Background checks can weed out bad hires

Practice Management. By Pamela Lewis Dolan, AMNews staff. Nov. 27, 2006.

When Joseph Kasper, MD, hired a family acquaintance to manage his solo practice, he didn't feel a background check was necessary. He later learned that was a mistake -- one which nearly cost him his practice.

The family physician from West Valley City, Utah, and his wife, Suzie, knew Stephanie Jo Wilde-Mathie for more than 10 years. She managed their church's nursery. They knew her children. They knew she had professional experience handling budgets and finances.

But apparently, they didn't know enough. Wilde-Mathie is scheduled to appear in Utah State Court's 3rd District on Nov. 28 where she will answer to charges that she stole more than $50,000 from the doctor through forged checks and fraudulent credit cards. Wilde-Mathie's attorney, Michael Stout, said he is not yet sure how she will plead.

"It nearly wiped us out," said Suzie Kasper, who now serves as the interim business manager of her husband's practice.

Background checks can be as basic as a quick call to a past employer or as extensive as a complete report including credit checks, criminal records and interviews with childhood friends. But because many small practices don't have human resources departments, many hiring decisions are based solely on a resume and first impressions.

Lisa Guerin, an editor and author for Nolo, a do-it-yourself legal resource publishing company, suggests focusing on things relevant to the job.

During the application process, experts recommend asking for written permission for the background check and revealing exactly what you will be looking at and how you plan to gather the information.