Hair testing provides up to a 90-day detection of repetitive drug use, which can act as a powerful drug use deterrent and often yields higher positivity compared to other testing methods. Collections are observed, making them nearly impossible to adulterate.

Quest Diagnostics Employer Solutions runs a dedicated hair testing laboratory with proven technology staffed by a team of experts. Our national and international collection site network delivers a convenient, consistent and professional collection experience. Only Quest Diagnostics offers hair, urine, oral fluid and instant testing, allowing you to create a customized, multi-specimen testing program, all though a single, convenient provider.

We recently implemented two hair testing kit enhancements. First, our envelope color has changed from white to bright yellow. We made this change to ensure that these envelopes are as visible as possible and that they are easy for our employees to differentiate from other packaging materials at the laboratory. The second improvement that you will notice on the new kits is the addition of an RFID (radio-frequency identification) tag. This tag gives us an increased level of control and helps to ensure the safe handling of your specimens. Our goal, as always, is to ensure a smooth and error-free process once we receive your hair testing specimens.

For more information about hair testing, visit our website.

Comprehensive employee screening programs have dozens of moving parts that you need to manage. Your drug testing provider should be a resource that makes it easier for you to administer the process. But, not all providers do this. So how do you select the right drug testing company?

Start by identifying your objectives regarding who, why and how to drug test. Your drug testing policy should serve as a roadmap. These fundamental considerations should help you to create list of criteria. Other factors such as result accuracy, collection site convenience, turnaround times results reporting and customer service should factor into your final decision.

Choose a provider with drug testing expertise and the ability to answer your technical, legal and logistical questions. Your provider should have proven experience in drug testing with options for both laboratory-based and instant products. In addition, your provider should offer Medical Review Officer (MRO) services to confirm results, and be compliant with federal and state requirements.

After you compare the science, technology and service of potential drug testing providers, take an additional moment to evaluate its personnel. Are they accessible? Do they respond quickly to problems and work to resolve them? Will they go above and beyond and always work to do what is right on your behalf?  Do they measure their success based upon your success?

All else being equal, it’s a company’s people that can become the differentiator between a successful program that runs effortlessly and one that is just average.

 Be certain that you select a provider that is committed to being there when you need them.

Three months after launching the industry’s newest oral fluid drug testing system, we are pleased to announce the positive feedback that Oral-Eze^® is delighting clients, collectors and donors alike. Feedback from Oral-Eze^® users is that it helps to resolve a number of the concerns encountered using other oral fluid drug testing systems on the market.

With some systems, collectors have no way of knowing if a sufficient quantity of oral fluid is collected. All too often, this results in an inadequate specimen that has to be recollected. With its sample adequacy window, Oral-Eze^® resolves this problem. When window turns blue, typically within three to five minutes, enough oral fluid has been collected for testing. In the rare event that donor dry mouth prevents the window from turning blue, a collector can make an informed decision, as to whether sample should be sent to the lab or if an alternate collection should be performed. Whether the window turns blue, or a maximum collection time of 10 minutes elapses, Oral-Eze^® provides an informed collection. And while 10 minutes may seem like a long collection time, consider how little oral fluid that same donor would have provided on a different device that was only in the mouth for two, three or five minutes.

Oral-Eze^® also solves a primary concern presented by older devices which are treated with common salts and other substances designed to artificially “enhance” specimen collection. The Oral-Eze^® collection pad is not chemically treated and has no unpleasant salty or citric taste. Numerous collectors have reported that this is a significant enhancement for their donors who often complained about the “bad taste” of some other devices.

As outlined in our video on www.Oral-Eze.com, the chain of custody seals and paperwork are nearly identical to other drug tests. Experienced collectors appreciate the fact that we mirror their existing workflow, while new collectors indicate that the instructions that we provide are thorough, detailed and easy to understand.

To date, more than 300 customers have made the transition to Oral-Eze^® and as a result our laboratory is processing thousands of specimens each week. We encourage you to make the switch today, and to start enjoying the functional and technological benefits of the Oral-Eze^® oral fluid drug testing device.

