because the market research wasn't sufficiently carried out in the first place, or because the financial burden was higher than was planned for etc.

Sometimes business failure happens because the business owner is not very savvy at other aspects of the business, such as management, promotion, branding, advertising, public relations, leadership, bookkeeping, or customer follow-up etc. It is important to get the necessary training to ensure all aspects of your home business run efficiently, or to hire help to manage these other aspects.

Here are some other reasons to consider:

1. Inadequate accounting records 2. Disregarding or misinterpreting financial records 3. Not controlling costs 4. Fraud due to poor internal control 5. Pricing goods or services too low as a way of getting customers or clients 6. Lack of marketing/selling skills 7. Not carrying adequate and appropriate insurance 8. Failing to adequately train and develop employees 9. Lack of goal and business advancement planning 10.Not seeking advice or professional help when necessary.

If you know that most businesses fail because they don't bother to plan properly, what can you do to ensure this won't happen to your business?

Have your own business and marketing plan and use it every day! Review your goals on a daily basis.

Use that to-do list every day, making sure to cross off your accomplishments. Then make a fresh list every morning of what is left to do, and what other things need to be accomplished in your business/work day.

Be ready to talk about your business in every encounter you have during the day. Practice a 30 second speech about your business so you are always ready to share it with people, and make sure you ALWAYS carry business cards with you. It looks professional too.

Hire people to do the work that you are not good at, so your business doesn't fail due to your weaker points.

Have a Plan-B! Put money by for a rainy day.

Find a mentor, someone in your field that can help and encourage you with your business.

Join a small business association where you can network with others in your field of business.

Work hard and stay motivated.

You can make your business a success with the proper planning!

Michele Miller is a home-based business owner and medical transcriptionist. She is also the author of an ebook about starting a successful transcription business from home. http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com/medical-transcription.html

Medical Transcription - Medical Transcription career

A Medical Transcriptionist Career Could Be What The Doctor Ordered
by Jennifer Thomas

A Medical Transcriptionists career could pay off well for those seeking to update their career training. As thousands of jobs are being outsourced and sent overseas in every sector, for those fortunate enough to be within the employment ranks as medical transcriptionists, this sector is projected to grow faster than average for all jobs through 2013. Demand for medical transcription services will be fueled by a growing and aging population. Older age groups receive more medical tests, treatments, and procedures that require documentation. A high level of demand for transcription services also will be sustained by the continued need for electronic documentation that can easily be shared among providers, third-party payers, regulators, consumers, and health information systems.

Growing numbers of medical transcriptionists will be needed to and identify discrepancies in medical reports, amend patients' records, and edit documents from speech recognition systems . An increasing demand for standardized records should result in rapid employment growth in physicians' offices, especially in large group practices. Medical transcriptionists held strong employment representation with about 105,000 jobs in 2004. About 4 out of 10 worked in hospitals and another 3 out of 10 worked in offices of physicians. Others worked for business support services; medical and diagnostic laboratories; outpatient care centers; and offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists. Compensation methods for medical transcriptionists vary. Some are paid based on the number of hours they work or on the number of lines they transcribe. The higher earners can forseeably expect more than $20 an hour.

Work conditions that some would envy are what many Medical Transcriptionist encounter. Professional transcriptionist can look forward to working in comfortable settings such as hospitals, physicians' offices, transcription service offices, clinics, laboratories, medical libraries, government medical facilities, or their own homes. Many medical transcriptionists telecommute from home-based offices as employees or subcontractors for hospitals and transcription services or as self-employed, independent contractors.

Many medical transcriptionists work a standard 40-hour week. Self-employed medical transcriptionists are more likely to work irregular hours--including part time, evenings, weekends, or on call at any time.

The future of medical transcriptionist jobs appear to be healthy and bright and shows no sign up declining anytime in the foreseeable future.

Jennifer Thomas is a Career and Lifestyle Management writer providing cutting edge updates on some of today's hottest at home careers. Jumpstart your career training - Enroll in a Free 5 day online mini-course and Discover how to land the Medical Transcriptionist job of your dreams. (Leva's comment - Sorry, I don't have a working link to Jennifer's web site)

Medical Transcription - How To Succeed

How to Succeed as a Medical Transcriptionist

Copyright 2006 Cynthia Bull

Presently, there is a substantial need for good transcriptionists who are knowledgeable, accurate, hardworking, smart, dedicated and dependable, and this need exists daily. A professional MT, even one just beginning, is expected to have a certain level of required medical, language, and technical knowledge and skills along with the necessary typing acuity to perform the job. The bottom line is that knowledge and skills are constants. Will there come a time when hands-on medical transcriptionists will not be needed, that the MT will be completely replaced by computers and voice recognition systems? While that possibility exists, it is not seen in the immediate future.

Facts: Medical transcription has evolved into a highly skilled subspecialty of medicine requiring proficiency in the knowledge of medical language and technical skills, and today's marketplace commands the successful MT to possess a variety of skills, which includes use of the Internet. The difference between a transcriptionist and a good transcriptionist is the extra mile taken to ensure the accuracy of document information and presentation. Job proficiency is the name of the yardstick and you will be measured by it.

Hiring facilities view MT candidates as having a variety of talents, assets and characteristics. Your proficiency in the real world is measured by your proficiency to get the job done accurately and in a timely manner. Your work will be monitored and you will have regular performance reviews wherever you work, so performing your best is always a top priority. It pays to persevere, and learning what you don't know will only help you in the long run.

Secrets: Repetition is a key factor in mastering listening skills. As much as possible, listen repeatedly whenever encountering an unfamiliar word or phrase. Transcription speed is built on abbreviated keystrokes, which save time and enhance your ability to make more money. Always find ways to improve your knowledge and technical skills, because learning occurs daily. As technology advances, you will be expected to know how to use and integrate these changes into a facility's system.

Expand your knowledge. Get to know other transcriptionists and network often, if not daily. Reach outside your comfort zone. Choose an area of particular interest and become an "expert" in that area. While the road may be tedious in the beginning, ultimately rewards do come. If you promise 24-hour turnaround, deliver it. Honor and meet whatever commitments you agree to with your client. As you continue in your career, the likelihood of greater demands and expectations made upon you increases, so practice often and keep your knowledge current.

Conclusion: Commitment and determination lead to a successful career. Be willing to take the steps necessary to complete the required learning, to compete in a market that strives for excellence and rewards it, and to invest time, energy and sincere efforts toward excellence.

