"CERTIFIED MROs"

Dr. Nelson Gustin M.D. and Dr. Gillis of Amherst Family Practice are certified Medical Review Officers and licensed physicians with the knowledge of substance abuse disorders. As MROs our doctors know and understand the pharmacology and toxicology of prescription and illicit drugs, the way these drugs metabolize in the human body, and the way the body excretes these substances.

Such knowledge is critical to the accuracy and success of any effort to detect drug abuse problems an employee or potential employee might have. The main duty of the MRO is to review and interpret positive test results to determine if the positive result is actually due to the use of illegal drugs, or if it may be due to legal prescription medication. The MRO cannot be an employee of the laboratory performing the test, nor can the MRO derive any financial benefit by having an employer use a specific drug testing laboratory. Thus the MRO serves as a neutral, independent party in relationship to the lab; he also serves as a quality control check on the laboratory.

The MRO actually is responsible for contacting the person whose test results came back positive, and to determine the reason for such a positive result. The MRO then reports to the employer that the test was verified positive or verified negative. A verified negative result can be reported to the employer even if the lab result was positive after the interview and satisfactory explanation of the result. ..that is, provable, legitimate use of prescription medication that caused a positive result.

By using an MRO, an employer can be sure that all reasonable checks have been made to insure the absolute accuracy of the tests, checks for dilution, foreign substances and the like that people use to mask drug abuse.

An MRO also acts as a buffer by removing the threat of on-site violence by an employee who has failed a drug test.

MROs enable an employer to prove that all reasonable care was taken to ensure fairness in dealing with an employee should a positive drug result be returned by the independent lab. By taking the extra step of using an MRO, the employer reduces the possibility of error, thus insulating himself from potential lawsuits from an employee fired or not hired on the basis of positive test results that were positive because of legitimate medication rather than substance abuse.

Dr. Gillis and Dr. Gustin are proud of the role they have played in helping area industries manage their programs to monitor substance abuse, and they continue their education in this area by frequently attending classes and seminars dedicated to furthering the knowledge of substance abuse, its detection and control.