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

Get free business cards at Vista Print. Click here for more information.

Shop Office Depot for Customized Business Cards, Stationery, and More!

Medical Transcription - Rapid employment opportunities

There are distinct objectives to consider when trying to choose a career, including knowing yourself, knowing your options, knowing how you constitute decisions and addressing any barriers to your decision-making. Effective career decision-making requires an abundance of work and energy; this is necessary to establish some degree of satisfaction with your career choice. One such career that has emerged as fulfilling, provocative, well paying and in demand is medical transcription. The employment of medical transcriptionists is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2012. A growing and aging population will spur demand for medical transcription services.

Basically, a medical transcriptionist listens to dictated recordings made by a healthcare professional, and transcribes them into medical reports, correspondence, and other administrative info. While listening to the recordings, using pause techniques, sentences are keyed into a word processor, editing as necessary for grammar and clarity. Documents produced include discharge summaries, history and physical examination reports, operative reports, consultation reports, autopsy reports, diagnostic imaging studies, progress notes, and referral letters. These are returned to the health care provider for review, signature, or correction. These documents eventually become part of the patients’ permanent files, in addition to required insurance documentation.

To understand and accurately transcribe dictated reports into a format that is clear and intelligible for the reader, medical transcriptionists must understand medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, diagnostic procedures, pharmacology, and treatment assessments. As a result, medical transcriptionists should have completed postsecondary training in medical transcription, offered by many vocational schools, community colleges, and distance-learning programs. Completion of a 2-year associate degree or 1-year certificate program, including coursework in anatomy, medical terminology, legal issues relating to healthcare documentation, and English grammar and punctuation, is highly recommended, but not always required.

Working conditions are generally comfortable settings, such as hospitals, physicians’ offices, transcription service offices, clinics, laboratories, medical libraries, government medical facilities, or at home. Many medical transcriptionists work from home as employees for hospitals, and transcription services or as self-employed, independent contractors. The average salary for a medical transcriptionist is between $10.87 and $15.63. With experience, medical transcriptionists can advance to supervisory positions, home-based work, editing, consulting, or teaching.

With the increased demand for standardized records, there will be rapid employment growth in offices of physicians or other health practitioners, especially in large group practices. Medical transcription is a career that should fit your lifestyle, and bring you prosperity, and fulfillment.

Jay B Stockman is a contributing editor for Online Medical Transcription Services Visit http://theonline-medical-transcription-services.com/ for more information.

Medical Transcription - Equipment needed

What equipment do you need to operate a secretarial service or medical transcription business?

To start a secretarial service or medical transcription, you will need a computer, major word processing program, a printer, and one or more transcription machines, also called transcribers.

You don’t need a high-end computer to provide word processing and medical transcription services.

Most computers come with a word processing program. I recommend using Microsoft Word because most of your clients will use it.

You can get either an inkjet printer or laser printer. Many secretarial services and medical transcription services start their secretarial service with an inkjet printer because they are less expensive than laser printers. A laser printer provides better quality printouts and faster speed. You need a laser printer if you provide graphic design or resumes.

You may need a fax machine if your clients want to fax you work. At first, you can use your computer to send and receive faxes but you'll only be able to send faxes of documents you have in your computer.

To provide transcription services, you will need a transcription machine. Transcribers have a headset and foot pedal. The foot pedal allows you to stop and rewind the cassette while having your hands available for keyboarding. Until you have a transcription client, you won't know which size cassettes you'll get. Talk to your prospective clients before buying any equipment. Or call secretarial services and transcriptionists in your area and ask what size cassettes they are getting.

Transcription machines are available from Sony, Panasonic, Olympus, Lanier, Sanyo, and Dictaphone. Office Direct has a large selection of transcription machines at http://www.officedirectinc.com/SyStand.htm. Check local office supply stores such as Office Depot (http://www.officedepot.com) and OfficeMax (http://www.officemax.com).

You can buy new and used transcription machines, computers, and other equipment at a fraction of the cost at http://www.ebay.com.

Check out this web site for used equipment:http://www.mtdaily.com/ads.html
You can start your secretarial business with just a computer and printer. Buy additional equipment or software when a project requires it.

Medical Transcription - Transcribing teleseminars

Leva's Comment: If you are providing medical transcription or business transcription, consider transcripting teleseminars. Transcribing teleseminars and regular seminars is one of the best paying transcription jobs there is. Most people providing teleseminars do them on a regular basis so you'll get repeat business. Regular seminars and workshops provide you with a lot of transcription hours. They are not the easiest transcription jobs but they amount to large transcription jobs.

Here's the article indicating the demand for transcribing teleseminars.

* * * * *

Teleseminars programs are the number one most versatile method of building businesses available to consultants, authors, entrepreneurs, and marketing and training firms period. How can you maximize you teleseminar’s return on investment? This question was raised on Great Teleseminars newly launched blog “Daniel Janal’s Great Teleseminar Tips”, http://www.greatteleseminars.com/blog.

One of the ways is to offer transcripts from the seminar. If you aren't offering your customers the opportunity to order transcripts of your teleseminars, you are missing out on a golden opportunity to increase your income by a big factor. Transcripts can add another $10-$100 dollars to your bottom line for each transcript ordered. If you have 100 people on a call and 20 people order the transcript at $15, that's another $300 in your pocket. The rates you charge should depend on the quality of your content (more for harder to find information) and the audience (more for corporate markets with site licenses).

What is a transcript?

Quite simply, it is a word-for-word printed account of your teleseminar. As we talk much more informally than we write, it is a good idea for you to clean your transcripts up for grammar and style. When you look at a seminar transcript, you might see that you've re-started sentences, stumbled over words, or have become redundant. By editing your transcript, you can make yourself sound masterful.

By editing your transcripts, you can also add other material that you forgot to include in the seminar. You might have great thoughts that come to mind, but you couldn't fit them into the live teleseminar. Now, you have the opportunity to add those gems to the transcript.

You can also add additional sales and marketing materials to the transcript to provide you with opportunities for additional income. Of course, any site you have mentioned during your talk will be a live hyperlink, so you should be sure to include your affiliate programs if they are relevant to the session.

How do you sell transcripts?

There are several ways to sell transcripts.

1. Offer the transcript as part of the initial ordering options.

2. Offer the transcript as an upsell after they order the seminar. This is what marketing guru Alex Mandossian calls the "Want fries with that" strategy. He reports a very high conversion rate when he offers the transcript on the up-sell page, or order confirmation page.

If your shopping cart doesn't have an up-sell page, I highly recommend using http://www.MyEasyOnlineStore.com

Dan Janal has been called the Larry King of Teleseminars. He is the president and owner of Great Teleseminars Audio Production Studios, http://www.GreatTeleseminars.com and PR Leads, http://www.prleads.com He has produced more than 500 teleseminars for speakers, authors, trainers, coaches and businesses.

Medical Transcription - Transcription guidelines

Transcription is one of the most profitable services you can provide in your secretarial service. You can provide medical transcription, legal transcription, and business or general transcription.

Provide these guidelines to your transcription clients to get quality transcription work, avoid time delays and mistakes, and reduce transcribing fees.

1. Use a good quality microphone. Position the microphone near all speakers.

2. Check the batteries in the dictation equipment.

3. Use tapes designed for voice dictation. They filter out background noise. Demagnetize and clean tapes regularly.

4. Erase the tape before dictation and indicate the end of the transcription to avoid transcribing old materials.

5. Rewind the tape to the beginning of the dictation.

6. Dictate in a quiet environment. Turn off the TV and radio. Distance the microphone from air conditioners and fans. Avoid noise, music, and acoustics in restaurants, outdoors, and airplanes.

7. Speak clearly. Instruct people not to talk simultaneously. Identify all speakers.

8. Don't eat or drink when dictating.

9. Discuss the purpose of the transcription and style preferences with the transcriptionist. Do you want a verbatim transcript for legal purposes? Do you want to include sounds like uh, um, hmmm? Do you want to indicate laughter and long pauses?

10. Avoid delays and costly revisions by spelling unusual words and words with questionable spelling, i.e. Kathryn, Katherine, Catherine, or Caterine. Provide supporting documents and words the transcriptionist may not be familiar with such as technical terms, names, streets, and cities.

Instruct your transcription clients to provide you with a high quality recording to get an accurate transcript at the lowest possible price.

* * * * * * * *

Looking for typing work at home? Start a secretarial business. The Secretarial-Business-in-a-Box provides instant tools you need to start and run a successful secretarial service. Free articles and business start-up newsletter at

http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com.

Characteristics of a Quality Medical Transcription School

First and foremost, a good medical transcription school will have a comprehensive curriculum designed specifically for medical transcription training. This does not mean some off-the-shelf program that mixes and matches curriculum and study material from a hodge-podge of medical and non-medical sources. You are looking for a solid A to Z curriculum that was designed by Medical Transcriptionists specifically for medical transcriptionists. There is a big difference. You don’t want a version of anatomy that is adapted from a veterinarian course. Yes, this sounds crazy, but you would be surprised at what you will find out there!

You are looking for a medical transcription school that teaches you the medical terminology, human anatomy, physiology and disease processes, abbreviations and plurals, and a host of other foundation material — all from a medical transcriptionist’s perspective.

Second, and of no less importance, the medical transcription school that you select must have an extremely strong focus on practical application. All the text-book training in the world is insufficient without a strong practicum to go along with it. Sitting in a classroom without applying what you are studying would be like memorizing vocabulary and learning to conjugate verbs in a foreign language and then assuming you could immediately go to that country and speak fluently with the natives. It just isn’t realistic. It takes a lot of practice before you can start actually doing it well.

The best medical transcription schools will not graduate you until you can demonstrate a level of practical competency. And guess what? The way many doctors dictate reports is more reminiscent of a foreign language than anything else. Slurred speech, poor grammar, rapid wording, and run on sentences only serve to exacerbate an already complex and specialized language — the language of medicine!

But in the end, the best way to select the right school is to find out where the national medical transcription employers are recruiting. You can rest assured that they are doing their homework. They will not be in the habit of hiring graduates from institutions that have not proven themselves capable of producing productive graduates. Getting a good job with a great company is really what counts isn’t it? In the ideal world you want the employers to come to you!

About the Author

Chris Dunn created http://www.medicaltranscriptionschool.com in order to help stay-at-home-moms, and others, to find a great career that can fit into their schedules. Visit his site to learn more about this awesome career path.

Is Medical Transcription Certification Necessary?

Becoming a certified medical transcriptionist is really a personal choice. At present, there is no requirement for MTs to become certified at this time.

To become certified you will need to pass an exam given by the AAMT (American Association of Medical Transcriptionists). This is a two part exam, written and practical and takes about 5 to 6 hours to complete. It is a very in depth exam and most MTs take a prep course before taking the exam.

The exam consists of two parts. The first part is a written exam which consists of 120 multiple choice questions about anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, English and grammar, etc. The second part of the exam is a practical test where you transcribe several different reports.

Once certified it means you can use the letters “CMT” (certified medical transcriptionist) behind your name. You must recertify every 3 years.

Certification is highly regarded in some circles of the MT field and some MTs believe it opens doors for better opportunities.

Personally, I feel medical transcription certification is a personal choice. Although, certification gives you the opportunity to prove your skills as an MT, not being certified does not take away from them.

I have never run across a physician or account manager who has asked me whether I am certified or not. They are merely interested that I can efficiently complete the work, follow all the privacy regulations and charge them a reasonable rate.

I don’t know of any MTs who have lacked opportunities due to not being certified either. Again, the choice is a personal one and for some it is a great sense of personal achievement.

If you do decide to become certified, it will be a great personal achievement. It will take a time and financial commitment. At present, the AAMT fee for the CMT exam for US and Canada is $195 US dollars for AAMT members and $275 for non AAMT members. You must also have 2 years experience working as an MT.

Mila Sidman is an experienced MT and owner of http://www.AskTheMT.com -an informative website dedicated to answering all your medical transcription questions.

Medical transcription - what is medical transcription?

Medical Transcription is the process of interpreting and transcribing the dictation made by doctors or other health care professionals regarding patient status, treatment procedures, diagnoses, prognoses, etc. With medical transcription of dictated data from physicians, the medical transcriptionist may also edit the text that is produced by voice recognition software. Medical Transcription is the translating of dictations made by a doctor. As a result, it requires an extensive knowledge of medical, pharmacological and anatomical terms.

In the past medical transcriptionists would listen to dictations and type it themselves, but with the dawn of technology and voice recognition software, this has become unnecessary and today, for the most part, the medical transcriptionist merely edits the output of the software. However, the editing process can range from a few corrections to major changes because voice recognition software still hasn't been perfected and probably never will be due to the wide variety of speech variations and dictating habits of health care professionals.

Aside from medical knowledge, a quality transcription requires a transcriptionist to have excellent listening skills because they must be able to simultaneously interpret dictation while typing, they must also have an exquisite knowledge of English and grammar, proofreading and editing skills, a high state of analytical skills in order to analyze and convert spoken words into meaningful writing, as well being adept in the use of transcription equipment and computers.

Medical Transcription has been seen as writing in ancient caves and in documents of lost civilizations, but still the purpose of medical transcription and the medical transcriptionist remains the same and that is to keep a record of a patient's medical status and treatment.

However, it wasn't until the late 20th century that Medical transcription was recognized as a profession. Initially, those who did medical transcription were labeled as typists, word processors, medical secretaries or dictating machine operators. This was and still is a highly unjustified job title for those who practice medical transcription because the profession requires a wide knowledge of medical terms. Thus, in 1999, Medical Transcription was assigned its own job classification and those practicing it were officially called medical transcriptionists.

Medical Transcription as a profession is very underground and most people might not have heard about it. However, medical transcription is an essential profession in the every growing health care industry... especially to health care staff that does not have the time to put into writing every single bit of information that they gather from patients. As a result, the demand for qualified medical transcriptionist professionals is continually growing and because the number of new procedures coming into the market doctors don't have the time to transcribe all their findings.

Medical Transcription as a profession is very versatile as well. Medical transcriptionists, can acquire after a few years of education, work from medical transcription firms. Medical Transcription firms receive dictations made by doctors and in turn, these orders are turned over to medical transcriptionists to be transcribed.

