Cutting-Edge Physician Recruitment Strategies

December 26th, 2007 by Kenneth Cohn

Overview

Your ability to recruit and retain physicians is key to your organization’s ability to function in an increasingly competitive marketplace
Considering all specialties, physicians generate on average $1,500,000 annually
The longer it takes to fill key positions, the less revenue you have to fulfill mission-critical responsibilities

Put technology to your advantage

Invest in a website that makes it easy to interact with people
Dedicated Physician Recruitment web pages
Job search function by specialty and location
Direct contact to the appropriate recruiter
Feature that allows candidates to apply on-line
Video clips
Virtual tours
Audio testimonials from recent recruits and long-term happy physicians
Maps
Links to topics of interest
Make a recruitment compact disc or DVD with passionate physicians and employees talking about why they love working at your organization and how long they have been there
New technology allows candidates an interactive experience
Create specialty specific CD’s, where applicable
Search where people are looking for jobs
Many sites have searchable database capabilities
Sites include:
- practicelink.com (oldest and largest)
- physicianwork.com
- docjobs.com
- aspr.org
- Physician professional association job boards (eg. www.aafp.org, www4.aaos.org/member/placement, www.acc.org, www.acr.org )

Make your interviewing process stand out

Do everything better than your competition
Planning your interview process well in advance will make it easy for physicians to come for interviews

Develop a core group of interviewers

Interview all candidates in a consistent manner
Train your core group to become expert interviewers and evaluators
Use your most convincing physicians to sell people on reasons to work at your organization
Break up topics, making each interviewer responsible for one area of evaluation during the time-slot:
- Practice style
- Clinical competence
- Interpersonal skills
- Knowledge and understanding of the business of health care
Strategically plan the sequence of who interviews and when
- Open and close interviews with strong, high-level leaders
When possible, remove interviewers incapable of being enthusiastic salespeople
- At a minimum, give candidates a “heads-up” about what they may hear in the interview PRIOR to their visit

Select vendors used consistently

Travel agency
Hotel
Restaurants
Realtor
- Set up direct bills with vendors, so that candidates do not have to go through a lengthy reimbursement process
- Create a diverse group of happy physician spouses to meet with candidates’ spouses for lunch and a community tour

Clinch the deal with your offer

Always make a verbal offer first
Get the candidate to give you a verbal acceptance (commitment) BEFORE a written offer is sent
Position yourself to be able to offer slightly more than what the candidate expects the offer to be
Include in your contract or letter of offer a “date of expiration” (1-2 weeks)
Timeliness in executing the offer process is critical
- Have the details worked out and the paperwork done prior to the offer being made