2020, Covid-19 Tips Delaying non-urgent in-person medical care Factors that also exacerbate substance use disorders include unemployment, financial hardship and mental health issues.
Now, we are seeing tragic results: drug overdoses claimed nearly 100,000 lives between April 2020 and April 2021, According to the CDC, sparking a new urgency to combat the drug crisis.One Health Trends Report Research from Quest Diagnostics found that 70 percent of physicians are concerned they are missing signs of substance abuse during the pandemic, and most are concerned that overdose deaths will continue to rise even as the pandemic subsides.
For people with substance use disorders, treatment usually begins in the back of an ambulance or emergency room. Unless we do a better job of preventing these diseases, our country will never escape the drug crisis and many more lives will be lost.
One of the only tools doctors have to identify potential drug abusers is a clinical drug test. Many overdose deaths today begin with prescription opioids, benzodiazepines, or other controlled drugs. Screening and monitoring for illicit and prescription drug abuse enables physicians to intervene early to prevent dangerous drug combinations, substance use, or overdose. Clinical drug testing is an important tool in responding to the drug crisis. According to the report, 81% of physicians believe clinical drug testing is critical to preventing overdose deaths, and 85% report that the test gives them confidence that they are prescribing the drug safely.
Clinical drug testing typically involves two testing methods. Usually, a presumptive screening test is performed first. If presumptive results indicate a cause of concern (ie, positive over-the-counter sedatives), the next step may be definitive laboratory testing to confirm the results. This definitive test is more sensitive and provides detailed information about the drug or drug metabolite.
For clinical drug testing, presumptive and definitive testing should be performed on the same sample to confirm test results and reveal behavioral insights.The same sample testing also alleviates potential difficulties for patients who lack time, money and transportation for repeat visits. The report found that 60% of physicians are concerned that patients may not return to provide a second sample if presumptive and definitive drug testing is performed on samples taken on different days.
While clinical drug testing is an important part of care, there are no clear guidelines on the method and frequency of testing. Physicians may use these tests in ways that do not maximize their clinical value, and some bad actors may overuse services for their own financial gain. Health plans seeking to curb inappropriate use may inadvertently implement policies that limit physicians’ access to medically appropriate tests. In the report, 88% of physicians expressed confidence that better guidelines will help ensure equitable use of clinical drug testing.
Clinical drug testing enables physicians to detect potential drug use problems and prevent devastating consequences. Doctors value these tests, but they also need clearer guidelines to optimize their use. Now that the government’s stay-at-home order has ceased, it is appropriate to reconsider policies to minimise non-essential care, including clinical drug testing. Maintaining physician choice and patient access to medically appropriate testing is critical in this dangerous time of the nation’s drug crisis and pandemic recovery.
Photo: Invincible Bulldog, Getty Images
