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This is part Two of our Physician Shortage series. In Part One we explored the studies proving that there is, indeed, a physician shortage, and some of the factors that led to it. Our main focus in this part of the series is dealing with the realities of recruiting in a physician shortage.

By now you’ve probably shown your colleagues the statistics and studies proving that there is, indeed, a physician shortage. Some organization management does not like to accept this view as it does inconvenience them financially and otherwise. However, if managed correctly, a physician shortage is an opportunity rather than a challenge.

Find Your Weak Spots and Work on Them

Whether you do it through internet research, querying colleagues, or doing formal market research, find out what the buzz is about your organization from both patients and doctors. Are you perceived as being excellent at some things and not-so-great at others? Physicians, particularly those who are very career-minded, care a great deal about the reputation of the organization that is hiring them and will check you out with their colleagues before ever going for an interview. Try to find out what they will be told and work on any perceived weaknesses that you may have. This will not only have the pleasant effect of attracting doctors to your organization, but it will filter down into patient satisfaction as well.

Review Pay Packages

While you are doing your research on your own reputation, research competitive pay for all new physicians. It will not matter how sterling of a reputation you have if you come to the table with a seriously low offer. Make sure that benefits are also up to snuff – physicians expect a good benefits package and don’t take well to skimping in that area to save in others.

Speak To Your Audience

If you are targeting a younger physician, you should be prepared to offer flex time, added benefits, and other perks that would not have been negotiable even five years ago. Those just coming out of residency work just as hard as their predecessors, if not harder, but expect to be able to take off time from work if needed without penalties and have flexible hours. What’s more, these new doctors will shop around for an organization that will give this to them. If your organization is an early adopter of such items as flex time, you’ll attract fresh young talent in droves.

Retain Who You Have

Set up quarterly appointments with your physicians to listen to what they want in their job. In situ employees don’t tend to make too many demands, but you should stand up and take notice of the things that they do ask for. If repeated demands are ignored, they may start looking somewhere else. Also, make sure that anything that you have implemented for new hires, such as flex time, is an organization-wide perk. Nothing makes your current employees more angry than concessions that you give to new hires but not to the rest of the group.

Look at Malpractice Premiums

If you are in an area with high malpractice premiums, explore ways that you can help offset the cost for your hires and current employees. This one one of the top reasons cited to change jobs among physicians in the US.

Due to the overwhelming need for physicians, physician recruiters sometimes have to think creatively in order to come up with ideas to recruit physicians.  In this series, we will explore physician recruitment ideas that will attract the right kind of physician to your practice.

Sell Your City

Every city or town has its selling points.  If you are not in a larger city or town, chances are good that you will be looking to attract some out-of-town applicants.  If your city has a larger community of Greeks, you may find it beneficial to market that in order to attract physicians who also have those same cultural interests, resulting in a long-term fit.  If you have a thriving arts culture and a small yet well-respected orchestra, those are selling points as well.  Keep in mind that your demographic are educated and generally family-oriented people to whom the arts and community are paramount.  You may find yourself having some fun in the process as well! 

If there are negative aspects about your city or town and this has been a problem for physician recruitment in the past, overcome the physician objectives in advance by being honest and upfront on the phone prior to a physician interview.  Accentuate the positives and simply mention the negatives.  This way there are no surprises when the physician arrives for their interview.  Paint a picture of the community over the phone and set expectations low so that physicians are pleasently surprised upon arrival.       

Be Honest About Time Requirements

New medical school graduates want to have answers to things that traditional job applicants may not have asked in the past.  They want to know how often they will be on call and what hours they will be expected to work.  They are much more conscious of work/life balance than previous generations and want to make sure that they will have some personal time for themselves.  If you can address these issues up front in your advertisements or on the phone, early on in the interview process, they will respond positively to your transparency and be quick to apply and set an interview date.

Sell Your Strengths

Every organization will have its strengths and weaknesses.  Emphasize your strengths, not to hide your weaknesses but to accentuate the positive.  You may not pay as much as that big-city HMO, but you have a more relaxed practice and your doctors can live full time at a cottage.  Salary may be the strong factor where you are, or reputation.  Whatever it is, play it up through testimonials of other doctors that work for you that are featured prominently both in your ads and on the physician jobs section of your website. 

In Part 2, we’ll explore even more ideas for creative physician recruitment.  Stay Tuned!