Improvements to downtime process, form provide clarity for clients

The downtime process and downtime form have been improved to provide clear guidance on the steps to take during downtime. Additionally, the updated process provides these key benefits:

• Clarified expectations regarding orders, results, and communications.
• Reduction of additional inquiries, thereby mitigating delays in turnaround time.
• Incorporation of a more detailed and streamlined downtime form.
• Option of the downtime form in a fillable PDF for completing electronically when applicable.

The following scenarios provide updated guidance according to each type of downtime event:

Mayo Clinic Laboratories (MCL) ordering application(s) or client internet is unavailable. 

If the MCL ordering application or your internet is down for an extended period, send the batch sheets from your internal laboratory information system (LIS) or wait for the MCL ordering application or your internet to become available.

If sending your internal LIS batch sheet, it must include the following:

• Client account number
• Two patient identifiers
• MCL test name
• MCL test code
• Ask-at-order entry questions and answers
• Batch sheet temperature
• Indication of any shared specimens

The client laboratory information system is unavailable.

If your internal LIS is down, orders may be placed manually in an MCL ordering application or may be held until your system is available. 

Both the MCL ordering application(s) and client LIS are unavailable. 

The downtime form (linked below) should be used if an MCL ordering application and your LIS are both unavailable. 

The new downtime form includes the addition of newly required fields to ensure pertinent order information is provided upon specimen submission. We highly recommend that you print a copy of the updated form to keep on file in case of security breach events, any internet service disruptions, or system outages.

The highlighted fields below indicate sections that have been added or modified:

For additional help or questions, please contact Customer Service.