After a donor completes the Urine Drug Screen, what happens next? Why does it take so long to get the results from the UDS? These are questions that we are often asked. The answer, of course, depends on the situation.
In this blog post, we will discuss what happens after the UDS sample has been collected. There are several things that are out of our control as they are regulated by law.
A Review of Sample Collection During a Drug Screen
When a candidate or employee arrives at our office they will be checked-in for their urine drug screen. A certified member or our staff will take them back to collect the urine sample. Depending on the candidate’s readiness to provide a sample, this can take up to three hours.
After the sample has been collected there are a few different things that can occur; it all depends on the type of drug screen ordered and the preliminary results.
After the Sample is Collected – Delivered to the Lab
Any test that is required to go to the lab will be sent by FEDEX overnight to our lab in Kansas City. It will arrive at the lab within 24 hours of the sample being collected.
At this point the lab will run the confirmation test on the sample for any positive substances. A second confirmation test will be completed if there is a positive result for any substance.
WorkSafe Physical Therapy has nothing to do with this process. Once the sample is sent to the lab it is out of our hands!
Medical Review Officer Reviews the Results
If there is a positive confirmation, the results are sent to the Medical Review Officer. Again, this is required by law.
The MRO then must contact the donor within 24 hours and discuss the results. If the donor doesn’t answer, the MRO may leave up to 3 voicemails. As required by law, the donor is given 72 hours to respond. If the donor never responds, the test is determined to be positive.
After the final determination is made by the MRO, the results will be released to WorkSafe Physical Therapy.
WorkSafe Physical Therapy Receives the Results
Most lab-based negative tests will be reported within 48 hours of collection. This includes rapid testing that was sent to the lab for further testing. If the confirmation test reveals a negative result, WorkSafe Physical Therapy receives a report immediately.
The timeline gets longer when a UDS sample tests positive. It may take up to 7 days for the final report, depending on how quickly the donor responds to the MRO.
In all cases, WorkSafe Physical Therapy immediately notifies the employer when we receive the final results.
What Tests go to the Lab?
All federally regulated tests will go to the lab for testing. In addition, any non-federal lab-based test will go. Finally, if a rapid-10 panel test was performed and there was a “non-negative” result, we are required to send the sample to the lab for confirmation testing.
Final Thoughts on After the UDS Sample Process
The UDS process can be long and confusing, but hopefully, this blog post has helped to clear some things up. If you have any additional questions about the UDS process or anything else related to drug screening, please reach out to us! We are always happy to help and answer your questions.
Contact WorkSafe to find out how we can help your company today!
Working to keep you safe, healthy, and productive,
