Know Your Employees’ Histories—for the Safety of Your Patients and Your Practice

An urgent care center in Pecos County, Texas is finding out the hard way that not knowing the details of your employees’ histories is a recipe for disaster. A physician assistant working at the clinic has had his license temporarily (for now) suspended after being indicted by a grand jury on one count of aggravated sexual assault on a child. It’s alleged that the offense took place before he was hired, during a wellness exam for a 5-year-old girl at another healthcare facility. So, while the urgent care center is in no way implicated legally, the business’s name is out there in local media as his current employer. Further, they’ve had to scramble to ensure they have enough clinical staff to treat patients, at the very least while he’s suspended. The accused awaits trial, during which he may or may not be found guilty. Either way, however, this case illustrates the essential need to know who you’re hiring, especially when it comes to the safety of your patients. JUCM examined the rationale for going the extra mile in Should an Urgent Care Operator Check the National Sex Offender Registry When Hiring Employees? Read it now to fully understand the answer to that question.