Cynthia, founder of CYN-R-JE Consultants LLC™, has helped many international authors, marketers and speakers reach new heights and add greater value to their products through her writing, editing, and transcription services. Visit http://www.cynrje.com for more information and free articles.

Medical Transcription - Myths and realities

Medical Transcription - Myths and Realities: The Basics
By Jimmy Arthur

Unless you have some sort of super anti-spam e-mail blocker installed on your computer, you have probably received e-mails with titles such as "Make $150,000 a year as an at home medical transcriptionist - no investment required". Many of these e-mails are nothing but solicitations to try and get you to buy some sort of e-book, or other item, that will teach you how to become a medical transcriptionist. While remembering that many of these e-mails are nothing more than spam, it is equally important to remember that many of them are legitimate.

To start with, medical transcription is one of the fastest-growing of the medical related career fields. A study conducted about 6 years ago found that transcription, and related fields, would continue tremendous growth for many years to come. This is due in part to the rapid advance in the number of retiring "baby boomers". As well, virtually all medical career fields are nearly recession proof, as no matter what the economic climate, people are always going to need medical care; thus, doctors and other medical professionals are always going to need medical transcriptionists.

In essence, a trained medical transcriptionist can take the notes (most commonly being voice recordings) of doctors, nurses, etc., and translate them into various forms, including medical reports, charts, etc. Potential medical transcriptionists will need good listening skills, as medical terminology may sound the same, but have different meanings depending upon the context in which it's used. The final results of a medical transcriptionists work must be 100% accurate, as this work is what's used to document a patient's medical history. As well, a transcriptionist's work may be utilized during certain legal proceedings, so everything must always be perfect. Legal matters can hinge entirely on the accuracy of the transcriptions. And, no matter what the outcome of the proceedings, all transcripts most generally become a matter of public record.

A medical transcriptionist is normally employed in one of the following 4 ways:

In an actual hospital
In a doctor's office, clinic, or other outpatient medical care facility
In labs, medical schools, third-party transcription services, etc.
As independent or "home-based" medical transcriptionists

Most appealing to potential new transcriptionists is the possibility of working from home. While being home-based has its benefits, it has its challenges as well. The lack of a normal "9 to 5" work schedule, and structured office environment are two good examples of such challenges. As well, if you decide to become home-based, you will likely need to form your own business legally, set up your tax requirements, etc. All of this is really not anywhere near as difficult as it may sound. But all potential home-based transcriptionists will want to keep these things in mind.

Visit the Medical Transcription Network for more information.

medical transcription - telecommuting

Is Telecommuting Right For You?
By Mark Flavin

Telecommuting is defined as working from the comforts of your own home, for an employer who is situated many miles away. Everything can be done via your computer, and communication is facilitated via phone calls, emails, fax messages and other means made possible by modern technology.

Much like any other job, you have to seek out vacancies, and often, you would have to apply for the position. You may be subjected to some requirements before you could be admitted.

There are many kinds of telecommuting opportunities. Here are some of them:

1. Working as a digital secretary. You will be tasked to do what a normal secretary would do. The difference is that you won’t have to report to a work place, and yes, you won’t have to prepare coffee for your boss. Everything that would require your care and attention, and every work that is covered by your job description, can be sent via email or fax machine. You just have to convey to your employer what is needed to be conveyed, and submit what are needed to be submitted, through digital methods.

2. Medical transcription. This is an emerging field in telecommuting. You would have to transcribe some audio files that would be sent by your employer. These audio files are recorded by doctors and other medical professionals, and they need them in hard copy, i.e. written form. The job pays around $0.04 to $0.15 per line, which isn’t bad considering that all you’ll have to do is to write down what you will get to hear. One audio file can be as long as 15 pages, which is equivalent to an hour or an hour and half work. Being a medical transcriptionist requires familiarity with medical terms, however. There are some medical transcription courses available, both online and offline. Some of them last for 30 hours. Others for 6 months.

3. Legal transcription. Much like medical transcription, only, you would have to transcribe audio files sent in my practicing attorneys. You’d need some basic knowledge of legal terms for this one. And there are likewise legal transcription courses available online and offline.

4. Help desk representative. You will be briefed about the employer’s products or services, and you will be tasked to accept calls at home and answer the customers’ needs on behalf of your employer. Some would require you to answer via your phone line. Others employ VoIP over the internet.

5. Collection agent. You would have to make calls for and on behalf of the employer to attempt to collect debts that have become due and demandable.

There are other opportunities that are available under telecommuting. The common denominator among them is that you will be paid by the hour, compared to freelancing where you will be paid for every delivery and where the fee is pegged per project.

When looking for open positions, it is best to consult with appropriate website in the World Wide Web. The best of these websites is www.craigslist.com, an online classified section filled with thousands and thousands of job opportunities. What differs this from other similar websites like www.hotjobs.com and www.jobstreet.com is that every ad has a designation about whether or not it is a telecommuting position. This would make your search narrower and more precise.

Personally, however, I feel that there is only so much you could earn via telecommuting. Remember that your earning potential is determined by how much you work, hence, your earnings are pretty much set per day. Rare are the times when you could earn more than what you have signed up for.

Mark Flavin is an online marketing expert. Mark specialises in website traffic generation, affiliate program promotion & email marketing. You can find out his secrets for free at http://www.markflavin.com

Mark recommends The Business Professional for increasing your profits online - http://www.markflavin.com/business.html

Medical Transcription - Medical transcription school

Medical Transcription School - How Long Will It Take?
By Chris Dunn

Facing the unknown can often be disconcerting, especially when you want very much to find a great home-based career, like medical transcription. "How long will it take to get through the school?" And, "How long until I get my first paycheck?" are common concerns asked by people considering a career in medical transcription. Here we'll address both these issues.

First things first - How long will it take? On average you can expect to get through a good medical transcription school in about nine to twelve months. This assumes that you work on it consistently and part-time. All together, it will take about 600-700 hours. Say you work at it three hours a day, five days a week - that's 15 hours a week. Divide that into 600, and you get 40 weeks -- which is about nine and a half months. If you consistently work at it just a half hour longer each day, it'll shave more than a month off that.

Obviously, that's a great deal of time away from home -- usually the very thing people searching for a new career often don't want to leave behind. Fortunately, the best medical transcription schools allow you to work at home at your own pace.

So, when can I get my first check? The thing to remember is that the more time you are willing to dedicate to your studies, the sooner you will be able to start working from home and get that first check! After all, that is really what it is all about, isn’t it?

