Background Screening for Healthcare Prospects

It is no secret that healthcare workers are in high demand. With healthcare workers in short supply, it might be tempting to take on employees who look good on paper. These employees may pose a risk to patients and expose your facility to state and federal penalties. Background screening for all of your prospective healthcare employees is the simplest way to avoid taking the risk. 

Why you Need Background Checks 

Background checks for your new hires allow you to screen out candidates with histories of malpractice or other pressing concerns. A healthcare worker is in a prime position to harm a patient by abusing their power as a caretaker. Children and elderly patients are particularly vulnerable to this type of abuse. Background checks focus on safety and can help protect these patients. A background check ensures that all of the new hire’s records are legitimate. 

The Benefits of Background Screening 

Screening employees before they are on your payroll is essential. A few of the benefits of screening include the following: 

  • The truth. When you obtain seven years of information about an employee, you have a better chance of discovering the truth about the prospective worker.  
  • Expertise. As much as 30 percent of job applications contain false statements. Healthcare workers can lie about criminal history, residence, level of training, work-related experience, and licenses held.  
  • Minimize the danger. A prospective healthcare employee can take advantage of you in numerous ways. Verification of an applicant’s criminal past can help you screen employees and protect co-workers from a potential employee with a history of violence, theft, or drug abuse. As healthcare patients are vulnerable, it will help to keep them safe as well.  
  • Faster hiring decisions. Screening employees allows you to immediately weed out any employees who may pose a risk to your organization before you move on to the formal interview process. 

Background Checks for Healthcare 

There are many background checks available to employers today. The screening checks for prospective healthcare employees might include the following: 

  • Identity verification check 
  • Criminal records search 
  • Sex offender check 
  • Employee drug screening 
  • Federal exclusion search 
  • Professional license verification 
  • Education verification 
  • Employment verification 

How to Legally Perform a Background Check 

Laws dictate how background checks run, so it is critical to be familiar with the process. Always explain to an applicant that you are running a background check on them and make sure to have the candidate sign a consent form. Once you have obtained the background check, allow the candidate to dispute the findings and tell their side of the story. Try only to use results that are relevant to the job when deciding whether or not to hire.  

Do you need help screening and finding the right healthcare hires? 

At SIS, all of our candidates go through rigorous background screening. Please contact us for all of your healthcare staffing needs. 

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