Drug Testing? Don’t Forget the Medical Review Officer
by Nick Fishman
Does your organization have a Substance Abuse Screening program for prospective and existing employees? Well then, you might wonder why a Medical Review Officer (MRO) is so critical to the process.
Joe Reilly from Florida Drug Screening was kind enough to share some insights with us about why an MRO can be helpful in reviewing all substance abuse screening results, not just those that are positive. The following is an excerpt from his guest article which was published on employeescreen University earlier today:
The MRO must not be an employee or agent of or have any financial interest in the laboratory for which the MRO is reviewing drug test results. Additionally, the MRO must not derive any financial benefit by having an agency use a specific drug testing laboratory or have any agreement with the laboratory that may be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The purpose of this requirement is to prevent any arrangement between a laboratory and an MRO that would prevent the MRO from reporting a problem identified with a laboratory’s test results or testing procedures.
The MRO has the following responsibilities:
(1) Determine that the information on the drug testing Custody and Control Form (CCF) is forensically and scientifically supportable;
(2) Interview the donor when required;
(3) Make a determination regarding the test result;
(4) Report the verified result to the employer or agency ordering the test; and
(5) Maintain records and confidentiality of the information.
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