Partners and Certifications

Certiphi Screening was selected by the Association of American Medical Colleges^® (AAMC) to build and run the centralized student screening program for its member schools. The program was part of the AAMC’s recommendation that all medical schools require criminal background checks on all accepted medical school applicants. The AAMC is a not-for-profit association representing accredited U.S. and Canadian medical schools, major teaching hospitals and health systems and academic and scientific societies.

Certiphi Screening was selected by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy^® (AACP) to build and run the centralized student screening program for its member schools. Founded in 1900, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) is the national organization representing pharmacy education in the United States. The AACP is comprised of all accredited colleges and schools with pharmacy degree programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

Certiphi Screening was selected by the American Physical Therapy Association^® (APTA) to build and run the centralized student screening program for its member schools through the PTCAS system. APTA is an individual membership professional organization representing physical therapists (PTs), physical therapist assistants (PTAs) and students of physical therapy. APTA seeks to improve the health and quality of life of individuals in society by advancing physical therapist practice, education, and research, and by increasing the awareness and understanding of physical therapy's role in the nation's healthcare system.

Certiphi Screening was selected by the American Dental Education Association^® (ADEA) to build and run the centralized student screening program for its member schools. ADEA’s members include all U.S. and Canadian dental schools and many allied and advanced dental education programs, corporations, deans, program directors, administrators, faculty and students, residents and fellows. The mission of ADEA is to lead institutions and individuals in the dental education community to address contemporary issues influencing education, research and the delivery of oral health care for the overall health and safety of the public.

Certiphi Screening was selected by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry^® (ASCO) to build and run the centralized OptomCAS-facilitated national background check services. ASCO is the academic leadership organization committed to promoting, advancing and achieving excellence in optometric education. Since 1941, ASCO has achieved this vision by representing the interests of institutions of optometric education, enhancing the efforts of these institutions as they prepare highly qualified graduates for entrance into the profession of optometry and serving the public’s eye and vision needs.

Certiphi Screening is proud to have earned URAC accreditation as a Credentials Verification Organization. The designation demonstrates that Certiphi Screening is dedicated to quality and safety, and that we strive for a continual improvement of the services we offer.

Founded in 1990, URAC is the independent leader in promoting healthcare quality through leadership, accreditation, measurement and innovation. URAC is a nonprofit organization using evidence-based measures and developing standards through inclusive engagement with a range of stakeholders committed to improving the quality of healthcare. URAC’s portfolio of accreditation and certification programs span the healthcare industry, addressing healthcare management, healthcare operations, health plans, pharmacies, telehealth providers, physician practices, and more. URAC accreditation is a symbol of excellence for organizations to showcase their validated commitment to quality and accountability.

Certiphi Screening is NCQA certified as a Credentials Verification Organization (CVO) for the following credentials verification services:

• Board Certification Verification
• License to Practice Verification
• Medical Board Sanctions
• Medicaid/Medicare Sanctions
• Ongoing Sanctions Monitoring

CVO Certification evaluates a CVO's management of various aspects of its data collection and verification operation, and the processes it uses to continuously improve the services it provides. CVO Certification is a quality assessment program that health care organizations can use to assess Credentials Verification Organizations and other organizations that verify the credentials of physicians.

NCQA is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to assessing and reporting on the quality of managed care plans, managed behavioral healthcare organizations, preferred provider organizations, new health plans, physician organizations, credentials verification organizations, disease management programs and other health-related programs. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations and manages the evolution of HEDIS(r), the performance measurement tool used by more than 90 percent of the nation's health plans.

Certiphi Screening was one of the first and remains one of the few companies in the applicant screening industry to receive ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System certification. This certification means our processes contain systematic quality controls to ensure applicant screening quality requirements, such as turnaround time, accuracy and completeness, are met in every service we provide. It also provides established procedures and systems to evaluate risk, plan, and manage and overall Quality Management System. We must pass annual audits by a third-party management system registrar to maintain our certification.

