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Wednesday, April 27 2022
Pre-Employment Screening in the Healthcare Industry

While some employers view pre-employment background checks as a cost worth cutting, others view it as an investment.

 

The latter group is onto something. Healthcare organizations in particular should absolutely pre-screen all potential hires.

 

Are Healthcare Background Checks Mandatory?

Most states require employers in the medical field to screen job candidates they’re thinking of hiring. However, not all background checks are created equal.

 

Different types of employers may benefit from different screening programs—and a Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)-compliant background check provider can help employers navigate this. One thing of note is that it’s essential to go beyond the bare minimum required by law.

 

This is especially important in light of a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) report that found a number of statutes only require healthcare background checks for specific employees.

 

The truth is that all team members working in the medical field should be pre-screened, even those who don’t work directly with patients. Employers should also pre-screen human resources coordinators, administrators, janitors, and other staff.

 

Ultimately, pre-screening should be an integral part of the hiring process for every position. Healthcare employers in San Antonio and Bexar counties should absolutely set an example for other organizations, throughout Texas and across the United States.

 

What Goes into Healthcare Pre-Employment Screening?

In the medical field, pre-employment screening will generally include the following:

 

  • Criminal Records Check
  • Sex Offender Registries Search
  • Identity, Employment, and Education Verification Checks
  • Reference Checks
  • Drug Screening

 

While most information can only be reported for seven years under the FCRA, there are some exceptions depending on the state, position salary, and other factors. The knowledge employers need to make a sound hiring decision will generally remain accessible beyond this timeframe.

 

Certain types of information—for instance, sex crimes—will remain public information indefinitely. Education and license verifications, as well as sanctions information (which we’ll discuss in detail in the next section), aren’t covered by restrictions either.

 

An experienced background check provider can help you understand the nuances at play. The important thing is to be consistent, objective, and reliant on data when conducting background checks in the healthcare field.

 

What Are Healthcare Sanctions?

We discussed the importance of screening all medical staff, including those who don’t have direct access to patients.

 

Now let’s talk about the value of screening licensed healthcare professionals such as doctors and nurses. These workers are overseen by their state’s licensing boards and expected to meet the standards of their role. This typically comes down to ethics, skill, and behavior.

 

Workers who fail to meet these standards may have healthcare sanctions on their record. These are suspensions, fines, or public censures that occurred in the worker’s past position.

 

Pre-screening potential candidates can help employers make sure their new hires are free of healthcare sanctions. Knowing whether a worker has been sanctioned can help medical employers make the best possible hiring decisions, reducing the risk of ethical, financial, and safety problems.

 

Pre-Screen Your Healthcare Staff in San Antonio and Bexar Counties

Interested in building a comprehensive background screening program for your healthcare team?

 

Curious about the services we offer at Redstar Backgrounds and DrugScreenKits.com?

 

Our expert staff can guide you through every step of the process. Whether you are a hospital, a private clinic, or a volunteer medical organization, we’ll work with you to craft the exact solution you need—saving you time and money, protecting patients, and reducing staff turnover as a result.

 

Please contact us for details, or to set up a free consultation. For more information on our screening services, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Posted by: AT 09:42 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
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