Regardless of your current situation, you should be able to get through a quality medical transcription school working a few hours a day, and as many days per week that you are able dedicate to the program. A good medical transcription school will guide you through the process systematically — step by step. With a moderate amount of effort and dedication you will quickly gain the confidence you need to complete the program. So, find the best medical transcription school you can, and launch your future career today!

Chris Dunn is the creator of Medical Transcription School.com where you can find other articles on this growing field.

medical transcription - medical transcriptionist training

Medical Transcriptionist Training.

The medical transcription field continues to grow in conjunction with the demands on the health care industry. For those who are suited to this job, there are some good opportunities. But isn't it just a case of listening to the voice of a health care professional and typing up exactly what's been said? While that's the basic idea behind the medical transcriptionists' job, there are some reasons that health care professionals and facilities want to hire those trained for the job.

The terminology is one of the biggest reasons training is so vital. While you don't have to be able to name the bones in the leg, you do need to learn to recognize words like "tibia." Terminology is one of the reasons medical transcriptionists need training, and one of the points that will be taught and practiced during Medical Transcriptionist training.

But is there really a need to learn those things? After all, you can certainly stop the tape and look up any words that you don't recognize. That constant starting and stopping are the difference between an experienced transcriptionist and someone who's filling in. If you have the right training and the right real world practice provided by most medical transcription training programs, you'll find yourself able to meet the demands of the terminology.

Specialized training is one of the many options of medical transcription training, and many health care professionals who have a specialty are seeking out those people who can most accurately transcribe notes and medical details. In that case, the transcriber learns those words that apply specifically to the system, disease or other narrow focus of a particular doctor's practice. Adding those specialties make you more valuable on the marketplace.

Remember that doctors aren't the only ones who need medical transcription, and you'll find most training programs offer at least some exercises and information to prepare you for those situations. You may be called on to create exit notes for patients at a hospital. The patient is about to leave and those notes have to be legible, accurate and available now.

One point of the training is to learn to be fast and accurate in real-life situations. A busy emergency room isn't going to suddenly quiet down so that you can concentrate on transcribing a doctor's orders for a patient who is about to be released. Many medical transcription schools will put students into those noisy, busy, stressful situations with orders to transcribe. As important as it is to learn the terminology, it's also vital that you learn to listen - regardless of what's going on around you.

There are even those outside the medical field that use transcription. Though the demand for attorney transcribers isn't as big as for medical transcription, there is definitely a need in that field.

There are other points that will become part of your training. How to make use of technology, software and resources that are available to help you better accomplish your tasks as well as the best ways to handle various situations you're likely to encounter. Take a look at the courses being taught by MT schools. You may be surprised at how thoroughly you'll be prepared for a career in medical transcription.

This article may be reproduced only in its entirety.

Scott Knutson is an entrepreneur and writer. For more of his articles visit: Medical Transcription | Medical Transcriptionist | Transcription

Medical Transcription - Choosing vocational school

Tips On Choosing The Best Vocational School For You
By Steadman Issenburg

Choosing a vocational school to focus on a particular career path is a very good choice for people who want to learn a specialized skill or trade that does not require an advanced college education. There are quality vocational schools available both online and off line that specialize in fields such as nursing, medical transcription, auto mechanics, paralegals and much more. And here are some tips on how to be able to choose a vocational school that will be best for you.

1. First make sure that you do plenty of comparison shopping for vocational school training in the particular career field that you want to pursue. Sometimes a local community college can offer you training for much less than a vocational school that is dedicated to a particular career. However, cost is not the only factor. You also have to determine the value on the education that you will receive as well. Remember that the training you receive will directly affect your income for many years to come, so make sure that you get a high quality education.

2. Many states have set up agencies that keep track of complaints about vocational schools to help the residents be able to make wiser choices. If your state happens to have such an agency be sure to check with them and find out about the reputation of any school that you are considering in that state.

3. Before signing up with any vocational school, it's wise to ask them a few questions to find out how successful their educational training has been in the past. For instance, how many of their past students have actually finished their courses? How many have also gone on to meaningful employment in that particular field?

If a vocational school is really worth it's salt, it should be able to have an impressive record of success stories regarding former students who have gone on to find gainful employment in their chosen field after graduation. If they cannot give you solid figures on the success rate of their past graduates, you may want to reconsider your own enrollment.

4. If you can possibly find some former graduates of the school, these can often provide you with the best overall information about the school and its curriculum that you can receive anywhere. Find out what their impressions were of the school and the education that they received. You may also want to ask some of the companies that have hired former students about their impressions regarding the education those students have received. All of this can help you formulate a good general opinion about the quality of the education you can receive at that particular vocational school should you decide to enroll.

5. If a vocational school seems to be trying to pressure you to sign up and start your courses, they may be more interested in your money than they are in actually educating you. So read all contracts that are presented to you very carefully before you sign them, and take your time to decide which school will work best for you.

Vocational schools are excellent educational tools for those that wish to specialize in a particular field, but you have to be careful in order to make the right decision on which school will work best for you. If you follow the suggestions given above, they can help you find a vocational school that will best fit your educational needs and be affordable as well.

Steadman Issenburg writes on many consumer related topics including education. You can find paralegal certificate programs and how to become a paralegal and more by visiting our education website.

medical transcription - medical transcription job

Medical transcription job available.
Health Care MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST/ SECRETARY

The Illinois Hospital Association is currently seeking a candidate for medical transcription and secretarial duties for the Illinois Risk Management Services Claims Department. Requirements include extensive Dictaphone experience, understanding of medical terminology and outstanding organizational skills.

The position primarily involves transcription of medical record reviews and investigation reports. Some secretarial support for the department is included, but is not the primary focus of this position. We offer an excellent compensation package including a competitive salary and outstanding benefits. For consideration, please submit your resume and salary history to:

ILLINOIS HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION Human Resources 1151 E. Warrenville Rd. P.O. Box 3015 Naperville, IL 60566 Fax: 630-276-5569 Email: employment@ ihastaff.org Equal Opportunity Employer

Medical Transcription - Home business

The medical transcription industry continues to grow. As the need for individuals in this field keeps growing, the options for working at home also grow.

Starting a medical transcription home business is a good area to start in if you would like to work at home and receive the same pay you would if you were in the office. There are a couple of ways to work in your home-based MT business. One way is to find a traditional employer who gives you all the benefits of working in-house, but who allows you to do this from home. This is more likely to happen if you have worked for this employer in an office already. Another way to set up a medical transcription business is to accept clients through advertising. This would be a freelance MT business.

