Pay with DICT8 extra

[Gally123]

Hello Ladies - hopefully a new thread for you... @Carosel2 @Whitestar55 @Chrissols @danblack87 @flutterby18 @wfh21 @workingfromhomenow @cherryblossom114 @Lovemydaxie @homeworkmum and anyone else I have forgotten.

[danblack87]

I look at it this way, from a different perspective, by using the Notes box service the dictators are trying to avoid paying Dict8 by circumventing. If they want a Specific Sec to do all the add-in's the person should be named; thereby, note to: XXX, if not, the person typing reasonably (given the note) can do the job in certain instances negating 'The Sec' at the other end from doing the job that we, as the transcribers can do on their behalf, thus earning money for ourselves and also more income to Dict8. I believe that is fair all round. Just my opinion.

[carosel2]

@Gally123 - yes I thought the same what a waste of hospital time and money no matter how little it charges them @danbkack87 - haha I should have done, they just want to try and get things done as cheap as, don't they but none of it makes sense doing it the way they do, why send it to dict8 in the first place. @wfh21 - yes the notes are getting beyond ridiculous. A new client came on and all he did was dictate messages to Secretary saying invoice Joe bloggs £X amount of pounds, go and see if they have any other appointment on line and if so, do this, that and the other, send same bill to Mrs bloggs and deduct such and such, it went on and on, nothing was for dictation. They did eventually disappear so I think dict8 must have told them that can't be done. I havent had them since so perhaps they were trying to pull a fast one and left

[Whitestar55]

I honestly think most of the dictators are unaware that their recordings are being sent to DICT8, let alone understanding how it works regarding the notes box etc and don't realise we have nothing to reference. The DICT8 system does seem rather long winded, messy and not very efficient at times, for example: all the guess work and Googling required when we don't have access to diagnoses because they have to be copied and pasted, making the context difficult to understand at times and the impossible patient names. I find not being able to complete a letter properly and constantly using the notes box frustrating. It seems such a waste of time, both ours and the secretary on the receiving end.

[Workingfromhomenow]

@Whitestar55 I agree. I'm sure most of the docs just dictate and then our typing goes back to the secretary, who puts it into letters for them to sign. This is how it worked when I worked for a consultant (not Dict8 but another transcription service). Saying that, one doctor I have typed for is very insistent on saying only type what he says, ie no Dear Dr or Yours sincerely, etc, so some obviously are very conscious of cost (probably private practice rather than NHS, of course).

[Whitestar55]

@workingfromhomenow I've always thought the DICT8 template was a bit odd, as the clients most likely have to delete it anyway once the text is inserted into their own letter template, but at least we get paid for typing the template.

[wfh21]

@danblack87 might try sending the tasks off to DICT8 from now on to query whether they think it is a letter or note before I attempt 🤣 probably wouldn't have any work for the day though !!!!

[Gally123]

@Workingfromhomenow - I think it is evident many of the dictators do not realise who is typing as they often talk directly to the secretary calling them by name. One dictator a few years back informed whoever typed his letters to make sure they had his clinic list available as he would refer to it. Also on Tpro I had one dictator who forgot to dictate any patient details and he returned the letter with a message via their note system (not to be confused with DICT8's note system) asking me who the patient was. I replied that I did not know and submitted the letter again. The dictator, again, returned the letter asking who the patient was. This time I replied saying I was sat at home in England typing his letters and had no access to his computer system or clinic list so did not know who he saw in clinic. That shut him up. I submitted the letter for the third time (and I think each submission gets paid, not sure).

[Whitestar55]

DICT8 likes boxes - Notes box, DOB box, Hospital Number box, Main Letter box - bounce back and forth from one to the other - repeat

[danblack87]

Our job is not an easy job to do from home for sure .. We have no notes to hand and are not familiar with the names, diagnosis, or plan or treatment box .. hence, notes box .... [Note: Copy and Paste xxxx here] With regards to 'standard template': I work for Dict8 so the template is as per Dict8 - anything else like standard DNA/physio/patient-initiated f-up letter is irrelevant; hence, standard Dict8 template ... fill in patient details AND [Note: standard DNA /Standard Physio/standard, etc ltr] .. Note the use of contraction Ltr and no pls or Thx!!!!

[danblack87]

Where I worked the Dr's had the clinic list ... Dictation outsourced ... they would dictate only on those who attended the rest would be highlighted on the clinic list attached to the bundle of hospital notes (DNA ltr)/no dictation appt 2/3/4/4 mths, etc. We understood at our end that 3/4 letters would be outsourced and the rest we used the standard formats in a particular case - worked well. Originally Dict8 was not the outsourcer but after that they were. We understood the difficulties the transcribers from outsourcing had ... We hated millions of notes and were relieved when 'a person' actually used 'their noodle'!!!