A medical transcriptionist can also work full or part-time at home. Currently, the American Association for Medical Transcription is governing body in the United states that certifies Medical transcriptionists, although you won't need a certification to be able to work as one, a certification form the AAMT, will surely increase you're "market value" and credibility.

Medical transcription is no longer merely listening and transcribing the words dictated by a doctor. Medical Transcription is evolving and now requires specific education centering on medical language, knowledge of Greek and Latin prefixes and suffixes, anatomy, physiology, disease processes, medical science and procedures, medical instruments, pharmacology, laboratory instruments, laboratory test results, medical reference material techniques and many more.

Kevin Erickson is a contributing writer for: http://www.total-transcription.com and http://www.eyeonnursing.com and http://www.totalparalegal.com.

Online Medical Transcription Course? The Truth

Online Medical Transcription Course? The Truth.
by Chuck Huckaby

Should you take an Online Medical Transcription Course?

The question has at least 2 right answers... depending on YOU!

The answers are:

Yes, if you want a career that can be completely home based and let you earn up to $30,000 per year (or more)!

No, if it's the WRONG career move for you.

If it's the WRONG move, then taking an Online Medical Transcription Course (or off line for that matter)

If you're NOT cut out to be a medical transcriptionist, you could invest $4,000 in books, software, and training (not to mention a brand new computer) and never make a penny doing medical transcription.

So, for better or for worse, I'm going to try to tell you how to decide if an Online Medical Transcription Course is right for you.

From our experience, your choice in an Online Medical Transcription Course should be based on the credentials of the owners of the school.

There are many Medical Transcription schools online and off line that turn out a completely inferior transcriptionist.

In other words, such schools are good at taking your money but not producing qualified trainees.

When Renee chose a school, she chose one where the owners conducted a free orientation at our local community college. Even though the couse was entirely online, it was sponsored by the community college.

Community colleges tend to be so "image conscious" we were sure they'd never sponsor anything remotely "interesting" or "relevant" to the work at home field if the program weren't entirely legitimate. In fact we later learned this program was approved for retraining people who'd lost factory jobs. Is your school state approved for training workers?.

So when the owners were endorsed by working with our community college, we were fairly certain their Online Medical Transcription Course was "for real". If you're just taking a course without such a local endorsement, you may want to investigate DOUBLY HARD.

But there's more to this. A local community college can be wrong. We also suggest going to a school where the owners RAN A REAL MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION BUSINESS... preferably one contracted with a hospital or other large clients with a variety of medical specialities.

It's one thing to type for a single, slow speaking, courteous physician in one specialty. It's another thing entirely to type for 50 doctors from New York City who come from 10 different countries and represent 20 different specialties!

Rest assured though that the owner of an Online Medical Transcription Course who served large multi-specialty practices will know how to produce competent transcriptionists who can live anywhere, work over a DSL line, and make a good living. If you hope to do the same, you need THAT kind of training and NOTHING LESS!

The owners of Renee's school had the air of professionalism about them. They didn't dodge questions. They had plenty of "war stories" about the field and were honest about the earnings potential.

This leads me to another point. If a school says you can make $100,000 per year easily... run in the opposite direction as fast as you can.

To be safe, "on average" according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical transcriptionists earn around $30,000 per year.

Some will earn much more... if they have exceptional typing speed, exceptional hearing, and exceptional desire. Our owners had some transcriptionists who earned $50,000 to $100,000 but that wasn't the norm. Most just wanted a nice, stable income with a certain amount of flexibility.

While it's ok for schools to use their "in house" text books, for the most part, the texts studied and software used should be "off the shelf" commercial grade software and recognized medical texts. In the real world, you will need to upgrade software get new books as new medicines come out, etc. You can't rely on any single school to be expert in all the fields you'll need to master as a transcriptionist so - like a college - a great Online Medical Transcription Course should show you were to get current expert resources in the "real world". Schools only use 100% proprietary curriculum to maximize their own profits. You should be able to buy your materials somewhere besides the school to make sure you're getting the best deal too.

Finally, an Online Medical Transcription Course that's honest about the difficulty should do PRE-SCREENING of applicants.

Orientations, pre-study assessments, sample lessons etc. should be required.

Why? Medical Transcription requires as much pure knowledge as any other medical field. One complaint my wife heard was a fellow student saying "I thought I'd just be typing, not have to go to medical school!" But, really, it's like going to medical school for 3 to 12 months depending on whether you're full time or part time and how hard you'll work. No slackers need show up! This is not a nice slow paced typing job. It's a critical time sensitive component of the medical field with quick, 99.9% accuracy required! Many will not pass the test and you should test yourself to see if you will LOVE doing this work or fail out because you're really bored by it all! No school will turn away people who insist on paying, but some effort should be made to make people understand the magnitude of the task ahead!


Let's summarize: Legitimate Online Medical Transcription Courses should have these characteristics:

1. Owners should have a state approved school if possible 2. Owners should have real world experience in a multi-specialty environment
3. Owners should have been frustrated with the "average graduate" of other schools
4. Owners should be honest about the earnings potential 5. Owners should use recognized expert texts not just their own in house publications 6. Owners should prescreen applicants to screen out those who will just be wasting their money.

Chuck & Renee Huckaby publish an page related to Online Medical Transcription Course information that goes into these and other issues regarding being a medical transcriptionist more deeply and welcome your visit.

Chuck Huckaby publishes 1stHowToWorkAtHome.com. He and his wife Renee publish an information course about whether to enter medical transcription and how to succeed in the field if it's right for you... or how to avoid losing $4,000 by choosing the WRONG Career!

medical transcription - starting a medical transcription business

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 author of an Ebook about starting a medical transcription business. Click here for more information about starting a medical transcription business.

Transcription: An Opportunity For You

For many, transcription work is a life saver. It is good work. It is a job that is likely to be needed for a long time. And, it provides you with the flexibility that you need. Some times, transcription can be done from home. Other times, it can only be done through the use of specific computers at a location. Nonetheless, there are some things that you will need to do in order to get a job in transcription.

While many places on the web would like you to think that there are endless opportunities for individuals looking for transcription work, the fact is that there are only a few and those that are out there want skilled individuals. There are some opportunities available to those who want to do transcription from their homes, but again, these companies want individuals who are trained. You may find that many companies offer the work to you to do at home if you have the necessary equipment as well as the necessary skills.

So, how do you get the skills that you need for transcription? You can get them on the web or in a traditional school setting. On the web, you can learn how to transcribe at various online schools. Many universities carry this field and help you to get job placement as well. If you really would like to get into transcription, you can do so simply by getting into the right schools to start with.

But, remember that there are no guarantees in transcription either. Many companies may have openings now, but that does not mean that they will down the line. In many cases, you are likely to find companies that offer only a small amount of work to you. Although there are jobs available in transcription, you will need to be high quality, skilled and willing to work hard to get and keep them.

For more information please see http://www.transcription-corner.co.uk

Medical Transcription - Does Voice Recognition Replace the Need for Typing?

A few years ago we thought typing was passé. We would no longer have to struggle with typing. And our children may not have to learn how to type anymore. My aged mother was thrilled because she never learned to type and thought this was the answer to her prayers. Typing, at last, was on the trash heap of technology, because of this "new and improved" invention ... Voice Recognition Software.

Did voice recognition come to pass? Well not exactly! In fact, voice recognition technology has been a great disappointment.

If you have ever used voice recognition software on cell phones, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Not only do you have to train the cell phone to recognize your voice but you have to interface with the name in your address book as you say it.

It hasn't been very dependable. The success rate of this feature has been less than steller and for the most part very frustrating. Often you have to repeat (or yell) the name over and over to initiate the call (most times resorting to dialing it yourself).

Similarly, voice recognition software for the computer promised to be a panacea to those who were "keyboard challenged" but it too has fallen short of the promises.

Most doctors thought that voice recognition would eliminate the need to outsource medical transcription. Not so! Most don't have the time nor the patience to "train" the voice recognition software. If you are tempted to try it, expect a long learning curve.

If you would only use your computer in a closed silent room, never have a cold or other voice altering condition, and don't have an accent, voice recognition software would work and be fabulous most of the time. But how often are you in that situation? The conditions in my life are never perfect for voice recognition. I am either talking on the phone with my children or husband, or in the room with the radio or TV. Thunder, lighting, hail and petulance, there is always something disturbing my silence. When working at my laptop I maybe at Starbucks, the airport or a restaurant, all very noisy places affecting voice recognition software.

The ability to type quickly and accurately is crucial for everyday life. Typing speed will affect how fast you can do research, surf the Web, write papers, and save time in school and the rest of their life! Every job requires typing skills.

Typing is important for school work starting as early as elementary grade level. Life will be a lot easier for your children if they learn correct typing techniques at a young age. Did you now that typing has been shown to improve spelling, writing, language skills, and grades.

Maybe in the future someone will perfect a voice recognition system that can be used in our noisy lives…but now… Happy Typing!

Pam Connolly is a professional educator with the San Diego School District. She has been teaching kids how to type for over 11 years. To teach your child typing, visit http://www.1stoplearntotype.com To improve your child's memory, visit http://www.1stopezmemory.com

Professional Transcription and Your Business

Got stacks of audio tapes that need to be converted to a more user-friendly format? Professional transcription services may be the answer.

Professional transcriptionists can take standard or micro cassette tapes and produce a typed version of the text in a format that's clear, consistent and correct. They can create transcripts of taped meetings, training sessions, seminars and conventions, as well as dictated letters, reports and manuscripts. Once the information is transcribed, you can easily email, fax or post it to a Website.

Accuracy Is Essential

Transcribing actually covers a variety of services. It can include whatever editing is necessary to make a report or letter 'flow'. It can also include the tweaking sentence syntax, adjusting paragraphs, removing redundancies, and repairing general grammatical errors.

For some professions, a high degree of accuracy in transcripts is crucial. For example, medical transcriptionists must carefully listen to dictated recordings made by physicians and other healthcare professionals and accurately transcribe them into reports, correspondence and other administrative materials that eventually become part of patients' permanent files. Their ability to understand and correctly transcribe patient assessments and treatments reduces the chance of patients receiving ineffective or even harmful treatments and ultimately ensures high quality patient care.

Accuracy in transcripts is equally as important in other fields. In legal matters, it's essential because all testimony must be rendered exactly as it's spoken. Likewise, police detectives require precise transcripts of statements by suspects and witnesses. In the corporate arena, letters, meetings and training sessions must be properly transcribed for the sake of effective education and communication.

Requirements For A Good Transcriptionist

Whether you need medical, legal or general transcribing for your business, accurate transcribing requires a unique set of skills. But if your staff lacks the expertise or time to transcribe materials in house, an outside company can easily fill the void.

Working with an outside vendor offers a variety of cost-saving benefits, including:

- No cost of special equipment.

- No hourly employee downtime. You pay only for production.

- No Social Security, payroll or unemployment taxes.

- No medical insurance benefits, paid vacations and sick leave

But before you run out and hire the first transcription company available, make sure it has the skills to meet your needs. The outsourcer you choose should be:

- Well-versed in the English language

- Knowledgeable of the rules of grammar

- Familiar with your industry

- Easily accessible for questions

For more information about professional transcription services, contact Kate Smalley, Connecticut Secretary, at 203-641-3739 or mailto:kms@connecticutsecretary.com

Copyright 2004, Kate Smalley - Connecticut Secretary - Freelance Secretarial and Transcription Services - http://www.connecticutsecretary.com

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

Secrets of Happy Moms

Secrets Of Happy Moms
Carrie Lauth

Have you ever noticed how some Moms seem to be very contented
and confident in their role as Mothers, and others seem
chronically stressed and approaching burnout? Why are some Moms
unflappable and able to keep their sense of humor, while others
overreact to the slightest stressors in their day?

I'm currently observing and interviewing these happy Moms as I
conduct research for an upcoming book. While all Moms are
different, these women usually have several of the following
traits in common.

1) They keep it simple.
I know one Mom who grocery shops every two weeks and buys the
exact same thing every time to prepare the same menu of 14
dinners. Why does she do this? She's picked the family's
favorite meals for her menu to save herself time and arguments
at the dinner table. Anyone with kids knows they like to eat
the same things over and over! This Mom has decided not to
reinvent the wheel twice a month. This is just one example of
keeping it simple.

2) They teach their kids to be independent.
This doesn't mean they leave them to their own devices all day.
But a smart Mom knows that a 2 year old can put a dish in the
dishwasher, a 4 year old can prepare his own peanut butter and
jelly sandwich, and a 7 year old can sweep a floor (albeit
imperfectly!). Call it "outsourcing" for Moms.

3) They drop the SuperMom complex.
Not sweating the small stuff seems to be a common trait of
happy Moms. They learn to pick their battles. Getting buckled
into a car seat? Not negotiable. Pink paisley pants with the
orange plaid shirt? Fashion creativity.

Happy Moms also realize that being an awesome Mom doesn't mean
being a perfect Mom. 'Nuff said.

4) They can often be overheard repeating the phrase "This too
shall pass".
It doesn't mean that bothersome behavior in kids should be
overlooked, for discipline is a huge time saver in the end. It
means that Moms realize that children are...well, uncivilized
creatures, and that much uncivilized behavior will simply go
away on its own as the child matures. Smart Moms are also
keenly aware of their child's development and don't expect more
of them than they are able to give.

5) Smart Moms take care of themselves.
They don't blame the baby for their extra weight when the baby
in question is potty trained! They put emphasis on good
nutrition, avoiding too much by way of stimulants (caffeine,
sugar), they get adequate rest, and daily exercise. They
realize that you can't pour from an empty bucket.

6) They live in the moment.
Happy Moms realize that the days are long but the years short.
It's not that they are impervious to stress, it's that they
have learned to lower their expectations and be in the moment
when things get difficult. When your toddler is puking all over
the house, this is not the time to reorganize the hall closet. A
sick day then turns into a time to create sweet memories of
hours spent reading and cuddling on the couch.

7) They don't worry about what others think.
Whether it's the disapproving glare from the old lady in the
checkout line, the Mother in law who is convinced you're
starving the baby by breastfeeding, or the Pediatrician whose
medical advice strays into parenting advice, happy Moms learn
not to give too much weight to the opinions of those who don't
live in their home.

