Background checks and drug screening are baseline requirements on every major vendor-credentialing platform. Before a hospital grants facility access, it expects documented evidence — usually attested by your employer — that you have cleared a criminal background check, are not on federal exclusion lists, and have passed a drug screen. Here is how the requirement typically works and how to get it satisfied quickly.
What hospitals are actually checking
- Criminal background check — typically run when you are hired and periodically re-verified. For vendor credentialing this is usually arranged by your employer or by a screening company, not by you walking into a police station.
- Federal exclusion lists — the HHS Office of Inspector General’s List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE) and the GSA’s SAM exclusion list. Hospitals cannot allow excluded individuals to participate in federally funded healthcare activity, so platforms screen against these continuously.
- Sex-offender registries — standard component of healthcare-facility screening.
- Drug screening — commonly a multi-panel urine test. Some facilities require the result itself; many accept an employer attestation that a screening program is in place.
Your rights and the FCRA
When a third-party screening company prepares a background report for employment or credentialing purposes, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) generally requires your written authorization first, and gives you the right to see the report and dispute inaccuracies. A legitimate screening provider will always collect your consent — treat any process that skips it as a red flag. (This is general information, not legal advice.)
How the requirement is usually satisfied
- Through your employer: most device and pharma companies run pre-employment screening and renew it on a cycle; the employer then attests to compliance on the platform, or uploads the documentation. Start with your compliance or HR team — this is the cheapest path and often already done.
- Through the platform: some credentialing platforms offer screening packages or have preferred screening vendors whose results flow directly into your profile.
- Self-pay screening: independent reps (1099 distributors) without an employer program can order compliant screening and drug tests from national providers with local collection sites. Verify the panel and report format your platform expects before paying.
Requirements and renewal cycles vary by platform and facility — check what the specific hospital requires by finding its platform in our directory by state.
Frequently asked questions
How often does screening renew?
It varies — some platforms re-verify annually, others on longer cycles, and exclusion-list screening runs continuously. Your platform profile shows current status and expiration dates.
What drug panel is required?
Commonly a multi-panel urine screen; the exact panel is set by the facility or platform. Confirm before scheduling a collection.
I’m an independent 1099 rep — who runs my check?
You order it yourself from a screening provider (with your own consent under FCRA) or through your distributor agreement’s compliance program, then upload the result or attestation to your platform profile.
Will a past offense disqualify me?
That decision belongs to the facility and platform, not HCH — policies differ on offense type, severity, and how long ago it occurred. If a report contains errors, the FCRA gives you the right to dispute them with the screening company.
Disclaimer: Hospital Credentialing Hub is an independent resource, not a law firm or screening company, and is not affiliated with any hospital or credentialing platform. This page is general information, not legal advice. Requirements vary by facility — always verify current requirements directly with the hospital or your credentialing platform. See also: the requirements checklist, HIPAA training, and the 2026 vendor credentialing guide.