March 9, 2007
Did you know...?
A positive laboratory test
result does not automatically identify an employee or job applicant as an
illegal drug user. An essential part of the drug testing program is the final
review of results as required by the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace
Drug Testing Programs initially published in the Federal Register on
April 11, 1988 (53 FR 11970-11989) and revised in the Federal Register
on June 9, 1994 (59 FR 29908-29931).
The Medical Review Officer (MRO) is an individual with a detailed knowledge of
possible alternative medical explanations essential in performing this final
review of results.
An MRO is defined as a licensed
physician who receives laboratory results, has knowledge of substance abuse
disorders, and has appropriate medical training to interpret and evaluate an
individual’s positive test result together with his or her medical history and
any other relevant biomedical information. Only individuals holding either a
Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) degree may serve as an
MRO for federally regulated programs.
The MRO
must review all non-negative test results (i.e., positive, adulterated,
substituted, invalid) and all negative and dilute specimens before reporting
the results to the Federal agency's designated representative (employer). Negative
specimen results may be reviewed and reported by staff under the direct,
personal supervision of the MRO.
The MRO process consists of:
- Administrative review of documents,
- Interview with the donor (as required),
- Handling retest requests (as required),
- Result interpretation and verification, and
- Reporting of results to the Federal agency's (employer) designated representative.
A verified result may not be reported to the employer until the MRO has completed the review process. This process may take up to 72 hours or longer.
If reasonable efforts to contact the donor fail, the MRO can verify the non-negative drug test results as follows:
1. If the MRO is unable to reach the donor after making at least three attempts spaced reasonably over a 24-hour period, or if the phone numbers given by the donor are incorrect, the MRO may ask the designated employer representative for help in contacting the donor.
2. If 72 hours have elapsed since the employer contacted the donor, and the donor didn’t contact the MRO, the MRO can report the results to the employer.
3. Despite reasonable attempts, if the employer and the MRO are unable to contact the donor within 10 days of the date that the MRO received the results, the MRO will report the results to the employer.
Even if the drug test is non-federal, the MRO should be used to protect the confidentiality of the employee (if he/she has a medical condition and is taking prescription medications). Although MRO is not required on non- federal tests it provides better defensibility if you are making hiring and firing decisions.
To learn more about the MRO process, point your browser to the United States Department of Health and Human Services SAMHSA webpage at: http://workplace.samhsa.gov/DrugTesting/MedicalReviewOfficers/MROMannual100104.htm
To learn more about OHS-COMPCARE contact our Client Services Team at (816) 561-2105 or by e-mail at customerservice@ohscompcare.com. You can also visit us at www.ohscompcare.com.
*Please feel free to forward this information to any member of management in your company who would benefit from it.*
OHS-COMPCARE has eight (8) area clinical facilities:
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Blue Springs Clinical Facility |
Independence Clinical Facility |
Johnson County Clinical Facility |
St. Joseph Clinical Facility |
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801 NW St. Mary’s Drive |
17020 East 40 Highway |
10415 Lackman Road |
904 Edmond Street |
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Blue Springs, MO 64104 |
Independence, MO 64055 |
Lenexa, KS 66219 |
St. Joseph, MO 64501 |
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816-224-9121 |
816-478-9299 |
913-495-9905 |
816-233-7702 |
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* Extended Hours* |
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KCMO/Broadway Clinical Facility |
KCMO/Front Street Clinical Facility |
Wyandotte County Clinical Facility |
Grandview Clinical Facility |
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1650 Broadway |
6501 East Commerce, Suite 110 |
1333 Meadowlark Lane, Suite 200 |
13830 S Us Highway 71 |
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Kansas City, MO 64108 |
Kansas City, MO 64120 |
Kansas City, KS 66102 |
Grandview, MO 64030 |
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816-842-2020 |
816-483-5550 |
913-596-2774 |
816-761-4664 |