It shouldn't be a surprise that physicians do not know how to properly conduct a drug test, because these procedures are not taught in medical school or residency.

I think that a lot of physicians really see drug testing as a fairly simple lab test when, in fact, it is not at all.

It was a surprise to learn just how few physicians use gold-standard practices in their testing. Only a small number actually knew which drugs are detectable on a routine urine drug-test screening panel, and what substances can cause false-positive screens.

Physicians can be reassured that providing both these drugs at the same time does not compromise patient outcomes.

We're performing more and more drug testing without really having the infrastructure to support it, and this can result in some very bad outcomes.

We found no consensus among physicians about what is customary or appropriate. Despite efforts to standardize many aspects of the doctor-patient relationship, patients are likely to encounter very different approaches.