Exploring the Benefits of Healthcare Background Checks
You can’t risk a negligent hire with patients’ lives in the hands of healthcare workers. That’s why running thorough background checks on all new hires is necessary.
There are many benefits of running background checks on new healthcare employees. These benefits include ensuring patient safety, preventing medical malpractice, and reducing fraud.
Ensures Patient Safety
Hiring the right healthcare employees is essential to ensure the safety of patients. Whether you’re hiring nurses, physicians, or home health aids, it’s necessary to ensure they’re trustworthy and reliable.
Using a healthcare background checks service will ensure you’re only hiring the best. You’ll be able to find out if a candidate has any criminal history, whether they’re licensed to practice in your state, and how many years of experience they have.
The healthcare industry is growing, and you need to hire people with the skills and expertise to care for your patients. You must also ensure they’re honest and committed to your patients and your organization.
A comprehensive healthcare background check will include a criminal record, sex offender search, drug screening, and references. It will help you identify any problems that could pose a threat to your patients and your medical staff. It will also protect your business and your reputation. In addition, it can help you comply with laws and regulations. Ultimately, you’ll be able to reduce your liability and maintain the best possible care for your patients.
Prevents Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice is a type of negligence in which a healthcare professional makes a mistake that results in the patient’s harm. It can result from an incorrect diagnosis, failure to treat the patient promptly, or medical errors during treatment.
You can prevent medical malpractice in several ways, including following medical best practices and ensuring your healthcare staff is well-trained. Patients should also be educated about their health conditions and understand what to expect at every appointment.
The most significant cause of malpractice lawsuits is communication errors between doctors and patients. It’s crucial to ensure that your staff is well-versed in patient communication skills and encourage them to spend time with their patients.
Aside from preventing malpractice, healthcare background checks can also help you avoid employees who might be unfit for the job or have been involved in severe mistakes. In 2017, businesses paid almost $3.9 billion in medical malpractice payouts, and the cost of lawsuits is on the rise.
Ensures a Safe Work Environment
Healthcare background checks are essential to any medical facility’s hiring process. They can help ensure a safe work environment for employees and patients by identifying potential risks before hiring.
In addition to checking for criminal history, healthcare background screenings verify professional licenses and education. A dedicated background check specialist will contact licensing boards to ensure applicants have the credentials.
Additionally, they’ll check the list of excluded individuals/entities database to see if a person is barred from participating in federally funded healthcare programs like Medicare or Medicaid, ensuring you’re not hiring risky candidates.
Finally, a drug screening can reveal any substance abuse issues an applicant may have had. It is essential in the healthcare industry, as workers have easy access to prescription drugs and are often vulnerable to addiction.
A comprehensive and continuous background check for healthcare workers ensures your organization takes all necessary precautions to avoid potential liabilities, including negligent-hiring lawsuits. These lawsuits can cost millions of dollars to resolve.
Prevents Fraud
Healthcare background checks can prevent fraud and help to keep patients safe. Whether your healthcare organization is a hospital, nursing home, or doctor’s office, a thorough background check is vital before hiring anyone.
One way to do this is with a criminal record search that searches federal, state, and global databases. These searches include looking for sanctions on individuals and identifying those who may have been involved in malpractice cases or other issues that could put your healthcare facility at risk.
Another way to help ensure you hire the right people is by running a drug screening on your employees. Doctors and nurses have access to powerful prescription drugs that can be harmful if misused, especially when working with patients or handling sensitive medical records.
It is also essential to do a comprehensive sex offender registry check. It will help you find any candidates who have registered sex offenses, which is typically disqualifying for most positions in the healthcare industry. Lastly, you should check the name on a person’s application to see if they are using an alias.
Ensures Compliance
Healthcare facilities must ensure all employees comply with federal, state, and local requirements. It includes maintaining a clean background for employees who handle confidential patient information.
One of the most critical ways to do this is by ensuring your screening process fully complies with federal and state laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). A good background check company will adhere to these rules and follow legal adverse action procedures.
Another way to ensure compliance is by avoiding hiring candidates with a malpractice history. In 2017, businesses spent almost $3.9 billion in medical malpractice payouts, and malpractice lawsuits are rising.
A background check can also identify potential candidates with a history of being sanctioned or having other disciplinary actions that put your medical practice at risk. It also prevents you from letting someone who could cause harm to your patients into your facility.
A background check can help you identify candidates with criminal records that would make them ineligible to participate in federally funded programs, such as Medicare. It can also identify candidates with a history of abuse, neglect, or theft that may disqualify them from employment in the healthcare industry.