8) In other words, they trust their instincts.
Whether it's taking the baby to bed with them so they can get
more sleep or taking a bullied child out of public school,
smart Moms know that they are the expert of their own babies.

9) Happy Moms have "something else"
It may be a part time home based business or a hobby like belly
dancing. These Moms know that some day their babies will fly the
coop, and they make sure they have a passion that will give them
purpose when that happens.


Carrie Lauth is the author of the upcoming
book: "Awesome Moms: 187 Years of Mothering Wisdom". Take a
sneak peak at http://www.momswisdom.com. For more great
articles and resources for Moms doing things the natural way,
visit http://www.natural-moms.com

Medical Transcription - Questions to ask when starting a home business

How To Start a Home Based Business: 3 Questions to Ask Yourself
Charles Fuchs

Many people dream of working at home but wonder how to start a home based business. There are a multitude of potential opportunities out there for the person looking how to start a home based business that can get a person confused before they even start. There are three important questions to ask that will help you to better determine how to start a home based business that will work well for you.

It is important that you know how to start a home based business that will work well for you and your interests. Yet, you should understand why you want to have your own home based business before you jump into how to start your own home based business. Ask yourself your reasons for starting this type of business. Do you want to set your own hours and be your own boss? Do you not feel fulfilled by what you are currently doing or do you have a great business idea in mind? How to start a home based business will depend on your passion for the type of work involved in running your own business.

The passion and desire for working at home and being your own boss is the first important step in determining how to start a home based business, but you also need to know if you are ready to deal with the hard work involved. You will need to be flexible, quick thinking, and patient as you are learning how to start a home based business. There are some days that will require you to put in excruciatingly long hours and sometimes work through the weekend. As you learn how to start your home based business, you will also need the support of your family. Plus, you will need a passion for what you are doing. If you do not like what you are doing, learning how to start a home based business will matter very little, because the hard work will be more discouraging.

Finally, an important part of learning how to start a home based business is assessing your skills. You do not need to be an expert in everything, but you will need to get some expert advice and learn to do things you may not always enjoy like filing, typing, making cold calls, etc. In learning how to start a home based business, you will see that you need to develop better business, time-management, and organizational skills. If you do not have these skills, you will want to use resources to develop them.

Learning how to start a home based business depends quite a bit on the answers to these questions, as they will tell you if learning how to start a home based business is right for you and what skills you will need to develop. As you move along the process you will find that how to start a home based business for you may be different than someone else, so look into other similar business and do not be afraid to ask for advice.

Copyright © Charles Fuchs is an established online marketer who specializes in helping people start their very own Home Based Business. Download the Free Home Based Business Manual Absolutely Free (a $97 Value!). Free Information: http://www.home-based-business-world.com/

Medical Transcription - Creating a business strategy

Creating a Business Strategy
Hans Hasselfors

On a scale of one to ten, having a good business strategy rates about a fifteen!

No matter what kind of business you have -- whether you sell products or a service, as the saying goes, "if you fail to plan, then you're really planning to fail."

Creating a strategy can mean the difference between you working 60 to 80 hours a week all year long -- and then breaking even, or worse, losing money.

On the other hand, many successful entrepreneurs who have a strategy work fewer hours and make piles of money -- and they usually attribute their success to having a strategic plan and following it.

So what is strategic business management? Very simply, it's the process of defining the goals and objectives for your business, creating an action plan so you can reach them and then following the plan.

How do you create a strategic plan for you business?

1. First, know what your vision for your company is. If there were no barriers, nothing stopping you from taking your company as far as you could -- what would that look like?

2. Next, what are your company's core operating values? What are its guiding principles? In other words, why are you in business and how do you do business?

3. Now create a 3 to 5 year plan. Your long-term plan is based on the broad objectives that will help you get from where you are now, to where you want to be.

4. Develop a plan for this year. These are the specific objectives you plan to accomplish this year that will lead you closer to your long-term goals. Remember to be "SMART" when setting your annual goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-oriented). Include a list of the barriers that are stopping you from getting where you want to go. Figure out what resources you've already got, and what resources you need to get you past those barriers. And then create an action plan that clearly lays out how you will achieve your goals. Involve key employees with this part of the planning process.

5. Create a set of milestones or benchmarks. This is very important, so that you can measure your progress.

6. Share the plan with your employees, and anyone else who will be involved in the process. Your annual strategy is the roadmap that will make sure everyone ends up at the same destination -- but to be effective, everyone needs the same map!

7. Put the plan into action. Now that you have the roadmap, it's time to begin the journey.

8. Check your progress. Just like any trip, you need to check the map every now and then; to be sure you're still on the right road. If something isn't working, the sooner you figure it out and make the necessary adjustments, the sooner you'll be back on track.

9. Follow the same cycle next year. (Dream, Plan, Act, Check).

Creating a business strategy and following it will ensure that you enjoy the journey as much as getting to your final destination.

Hans Hasselfors is a successful business entrepreneur and internet marketing consultant. Get the net working for you. Join a community of like-minded authors and publishers and make your living online. Become a member of our article directory. http://www.SubmitYourNewArticle.com

Medical Transcription - A home based business means easy money

A Home Based Business Means Quick, Easy Money...And Pigs Will Fly
By Kirk Bannerman

Yup, here come those wonderful flying pigs!

Where does it ever end? I've been involved with Internet-based
home businesses for several years and I continue to be exposed to
a seemingly endless barrage of offers (all costing me money, of
course) claiming to be "the secret" for making a fantastic income,
in a very short time, and with very little effort involved.

I must admit that I may have a slightly self-serving reason for
addressing this topic. My articles are published on my
home-based business websites for the purpose of trying to give
prospective team members a true sense of what is really involved
with starting and developing a successful home based business.
The self-serving part, I suppose, is that I want people joining
my team to have the straight scoop going in so that we don't
waste each other's time. I admit to being selfish in this
regard (I don't want to waste time working with people that have
unrealistic expectations), but it is also very efficient for
both parties involved, so it is not a totally one-way thing.

Now, back to the topic at hand. There's no magic here, folks.
Once you have selected the home business that you are going to
pursue, there are no substitutes for time and effort in
developing your business. A dream of being an "overnight
success" is just that, a dream.

I can tell you from personal experience, that once you "pay your
dues" and begin to have real success with a home based business,
it is really terrific. Think about Nirvana or Valhalla, take
your pick, but in any event it's really sweet.

When I started developing a home based business, making a good
income was obviously an objective, but I also had other
sub-objectives. One of the most important things was to have
nearly total time flexibility (I mean, if I was willing to
continue to wear the 9-5 Mon-Fri collar I could just have just
stayed in the previously "traditional" work force).

Time flexibility was (and still is) a "biggie" for me. Many
people working at home have the same need for various reasons.
For work at home moms, a home business can be a real godsend to
accommodate the hectic time pressures, particularly when the kids
are quite young and mom is also spelled "transportation".

In my own particular case, the reason is not quite so noble...I
just want (need?) to be able to pick up my fly rod and go fishing
at a moments notice (sometimes I'll be gone for a week or two at
a time, but now the business has enough momentum that it keeps on
operating just as well as if I were here tending to it on a
daily basis).

Bear in mind, I am only able do the breakaway thing now that I
have put in all the up-front time and effort and now have
developed enough kinetic energy in my home-based Internet
business to be able to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Kirk Bannerman operates a successful home based business and
coaches others seeking to start their own home based business.
Visit his website at
Legitimate Home Based Business for more details.

The Benton Courier

The Benton Courier: "Since Bailey's stroke, Bobbi Dettmer has dedicated all of her time to her daughters. When they sleep is when I do medical transcription, she said."

Maybe You SHOULD Worry About Your PR!

Especially if your public relations budget is all about tactics
like brochures, special events, talking to reporters and press
releases.

Please don't get me wrong. Communications tactics are
valuable devices which we call upon from time-to-time to
move a message from here to there.

But, as a business, non-profit or association manager,
you can omit the best public relations has to offer, the crème
de la crème of PR!

Try this on for size. The core public relations mission
pulls together the resources and action planning needed to
alter individual perception leading to changed behaviors
among a business, non-profit, or association's most
important outside audiences. Then it goes on to help a
manager persuade those key folks to his or her way of
thinking, and then, moves them to take actions that
allow their department, group, division or subsidiary
to succeed.

Now, there's a real theory behind that mission, and it's
the underlying premise of public relations: People act
on their own perception of the facts before them, which
leads to predictable behaviors about which something
can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that
opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-
desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect
the organization the most, the public relations mission
is usually accomplished.

It's comforting to note that the right public relations
planning really CAN alter individual perception and
lead to changed behaviors among key outside audiences.
AND equally encouraging when you remember that
your PR effort must demand more than special events,
news releases and talk show tactics if you are to receive
the quality public relations results you believe you deserve.

And those results won't be long in coming, especially when
capital givers or specifying sources begin to look your
way; customers begin to make repeat purchases;
membership applications start to rise; new proposals
for strategic alliances and joint ventures start showing
up; politicians and legislators begin looking at you as
a key member of the business, non-profit or association
communities; welcome bounces in show room visits
occur; community leaders begin to seek you out; and
prospects actually start to do business with you.

Help is at hand because the public relations people
assigned to you can be of real use for your new opinion
monitoring project because they are already in the
perception and behavior business. But be certain that
the PR folks really accept why it's SO important to
know how your most important outside audiences
perceive your operations, products or services. Above
all, be sure they believe that perceptions almost always
result in behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.

Layout the plans for your PR staff re: monitoring and
gathering perceptions by questioning members of your
most important outside audiences. Ask questions like
these: how much do you know about our organization?
Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased
with the interchange? Are you familiar with our services
or products and employees? Have you experienced
problems with our people or procedures?

Bringing in survey firms to do the opinion gathering
work can cost a lot more than using those PR folks of
yours in that monitoring capacity. But whether it's your
people or a survey firm asking the questions, the
objective remains the same: identify untruths, false
assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies,
misconceptions and any other negative perception that
might translate into hurtful behaviors.

Here, you have to set a goal aiming for action on the
most serious problem areas you uncovered during your
key audience perception monitoring. Will it be to
straighten out that dangerous misconception? Correct
that gross inaccuracy? Or, stop that potentially painful
rumor dead?

Naturally a goal requires a strategy to show you how
to reach it. Just three strategic options are available to
you when it comes to solving perception and opinion
problems. Change existing perception, create perception
where there may be none, or reinforce it. The wrong
strategy pick will taste like spare ribs with lemon sauce.
So be certain your new strategy fits well with your new
public relations goal. You certainly don't want to select
"change" when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.

Now your people must do some good writing. You must
prepare a persuasive message that will help move your key
audience to your way of thinking. It must be a carefully-
written message aimed directly at your key external
audience. Select your very best writer because s/he must
come up with language that is not merely compelling,
persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are
to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view
and lead to the behaviors you have in mind.

It's time to pick out the communications tactics most likely
to carry your message to the attention of your target
audience. There are many waiting for you. From speeches,
facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings,
media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many
others. But be certain that the tactics you pick are known to
reach folks just like your audience members.

How you communicate your message is a concern because
the credibility of any message is always fragile. Which is
why you may wish to unveil your corrective message
before smaller meetings and presentations rather than
using higher-profile news releases.

If the thought of a progress report appeals to you, you must
begin a second perception monitoring session among
members of your external audience in order to measure
headway. You can use many of the same questions used in
your benchmark session. But this time, you will be on
guard for signs that the bad news perception is being
altered in your direction.

In the event the program slows down, you can always speed
things up by adding more communications tactics as well as
increasing their frequencies.

Worry can be healthy, too. Especially when it moves you
away from a major emphasis on communications tactics
and on to a plan for doing something positive about the
behaviors of those important external audiences of yours
that most affect your operation. And particularly so when
you persuade those key outside folks to your way of
thinking by helping to move them to take actions that
allow your department, division or subsidiary to succeed.

Bob Kelly counsels and writes for business, non-profit and
association managers about using the fundamental premise of public
relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has published
over 200 articles on the subject which are listed at EzineArticles.com,
click Expert Author, click Robert A. Kelly. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola
Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport
News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S.
Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The
White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia
University, major in public relations.
mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:www.PRCommentary.com

IR // News // VA embezzler ordered to repay $46,000

IR // News // VA embezzler ordered to repay $46,000: "Gard was a Veterans Administration employee at Fort Harrison, and also did contract work, providing medical transcription typing services. She overstated her line counts on fraudulent invoices submitted to the VA between Sept. 2001 and November 2003, causing her to be overpaid by $46,356. "

Medical Transcription - starting a business on a budget

Starting Your Home Based Business on a Shoestring Budget
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-6169

Whether seeking a supplemental income or a full-time income,
many folks have undertaken the task to discover a viable home
based business solution to meet their personal needs.

For most folks who contemplate a home business, a low-cost or
no-cost solution is not only nice, but also very necessary. Many
also seek to find a home business that will permit them to
maintain their regular day job in order to protect their base
income.

Taking the cautious approach to a home based business and
keeping one's job during the start-up period is often a very
good decision. By maintaining one's job, one can maintain the
health of their personal finances while permitting their home
business grow healthy and strong.

Fortunately, most home based businesses can be started with
little or no cash, can be maintained on a shoestring budget, and
can be operated successfully with only a part-time investment.

One day, the business will be strong enough to support itself
and its owner. When that time comes, it will make good sense for
the business owner to leave his or her outside job to dedicate
more time to growing and maintaining their new thriving home
based business. You will know when that time has finally arrived.

The nature of a home based business makes it easy and very
realistic for most folks to take the plunge into home business
ownership.

Yet, many folks put off starting their own home based business,
because they have the misconception that they will have to risk
thousands of their own hard-earned dollars at start-up. Then
later, if their business fails, they fear they may be forced to
take out a second mortgage on their house just to stay out of
bankruptcy.

Are you one of these folks? Do you let your fears of failure
keep you from reaching for your dreams?

If so, then allow me to introduce you to a few home business
ideas that you can start for less than $100 and can be started
and operated very profitably as a part-time business.


THE LIFEBLOOD OF ALL SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES

First of all, let me advise you to search out a business model
that will deliver steady and repeat business. It is the one
thing --- above all others --- that will assure that your
company can survive the test of time.


