Tonight I was asked to give a lecture on coding - more specifically, National Correct Coding Initiative, Medical Unlikely Edits, and the Relative Value Files - to a group of doctors, profession specific. I have given this lecture so many times I can pretty well do it in my sleep.
Until tonight that is. I had upgraded my Microsoft Office from 2003 to 2007. When I asked what they provided so I knew what I had to bring with me, I was told to bring nothing - they had my entire presentation on the laptop I would be using - that was provided. I had to give them internet specific websites I knew I needed to be able to go to - they didn't set those up so prior to the start of the program, I set up the internet sites I would need to go to. I also very clearly asked if their Microsoft Office Program was 2007 or if they had downloaded the compatibility download to convert 2007 files so we could read them in their program - they said they would make sure. I trusted them.
They didn't do the compatibility download. They were using Microsoft Office 2003 and my info was in Microsoft Office 2007 so most of my presentation could not be seen unless I did the download which I finally did but it hurt the flow of the talk.
I had to speak off the cuff and from memory for a bit until I could get the files to open. If I had known that, I would have brought my own computer since syncing it to the projector is a piece of cake. Normally I use my own laptop. Tonight I didn't bring it - I used theirs. That is the last time I will ever do that again.
I retained the entire group for a full hour and half session with another half hour of questions. Just will never trust a non-computer literate person to assure me they had things in control. They don't.
