Healthcare, Social Screening and Reinforcing Community Trust

Want to hire better and promote trust in your healthcare system? Think of your organization as a body: when everyone plays their part, the whole body flourishes. But throw in one bad actor, and the entire system can collapse. Managing employee-based risks is a challenge for every organization, but it's even more critical for healthcare, given the sensitive nature of the profession. So, what are healthcare organizations doing today to ensure patient safety and maintain public trust?

Patients trust healthcare professionals to prioritize their safety and privacy. When someone within the organization violates that trust—whether by discrimination or mistreatment—the damage is swift and public. Viral stories of misconduct erode confidence, and events like these highlight that hospitals need more than just standard credentialing or background checks to safeguard their reputation.

A recent case involving emergency room doctor Christopher Kwan Chen Lee, who was found to have posted sexist and racist remarks online, exposed major flaws in hospital screening processes. His case and others like it suggest that identifying risky behaviors during the hiring process is becoming essential for maintaining public trust. No healthcare system is immune to personnel-based scandals, and many are now turning to social media screening to avoid hiring individuals who might jeopardize patient safety and trust.

Over the last two decades, confidence in the healthcare system has plummeted from 76% to 34%. With 40% to 60% of an organization’s intangible asset value tied to reputation and brand, healthcare could be losing up to $1.5 trillion annually due to trust issues alone. While these numbers may seem daunting, they also represent an opportunity for healthcare systems to rebuild trust within their communities.

Leading hospitals are adopting social screening to prevent reputational risks and ensure patient safety. While it’s not a silver bullet, it demonstrates a commitment to hiring individuals who align with the organization's values and community standards. Screening for behaviors—not just credentials or criminal records—offers a proactive approach to risk prevention, showing the public that their trust is valued and your commitment to safety is real.