HOME-BASED MAIL ORDER:
Home-based mail order is a good example of how one can quickly
grow a home business income. Mail order is a low cost start-up
business that can be launched for around $100 USD.

With proper planning, your home-based mail order business will
not require up-front inventory purchases. In the mail order
business, it is not uncommon to rely upon drop-shippers for
product fulfillment services.

By utilizing drop-shippers, we can sell the products, collect
the money and then purchase the products from the wholesale
outlet. The wholesale outlet will then put a return address for
your company on the product packaging and deliver the product
directly to your customer.

By using the following link, you can explore the drop-ship
directory, which will let you explore the drop-shipping
companies that will enable you sell 500,000 products from over
1,000 brand name manufacturers:

http://www.home-business.com/dropship.html

Your primary expense in the mail-order business is advertising.
Classified advertising tends to be a relatively inexpensive form
of advertising with thousands of outlets available to the small
business owner.


WHOLESALE BUSINESS:
Buy low --- sell high. You can acquire high quality,
top-of-the-line merchandise for a fraction of the retail cost.
Starting a wholesale business would require a Wholesale Dealers
Directory as your source for merchandise, such as the one above
or the one listed here:

http://www.home-business.com/auction.html


AUCTIONS:
Auctions can be an excellent source for buying cheap and selling
high. Both government auctions and Internet auctions can lead to
some excellent profit opportunities. Auctions are an excellent
tool for both acquiring and selling merchandise.


MAKE AND SELL YOUR CRAFTS:
Crafts are a hot seller at country fairs, swap meets or anyplace
where people gather. Make your own crafts and sell them for a
tidy profit!


SELLING INFORMATION:
Selling information by mail is another good example of an
inexpensive home based business start-up. One can gain the
resale rights to information for usually about $50 USD. Other
costs will include printer cartridges, paper and postage. There
are plenty of free classifieds sites on the Internet, in which
to successfully advertise your information.


WRITE INFORMATIONAL BOOKLETS:
Write and publish your own informational booklets; sell them at
a high price! All you need is a little know-how, a printer,
paper and stamps. This is a GREAT home business idea! You can
also sell the resale rights to others, for extra profits. In
this age of the Internet, you may also take advantage of the
fact that selling information is one of the most profitable
endeavors one can pursue online.


OFFICE SERVICES:
Offer office services for hire in your local paper. You'll be
surprised at the amount of regular office business that can be
gleaned from one little classified ad. Word processing, typing,
accounting, data entry, proofreading, transcription, promotional
letters and newsletters. All these tasks can be accomplished
right from your own home office.


AVON REPRESENTATIVE:
Yes, Avon's been around for eternity, hasn't it? Then it's not
such a bad prospect as a home based business, is it? I once knew
a woman who did so much business as an Avon rep. that she had
people calling her and knocking at her door wanting to order
products at all hours of the day and night! Once you are an
established Avon representative, you, too, will turn a good
profit.


CONCLUSION:
On your search for the ideal home based business, try not to get
caught up in any scams that will run off with your money. There
are thousands of scam artists out there just waiting for the
next sucker to come along. Remember, if it sounds too good to be
true, then it probably is. Just use your good judgement and
invest wisely in proven methods of earning extra income.

Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website
Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In
Massive Residual Profits. Get Details And Signup Today At:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-6169

Medical Transcription - marketing with signs

Sign On Your Car

As our cities sprawl with growth each year, many of us find ourselves commuting ever longer distances to work. Long commutes in slow traffic are making signs on automobiles an effective low-cost way to advertise.

You can use magnetic signs, window stickers, or have yourmessage painted on the side of your car, van, or tuck. Check the Yellow Pages for a printer, sign company, or banner maker who can provide your signs.

Online check:
http://www.signsquick.com
http://www.goldsword.com/signtech/samples.html

Because we tend to drive along with the same clump of cars for significant distances, people can see your sign for 15 to20 minutes. Your signs can work as a prolonged highway infomercial.

An old media trick is to number your vehicles. One station had two vans: number 3 and number 7. People thought they had a whole fleet.

Kevin Nunley provides marketing and copy writing. Read all his free tips at http://DrNunley.com Reach Kevin at kevin@drnunley.com or 603-249-9519.

Medical Transcription - Business Resources

Government Resources

There is a wealth of information available on the Internet about starting and operating a business from home. In addition to web sites, these organizations have local branches that can tell you what licenses and permits you need in your town. Here are some useful web sites.

Small Business Administration
http://www.sba.gov
800-827-5722

The SBA's Online Women's Business Center
http://www.onlinewbc.org

Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
http://www.score.org
800-827-5722

Medical Transcription - 6 Amazing Secrets

6 Amazing Secrets To Work At Home Success
By Vernette Carbon

Are you a stay at home mom or dad who would like to work from home? Maybe you have a job outside the home, but you're tired of juggling your job and your kids, especially when your child is sick and needs you.

You'd like to work from home, but it seems as though there are no legitimate jobs out there. You don't really want to start a home-based business from scratch, but would love to work from home.

Well let me tell you a little secret, knowledge is power. And there are 15 strategies you must apply if you want to be successful in landing a work at home job or contract These 15 strategies will definitely help you beat out your competition.

Let me share with you 6 of the 15 strategies I've used and continue to use to increase my chances of obtaining home-based jobs and contracts over and over again.

1. You Must Acquire A Specialized Skill The secret to landing a home-based job or independent contract and keeping it forever is to acquire a specialized skill, or start a career in a field that is completely recession proof and in high demand but has a low supply of skilled workers.

For instance, people will always get sick. So therefore doctors will always need Medical transcriptionists. Another example; companies will always have quarterly meetings and will always need general transcriptionists to transcribe reports, minutes, etc.

If you lose your home-based job today, you can apply for another one tomorrow and land another job within a week or two. How am I so sure about this? Well I've done it over and over again as a general transcriptionist, and Cyber Agent (Call Center Customer Service Rep) for the past five and a half years. The jobs and independent contracts in these fields are in abundance.

As an example, let's look at Medical Transcriptionist. Just go to your search engine and type in the keywords, "Medical Transcription Companies." You will see hundreds of medical transcription companies listed. Just visit a few of the web sites and check to see if there's an "employment," "Career," "Join us," "Contact," etc., tab on the web site. I'm sure you'll find several job openings.

2. Don't work at home for the wrong reasons.

Too many people want to work at home for the wrong reasons. Never tell an employer that you want to work at home because you need to spend more time with your children. That will certainly seem selfish to an employer, and you would never get hired. Most employers don't care whether you want to stay at home with your children or not. Wanting to work from home to spend more time with your children is not really a wrong reason, but in an employer's mind it is.

Why not look at it this way; working from home would enable you to be more productive in the sense that you would not miss work when your children are sick. Also if some other family issues arise you can take care of it without calling in sick. Wouldn't this be more beneficial to the employer instead of saying you want to work at home to spend more time with the kids?

3. Be Professional At All Times

When applying for a home-based job, never respond to an ad via email stating, "I'm interested in the work-at-home (data entry) position." This is quite unprofessional. Once you find a home-based job vacancy, apply by sending your cover letter and resume, or fill out an online application.

If the employer didn't ask for a cover letter in the job vacancy ad, please send one anyway. Never send a resume without a cover letter. It will get thrown in the trash. Please customize each cover letter with information tailored to that specific job advertisement.

4. Never Send Your Resume As An Attachment Unless The ad States That You Can Do So

The hiring manager might never open the attachment. Also, never copy and paste your resume into the body of your email and send it to an employer. It will change format by the time it reaches to the employer, and will look like a jumbled mess. You must create an ASCII/Plain Text resume and cover letter. For more information on how to do this please visit the following web sites, http://resume.monster.com/dosanddonts/email/Index.asp or http://www.eresumeiq.com/ABC.html.

5. Follow Instructions

When responding to a job vacancy announcement please make sure you follow the ad instructions. If the ad asks for specific information please do exactly as it says. For instance, if the ad says, please describe home office equipment, make sure you mention in your cover letter exactly what equipment you have in your home office.

I was once commended by an employer for being the only job applicant, out of

hundreds to actually follow the specific instructions in the job ad. I was hired for this home-based job mainly because I followed instructions, not because I was more qualified than all the other applicants.

6. Reduce Your Job Search Time Finding a job using the Internet can be a frustrating, time-consuming endeavor because there are literally 1000's of job boards and work at home resources. And don't forget the Job newsgroups and the regional newspapers.

To be current on this information is essential. Let YourJobSearcher do the work for you. This software is not only for 9-5 job searches. You can use it to find telecommuting jobs also. All you have to do is download and install your Job Search Program, enter your job description (home-based job title you desire), click and begin the search. It's that easy.

Vernette Carbon is the owner-publisher of AmazingWorkatHomeSecrets.com, and a work at home mom with two children. Discover how you can work at home for Fortune- 500 companies like Office Depot, Sears, etc. To obtain a free report sent to your email immediately visit: http://www.AmazingWorkathomeSecrets.com/intro_new.html or send a blank email to mailto:carbonv@getresponse.com

Medical Transcription - Start an At-Home 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 - Planning for Profits

Plan Your Business for Profits
by Leva Duell
Copyright: 2005

Most businesses fail to plan for success. Knowing your customers, and uniqueness are the first steps to developing a successful business. Follow these steps to position your business for profits.

Step 1: Define Your Ideal Customers, Their Needs and Concerns

Many businesses are trying to attract everybody. Don't make this mistake. Your business will be more profitable when focusing on your ideal prospects who are likely to buy your products or services. Ask the following questions to create a profile of your ideal customers.

- Who are your customers?
- Who wants or needs your products or services?
- What is the age range, gender, profession, industry, income level, and education of your ideal customers?
- What are your customers' needs, wants, and concerns?
- What problems can you solve for your customers?
- What is the common denominator of your customers?
- What information do they want?
- Are most of your customers computer literate? Will they look for products or services like yours on the Web?

After defining your ideal customers, target your sales copy, sales materials, web design and web content directly to them.

Tell right away what you offer and what's in it for them. If they don't read further, they were not prospects. Attract your target audience with a benefit-oriented headline and provide valuable, useful, and interesting information your prospects are interested in.

If you are targeting seniors, make your text large. If your prospects are accountants, use a conservative design. Make your design colorful for children. Avoid video and sound on your web site if your clients have slow computers and Internet connections.

Step 2: Demonstrate Your Uniqueness

Emphasize your uniqueness to stand out from your competition. Attract your audience with a benefit that is different from your competitors. What is your distinct advantage? What separates you from your competition? What is distinctive about your offer?

Answer these questions to help you formulate your uniqueness.

- Why should prospects buy from you instead of your competitors?
- What are the most important benefits or results your customers will achieve from your products or services?
- What do you do better than anyone else? Do you possess hard-to-find or specialized expertise?
- Do you offer a free consultation, initial visit, analysis, or better advice?
- What makes your products or services better, unique, or more desirable than your competitors?
- Do you have the lowest prices or the highest quality products in your industry?
- Do you provide the fastest service, the strongest guarantee, longest hours, or better follow up?
- Do you keep customers informed with newsletters or information hotlines?

Determine what makes your business unique. Then emphasize your uniqueness to make your sales materials and web site stand out and set you apart from your competition.

Plan your business for profits. Determine who your ideal audience is and what makes your business unique. Only after implementing these steps are you ready to start developing your sales materials and web content.

-------------------------------------------------
You can reprint this article on your web site if you include this Resource Box:
Looking for typing work at home? Start a secretarial business. The Secretarial-Business-in-a-Box provides instant tools you need to start and run a successful secretarial service. F*ree articles and business start-up newsletter at http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com.
-------------------------------------------------

Medical Transcription - Tips for Success for Small Businesses

Success Tips for Small Business Owners
By Lorraine Pirihi


Running a small business requires many skills. However, to do this successfully you need to organize yourself first. Avoid procrastination - read the following and take action.

Successful Small Business Owners Look After Themselves First

Exercise regularly, eat healthily and be around positive people. Feed your mind by attending personal development courses. Read self-help and motivational books, listen to tapes. Stress management levels will be much more effective when you look after yourself.

Do the right thing by yourself and you'll have heaps of energy, be motivated, have more balance in your life which in turn will help you be more productive and successful.

Successful Small Business Owners Clean out the Clutter Regularly

You will save yourself heaps of time, energy and money if you clear out your work and home environment…paperwork, books, old equipment etc. You'll be able to find things, save money because you won't have to buy what you already have hidden somewhere, plus you'll be less stressed. Organize your office and your small business premises regularly…keep the clutter out. Eliminating clutter will help you to avoid procrastination. It's too easy to avoid getting things done if you are overwhelmed with clutter.

Successful Small Business Owners Use the Right Tools

It's no good having the latest whiz-bang computer when the desk that you sit at is too small to accommodate it, or the chair has poor back support, or the lighting is dull causing you eyestrain and fatigue. All these factors heavily influence how you work. Invest in a decent desk, purchase a desk lamp or change the light globes.

Don't avoid the warning signs your body gives you. Take action now before you have eye, back or neck problems.

Successful Small Business Owners Use a Diary or Digital organiser

With so much to organize in your small business, you need to record your appointments and things to do and goals somewhere. Preferably in a paper diary or digital organiser that you can take everywhere. This is the most effective way to get things done, plan your work and your life. Balance is extremely important. Top achievers are great at time management (even if they have to pay someone else to organize them).

Successful Small Business Owners Learn to say "No"

To dramatically improve your productivity and do more of the things you want, you have to be firm with others and let them know if you cannot, will not or are unavailable to fulfil their requests. If you constantly say "yes" to everyone else's requests you will never have the time to do what you really want to.

Book yourself into a self-assertiveness course to learn these skills if you feel you need to.

Successful Small Business Owners Do What They Do Best and Delegate the Rest

See what tasks you can delegate tasks which would suit someone else's talents. Many small business owners are spending heaps of time on mundane secretarial tasks which would take a person who is trained in that area a quarter of the time to undertake. Stress management is an important part of running your small business. Reduce the stress by delegating or outsourcing wherever you can.

Use a bookkeeper, personal assistant or virtual assistant. Always ask yourself, who else can I get to do this? Use your time management to focus on what you do best.

