Drug and Alcohol Screening

Medical Review Officer Services

Our Medical Review Officer (MRO) is a licensed physician certified in the medical use of prescription drugs and the pharmacology of illicit drugs. Experienced in alcohol and drug prevention, our MRO is certified by the American Association of Medical Review Officers.

The MRO of Austintown Emergency Room will perform the following ethical steps:

• Obtain a copy of the original chain of custody form from the business requesting the drug screen
• Maintain the integrity of the specimen collection and transfer process, while also ensuring the dignity and privacy of the donor
• Obtain test results from a laboratory certified by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• Revise and interpret positive test results, following SAMHSA guidelines, to determine if the sample is scientifically sufficient
• Make three attempts to contact the donor and, if unsuccessful, notify the appropriate, authorized official at the company to have the donor contact our MRO immediately
• Conduct a telephone interview with all positive donors
• Advise any DOT donor that acquires a positive reading of his or her rights
• Submit the original sample to a second certified lab, if warranted
• Refer the positive donor to a network of substance abuse professionals
• Forward positive reading to the appropriate, authorized official

Donor instructions

At Austintown Emergency Room, the collection of a urine specimen is conducted following procedures that maintain the privacy of the donor, while protecting the integrity of the specimen at the same time.

The following protocols apply to each specimen collection:

1. Photo identification (e.g., driver’s license or employee badge) must be presented at the time of collection.
2. Any unnecessary outer garments such as coats and purses must be removed and pockets must be emptied.
3. If tampering items are detected, an observer of the same gender as the donor will perform a direct observation collection.
4. The donor’s hands must be washed and dried prior to providing a specimen.
5. The donor will provide the specimen within the privacy of a stall or otherwise partitioned area, unless direct observation is warranted.
6. The specimen will be provided to the medical staff personnel conducting the collection as soon as possible (within four minutes of voiding) so that an accurate temperature is preserved.
7. Our collector will request a second collection, under direct observation, if there is suspicion of or if the specimen appears to have been altered or substituted in any manner. (i.e., specimen temperature is out of range, contains foaminess, smells of bleach, etc.) The request for a second collection will be reported to our MRO.
8. The donor will be instructed to witness the unsealing and sealing of the collection containers and specimen bottles.
9. The donor will initial the identification label on the specimen bottles and sign a certification statement for verification purposes.
10. If a donor refuses to test, our collector will inform the prospective donor of the consequences of a “Refusal to Test.” (i.e. the donor must be removed from duties which directly affect workplace safety as soon as possible or, in the case of a pre-employment test, must be denied employment).
11. All positive findings by the lab are disclosed to our MRO only. Prior to making a final determination, our MRO will allow the donor the opportunity to discuss the positive result and submit medical documentation for legally prescribed medication.
12. Donor records concerning the collection and testing are covered under the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 USC. 522a). Donor records are maintained and evaluated with the highest regard for the donor’s privacy.