From cyberattacks to utility failures, technology disruptions are a growing risk in an increasingly digitized and automated laboratory environment. Planning for technology disruptions positions laboratories to embrace the full power of automation, artificial intelligence, and digitization while still meeting critical patient care needs during an outage. 

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by John Osborn, operations administrator in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic, who helps lead efforts to prepare for technology disruptions in the laboratory. 

Specific topics of discussion include:

• Immediate considerations when a technology disruption occurs and prioritizing the restoration of systems and processes. 
• How to create strategies and tools to guide decision-making and operations amid multiple outage scenarios. 
• Lessons learned from real life examples, including the importance of clear communication, empowering lab directors to make decisions, and pre-planning for recovery. 
• Preventive measures and risk mitigation strategies you can take today to make it easier to respond during a future incident.