Secretarial Services - Home Based Medical Transcription

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.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical transcriptionists can expect job opportunities to be good. Government job information data suggests that employment of medical transcriptionists is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2012.

My friend Michelle has helped many people start a medical transcription business. She can help you too.The Step-by-Step Guide To Medical Transcription at Home. Visit http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com/medical-transcription.html

Below is an article written by Michele.

A Medical Transcription At Home Career

by Michele Miller

As a medical transcriptionist, I 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:

Ability to type - your speed will increase with experience.
Excellent grammar skills.
Good listening skills.
Basic computer skills with a work processing program.
Research skills.
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 into any business that you weigh up the pros and cons of it all and do what is best for your situation.

Michele has helped many people start their own medical transcription business. She can help you too. She is the author of The Step-by-Step Guide To Medical Transcription at Home. Visit http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com/medical-transcription.html

Secretarial Services - It's Your Business

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.

Home Study Courses

medical transcription
medical terminology
paralegal

More Medical Transcription Resources

Article: How Michele started her medical transcription at home career. Click here.

Article: It's Your Home Business - Will It Sink Or Swim? Click here.

Daniel has created a great FREE word expander program for medical transcriptionists. Check it out at http;//www.mtbot.com.

Check out this great resource site for medical transcriptionists.

Resources for medical transcriptionists, including office supplies, transcription machines, software, computers, and computer accessories. Click here.

Secretarial Services - 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

Secretarial Services - Medical Transcription program

Technologically Boosting the Medical Transcription Company
By Joe Miller

Medical Transcription Company

Virtually every medical service provider dictates SOAP notes into recorders for transcription and sends them off to a medical transcription company to transcribe and return a refined copy of necessary medical information.

In fact, without the medical transcription company the medical service provider would be too overburdened with transcription to pay the attention it needs to its clients. However, the medical transcription company has had to undergo technological changes in order to keep up with demand and with competition. Fast-paced medical service requires fast-paced medical transcription. So, which medical transcription company will survive? The answer is the one that takes advantage of time-saving technology.

Medical Transcription

This answer is not at all uncommon now-a-days, but it is especially challenging in the field of medical transcription. Medical transcription is just as it sounds: transcribing on paper the notes that were audio recorded. It doesn’t seem at first that much more technology is needed than a word processor and a cassette tape player.

The crux of the matter is controlling quantity. Effective records of SOAP notes, especially in the quantities supplied by medical offices, require the technological ability to not only record medical transcription but also to track it and store it.

Medical Transcription Job

The medical transcription job would be daunting at best without the help of technology. Let me review a general version of a medical transcription job check list:

1. Receive tapes from medical service provider.

2. Transcribe 1st draft of SOAP notes.

3. Save transcription.

4. Continue process with entire batch.

5. Review medical transcription for errors.

6. Make changes on 1st draft of medical transcriptions.

7. Send medical transcriptions back to medical service provider.

8. Bill medical service provider.

This process most often overlaps itself due to the management of multiple batches from multiple service providers. Organizational skill is high up on the requirements list for a medical transcription specialist.

Medical Transcription Program

Due to the massive amounts of medical transcription jobs and batches continually being sent back and forth between medical service providers and the medical transcription company, the market has awakened to meet medical transcription needs. Looking for a medical transcription program is so easy, it’s hard. Just type “medical transcription program” into Google, Yahoo, or MSN and witness first hand the millions of indexed pages you might have to sift through.

In your search for a versatile medical transcription program suitable to medical service providers’ needs, there are a few things to keep in mind. A medical transcription program has the ability to work in house, without IT infrastructure overhead.

There are additional medical transcription program specs to keep an eye out for. For example, a medical transcription program which combines the secure storage of medical databases and medical transcription provides the security and accessibility a medical service provider needs.

The right medical transcription program also provides organization for tracking the editorial stages of the SOAP notes and securing them, as well as sending them back to the right medical service provider.

The medical service provider runs a race of efficiency and professionalism in order to stay in business. The right medical transcription program provides a technological boost to propel medical service providers ahead of the rest of the pack.

Joe Miller is an author of informational articles and online advertisements on business, technology, and health. Information on Medical Transcription Company is available at AdvancedMD.com.

