Preemployment Drug Screening Information

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO) has clarified HR Standard 1.20 to provide that hospitals are now required to screen trainees in the same manner as staff employed by the hospital if the trainees work in the same capacity as staff who provide care, treatment and services. In order to meet this standard and continue to provide safe, quality patient care and excellent educational opportunities, the GME Consortium has implemented additional screening requirements for trainees. These additional requirements are consistent with the requirements imposed on other employed staff.

House staff paid by Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine are required to successfully pass all screening requirements including a drug test and criminal background check prior to beginning their training at this institution. All Consortium policies and procedures governing house staff are available on the GME website at http://medicine.wustl.edu/gme under the link “About the GME Consortium.”