Background Checks for Healthcare Workers: What's Required

Why Healthcare Background Checks Are Different

Healthcare employers have a heightened duty of care. Staff have direct access to vulnerable patients, controlled substances, and sensitive medical records. Federal and state regulations impose mandatory screening requirements that go beyond standard pre-employment checks.

Failing to conduct proper background checks can result in regulatory sanctions, loss of licensure, and serious liability exposure if a patient is harmed by an employee with a disqualifying history.

Federal Exclusion Checks

All healthcare employers that receive Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement must check the OIG List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE) before hiring and monthly thereafter. Employing an excluded individual can result in significant civil monetary penalties.

Similarly, the GSA System for Award Management (SAM) maintains a list of excluded parties that should be checked for any employee who may be involved in federally funded programs.

State-Specific Requirements

Most states have enacted mandatory background check requirements for healthcare workers:

Pennsylvania: Under the Older Adults Protective Services Act (OAPSA), all employees who will have direct contact with older adults in licensed facilities must undergo:

• Pennsylvania State Police criminal history check
• FBI fingerprint-based check (for new employees and volunteers)
• Certain convictions are categorically disqualifying

New Jersey: The Health Care Professional Credentials Verification Law and various facility licensing regulations require criminal history checks for healthcare workers.

California: Health and Safety Code requirements mandate background checks for hospital employees, home health workers, and other regulated positions.

Professional License Verification

Credential fraud is a significant problem in healthcare. Always verify:

• Nursing licenses through the state board
• Medical licenses through the state medical board or Federation of State Medical Boards
• Allied health credentials through the relevant credentialing bodies

An expired or revoked license that a candidate has not disclosed is a serious red flag.

Drug Testing in Healthcare

Pre-employment drug testing is standard practice in healthcare. Many healthcare employers also conduct random, post-accident, and reasonable suspicion testing. Testing for a broader drug panel — often 10 panels rather than the standard 5 — is common given access to controlled substances.

What to Include in a Healthcare Background Check

A comprehensive healthcare background check typically includes:

• County and statewide criminal history
• Federal criminal search
• OIG LEIE exclusion check
• SAM exclusion check
• Professional license verification
• Employment verification
• Education verification (for clinical credentials)
• Sex offender registry
• Pre-employment drug screen

At Do It Right Screening, we build healthcare-specific packages that meet your state's requirements and help you maintain compliance with ongoing employment. Contact us to design a program for your facility.