Within the ISO 9001:2015 quality management framework, all of Certiphi Screening’s processes are consistently carried out in support of our mission to exceed client expectations in the principal areas of quality, user-friendliness, efficiency, service-orientation and timeliness. We document these quality system initiatives in our formal Quality Manual and in individual operations process flowcharts and work instructions.

Certiphi Screening accomplishes proactive, self-identified quality improvement through random and regular audits of both our departments and our processes, conducted by both a dedicated internal quality audit team and employees specially trained to serve as internal auditors for other departments. Input is also collected from client surveys, customer service inquiries and other client interactions. 

Our ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Information Security Management System certification specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving the information security management system within our organization. The information security management system preserves the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information by applying a risk management process, giving our stakeholders confidence that risks have been adequately managed.

ISO 27701 certification indicates that a company has implemented a comprehensive and internationally recognized framework for managing privacy information. It signifies a robust commitment to protecting personal and sensitive data’s confidentiality, integrity, and availability. By aligning with ISO 27701 standards, Certiphi Screening has provided clear processes for data handling, risk assessment, and continuous improvement, fostering a culture of privacy-conscious practices. This certification ensures legal and regulatory compliance, builds trust among our customers and partners, and showcases our proactive stance in addressing privacy concerns, especially in an industry where safeguarding personal information is paramount.

Certiphi Screening is accredited by the Background Screening Credentialing Council (BSCC). The Professional Background Screening Association (formerly NAPBS) administers the BSCC and its Background Screening Agency Accreditation Program (BSAAP). The BSCC accreditation represents a background screening firm’s commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continual improvement. To become BSCC accredited, background screening firms must pass a rigorous onsite audit, conducted by an independent auditing firm, of its policies and procedures in six critical areas: consumer protection, legal compliance, client education, product standards, service standards and general business practices.

Certiphi Screening is accredited by the Background Screening Credential Council (BSCC) under the Professional Background Screening Association's (PBSA) General Accreditation program. This new accreditation standard confirms our dedication to the highest standards in international screening services. The BSCC accreditation signifies a background screening firm's commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards, and continual improvement.

To achieve BSCC General Accreditation, background screening firms must pass a rigorous desk and virtual audit of their policies and procedures in six critical areas: information security, legal compliance, client education, researcher and data standards, verification service standards, and business practices. This accreditation complements the existing U.S. Standard, providing a robust framework for organizations involved in global screening services.

Certiphi Screening successfully completed SOC 2 (formerly SAS 70, SOC 1/SSAE16 Type I and Type II) audits of its IT processing and control environment. These audit reports are performed using the AICPA Guide:  Reporting on Controls at a Service Organizations Relevant to Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, or Privacy and are intended for use by our stakeholders to provide a thorough understanding of our organization and its internal controls. In 2014, we upgraded from our SSAE 16 Type I and Type II audits to the current SOC 2. 

The security of Certiphi Screening’s information technology solutions and systems has achieved enterprise certification from Verizon Cybertrust Security, a leading provider of intelligent risk management products and services.

Verizon Cybertrust Security certification validates that we use time-tested security processes and technologies to maintain a proactive, comprehensive and continuous information security risk management program. The certification ensures our systems’ integrity in the areas of electronic threats and vulnerabilities, malicious code, privacy, human factors, physical environment and downtime. It also confirms our use of widely recognized and accepted measures to secure our environment.

To achieve certification, we implemented a comprehensive set of Verizon-defined security controls, procedures and policies that are examined, measured and validated by Verizon. Regular reviews, assessments and inspections by Verizon ensure that recommended controls and safeguards are kept current to address changing security needs.

Certiphi Screening’s technology solutions have been awarded HR Open Standards Certification by the HR Open Standards Consortium, an independent, non-profit and vendor-neutral organization. This certification confirms our software and services use the data exchange standards developed by the Consortium, and signals our technology leadership and readiness to integrate flexibly and opportunistically with customers and partners.

