The OIG’s Interim Report on the National Background Check Program for Long-Term-Care Employees

This January, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) released an Interim Report on the National Background Check Program for Long-Term-Care Employees. According to the OIG, ensuring that long-term-care employees in nursing facilities, home health agencies, and hospices have undergone a minimum level of screening helps protect the safety of patients in these settings.

West Virginia Begins Background Checks for Long-Term Healthcare Workers

According to a MetroNews article earlier this month, the State Department of Health and Human Resources announced plans to require criminal background checks with long-term healthcare workers in West Virginia.

The OIG Recommends Background Check Standards for Home Health Agencies

In May 2015, the U.S. Office of Inspector General (OIG) released the report, “Home Health Agencies Conducted Background Checks of Varying Types,” which contains key considerations for a sector of the healthcare industry that provides care, often unsupervised, to patients in their homes.

The OIG 2015 Work Plan: 4 Background Check Implications for Healthcare Organizations

It’s that time of the year again and I don’t necessarily mean it due to the upcoming holiday season. On October 31st, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released its Work Plan for the fiscal year 2015, which summarizes new and ongoing reviews and activities the Office of Inspector General (OIG) will pursue in the coming year and beyond. As a healthcare background screening firm, I thought I would highlight four key areas from the 2015 Work Plan that contain background check-related implications for healthcare organizations.

Re-Screening Current Employees to Protect Patient Care in the Long-Term

We recently discussed how often hospitals should run background checks on employees, but what about healthcare organizations in general? Even for non-hospital care organizations, patient care is still a concern. In fact, in its most recent work plan, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) stated it would continue to focus on the safety of long-term healthcare facilities in 2014 and beyond.

Nursing Homes and Trust Funds: Are Background Checks Necessary?

Are nursing homes a target for criminals? Unfortunately, that’s what it seems. An investigation published last year by USA TODAY yields alarming results; thousands of nursing home residents have had their savings stolen from their trust accounts by business managers, bookkeepers and other staff working at the facility. Considering long-term care providers are trusted to provide a safe environment for our elderly family and friends, how is this possible?

How Comprehensive Background Checks and Drug Testing Can Improve Patient Care in Nursing Homes

According to a recent report by the Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG), around 22% of Medicare beneficiaries admitted to nursing homes experienced preventable injuries. In fact, in the 2014 OIG Work Plan, the OIG declared it will place a key focus on the quality and care of nursing homes and how often beneficiaries are harmed during their stay.