The process of physician recruitment is laborious and can be time consuming. Always keep in mind that you are not just trying to replace a cog in the machine. You may well spend more waking hours with this person than you do with your family. Don’t take it lightly. A bad choice can yield months, if not years, of misery and regret. A good choice improves the practice, improves the business, and can limit your risk of burnout.
Physician recruiting has developed into a big business. Doing a good job is not easy. There are numerous companies dedicated to physician recruiting. When you need them, they can be a real help, but don’t assume from the outset that you need them. They are interested in filling your void; it’s how they get paid. You have to ensure that the right individual is being selected.
Among the best ways to make sure you make a wise decision about hiring a new physician is to have a longstanding relationship with that person. This can be cultivated in many different ways.
Mentoring
Mentor medical students and residents who are interested in your field. There may be some additional compensation available for this task, but even if there is not, you could be helping to mold a future partner. If it interests you, work with the students and residents in general. Making your clinic available for specific electives can help make good contacts. Once you identify a potential star, stay in touch. It could well be several years before they are ready to join your practice. If you simply ignite their interest and then lose touch, you will probably have helped another practice gain a tremendous addition.
Networking
Stay in touch with the people from your training. You will have spent a large amount of time with them and know many of their habits. Even if they live across the country, they may have grown weary of their practice situation and might welcome a call from a friend.
Also stay in touch with those who helped in your training. They may be in an increasingly unpleasant job situation. Universities and training programs can take their toll, and many excellent clinicians would relish the opportunity to work with the right group.
Listen Actively
Listen to your colleagues. Some may be telling you subliminally or overtly that they are interested in joining your practice. See our blog Leadership Requires Effective Active Listening for more on this topic.
These options give you the opportunity to know the skills, the personality, and foibles of a potential candidate. Don’t throw that opportunity away. Minimizing the risks inherent in hiring is of the utmost importance.
Focus on Your Positives While Self-Assessing Honestly
Many clinics and smaller hospitals worry too much about what they cannot offer. Focus instead on the things that make your program special. If there are true negatives—and who doesn’t have them— find ways to compensate for them.
Honestly evaluate the compensation package. Make sure you are competitive. Look for ways to enhance the total package by working with hospitals, surgical centers, and other facilities. Look to the community for business contacts that might be of interest to a candidate. Do not settle for a mediocre to poor candidate because of the compensation package. That will likely wind up being worse than no hire at all.
It is very important to consider other models such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants. This approach may force a reevaluation of your practice but may also help get a higher quality staff member.
Begin the process early. In fact, begin the process before you even need to add to the practice. The contacts are vital. This is especially true when looking for excellent candidates over a longer period of time.
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