[Whitestar55]

I think outsourcing systems need an overhaul and better tech.

[danblack87]

@Whitestar55: I agree - Figuratively 'note to sec' is not helpful in difficult NOTES re. fees, check this that and the other; hence, should be typed as a memo. 'The secretary in-house would have to check every word whatever we type in any case and I believe Memo typed that could be printed would be much more helpful ... I found that to be the case anyway when working in-house - I told my fellow colleagues 'don't slate the transcribers they are typing exactly what they hear and the Dr's need proper education in dictation for outsourcing - we set about doing that with GOOD effect' Hence, the hospital I worked with worked famously well with Dict8. Insight from the other side is a great thing.

[danblack87]

On a brighter note I have just done two negative lateral flow tests in a row so am now back out of isolation - going to see my fella in a bit, I am cooking. Still feel rather 'rough'. Hopefully there will be some work for me on my return at weekend ....... Good luck all in the New Year

[Whitestar55]

@danblack87 Well done there, I was going to say that better communication is needed (as well as better technology - including a better word processing system than the limited DICT8 one).

[Whitestar55]

@danblack87.....glad to hear you've recovered, enjoy your meal!

[danblack87]

@Whitestar55: where I worked in the hospital they used 'Big hand' first it was diabolical BUT then again it was the advent of outsourcing and a sharp learning curve. We ended up being paid time and a half overtime rather than using the outsourcer. Better prepared the next time Dict8 was taken on. I will enjoy my simple meal of chicken pie, chips and baked beans - a glass of wine or two - I am still to knackered to go the 'whole hog' - still, recovery though slow is a bloody good thing. I can see my granddaughter now. I am staying at my daughter's monday evening so that I can play with all Santa's toys!!!!

[wendules60]

I'm wondering if they could use a totting up mechanism (get their employed IT guys to calculate how to do this) for the note box, i.e. a separate counter for note box, per letter. This would add in a few lines for us and the usual cut for DICT8. Might be worth suggesting this, they were asking for suggestions for improvements a few months ago.

[Gally123]

@wendules60 - the problem with the notes box is that it is used for notes to secretary such as "make an appointment" but also it is used by us for words we cannot hear clearly. To stop some people marking more words etc than necessary as "unclear" there would need to be two notes boxes, one for messages to the secretary and one for typists to mark queries. It would be better if notes to secretary could be typed after the letter and thus we (and DICT8) would be paid for work and queries from us would remain queries, although there would not be so many if the dictations were better quality

[carosel2]

I asked about auto text and was told it was introduced before and transcribers abused it by adding in such as full addresses etc to a named doctor who worked at a named hospital when details of address were not given and the clients complained they were paying out money for words not dictated but why they couldn't just tell the transcribers who were doing this to stop and say only type what is dictated I will never know as it would certainly help speed my typing up! I think it was rejected as the software they use doesn't give them the option to do it. If we typed on a Word document then it would give us all the option to use it and would prove so beneficial to transcribers and Dict8 as it would speed us up and we would type more letters with less chance of spelling mistakes too

[Whitestar55]

'The transcribers abused it' .... but it's ok for the transcribers to be abused via typing stuff for free and spending our precious time Googling things because we can't understand some of the awful dictation/sound recordings and have no notes to refer to, and no, 8 pence a line no longer compensates for this DICT8, competition or not, it's not acceptable to exploit your transcribers.

[carosel2]

@Whitestar55 - yes you're right, I thought an odd way of explaining why we can't have it. Its simply because they are so out of date with technology they don't want to spend any money on upgrading as the work is still being typed without any pay rise for us and they will still be making a tidy profit at our expense.

[Whitestar55]

I do wonder if DICT8 will survive with such an antiquated way of operating, however, the directors have their fingers in other pies, so I doubt they're overly concerned.

[danblack87]

I for one hope DIct8 survives [this is the only thing I do given that certain restrictions and time disable me to apply for anything other ] ... a couple of major tweaks such as invoicing online and payment to direct by BACS would be fantastic + (fingers' crossed an Xtra 1p per line.

[Gally123]

Remembering the email they sent at the beginning of the pandemic DICT8 were pretty confident then that they would survive. I am sure they would rather reduce the pay rate than raise it to ensure it does. However, compared to other companies such as Accuro I think DICT8 is more high profile so probably will be okay for a while yet.

[Whitestar55]

I had to laugh at this: I think he has another job as a hangman {grin}

James has over 30 years experience in both the founding and operation of businesses, specializing in monetisation, operational strategies and executions.