Projected jars per hour
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Enter average completion times and complete your workload mix to see projected jars per hour.
Grossing Capacity Calculator
Laboratory success is a team effort.
Teams can use these calculators to identify gaps, set goals, and plan for future staffing needs. Adjust the workload and time available to explore what’s possible for your lab.
All results represent one person’s workday. Include time spent helping colleagues under additional responsibilities below.
Results (Example)
Projected jars per day
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Enter average completion times, complete your workload mix, and specify working hours to see projected jars per day.
Direct grossing rate: jars/hour; excludes time allocated to additional responsibilities and flexibility. Specimen selection can be discretionary according to your lab’s protocol.
Projected cassettes per hour
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Projected cassettes per day
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Add average cassettes per jar to see projected cassettes per hour and day. Direct grossing rate: cassettes/hour; excludes time allocated to additional responsibilities and flexibility. Cassette counts per jar can be discretionary according to your lab’s protocol.
Inputs
Specimen Types & Additional Responsibilities
View timing referencesCounts set the mix for capacity estimates.
Flexibility allowance
Reserve additional time for interruptions, unexpected work, or variation in completion times.
Grossing timing reference
Use these published examples to explore an unfamiliar workload, then adjust to your laboratory’s actual practice. The prefilled calculator values are editable examples.
| Specimen | Minutes to enter* | Where the figure comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Hernia sac or lipoma | 2.9 | Level 1 category estimate · Volel et al., 2019 |
| Gallbladder | 5.9 | Level 2 category estimate · Volel et al., 2019 |
| Appendix, other than incidental | 5.9 | Level 2 category estimate · Volel et al., 2019 |
| Thyroid, total or lobe | 13.9 | Level 3 category estimate · Volel et al., 2019 |
| Routine singleton placenta, second or third trimester | 14.5 | Observed mean · Horn et al., 2023 |
| Partial or simple mastectomy | 25.2 | Level 4 category estimate · Volel et al., 2019 |
| Segmental colon resection for tumor | 43.3 | Level 5 category estimate · Volel et al., 2019 |
*Use as minutes per jar only when one jar represents one specimen of the listed type. A specimen spread across several jars needs a different allocation.
Volel’s values are workload-category estimates, not measured averages for each named specimen. We converted the dissection time values in supplementary Table S4 to minutes (DTV × 420), rounded to one decimal. The two-center study timed dissection through completion of dictation. Its multipart biopsy cases were grouped, so they are not listed as per-jar references here.
The placenta study timed seven PAs and included examination, sampling, dictation, and packaging. Accessioning and cassette preparation happened beforehand; cases requiring certain additional procedures were excluded.
Further reading
- AAPA: How much can a PA gross?Specimen mix and other duties affect volume. Its annual volume example is staffing context, not a minutes-per-jar input.
- Gross Dissection Time Values of Pathologists’ Assistants Using Standardized MetricsOriginal study and supplementary specimen classifications.