If you are going to start your own business, remember that it might take some time getting clients. Don't forget that you are not limited in location. You may be able to find clients for your medical transcription business through the internet. As demand increases, the needs for your services will increase.

Though you want to charge the going rate for medical transcription, working from home allows you to be flexible with fees. You can charge somewhat higher than somebody working in an office because your client does not have to pay for insurance or a pension for you. Working in your own home business also allows you to set your own hours. If you want to work full time, you can. If you want part-time hours, this is not a problem. If you want vacation time, just be sure you don't accept work that will not get done before you go.

If you like to be there to take your children to school and pick them up afterwards, a medical transcription business is a good option. It will pay more than most work-at-home jobs but offer all the benefits of being at home. You don't have to worry about the commute or the parking. With a medical transcription business, you can work in the morning or, if you are a night owl, work in the evening.

Many people prefer to work from home. Few can actually make a living this way. Medical transcriptionists are among these few, and opportunities are expected to grow in the coming years.

If you are interested in a job that allows you the flexibility to stay home, consider a medical transcription business. It is one of your best options for working from home.

For more information on starting a medical transcription career or making more money as an MT visit http://www.AskTheMT.com – an informative website dedicated to answering all your medical transcription questions.

Medical Transcription - getting started

Medical Transcription - Getting Started

In most cases, the only things you will need to get started in a medical transcription (besides an intense motivation to work at home) will be a computer and an Internet connection. The Internet connection assumes that you select an online medical transcription school, which is highly recommended. An online program will most closely approximate the real world experience. And as you start out this extra online experience will give you a significant competitive advantage.

As far as computers go, it is generally not necessary to go out and buy a brand new computer in order to get started in a medical transcription school. A used Windows based computer will do nicely. You really just need something that is a Pentium class or higher and that has Internet connectivity. You will also need a good word processing software package, such as Microsoft Word. Any computer that was manufactured in the past 5 years or so should be adequate for most medical transcription schools. If you feel compelled to purchase the latest and greatest computer make sure you shop around. A lot of the high end capability of most new computers will be wasted as most of what you will be doing will revolve around word processing. The most intensive computer activity you will likely be performing — either in your training or on the job — will be downloading digital dictation files from the Internet to your hard drive.

Once you have the requisite equipment, you are ready to enroll in a medical transcription school. If you have done your homework you should feel confident about your enrollment decision. Paying for your schooling is probably the biggest obstacle most people have to overcome. Many medical transcription schools have counselors that work with prospective students to help them explore financing options. A reputable school will probably have access to Sallie Mae financing, which is an academic finance company that specializes in educational funding. Depending on your school, you may also find a variety of other financing options and possibly scholarship opportunities that will help defray the costs of the program. Don’t be afraid to ask about these things when you discuss your enrollment options with an enrollment counselor.

It can be hard to know where to start in selecting the right medical transcription school. Make sure you choose a medical transcription school that understands your needs as a person, and can work around your budget, schedule, and lifestyle to aid you in becoming the best MT possible! Remember, all you need are a few basic skills and a medical transcription education, and you'll be on the road to personal freedom and financial stability!

Chris Dunn has created a website to help stay-at-home moms (and others) pick a good medical transcription school. Visit it at http://www.MedicalTranscriptionSchool.com.

medical transcription - training

The medical transcription field continues to grow in conjunction with the demands on the health care industry. For those who are suited to this job, there are some good opportunities. But isn't it just a case of listening to the voice of a health care professional and typing up exactly what's been said? While that's the basic idea behind the medical transcriptionists' job, there are some reasons that health care professionals and facilities want to hire those trained for the job.

The terminology is one of the biggest reasons training is so vital. While you don't have to be able to name the bones in the leg, you do need to learn to recognize words like "tibia." Terminology is one of the reasons medical transcriptionists need training, and one of the points that will be taught and practiced during Medical Transcriptionist training.

But is there really a need to learn those things? After all, you can certainly stop the tape and look up any words that you don't recognize. That constant starting and stopping are the difference between an experienced transcriptionist and someone who's filling in. If you have the right training and the right real world practice provided by most medical transcription training programs, you'll find yourself able to meet the demands of the terminology.

Specialized training is one of the many options of medical transcription training, and many health care professionals who have a specialty are seeking out those people who can most accurately transcribe notes and medical details. In that case, the transcriber learns those words that apply specifically to the system, disease or other narrow focus of a particular doctor's practice. Adding those specialties make you more valuable on the marketplace.

Remember that doctors aren't the only ones who need medical transcription, and you'll find most training programs offer at least some exercises and information to prepare you for those situations. You may be called on to create exit notes for patients at a hospital. The patient is about to leave and those notes have to be legible, accurate and available now.

One point of the training is to learn to be fast and accurate in real-life situations. A busy emergency room isn't going to suddenly quiet down so that you can concentrate on transcribing a doctor's orders for a patient who is about to be released. Many medical transcription schools will put students into those noisy, busy, stressful situations with orders to transcribe. As important as it is to learn the terminology, it's also vital that you learn to listen - regardless of what's going on around you.

There are even those outside the medical field that use transcription. Though the demand for attorney transcribers isn't as big as for medical transcription, there is definitely a need in that field.

There are other points that will become part of your training. How to make use of technology, software and resources that are available to help you better accomplish your tasks as well as the best ways to handle various situations you're likely to encounter. Take a look at the courses being taught by MT schools. You may be surprised at how thoroughly you'll be prepared for a career in medical transcription.

This article may be reproduced only in its entirety.

Scott Knutson is an entrepreneur and writer. For more of his articles visit: Medical Transcription | Medical Transcriptionist | Transcription

medical transcription - start your own business

Are you tired of waking up day after day, looking at yourself in the mirror, and realizing that you will never ultimately be happy working for somebody else?

Do you dream about financial freedom and inner happiness that can only result in working for yourself?

By working for yourself you will be improving your state of mind, your allotted personal free time, and essentially gaining control over your financial future.

Now comes the countless hours of research and questions. Where do I begin? What's the best business fit for me? Can I really afford to quit the daily drudgery of the rat-race and be my own boss? How much of an investment will I need to make? Will I succeed?

Well, I know it can all seem a bit overwhelming at first. It truly is a giant leap of faith to take all of your pre-conditioned misconceptions and experience in working for somebody else, and toss it all out the window. But once you understand that you can be the sole architect of your own future, and you take that leap of faith, you will find the stuff that you are really made of. Nobody will limit the extent of how far you can go, except yourself. You WILL be your own boss, and the feast or famine depends entirely on you.