Successful Small Business Owners Only Have Meetings if Necessary

Make sure the meetings you organize in your small business are relevant and run effectively. Avoid procrastination - always make sure there is an outcome and all actions are followed through.

The Final Word

By following these simple yet very effective time management tips for small business owners you will have more control over your work and your life. You'll have more balance, experience less stress and be more proactive.

Avoid procrastination…take action today!

About The Author

Lorraine Pirihi is Australia's Personal Productivity Specialist and Leading Life Coach. Her business The Office Organiser specialises in showing small business owners and managers, how to get organised at work so they can have a life! Lorraine is also a dynamic speaker and has produced many products including "How to Survive and Thrive at Work!" To subscribe to her free ezine visit www.office-organiser.com.au

Medical Transcription Education Center, Inc. - Learn And Work From Home

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Medical Transcription - EMR and SOAP Notes

Finding an EMR System that can Handle Medical Transcription SOAP Notes
By Joe Miller

Searching for the Right EMR Solution

The electronic medical record, or EMR, is a standard electronic database solution used by medical practices and medical service providers. The EMR solution technology effectively manages medical histories, records, and notes; however, all EMR solutions are not created equal. Before adopting an EMR solution, medical practices and medical service providers must search for the EMR solution that meets their specific needs. Two important needs common to most medical practices and medical service providers include medical transcription and SOAP note management.

Sifting through EMR Software

The best way to find what you’re looking for is to "begin with the end in mind," as Steven R. Covey says. Companies may have a small staff, or they may still be using a transcription machine. A practice may need more security, more automation, and better control of SOAP notes or other medical transcription information. In order to find what you need, you need to list them out. The list may look similar to this:

Medical Transcription and SOAP Note Management
Document Scanning Attachments
Customized Data Fields
Medicare or Medicaid Billing Software
Procedure Code (HCFA 1500 forms, CPT code books, ICD.9 codes)
Medical Billing Software
Medical Billing Specialist Support
Diagnosis Code Directory

Finding the right EMR Online

Search engines are one of the most popular tools for finding the software you need, but finding the right EMR online presents its own challenges. For example, typing "EMR system" into any of the big three search engines will yield results similar to the following, which I looked up the day I posted this article: Google 566,000; Yahoo 547,000; MSN 242,835. This means that hundreds of thousands of indexed pages claim to have what you are looking for. So how do you sift through them all? Sometimes searches have to be narrowed by using the listed items above as a part of the search. Since medical practices and medical service providers need to control SOAP notes and medical transcription, use these terms to begin to narrow down the search.

EMR Benefits

An earlier article on EMR benefits lists characteristics of an EMR system that a medical practice or a medical service provider might enjoy with an EMR. In the Information Age of business, speed and efficiency are paramount to success. And when it comes to medical services, success is not only measured by a fiscal year but by a satisfied customer. An EMR system can make an office run smoothly, so that the customer always comes first.

Joe Miller is an online advertiser, specializing in medical software. More information on EMR and Medical Transcription, visit AdvanceMD.com.

Medical Transcription - Double your typing speed

Improve Your Typing Skills In Just Two Weeks

By John Deprice

Yes, you too can double or even triple your typing speed if you use the right tools. Here is how:

Typing Master Express:

TypingMaster Express is a personal typing trainer that helps you to acquire professional touch-typing skills. As a result you will type up to 4 times faster without errors and save dozens of valuable working hours every year. The comprehensive study material covers both the basics of touch-typing as well as advanced topics, such as the numeric keypad and ergonomics. Learning is supported by multi-form exercises, including graphical keyboard drills, instructive games and personalised review exercises.

Free Download: http://www.deprice.com/typingmasterexpress.htm

Typing Master Pro With ProTrainer

TypingMaster Pro for Windows is a personal typing trainer that helps you to acquire professional touch-typing skills. As a result you will type up to 4 times faster without errors and save dozens of valuable working hours every year. TypingMaster incorporates ProTrainer technology which analyzes your typing while you are using your word processor, email or any other Windows program. Based on this information ProTrainer creates fully tailored exercises for your current needs. This will remarkably improve your typing speed and accuracy - as quickly as in two hours.

Free Download: http://www.deprice.com/typingmasterpro.htm

Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor

Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor teaches the skill of touch typing (typing with all the fingers without looking at the keys) in an accessible step-by-step way. Ten Thumbs has received critical acclaim for its easy-to-use, step-by-step approach to learning keyboard skills. The program is suitable for learners of all ages, and is used in schools, at home, in colleges, universities and industry, including call centers and financial services organizations. Learn using full and proper QWERTY or Dvorak tuition with U.S and British keyboard support.

The rich, customizable feature set includes network support, a range of feedback options and automatic weighting of lessons to get you learning most effectively. A well rounded product with appealing visual interface, additional tips and advice and even tutorials on how to sit at your computer!

Free Download: http://www.deprice.com/tenthumbstypingtutor.htm

John Deprice owns and operates http://www.deprice.com

Medical Transcription - Ink Cartridges

The Great Ink Cartridge Conspiracy!

Buying an inkjet printer these days is no big deal. A reliable printer can be acquired very easily through a store or online for as little as $50. Some suppliers are even giving away inkjet printers on promotions or as free incentives when buying other products. On the face of it, it seems like too good an opportunity to pass by - a worthwhile investment you might say.

But, much like a traditional camera that uses film, an inkjet printer is only 'cheap' before you start using it. The cost of keeping it in ink soon mounts up, especially when you're buying OEM (original equipment manufactured) inkjet cartridges as recommended by the printer manufacturer. Before you know it you'll find that you've actually spent more on the ink cartridges than you did on the purchase of the inkjet printer itself!

If you're in this position - and let's face it, most of us are - what follows could be quite a revelation!

Five things inkjet printer manufacturers DON'T want you to know…

Inkjet printer manufacturers make their money selling ink cartridges NOT inkjet printers Selling recommended OEM ink cartridges is a very lucrative business for inkjet printer manufacturers. They know that once you've purchased the printer you'll be coming back to them time and time again to buy the ink that they recommend in the user guide and any other literature that accompanies the printer.

Fair enough you might say, but given that the price of manufacturing an OEM ink cartridge is only a few cents why are the cartridges so expensive?

The answer is that ink cartridges are in fact stuffed full of manufacturer profit. It is where they make their money, and is precisely why they are happy to give away an inkjet printer for nothing.

Inkjet cartridges supplied for 'free' with inkjet printers are rarely full OEM ink cartridges supplied with the printer are designed only to provide enough ink for a few pages to get you 'started'. From the manufacturer's perspective this is a great selling technique, as free cartridges can often make the difference between a retailer closing a sale or losing it…and once you've got the printer the manufacturer is going to make money out of you every time you order more OEM ink! Supplying ink cartridges that are not full shortens the timeframe over which consumers start ordering OEM ink cartridges too. This brings the manufacturer into profit on each customer much more quickly than had they supplied full cartridges for free with the printer.

Consumers have a choice about which inkjet cartridges to buy It's true! Contrary to popular belief consumers are not obliged to purchase expensive OEM ink cartridges from the manufacturer. They can in fact opt to buy cheaper 'compatible' ink cartridges or remanufactured cartridges, often realizing savings on their ink purchase of between 50% and 75%!! All major inkjet cartridge brands are covered, including Apple, Canon, Hewlett Packard, Lexmark, Brother, Epson, IBM and Xerox. What's more they do the job just as well as OEM cartridges but at a much lower cost!

Compatible inkjet cartridges DO NOT automatically void a printer's warranty Regardless of what you might have heard compatible inkjet cartridges WILL NOT automatically void your printer warranty. In fact, it is ILLEGAL for manufacturers in the United States & Canada to claim that using compatible cartridges will automatically void your printer warranty. For more details on this go to http://www.prontoink.com/?T=Info&ID=printer_warranties

You can make money by reselling compatible ink cartridges

The market for compatible ink cartridges is continually expanding. More and more consumers are choosing to switch to compatible inks that offer the same print quality at half the cost of OEM cartridges. This creates the opportunity for business-minded individuals to make money through affiliate reselling programs as well as save money on their ink cartridge purchases.

Having read this do you feel like you've been hoodwinked by the big boys? Well, it's now time to stand up for your rights! You no longer have to line the pockets of multi-nationals when buying ink cartridges. Think 'compatible ink' and save yourself hundreds of dollars each year on the cost of running your printer.

http://www.prontoink.comis/ an international supplier of inkjet & laser cartridges based in Midland, Texas. Resellers should visit http://www.prontoink.com/incomeop/

Meedical Transcription - Starting a Home Business

Starting a Home Business
by Mary Evans

In these days, it's becoming increasingly difficult to make ends meet with just one source of income. Thus, more and more people are investigating the possibilities of starting their own extra-income business. Most of these part-time endeavors are started and operated from the comfort and privacy of the home.

Most of these people are making the extra money they need. Some have wisely and carefully built these extra income efforts into full-time, very profitable businesses. Others are just keeping busy, having fun, and enjoying life as never before. The important thing is that they are doing something other than waiting for the government to give them a handout; they are improving their lot in life, and you can do it, too!

The fields of mail order selling, multi-level marketing, and in-home party sales have never been more popular. If any of these kinds of extra income producing ideas appeal to you, then you owe it to yourself to check them out. But these aren't the only fields of endeavor you can start and operate from home, with little or no investment, and learn as you go.

If you type, you can start a home-based typing service; if you have a truck or have access to a trailer, you can start a clean-up/hauling service. Simply collecting old newspapers from your neighbors can get you started in the paper recycling business. More than a few enterprising housewifes have found success and fortune by starting home and/or apartment cleaning services. If you have a yard full of flowers, you can make good extra money by supplying fresh cut flowers to restaurants and offices in your area on a regular basis. You might turn a ceramics hobby into a lucrative personalized coffee mug business. What I'm saying is that in reality, there's literally no end to the ways you can start and operate a profitable extra income business from your home.

The first thing you must do, however, is some basic market research. Find out for yourself, first-hand, just how many people there are in your area who are interested in your proposed product or service, and would be "willing to stand in line and pay money for it". This is known as defining your market and pinpointing your customers. If after checking around, talking about your idea with a whole lot of people over a period of one to three months, you get the idea that these people would be paying customers, your next effort should be directed toward the "detailing" of your business plan. The more precise and detailed your plan - covering all the bases relating to how you'll do everything that needs to be done - the easier it's going to be for you to attain success. Such a plan should show you start-up investment needs, your advertising plan, your production costs and procedure, your sales program, and how your time will be allocated. Too often, enthusiastic and ambitious entrepreneur jump in on an extra income project and suddenly find that the costs are beyond their abilities, and the time requirements more than they can meet. It pays to lay it all out on paper before you get involved, and the clearer you can "see" everything before you start, the better your chances for success.

Now, assuming you've got your market targeted, you know who your customers are going to be and how you're going to reach them with your product or service. And you have all your costs as well as time requirements itemized. The next step is to set your plan in motion and start making money.

Here is the most important "secret" of all, relating to starting and building a profitable home-based business, so read very carefully. Regardless of what kind of business you start, you must have the capital and the available time to sustain your business through the first six months of operation. Specifically, you must not count on receiving or spending any money coming in from your business on yourself or for your bills during those first six months. All the income from your business during those first six months should be reinvested in your business in order for it to grow and reach your planned first year potential.

Once you've passed that first six months milestone, you can set up a small monthly salary for yourself, and begin enjoying the fruits of your labor. But the first six months of operation for any business are critical, so do not plan to use any of the money you business generates for yourself during that period.

If you've got your business plan properly organized, and have implemented the plan, you should at the end of your first year be able to begin thinking about hiring other people to alleviate some of your workload. Remember this: Starting a successful business is not a means towards either a job for yourself or a way to keep busy. It should be regarded as the beginning of an enterprise that will grow and prosper, with you as the top dog. Eventually, you'll have other people doing all the work for you, even running the entire operation, while you vacation in the Bahamas or Hawaii and collect or receive regular income from your initial efforts.

For more details on market research, business planning, advertising, selling, order fulfillment, and other aspects of home-based businesses, check with your library or book store.

MARY S. EVANS
mary-evan7@excite.com
COPYWRITER/EDITOR/CREATIVE MEDIA CONSULTANT

Medical Transcription - Marketing

Marketing is a big subject. It's complex and often misunderstood.We often try to avoid those marketing people because they annoy like anything to promote their products.After all they are fighting for their livelihood. I feel pity for them.

If we accept that every organization has customers or clients -- a public to serve -- then there has to be marketing. Without marketing your public won't be aware of your service or products and you won't have a market. Without a market you won't have a business.

Read the rest of the article here.

Word Processing

Word Processing: "6 Ways to Keep Your Word Documents Organized
If you spend a lot of time searching for your Word documents, then this guide is a must read. Find out what you can do to take the stress out of finding your documents and take control of your hard drive."

Medical Transcription:Price Adjustment Strategies / Pricing tactics

Product Pricing Strategies more...


Medical Transcription

Medical Transcription:How To Get Clients To Take Immediate Action

Create a sense of urgency and get your clients to want what you have now!

Are you tired of excuses? Looking for a persuasion technique to get people to take immediate action? Are prospects saying things to you like: "I'll think it over and get back to you?" "I need to talk it over with my wife." "Call me next week and we'll set up an appointment."

Then create a sense of urgency and get your clients to want what you have now!

The first step in getting people to take immediate action is for them to perceive your product or service as being in demand or in limited supply. People want what is "hot"right now.

Psychologists have proven, people find more value in things they have a difficult time obtaining. If you're told you can't have something, you want it even more. Infomercials tell you that if you call now they will give you another one free or knock $20 of the original price. Shopping networks use a time limit or tell you they only have so many left. Marketers know how to create a sense of urgency.

Have you noticed when you are starving for new business you have an attitude that you would do anything to get business. You make promises you normally wouldn't make. You're practically on your knees begging them to do business with you. You can feel it and so can your customers. They see the look in your eyes and hear the tone of your voice and will do anything to get rid of you. People figure if you're desperate for business then you must not be any good, because if you were you would be inhigh demand. People want to do business with successful people.How do you put this persuasion technique in action and create a sense of urgency?

