Clinical labs are intricate, high-pressure environments. There's rarely a moment to spare, and yet accuracy, compliance, and consistency must be maintained at every turn. In theory, every process should support those outcomes. In practice? Many still rely on outdated systems and manual workarounds that leave room for error.
This article explores five familiar challenges in lab management and how digital monitoring and workflow tools can help address them — not perfectly, perhaps, but reliably, and with far fewer points of failure.
1. Cold storage risks due to manual monitoring
Most lab managers are aware that manual temperature checks come with limitations. They’re time-consuming. They're easy to forget. And crucially, they only capture a moment in time — which means they can’t warn you about what's happening between checks.
Abcam, a global life sciences organisation, introduced Checkit to help monitor cold storage across its UK sites, with plans to expand globally. They selected the platform for its automated alerts and reporting functionality. According to their team, the system has helped reduce the risk of manual error and made compliance processes more straightforward.
It’s not about eliminating human involvement entirely — just reserving it for the moments that matter most.
2. Data integrity issues with manual systems
Manual monitoring, particularly when logged on paper or recorded inconsistently across shifts, tends to create more problems than it solves. Records get lost. Handwriting is unclear. Tasks are marked complete but weren’t actually done — or were done differently depending on who was on duty.
Kedrion Biopharma had faced some of those challenges firsthand. Their legacy systems had been paper-based, with processes that were slow to execute and difficult to verify. After implementing Checkit, they gained a clearer, more consistent view of their cold storage conditions, backed by a digital audit trail that helped reduce compliance risk.
It’s not a silver bullet, but it’s a meaningful shift — from reactive recordkeeping to proactive oversight.
3. Time-consuming audit preparation
Audits are rarely convenient. When documentation is scattered across filing cabinets or spreadsheets, even a basic request for historical data can turn into a scavenger hunt. And the longer it takes to find records, the more exposed a team feels.
With Checkit in place, Abcam found that data was readily available for audits and inspections. That kind of accessibility doesn’t just save time — it builds confidence. Their team no longer needed to scramble for information or backfill missing logs.
Of course, technology alone doesn’t ensure compliance, but it certainly lowers the margin for error.
4. Inconsistent task execution
Daily checks, cleaning protocols, equipment maintenance — these are all essential parts of running a lab. Yet they’re often carried out differently depending on the person, the shift, or the day. That inconsistency, while understandable, can affect both outcomes and compliance.
In the blog on digital systems and quality assurance in the laboratory, Checkit outlines how digital tools can help standardise critical tasks. Guided checklists and structured workflows give teams a clear path to follow — while providing managers with visibility into what’s being done, when, and how well.
It’s not about micromanagement. It’s about creating enough structure to support consistency, without getting in the way of the work itself.
5. Limited visibility across sites
The more sites you oversee, the harder it becomes to maintain consistent practices. Even when each location is doing its best, small gaps can add up — and without a unified view, it’s easy to miss the early signs of risk.
Abcam’s rollout of Checkit across multiple sites has helped address that. By moving to a cloud-based platform, they’re building a foundation for greater consistency and transparency across their wider lab operations.
It’s worth noting that no system removes every blind spot. But better visibility means fewer surprises — and fewer surprises usually means fewer crises.
Building confidence in clinical operations
Operational confidence isn’t something you can fake — especially not in a lab. It’s built from the ground up, with small, repeatable improvements that reduce risk, save time, and support better decisions.
Digital monitoring and workflow tools aren’t a cure-all. But for many labs, they represent a step toward something better: clearer records, faster responses, and more resilient day-to-day operations.
Ready to implement a system like Checkit in your environment? Let’s get started together today.
