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Just how good are criminal records databases?

Credentialing Resource Center Connection, June 23, 2004

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Dear credentialing colleagues:
 
According to a recent article in the "Indianapolis Star", the state of Indiana's criminal records database may be full of holes.

The database contains "gaps in arrest and conviction data so vast that even police officials say no one should rely on the reports to provide a complete picture of someone's criminal background," contends the newspaper report.

If other states have similar problems with tracking criminal activity, what does this mean for credentials committees that insist on performing a criminal background check as part of the credentials verification process? Well, don't despair.

Remember some states have a far better process than Indiana has and hospitals can rely on criminal records for a near complete picture of a person's past.

In additon, hospitals that are required by state law to confirm the criminal history of  healthcare workers (such as Wisconsin) do so directly with the state and therefore are more likely to be able to rely on the results.

Keep in mind that a criminal background check is but one of many checks conducted by the medical staff office. The redundancy allows a diligent credentials committee to cross reference dates, locations, licenses held and revoked, Office of Inspector General problems, National Practitioner Data Bank information, and criminal background checks to form a complete picture of an applicant. If one check does not pick up a possible problem it is likely that another might prompt the committee to investigate further.

Many hospitals contract with a reputable firm to conduct their criminal background checks and these firms often stand behind the accuracy and completness of their findings. (A quick check with your firm will confirm this.)

Further, when applicants are required to disclose past criminal history, most will do so willingly -- although a few will falsify or omit critical information.  If you demonstrate an attempt to gather complete data, you should not be faulted if national or state data systems are inadequate.

Therefore, even though some data systems are fragmented, incomplete, and still plagued with the occasional inaccuracy, credentials committees must recognize the need to make legitimate inquires into an applicant's past. The credentials commimttee must also carefully evaluate the results when advising the medical executive committee and the board concerning an applicant's qualification for staff appointment.
 
For more information about the report in the "Indianapolis Star", please go to www.indystar.com. The relevant article was written by Michele Solida and is titled "Criminal Records Lacking."

That's it for this week.

All the best,
Hugh Greeley

http://www.greeley.com/seminars

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