First, don't be so accessible.

Make it difficult for people to get an appointment with you. What I mean is, don't say I can do it any day this week. Instead use a more persuasive technique by saying, I'm very busy this week, however, I might be able to squeeze you in.

Give them a deadline.

If people think they have unlimited time to make a decision about your product or service they will stall and procrastinate.

Set a time limit for your offer and stick to it.

Be selective about who you work with. Set standards for the type of client you are willing to work with. You will give people the impression that you are busy and that you don't work with just any one. Some people will even go out of their way to conform to your standards to work with you.

Use the persuasive technique of "take away selling".

What I mean is say something like, I'm not sure that our product is right for you. Or maybe our service isn't the right match for your company. Remember, people want what they can't have. By taking it away from them they will search for reasons why they want it now.

Creating a sense of urgency in sales is a win - win for both you and the client. For the client it helps to move them to make a decision to buy something they wantedanyway. For you, it means more sales and the sense of accomplishment for moving people to make a decision that will benefit them.

Jim Klein is the owner of From The Heart Sales Training. He helps sales professionals attract new clients andgenerate an abundance of referrals so they can increase their income and enjoy life more. Get Free Sales Training here. Sign up for our ezine "The Sales Advisor". more...


Medical Transcription

Medical Transcription:How to Present Products Persuasively

When you meet people for the first time and introduce yourself, what do you usually say? If you're like most people, you might say: "Hi, my name is Michel Fortin and I'm a marketing consultant" or "my name is John Doe, I sell vitamins on the Internet" (or whatever it is you do).

These are called elevator speeches. But if we examine these typical elevator speeches a little closer, you can see how such introductions will be easily forgotten if not ignored.

Think about it. How often do you easily forget the name of someone who has introduced herself to you? Therefore, if you are introducing yourself in that way, your statement will be easily forgotten because it will not create lasting top-of-mind awareness and, more important, interest in you or your business. As my mother used to say, such introductions will only go "in one ear and out the other." They don't stick. They don't say much. They don't offer compelling enough reasons -- specific pieces of information -- that generate desire.

Why is that? In memory management, they say that you should use mental association in order to memorize names. More important, they say that you should attach emotion to your associations, for emotions help to hook words into the mind. Psychologists often say that emotional events are the ones lodged most deeply in a person's consciousness.

For example, if I asked you to tell me about your childhood you will most likely talk about the times when you felt happy, sad, or mad. These events are solidly etched in your mind.

Normally, a person's name and work are often not associated with emotions. On the other hand, those that are presented in such a way that emotions are tied to them will have made an impact and are easily remembered, even years later. They are laced with meaning. They mean something at a deeper level. There is some sort of personal significance behind them. As such, using emotion in your introduction or product presentation is the key.

Stick Like a Stain

In order to help you, ask yourself some key questions, like: "Why should people buy from me?" "Why should they even listen to what I have to say?" And better still, "Why should they even remember me at all?" Above all, the key question is: "What emotions does my business or product invoke in the minds of my site's visitors?" The answer to all of these is benefits.

On the Internet, benefits are vital, for the Internet lacks humaness let alone emotion. If I asked you to name the last ten web sites you visited, your mind will probably go blank -- unless those sites have communicated benefits that were important to you specifically in some way.

Additionally, how many times have you stumbled onto a website that was confusing, boring, inappropriate to your search or lacking compelling reasons for you to stay? You probably clicked out of these sites faster than you can say the word "click."Of course, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression!"

Good introductions are not only meant to get acquainted but also to persuade let alone to have the people you've just met easily remember you, especially in a positive way. And this goes for the people who visited your web site for the first time. A web site that introduces your product or business in a way that communicates clear, specific and cogent benefits will stick in visitors' minds. Not only will your site be more successful but also will be visited more often.Web sites that are remembered are usually the ones that made an impact, be it good or bad.

In one of my previous articles, you learned that people will remember the stain on your shirt more than your name, business, product, or presentation. People hate making bad decisions, so they are constantly on the lookout for key points that can help justify their rationale -- it's just human nature.

On the other hand, however, you can use this to your advantage by stressing key benefits right from the start.

Humdrum to Humdinger

Don't just give a plain name and title introduction. Use your company name, tagline and a short description of what your site is all about. More important, this description should include the benefits you provide and not just the activities you perform, the products you sell or the services you offer. Get rid of that "welcome to" or "this site is dedicated to (product name)." Give benefits right away, even in the title or headline. Not only will such an introduction arouse interest but it will also make your web site stick in the mind.Visitors will stay on your site longer, respond to your offer more favorably, remember you when the need occurs, refer you to others when the opportunity presents itself, or talk about you openly especially when a related subject is discussed.

Here are some examples. Instead of "My name is Dr. John Doe and I'm a certified plastic surgeon," say "Dr. John Doe, Lifestyle Enhancement Specialist, helps to profoundly impact the quality of people's lives through positive and lasting changes in their appearance." The difference is obvious.

Here are some more. If you're a computer consultant specializing in network solutions, don't say: "My name is Elaine Wilson. This site is dedicated to computer network services." Instead, say: "Network Magic! This site is dedicated to helping corporations relieve their computer network headaches."

Don't say: "Jack Vidoli, management consultant specializing in accounting." Rather, say: "Knack with Knumbers! Jack Vidoli specializes in helping firms save time and money by drastically simplifying their accounting systems."

Go Benefits or Go

BustHaving a superior company or a better product will not work for you in the long run. Benefits will. People perceive a company as superior, not by its better qualities but by its benefits -- the specific benefits it brings to any one person. People are astonishingly attracted to benefits, consciously or unconsciously. Therefore, your most marketable competitive edge should be your main, core benefit. As Theodore Levitt said, "What people are buying are not quarter-inch drills but quarter-inch holes."

Your site must immediately communicate the end-result -- the main benefit that you offer your visitors.

What the product brings to the customer specifically is more important than what it has or does, or even how it is better than the others. To help you differentiate between features, advantages and benefits, do the following:

Take a series index cards and write down a feature of your site or product on each one (i.e., what it has). Below it, write down the feature's relative advantage (i.e., what it does). On the back of the card, write down the benefit (i.e., what it brings). When you describe your product online, refer to your cards. Remember that each and every feature you describe should be immediately followed by its equivalent benefit.

Here's an example. A site sells web hosting services. A feature is the fact that it uses multiple servers. A relative advantage would be that a customer's site will be up 99% of the time. The benefits would be added convenience, less time and hassle, more flexibility, increased peace of mind, greater control, etc. In short, benefits are emotions associated with the feature -- emotions that help to anchor the feature more profoundly in the mind.

Nevertheless, you can tell people what you do. But don't tell them how you do it -- at least, not right away. Tell them why you do it and what that means to them specifically, at an intimate level. Remember, people don't buy products.

They buy what products do for them. They buy results.

Michel Fortin is a direct response copywriter, author, speaker and consultant. His specialty are long copy sales letters and websites. Watch him rewrite copy on video each month, and get tips and tested conversion strategies proven to boost response in his membership site at http://TheCopyDoctor.com/ today. more...


Medical Transcription

Medical transcription - starting a medical transcription business

Below are some of the tasks involved in starting a 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 medical transcription service to check what steps you'll need to take next.

* * * * * * * * * *

Resources

Get free business cards at Vista Print. Click here for more information.

Shop Office Depot for Customized Business Cards, Stationery, and More!

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Medical Transcription:Niche And Grow Rich

Unless you've been living under an Internet rock, you've probably heard the buzz about Niche Marketing. Right now it's the hottest marketing topic online.

Is it a new concept?
Well on the Internet maybe, but if like me, you've been involved in direct response marketing in the 'Bricks and Mortar' world then it isn't - that's the way we've done things since time immemorial.

So what's this Niche Marketing thing all about?If you have ever taken Marketing 101 then you'll have heard of the old marketing adage : "Find a need and fill it" - that's what "Niche Marketing" is all about. Finding a "focussed" group of people, with a specialized interest, eager to buy (The Niche) and promoting a suitable product or service to all those interested in buying it (Marketing).

Let me give you a few examples of these Niches :Recipes Golf Fishing Health and Fitness Travel Collectibles Dating Dog TrainingS atellite TV Beauty Tips AstrologyG ourmet Foods...... the list just goes on and on and these are just the main headings, there are niches within each of these niches ...

Think of a subject and there's likely a niche market for it...But the name of the game is to find a "tightly focused" niche. The reason for this that if you target a general market the competition is fierce and it's hard, if not impossible, for the little guy to get a foothold. When you narrow down the size of the market you eradicate most of the heavy hitters with bottomless advertising budgets, because these guys aren't interested in making a few thousand bucks a year from these tiny specialized markets, they're after millions from mass markets...... And let's face it if you're a little guy you simply can't be everything to everybody, so you must pick a specific focus (Niche) for your business.

For example don't target "Fishing", instead target "Fishing Baits" or "Fishing Lures" both of which have a much more specific focus......Get the idea?

Once you narrow down the size of the market you have an automatic advantage over larger companies. Here's why: You can quickly become an expert in your niche (if you're not already)It's easier to keep current with a narrowly focussed market niche You can respond faster to changes in the market. You can build close relationships with key customers that will be hard to compete against.

By now you're probably wondering about the mechanics of this niche marketing stuff. In a nutshell here's how it works:

Find and research profitable niche markets
Locate or develop suitable products/services to market
Set up a web site to market the products/services
Establish a marketing system that works for you
Repeat the process over and over again with a different niche each time.

Imagine having a niche site producing one sale a day at say $20. That's $7300 a year - how many sites could you set up and run 10, 20 ....?

Before you get too excited, I have a word of caution for you :Niche marketing is not a magic bullet. It isn't a matter of putting up a web site and then sitting back and waiting for the money to roll in - "build it and they will come" may have worked for Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams, but it doesn't work that way on the Internet - if you do that you'll be waiting a long time.

If you want a successful niche business, you have to work at it just like any other business - if you're prepared to put in the effort though the rewards can be significant.

André Anthony owns and operates Niche Market Know-How a resource for beginning Niche Marketers. Visit http://www.nichemarketknowhow.com today to find strategies, tips, tools, products and resources for effective niche product creation and marketing and get his Niche Market Know-how Mini Course: http://www.nichemarketknowhow.com/course.htm more...


Medical Transcription

Medical Transcription:7 Tips to Make a Fantastic Impression

Making a fabulous impression on people opens doors for your business, personal, and career endeavors. People like charming people who make them feel comfortable. So, making a fantastic impression helps you get where you want to go.

The basic rule to make a great impression is this: Humans crave to be around people who seem similar to themselves. The key word is seems. Everyone differs from other people in hundreds of ways. However, you get along with people you seem similar to you in interests, feelings, experiences, or goals. You can put these techniques into action to help people feel you seem similar to them and, as a result, make a wonderful impression.

1st Technique: Forget the “Golden Rule”Since people crave to be around people who seem similar to themselves, avoid wasting time on the “Golden Rule” fantasy suggesting, “Treat people as you want to be treated.” People do not want to be treated the way you want to be treated!Instead, treat other people the way they like being treated. You make a stellar impression by focusing on their likes, not yours.

2nd Technique: Use the Other Person’s Interpersonal StylePeople interact using four interpersonal styles, as follows:1. Results-Focused: “Quickly tell me the time, not how to build a clock!!”

2. Detail-Focused: “Slowly tell me how to build a clock, slowly leading up to what time it is.”

3. Friendly-Focused: “First, I’ll tell you about my family and weekend. Then, let’s discussyours. Then, let’s gossip. Then, let’s discuss work.”

4. Partying-Focused: “Wanna hear another joke? Let’s PARTY!!”Remember: Humans crave to be around people who seem similar to themselves. So, with a results-focused person, act fast-paced and results-focused. To impress a detail-focused person, tell “how to build the clock,” not what time it is.

3rd Technique: MirrorMirroring proves incredibly subtle, powerful, and physical. It helps the person instinctively feel comfortable with you.

How? You mirror – make yourself seem similar to – the person’s1. Body language2. Vocal style3.

Attire

To impress someone who sits straight, you sit straight with that person. If the person speaks slowly, then you do likewise. And dress as formally or informally as the person you want to impress.

4th Technique: Listen Attentively

This tale illustrates the importance of listening well. A man decided to divorce his wife. His lawyer asked, “Did you love your wife?” The man replied, “I would have left her, but I was hesitant before.”Then, the lawyer asked, “Why do you want to leave her?” The man said, “We have lots of trees around our house, but I rake up the leaves myself.”The lawyer asked, “Is she mean?” The man answered, “ I stopped eating red meat.” Then, the lawyer inquired, “Does she do housework? Does she take out garbage?” The man responded, “We have a two-car garage.”

Finally, the man felt frustrated, because he failed to understand the point of the lawyer’s questions, so he blurted, “You’re a lawyer. Ask me useful questions about my lousy marriage?” So, the lawyer asked, “Why do you want to divorce?” The man replied, “Because we can’t communicate!” This story shows, in extreme fashion, that many conversations actually are two simultaneous monologues.

To make a great impression, listen well using these tactics:
1. Paraphrase or repeat ideas the person said
2. Ask questions
3. Take notes

5th Technique: Artful Vagueness

Prospective clients, who wanted to use my consulting, told me their business problems. Using my expertise with similar problems, I gave my recommendation. They kept telling me they did not like my recommendation. But I knew my recommendation would solve their business problems. The more I said I was right and they were wrong, the more they defended their viewpoint. Suddenly, I realized I did not make them feel comfortable enough. But, I could not agree with them, since they were wrong. So, I listened again to their ideas. Then I said, “I’ve listened carefully to how you want to do this project. That’s an idea.”At the same time, I thought to myself – but did not say it – “That’s a stupid idea.”What did they think? They apparently interpreted “That’s an idea” as me agreeing with them, although I had not. Actually, anything anyone says is “an idea.” This technique is called artful vagueness.

You can get out of uncomfortable jams using these artfully vague phrases:
1. “That’s an idea.”
2. “You’ve got a point.”
3. “You may be right.”

