MEDICAL REVIEW OFFICER (MRO) SERVICES

​

At San Diego Lab Testing, we offer Medical Review Officer (MRO) services. Our physician staff member has received his certification from American Association of Medical Review Officers (AAMRO). Our MRO is dedicated to following national standards in the area of drug and alcohol testing.  AAMRO certification is an indication to the public for following the ethical standards and providing high quality service for the benefit of employee, employer, and the general public.

​

AAMRO certification is recognized as an objective standard of competency and expertise for MROs.

​

We specialize in DOT and non-DOT testing, from collection, to processing and submission of the specimen, to evaluation of negative and non-negative test results. We work with employees and employers to provide an efficient and secure method of test result verification.

​

It is vital that a Medical Review Officer (MRO) is involved to deliver expertise and competency in the field of alcohol and drug testing.

​

Call us at (858) 485-0010 to get started.

​

So WHY should an MRO be involved in drug and alcohol testing process?

 

The importance of a certified MRO cannot be overstated. The certified MRO protects the donor from a false accusation of illicit drug use when there is an alternate medical explanation for the laboratory result. At the same time, the certified MRO protects the Company as a valuable resource - helping with policies and regulatory issues, as well as providing related services, such as drug test collections, breath alcohol testing services, coordination of laboratory services, laboratory performance testing, and preparation of summary reports for employers.

 

Why is certification crucial for MRO work?

Certification is vitally important as sweeping changes to the Drug and Alcohol Testing Rule issued by the Department of Transportation in 2001 has affected more than 7 million workers in the transportation industry. The changes have significantly affected MROs and have expanded their official duties and responsibilities. MROCC certification is the ultimate mark of an MRO's competency and fulfills the requirement set forth in the revised 49 CFR Part 40 Rule. The Medical Review Officer (MRO) is defined through federal guidelines as, “a person who is a licensed physician and who is responsible for receiving and reviewing laboratory results generated by an employer’s drug testing program and evaluating medical explanations for certain drug test results.”

 

In reality, it is the MRO who has received the necessary training and certification needed to effectively act as the objective and expert safeguard of the entire testing process. The MRO must be and remain knowledgeable about applicable rules including DOT Part 40, MRO guidelines, and any other regulations which impact organizations for whom the MRO evaluates drug test results. The MRO is often called upon to assist clients in the implementation of legally defensible policies and programs. Therefore, the MRO must be able to advise organizations about both regulated and non-regulated drug and alcohol testing procedures. Knowledge in the area of regulatory issues and MRO responsibilities will enable the MRO to serve in a host of settings.

 

At what levels does an MRO become important?

​

• interact effectively with other program participants, including: employees, employers, DERs, SAPs, TPAs, other health care workers, laboratories and collection sites.

 

• advise employers and employees about the requirements of public and private sector drug free workplace programs.

 

• advise employers in the development and implementation of effective workplace substance use policies and procedures.

 

• comply with applicable laws and federal regulations in the review, interpretation and reporting of drug test results, including confidentiality, documentation, record maintenance and storage, and release of information.

 

• develop a standard operating procedure for conducting an effective MRO which complies with applicable regulations.

 

• recognize and address the major legal and regulatory issues that face the MRO, other service providers and employers in the establishment and implementation of drug testing programs.

 

• serve as an expert consultant or witness on matters involving drug testing.

 

• adhere to and uphold the professional code of ethics relating to drug testing.

 

• evaluate and help manage collector services, laboratory services, and other services in the program to ensure reliability, confidentiality, efficiency, appropriateness, and promptness of these services in response to the employer’s needs.

 

• describe and recognize the clinical presentation and toxic effects of drugs of abuse and alcohol, including mechanisms of action, pharmaco/toxicokinetics, half-lives, metabolism, excretion, tolerance, abuse potential and interactions.

 

• recognize both trade names and generic names for substances that are likely to appear in a drug screen, interfere with a drug test, or be presented to the MRO as a donor explanation for a positive drug test.

 

• recognize the appropriate analytical methods for drug and alcohol screening and confirmation, and properly interpret results, with consideration of limits of detection, sensitivity, specificity, limitations, interferences, cost and availability.

 

• advise clients regarding the role of new drug testing technologies.

 

• evaluate drug and alcohol laboratory testing services.

 

• describe laboratory QA, QC, and certification requirements to an employer or other interested party.

 

• efficiently transmit and receive communication to and from the laboratory while maintaining donor confidentiality.

interpret adulterated and substituted specimen results, and identify any possible medical causes for specimens having an invalid result.

 

Why choose our MRO services?

​

• Certification and experience ensure that your tests receive an ACCURATE review

• MRO have current certifications with The American Association of Medical Review Officers of the national certifying bodies in this field.

​

Certifications meet or exceed the requirements of both DOT and state drug-free workplace statutes.

​

A Medical Review Officer offers a vast array of knowledge and experience in serving a broad range of clientele:
 

• DOT Mandated (FMCSA, FAA, PHMSA, FTA, etc.)

• Healthcare and Assisted Living Communities

• Government Agencies & Contractors

• ​Law Enforcement

• Cooperative Groups and Affiliate Association

• Utiility Groups and Contractors

• State Government

• City and County Government

 

​​* Trucking Companies (ranging in size from several hundred drivers to one person owner operators)

 

* Other Third Party Administrators and Consortiums

 

* Private companies in the following areas:

• Manufacturing
• Hotel & Motel Industry
• Agriculture
• National and Regional Retail Chains
• Healthcare and Hospitals
• Automotive Manufacturing & Sales
• Financial Service Industries
• Educational Institutions
• Mass and/or Public Transit
• Non-Profit Organizations

 

* Staffing Agencies
 

* Human Resource Departments

​

•       MRO services afford you with the most EFFICIENT turn around times on reporting test results

​

•       While no two tests are alike, so are no two verifications the same. Several factors can influence how quickly results are reported, such as the time and accuracy of the collection, when the lab received the specimen, how many substances must be confirmed at the laboratory, delays in shipments to the lab, etc. etc. With a positive test result, the variables can grow exponentially as a result of when contact was established with the donor, how readily they supply us with the information needed to complete the review, etc. etc. Understanding these variables prevents us from offering one cookie cutter time frame for the reporting of tests following the MRO review, however, the following do represent the average turn around time for the vast majority of our tests:

​

NEGATIVE test reviews are normally returned within the same business day as they are received from the laboratory.
POSITIVE test reviews are normally returned within 1-3 business days from the time they are received from the laboratory.

​

•       MRO services afford you with the most FLEXIBLE review options

​

Whether you are located just down the street or across the country, you can easily take advantage of our services.

 

We can review an established portion or type of test as would best meet your needs, such as any of the following combinations:

• Positive results only
• DOT or Non-DOT only
• Random Testing Only
• For Cause / Reasonable Suspicion Only