Secretarial Services - Fear of starting 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 Miller is a home-based business owner and the author of an ebook about starting a Profitable Medical Transcription At Home Business. ://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com/medical-transcription.html

Secretarial Services - legitimate home businesses

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

Secretarial Services - Prevent failure

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

Secretarial Services - Outsourcing

How to Use Outsourcing to Beat Your Competition

Note from Leva: When promoting your secretarial services, sell benefits. The article below explains why business need to oursouce. Those business are your clinets.

Outsourcing is when you hire outside professionals or services to take on part of your business workload.You may want to outsource part of your work because you don't have the room, you need an expert, you have periodic busy periods, or you need more production to get orders out on time etc. You could outsource accounting, secretarial tasks , factory help, computer training, web design etc. Below are ways to use outsoursing to beat your competition.

By outsourcing part of your workload you can save time and spend more time concentrating on beating your competition.

-you won't have to take time training new employees

-you won't have to do time consuming tasks like adding on new equipment

-you won't have to learn a new software program or other equipment

-you won't have to interview employee candidates

-you won't have to fill out all the complicated employee paper work like tax forms, scheduling, retirement plans etc.

By outsourcing part of your workload you can save money and spend more money on marketing or advertising to beat your competition.

-you won't have to buy extra office and other equipment

-you won't have to buy extra office or work space

-you won't have spend money on employee costs like; taxes, medical, vacation time, holidays, workers comp., unemployment costs etc. (these may vary by which country you do business)

There are many other ways outsourcing can help you beat your competition. Here are a few more:

-the extra help can help you complete and deliver orders faster

-you could expand your market share by becoming the middleman and offering your subcontractors services or products

-you could end up getting orders from your subcontractors

-it will allow your business to take on extra or large orders

Julia Tang publishes "Smart Online Business Tips", a fresh
and informative newsletter dedicated to supporting people
like you. To find out the best online business opportunities,
to discover hundreds more proven and practical internet
marketing secrets, plus FREE internet marketing products
worth over $200, visit: http://www.best-internet-businesses.com

Secretarial Services - Setting up your office

The article below gives a good overview of the supplies you need to start your secretarial business or any other business. Leva.

Setting up Your Office

New Office or Home Office

Calculator
Correction Fluid
Desk Calendar
Dictionary/Thesaurus/Software Manuals
In/Out Bins
Copy Paper
Paper Clips, Binder Clips, Paper Clip Holder
Pens
Pencils, Pencil Cup/Tray, Pencil Sharpener
Scissors
Stapler, staple remover
Tape Dispenser

New Office Only

If you don’t find all of the above at your desk, when time permits, find out how to obtain them or who can supply you with them. Also inquire about location of supply closet, heavy duty staplers, paper cutters, company letterhead and envelopes, postage machine(s), copy machine(s), fax machine(s), scanner(s), company telephone extension and email list (if one exists), who to contact for phone/computer problems and supply ordering and which network drives files are saved in.

Write down company fax number, your direct line/extension (and any other important extensions), switchboard numbers, company website address as well as your new email address. Post all nearby and keep a copy with you.

If company has an Organization Chart, get a copy and fill in extensions plus any other pertinent information regarding your department. Put in an easily accessible place.

Request company Policies and Procedures manual. Be sure to read it through in your spare time, along with your health insurance package, if you will be getting health benefits.

This list of essentials may seem obvious, but it will save you a lot of time and frustration, especially when you’re rushing to get that first project completed by yesterday.

Good Luck!

Copyright © 2006 Ella D. McGhee - This article may be reprinted with proper reference to author. Ella D. McGhee has worked in the administration field for more than twenty years. Two years ago, she launched EDM Enterprises, an online business which provides web design, transcription and secretarial services to businesses, churches and individuals. http://www.edmenterprises.org

Secretarial Services - Transcription

Professional Transcription and Your Business

Note from Leva: This article explains why businesses need transcription services and what's required to provide professional transcription.

