Whether you operate a medical practice, dental office, or other healthcare business, your patients expect you to hire trustworthy and responsible team members. Performing healthcare background checks requires special care and compliance with laws to avoid discrimination or putting your patients at risk.
These checks include identity verification, national criminal database searches, and education and employment verifications. In addition, a federal exclusion search identifies workers banned from participating in government healthcare programs like Medicare.
Background Checks
Healthcare is a fast-moving industry. Employers need to be able to hire quickly, and they also need to make sure that the people they bring on board are qualified, safe, and capable of caring for patients. To do that, they need to conduct thorough background checks.
A level 2 background check is a fingerprint-based search of state and national registries. It can reveal much more information than a standard name-based search, which is crucial for positions like physicians and nurses.
Medical facilities should also incorporate a national sex offender search into their background checks. This search looks at all states and U.S. territories to identify anyone convicted of or found guilty of a sex crime.
Because healthcare workers can access medications, a drug screen is integral to any medical screening process. This helps ensure that your employees are clear-minded and free of any potential for drug diversion.
Because many healthcare roles involve working with vulnerable populations, a background check should include a federal sex offender search.
Reference Checks
Unlike most other industries, healthcare companies must vet their employees with various background checks, including educational verifications, sex offender registries, and valid professional licenses. This is because healthcare workers are responsible for life and death matters. If a dentist hires a receptionist with a sex offender registry on their record, the practice could get in serious legal trouble and put its patients at risk.
A thorough background check also confirms an applicant’s identity, ensuring that the education and employment history they provided on their resume is accurate. A medical background check for employment also includes checks for sanctions against healthcare professionals by their licensing boards. Sanctions can include public censures, suspensions, and fines. These are not the healthcare employees you want in your practice or hospital.
The healthcare industry is unique because it’s regulated by federal and state laws to ensure patient safety, so qualified experts should conduct healthcare background checks thoroughly and promptly. A professional background screening company can help you get all the information you need to ensure that your healthcare staff can provide high-quality care for your patients and customers. And a background check that’s not done correctly can cost you time, money, and even your reputation. So ensure your background checks are top-notch by working with a reputable healthcare background check service.
Drug Screenings
Drug screenings are used to detect the use of illegal drugs or even some prescription drugs that are potentially abused. Employers can have employees tested at any time, but the best practice is to include it in an annual physical or other medical testing. This allows the employer to guarantee that the test results are protected from ADA discrimination. Companies that choose to implement random drug tests also need to have a written policy in place.
Some companies use a saliva test, also known as a mouth swab drug test, which measures the level of alcohol and drugs in a person’s mouth over a short period. This is more convenient than urine tests and is often less expensive. A saliva test can detect recent drug use within a short window, usually up to 24-48 hours for most substances.
The type of drug testing you select depends on your industry and workforce needs. Many employers opt for a standard 10-panel test that checks for ten common illicit substances plus commonly abused prescription drugs. Some businesses may need to expand this list to accommodate certain medications used in their industry, such as opiates for pain management or stimulants like cocaine or heroin.
If a company doesn’t have a clear and consistent drug-testing policy, it could discriminate against qualified applicants willing to work hard for a fair salary. It’s important to state clearly in your hiring process that you require all new hires to take a drug screening and treat a refusal the same as a positive result.
Criminal Record Checks
Criminal record checks search for a job candidate’s past arrests and convictions. While a criminal background check isn’t the only type of pre-employment screening, it helps employers make informed hiring decisions. A criminal background check can help businesses avoid hiring people with violent histories or those with a history of drug abuse, which could impact the safety and well-being of customers, employees, or other public members.
Employees are the face of a business and represent the company’s values to clients, customers, and the community. A single bad hire can damage a business’s reputation, erode team morale, and lead to a drop in revenue. Failure to conduct criminal record checks could put your business at risk of a lawsuit. This is especially true for regulated industries, where failing to vet candidates with criminal records adequately can result in fines and loss of license.
