DOT Compliance:
Personalized Customer Service
Our company is known for personalized customer service since we treat our customers as we want to be treated with satisfaction guaranteed. Just ask our clients!!! We personally greet you on the telephone and use no impersonal automated telephone attendant. Our staff is always accessible to provide assistance at any level. The National Toxicology Specialists (NTS) team has implemented and/or managed nationwide drug free workplace programs for more than 14 years. NTS provides all of the knowledge and experience to provide regulatory compliance and give you confidence in your program. Our personalized attention to service offers greater flexibility to set up the program to SAVE YOU TIME! We are well suited to partner with companies having multiple locations spread throughout the country. Multiple location management requires a more personalized service in order to maintain as much consistency and uniformity as possible. Your MRO, Dr. Greg Elam, and SAMHSA Laboratory Inspector, Dr. Howard Taylor, are always available to answer your questions about any aspect of your program. Because we are thoroughly familiar with your needs and the importance of personalized customer service, you will be completely supported in all aspects of implementing and maintaining your program.
Collection Site Management
NTS manages collection sites throughout the country. We will customize and match the location of your facility to a nearby collection site. We can either set up accounts with your existing collection sites or locate a closer collection site. Give us an opportunity to see how we can SAVE YOUR EMPLOYEES TIME! We make all arrangements to locate convenient sites for each facility location, instruct collection site staff on proper procedures, provide collection supplies and communicate via fax and personal phone calls. We take responsibility for handling any and all issues regarding the collection of samples. If Post Accident Collections are necessary, NTS has an after-hours person on call to locate a site or provide assistance in performing all after hours collections. The same office number can be used 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to connect to the on-call staff.
Expert Collection of Samples
Specimen collections will be performed by qualified individuals who perform collections in accordance with 49 CFR Part 40, as amended. In order to insure compliance with new collector training requirements, Dr. Taylor has written a collection site training program and used it successfully in collection site training. In addition, the training consists of a collection site training manual which can be downloaded (“DOT Collection Manual”) at our resource center. We will be happy to answer any questions that collection sites have. In the event a collector error occurs, which results in a fatal flaw, we will insure that error correction training occurs within 30 days of the date we are notified of the error (in accordance with CFR 49 Part 40 Subpart C Paragraph 40.35). Collections are available at fixed sites or on-site. Let us know how we can help you.
SAMHSA Certified Laboratory Testing
We will locate and setup the highest quality laboratory with rapid turnaround time that meets your needs. Dr. Taylor is a SAMHSA laboratory inspector and has previously run a SAMHSA certified Laboratory, so he is well aware of the quality issues regarding a laboratory. The "gold" standard is a lab which is federally certified by SAMHSA which is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (formerly NIDA, National Institute on Drug Abuse). For federal testing and many state drug testing programs, only a SAMHSA laboratory is permitted. Since the MRO can have no financial interest in a laboratory according to 49 CFR Part 40, we do not own a laboratory or have any financial interest but subcontract with them as required by federal regulations.
AAMRO Certified Medical Review Officers
Greg Elam, M.D. is certified by the American Association of Medical Review Officers. He has clinical experience in dealing with controlled substance disorders and has supervised the review of over two million drug tests. He brings a very professional and personable approach to the review of drug tests. The first interaction with someone knowledgeable about substance abuse disorders is likely with the MRO. Therefore, the MRO interview sets the tone for future interactions, giving the MRO the opportunity to provide a positive approach to a shame based condition. Dr. Elam epitomizes the professional but compassionate physician in dealing with drug test issues.
Breath Alcohol Testing (BAT)
NTS provides both fixed site and on-site breath alcohol testing throughout the country. NTS ensures performance of breath alcohol tests by qualified providers who have received Breath Alcohol Technician (BAT) or Screening Test Technician (STT) training and who conduct breath alcohol tests in compliance with 49 CFR Part 40, as amended and use an Evidential Breath Testing (EBT) device or an Alcohol Screening Device (ASD) approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and appearing on the Conforming Products List (CPL) published by NHTSA/USDOT. All of our customer service representatives are qualified and trained Breath Alcohol Technicians (BATs), and we have 3 qualified and trained instructors in our corporate offices to answer your questions as well. In addition NTS is the regional representative for CMI, Inc., who is the manufacturer of the Intoxilyzer breath alcohol testing devices. We can help you with the purchase of a breath alcohol device if needed. We also provide qualification training from our corporate office in Nashville, TN.
Complete Random Program Management
NTS's random selection program utilizes a statistically valid computer generated random selection process which randomly selects from a designated employee pool. NTS, as an independent third party administrator of your random selection process, assures you and your employees that the selection procedures are fair and equitable. This process meets all regulatory requirements. Selections will be automatically generated at required time increments. The employees selected are cross-referenced with our testing activity database. We may notify you of the need for additional selections in order to maintain compliance in situations where an employee was selected but not tested. This safeguard may be necessary to determine why the test was not performed. Depending on the circumstances, future selection rates may require modification to maintain certain required testing rates.
