I agree - but there often is one misconception. Slower doesn't necessarily 
mean better quailty is produced - and all the techs I have - regardless of 
speed - produce excellent work.  Our recuts requested are extremely low.  I 
just wanted to give my input as to what has worked for us.  The work is 
distributed in a fair manner and I am very proud of the work produced by 
this lab.  As an aside - all of the people here work great together, are 
good friends, and have a great time the 8 hours we spend here a day.  The 
production expected is not a stress factor.

Louri


>From: Bruce Gapinski 
>To: 'Louri Caldwell' 
>CC: "'HistoNet@Pathology.swmed.edu'" 
>Subject: RE: Performance indicators.
>Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2001 07:29:35 -0600
>
>With all due respect, two things come to mind. 1) Maybe you could teach the
>slow HT how to save (not waste) time. The speedy HT could have some input.
>2) Speed is only a temporary time saver if you need to go back and make
>recuts. I'll take a quality slide over 12 sloppy slides any time. Very
>speedy techs are known to cut through a needle biopsy. All the time saved
>will not bring it back. I worry for the patient, after all isn't that what
>this is all about?
>I'm sure you lab does quality work too.
>Respectfully,
>Bruce Gapinski HT(ASCP)
>
>
>		-----Original Message-----
>		From:	Louri Caldwell [mailto:louri_c@hotmail.com]
>		Sent:	Friday, November 16, 2001 4:48 AM
>		To:	clarke.ian@virgin.net; histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
>		Subject:	Re: Performance indicators.
>
>		While I agree that it isn't a good idea to "stopwatch" your
>techs, some
>		guidelines are necessary to maintain a level of fairness in
>the lab. If not
>		- what do you do if you have one tech who takes 2 hours to
>cut 100 blocks vs
>		one who takes 6 hours for the same amount?  Then - what do
>you do with the
>		tech that's finished 4 hours earlier?  Is it fair to make
>them complete more
>		tasks just because they're faster?
>		Is it fair to expect that much less from the other tech just
>because they're
>		slower?
>
>		Here, I think we've achieved a good balance.  All of the
>work is divided
>		evenly - at such a level that each tech should comfortably
>be able to
>		complete their workload without any undue stress. Those that
>work too fast
>		have learned to slow down to improve quality - and those
>that were
>		previously too slow have learned time-saving techniques to
>improve their
>		productivity.
>
>		While we don't time workload here on an hourly basis (we
>expect a certain
>		level of work completed at the end of each day), on average
>the performance
>		level expected in this lab is as follows. Mind you, this is
>with a wide
>		variety of specimen types,sizes, fixation levels - from
>numerous, tiny
>		well-fixed biopsy specimens to huge unfixed nightmare
>blocks:
>
>		Embed 100 blocks:  1 hour
>		Trim 50 blocks:  30 to 45 minutes
>		Cut 30 blocks: 30 to 45 minutes
>		File 100 histology slides: if in order - 1/2 hour if not - 1
>hour
>
>		Pap smears - we don't do here :)
>
>		Hope this helps.
>
>		Louri Caldwell
>		College of Veterinary Medicine
>		University of Georgia
>		Athens, Georgia 30602
>
>
>		>From: Clarke Ian 
>		>To: histonet 
>		>Subject: Performance indicators.
>		>Date: Thu, 15 Nov 2001 17:54:04 +0000
>		>
>		>I am interested in trying to assess a performance level for
>some of the
>		>standard procedures in a Histology and Cytology
>laboratory.These include ,
>		>embedding,trimming,cutting and mounting of slides.I thus
>would like to
>		>survey what other people think is realistic and doing in
>practise.
>		>
>		>How long to:
>		>
>		>Embed 100 blocks
>		>
>		>Trim 50 blocks
>		>
>		>Cut 30 blocks
>		>
>		>Mount 60 PAP smears
>		>
>		>Mount 60 Histology slides
>		>
>		>File 100 Pap Smears
>		>
>		>and  File 100 Histology slides.
>		>
>		>I will post the results afterwards.
>		>
>		>Ian Clarke
>		>Histo/Cyto
>		>CAH
>		>
>		>
>
>
>
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