Whatever your personal reasons for wanting to get out of the 9-5 rut you woke up and found yourself stuck in, everybody has dreams that they want to see breathed into fruition. Whether you want to spend more time with your family and friends, cut costs associated with job-related expenses such as travel and work attire, or if you simply work better independently; with the modern-day technology of the internet, and all of the global marketing exposure that it generates, take comfort in the fact that everybody has the power to manifest their own destiny in the 21st century!

That's where the beauty of owning and operating your own home business comes in. Working from home gives you the opportunity to work as much or as little as you wish, and there is no end to how much income you can generate, if you are motivated, and organized.

The first step is to develop an outline of your business plan. Thoroughly research all of your home- based options, and do as much networking as possible by talking to anybody and everybody you encounter. Go over your short-term and long-term goals, and remember, do not be afraid to think BIG! Confidence in yourself is absolutely crucial to becoming a successful entrepreneur. There will always be someone in your life who will try to trample on the garden of your dreams; you must learn to tune out these dream-killers and skeptics with the knowledge that one day you will make them eat their own words, and your dreams will blossom and flourish abundantly if you feed and encourage them!

First of all, you have to have a business idea. Let’s look at some legitimate home business ideas to begin with; let’s get some ideas going here!

Web design, Graphic design, Internet marketing, Secretarial Service, Medical Transcriptionist, Home Parties, (there’s lots of these around and you can definitely make good money if you stick with them), Pet Sitting, Errand Runner, Copywriter, Real Estate, Photographer, Caterer, Furniture Maker, Candle Making, Wedding Consultant, Computer Tuition, Music Lessons, Insurance Agent.

There’s loads more, but as you can see, it is possible to find something you enjoy that can be a great home business. You might have to take some classes to begin with if you don’t have a skill. It depends what you are looking for.

The trick with any home business is to ease your way into one. Keep your regular job while you develop your home business. Start your business part-time and let it build. When it reaches the point where you are making enough money, you can quit your regular job. This way, you won’t be taking risks and depending on a new business to support you right away.

All the above mentioned businesses are relatively low cost start-up businesses. Forget having to invest hundreds of thousands just to start your own business. Some of the most successful businesses were started on a shoe-string, or thereabouts! With a little bit of research and determination, you can definitely realize your dreams of having your own home based business!

Michele Miller is a home-based business owner and medical transcriptionist. You can visit her website: http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com/medical-transcription.html and also get her complimentary ebook.

Medical Transcription - myths and realities

Unless you have some sort of super anti-spam e-mail blocker installed on your computer, you have probably received e-mails with titles such as "Make $150,000 a year as an at home medical transcriptionist - no investment required". Many of these e-mails are nothing but solicitations to try and get you to buy some sort of e-book, or other item, that will teach you how to become a medical transcriptionist. While remembering that many of these e-mails are nothing more than spam, it is equally important to remember that many of them are legitimate.

To start with, medical transcription is one of the fastest-growing of the medical related career fields. A study conducted about 6 years ago found that transcription, and related fields, would continue tremendous growth for many years to come. This is due in part to the rapid advance in the number of retiring "baby boomers". As well, virtually all medical career fields are nearly recession proof, as no matter what the economic climate, people are always going to need medical care; thus, doctors and other medical professionals are always going to need medical transcriptionists.

In essence, a trained medical transcriptionist can take the notes (most commonly being voice recordings) of doctors, nurses, etc., and translate them into various forms, including medical reports, charts, etc. Potential medical transcriptionists will need good listening skills, as medical terminology may sound the same, but have different meanings depending upon the context in which it's used. The final results of a medical transcriptionists work must be 100% accurate, as this work is what's used to document a patient's medical history. As well, a transcriptionist's work may be utilized during certain legal proceedings, so everything must always be perfect. Legal matters can hinge entirely on the accuracy of the transcriptions. And, no matter what the outcome of the proceedings, all transcripts most generally become a matter of public record.

A medical transcriptionist is normally employed in one of the following 4 ways:

In an actual hospital
In a doctor's office, clinic, or other outpatient medical care facility
In labs, medical schools, third-party transcription services, etc.
As independent or "home-based" medical transcriptionists

Most appealing to potential new transcriptionists is the possibility of working from home. While being home-based has its benefits, it has its challenges as well. The lack of a normal "9 to 5" work schedule, and structured office environment are two good examples of such challenges. As well, if you decide to become home-based, you will likely need to form your own business legally, set up your tax requirements, etc. All of this is really not anywhere near as difficult as it may sound. But all potential home-based transcriptionists will want to keep these things in mind.

Visit the Medical Transcription Network for more information.

Medical Transcription - medical transcription home business

The medical transcription industry continues to grow. As the need for individuals in this field keeps growing, the options for working at home also grow.

Starting a medical transcription home business is a good area to start in if you would like to work at home and receive the same pay you would if you were in the office. There are a couple of ways to work in your home-based MT business. One way is to find a traditional employer who gives you all the benefits of working in-house, but who allows you to do this from home. This is more likely to happen if you have worked for this employer in an office already. Another way to set up a medical transcription business is to accept clients through advertising. This would be a freelance MT business.

If you are going to start your own business, remember that it might take some time getting clients. Don't forget that you are not limited in location. You may be able to find clients for your medical transcription business through the internet. As demand increases, the needs for your services will increase.

Though you want to charge the going rate for medical transcription, working from home allows you to be flexible with fees. You can charge somewhat higher than somebody working in an office because your client does not have to pay for insurance or a pension for you. Working in your own home business also allows you to set your own hours. If you want to work full time, you can. If you want part-time hours, this is not a problem. If you want vacation time, just be sure you don't accept work that will not get done before you go.

If you like to be there to take your children to school and pick them up afterwards, a medical transcription business is a good option. It will pay more than most work-at-home jobs but offer all the benefits of being at home. You don't have to worry about the commute or the parking. With a medical transcription business, you can work in the morning or, if you are a night owl, work in the evening.

Many people prefer to work from home. Few can actually make a living this way. Medical transcriptionists are among these few, and opportunities are expected to grow in the coming years.

If you are interested in a job that allows you the flexibility to stay home, consider a medical transcription business. It is one of your best options for working from home.

For more information on starting a medical transcription career or making more money as an MT visit http://www.AskTheMT.com – an informative website dedicated to answering all your medical transcription questions.