DOT Physicals
DOT physicals are performed by one of our physicians or others qualified to conduct DOT physicals according to 49 CFR Part 391. Our main office is located at 1425 Elm Hill Pike, Nashville, TN 37210. The clinic is walk-in and no appointment is necessary. Hours available for physicals are 8am – 5pm Monday – Friday. In addition, we can review your providers' DOT physicals for compliance.
Electronic Results Reporting
We offer a number of ways to send you results. Since each program is customized to your needs, we can send results to multiple locations if requested (e.g. regional office and corporate office). All positives are called immediately by our MRO to your designated representative. We have a computer download in effect to immediately access results from the laboratory as soon as they are available, which allows us to provide immediate turn around as soon as results are available from the laboratory.
Post Accident Collection Management
Under DOT rules in a post accident situation, a breath alcohol test should be performed within 2 hours (up to 8 hours maximum), and a drug test performed within 32 hours of the accident. If necessary you can call our office (24 hours a day 7 days a week) to access the after-hours Post Accident Service. We will identify and set up any urine specimen collection and/or breath alcohol test sites 24/7 for post accident and reasonable suspicion testing. We will contract with hospitals or other facilities that are open 24 hours a day 7 days a week to provide a drug test collection or breath alcohol test at any time of the day or night in a post-accident or reasonable suspicion situation. In addition, we will also contract with companies that provide nationwide third-party collections throughout the country at any time of the day or night.
Customized Billing Itemized by Location
Our invoices are easy to verify – one charge for collection, lab, and MRO. The invoices are straightforward, clear and easy to review! No hidden charges! Many clients prefer to have invoices sorted by location so that each of your locations can be sent a separate invoice, or we can send a cumulative invoice to the corporate office with charges broken down by location. An invoice detailed report is always included and type of service broken down by location. If you have unique ways in which you would like to have your invoice sorted, let us know.
EAP/SAP Consultation
NTS can help you locate a qualified Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) as defined under 49 CFR Part 40. NTS receives and reviews the information from the Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) and then recommends Return to Duty testing based on the review of the records. If needed, NTS can also provide Return to Work Program Management.
Policy Review
How do you handle a Negative – Dilute Sample?
What‘s the latest with Adulterants?
Have you reviewed the latest DOT Regulations?
When was the last time your policy was revised?
Does your Employee/Supervisor Training meet the Regulatory Requirements?
With a SAMHSA Laboratory Inspector (Dr. Howard Taylor) and an in house AAMRO certified MRO (Dr. Greg Elam) in our office, we are constantly receiving updates to insure the most accurate and recent information for regulatory compliance. Let us take a look at your policy and see if any updates are necessary.
Audit Response Record Keeping
In the event an audit is performed, our clients have the confidence that we will assist with meeting all drug and alcohol test compliance issues.
NTS maintains computer copies and any fax/hardcopies received as part of doing business from laboratories, collection sites or employers or their agents. Reports of test result information are computer generated and faxed or emailed as described above. An MIS summary report of testing activity will be provided as required by DOT at no additional charge.
Regulatory Guidance/Compliance
In the event an audit is performed, our clients have the confidence that we will assist with meeting all drug and alcohol testing compliance issues.
Have you reviewed the latest DOT Regulations?
When was the last time your policy was revised?
Does your Employee / Supervisor Training meet the Regulatory Requirements?
How do you handle a Negative – Dilute Sample?
What‘s the latest with Adulterants?
Are you in compliance?
Give us a call or email us if you have a question. We can help!
Blind Specimen Submission
The DOT regulations (49 CFR Part 40) require a Quality Assurance / Quality Control Program. Blind Specimens are known quality control samples sent to challenge the laboratory to provide accurate results. To each laboratory to which you send at least 100 specimens in a year you must transmit a number of blind specimens equivalent to 1 percent (1 per 100) you send to that laboratory up to a maximum of 50 Blind specimens in each quarter.
Our blind quality controls are provided by drug free donors or purchased. The blind samples are manufactured to our specifications (usually 2x the screening cutoff), using drug-free human urine. Blind specimens are manufactured from human urine derived from donors screened for Hepatitis and HIV by FDA required testing. Pure drug or their metabolites are added to represent a real donor urine specimen. The Chain of Custody forms are completed by NTS staff to emulate a “real” donor sample. The types of specimens will be submitted in accordance with CFR 49 Part 40 (Approximately 75% Negative, 15% Positive, and 10% Adulterated/Substituted). The number of samples will be prorated based on the number of DOT samples at the rate equivalent to one percent of the specimens sent in to that laboratory, up to a maximum of 50 blind specimens in each quarter. Contact us at sales@drugtestinfo.com.
