[optimal] Re: Workload Demands

  • From: "Hackel, Richard" <rhackel@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "optimal@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <optimal@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:51:21 +0000

Check out this article in yesterday's New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/us/death-and-disarray-at-americas-racetracks.html?scp=1&sq=race%20horses&st=cse

Richard
________________________________
From: optimal-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [optimal-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] on behalf of 
Marshall E Tyler [marshalletyler@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2012 8:34 AM
To: Anton Drew; optimal@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optimal] Re: [optimal] Re: Workload Demands

Like Anton, except for being in a 3 photographer, 2 location practice, the 
patient & procedure load kept increasing.
IF equipment were to never go down, and nobody was sick or on holiday, and 
there were no OR cases, publication images, or drug studies, and no lunchs to 
be eaten, nor potty needs, then all was good.
Days with 2 photographers could keep up with 100+ procedures. Days with one 
photographer and 85+ procedures and 10 hour days were not uncommon.
There is an expression about abusing race horses: "Run hard and put up wet."
There is a point where not only photographers are abused, but patients receive 
sub-par studies.
How to address this balance of appropriate staffing could be a topic for OPS 
meetings.
Thank you,
Marshall
Marshall E. Tyler, CRA, FOPS, 40 years of service, Retired!
via Verizon Android Phone

----- Reply message -----
From: "Anton Drew" <anton.drew@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, Mar 26, 2012 3:29 am
Subject: [optimal] Re: Workload Demands
To: <optimal@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Each year for the past 2 years our OCT workload had increased over 100% each 
year and our patients were sent to Alan Hoare as we didn't have an OCT.

Since we got our own unit, nearly 2 years ago, our workload (on demand) had 
increased 150% the first year, and 250%, last year.
Already we are ahead of that figure this year to the same time.

Being mainly a one man band it is getting very difficult to keep up with the 
workloads for the Retinal Clinics which are 3 days a week, plus Diabetic 
Screening.

With Fundal Photos, FFAs, Slitlamp Photography, OCTs, Pentacam and Wavefront 
scans it is not unusual for me to have 28+ patients in a 3 hour session.

THEN they ask for images for publications, editing of videos taken during 
surgery, and forms, brochures and posters designed.

Getting too old for this stress. :o|

After 40 years in the job (started 14th Feb 1972), enough is enough, as they 
won't employ my assistant full time, I am making a concerted effort to cut my 
hours back in transition to retirement, but I am getting a lot of resistance to 
that.

The job has become too stressful trying to keep up with the present and 
increasing workload and there doesn't seem to be any relief in sight.
I regularly work up to an hour over and above my Award hours, but don't get 
paid any extra, and have no chance of taking the time off at a later date.

So Lisa, as they say, "ALL of the above!"

Anton


On 26/03/2012, at 1:03 PM, Lisa Breayley wrote:

Quick question for those of you who went from a paper/print system for results 
to a totally on-line system – i.e. Drs can see patient results “instantly” in 
clinic.

Did your workload go up? Did having results straight away meant the clinicians 
asked for more? More patients? More tests? More views?

We’re looking at a system now and I’m curious…

Lisa


L.M.Breayley
Senior Photographer
MedPIC

The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital
32 Gisborne Street
East Melbourne, Victoria 3002

Ph 61-3-9929 8335
Fax 61-3-9929 8217
www.eyeandear.org.au<http://www.eyeandear.org.au>


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