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OPAM LogoOPAM Workshop:  Medical Review Officer Training Course:  Toxicology Testing and the MRO, A Physician's Role in the Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse

 

This course is currently available at AOA Online Learning ($695...AOCOPM members can use the discount code to receive $100 off)

Agenda

About the Course

More than 60 percent of large private employers require drug and alcohol testing, and over 20 million forensic drug test specimens are processed by certified laboratories every year. The results of these laboratory tests are reviewed and interpreted by thousands of highly qualified physicians acting as certified Medical Review Officers (MROs).
Federal regulations require MROs to complete training and certification/recertification by a nationally recognized MRO board every 5 years.  AOCOPM’s new live virtual MRO Course not only fulfills this training requirement but also offers physicians the opportunity to learn from leaders in the MRO field.  This course is an excellent training option for physicians new to MRO practice as well as practicing MROs who are looking to maintain the highest standards of knowledge, practice, certification, and compliance.   More information

Learning Objectives

  • Implement drug testing policies and procedures in accordance with SAMHSA Guidelines and DOT Regulations.
  • Compare and contrast between the different toxicology specimens, their benefits and limitations.
  • Describe the role of an MRO in a forensic drug testing program.
  • Review the latest requirements for the MRO review of confirmed laboratory results, split specimen testing, invalid, adulterated and substituted results.
  • Apply the information presented from this presentation to support your clients and help ensure public safety in and beyond the workplace.

Faculty

Anthony Dekker, DO

Dr. Dekker is the chief medical director of the Division of Developmental Disabilities in the State of Arizona.  He has practiced addiction medicine for over 35 years and has served on the faculty of several universities.  Dr. Dekker is board-certified in Family Practice and Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment, Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Addiction Medicine, and Pain Medicine. He is a Fellow in numerous professional societies. His areas of expertise include addiction medicine, chronic pain syndromes, informatics, high-risk youth, and behavioral health.

James Ferguson, DO, FASAM
Dr. Ferguson is the Medical Director of Vault Health (Formerly FSSolutions) Recovery Management Solutions. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM), a Distinguished Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), and a Medical Review Officer (MRO) certified by the Medical Review Officer Certification Council. He directed the ASAM Comprehensive MRO Training Course from 2003 until 2013 and currently teaches MRO Training through the American Osteopathic College of Occupational and Preventive Medicine (AOCOPM) and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM). He is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Medical Review Officer Certification Council (MROCC), the author of “The MRO Team Manual,” co-author of the MRO chapters of the ”Principles of Addiction Medicine” and the “Handbook of Workplace Drug Testing”. He is a former member of the SAMHSA Drug Testing Advisory Board (DTAB) and still consults for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Division of Workplace Programs (DWP). He was instrumental in the development of the National MRO Database Project and served as a member of the industry-based Oral Fluid Advisory Board.

R.H. Barry Sample, PhD, D-FTCB

Barry Sample, Ph.D., is a consultant and expert in forensic and analytical toxicology, anti-doping, and workforce drug testing.

Dr. Sample began his career in laboratory medicine at Indiana University in 1977. After earning his doctoral degree in 1985, he joined the faculty in the Department of Pathology at I.U. where he was responsible for the day-to-day operation of the SportsMedicine Drug Identification laboratory. During his tenure, the laboratory was accredited by the International Olympic Committee and conducted drug testing for the 1987 Pan American Games.

Dr. Sample worked for Quest Diagnostics for more than 30 years, starting in 1991 as laboratory director. Under his direction, the Atlanta laboratory, which was accredited by the International Olympic Committee, provided the doping control services for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. In 2000, Dr. Sample transitioned to leading Science and Technology initiatives where he was responsible for the production and introduction of new products and services through new tests, informatics, and technology development. In early 2022, Dr. Sample retired and started consulting to laboratories,
device manufacturers, and industry organizations as well as providing expert testimony services.

Currently, Dr. Sample is extensively involved in numerous professional organizations. He is a Regional Commissioner and an inspector for the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Forensic Drug Testing (FDT) laboratory accreditation program, serves as a member of the Tennis (ITF/ITIA) Anti-Doping Program Review Board and the National Basketball Association (NBA) Prohibited Substances Committee and served nine years on the Board of Directors and is past-President of the Substance Abuse Program Administrators Association. He has served as a consultant to the CAP Toxicology Resource Committee, as a member of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency Review Board, and for two, four-year terms as a member of the DHHS Drug Testing Advisory Board. He is a lecturer and has co-authored numerous presentations and publications dealing with drug analysis, athletic drug testing, and toxicology. Dr. Sample received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and his doctorate in pharmacology from Indiana University.

Donna R. Smith, PhD
Dr. Donna Smith is the Regulatory Compliance Officer at WorkforceQA, a full- service Third Party
Administrator for workplace safety and compliance programs. Dr. Smith has over 35 years’
experience and expertise in drug-free workplace program regulatory compliance. Dr. Smith served in policy and regulatory positions with the U.S. Departments of Army, Defense and Transportation. She is a nationally recognized expert in the areas of Federal drug testing regulations, drug and alcohol testing procedures, drug and alcohol abuse awareness training for employees and managers, medical review officer (MRO) procedures, drug-free workplace policy and procedures, and substance abuse prevention and rehabilitation. Since 1990 she has served on the faculties of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) for continuing medical education courses for physicians serving as Medical Review Officers (MRO). Dr. Smith has served on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Federal Drug Testing Advisory Board (DTAB), the Substance Abuse Program Administrators Association (SAPAA) Board of Directors, and currently serves on the Board of the Drug-Free America Foundation. In addition to her work in DFWP policy and program consultation, Dr. Smith serves as a technical expert in the Professional Health Monitoring arena. Dr. Smith earned a BA is sociology from Capital University, an MSW in clinical social work from Hunter College, CUNY, and a PhD in counseling psychology from Ball State University.
 

Certification/Examination

MROCC certification is DOT and SAMHSA recognized and approved. Registration for the certification examination is separate from the course. Information on registering for the examination is available on the MROCC website at https://www.mrocc.org/getcertified.cfm.
**EVENT CANCELLATION POLICY:  Please note that AOCOPM will refund your registration fee, less 10% (for credit card processing fees), as long as the refund is requested no later than two weeks prior to the event.