Gallup Indian Medical Center—an IHS-Operated Health Facility—Did Not Timely Conduct Required Background Checks of Staff and Supervise Certain Staff

Date Issued

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Submitting OIG

Department of Health & Human Services OIG

Agencies Reviewed/Investigated

Department of Health & Human Services

Report Number

A-02-23-02006

Report Type

Audit

Agency Wide

Yes

Number of Recommendations

Questioned Costs

Funds for Better Use

Report updated under NDAA 5274

External Link

https://oig.hhs.gov/reports/all/2024/gallup-indian-medical-centeran-ihs-operate…

Open Recommendations

This report has 5 open recommendations.

Recommendation Number	Significant Recommendation	Recommended Questioned Costs	Recommended Funds for Better Use
24-A-02-110.01	No	$0	$0
We recommend that the Indian Health Service work with Gallup Indian Medical Center and the Navajo Area Office to take action to complete background investigations, including adjudication, for staff members identified in this report as not having a satisfactory background investigation.
24-A-02-110.02	No	$0	$0
We recommend that the Indian Health Service work with Gallup Indian Medical Center and the Navajo Area Office to monitor background investigations to ensure all elements are completed within required timeframes in accordance with Federal requirements.
24-A-02-110.03	No	$0	$0
We recommend that the Indian Health Service work with Gallup Indian Medical Center and the Navajo Area Office to update standard operating procedures for background investigations to include completing background investigations for temporary staff in accordance with Federal requirements.
24-A-02-110.04	No	$0	$0
We recommend that the Indian Health Service work with Gallup Indian Medical Center and the Navajo Area Office to determine which staff members in contact with Indian children currently have a pending background investigation and take immediate action to supervise these staff members when children are in their care and adequately document such supervision.
24-A-02-110.05	No	$0	$0
We recommend that the Indian Health Service work with Gallup Indian Medical Center and the Navajo Area Office to follow through on its plans for an agencywide process to facilitate compliance with the sight and supervision requirements for staff with pending background investigations, including documentation that supervision actually occurs.