Human Resources: Take Note of these Important Questions When Screening For Drug during Pre-Employment
One of the common points of debate is whether drug screening must be conducted in the workplace and also its beneficial features. According to some experts, drug testing at workplace helps to reduce drug use, but some feel it is a violation of civil rights. When in a medical setup, one can feel intense pressure to make the right decision.
With the help of workplace drug testing, the employer can make sure that employees are not indulging in illegal use of drugs while on the job or outside office. Although such tests are highly expensive, there are reasonable advantages that are involved in it too.
The health information that is available in the human resource file of the employee is not covered under HIPAA. They are covered under the state law. Drug tests that are done by the employee which has been requested by the employer are not taken as health records. They are taken to be a part of the personal file and not covered under HIPAA.
The healthcare market is ever-changing. There are pay cuts, regulatory changes every other day, different labor regulations at the state and federal government level, costly penalties, close audit process that has hurled innumerable challenges towards physician practices.
If you are planning to take up drug testing, here are some sure fire tips that will help you get more knowledge about this process:
· It is essential to understand the right time for a screening to be performed. Some employers conduct a test during pre-employment, but on the other hand some employees are sent for random drug test as long as they are associated with the practice. It is up to the practice management and providers to decide on what basis they want to screen employees. One factor that makes the screening justified is any suspicious behaviour by the employee.
- One needs to follow-up. Employers of small establishments might not have any preparations to tackle any employee who tests positive for drug use. But this particular person can be an important person in your organization.
Sometimes a situation may arise where you might have to lose a talented or very important person, so it is up to you to be prepared for the results that will follow after attest is done.
· In many situations, employers feel it is incorrect to interfere in activities done outside the office by the employee. This also seems wrong if the employee performs well in his job as well. In such cases, it is advisable to conduct background checks and be satisfied with the results.
- It is also essential to gauge if it is worth the money that is spent on it. This factor is directly related to the size and economic stability of your practice. Drug screening is quite expensive. A well established practice that has a large group might not feel the burden of this sort of expenditure but it will definitely make a difference to smaller practices.
Originally posted 2013-10-31 12:57:53.