Why do you require urine drug screens?

Urine drug screens are a useful tool to help keep patients accountable for their goals during recovery. When providers look at a urine drug screen result, they see if substances that should be in there (like Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone)), are in there AND substances that should NOT be in there (like non-prescribed drugs) are NOT. If unexpected results come up in the urine drug screen, it is an opportunity for the medical provider to have a conversation with the patient to understand if the patient needs more support with their recovery. 

In this spirit, we don’t talk about “failing a drug test” and we don’t use the urine drug test to punish patients or to take them off their Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone). Our goal is to try to maximize patients’ likelihood of achieving a successful recovery, which includes continuing life-saving medications like Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) and may also include mental health and other behavioral supports. Hence, urine drug screens are one way we help patients meet their treatment goals.