Medical Transcription - continues to grow

The medical transcription industry continues to grow. As the need for individuals in this field keeps growing, the options for working at home also grow.

Starting a medical transcription home business is a good area to start in if you would like to work at home and receive the same pay you would if you were in the office. There are a couple of ways to work in your home-based MT business. One way is to find a traditional employer who gives you all the benefits of working in-house, but who allows you to do this from home. This is more likely to happen if you have worked for this employer in an office already. Another way to set up a medical transcription business is to accept clients through advertising. This would be a freelance MT business.

If you are going to start your own business, remember that it might take some time getting clients. Don't forget that you are not limited in location. You may be able to find clients for your medical transcription business through the internet. As demand increases, the needs for your services will increase.

Though you want to charge the going rate for medical transcription, working from home allows you to be flexible with fees. You can charge somewhat higher than somebody working in an office because your client does not have to pay for insurance or a pension for you. Working in your own home business also allows you to set your own hours. If you want to work full time, you can. If you want part-time hours, this is not a problem. If you want vacation time, just be sure you don't accept work that will not get done before you go.

If you like to be there to take your children to school and pick them up afterwards, a medical transcription business is a good option. It will pay more than most work-at-home jobs but offer all the benefits of being at home. You don't have to worry about the commute or the parking. With a medical transcription business, you can work in the morning or, if you are a night owl, work in the evening.

Many people prefer to work from home. Few can actually make a living this way. Medical transcriptionists are among these few, and opportunities are expected to grow in the coming years.

If you are interested in a job that allows you the flexibility to stay home, consider a medical transcription business. It is one of your best options for working from home.

For more information on starting a medical transcription career or making more money as an MT visit http://www.AskTheMT.com – an informative website dedicated to answering all your medical transcription questions.

Medical Transcription - Viable work at home career

Medical Transcription: A Viable Work At Home Career
By Sharon Davis

Are there really viable work at home jobs out there? This is a question that I'm asked almost daily. The fact is, there are most definitely careers that can be done from your home and there are people who are actually successful in those jobs. One of the fastest growing industries happens to be one that can be done from home: Medical Transcription.

>>A Growing Industry

Medical Transcription/Billing is an industry that is exploding. It's prestigious and in demand. According the the U.S. Department of Labor, "Employment of medical transcriptionists is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2010. Demand for medical transcription services will be spurred by a growing and aging population."

Transcription is one of those jobs that many people know can be done from home, and so the interest level is very high. Unfortunately, there are many companies out there trying to capitalize on that interest. The results are over-priced and sub-standard courses.

All too often, I receive emails like this one from one of our readers. She wrote:

Hello Sharon,

I am emailing you to inform you of a work at home job listing that I contacted in our local paper. It was concerning Medical Billing at home. The name of the company is *****, Inc. They sell software for Medical Billing purposes. Before I sent them any money I decided to check out their website www.******.com and then the local Better Business Bureau from the area that they are located which is near Los Angeles, Ca. The report came back today and it is not favorable. I thought you might want to know about this supposed home based business so you could inform your other members and visitors.

Sincerely,

Margaret

This is what inspired me to research the field and determine what the options are for those who are looking to enter it.

>>What Do Transcriptionists Do?

Transcriptionists listen to dictated recordings made by physicians and other healthcare professionals and transcribe them into documents such as operating room notes, autopsy reports, discharge summaries and other documents which then become part of a patient's medical record. In order to be able to transcribe information accurately, medical transcriptionists must understand medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, diagnostic procedures, and treatment.

>>What Kind of Training Must MT's Have?

In the course of my research, the first thing I learned was that you can't just jump into a career as an MT without training. This is a detailed, professional (and fascinating) career which requires technical knowledge. The American Association for Medical Transcription defines the requirements this way:

"Medical understanding is critical for the professional medical transcriptionist. The complex terms used in medicine are unlike the language of any other profession.

Medical transcription requires a practical knowledge of medical language, anatomy, physiology, disease processes, pharmacology, laboratory medicine, and the internal organization of medical reports. A medical transcriptionist is truly a medical language specialist who must be aware of standards and requirements that apply to the health record, as well as the legal significance of medical transcripts.

Reports of patient care take many forms, including histories and physical examinations, progress reports, emergency room notes, consultations, operative reports, discharge summaries, clinic notes, referral letters, radiology reports, pathology reports, and an array of documentation spanning more than 60 medical specialties and subspecialties! Thus, the medical transcriptionist, or medical language specialist, must be well versed in the language of medicine. ".

Medical transcription is a medical language specialty, so you can see that it requires not only the proper training, but also an investment in reference materials and a commitment to ongoing learning as technology and terminology changes. Equally important to the long-term success of a Transcriptionist is having the right personality for the job. Some qualities that successful MT's share are:


Independent by nature
Word Specialist
Perfectionist
Detail oriented

It's also important to note that most companies require candidates for telecommute MT positions to have on-site experience- as is the case with most all telecommute jobs. In many cases, 2 years of experience working in a hospital or doctor's office is required. If this is a field that you are truly interested in, getting those 2 years under your belt and then being qualified to telecommute is a pretty good deal.

>>Training Options

The second thing I found was that there sure were a lot of courses out there. They ranged in price from a couple hundred dollars to a few thousand! I was overwhelmed! It was then that I realized that I would need some help. I found a great place where working MT's hang out and support each other. If you are seriously interested in this field, you'll want to visit this site. It's called MT Stars (http://www.mtstars.com).

The course that I decided to recommend at 2Work-At-Home.com is offered by MedTrans, Inc., which has been in operation for almost a decade. Founder Mary Park-Youhanaie began by working from home as a medical transcriptionist. She saw the opportunities that medical transcription could offer to other individuals. When Med Trans, Inc. began hiring transcriptionists and then discovering that more training was needed, Ms. Park-Youhanaie decided to draw on her past as a college level educator and medical terminology training to develop Medical Transcription Made Easy.

Whichever course you choose, just be sure to do your homework by checking with the Better Business Bureau and asking for references.

The bottom line is, for the right people, Medical Transcription is the real deal when it comes to viable work at home careers.

Resources

MedTrans
http://www.2work-at-home.com/transcription

American Association for Medical Transcription
http://www.aamt.org/

MTStars
http://www.mtstars.com

Sharon Davis, Work-At-Home expert, author and consultant, helps people to achieve their goal of working at home, telecommuting or starting a home business. http://www.2Work-At-Home.Com List of other articles of interest: http://www.workathomearticles.net Subscribe: http://www.2work-at-home.com/subscribe.shtml

Medical Transcription - Is it a good opportunity?

