ShiftMed: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

ShiftMed was founded by Todd Walrath, an entrepreneur with a history of building healthcare-focused platforms. Walrath previously founded SeniorLiving.net in 2008 to help families find affordable senior housing, following his own experience seeking care for an elderly family member; that company was acquired by RealPage, Inc. in 2011. He went on to launch HomeCare.com in 2014 to connect families with in-home care providers, before founding ShiftMed (with sources citing founding years of 2017, 2018, or 2019) to link long-term care facilities with a network of local, credentialed CNAs seeking per diem work.

ShiftMed is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, and has expanded its network beyond CNAs to include LPNs, RNs, and allied health professionals, forming partnerships with hospitals and health systems across acute, post-acute, and in-home care settings. The company has raised significant venture funding, including a $45 million round in 2021 and a $200 million round in 2023, and in 2024 acquired CareerStaff Unlimited, a per diem and contract managed service provider (MSP) founded in 1989, from Genesis HealthCare, forming what the companies described as the industry's first end-to-end digital MSP.

Today, ShiftMed's platform includes more than 350,000 credentialed W-2 healthcare workers, offering facilities access to on-demand local staffing as an alternative to more expensive travel nursing agencies. ShiftMed's own internal workforce includes software engineers, healthcare partnership and account management staff, and operations personnel who run the platform, separate from the many nurses, CNAs, and allied health professionals who use the app to find per diem shifts.

Company culture and employee programs: ShiftMed emphasizes giving healthcare workers greater control over their schedules and pay, aiming to address chronic healthcare staffing shortages through technology. The company positions itself as offering W-2 employment status to the healthcare professionals who pick up shifts through its platform, rather than classifying them as independent contractors, which is a notable structural choice in the gig-based healthcare staffing space. Benefits, scheduling, and advancement opportunities can vary depending on whether a role is an internal ShiftMed corporate position or a per diem shift picked up through the app.

Yes. Employers and staffing platforms in the healthcare staffing industry, including ShiftMed, are legally required to conduct thorough background screening on healthcare worker candidates, given the vulnerable populations served in long-term care, acute care, and in-home settings. In the United States, employment screening is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which requires clear disclosure and consent before a check is run.

ShiftMed is generally reported to conduct background checks and credential verification for healthcare professionals joining its platform, consistent with industry standards and state regulatory requirements for staff working in healthcare settings.

The onboarding process for CNAs, LPNs, and RNs joining ShiftMed typically includes creating a profile through the app, submitting proof of relevant licenses and certifications, and completing a background check before being approved to pick up shifts through the platform.

Background check timelines can vary based on the type of screening requested and how quickly records can be verified. Learn more about typical background check turnaround times to understand what factors can affect the process.

A typical background check for a healthcare staffing platform role may include:

Under the FCRA, criminal history reporting is generally limited to seven years for most background checks, though many states impose more extensive lookback periods or disqualifying offense lists for healthcare workers who care for elderly or vulnerable populations.

Eligibility decisions for healthcare professionals with criminal records are generally made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the nature of the offense, how much time has passed, and its relevance to a role involving direct care of vulnerable patients or residents. Many states maintain specific disqualifying offense lists for healthcare and long-term care workers that go beyond standard "ban-the-box" laws protections.

Candidates can generally expect to provide personal information such as full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number, along with signed consent authorizing the background check, in compliance with FCRA and applicable state healthcare licensing requirements.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that regulates how background check information can be used in hiring and platform-access decisions. It requires that individuals be notified before a check is run, provide written consent, and receive specific notices if a decision is made based on background check results.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what ShiftMed may see during the onboarding process, helping you address any concerns before you apply. A personal background check can include:

Learn more about Checkr Personal Background Checks and explore your Checkr Profile to see what information may appear in your own background check.

If you're a candidate with a background check in progress through Checkr as part of your application to ShiftMed or another employer, you can check your status through the Candidate Portal. For additional support, visit the Checkr Help Center.

The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information is for general informational purposes only. Checkr does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. This article may contain links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader. Checkr does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites and disclaims any affiliation with the companies mentioned in this article unless otherwise stated.