Here you go:
A Medical Review Officer (MRO) is the final checkpoint in the drug testing process. They help ensure that results are accurate, legally sound, and fair to all parties involved. MROs are licensed physicians who have received specialized training in substance abuse disorders and the technical aspects of drug testing. In the United States, MROs must meet certification requirements set by organizations such as the American Association of Medical Review Officers (AAMRO) or the Medical Review Officer Certification Council (MROCC).
The MRO's primary role is to review and interpret laboratory drug test results before they are reported to an employer. Key responsibilities include:
- Reviewing laboratory results: The MRO receives all non-negative drug test results directly from the certified laboratory.
- Contacting donors: Before reporting a positive result, the MRO contacts the donor (the person tested) to determine whether there is a legitimate medical explanation, such as a valid prescription.
- Verifying prescriptions: The MRO evaluates any prescription or medical documentation provided by the donor to determine if it is a valid, lawful explanation for the result.
- Making final determinations: The MRO issues a final result of Positive, Negative, Canceled, or Refusal to Test based on all available information.
- Reporting results: The MRO reports the verified, final result to the designated employer representative (DER).
- Protecting donor privacy: MROs handle sensitive medical information and are bound by confidentiality standards.
Many think specimen collectors are MROs, but that is a serious misconception. Specimen collectors gather and process the specimens, but they do not interpret results, and that's where the MRO comes in.
For DOT-regulated programs, having a qualified MRO in the workflow is required by federal law (49 CFR Part 40), and for good reason. An MRO bridges the gap between a raw laboratory finding and a legally defensible final result by giving donors the opportunity to explain a positive before it's ever reported to an employer, reviewing the chain of custody form to ensure the collection was conducted properly, and determining whether a flawed or rejected specimen should be canceled and a retest ordered.
