The system is indeed alive and well, although it is now administered by a
group under the name of the Workload Productivity Improvement Program.  The
name says it all.  There have been some minor changes over the years, but it
is essentially the same.  One unit still represents one minute technical
work time.

The system does not give a definite number of units per FTE.  However, the
original schedule back in the late 60's suggested about 42 units per paid
hour (NOT per worked hour).  This was removed (in the mid 70's I think)
presumably because it gave too much force to arguments about too much work.
In all fairness, the system was not designed to justify staffing levels, but
to do month to month comparisons of workload in a single area and to track
workload changes.  The reason not much is heard about it nowadays is that
workloads have increased tremendously and many labs are producing unit
values far in excess of those quoted - in my own lab we are in the 70s per
paid hour for instance.

Incidentally, were you aware that the Canadian system was based on a system
developed in Britain in the 1950's which used one unit for 10 minutes
technical time?

Bryan Llewellyn


----- Original Message -----
From: RUSS ALLISON <Allison@Cardiff.ac.uk>
To: <histonet@pathology.swmed.edu>
Sent: July 20, 2000 1:18 AM
Subject: RE: Workload/Productivity


> Do I assume that Canadian Workload measurements are now dead
> and buried?  Although far from perfect, it was about the best I ever
> came accross.
> Phil Hall (if you are reading, Phil, or Phil Bullock) in Bristol,
> England, worked out the stats ratio for "histotechs/pathologist
> using figures from the South West of England labs.  They came up
> with different figures for University (Teaching), large and small
> hospitals.
> It all depended upon the Roayal of Pathologists figures of 4000
> (mixed) specimens being the maximum workload of a fully qualified
> histopathologist.  That figure has been criticised as arbitrary - and
> it probably is no more than a "best guess".
> Please don't ask me for the figures (my filing system would
> certainly let me down).  Hopefully Phil or someone else from the
> South West will read this.
>
>
> Russ Allison,
> Dental School
> Cardiff
> Wales
>
>