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Blog Monday, March 29 2021
 Healthcare workers from nurses to surgeons work with patients at their most vulnerable. For this reason, background checks are required in all 50 states.
Why is medical background screening so important? Medical professionals play a crucial role in patients’ physical and emotional well-being. As such, facilities need to do their due diligence in making sure candidates are responsible, qualified, and honest. A clean criminal record and a series of positive references are equally important.
Why Screen Texas Medical Workers? Most people would expect healthcare workers to be truthful—and the majority of them are. However, a 2014 CareerBuilder.com report revealed that 63% of healthcare industry resumes contain false information.
While at first glance it may seem easy to fudge a cover letter or resume, a thorough background screening protocol can easily pinpoint dishonesty. From criminal history to poor work performance, screening your staff will bring peace of mind and help organizations make sure their teams meet state and federal standards.
Of course, background screening requirements may vary depending on the needs and size of your organization, your location, and the position in question. An expert background check provider can help healthcare facilities navigate this process.
What Should a Healthcare Industry Background Check Include? Generally, a background check specific to the medical field will include the following:
National criminal records checks examine databases from across the country—pulling from millions of records in all 50 states, plus Washington D.C. and U.S. territories like Guam and Puerto Rico.
An essential component of a healthcare background check, this search will quickly identify those who have been convicted of a sex crime. For reference, there are more than 500,000 registered sex offenders living in the United States today.
These checks make sure applicants haven’t misrepresented who they are. By confirming where healthcare workers worked previously, verifying their identities, and confirming they have the proper degrees and licensure, you can make sure they’re well-equipped for the job.
Personal and professional reference checks help human resources staff get a sense of each candidate’s character and capabilities. In healthcare, where employees are working with vulnerable people, this is a crucial component of facilities’ background screening.
You’d be right to think that drug testing plays a key role in most industries’ pre-employment background screening. Healthcare is no exception.
The reasons for this are twofold. First, many healthcare workers have access to prescription drugs. Employers need to make sure that the people they hire aren’t at risk of abusing them. Second, substance abuse is prevalent among physicians and other skilled medical practitioners.
This may sound surprising, but the research is in to back it up. One study published in the Psychiatric Clinics of North America journal reported that up to 12% of physicians in the U.S. struggle with substance abuse issues.
What does this check entail? It’s simple. A federal exclusion search gives employers access to a list of healthcare workers—issued by the U.S. government—who are no longer permitted to receive federal funds.
This includes those who are working in healthcare with a criminal record, and who might therefore make it challenging for your facility to participate in federally-funded programs like Medicare.
Let Us Screen Your Medical Staff Are you ready to develop a custom screening program for your healthcare staff?
Redstar Backgrounds can help. Whether you are located in San Antonio, Dallas, Corpus Christi, or elsewhere in Texas, we will gladly develop the proper screening protocols for your medical team. Don’t hesitate to reach out for a free consultation today.
To learn more about the value of screening your medical staff, please contact Redstar Backgrounds. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for more information. |