6th Technique: Use Everyone’s Favorite Word

Imagine a time you heard someone shout your name. I bet you spun around to see who called your name. We are drawn to people who say our names. My research comparing high-achievers and underachievers revealed high-achievers used the name of the person they spoke to one or more time in each conversation. In contrast, underachievers used the name of the person they encountered less than half the time. This means high-achievers use the name of people they talk with much more than underachievers. You can do what high-achievers do.

7th Technique: Compliments

While studying high-achievers and underachievers, I discovered an amazing difference. High-achievers gave an average of three compliments per day. However, underachievers seldom gave compliments. What an intriguing difference you can use to your advantage!Some people say these seven charm school techniques are “selling out.” But, a French saying puts it in perspective: “A car can go as far on square wheels as it can go on round wheels. The difference is that on round wheels the ride is much smoother.” Go through your life on round wheels!

Michael Mercer, Ph.D., is a conference speaker and consultant with The Mercer Group, Inc. in Barrington, Illinois. Dr. Mercer created the widely used “Abilities & Behavior Forecaster™” pre-employment tests, you can view at http://www.MercerSystems.com He authored 5 books, including “How Winners Do It: High Impact People Skills for Your Success” and also “Hire the Best -- & Avoid the Rest™”. You can subscribe to Dr. Mercer’s free e-Newsletter at http://www.DrMercer.com You can call him at (847) 382-0690. more...


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Medical Transcription:The Choice between Yes and Yes: A Psychological Revelation

Three year old Kara was throwing a tantrum. She didn't want to go to bed, of that she was certain."Do you want to brush with the red or blue toothpaste?" her dad asked gently. "Blue," she says, glad to be given the opportunity to make a decision. Ten minutes later, Kara was well tucked up, wondering when she'd agreed to go to bed in the first place.

You laugh at the story, don't you? The method used to get Kara into bed seems a bit like trickery. And who am I to say that it's not? Yet I want you to pay attention to one thing.

Kara was glad to be given a choice between yes and yes. Your clients are not much different

Clients come to you every single day asking you to give them a choice. A choice between yes and yes. Instead all you're giving them is a choice between yes and no. Mah friend, your bank account will see far better days if only you'd step back, and use the immense power of the choice between yes and yes. Of course, you don't have to believe that this choice factor works. You don't have to believe your sales will go up. All you have to see is proof.

So in the article below I'll demonstrate the psychological factor of choice.How it can work for you and how it can turn against you and bite you in the you-know-where.It all started on one stupid loss-making November's day...We were doing fine with the sales on our website when we made one change. I'm going to demonstrate the change in the article below so it would help for you to have the page open so you can see what I'm talking about. If you look at this page at http://www.psychotactics.com/hiddenlink.php you'll find that you get the choice to buy two packages.

One is the copy of the Brain Audit and the other choice is a copy of the Brain Audit + the Brain Audit Rip. Till the middle of November, we had both the offers up. Then one ego-driven morning we decided to pull the plug on one choice. We gave customers the choice between a yes and um..NO!Almost within 24 hours, our sales started going south for no reason at all. We ignored this sickening slack for about a week. Then we looked back at what was working. And we put back the choice between yes and yes. The customer was back in choice-ville and the sales soared.

But here's the curious part Among the two packages, one has a much higher price. Yet over 97.5% of customers, when given the choice between the two packages, chose the higher priced package. The customer is no dumboNo siree.

The customer knows exactly what she wants. And when given the choice between yes and yes, she takes a decision to buy that which creates most value for her. Of course, if there's an enticement to buy, as was in this case, thenthere's a far greater likelihood of her buying the more expensive product. The customer is no dumbo...but I sure am

Think about it. If your revenue shot up. If customers were buying higher-priced products what would you logically do? Wouldn't you take the same concept and use it everywhere you could?You'd think a smart person would do that, wouldn't you? (Which is why I qualified myself at the start of this paragraph). But no! As we speak, the only product that has a choice of YES and YES is the page I've already mentioned above.

Don't stop at one point. Take the concept through it's pacesIf you're in consulting, look at the choice between yes and yes. Are you giving the customer a choice between package A and package B. Or do you offer just one package? If you're selling products, the concept of yes and yes choice stays put. And once you've found that the concept works, puh-lease don'tdo the dumbo bit. Audit every possible thing you sell. And put in a yes and yes factor. Not only will this bring you higher quantity of sales, but also an a much better price on every product/consulting assignment you do.

I said yes and yes...NOT yes and yes and yes and yesYou, me, we all crave for choice. But give us too much and we go a little waka-waka in our brains. Because choice is based on rejection. To choose the strawberry flavour ice-cream, you must mentally refuse all the other flavours.If you give a client too much to choose from, they will end up rolling their eyes, doing a RAM check and shut down their brains before you have time to do anything at all. Keep your options simple. Keep the choice between yes and yes. So that even a three-year old has no trouble choosing!

Want to find a secret library of small business ideas? Where can you find simple, yet electrifying ideas, on marketing strategy,copywriting, public speaking, sales conversion, psychological tactics and branding? Head down to http://www.psychotactics.co today and judge for yourself. Drawing on his 15+ years in communication, Sean has developed a system called Psycho Tactics. PsychoTactics unlocks the working of the human brain and radically tweaks the way you think and act about your business.


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Medical Transcription:How To Use Database Marketing To Skyrocket Your Profits

Here's some simple yet POWERFUL ideas on how to use Database Marketing to skyrocket your profits...which will have a GREAT effect on your bottom line.

Database Marketing is the gathering and storing of specific information about your prospects or customers. This information is usually stored in a database program on your computer. You would then use the information to market and advertise to them. It can save you time and money because you can target your promotional efforts to your best prospects or customers.

The Types Of Information To Collect

The information will vary depending on the product or service you'res elling. If you're selling a product that costs $2 you wouldn't collect information about their yearly income. If you're selling web space you wouldn't collect information about what type of books they read. The basic information you need would be all their contact information, purchase history, and birthday. You will need to decide what other information would benefit your business.

How To Collect This Information

It's pretty easy to collect this information online but the hard part is getting people to give it to you. The best way to collect this information is to give them something FREE in return. Ask them to fill out an e-mail survey before subscribing to your free e-zine. Tell everyone who visits your web site they will get a free e-book when they fill out your online questionnaire form. Ask them this information before they sign up for afree contest at your web site. Sometimes you have to give a little something to get a little information online.

Beneficial Uses For Your Database

Find out your customers purchasing habits. Use the information to improve the design of your web site. Use it to write all your advertising material more persuasively.Find out the things they like or dislike about your business. Use the information to target your best prospects. Find out how much money your prospects or customers make. Use it toimprove your customer service. Find out what new products or services they need or want. Use it to test ideas before launching a total sales campaign. Find out how to your improve your existing products or services. Use it to build your customer loyalty. Find out which benefits or features they like most about your productsor services. Use it to send electronic greeting cards on holidays or on your customer's birthdays.

The list of beneficial uses are endless. Do you see the importance of collecting this information? The Internet makes the process of collecting this information quicker and cheaper than offline methods. Take advantage of database marketing and watch your online profits skyrocket.

Author Dan Brown has been active in internet marketing for the past 4 years. Dan currently is working with The Paid Surveys Report, introducing a very successful paid surveys database. http://www.paidsurveysreport.com more...


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Medical Transcription:The Sales Advisor, Issue #7 -- The Most Underused and Powerful Method of Lead Generation

============================================================ Dedicated to helping sales professionals increase their income and have more time to enjoy life by providing ... more...


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Medical Transcription:The Secret to Sales Marketing Success

One concept in sales marketing that is so under used but will bring you out of sales mediocrity to fortune and fameis a Unique Selling Proposition or USP. Focusing on the USP in every advertising and marketing effort is the key to creating super successful... more...


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Medical Transcription:Target Marketing Secrets to Maximize Your Time and Income

Target marketing is one of the keys to a successful sales marketing program and an important part of your salestraining. Starting your marketing efforts without first identifying your target market is like trying to hit a target with a bow and arrow blindfolded.... more...


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Medical Transcription:A Marketing Idea Guaranteed to Increase Your

Would you like a marketing idea guaranteed to increase your sales? Would you like to stop people from shoppingyour product or service and losing business to your competition? Would you like to reduce the amount of rejection you're receiving? Would you like... more...


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Medical Transcription:11 Powerful Methods of Sales Lead Generation

Are you searching for new and innovative ways of sales lead generation? Are you lacking in sources of good quality leads? Are you tired and bored using the same methods for generating sales leads?If you answered No to these questions you're either satisfied... more...


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Medical Transcription:Discover the Secret to Personal Goal Setting Success

Continuing on the theme of goal setting, today's article Discover the Secret to Personal Goal Setting Success, will provide what's missing from the goal setting programs you've tried in the past.To Your SuccessJim KleinProfessional Sales Trainer... more...


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Medical Transcription:Two Keys to Achieving Your Goals

Goal setting is an important element of your sales training program.Read todays article "Two Keys to Achieving Your Goals" and discover the key elements of goal setting.To Your SuccessJim KleinProfessional Sales Trainer and Sales CoachFrom... more...


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Medical Transcription:New Edition of "The Sales Advisor"

Dedicated to helping sales professionals increase their income and have more time to enjoy life by providing... more...


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Medical Transcription:Taking the Right Steps to Successful Goal Setting

The foundation of any successful sales training program is goal setting. Unless you know where you are and where you want to end up, how can you assess your progress?Click Here to read todays article "Taking the Right Steps to Successful Goal Setting".... more...


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Medical Transcription:Communicating Clearly: It Often Pays to Repeat Information

A common observation of clients who're reading first drafts of the work they've ordered is that, "You said that once already, so we can take this sentence out." In fact, a certain amount of redundancy helps to get the point across. more...


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Medical Transcription:promotional marketing

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Medical Transcription:

Freelance Writing Fees: Why They Suck & What You Can Do About It!

1) A Glut of Talent: Face it, sitting at home working in our jammies is a dream many aspire to. This is why many freelance writing assignments pay so little. But, what is little? This month, we will add a success story section to InkwellEditorial.com. We are paying $25 for each submission we publish. A few wrote in to slam us, saying things like, “This is why freelancers never get rich,” to, …Author: Yuwanda Black CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE more...


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Medical Transcription:Stay-at-Home Parents

Stay-at-Home Parents

Stay-at-Home Parents find support, parenting tips, home-based business information, recipes, freebies, chat, discussion forums, and frugal living tips.

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Medical Transcription:Telecommuting Resource Center - Independent Homeworkers Alliance

Telecommuting Resource Center - Independent Homeworkers Alliance #1 Home Business 2 yrs in a row! Free work at home jobs and opportunities to Earn $3500+ p/time, $10000+ f/time with this real internet home business.

Home A comprehensive information resource for small and medium sized businesses, linked to local advice centers and relevant government websites. More.


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Medical Transcription:WAHM.com The Online Magazine for Work at Home Moms

WAHM.com The Online Magazine for Work at Home Moms WAHM.com is your source for home business information, work at home/work from home jobs, and all the support and advice a work-at-home mom (or dad). More


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Medical Transcription:Work at Home - Medical Transcription Job

Medical transcription jobs from home are gaining in popularity. Take a bird's eye view of this avenue of earning a considerable income from your home office. more...


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Medical Transcription:Home Jobs for Moms

Home jobs for moms offer an excellent opportunity to earn an additional income. Jobs for stay at home moms can range from telemarketing to transcription, freelance writing to affiliate programs. more...


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Medical Transcription:Basic Guidelines To Keeping Your Work At Home Business Legal

Basic Guidelines To Keeping Your Work-At-Home Business Legal by Montegaza Cristian http://www.work-at-home-business-dot.com

A work at home business or home business can be an exciting, challenging, and lucrative adventure. It is, however, relatively the same as any other business, and is subject to the same laws and regulations that govern any business, no matter what the size. Simply because home businesses are sometimes "one person" endeavors (especially in the beginning) does not free them from adherence to the same laws and regulations that apply to all businesses.

In order to avoid problems both in the beginning, and in the future of any home business, it is important to do some research, spend some money, and otherwise make sure that all laws and regulations at the state, local, and national levels are followed "to the letter".

Herewith follows some basic guidelines to keeping your work at home business legal, and avoiding possible aggravation and heartache in the future:

1. Call your Department of State, or other local government agency, before starting your business. All information from local government agencies is always usually free, and any required licenses such as DBA (Doing Business As, or Fictitious Name Licensing), will be fully explained, as well as Articles of Incorporation and other smaller license requirements. Usually the fees and how to obtain all necessary licensing will be explained as well in a phone call such as this.

2. Call your regional or local government office for any advice on zoning permits that may be required or space and inventory requirements, depending on the type of business.

3. Call an accountant or accounting firm. These firms are generally hugely knowledgeable about how to start and maintain a legal work at home business and will freely share this advice with others. They will in addition have a good knowledge of local requirements and tax issues.

4. Find out before starting, what tax requirements are necessary and the forms you must have on hand before beginning. These forms and requirements will depend on the type of business, number of employees (if any), etc., and are a necessary part of setting up any home-based business.

5. Call a local business chamber of commerce if possible. Other business owners can effectively impart information on other legalities, and usually do so very willingly.

All of the above require some fees, but are usually very economical means of preventing larger fines and sometimes legal action if regulations and licensing requirements are not met. Remember, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure", and this statement is no truer than when applied to a work at home business.

Montegaza Cristian is the editor of Work At Home Business Dot - A website dedicated to assist you whatever you're looking for a work at home business or need some help getting your home business started. Visit him at Medical Transcription

Medical Transcription:Medical marketing

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Medical Transcription - largest transcription service

Transcription Service Founder Named as Virginia Ernst & Young, Entrepreneur of the Year Robert Lynch of CyMed, Inc., Recognized for Profitable Growth and Service Excellence
RICHMOND, VA.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 7, 2005

--In recognition of creating the nation's third largest transcription service in marketplace filled with more than 1,500 competitors, Robert Lynch, President and CEO of CyMed, Inc. was recently honored as the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the State of Virginia.

Lynch's selection in the services category reflects the company's success in applying Six Sigma management principles to re-engineer the workflow for outsourced Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and improve the costs, quality and cycle times traditionally expected for the process. An internationally recognized speaker on Six Sigma management and author of numerous transcription re-engineering articles, Lynch has grown the 1998 start-up to now generate more than 25,000 patient records daily on behalf of their health care clients across the country.

