Forensic Pathology Workload and Complexity: Designing a Complexity System that Accurately Represents Workload

Abstract

For the most part, workload is defined for forensic pathologists in North America by the number of cases per annum, with specific recommendations set out by the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) to perform no more than 250 autopsies in a year. However, this definition of workload is somewhat limiting as it doesn't reflect the case to case variability that forensic pathologists encounter. The variability translates into differing amounts of time needed on the part of the pathologist to devote to each case and those differences in time can be substantial. Complexity systems exist in surgical pathology to better reflect the case-to-case variability that surgical pathologists experience. Based on these complexity systems, departments can have a more accurate representation of workload and appropriately allocate resources and plan staffing. Many different complexity systems exist, but all of them, in their own way, attempt to lessen the gap between overvaluing simple specimens and undervaluing complex specimens. No formal system for gauging complexity exists in forensic pathology. The creation of one would provide a more detailed taxonomy to be better able to define forensic pathologists' workload and compare workload between pathologists and institutions.