MRO Donor Interview & Verification 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under 49 CFR Part 40, if an MRO cannot reach a donor within 24 hours of a non-negative laboratory result, what is the MRO's next required action?
- Report the positive result directly to the employer's DER immediately
- Attempt contact by certified mail and wait 5 business days
- Contact the DER to ensure the employee calls the MRO within 72 hours (Correct answer)
- Cancel the test and require a new collection
Correct answer: Contact the DER to ensure the employee calls the MRO within 72 hours
Per §40.131, when the MRO cannot reach the employee within 24 hours, the MRO must contact the DER so the DER can ensure the employee contacts the MRO within 72 hours.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of the MRO's interview with a donor following a non-negative drug test result?
- To obtain a signed admission of drug use from the donor
- To determine whether a legitimate medical explanation accounts for the result (Correct answer)
- To inform the employer of the specific substance concentration detected
- To conduct a physical examination and assess impairment
Correct answer: To determine whether a legitimate medical explanation accounts for the result
The MRO interviews the donor to evaluate whether a legitimate medical explanation, such as a valid prescription, accounts for the non-negative laboratory result before reporting to the employer.
Question 3: Under DOT regulations, how must the MRO conduct the verification interview with the donor?
- In person at the MRO's licensed medical office only
- Through the employer's occupational health department
- By telephone or in person, on a confidential basis (Correct answer)
- Via written questionnaire submitted through the DER
Correct answer: By telephone or in person, on a confidential basis
Per 49 CFR §40.131, the MRO must contact the employee directly and confidentially by telephone or in person to discuss the test result.
Question 4: When verifying a claimed prescription during a donor interview, the MRO should:
- Accept the donor's verbal statement as sufficient verification
- Contact the prescribing physician or dispensing pharmacy directly to confirm the prescription (Correct answer)
- Notify the DEA to verify the controlled substance schedule
- Instruct the laboratory to conduct confirmatory split specimen testing
Correct answer: Contact the prescribing physician or dispensing pharmacy directly to confirm the prescription
The MRO must independently verify the prescription by directly contacting the prescribing physician or dispensing pharmacy, rather than relying solely on the donor's statement.
Question 5: If a donor fails to contact the MRO within the 72-hour window established by the DER, the MRO should:
- Wait an additional 24 hours before taking action
- Cancel the test due to procedural failure
- Report the verified result to the DER based on the laboratory findings (Correct answer)
- Require the employer to mandate a new specimen collection
Correct answer: Report the verified result to the DER based on the laboratory findings
If the employee does not contact the MRO within the 72-hour window, the MRO may report the result to the DER based on laboratory findings, since the employee was given a reasonable opportunity to provide an explanation.
Question 6: A donor presents a valid prescription for amphetamines during the MRO interview. The MRO's next step should be to:
- Automatically report the result as verified negative based on the prescription alone
- Evaluate whether the prescribed medication use is consistent with safe performance of safety-sensitive duties (Correct answer)
- Cancel the test since the prescription fully explains the laboratory result
- Report the prescription to the DEA for schedule verification before proceeding
Correct answer: Evaluate whether the prescribed medication use is consistent with safe performance of safety-sensitive duties
Even with a valid prescription, the MRO must evaluate whether the medication could impair the donor's ability to safely perform safety-sensitive functions before determining the verified result.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes the MRO's obligation regarding confidentiality during the donor interview process?
- The MRO may share interview details with the employer's HR department for recordkeeping
- The MRO must keep the interview confidential and only disclose verified results as required by regulation (Correct answer)
- The MRO must provide a full transcript of the interview to the employer upon request
- The MRO may share the donor's explanation with the collecting site for documentation purposes
Correct answer: The MRO must keep the interview confidential and only disclose verified results as required by regulation
The MRO must maintain confidentiality throughout the interview process, disclosing only the verified result and required information to authorized parties as specified by 49 CFR Part 40.
MRO Donor Interview & Verification 1
Under 49 CFR Part 40, if an MRO cannot reach a donor within 24 hours of a non-negative laboratory result, what is the MRO's next required action?