Seeking out HR Open Standards Certified vendors allows employers to reduce the amount of expensive customization required to make implementations of HR solutions productive. Open Standards-based standards also enable integration of data across systems in real time. 

Authorized by USCIS, Certiphi Screening is a qualified E-Verify Employer Agent authorized to administer all aspects of the E-Verify process on behalf of our clients. E-Verify is a federal program that allows employers to compare the information provided by new hires on their I-9 forms to Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration databases to determine their employment eligibility. 

Certiphi Screening is Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliant as a Level 4 merchant. The PCI security standards were devised by the major credit card companies and are incorporated into each of their data security compliance programs. Our quarterly PCI network scans are performed by SecurityMetrics. 

Through our parent company Vertical Screen, Certiphi Screening completed an assessment to ensure that we have the essential security controls, policies and procedures in place to support the requirements of the Federal Information System Management Act (FISMA). FISMA is a federal law that requires U.S. federal agencies and their partners to procure information systems and services only from organizations that adhere to the specific requirements mandated by FISMA.

An independent auditor that specializes in government system risk assessments conducted an examination of our policy and procedures, as well as an  observation of processes, sampling of evidence and interviews with subject matter experts. Based on the results of the assessment, we received a letter of recommendation that firmly positions us to obtain an Authority To Operate (ATO) if required by a sponsoring agency.

Our sister company, Fieldprint is authorized as a private FBI channeler, making us one of the few fi­rms in the world authorized to submit fi­ngerprints to, and receive FBI Criminal History Records Information (CHRI) from, the FBI. Fieldprint’s private channeling capabilities allow BIG to offer (with FBI approval) direct access to the FBI, with no channeling agency or other intermediary required.

Our fingerprinting station system is FBI Appendix F-certified, confirming that it has been tested and found to be in compliance with the FBI’s Next Generation Identification (NGI) System Image Quality Specifications and Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) Image Quality Specifications (IQS). The review of the test data was conducted by the Technology Evaluation Standards Test Unit, a part of the Biometric Center of Excellence led by the Criminal Justice Information Services Division.

HITRUST Implemented, 1-year (i1) Certified status demonstrates that Certiphi Screening is appropriately managing risk through key information security controls and good cybersecurity hygiene within our assessed platforms and facilities. With this achievement, Certiphi Screening joins an exclusive group of organizations that have earned HITRUST i1 Certification. Through alignment with and incorporation of best practices, and by leveraging the latest threat intelligence to maintain applicability with information security risks and emerging cyber threats, the HITRUST Implemented, 1-year (i1) Validated Assessment with Certification helps organizations address cybersecurity challenges and remain cyber resilient over time.

As a Shared Assessments Program member, Certiphi Screening gains opportunities to deepen our risk management expertise, including cross-industry working groups that discuss regulatory climate, including ISO 27001:2013 & 27002:2013, HIPAA/HITECH and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.

Shared Assessments members are national and international organizations of all sizes that understand the importance of comprehensive standards for managing third party risk. They include financial institutions, healthcare organizations, energy/utility, retailers and telecommunications companies. They are service providers of all sizes, consulting companies, and assessment firms. They are the best in their class, members of a global community of vendor risk management professionals who understand the value of implementing efficient and effective industry-standard practices.

All Certiphi Screening MROs are certified by the Medical Review Officer Certification Council (MROCC) and/or the American Association of Medical Review Officers (AAMRO), which are both nationally recognized boards with reputations for setting the standard for training of MRO professionals. Our MROs not only have specialized industry knowledge and skills proficiency, but also are well-versed in industry issues such as compliance and emerging testing techniques.

Through our parent company Vertical Screen, Inc., Certiphi Screening is a member of the Center for Internet Security, a nonprofit organization that serves a community of organizations and individuals seeking actionable security resources. As part of this community, we have access to consensus security configuration benchmarks, software, metrics and discussion forums where we are an integral stakeholder in collaborating on security best practices. We leverage these resources and best practices to measure and improve our organization’s security posture.