Is medical transcription still a good income opportunity? The statistics below indicate that there are plenty of opportunities for medical transcriptionists.

According to the BLS, "Demand for medical transcription services will be spurred by a growing and aging population.... Growing numbers of medical transcriptionists will be needed to amend patients’ records, edit for grammar, and identify discrepancies in medical records."

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountablility Act (HIPAA) has increased the need for more accurate record keeping or else stiff fines may be imposed. Medical Transcriptionists are needed to help health care providers comply with HIPAA.

Here's some more quotes from the U.S. Department of Labor:

• Job opportunities will be good.
  
• Many medical transcriptionists telecommute from home-based offices as employees or subcontractors for hospitals and transcription services or as self-employed, independent contractors.
  
• Employment of medical transcriptionists is projected to grow faster than average for all occupations through 2014.
  
• Demand for medical transcription services will be spurred by a growing and aging population. Older age groups receive proportionately greater numbers of medical tests, treatments, and procedures that require documentation.
  
• A high level of demand for transcription services also will be sustained by the continued need for electronic documentation that can easily be shared among providers, third-party payers, regulators, consumers, and health information systems.
  
• Growing numbers of medical transcriptionists will be needed to amend patients’ records, edit documents from speech recognition systems, and identify discrepancies in medical reports.
  
• Contracting out transcription work overseas and advancements in speech recognition technology are not expected to significantly reduce the need for well-trained medical transcriptionists. Outsourcing transcription work abroad—to countries such as India, Pakistan, Philippines, and the Caribbean—has grown more popular as transmitting confidential health information over the Internet has become more secure; however, the demand for overseas transcription services is expected only to supplement the demand for well-trained domestic medical transcriptionists.
  
• In addition, reports transcribed by overseas medical transcription services usually require editing for accuracy by domestic medical transcriptionists before they meet domestic quality standards. Speech-recognition technology allows physicians and other health professionals to dictate medical reports to a computer that immediately creates an electronic document. In spite of the advances in this technology, the software has been slow to grasp and analyze the human voice and the English language, and the medical vernacular with all its diversity.
  
• As a result, there will continue to be a need for skilled medical transcriptionists to identify and appropriately edit the inevitable errors created by speech recognition systems, and to create a final document.

Hospitals will continue to employ a large percentage of medical transcriptionists.

Above are direct quotes from the web site of the U.S. Department of Labor, http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos271.htm#outlook

Rest assured. There are still plenty of opportunities for people who want to work at home as a medical transcription.

Medical Transcription - A Decent Living or a Scam?

Home Medical Transcription : A Decent Living or a Scam?
by Stephen Bucaro

No doubt you have seen many ads by medical transcription schools claiming that you can make big money typing medical transcription at home. Can you really make a good living doing medical transcription at home, or is it just another
scam? In this article, you'll learn the honest facts about home medical transcription.

Can you really make a decent living doing home medical transcription? Yes and no.

Yes - Many people are earning $50,000 to $80,000 or more per year typing medical transcription at home. They work
where they want, when they want, and as much as they want. The amount of medical transcription work that needs to be
done FAR exceeds the available transcribers to do the work. When I say the demand exceeds the supply, I mean the
situation is desperate.

No - Reading a few booklets and listening to a few tapes will not make you into an instant $50,000 per year medical
transcriptionist. If you're not ready to commit to between six months and a year of hard study and practice, find
another means of earning a living.

Typing medical transcription is not like typing a letter to your mother. It's far more challenging. Below are some of the challenges you must be prepared to meet.

1. You must have a good understanding of medical terminology. You need to know how to spell the names of the latest medical conditions, drugs, medical tests, treatments, and procedures, and just knowing how to spell them is not enough. Because of challenge #2 decribed below, you need to have some familiarity with medical conditions and what tests, drugs, and treatments are related to that condition. It's difficult to learn this with a mail order medical transcription course. This type of knowledge comes from experience.

You don't need to be familiar with ALL medical terminology. Many transcriptionists specialize in specific areas such as gastroenterology or opthalmology. However, when you want to go on vacation, you'll need someone else to take over your work while you're gone. In reciprocation, you'll need to cover for someone else when they go on vacation, and they may be transcribing to a different field than you're familiar with.

2. You need to be able to extract the transcription from a noisy electronic recording. Unfortunately, many doctors mumble, garble, don't enunciate, don't speak up, or talk too fast when they dictate. Combine the above problems with a thick, foreign accent and you can have real dificulty understanding what the doctor is saying. In many instances, the only way you will be able to decipher what the doctor is saying is if you are familiar with medical conditions and what tests, drugs, and treatments are related to that condition.

Doctors dictate "on the fly". They don't have time to think about proper sentence construction as the words emanate from their mouth. Frequently the sentence they started doesn't make any sense or has an error by the time they get to the end. Do you edit what the doctor said, or just type the jiberish as dictated? Usually a doctor appreciates when you clean up their dictation. On the other hand, medical documents are often presented as evidence in legal actions. You're taking on liability if you change what the doctor actually said.

Many transcriptionists have their own group of doctors that they type for and eventually become familiar with the
idiosyncracies of each doctor. This makes understanding what they are saying much easier; however, when a you go on
vacation, someone else will need to cover the doctors while you're gone. In reciprocation, you'll need to cover for someone else when they go on vacation. You won't be familiar with how the doctors dictate.

3. To make the earnings cited above, you need to be able to sit and type for long hours. You need to isolate yourself
from the noise and distraction of other human beings (and some pets) and pound on that keyboard hour after hour. As
I stated earlier, the amount of medical transcription work available far exceeds the available transcribers to do the work. Some transcriptionists let greed take control of them and sit at the computer for 16 hours seven days per week. They get accustom to a $100,000 a year lifestyle. But what does it do for their health?

Medical transcription companies charge more for "fast turn around". Some pass part of this money onto the transcriptionist, others just demand the work get done immediately. In either case, fast turn around work prevents you from controlling your own working hours.

Now that I've discouraged you, the fact is that many medical transcriptionists do work where they want, when they want, as much as they want, and earn a respectable living. If you're up to the challenge, how do you became a medial transcriptionist?

Training...