If you have any questions or to get started with Oral-Eze^®, please contact our National Customer Support Center at (800) 877-7484.

Your outdated Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Forms (CCF) expire tomorrow, November 30.

The 2010 Federal Custody and Control Form will be the only Federal CCF permitted for regulated (including Department of Transportation) drug testing beginning on Thursday, December 1, 2011.

Use of the 2000 Federal CCF after November 30, 2011
As of December 1, the use of the 2000 Federal CCF must be handled as a correctable discrepancy, and the laboratory will use the following procedures to correct the use of the expired 2000 Federal CCF:

1. The laboratory processes the specimen using its standard operating procedures for regulated specimens, and contacts the collector for a memorandum explaining the use of the incorrect form.
2. The laboratory retains the specimen for at least five business days from the date that action was initiated to correct the CCF issue, and reports the specimen results upon receipt of the collector memorandum.
3. If the laboratory cannot obtain a memorandum from the collector, the laboratory reports a ‘rejected for testing result’ and indicates the reason for rejecting the specimen on the report provided to the Medical Review Officer (MRO).

For more details, please visit our CCF webpage.

Abuse of prescription pain medications kill 15,000 people in the United Statesannually, according to a new report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “We’re in the midst of an epidemic,” says CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden.

Deaths due to prescription painkiller overdoses now exceed the number of heroin and cocaine overdose deaths combined and have tripled since 1999. The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) describes deaths resulting from prescription drug painkillers overdoses as “our nation’s largest drug problem.”

According to recent data, 1 in 20 or 12 million Americans age 12 and older has misused prescription painkillers like oxycodone (e.g. Oxycontin^®), methadone or hydrocodone (e.g. Vicodin^®) and middle-aged adults have the highest overdose rates.

Health officials say that enough prescription painkillers were prescribed last year to medicate every adult every four hours for an entire month, and this type of drug abuse is costing insurance companies up to $72.5 million each year. Just a few months ago, the CDC reported that opioid pain medication abuse accounts for the most common poisonings treated in emergency departments and nearly 1 million people in the United States are currently addicted to some type of opiates.

Many are working to raise awareness, promote monitoring programs, track prescriptions and advocate for drug testing. For the complete CDC study, click here

Please replace your outdated Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Forms (CCF) today!

Beginning on December 1, 2011, the 2010 Federal Custody and Control Form will be the only Federal CCF permitted for regulated (including Department of Transportation) drug testing. To review the Department of Transportation (DOT) issued document, click here.

Use of the 2000 Federal CCF after November 30, 2011
As of December 1, the use of the 2000 Federal CCF must be handled as a correctable discrepancy, and the laboratory will use the following procedures to correct the use of the expired 2000 Federal CCF: 

1. The laboratory processes the specimen using its standard operating procedures for regulated specimens, and contacts the collector for a memorandum explaining the use of the incorrect form.
2. The laboratory retains the specimen for at least 5 business days from the date that action was initiated to correct the CCF issue, and reports the specimen results upon receipt of the collector memorandum.
3. If the laboratory cannot obtain a memorandum from the collector, the laboratory reports a ‘rejected for testing result’ and indicates the reason for rejecting the specimen on the report provided to the Medical Review Officer (MRO).

Quest Diagnostics was recently named to Newsweek’s annual Green Rankings, placing us at number 118 on the U.S. 500 list with a green score of 58.3.

In the past year, Quest Diagnostics climbed 240 spots backed by our commitment to reduce our environmental impact and carbon footprint. Green Quest teams across the company have made a tremendous effort in making sure this is accomplished.

Now in its third year, Newsweek’s Green Rankings highlight organizations that are leading in environmental performance. The data calculated by two leading environmental-research firms analyzes environmental impact, environmental management and environmental disclosure.

Being a ‘green’ company saves money, helps to reduce pollution and builds goodwill. Learn how your company can become “greener” by implementing a paperless drug testing program. Click here to get started and for more information.