How Should an Addiction Treatment Program Use Drug Testing?
For healthcare organizations and professionals (B2B) · Physician-led · Updated 2026-07-12 · CLIA #45D2048957 · CAP #8722734
A positive result is a clinical event, not a discharge trigger. That is ASAM's position, and it is ours.CLIA #45D2048957 · CAP #8722734 · Same-day results · Walk-ins welcome
As part of treatment. ASAM's appropriate-use consensus is clear that drug testing supports recovery when it is individualized, clinically interpreted, and used therapeutically — and that it does harm when it becomes surveillance or a basis for punishment. Return to use is a feature of the disease being treated. Testing exists to detect it early enough to respond, not to justify expelling the patient.
Program design that holds up
| Element | Standard |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Individualized to clinical status and risk, documented — not a fixed billing cadence |
| Confirmation | Definitive before any consequential decision |
| Fentanyl | Targeted specifically — the single most important analyte in this population |
| Response to a positive | Clinical intervention, intensified support — not automatic discharge |
| Medications for opioid use disorder | Monitoring supports treatment; it must not become a barrier to it |
A program that discharges patients for testing positive has selected against exactly the patients who most need it — and pushed them back toward a supply saturated with fentanyl.
Compliance. No payment for referrals, no revenue sharing, no inducements. Testing is performed on the basis of medical necessity and a physician order, at fair market value, consistent with the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law.
FAQ
- Do you recommend a testing frequency?
- No. That is a clinical decision, individualized and documented. We will not push volume.
- Do you detect fentanyl?
- Yes — targeted specifically, with norfentanyl. Standard opiate screens miss it.
- Can panels be customized?
- Yes, on medical necessity — custom panels.
- How do we open an account?
- Call (713) 266-0808 or use the provider portal.
References
- ASAM — Appropriate Use of Drug Testing in Clinical Addiction Medicine
- SAMHSA — Substance Use Treatment Resources
- CDC — Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids (2022)
- Our CLIA #45D2048957 and CAP #8722734 credentials — verify them yourself
Reach us — privately
No name needed to ask a question. Text is the fastest way to reach us.
Or send your details below — we will reply by text or email during open hours.