Considers the monitoring of productivity in the health care environment. Examines especially the development of a labour standard and a volume indicator. Sees the whole as a management tool for controlling staffing requirements and costs. Investigates the question of methods improvement, involving all staff, should the standard fail to be met. Discusses increased training, procedure scheduling, investment in equipment, incentives, reduction of paper work, physician utilization. Cautions that the implementation of change must not be vitiated by internal politics and concludes that that which gets monitored gets controlled.