Corra Group has added monthly monitoring of healthcare sanctions background checks to its healthcare employment screening program. The monthly monitoring system helps keep any healthcare related institutions, including hospitals and medical centers, staffing and recruiting contractors, in compliance with the new guidelines issues last year from of the Office of Inspector General.

The updated OIG policy bulletin stipulates that no Federal health care program payment may be made for any items or services furnished (1) by an excluded person or (2) at the medical direction or on the prescription of an excluded person.

Corra Group has offered a comprehensive list of background checks to the healthcare industry, said Nick Gustavson, Corra Group Co-Founder. We provide such employment screening services as criminal records searches and drug screening. But now that the updated GSA guidelines are gaining impact, we are finding more of our healthcare clients requesting regular monitoring sanctions programs for their current and future employees.

We are offering several types of healthcare related monitoring programs for excluded and sanctioned parties, said Gustavson. With one program we offer the Level One and Level Three FACIS searches. The Level One is a monthly search of the OIG and GSA excluded parties list. The Level Three FACIS search includes the OIG and GSA excluded parties list as well includes the OIG and GSA lists but incorporates any sanctions or disciplinary actions from some 2,500 local, state, or federal healthcare related agencies.

Gustavson noted a third program, which will soon be onboard. The Corra Group Co-Founder termed it the most cost-effective excluded party monitoring system for the budget minded healthcare facility or staffing agency. The new program includes the OIGs List of Excluded Individuals and Entities, or LEIE. The program also reports GSAs SAM list as well, known formerly as the System for Award Management.

Failure to comply with the mandates provided by the Office of Inspector General can be very serious, said Gustavson. Violators can face carry penalties ranging from further sanctions and permanent exclusion, to civil monetary penalties, and in extreme cases, criminal prosecution.

The OIG produces is LEIE once a month, said Gustavson. This government agency is recommending those in the healthcare industry monitor their staff on a similar basis. When you take the necessary precautions, you usually save a lot of grief and the money that goes with it.

BACKGROUND: Corra operates as Corra Group and specializes in pre-employment and corporate research and investigation. It is one of the few companies that will answer the phone. You can review the website at http://www.corragroup.com.