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The staff responsible for the management of the laboratory is housed in an environmentally controlled facility that is climate controlled. It has been noted by the clinical research staff that “many of our clinical tests are performed in a dry ice condition”. All collection procedures for the dry ice equipment are completed in a clean area that is temperature and humidity-controlled. There are two single-day storage packages for test samples and one overnight package. A laboratory communication system also allows researchers to send completed test samples back to the clinic.
Many different types of clinical testing may be performed in the lab that requires a specific kind of machine. These machines include Electron Microscopy (EMG), Electron Beam Ray Transmission (EBT), and Fluorescent Imaging. When one of these machines is used to collect test samples for testing purposes, some unexpected issues typically arise. These issues are alleviated when one uses the appropriate clinical supplies made available through the Mayo Clinic lab. The following list describes some standard tests or treatments that may be performed in the lab each week:
A recent issue noted within the clinical laboratory at the Mayo Clinic was the shortage of certain types of medical supplies. Fluids are one such item that is in very short supply. The Mayo Clinic learned that the clinical laboratory had received eight out of ten orders placed for expired fluids by new hires within the last three months. Fluids are usually updated weekly and typically six weeks in advance.
Another issue that was brought to the staff’s attention at the Mayo Clinic lab was the shortage of sterile equipment. While over one hundred types of laboratory equipment are required for testing purposes, not all of them are stocked in the lab. According to the Mayo Clinic staff, there are currently no new hires scheduled for Sars-Cov-2 testing. As a result, the team is waiting for at least six months before a shipment of four disposable sars-Nov-2 wells will be delivered to the clinical laboratory.
Because of this, according to the staff, they are not even keeping close track of inventory numbers or the amounts of various medical products they are bringing in daily. During two weeks, they will bring in approximately eleven new product packages containing four units of Sars-Cov-2. These products come from two companies, neither of which is keeping tabs on inventories. The two companies have a significant gap in their lists between the lack of an accurate inventory tracking system and the issue of new hires not knowing what specific products are needed in the clinical laboratory. Between the absence of a precise inventory tracking system and the reality that most medical professionals do not keep track of their inventories, the two companies have a large gap between what they need and what they have.
There was also an issue concerning a free-standing chemistry laboratory bench that was temporarily pulled down due to safety concerns. The interim plan called for the removal of the court while repairs were being made. In addition, there were no lab chairs in place when the bench was pulled down, leaving many patients waiting for a seat, which was lacking. The court was installed in May after the interim plan was put into place. When the bench was put back in place, however, there were still no lab chairs to make people sit on.
All in all, the Mayo Clinic lab has provided excellent service to patients and staff members. They have, however, had some operational issues that have been caused by miscommunication between the management team and the lab personnel. The miscommunication issue has, in turn, resulted in the need to extend the opening of the clinic lab for a few more days until further notice. Mayo Clinic staff says they plan to resolve all the issues once all the staffing issues have been resolved. Once all the staffing and operational issues have been resolved, the opening of the Mayo Clinic lab should resume smoothly. For more info please visit https://www.mayocliniclabs.com/