Practice Management
More American workers are failing tests for illegal drugs these days than in many years. Quest Diagnostics reports that 4.2% of the 8.9 million employee drug tests it administered last year came back positive; that’s the highest rate since 2004. Marijuana remains the most prevalent, though other drugs are also on the rise. This is especially surprising, given the fact that so many states have looser laws on marijuana use for medical or recreational purposes. …
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The number of marijuana-related visits to the emergency room and urgent care center at Children’s Hospital Colorado has more than quadrupled since Colorado legalized recreational use, according to a new study. Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus reviewed ED and urgent care records for 13- to 21-year-olds, looking for visits where the patient either had a diagnostic code related to marijuana use or a positive urine screen; that number rose from 146 …
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The ongoing surge in misuse of, and addiction to, opioid pain medications increases the appeal of worker drug testing to many employers, as well as to the federal government. In fact, it’s a cornerstone of efforts to identify people who use opioids inappropriately so they can get help before a tragedy occurs. Since urine tests work and are relatively inexpensive, they’re often employed by urgent care providers who offer occupational medicine services. The problem is …
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It will probably come as no surprise to urgent care providers who offer occupational medicine services, but the percentage of U.S. workers who’ve tested positive for drugs has increased steadily over the past 3 years—to the point that they’re now at a 10-year peak. The Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index, which analyzes millions of urine samples, oral fluid samples, and hair samples annually, shows 5 consecutive years of increased positive tests for amphetamine and heroin, …
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