Question

John Fleming, chief administrator for Valley View Hospital, is concerned about the costs for tests in the hospital’s lab. Charges for lab tests are consistently higher at Valley View than at other hospitals and have resulted in many complaints. Also, because of strict regulations on amounts reimbursed for lab tests, payments received from insurance companies and governmental units have not been high enough to cover lab costs. Mr. Fleming has asked you to evaluate costs in the hospital’s lab for the past month. The following information is available: Two types of tests are performed in the lab—blood tests and smears. During the past month, 1,400 blood tests and 4,200 smears were performed in the lab. Small glass plates are used in both types of tests. During the past month, the hospital purchased 21,000 plates at a cost of $71,820. 3,200 of these plates were unused at the end of the month; no plates were on hand at the beginning of the month. During the past month, 3,200 hours of labor time were recorded in the lab at a cost of $36,480. The lab’s variable overhead cost last month totaled $28,160. Valley View Hospital has never used standard costs. By searching industry literature, however, you have determined the following nationwide averages for hospital labs: Plates: Three plates are required per lab test. These plates cost $3.60 each and are disposed of after the test is completed. Labor: Each blood test should require 0.8 hours to complete, and each smear should require 0.40 hours to complete. The average cost of this lab time is $12.40 per hour. Overhead: Overhead cost is based on direct labor-hours. The average rate for variable overhead is $8.30 per hour. Required: 1. Compute a materials price variance for the plates purchased last month and a materials quantity variance for the plates used last month. 2. For labor cost in the lab: a. Compute a labor rate variance and a labor efficiency variance. b. In most hospitals, one-half of the workers in the lab are senior technicians and one-half are assistants. In an effort to reduce costs, Valley View Hospital employs only one-fourth senior technicians and three-fourths assistants. Would you recommend that this policy be continued? 3-a. Compute the variable overhead rate and efficiency variances. 3-b. Is there any relation between the variable overhead efficiency variance and the labor efficiency variance?

Answer 1

		Actual	Standard per blood test	Total Standard
		No of Test
	Blood Test	1400
	Smear	4200
	No of Plate Pruchased	21000
	Total Cost	71820
	Per plate cost	3.42	3.6
	No of Plate Used	17800	3	(1400+4200)*3	16800
	Labor Hour	3200	0.8+0.4	(1400*0.8)+(4200*0.4)	2800
	Total Labor Cost	36480
	Per Hour Cost	11.4	12.4
	Variable Overhead	28160
	Variable Overhead Per Hour 28160/3200	8.8	8.3
1.	Material Price Variance for plates purchased		(Actual Price-Standard Price)*Actual Quantity
			(3.42-3.6)*21000
			3780 F
	Material Quantity Variance for plates used		(Actual Quantity-Standard Quantity)*Standard Price
			(17800-16800)*3.6
			3600 U
2.	Labor Rate Variance		(Actual Rate-Standard Rate)*Actual Hours
			(11.4-12.4)*3200
			3200 F
	Labor Efficiency Variance		(Actual Hours-Standard Hour)*Standard Rate
			(3200-2800)*12.4
			4960 U
	Policy should not be continued because lack of senion technician taking efficiency at toll and labor efficiency variance is negative.
3.	Variable Overhead Rate Variance		(Actual Rate-Standard Rate)*Actual Hours
			(8.8-8.3)*3200
			1600 U
	Variable OVerhead Efficiency Variance		(Actual Hours-Standard Hour)*Standard Rate
			(3200-2800)*8.3
			3320 U
	Yes, There is direct relationship between two. Since inefficient labor will make both variances unfavorable