You'll need to be proficient in the use of a computer. You'll need to be a fast typist. If you can't type as fast as the doctor dictates, you'll be working hard with the foot pedal to move back and forth in the recording. You must be comfortable using a Word Processing application such as Microsoft Word or Workperfect. You'll need to know how to format documents and how to use macros. If you don't use macros you'll be typing the same phrases over and over.

If you decide to sign up for a medical transcription course, make sure the course provides plenty of authentic
dictations. You cannot become a medical transcriptionist by just reading medical terminology. You need to hear it
spoken. Just listening to terms being pronounced is of limited use. You need to hear the terms used in a sentence.
Simulated medical dictations are fine, but you need some practice with actual medical dictations.

Find a course that teaches basic anatomy and physiology along with terminology.

The best way to learn...

The best way to learn is with on-the-job training. If you have a doctor friend or family member who does dictations, ask them if you can transcribe a low-priority dictaion for practice. If you're working at a clinic or hospital as a secretary or receptionist, investigate how the transcription gets done and volunteer to help.

Start out with a specific type of transcription such as letters or office notes in specficic specialities. As you get more experience, your speed will improve and you can branch out into other types of transcriptions for other specialties.

The amount of medical transcription work that needs to be done far exceeds the available transcribers to do the work.
Yes, you can make a decent living doing home medical transcription. You can work where you want, when you want,
and as much as you want. But, medical transcription is an occupation only for those who are prepared to meet the
challenge.

Copyright(C) 2005 Bucaro TecHelp. To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on the Web visit http://bucarotechelp.com. To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter visit
http://bucarotechelp.com/search/000800.asp

Medical Transcription - job opportunities

In spite of the somewhat sluggish economy, in specific fields job opportunities are truly abundant and simply waiting to be tapped by qualified applicants. As a result of new technology and techniques, new skill sets are required but because the required skills have changed faster than the overall workforce, the numbers of qualified applicants has actually been decreasing for the past several years as workers rush to brush up and improve their talents in order to be considered "qualified" and in the mean-time, companies wait to fill these in-demand jobs.

From legal assistants or paralegals, pharmacy technicians and nurses, various training programs are now being made available for the public... including medical transcriptionist aspirants.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, becoming a medical transcriptionist represents one of the top ten job opportunities in the country. Medical transcriptionists are those people who create the legal documents which health care professionals like physicians, registered pharmacists, therapists, registered nurses, dieticians and chiropractors all rely on and use as reference materials.

The potential topics under which a medical transcriptionist could find themselves working in are incredibly varied and they range from Medical Terminologies, Medical Law and Ethics (HIPAA), In-Patient or Out-Patient Medical Transcription to Human Anatomy.

This wide range of potential topics is one of the big reasons why becoming a medical transcriptionist is not for just anyone. People who aspire to become medical transcriptionists need to undergo proper education from medical transcriptionist schools, which teach and train them in the various fields that they need to master in order to become a certified medical transcriptionist.

Medical Transcriptionist schools will also be able to help you better prepare for the Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) examination. Various medical transcriptionist schools offer training courses for potential medical transcriptionists. Aakers Business College, TechSkills, National College and PC Age are just some of the medial transcriptionist schools that can be found in the country.

Some medical transcriptionist schools even offer the option of training online via the comfort of ones own home. By simply having access to the internet, students from online medical transcription schools can actually access the available training modules and other medical transcription related materials that they will need in order to pass the medical transcription training.

More and more Medical transcriptionist schools are moving to this modern method of teaching because it expands their potential market due to the fact that many of their medical transcriptionist students are quite busy and value the option to take the medical transcription training at their own pace and being able to enjoy the convenience of setting their own schedules.

With the current high demand for medical transcriptionists, it's not surprising to see entrepreneurs jumping into the fray and taking advantage of this opportunity by setting up all sorts of medical transcriptionist schools... all geared towards training their students for an exciting medical transcriptionist career.

Apart from the necessary training that one acquires from medical transcriptionist schools, it's also important to note that any top medical transcriptionist will also possess excellent listening skills. Solid listening skills are truly and indispensable requirement in this field because medical transcription requires that the medical documents you are transcribing be perfect in every way possible. Health care professionals are relying more and more on those transcribed medical documents when it comes to going about their everyday business. Whether it be filling prescriptions or doing some type of research, it's simply vital that the transcribed information they receive is accurate.

Just a small slip or momentary loss of concentration could result in unexpected negative consequences for a patient because so many health care professionals rely so heavily on the medically transcribed documents they receive as the basis for making their diagnoses and prescribing medications.

Although the potential to earn a substantial income lures many into the medical transcriptionist field, it doesn't automatically mean that they are cut out for the position. To succeed you must be extremely dedicated, patient and be able to handle the weight of responsibility that comes with the title - Certified Medical Transcriptionist

Sabrina Hall is a contributing writer to:
http://www.total-transcription.com/
http://www.totalparalegal.com/
http://www.eyeonnursing.com/

Medical Transcription - Start up checklist

Below are some of the tasks involved in starting a secretarial service or medical transcription business.

• Write a business plan.
  
• Determine what services you want to offer. What medical specialty will you specialize in?
  
• Determine what kind of clients you want to target.
  
• Determine a space where you will set up your home office or select a business location.
  
• Purchase equipment and office supplies: computer, software, printer, desk, and computer chair, pens, paper, paper clips, and stapler.
  
• Choose a business name.
  
• Verify that the name is not used by someone else.
  
• Register your Fictitious Business Name (D.B.A.) if you will operate your business under a name other than your personal name.
  
• Check if the business name is available as a domain name (e.g. yourname.com) and register the domain name.
  
• Get a separate phone line. If you plan on advertising in the Yellow Pages, you may need a business line.
  
• Create sales/promotional materials.
  
• Design a logo.
  
• Design and print business cards.
  
• Design flyers or postcards.
  
• Design letterhead (print it from your computer).
  
• Design a fax cover sheet.
  
• Design invoices/sales receipts.
  
• Write sales letters.
  
• Design a web site or have one designed. Select a domain name and hosting company. Check out Five Star Web Design for affordable web design.
  
• Get an email address.
  
• Get a business license. (check with your city and state)
  
• Order Yellow Pages advertising and other advertising.
  
• Call everyone you know and introduce your business.
  
• Open a business bank account.
  

You will need to take additional steps if you'll have employees, a business partner, or will incorporate. Procedures vary from state to state. Check with your city and county to find out what legal requirements you'll have to comply with.

Refer to this checklist often when starting a secretarial service or medical transcription service to check what steps you'll need to take next.

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Resources

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