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
203.641.3739 mailto:kms@connecticutsecretary.com

Secretarial Services - Transcription

Professional Transcription and Your Business

Note from Leva: Transcription is a great profit center for secretarial services. This article explains why businesses need transcription services and what they expect from a transcriptionist. Enjoy!

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
203.641.3739 mailto:kms@connecticutsecretary.com

Secretarial Business- Transcription labels

"Where can I find sticky transcription labels?

From MT Daily - medical transcription, work at home.:

Forms and Filing Systems, Dennis Corbin, ffs@formsandfilingsystems.com, 800, 472-0171, fax 706, 802-1880, http://www.mdfile.net

Handeze Gloves, http://www.handeze.com, 800-686-1722, Fax 203-269-5307.

March and Green, P. O. Box 155, Wayne, IL 60184, marchgren@aol.com, 800, 447-6004.

Medical Arts Press, Office Management Supplies, 8500 Wyoming Avenue N., Minneapolis, MN 55445, 800-826-6706, Fax 800-328-0023.

Pat Systems, http://www.transpaper.com/, 3929 Parkside Place, Flower Mound, TX75022-4792, 800, 543-1911, info@transpaper.com. Sticky Paper and Softflex Computer Gloves.

Quill Corp., http://www.quillcorp.com/CATALOG/ICS/CATgetPGroup.cfm/11/243/A, info@quillcorp.com."

Secretarial Services - va-secretarial

VA or Personal Assistant or Concierge?
By Alyson Mead

Many people ask me what the difference between a virtual assistant and a personal assistant is, or between a virtual assistant and a concierge, for that matter. These are important distinctions to make before deciding to set up your new business, because each one suggests a very different set of responsibilities to your potential client.

Virtual assistants are much like administrative assistants. They mostly work from home by themselves, or from a centralized office with a few others, as we do. Their tasks are generally limited to the administrative, too, such as transcription and typing, correspondence, and mass mailings. Speaking of mailing, we find Stamps.com really helpful in that regard. We hate going to the post office and waiting in long lines, even if it is for our beloved clients! With Stamps.com, we don't have to. For $80, we got a 4-week free trial, free postage, and a postage scale, which you'd have to admit is quite a deal. With support for most address book software, mass mailings can actually be easy!

In contrast, a personal assistant can be asked to do some of the administrative stuff, but the emphasis of the position isn't usually concentrated there. We have found, in our storied careers, that personal assistants are generally asked to do more, well, personal things, like picking up dry cleaning, making vacation plans, picking up children from school, etc. This position is great for people who love to be on the go, and hate staring at a computer screen all day. And in order to do it, you're going to need a great cell phone with Blackberry capability, so you can stay in touch with your client, his or her spouse, and any kiddies. Cingular has a great Blackberry phone that's less than $150 when purchased with a new service plan. Great coverage and the ability to text and email from your car? Bring it on!

The concierge may be the most misunderstood of all three fields. Many people assume that concierges work solely from hotels, providing guests with extra services, such as booking transportation to and from the airport, helping with theater or concert tickets, and arranging for secretarial services while in a certain city. But you can start your own concierge business, whether or not you are affiliated with a hotel. If you decide to do this, your target clients will most likely be those who are new to the city, such as temporary workers, new arrivals, or people who are in your city for purely business reasons. Helping these people find the level of service they're seeking can be very lucrative, as well, since many have expense accounts for business and can be a bit freer with cash and tips (we all love that!). Reading up a bit on concierge businesses is important before taking that crucial first step. The Concierge Manual takes you on a step-by-step journey to creating your business, designing a brochure, and even potential legal issues. Don't be without it!

But just because these three are related but different fields doesn't mean you can't mix and match. We include concierge services in our service package for AssistantGirls.com, because we are located in Los Angeles, a large American city that experiences an enormous amount of business travel. One resource we couldn't live without is our Zagat Guides. Whether we need the number of the hottest new restaurant in Beverly Hills, or have to make a suggestion for hotels in Baltimore, or nightlife in New York, these kick-butt little guides make all the difference. And isn't that why they hired you in the first place?

