Does Boston Medical Center Drug Test Their Employees?

 

Boston Medical Center (BMC) is a non-profit community hospital located in Boston, Massachusetts. BMC offers patients and their families the highest level of care from an integrated system of health care services.

As a non-profit community hospital with over 11,000 employees, Boston Medical Center provides its employees with a safe environment while at work. Boston Medical Center conducts drug testing on their potential employees to ensure a safe and drug-free workplace for their employees and continue providing care for their patients.

But, let’s take a look at the drug testing policy that Boston Medical Center has in place.

Drug Testing Policy Of Boston Medical Center

Boston Medical Center Drug Testing Policy provides safety and security for their employees and the patients at their hospital. Employees are not subject to illegal substance abuse or misuse at work, such as impairment due to alcohol use and other intoxicants.

To maintain this balance between safety and security, Boston Medical Center requires all applicants to undergo a drug test. This test might happen after the interview process, and those who show any indication of being addicted to illegal drugs or alcohol will be denied employment.

Boston Medical Center treats every employee equally and holds to the same standard in terms of drug testing policies. The BMC drug testing policy maintains an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that provides counseling and referrals for employees and their families. This program helps individuals overcome addiction or other behavioral problems.

Also, it is the responsibility of each employee to seek assistance with their issues, and thus it is the responsibility of the Boston Medical Center to help individuals overcome addiction. Moreover, the purpose of BMC drug testing policy is as follows:

• To ensure a safe and secure atmosphere for the patients at Boston Medical Center.
• To ensure a safe work environment for employees.
• Ensure employees are free from substance abuse or misuse of drugs or alcohol on the job.
• To make Boston Medical Center an equal opportunity employer and thus make sure that every individual is drug tested based on their job position, regardless of their race or ethnicity, gender, etc.

Drugs Prohibited Under The BMC Drug Testing Policy

Boston Medical Center prohibits certain drugs as per its drug testing policy. These include alcohol and major illegal drugs — COC, PCP, THC, AMP, MAMP, Opiates, and Alcohol.

Also, certain positions are not allowed to use drugs or alcohol, including jobs involving patient care, security, safety, and even information technology.

If an employee is using or abusing drugs or alcohol while on the job, they will be subject to disciplinary action, including termination of employment. Also, the employees are prohibited:

1. To administer drugs or alcohol to another person or other employee.
2. To sell drugs or alcohol to others.
3. To use drugs or alcohol in any way that can harm themselves or others.
4. To tamper with drug samples.
5. To be under the effect of drugs or alcohol while at work.

When Does An Employee’s Drug Test Take Place?

The drug testing policy of Boston Medical Center ensures a safe environment for everyone, including the people who work at BMC. The Drug Testing Policy of Boston Medical Center is mainly for the employees at BMC.

Yet, everyone part of the hospital, including patients, visitors, and vendors, is subject to this drug testing policy. The employees might go through drug screening in the following situation:

• When BMC has a reasonable cause based on a person’s job position to believe that they have been using drugs or alcohol while on the job. It can be indicated by apparent behavior, such as an employee who shows up to work with a slurred speech and has bloodshot eyes. Also, this can be characterized by the employee’s physical appearance or based on information from other sources.
• When a prospective employee is starting a new job at BMC and for certain positions, drug testing is essential before an employment offer. It can be done to ensure that the employee is fit for the job. However, pre-employment drug testing is only mandatory for certain positions involving patient care.
• Post-accident drug testing — When a work-related accident/incident has negatively affected the employee or the patient, BMC will conduct a drug test of the employee suspected of causing or contributing to the accident.

Procedures For Requesting Drug And Alcohol Screening

The employee should follow the following procedure as per the BMC drug testing policy before requesting a drug and alcohol screening:

• Ensure that they have a valid reason to believe that the employee was using drugs or alcohol.
• Ensure that the employee is under observation for at least two hours.
• Make sure that the behavior does not change during this period.

1. Once the above condition is fulfilled, the supervisor must consult with the hiring manager, the organization’s legal counsel, and the Human Resources department before applying for a drug and alcohol screening.
2. If the drug and alcohol screening is approved, BMC will send a pre-notification letter to the employee mentioning the drug test.
3. Upon receipt of this letter, the employee must follow the directions in the letter to arrange for a drug test. Failing to do so can result in disciplinary action against the employee.
4. The employee must contact one of their supervisors or their manager within two working days to inform them whether they are willing to participate in the drug test or not.
5. If the employee refuses to take the test or does not come to get tested, they can be subject to disciplinary action, including termination of employment.

What Does Boston Medical Center Drug Testing Policy Permit?

Boston Medical Center’s Drug Testing Policy allows specific prescription and over-the-counter medications. If an employee is required to take a prescription medication, they must keep in mind the following steps:

• The employee must get hold of a valid prescription for the medication.
• They must have the doctor’s prescription signed by the doctor making the recommendation on behalf of the patient.
• The employee must notify their supervisor/manager about taking these pills. The supervisor/manager can then confirm that this is reasonable based on their job role, and thus they are allowed to take these pills while they are at work or while they are off duty.

But, if an employee takes any medication that the doctor does not prescribe, it may lead to dismissal from the job.

Also, the BMC’s drug testing policy states that if the BMC finds out that the drugs an employee has taken are affecting their job performance, they will counsel them and then assign them to a different job if they cannot continue with it their present position.

If this behavior is persistent for more than three months, it can lead to firing from employment.

Conclusion

When BMC employs an employee, they must uphold a high standard of professionalism. It ensures a safe working environment and a drug-free workplace for everyone. Hence it is among the job responsibilities of all employees to observe the rules and regulations of Boston Medical Center’s Drug Testing Policy.

The drug testing policy of BMC ensures that all employees are healthy and fit for their job requirements. This way, they can provide the best health care services available to their patients.

Understanding BMC’s Drug Testing Policy is very important for all its employees. It can lead to disciplinary action against the employees if they don’t follow the rules laid out by Boston Medical Center.

Originally published at https://www.drugtestpanels.com on May 28, 2022.