Occupational Health

Point of Care Urine Drug & Alcohol Testing

What is the goal of the program?

HUM provides unannounced or random 12 panel + alcohol urine drug Point of Care Testing (POCT) as part of continuing care for abstinence-based recovery from Addiction. POCT results can be provided within 15 minutes. The negative tests will serve as an objective base for any advocacy reports that may be needed on the client’s behalf.

All urine drug point of care testing (POCT) at HUM includes testing of any combination of the following substances: Methamphetamine; Amphetamine; Cocaine; Morphine; Ecstasy, Methadone metabolites, Tricyclic antidepressants; oxycodone; Barbiturates; Buprenorphine; Phencyclidine; Synthetic Cannabinoid; Ketamine; Methaqualone; Fentanyl; Tramadol; Ethyl Glucuronide; Marijuana and Benzodiazepines.

The client will be notified of positive test results and further treatment recommendations will be discussed jointly, to improve stability in recovery.
Any out of town absences require 48 hours notification and failure to show for a urine specimen will be considered a positive specimen and be recorded as such.
All positive tests will be confirmed by an independent laboratory through Calgary Health Labs in accordance with Chain of Custody protocol.

Who is this program for?

This is for anyone who is being required by a third party or professional body to participate in random urine drug screening, or those who chose to do random drug testing as part of their recovery program to increase accountability. Random urine drug testing is also done during the IOP and IOPCC as part of the treatment program.

How is the program delivered?

There will be an initial 15 minute meeting with the Registered Nurse and DATAC Certified Specimen Collector to go over the guidelines of the urine drug testing and to sign the agreement. The person will then be notified the day of testing by phone/text to come to the HUM office and provide a urine sample.

When can someone start the program, how does one start, and are there any prerequisites?

This program is available to anyone who has completed HUM’s comprehensive assessment. A signed urine drug screening agreement is required before commencement of urine drug testing.

What are the costs?

The cost of the POCT test is $90/test.

MRO – Medical Review Officer

As a licensed physician with knowledge of substance abuse, Dr. Raju Hajela is qualified as a Medical Review Officer (MRO) to review mandated drug tests from a lab. Our MRO will review lab results, interview the donor when necessary, determine whether an alternative medical explanation could account for a positive test result, report the verified result to the employer, and maintain the confidentiality of the information.

The MRO:

Serves as the objective gatekeeper of program quality in drug testing.
Is a licensed physician 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.
Renders an opinion about whether or not here is a legitimate medical explanation for a confirmed laboratory finding.
Reviews results to make certain the specimen belongs to the donor.
MROs have a responsibility to correctly verify test results.
By reviewing both negative and positive results this function also serves to protect the donor alleviate fears among participants in the program.

The MRO, through training and experience, is knowledgeable in the areas of:

the pharmacology of drugs of abuse
accepted pharmacological treatment and standard prescribing practices for specific disease process
the use and authorization to prescribe controlled substances consistent with local and federal drug regulations
ethical considerations in workplace drug testing programs,
laboratory testing methodology and quality control, laws ad regulations related to the use of illicit and licit substances
chemical dependence and addiction behavior
employee assistance programs and rehabilitation.

For more information about Medical Review Officer services and fees, please contact us at 403-536-2480 or info@humassociates.net

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