When a company employs drug testing as a means of compliance, it means that there will be a process for reviewing and analyzing important medical information. In these situations, a Medical Review Officer (MRO) can serve a vital role in the review and verification of your company’s drug testing program to ensure that your employees aren’t mislabeled as drug users after positive drug test results and are treated with fairness and dignity.
In order to achieve this, many companies institute a program that uses a healthcare professional to oversee the program. These services, headed by licensed physicians who have specialized training in drug and alcohol testing procedures and regulations, can ensure that your company has an efficient, accurate drug testing program for your employees. This will not only make sure that your employees stay compliant with regulations, but can inspire confidence in your company’s goals as it relates to safety.
MRO Services From Fleet Drug Testing
At Fleet Drug Testing, we are proud to offer a full range of MRO services to make sure that your company is always up-to-date and compliant with drug testing regulations. Our drug testing programs and MRO services include the medical review of any company-issued drug tests, as well as the fair and accurate reporting of results. We can help you reduce liability and ensure that every employee is treated fairly. To learn more, contact us today for a free consultation.
What is the Role of MRO Services For My Company?
The role of MRO services is to ensure that drug and alcohol testing is conducted fairly and accurately and to protect the privacy and medical rights of the individuals being tested. MROs review test results and may contact employees to discuss positive test results and any relevant medical information. MROs also play a key role in the review and evaluation of any medical explanations or exemptions provided by employees who have tested positive for drugs or alcohol.
MRO services also act as the common point of contact between all the parties in a drug test, which includes:
- The donor
- The collector
- The test facility/lab
- The employer
On top of that, the MRO also serves as the liaison and chief compliance apparatus for all federal and state drug testing regulations. In order to do this, MRO services perform a variety of different tasks, including:
- Reviewing all tests reported as either positive, adulterated, substituted, invalid, or rejected.
- Reporting the verified result to the employer or Federal agency.
- Ensuring that specimens reported as negative or diluted are properly reviewed and reported to the employer or government agency.
- Discussing potential invalid results with the facility or lab to determine whether further testing at another certified facility is warranted.
- Conducting and facilitating a medical evaluation of the donor when a collector reports that the donor was unable to provide a urine specimen.
- Performing an initial investigation of problems identified in the drug testing process and notifying the employer and appropriate regulatory authority of the findings.
- Monitoring the frequency of errors and notifying responsible parties to take corrective action to prevent a recurrence.
- Maintaining records and ensuring the confidentiality of drug test information.
As you can see, the MRO process is one that is extremely important to the overall drug testing process. But simply ensuring that a drug test is conducted properly is only part of what MRO services offer your company. The other facet of MRO services is making sure that your employees are treated with respect, and that their sensitive medical information is not only protected but used in a way that won’t hurt them down the line.
Does My Company Need MRO Services?
If your company uses drug testing, especially for compliance purposes for federal or state regulations, MRO services can be vital. For one, they play an important role in the drug testing process by ensuring that the results of the test are accurate and reliable. The MRO is responsible for reviewing the test results and any relevant medical information to determine whether the result of the test is positive or negative.
If the test result is positive, the MRO will contact the employee to discuss the result and to determine if there is any legitimate medical explanation for the positive result. The MRO is also responsible for ensuring that the privacy of the employee is protected throughout the process.
There are several reasons why you might need a medical review officer, but the two most important reasons are:
- Ensuring the accuracy of the test results.
- Making sure the drug test is conducted in a fair and reliable manner.
Another way of looking at it is that an MRO acts as an independent and impartial “gatekeeper” for your company’s overall drug testing process, serving as an advocate for the accuracy and integrity of the process itself.
In this role, they:
- Provide a quality assurance review of the drug testing process for the specimens under their leadership.
- Determine if there is a legitimate medical explanation for laboratory-confirmed results, whether positive, negative, adulterated, substituted or invalid.
- Oversee the drug testing process to ensure the timely flow of test results and other information to employers.
- Safeguard the confidentiality of the drug testing information.
Obviously, the importance of a qualified MRO is vital to the overall drug testing process. With that in mind, knowing what those qualifications are can help your company make an informed decision when deciding which MRO service to partner with.
What Qualifications Are Necessary For MRO Services?
First and foremost, every MRO must be a licensed physician in the state in which your company does business. From there, an individual typically needs to have the following qualifications to be an MRO:
- Medical degree (MD or DO)
- Valid medical license
- Training in drug and alcohol abuse, including the substances being tested and the effects of those substances on the human body
- Experience in the field of addiction medicine or toxicology
- Ability to understand and interpret complex medical and scientific information
- Strong communication skills
- Knowledge of federal and state regulations related to drug and alcohol testing in the workplace.
In addition, most MROs can achieve additional certification by the American Association of Medical Review Officers (AAMRO).
Choose Fleet Drug Testing For Your MRO Needs
At Fleet Drug Testing, we are proud to provide MRO services to companies that are serious about maintaining the safety and compliance of their employees. Our MRO services team remains committed on minimizing turnaround times on test results while adhering to all applicable federal and state regulations to make sure that your company’s drug-testing program remains fair and accurate. If you would like to learn more about our MRO or any other services we offer, contact us today for a free consultation.
