FIELD-TESTED BEST PRACTICES FOR PHYSICIAN RECRUITMENT
Physician recruiting is not all about getting a suitable candidate to sign a contract. It includes all the aspects of the candidate’s experience, during and after the interview. The hiring entity is expected to support the candidates for the first two years to prevent high staff turnover. When physician recruiting is hurriedly done, it turns out to be expensive in the long run.
The physician recruiting process can be challenging but fulfilling if done well. The process is often daunting and fraught with hurdles. To help you streamline physician recruitment exercise, use this guide.
- Spread your search wide
One of the most convenient ways to advertise the vacant position is the internet. It would be best if you did targeted advertisements. An inquiry from others in the health sector would help you know which job boards worked for them. Get an expert to build you a go-to site portfolio.
Do not overlook virtual and in-person career fairs because you can find the best-suited fit for your search. The best talent to fill the vacancy is probably perusing the pages of trade publications and journals. Have you posted your needs in these articles? And when you do so, ensure to place classifieds in each to increase your visibility.
What about Linkedln, Doximity on the social media platforms? These resources are rich with resumes for physicians who are seeking employment and new career opportunities.
- Go global
Projections reveal that by 2030 medical professionals will be in acute shortage. The scarcity of medical professionals will be specialty and primary care physicians.
To attract, hire, and retain the best-talented physicians for your organization. There’s a need to search beyond your locality when you expand your search. This way, you increase your chances of recruiting suitable candidates.
Consider graduates from foreign origin who might have completed fellowship programs. Or, if you can afford to sponsor work visas, take the plunge and have the best medical professional join your team.
- Be patient
The medical sector is a highly competitive field. Every medical organization is seeking to fill their post with qualified, top-notch physicians. If you give yourself strict deadlines, you’ll burn out and get frustrated. The chances of not hiring the right candidate are also high.
Allow sufficient time to fill the vacancy with a skilled and experienced candidate. Remember, the candidate will work with you for long if their temperament is right and fits into its culture, traditions, and practice.
Hurriedly hiring a candidate you’re not sure about can lead to turnover after a short while. Save yourself the trouble and be patient.
- Settle for a flexible, internal compensation plan
Are you offering anything above the basic salary? Highlight additional benefits and draw a structured compensation plan that balances employee and organization fairness.
What are your incentives for a top-performance? Do you recognize and reward improvement in productivity? It’s imperative to note that the physician incentive compensation plan’s design significantly alters a physician’s perception.
It also informs how well they’ll provide care to their clients. A poorly designed compensation plan reflects the organization’s overall quality of patient satisfaction, cost, and maintenance. On the other hand, a well-designed program improves clients’ satisfaction and enhance quality care.
Most organizations give a bonus of at least 5% of the fixed salary. The incentive is paid quarterly to keep the employee on top gear.
Incentives can also be non-monetary. It’s essential to draw a formal orientation and mentoring program to help new employees fit with minimal challenges. Doing so allows them to appreciate the organization’s potential benefit to their growing career.
- Win over the candidates from the beginning
There’s never a second chance to make the first impression. The trust you build during the physician’s recruitment process will significantly determine their retention decision. Be keen on how you present the written description. Ensure to be consistently professional, transparent, and truthful to the job description.
When you interview on the phone, email, or virtual status, commit to answering all candidates’ questions. Don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep.
Build on the organization’s strength to avoid glossing over the negatives raised. Above all, be a good listener, respond thoughtfully, and concisely. Effective communication is crucial.
- Use the entire workforce for orientation
The new staff needs a welcoming, accommodating team for them to blend. Involve the members of your team in their orientation. Doing so gives them first-hand experience of the team’s culture, core values, and mission. Let your public relations assistant provide them with a tour of the hospital.
It would be courteous to follow the visit with an email or phone call. These little, kind gestures will help the candidate form an excellent working relationship with the entire team.
- Highlight your geographical dynamics
The candidate seeking to fill the position is seeking to lead a good life. Showcase the highlights of your immediate locality. What features does your region take pride in? Are its cultural wealth, historical sites, and attractions? Or is it social-cultural activities that are predominantly found in the area?
Don’t forget to gloat over other benefits the candidate will tap—for instance, proximity to recreational facilities such as schools, sports fields, and courts.
These factors apply whether you’re hiring in a rural, urban, or suburban set up. You are the most informed ambassador for your locality. How you showcase your region can help you attract and retain the best of physicians.
- Focus on your market strength
Health workers appreciate the professionalism and positive work experience. These two factors are essential to retaining your newly recruited physician. The same factors that influence the successful candidate during the physician recruitment process are the same that will impact their retention. They’ll be keen to validate the claims made during the interview. Some of the critical factors when an organization seeks to retain members of staff are:
- A hospital management system that includes registration, patient check out, report generation, and database.
- A non-functional management system which are processes such as performance, security, maintainability, and reliability.
- Access to social-cultural and career networking opportunities that offers a platform for professionals to interact and build their practice.
- Community safety against external aggression.
- Accessibility to social-economic amenities.
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