Clinical Drug Testing Supporting Patients with Substance Use Disorder: A Review

Area of Science:

• Clinical Chemistry
• Toxicology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Drug testing for substance use disorder (SUD) lacks standardization, complicating interpretation for medical staff.
• Current drug testing strategies present knowledge gaps that hinder effective patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of common drug testing strategies and identify knowledge gaps.
• To outline how clinical laboratorians can enhance support for patients with SUD.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of drug testing strategies.
• Discussion of clinical laboratorian roles in optimizing test offerings and interpretation services.
• Exploration of educational best practices for drug testing interpretation.

Main Results:

• Lack of standardization in drug testing for SUD.
• Identification of key areas where clinical laboratorians can improve patient care.
• Emphasis on the importance of interpretation services and education.

Conclusions:

• Clinical laboratorians are vital in interpreting drug testing results for patients with SUD.
• This review offers best practices for laboratorians to enhance their role in supporting SUD patients.
• Optimizing drug testing and interpretation is essential for effective healthcare delivery in SUD management.