The top 10 essential background checks for healthcare workers

What is the importance of background checks on healthcare employees and the importance of pre-employment screening within the healthcare industry?

As mentioned above, the use of background checks for healthcare employees and pre-employment screening within the healthcare industry can’t be understated. They are of paramount importance for several crucial reasons, including:

• Patient safety: Patient safety is the number one, top priority in healthcare. No questions asked. Background checks help identify potential red flags in candidates, such as a history of violent or abusive behaviour, substance abuse issues, or criminal activity, which could pose a threat to the well-being of patients.
• Regulatory compliance: As you will know, the healthcare industry is heavily regulated and agencies require healthcare providers to conduct background checks as part of their licensing and accreditation processes. Compliance with these regulations is not only essential for legal reasons but also for maintaining the reputation and integrity of healthcare institutions.
• Maintaining trust: Patients must have confidence in their healthcare providers. Thorough background checks can help prevent cases of healthcare professionals with a history of malpractice or fraudulent behaviour from gaining employment, therefore maintaining trust in the healthcare system.
• Protection against liability: Hiring healthcare workers with unaddressed issues in their background, such as a history of negligence or malpractice, can expose healthcare institutions to legal liability. Pre-employment screening helps mitigate this risk.
• Quality of care: Ensuring the competence and reliability of healthcare workers through background checks is directly related to the quality of patient care. A highly skilled and trustworthy workforce is better equipped to provide effective and compassionate care.
• Preventing healthcare fraud: Background checks can uncover fraudulent activities, such as forged credentials or false employment history, which is seen quite a lot in the healthcare industry.
• Professional reputation: The reputation of a healthcare business mainly comes down to the individuals it employs, so ensuring that all candidates/employees have undergone thorough pre-employment screening helps maintain a positive professional image and fosters a culture of accountability.
• Employee well-being: Background checks are not just about protecting patients but also about safeguarding the well-being of other healthcare workers within the organisation. Knowing the background of potential colleagues can create a safer and more harmonious work environment.
• Minimising turnover: Effective background checks can help in selecting candidates who are more likely to stay in their positions long-term, reducing the costs associated with turnover and ensuring continuity of care.
• Comprehensive decision-making: By considering a candidate's background, employers can make informed decisions about hiring, ensuring that the healthcare team is made up of individuals who not only have the necessary skills, but also adhere to ethical and professional standards.

Our Access Screening team hear a lot about these challenges when talking to businesses within the healthcare industry, and we understand the pain points and what we can do to help solve them.

If you would like to learn more about Access Screening, please book a no obligation demo with our expert team.

The top 10 healthcare background checks

Now, we know this list could cause some debate and the thing to note is that every position will have different requirements based on the credentials needed for a role. These are the healthcare industry background checks we see most often:

1. Criminal record check: This check verifies if an individual has any criminal history.
2. Adult and child abuse registry check: This check confirms whether an individual is listed on adult or child abuse registries.
3. Employment verification: Verification of past employment.
4. Education verification: This check confirms an applicant's educational credentials.
5. Professional license and certification check: Verifying professional licenses and certifications
6. Reference checks: Speaking with references provides insights into an applicant's character, work ethic, and suitability for a caregiving role.
7. Credit history check: A credit history check might offer insights into an applicant's financial stability and responsibility.
8. Driving record check: Ensures that caregivers have a safe driving history.
9. Drug screening: Drug tests help maintain a substance-free environment and ensure the safety and well-being of patients and residents.
10. Sex offender registry check: Verifying an individual's status on the sex offender registry.

Automated screening software

By implementing an automated screening software solution, like Access Screening, your business can make use of several benefits that we have seen impact health and social care businesses. Here are some ways in which such software can be advantageous:

• Efficient candidate screening: Automated screening software can quickly process large volumes of candidate applications, saving time and effort in the initial stages of recruitment. It can filter out unqualified or inappropriate candidates, allowing HR teams to focus on the most promising applicants.
• Consistency and standardisation: Automated screening ensures a consistent and standardised approach to evaluating candidates. This helps eliminate potential biases in the hiring process and ensures that all applicants are evaluated based on the same criteria.
• Compliance with regulations: The healthcare and social care sectors are often subject to strict regulations and compliance requirements, such as CQC. Automated screening software can help businesses ensure that they adhere to these regulations, such as verifying the qualifications and certifications of healthcare professionals.
• Reduced human error: Automated software minimises the risk of human error in the screening process. It can accurately and systematically check candidates' backgrounds, reducing the likelihood of mistakes or omissions that could be costly or damaging.
• Faster hiring process: By automating the initial screening stages, businesses can significantly speed up the hiring process. This is particularly important in healthcare and social care, where there may be urgent staffing needs.
• Cost savings: Automating the screening process can lead to cost savings in terms of reduced manual admin times, improved efficiency, and the prevention of hiring mistakes that could lead to costly legal or operational issues.
• Enhanced data security: Automated screening software can be designed with robust data security measures, ensuring the protection of sensitive candidate information. This is vital in industries that handle sensitive patient data.
• Customisation and flexibility: Many automated screening tools can be customised to suit the specific needs and requirements of healthcare and social care businesses. This allows for a tailored approach to screening based on the organisation's unique criteria.
• Scalability: As healthcare businesses grow or experience fluctuations in staffing needs, automated screening software can easily scale to accommodate these changes. It can handle high volumes of candidates during periods of increased demand and scale back during quieter times.
• Improved candidate experience: Automated screening can provide candidates with a quicker and more efficient application process, enhancing their overall experience with the organisation. This can be particularly important in the healthcare sector where talent acquisition is competitive.
• Audit trail and documentation: Automated systems often maintain comprehensive records of the screening process, creating an audit trail that can be useful for compliance and legal purposes.

Overall, by having an in-house automated screening solution you are able to streamline the hiring process, improve compliance, reduce errors, and it allows healthcare organisations to focus on the most qualified candidates while maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety in patient care and support services.