The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected shared resource lab (SRL) staff in-person availability at institutions globally. This article discusses the challenges of ensuring reliable instrument performance and quality data output while facility staff and external service provider on-site presence is severely limited. Solutions revolve around the adoption of remote monitoring and troubleshooting platforms, provision of self-service troubleshooting resources specific to facility instruments and workflows, development of an assistance contact policy, and ensuring efficiency of limited in-person staff time. These solutions employ software and hardware tools that are already in use or readily available in the SRL community, such as remote instrument access tools, video hosting and conferencing platforms, and ISAC shared resources. © 2020 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.
Keywords: best practices; quality control; remote support; shared resource laboratory; standard operating procedures; troubleshooting.
© 2020 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.