PtProtect® – Toxicology Experts Are Just a Phone Call Away
PeaceHealth Laboratories has long been respected for its proficiency in drug testing. Sharing this expertise through clinical and technical consultation is a hallmark of PeaceHealth Laboratories values. Board-certified toxicology experts Grant Beardsley and Stephen Erfurth consider it a privilege to answer questions that help clinicians make the right decisions for their patients. They are passionate about their work and welcome your call.
Grant Beardsley, MS, MT(ASCP), NRCC/TC
On any given day, PeaceHealth Laboratories’ clinical toxicologist Grant Beardsley can often be found responding to questions such as, “Why am I getting a negative opiate screen result when this patient is taking methadone?” or “How long does it take to produce a negative test result after the last dose of a narcotic analgesic?” Health care providers find his personal responses both thorough and educational.
With nearly four decades of experience with PeaceHealth Laboratories’, Grant is as familiar with the pharmacology of opiates and opioids as he is with laboratory techniques enlisted to detect drugs critical to any medication safety program.
“Being available to consult with health care providers is an integral part of our service.”
Grant has appeared as an expert witness in more than 50 drug testing trials, and is a sought-after speaker by associations and universities. Grant holds a Master of Science in Pharmacology/Toxicology from the College of Pharmacy at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. He is certified as both a clinical chemist and a toxicological chemist by the National Registry in Clinical Chemistry.
Grant can be reached at 800-826-3616 ext. 8137 or via email at [email protected].
Stephen Erfurth, PhD
As PeaceHealth Laboratories’ Director for Science and Technology, Stephen Erfurth, PhD, is our resident strategist when it comes to the future of laboratory medicine.
Dr. Erfurth was the first to note that clinicians needed more definitive testing to prescribe and monitor patient adherence with confidence. He began developing PtProtect as a powerful tool to assist clinicians in limiting diversion, detecting abuse and preventing overdoses.
Dr. Erfurth works closely with Grant Beardsley and his team to develop new proprietary assays for PeaceHealth Laboratories’ medication safety program.
“Toxicology, chemistry and molecular diagnostics will merge as clinicians look to the laboratory to help with medication safety issues.”
Stephen Erfurth holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Oregon and was a post-doctoral resident in Clinical Pathology/Clinical Chemistry at University of Oregon Health & Sciences University. He is a Diplomat of the American Board of Clinical Chemistry (DABCC) in two specialties: Toxicology and Clinical Chemistry.
Dr. Erfurth can be reached at 800-826-3616 ext. 8092 or via email at [email protected].