Case of the fake doctor: background check must be done

The expert explains that healthcare facilities must be held accountable for background checks on new doctors

On May 30, in the city of São Paulo, a woman was arrested for falsely acting as a doctor and prescribing drugs and tests. The woman had the name and surname of a doctor and she used her CRM to practice the profession illegally. She has also shared her work on social media.

According to the penal code, the illegal practice of medicine is practiced by false professionals using credentials that do not belong to them, professionals who specialize in one sector, but practice medicine in another, as well as the doctor who graduated abroad, but did not perform the revalida.

However, background checks, known as background checks, are one tool that can help you hire health professionals. The purpose of this control is to prevent acts against patients and to keep the reputation of a healthcare facility transparent.

Through the verification it is possible to avoid crimes such as sexual abuse, ideological falsehoods and scams in the institutions of the sector.

“We often see cases of alleged health workers who forge documents to work in the area. The background check is able to verify that this professional is who he really says he is, if his credentials and documents match those presented and if he has a previous record, minimizing the risks of ideological falsehood, abuse, corruption offences, among the others,” comments Francisco Fernandes, head of background check IAUDIT group.

According to data from the Institute of Public Security (ISP), between 2015 and 2021, 177 cases of sexual abuse were reported to the authorities in Rio de Janeiro, i.e. one report of abuse practiced in health units for every 14 days. However, the number of actual cases is even higher, as the Brazilian Public Security Forum claims that only 10% of crimes are reported in the country.

Background checks prevent fake doctors

Cases of fake doctors acting out make headlines every year in Brazil. In 2021 alone, in Rio Grande do Sul alone, the State Regional Council of Medicine (Cremers) received 47 complaints of illegal medical practice. There are several negative impacts to institutions when background checks are not performed properly or not at all.

“The consequences can reach the following areas: crimes against patients, data leakage (both patients and employees), non-compliance with the LGPD, increased possibilities of corruption crimes, as well as the possibility of hiring a false professional,” explains Fernandes .

By the way, the background check can also be done in the search for suppliers, partners and in the customer onboarding process – for private institutions. For the use of the instrument in the sanitary area, special care must be taken when carrying out the process.

“The background check is personalized with what is most relevant to each institution. For the healthcare area, in addition to the more than 200 sources offered by the process, it is essential to check the CRM, as well as the criminal records”, explains the specialist.

Manual control is not the best

However, the background check process is often done manually by the contracting institution, which makes the risk high, according to the IAUDIT Group’s head of background check.

“The difference between the background check process offered by a specialist firm is that they are adequately trained to use the technology and seek, in more sources, to point out and detail possible inconsistencies more assertively, which reduces the risk at the time of hiring a professional or a partner”, he concludes.

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Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.