DICT8 Plus Transcription Group 2023

[Whitestar55]

Here's the new thread. Hope everyone finds it x

@Carosel2 @danblack87 @Gally123 @TypoQueen1 @Lunnuni @deflatedbirthday @nomadchild @Frazzledbynature @Chrissols @cathyk2002 @Pinksville

Sorry if I've missed anyone.

And yet again we don't get paid for it!

Well it is dire today. I have done three letters all day.

I have just stopped for a break! Been at it since 07.30! Swings & roundabouts and all that!

@Gally123 - yes I noticed that message, but she did also say if not sure hashtag it and send to QC if you can't really decide or find it. I'm sure QC will soon get fed up with getting all our letters sent to them wanting that checking if everything else is okay. As you say it is impossible to find a doctor just via last name. I've had one today where they have said copy to etc with just last name but where is this doctor supposed to be from?, what speciality or hospital? so I couldn't search for them, as the letter didn't give any indication who it was and there were no other letters typed for this particular patient so its not as though I could look back and think ahh its them! so I sent it to QC! 😀

@Gally123 using text replacement for the hospital addresses on Tpro means it easy to include the post code. I do that already so no change there for me. Also we still use the uploaded GP if their system has not put in the postcode I read it we don’t have to. Also it says in our user guide if only a surname given leave a note to verify GP because as you say there could be numerous GPs with the name Smith, so you won’t be searching by just a surname and no other info. I fear this is an over zealous new manager justifying their role bet they have never worked as a med sec on remote transcription. We get paid for the addresses too not like at dict8. It will backfire because if they put too many rules we will just type other hospitals first.

@carosel2 @nomadchild I think it depends on which template you use (Old or new) as to whether you get paid for putting in GP addresses and CC details (old template pays, the new one does not). Yesterday for the same amount of time working I earned £31, today £18 as I spent so long googling GP and hospital addresses and then adding them to the text replacement. Sod's law I had to do it for just about every letter. Some consultants add four or five CC addresses as well. No impressed. More work for less money and it will take longer to get to bonus amounts etc. I get lots of doctors saying send a copy to "Amanda" ! I did reply to the message and point out that I thought the "complaint" was unfair as we had not been asked to do this previously so why complain? And also the people who dictate, and some cannot even be bothered to give patient details, need to be told.

@Gally123 @nomadchild @carosel2 Just a thought, most clinical letters are sent electronically now so why the need for a postcode, or eircode or an entire address for an internal letter? Surely it is only the patient letters that have to be posted and those addresses would be input centrally. Definitely people trying to justify their jobs!!!

I was going to mention this yesterday and forgot. Even patient letters can go via email if you consent and provide your email. Lots of GP practices don’t list their post code on their address details on their website so in this case I would just QC it with this highlighted. A manager at Tpro told me once they don’t expect us to spend ages looking for drs names and full addresses if not easily accessible on Google. I thought that was supportive.

I did a letter for Tpro this morning, I had to google in all six names and addresses (as x5 "cc") and it was on the new template, so don't get paid for all that extra work. Not impressed.

You could have returned to list if you feel so strongly about not getting paid for typing multiple ccs and just choose to transcribe letters with an addressee and maybe one simple cc. I often return to list of I think it’s to convoluted as there is always so much to choose from.

Are you saying they don't pay for the names and addresses you have typed in?

@Whitestar55 - it's complicated! It depends on the hospital, letter template. But the letter I mentioned above, no, inputting GP etc names and addresses are not paid, and nor are CC details. However, on some templates/letterheads this is compensated for by the fact that you get "paid" for the letterhead, ie the consultant and/or department, secretary details etc. However, these seem to be being updated so the letterheads are briefer. I worked out once that a particular letterhead was worth about 30p.

@Gally123 It's unbelievable isn't it, when the contracts state that we are paid by the character or line and not by time. I don't know how they're getting away with it.

They’re getting away with it because we do as we’re told, and if we don’t, someone else will……..we are in a no win situation sadly.

It's utterly ridiculous to rely on Google for a name and address for medical correspondence. That's something that can't be done reliably remotely and the chances of mistakes are high, but I suppose they would blame the transcriber.

@Whitestar55 actually we just leave a paid note to the secretary to "verify" it.

It's all very confusing. We just need higher pay whatever and paying for everything, especially now with the state of the dictation on Dict8, we seem to be getting all the stuff VR can probably not cope with.

Think Dict8 have got new proofreaders. I've not had any feedback about typing for months and now the last two days I am getting feedback over some very stupid things that I have always typed. I emailed them and they said some of the feedback was pedantic and they are going to talk to the proofreader.

"Pedantic" certainly is right! A few weeks ago I typed a word starting with lower case, a word that I've typed probably a million times over the past 20 odd years and have never, ever seen typed anywhere with a capital letter, to be told it should be a capital, absolute nonsense!! I just laughed to myself and carried on using lower case and have never been pulled up on it again. Total jobsworths the lot of them!

@Newinmarch22

I had yet another one this morning asking me to change something I had typed the same way for years and never asked to change. I emailed them and questioned it. They have an answer for everything. After finding out on here they had lost the contract for GSTT but never had the decency to be honest with the very people that do the work for them, I can't take them seriously anymore. Like you I just do the work and carry on. Pathetic.

I never question or contact them, just can't be bothered, its not worth it, they are obviously always right! Just smile to myself and carry on!

Usually ignore their irritating feedback but the latest one today is so stupid! I typed face to face - feedback as a clinical error - should be face-to-face. Taking things to the extreme now!!

@Australia25 that's ridiculous feedback. It seems to me they don't have enough work an trying to justify their existence at our expense.

From google.com
Are there hyphens in face to face?
Generally, if you use a phrase before a noun (as an adjective), you would hyphenate it. Jerome and Frieda had a face-to-face meeting. If you use that phrase after a verb (as an adverb), you would not hyphenate it. Jerome and Frieda met face to face

That am taking to mean eg. The pt had a face to face...the pt is having a face-to-face !!
Having said that I never use hyphen for F/F. Guess I will be getting a feedback on that one pretty soon..

What's next 'over the counter' !!

I would be of the opinion that all this new excessive over use of hyphens is an Americanism, which they disapprove of.