The use of an electronic custody and
control form (CCF or ECCF) is the first significant improvement across the continuum of care since the inception of the federal drug- testing program.
I
n 1986, the Federal Workplace Drug Testing Program was established by Executive Order 12564. Te original
seven-part CCF was created under mandatory guidelines established by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in April 1988, and was subsequently adopted by the Department of Transportation (DOT). Although the seven-part document was later replaced by the improved five-part form currently in use, it wasn’t until May 28, 2014 that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the use of both a paper and electronic CCF.1
No Longer the “Weak Link” Te collection process has oſten been referred to as the “weak link” in drug testing. When conducting a traditional paper collection, the collector must select the correct form and accurately execute a multi-step protocol. Oſten, this is done while serving a donor who is not fully cooperative. By introducing an integrated electronic workflow to the collection process, the ECCF will improve quality by reducing errors and eliminating failures. Our experience with ECCF collections for non- regulated urines, point of collection tests (POCTs), oral fluids, and hair collections is that ECCF produces an improved collection experience and fewer collection errors. As ECCF protocols are adopted across the industry, similar benefits are expected for DOT collection events. Tere are many benefits resulting from
an ECCF collection event, both federal and non-federal, including: 1. Te elimination of paperwork er- rors related to corrections or missing information (otherwise referred to as memorandums of corrections);
2. Improved information accuracy as a result of the ability to import account, panel, and donor data, thus eliminat- ing entry errors and handwriting legibility problems;
www.datia.org
3. Accurate, secure, and expedited dis- tribution of CCF copies to the MRO, employer, and laboratory;
4. No need for collection sites to “warehouse” paper CCFs for multiple laboratories;
5. Elimination of “altered” CCFs and associated errors; and
6. An overall improved process where shipping costs, labor, and paper con- sumption are reduced —providing a “greener” solution.
Is Your Lab Certified for Electronic CCF? Currently, there are three approved ECCF systems for the collection of federal drug testing samples.2
While the non-regulated
ECCF collection process has been in place for many years, there were several changes required to comply with federal collection procedures and formats. Since there is no federal authority regulating collection sites or soſtware vendors, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has enforced the approval process through federally certified drug testing laboratories. Each laboratory submits its ECCF process to the National Laboratory Certification Program (NLCP) for review, inspection, and approval prior to implementation. An approval is required for each unique ECCF system at each individual laboratory, even if the laboratory is part of a larger laboratory network utilizing the same computer system. Before an ECCF approval is given, each
individual laboratory must submit a plan that includes the following information for each ECCF provider: 1. Process overview 2. Outline of proposed SOPs for ECCF use 3. Collection site documentation and training plans for sample sites and laboratory personnel
4. Computer system/network diagram 5. System security plan 6. System validation plan
datia focus 9
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
