Dear Mark,
     I don't know if someone has developed a spreadsheet to calculate
the workload, but I can tell you what I used to do. I would take the
total number of tissues on a monthly production average, the average
number of tissues per block and slide, the number of hours to cut,
stain, coverslip, and deliver slides (even with automatic equipment,
someone has to load it, operate it, periodically check it's operation,
unload it), and all other duties. This would be just for routine lab
work. Add to this the amount of time spent on running special stains,
clerical functions (logging tissues, ordering and printing slide labels
through the computer, checking tissues and blocks against the daily
inventory, and so forth), time techs spend in autopsy/necropsy rooms,
grossing, making up chemicals, and all other duties. Divide these
numbers by the number of techs, and the 40 hour work week.
      One program that I know of that may help is MathCad. It is a
general math program, and provides free text entry. The number for
direct order is 1-888-568-0952. The price is $199.95. I find spread
sheets somewhat limited for some of the things I want to calculate, so
I frequently use this program (it came in real handy for some darkroom
photographic calculations for some prints from slides with a colorhead
enlarger). This program may not be what you are looking for, especially
for one time use. However, if you lab does other calculations, from
biologic to administrative, it might prove useful. In consideration of
a recent posting about solicitors, I don't have any connection with
MathSoft. I am mentioning the program because I like it, and it is
about two or three hundred dollars less than Mathmatica.
      Good luck with your work.
      Paul


To: HistoNet Server <HistoNet@Pathology.swmed.edu>
From: "A. Mark Briones" <3briones@thesocket.com>
Subject: Workload management
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 22:22:40 -0700
Overworked Histonetters --
Has anyone developed a histology duties spreadsheet that can be used to
evaluate the need for additional staff (FTE) in a hospital based
Histology
Lab?  Last week, I attended an ASCP teleconference on a Model for
Evaluating
Cytopathology Staffing Needs.   I would like to work on a model for our
histology staffing needs.  I am working on a spreadsheet but fear it
may be
either too complex or too simplified.  We have two HTs to cover 5  (7.5
hr/
day) days a week, rotation on weekends (4-8 hours), and cover each
other for
sickness, required and unscheduled time off ?,  vacation ?, etc.
Continuing
ed. and team meetings are a thing of the past.  I need a solid, flag
waving
justification for a part-time HT ready for presentation in the next few
weeks.  Help!

Mark Briones
Valley Children's Hospital
Madera CA  USA