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Excelling as a Medical Review Officer (MRO) Assistant/Team Member

by | Aug 10, 2023

WELCOME

Welcome to the NDASA Excelling as a Medical Review Officer (MRO) Assistant/Team Member Course, developed with the mission of raising the level of professional standards within the drug and alcohol testing industry.

This course will provide you with the information and tools to successfully perform the functions of an MRO Assistant/ Team Member.

The course covers these topics:

  • Drug testing in the workplace
  • Governance of drug testing
  • The drug testing process
  • The MRO role
  • The MRO Assistant/Team Member role
  • Industry standards for the MRO Assistant/Team Member.
  • Personal characteristics of a successful MRO Assistant/Team Member
  • MRO Assistant/Team Member methodology
  • What the MRO Assistant/Team Member can and can not do
  • Communicating as an MRO Assistant/Team Member
  • How to manage challenges and issues in the testing process

COURSE OBJECTIVES

  • To provide background knowledge of the drug testing industry to allow the MRO Assistant/Team Member to effectively assist an MRO, who is the “gatekeeper” of laboratory drug test results
  • To establish standards for the MRO Assistant/Team Member throughout the drug testing industry.
  • To provide a practical methodology for the MRO Assistant/Team Member to work effectively to meet the demands of industry standards.
  • To provide real-world, functional tips for successful performance in the role of MRO Assistant/Team Member.
  • MROCC Certification
  • This course will provide you with the information and tools to perform the functions of an MRO Assistant/Team Member. The course enables you to become certified through the Medical Review Officer Certification Council (MROCC). Upon completion of the NDASA course, please contact MROCC regarding certification.
Regulatory StandardExaminationDeliverablesIndustry Applicability
FederalUniversal skills setMulti-industry
40 CFR Part 40 – SubpartsFinal Examination – 90% to pass.Knowledge of the DOT regulationsDOT-regulated sector  
NDASA CertificationRegulated by federal, state or local mandates
Private sector

COURSE ASSUMPTIONS

Several assumptions are built into this MRO Assistant/Team Member course:

  • Although the course refers most often to DOT regulations and procedures because they remain the gold standard in the industry, it also discusses federal employee testing and non-DOT testing. Although the DOT regulations do not mention “MRO Assistant”, there are multiple references to what an MRO’s staff is permitted to do. The MRO Assistant/Team Member needs to know the type of testing procedures that apply in a given situation.
  • For simplicity, the course most often refers to “the MRO” as if they were a single individual, but that term could mean an MRO organization or another situation where there is more than one physician in the office who reviews drug test results.
  • The term “collection site” may also refer to an individual collector who is contracted to perform collections. This course does not include much information about alcohol testing, because the MRO’s role in alcohol testing is limited.
  • Although much discussion centers on urine and oral fluid drug testing, we understand that the majority of principles and procedures discussed also apply to hair testing, or sweat patch testing, for non DOT/non HHS situations only.
  • The course emphasizes workplace testing, but similar principles and procedures apply to drug testing within the schools, court-ordered testing, as well as personal drug testing. Although the recipient of the test results will most often be the employer or the Designated Employer Representative (DER), in certain situations reporting may be to other entities such as schools or courts.
  • This is not a medical course to teach the classifications, effects, and pharmacology of drugs and alcohol. Aside from defining basic medical terms, it intentionally leaves out the technical and scientific information pertaining to the MRO responsibilities. It is not the role of the MRO Staff/Assistant to interpret drug test results.
  • The course does not discuss any non-negative on-site testing that is not confirmed at a laboratory or any testing that is not done under strict chain of custody. These methods are not standardized or recommended by the industry.

MROCC CERTIFICATION

Upon completion of this course, students will be prepared to take the Medical Review Officer Certification Council (MROCC) MRO Team Member online examination. With successful completion of the MROCC examination, the student will be awarded a three-year MROCC MRO Team Member* certification. Visit the MROCC website to purchase and take the exam.

*MROCC uses the term “Team Member,” as the equivalent to the MRO Assistant/Team Member role in this training.

Glossary of Commonly Used Terms in Drug and Alcohol Testing MRO Assistant/Team Member Resource Library Who's Who in the Drug Testing Industry Drug Testing in the Workplace Governance of Drug Testing Overview of DOT Regulations Pertaining to Medical Review Officers HIPPA and the MRO Assistant/Team Member Introduction to the Drug Testing Industry Understanding the Urine Specimen Collection Process Urine Specimen Collection Procedures Understanding the Oral Fluid Specimen Collection Process Oral Fluid Collection Procedures Lab Processes and the MRO Special Testing Situations – Direct Observation Urine Special Testing Situations – Shy Bladder Collection Special Testing Situations – Dry Mouth Special Testing Situations – Correctable Flaws Special Testing Situations – Fatal Flaws MRO Review of Alternate Specimens for Drug Testing MRO Review of Alcohol Tests Drug Testing Laboratories Laboratory Testing Methods Historical Perspective and Current Role of the MRO MRO Training and Certification The Value of the MRO Assistant/Team Member Position The Role of the MRO Assistant/Team Member MRO Assistant/Team Member Standards Qualities of a Successful MRO Assistant/Team Member MRO Assistant/Team Member Methodology – The CCF MRO Assistant/Team Member Methodology – The Lab Report MRO Assistant/Team Member Methodology – Document Review MRO Assistant/Team Member Methodology – Irregularities and Errors MRO Assistant/Team Member Methodology – Preparation for MRO Review MRO Assistant/Team Member Methodology – Facilitating the MRO/Donor Interview MRO Assistant/Team Member Methodology – Gathering Information for the MRO MRO Assistant/Team Member Methodology – Contact with Donor & Employer MRO Assistant/Team Member Methodology – Record Keeping & Review MRO Assistant/Team Member Methodology – Process Summary for Negative Test Results MRO Assistant/Team Member Methodology – Process Summary for Non-Negative Results Limitations of the MRO Assistant/Team Member Role MRO Assistant/Team Member Duties in Special Testing Situations – Shy Bladder MRO Assistant/Team Member Duties in Special Testing Situations – Split Specimen MRO Assistant/Team Member Duties in Special Testing Situations – Non-DOT MRO Assistant/Team Member Duties in Special Testing Situations – School Settings Donor Communication Issues DER and C/TPA Communications Managing Common Laboratory Issues The MRO and the FMCSA Clearinghouse Releasing Test Result Information Final Examination and Next Steps