Monday Technology Tip- To upgrade or not to upgrade
Posted by Chad Sines on Mon, Jan 09, 2012 @ 05:05 PM
For those currently still in their medical transcription training, this tip may be more useful upon graduation; however, it is helpful now as well. Be careful in your decisions to upgrade hardware and software. Many MTSOs (medical transcription service organizations) do not update their platforms as quickly as new technology evolves. Despite the fact that we have seen Vista and Windows 7 (and have rumors of the next coming out), there are still quite a few using Windows XP. What this means to you is that if you have Vista or 7, there is a good chance your computer will not work on their platform unless you downgrade. The same is true of newer Internet Explore editions. Many laptops now come with a 64-bit operating system which is also incompatible with many platforms. If you are a working MT and using your own computer, be sure to contact the company’s tech support before upgrading hardware and software.
Here is the good news…there is a high likelihood that your computer is perfectly fine and there is no urgent need to upgrade. Often those who are in their medical transcription training phase and practicing MTs seek to buy that new machine as quickly as possible. Most programs MT use are not resource intensive, so older computers are perfectly fine. Sure you can upgrade, but you can also continue to get a lot of use out of an older machine. Just some food for thought.