Copyright 2006 AssistantGirls.com

For more stories like this, visit http://www.AssistantGirls.com

Alyson Mead is founder of http://www.AssistantGirls.com She spent eight years as a book editor in New York, working for companies such as Scholastic, Macmillan, McGraw-Hill, Glencoe, Steck-Vaughn, Silver Burdett & Ginn, Prentice-Hall and others. She has published hundreds of freelance articles in journals such as Salon.com, ChickClick, MSN.com, In These Times and many more, and ghostwritten several book projects.

Secretarial Services - Typing letters

If you're operating a secretarial service, you'll need to know how to format a business letter. The article below explains how.

Anatomy of a Business Letter
by Linda Elizabeth Alexander

Business letters have many purposes and recipients. Despite variations in tone and style, the basic parts of a business letter remain standard throughout most business correspondence. This article outlines the elements found in standard business letters today, in order, as well as their modern format.

1. Heading

Assuming you are using company letterhead, your full address will already be on the page. Add the date two spaces below the last line of printed copy. If you are using blank paper, add your full address and the date in the heading. Align the heading, and all paragraphs, with the left margin(which should be at least one inch wide).

Example:
21 Carson Parkway
Boulder, CO 80111
December 3, 2006

2. Inside address

Include the recipient's full name, title, and address two spaces below the date. Align it with the left margin.

Example:
Conner T. Walker
2345 Sunrise Avenue
Denver, CO 80555

3. Salutation

Two spaces below the inside address, and also aligned with the left margin, place your salutation, or greeting. If you are on a first name basis with the recipient, use her/his first name followed by a colon. If you are writing a more formal letter, use a personal title (Ms., Mr., or Dr.) followed by the person's last name and a colon. Use Mr. for men, and Ms. for women. Never use Mrs. or Miss unless a woman has specifically expressed a preference. If you are not sure if the recipient is male or female, use a salutation that is appropriate to the letter context.

Examples:
Mr. Yates:
Ms. Dickinson:
Dear Customer:
Dear Publishing Manager:

4. Body

The body of the letter should begin two spaces below the salutation; all paragraphs should be aligned to the left margin. Single space within paragraphs and double space between them.

If your letter continues onto a second (or higher) page, leave at least two lines of text on the next page before the closing. Do not go onto another page just for the closing; this is bad form. If necessary, change the font size or margin width to make it fit onto one page.

5. Closing

Place the closing two spaces below the last line of the body. Use a standard closing such as Sincerely or Best regards. Capitalize only the first word, and follow the closing with a comma. Four spaces below, type your full name, also aligned with the closing at the left margin. Finally, sign your name in the space between the closing expression and your typed name.

6. Additional Information

Sometimes a business letter requires you to add the typist's initials, an enclosure notification, or a note that other people are receiving the same letter. Any of this information goes two spaces below the last line of the closing in a long letter, four spaces below in a very short letter.

The typist's initials follow the writer's initials, separated by a slash. The writer's initials go in capital letters, while the typist's are lowercase.

Example: LEA/lak or LEA/ald

If the writer and the typist are the same person, no initials are needed.

If you are sending material along with the letter, such as an invoice or report, indicate this with an enclosure notification. When you use this, you must refer to the enclosures in your letter. Abbreviate or describe the enclosure(s).

Examples:
Enc.
Encs.
Enclosure: Report findings

Lastly, if you are sending the same letter to more than one person, notify your recipients with a copy notation. This is abbreviated "cc:" and followed by the recipients' names.

Example:
cc: Linda Alexander
Janna Bree Smith
Emily Lane

7. Formatting

Finally, format your letter so it is easy to scan. Center the letter on the page both vertically and horizontally so that plenty of white space surrounds your text. When using your company's letterhead, remember to format your margins inside the printed material.

If a letter is very short, consider double spacing the entire letter. Also, you may add spaces between paragraphs, the salutation, etc., if it provides for a fuller appearance and enhances the overall "look" of the letter.

© 2002 By Linda Elizabeth Alexander. Linda Elizabeth Alexander writes marketing copy for nonprofits and other businesses. Contact her today to get your free consultation! http://www.write2thepointcom.com
lalexander@write2thepointcom.com

In addition to knowing how to type, you'll need to market your secretarial services. The Secretarial Business in a Box tells you everything you need to know to start, operate, and market a secretarial service