Who Does the Physician Recruiting for Your Organization?

If you're like many larger organizations we know, you may recruit physicians either using an internal recruiter, external recruiter, sometimes engage physicians and staff, and possibly source community members.

If you're like many smaller organizations we know, you might say you use the internal recruiter from the hospital, use an external recruiter, engage your physicians and your staff, and community members. Don't see much of a difference? Exactly. 
 


So, what makes the recruiting process successful? Is it who you use to do the recruiting, or the process itself?

If you answered yes, you’re exactly right!

The real goal is to successfully recruit (and retain, though that’s for another column) physicians to your organization. What are the 6 Golden Rules for successful recruiting?

1. Plan. That’s right, have a plan. Scale the plan for your organization. Identify needs, both now and into the future (remember, at a minimum, it’s likely to take you 18 months to recruit a new physician to your practice), determine your financial resources, personnel resources and marketing resources.
2. Start the process early. This will take time. Take the time. Do it right. Make sure you have the right candidate. This all leads toward better retention.
3. Understand the market. What is the going rate for your position? What are the benefits you need to offer to attract the right candidates?
4. Know your vision, mission, and values. Understand the organization’s culture so that you get the right fit. There are many excellent physicians, but getting one that meshes with your culture is critical for retention.
5. Whether you use an internal or external recruiter, manage the process. Be clear about the qualifications and characteristics for the successful candidate. Be clear about the financial package you can offer, and your practice culture. Be sure to let the recruiter know that your organization will have additional expectations for the new physician including leadership, committee work, public speaking, etc.
6. Always, always, always, engage your physicians. But be sure to train them before starting the process. Speak with them about interviewing candidates, what questions to ask (develop a standard list of questions, and report form for the physicians to complete after the interview), what to listen for, etc. Consider having your physicians reach out to residency programs directly to identify top candidates.
7. Your staff is certainly an integral part of the recruiting process. Inform them when you are recruiting new physicians, their schedules, etc. Engage the staff in meeting with and interviewing candidates, and let the candidates interview them.
8. Make the community a part of the recruiting process. The realtor, the bank officer, public or private school administration, religious organization leaders. This is a community wide process. This is about making a great impression on, and selling your community to, the applicants.

Who does the recruiting in your organization? Everybody!

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MGMA Consulting is the industry leader in creating meaningful change in healthcare, one organization at a time, in the areas of Operations, Strategic Planning and Governance, Financial Management, Staffing and Compensation as well as Practice Transformations. Consultants average more than 30 years of diverse and extensive experience in the business of healthcare, have had extensive careers as practice executives, are deeply connected to the business of care delivery and offer solutions customized for each organization. Consultants within MGMA Consulting have access to MGMA DataDive, a rich and robust set of medical practice survey data gathered by MGMA, the nation’s largest premier practice management membership organization.