MRO Services

Medical Review

In the field of occupational health, the Medical Review Officers, also known as an MRO, are extremely important throughout the employee drug screening process.  The MRO is a licensed physician who works directly with the laboratory and employer step-by-step ensuring that the data and results gathered by the drug screen are thoroughly examined and finalized.  As the final system reviewer, to ensure drug-screen processes are intact and employer/employee rights are upheld, MROs can easily be understood and described as the glue that holds the process together.

Understanding how the MRO helps through the drug screening procedures can enlighten you on understanding your own drug test responsibilities as an employer.

What is Chain of Custody?

A chain of custody is used to document the collection procedure of the drug test administered.  Every chain of custody form has a unique tracking/numbering system with identifying specimen labels to ensure continuity (which is initialed by donor).  Signature lines for recording the transfers that take place between donor to collector, collector to courier, courier to lab, certifying scientist to MRO, MRO to DER, and DER to employee are all part of the tracking/reporting process.  So, a chain of custody will include the signature of the donor who signs the form consenting that he or she provided that specimen and gave it to the collector.

After the donor signs the form the collector will then sign the form, and the collection process is completed, the collector signs receipt of the specimen and releases to the courier confirming that they have received the specimen from the donor, and then will deliver it to the lab via courier service.

Once the lab accessions the specimen they will then sign the chain of custody form given to them by the delivery service.  This process ensures that that collection given by the donor is in constant good care, and is being looked over by several responsible individuals.

MRO Responsibilities

1. Shares responsibility with the laboratory for the reviewing of the drug test custody and control forms AKA a chain of custody to make sure they are completed correctly.
2. Reviews the results of the drug test. For each positive drug result the MRO allows the employee who provided the sample the opportunity to discuss the results and give an explanation, such as taking prescription medication.
3. If the positive drug results is confirmed up by a legitimate medical explanation then the MRO reports to the employer as a negative result.
4. The MRO provides feedback to the employer, collection site, laboratory, or federal agency on any problems when necessary.

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