More.

Medical Transcription - Health web sites

Health Related Web sites.

The following web sites have great information for medical transcriptionists.

If you want to become part of a clinical trial, go to VeritasMedicine.com. Veritas Medicine is a free, confidential, on line resource where you can find information on a wide range of diseases and conditions.

Over 1,300 clinical trials are available across more than 100 different diseases and condition,." says Dr. John Yee, chief medical officer for www.veritasmedicine.com

A great cancer web site is oncolink.com from the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center. It offers hard- to- find advice about the side effects of cancer therapies.

Medical Transcription:Medical Transcriptionists Jobs

Medical transcriptionists listen to dictated recordings made by physicians and other healthcare professionals and transcribe them into medical reports, correspondence, and other administrative material.

They generally listen to recordings on a headset, using a foot pedal to pause the recording when necessary, and key the text into a personal computer or word processor, editing as necessary for grammar and clarity.

The documents they produce include discharge summaries, history and physical examination reports, operative reports, consultation reports, autopsy reports, diagnostic imaging studies, progress notes, and referral letters.

Medical transcriptionists return transcribed documents to the physicians or other healthcare professionals who dictated them for review and signature, or correction. These documents eventually become part of patients’ permanent files.
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Medical Transcription: Should you consider medical transcription?

Home Medical Transcriptioin: 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. Stephen Bucaro. To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on the Web visit bucarotechelp.com. To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter visit http://bucarotechelp.com/search/000800.asp.

Start a secretarial business
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Medical Transcription: Success quotes

Consider what it takes to become an undeniable success with these sincere quotations that identify the fundamental factors necessary to triumph...

" Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other thing."
-- Abraham Lincoln

"God gave us two ends. One to sit on and one to think with. Success depends on which one you use; head you win -- tails, you lose."
-- Anonymous

"The ladder of success is best climbed by stepping on the rungs of opportunity."
-- Ayn Rand

"Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get."
-- B. R. Hayden

"Success is a journey, not a destination."
-- Ben Sweetland

"The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes."
-- Benjamin Disraeli

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."
-- Bill Cosby

"The secret of success is to be in harmony with existence, to be always calm… to let each wave of life wash us a little farther up the shore."
-- Cyril Connolly

"All of us are born for a reason, but all of us don't discover why. Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others."
-- Danny Thomas

"Don't confuse fame with success. Madonna is one; Helen Keller is the other."
-- Erma Bombeck

"Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must first set yourself on fire."
-- Fred Shero

"Success does not consist in never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time."
-- George Bernard Shaw

"A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success."
-- Joyce Brothers

"Failure is success if we learn from it."
-- Malcolm S. Forbes

"The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself."
-- Mark Caine

"True success is overcoming the fear of being unsuccessful."
-- Paul Sweeney

"Get up one time more than you're knocked down."
-- Peter's Principle of Success

"Most people who succeed in the face of seemingly impossible conditions are people who simply don't know how to quit."
-- Robert Schuller

"The truth is that all of us attain the greatest success and happiness possible in this life whenever we use our native capacities to their greatest extent."
-- Smiley Blanton

"When your physical environment is in alignment with your aspiration, success becomes the norm."
-- Susan St Lawrence

"The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people."
-- Theodore Roosevelt

"The way to succeed is to double your error rate."
-- Thomas Watson

"Dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you're willing to pay the price."
-- Vince Lombardi

"Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm."
-- Winston Churchill

"Success is the maximum utilization of the ability that you have."
-- Zig Ziglar

Resource Box - © Danielle Hollister (2004) is the Publisher of BellaOnline Quotations Zine - A free newsletter for quote lovers featuring more than 10,000 quotations in dozens of categories like - love, friendship, children, inspiration, success, wisdom, family, life, and many more. Read it online at - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art8364.asp

Medical Transcription:Secretarial Services:Small Business Plan and Start Up

Small business plan and start up is the main page of the site. It can direct you to details about starting a business, writing a business plan, a financial statement, a mission statement, an executive summary and business finances. http://www.yourbusinesspal.com
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Medical Transcription:Writing A Small Business Plan Sample

This Small Business Plan Sample will help you write your business plan in the correct manner. You will get to see what a business plan really looks like. And also see how it can help your business. http://www.yourbusinesspal.com/small_business_plan_sample.html
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Medical Transcription:Business Checklist Plan

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Medical Transcription: Help With A Business Plan

If you are looking for Help With A Business Plan, you are in the right place. When it comes to writing a business plan there are seven parts that you need to master to get it done. Medical Transcription

Medical Transcription:Communication Keys for Success

Communication Keys for Success

Improving communication is a major need for many organizations.

Whether you are a manager, supervisor, or frontline employee, there are always opportunities to improve communication. Often, communication problems occur when people don’t pay attention to the basics. Here are five keys to better communication.

Focus on the Situation or Behavior
When communicating, focus on the situation or the behavior occurring, not the person. This allows you to better communicate with the other person, rather than to seemingly pick on them. People tend to be more open to discussing the situation they are in or their behavior. When it gets personal, there is less willingness to change.

Focus on the Positive
Focus on the positive aspects of the other person to build the other person’s self-esteem. By looking at something positive about the other person, you can better deal with areas needed for improvement.

Look for "Win-Win" Opportunities
Look for opportunities where both you and the other person benefit -- "win-win" situations where both of you can develop. In today’s rapidly changing world, managers, supervisors, and frontline employees can always learn from each other.

Strive for Open Communication
Strive for open and direct communication with others. A manager or supervisor can speak in a direct and clear manner and still show respect for the other person. Clear expectations provide direction for a job well done.

Share Information
Share appropriate information with others. Organizations are realizing that they are all on the same team. Better sharing of information means that managers, supervisors and frontline employees are better informed and can provide improved customer service.

Reprint Information
Your organization may reprint this article for your newsletter, online publication, or mailing list. We ask that you print the:

article in its entirety;
byline of the writer;
information about the writer, which is available at the end of each article; and
contact information, including our toll-free phone number in the U.S. (800-886-2MAX) and website address (www.AchieveMax.com)
We would appreciate a tear sheet or electronic copy of the articles you reprint.


Jeffrey W. Drake, Ph.D., is a professional speaker for AchieveMax®, Inc., a firm specializing in custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Dr. Drake has made presentations ranging from time management to empowered teams and project management to communication styles. For information, call 800-886-2MAX or visit http://www.AchieveMax.com.

Medical Transcription:ZyDoc Optimizes Olympus DS 4000 Professional Digital Recorder for e-Transcription Service (PR Web)

ZyDoc now features the Olympus DS 4000 Professional Digital Recorder for its award-winning e-Transcription service. Doctors improve productivity using the Olympus handheld recorder with intuitive slide controls and automatically upload dictations in seconds. ZyDoc software ensures HIPAA compliance and facilitates faster document turnaround with e-signature, browser-accessible secure Internet more...


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Medical Transcription:Believe In Yourself

Believe In Yourself

Believe In Yourself (Believe Your Way to Success)


Believe in yourself. It sounds so simple, doesn't it? Some people will tell you it is easy and others will say it is impossible depending on their own experiences. Yet, most of us have learned that is necessary to believe in your abilities to achieve a particular goal.

Have you ever done something just because somebody told you to do it, but you didn't think you could get it done? I don't know what that task was for you, but I do know you didn't give it your best and it did not have a positive outcome for you. Think about that for a moment. You can probably make of list of the things you failed at because you did not believe you could do it or that you could not do it well enough.

On the other hand, you can probably think of successes in your life that were made possible because you believed in yourself and your capabilities even if no one else did.

You must learn, if you haven't already, that you can achieve whatever you set out to do. But... (there's usually a but) you must be willing to do what is necessary to build your competence and confidence; your persistence and your patience; and your knowledge and your stamina. These are but a few of the building blocks for learning to believe in yourself through preparation for the task to be accomplished.

The same applies to running a successful business of any kind. You must believe in yourself and that you are able to do whatever is needed to make it successful - for you. Not because you have to, but because you choose to prepare yourself for successes. I often say that "if you believe in yourself - you will prepare yourself"

When it comes to operating a successful online business you must prepare yourself for success. The best way to do this is to learn from the 'masters' or 'gurus' who have made their fortunes
on the Internet.

There are a numerous sources of information on internet marketing, etc., but many of them are pitiful, unproductive schemes. Fortunately, there are a number of informative online newsletters (Ezines) full of useful advise and resources to direct you on the right path to a successful business of your own.

Yes, it's true. You can believe your way to success.

Manna Success News, a free weekly Ezine provides short, information packed online marketing articles by experts in the industry. Each issue includes at least one FREE E-book for subscribers and links to the best resources to help you start or grow your business.

Until the next time Keep on believing.

Copyright 2005 Burke Publications - All Rights Reserved

Dr. J. Elisha Burke
Editor, Manna Success Newsletter
Burke Publications
http://burkepublications.com
jeb@burkepublications.com
Copyright 2005 Burke Publications
All Rights Reserved
Dr. J. E. Burke, a college instructor, has been involved in various business enterprises via his business, Burke Publications for 11 years. Dr. Burke is an educator, writer and motivational speaker on a variety of topics.



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Medical Transcription:5 master qualities of extraordinary achievers.

5 master qualities of extraordinary achievers.

You can be a master achiever by developing the same qualities of those who seem to achieve more than others. Here are 5 qualities you need to master in order to become a successful person in your chosen field and in your life.


Achievers are creative.
Creativity is a fundamental quality of a visionary leader. Creativity is also essential for problem-solving, conflict resolution, crisis and change management.

As they are extensively goal and result oriented, achievers need to come up with many solutions to reach their goals; therefore they need to be more creative than others. An effective method for you to be more creative in problem resolution is:

First, sit down in a comfortable chair and think about all the ways to resolve the problem, even if it may be absurd. This is not the time to be critical, but the time to think without any judgment. Come up with at least 20 solutions.

The first eight solutions will be obvious; the second eight solutions will require some effort and therefore creativity. You will see that the last two solutions will be the hardest to find, but the most creative. And they will surely be the ones that you will stick to.

Second, act out in your head the movie of how you would implement each solution. And third, be critical as far as each solution is concerned. This is an effective way to resolve problems used by effective leaders and managers.

Develop the Habit of Courage.
They have developed the habit of courage. Courage to wake up earlier and go to bed later. They've developed self-discipline. Self-discipline is astering yourself, your actions, thinking and emotions. They know that in order to become leaders for others, they need to become a leader for themslves first.

It takes courage to have self-discipline but it is learnable. They take action even if it is uncomfortable. They go out of their comfort zone, and go for opportunities. Talk about courage!

An effective method to develop the habit of courage is to see opportunities to grow and evolve in every challenge you face. Face your fears and learn from them. There is always a positive intention behind every fear you feel.

Top People are committed to contribute.
Finally, they take action. High achievers are result and action-oriented. They are committed to action. As they make precise plan for what they really want, they go for it and are committed to reach the goal. An effective way for you to be committed to action is to set goals. Work every day on these plans and evaluate very week where you are.

Continuous Learning.
High achievers are lifelong learners who subscribe to the process of continuous improvement. They view mistakes as learning opportunities. "There is no failure, only feedback" is always their motto. They know they need to improve, take risks, make mistakes and view these mistakes as opportunities to bounce back.

An effective way for you to develop this habit is to first, read each day a book in your chosen field.
Second, listen to educational audiotapes in your car and go to seminars given by experts in your field.
By doing that, you will be ahead of your competitors and you will become more educated, therefore, you will earn more in your life.

They are Responsible.
High achievers know that they are 100% responsible for what's happening to them. They don't blame anybody else. They look themselves in the mirror and say "You can do it, it's only up to you dude!" You have the ability to respond in every situation you find yourself. Your response is up to you.

Creativity, courage, commitment, learning and responsibility are at the heart of every great achievement. Success is not always easy. People may be in your way. You may face discouragement. Problems may appear. But by learning how to be responsible, you will find solutions that others won't think of. You will find the courage to change your life and commit to excellence.


Develop a vision for your life and career will help you be at peace, happy and get far more than you could ever imagine.
Click now and learn the 5 secrets of the highly successful people, You're only one dream away from success.
http://www.vision-to-action.com/

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Medical Transcription:Protecting Your Computer from Adware and Spyware

Protecting Your Computer from Adware and Spyware
Recently, while checking our company web site statistics, we noticed a number of referrals from gambling and pornography sites. Since we are certain these types of sites would not house links to us, w...


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Medical Transcription:"How To Make A Career Out Of Copyediting And Proofreading"

"How To Make A Career Out Of Copyediting And Proofreading"

Do you possess the qualities of a good proof reader? Are you good with details, spotting errors in spelling, grammar, and the flow of a piece and putting together quality work? If so, you may be able to make a career out of copyediting or proofreading. For those looking to get in to this field of copywriting, they may be stuck looking in if they do not know where or how to get established. So, is there a tried and tested method for getting your foot in the door? No matter how much any and all of us would like that; there is just no easy way to do so.


Of course, anyone looking into copyediting and proofreading can prepare themselves for the demands of the career. Training is often the most essential need. Quality training that is. For many freelance is the way to go. One slip of the finger and you could have cost yourself a good proof reading job. No matter if you get your training through online courses or go to a standard college, you’ll need to ensure that your goals remain the same. These should be quality training, dedicated work, and responsibility. For many, starting with freelance is the best way to go. In the field, copy editing and copy writing is growing in demand for quality trained employees. For others, working under other proof readers is the best first step.

It all comes down to getting that first break. When you do, it is solely up to you to make it count for all it is worth. If you have the qualities that are needed to build a career in copyediting or proofreading, you can begin work for clients online. There are several websites that are able to provide you with a connection to the clients you need. From there, it only takes one person to get moving in the right direction. You’ll find if you do a quality job the first time out, you can guarantee your services to be recommended time and time again. Or, you may even want to get in touch with a proof reader needing help. Then, you can develop your skills, work out any glitches and learn how to get your own clients. In the end, you’ll find that the answer to your how to questions is just to try!


Visit FreelanceWritingResource.com for more Articles, Resources, News and Views about Freelance Writing Jobs. This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and links are included intact.

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