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There are many ways to hire and retain physicians, but attracting candidates to your spine practice can be difficult if you don't know where to start.
Following a plan of action for recruitment will not only save you time but it will benefit the quality of candidates the practice attracts. Starting recruitment early is one of the most important ways to ensure the practice will have a great pool of candidates to choose from. Having a medical marketer on staff can help alleviate some of the stress recruiting can have on your practice. Knowing how to appeal to the right physician is key to having a successful practice. Here are five ways to attract and retain physician partners:
1. Start recruitment early
A Physician being a recruited out of fellowship has different needs than a physician who has been practicing for decades. Be efficient. Losing a good candidate many times comes down to a lapse between interviews and an offer. Follow-up with candidates so they know you're interested. Plan the recruitment period to be a good six months to a year. If your physician is relocating then you must allow time for him/her to become licensed in a new state and make the move. Evaluate what these physicians will be looking for in a job offer. If your practice is located in a rural area, you want to have good incentives for a physician to take your offer.
2. Communicate
There must be great communication back and forth between the spine practice and the physicians they are actively recruiting. Naturally, candidates are going to have lots of questions about your offer and benefits. Be open and listen to their concerns and requests. Physicians won't feel comfortable joining a spine practice they don't think is listening to their needs. With that being said, you've interviewed this candidate and given him/her an offer, but they keep coming back with a problem. Your practice operates a certain way in order for it to be successful. If your candidate is constantly finding something wrong with your offer, then you must evaluate your contract. Is it reasonable? If the answer is yes, then you must evaluate the candidate. The physician having this many problems prior to accepting an offer, might mean he/she is not the right fit for your practice. Being able to take a step back and evaluate your practice from an unbiased point of view will better help in evaluating what candidates will be a good fit.
3. Be financially competitive
Physicians are in demand so compensation becomes even more competitive. Most likely physicians are comparing offers and know what salary range they are willing to accept. If the physician will be moving to a different state for a job, then part of the practices' job is to highlight all the new state or area has to offer. Let the physician know what sets your spine practice apart from all the others. Take into consideration where the physician is coming from. If the physician is moving from New York to rural Idaho, then they have to understand why their salary offer is not as high as an urban area. Whether you can offer the physician an urban or suburban lifestyle, make sure it's appealing to them both financially and personally.
4. Know your practices' needs
The better you know your practice, the better you can hire and retain your medical staff. Once you have hired a physician spend one-on-one time with them. Make sure they feel comfortable and wanted. A too-often physician leave a job because they feel neglected or like their work is being taken for granted, and with the physician shortage hospitals and practices cannot afford to lose good doctors. Understand that a new job can be intimidating and it is important the physician knows they can come to you with any questions or concerns. Your medical staff should feel like they can be successful and this encouragement needs to start from the recruitment process and continue after they are hired.
Hiring quality spine physicians is lengthy process, but it is important to take proper action and be organized about the hiring process. Recruitment and marketing are two of the most important aspects in the hiring process. Many spine practices hire third party recruiters and medical marketers to handle job descriptions and resumes. The benefits of investing in good marketing and recruitment are innumerable when looking to hire quality physicians.
Learn more about SpineSearch.
Resources
4 Keys to Physician Recruitment During the Shortage
4 Tips to Successful Physician Recruitment and Retention Under Healthcare Reform
How to Keep Recruitment Tactics in Line With Physician Preferences