Background Screening and the Healthcare Sector
We like to do our homework before working with someone new, it may be an architect, a tutor, or even a nanny for that matter. This feeling of concern is more acute when dealing with a doctor or a hospital and rightly so. Employee background checks are essential in all professional fields but it is critical when it comes to the healthcare sector. Why, because this field deals with the lives of millions of people and involves sensitive data about patients. One negligent hire can lead to numerous legal issues and more serious consequences.For example, take into consideration the case of Charles Cullen, a nurse, who admitted to killing around 40 patients in various hospitals in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. And this was not on his first and only job in the healthcare sector; he had been fired and rehired on many occasions, unfortunately, without any verification.
This clearly indicates as to why background checks are vital in the healthcare industry.
Here are the three reasons why hospitals should focus on employee background checks, not only for doctors and nurses but also for all other permanent and part time employees:
1) Safety of the patients
2) Safety of other employees
3) Safety of the hospital’s reputation by avoiding lawsuits
Basic background checks begin with Social Security Number Verification, Employment Verification, Education Verification Criminal Check (County Criminal Search, Nationwide Criminal Search, Sex Offender Registry), Professional License Verification and Healthcare Sanction Search (OIG/GSA/Excluded Parties List). A thorough check will ensure that the organization maintains the standards required for accreditation by the Federal Department of Health and Human Services.
We know that it can get tedious for hospitals and nursing homes to run numerous checks on their own, and we recommended using professional agencies like us that can run systematic and customized screening based on specific requirements.
Click here to learn more about creating a custom solution for your pre-employment screening procedures.