Know the Candidates
Learn as much as you can about candidates before you invite them for a site visit (see Top 10 Phone Interview Questions, October 2009 issue). By conducting a careful telephone screening before a site visit, you can identify what is important to the candidates so you can determine if their wants will be a match for your organization's needs. If you believe you may have a match, you can begin to think about customizing your offer to meet the criteria important for each candidate before the visit.
Flexible Scheduling
Flexibility to balance work and life is a key factor for younger physicians in deciding which practice to join. To improve your recruitment odds, be receptive to flexible scheduling options such as:
- 3-1/2 or 4-day work week
- Job sharing (one full-time position shared by 2 physicians)
- 3 weeks on, 1 week off
- 4-day weekend once a month
- Flexible daily schedules to allow for young family obligations or travel time
- Option to work outpatient only
Technology
Up-to-date technology is critical to young physicians – make sure your organization has state-of-the-art communications.
- Become fully wired
- Provide physicians with Blackberries or PDAs
- Most advanced EMR
- Update your website to accommodate on-line appointment scheduling
- Streamline communications between physicians, administration and patients
Compensation and Benefits
While younger physicians are seeking work/life balance as their top priority, they also want to be paid fairly. It is important to know the current starting compensation range for the specialty you are recruiting. If you need current compensation and benefit data, please contact us.
A well-rounded benefit package is also important to younger physicians. Be sure benefit program information is documented and readily available to share with candidates.
Recruitment Incentives
As the competition heats up, having the flexibility to offer those incentives most important to the candidate will help ensure your recruitment success. Incentives to consider:
- Site visit expenses – it is customary for organizations inviting a physician (and spouse/significant other) for a site visit to pay the site visit expenses.
- Signing bonus – 85% of practices today offer a signing bonus. The amounts offered differ by specialty, ranging from $5,000–$50,000. For specialty specific data, please contact us.
- Relocation – virtually all recruiting organizations offer relocation packages tailored to the physician's needs, with the average ranging from $5,000–$15,000.
- Stipend – savvy organizations are offering monthly stipends to physicians in training (typically during their last year) who are willing to sign contracts early. Stipend amounts vary by specialty.
- CME – 96% of practices offer CME packages including paid time off and expense allowance.
- Housing assistance – some organizations are prepared to offer housing assistance to newly recruited physicians. This is particularly important in communities/regions with high housing costs or a shortage of housing.
- Loan repayment – loan repayment is frequently a deciding factor for young physicians considering their first practice opportunity. Your organization may qualify for federal or state loan repayment programs. If not, consider offering $10,000–$25,000 per year for 3–5 years.
Be competitive by including information on recruitment incentives when you advertise your opportunity – it will increase the number of interested candidates. Remember to mention the recruitment incentives during telephone interviews with prospective candidates. Finally, have written details about recruitment incentives you can e-mail to candidates interested in your organization.
Leadership
In general, a significant percent of younger physicians are not interested in assuming leadership positions. With the development of hospital-based specialties, primary care physicians in particular are less likely to spend time at the hospital. In addition, young physicians are more focused on family and lifestyle.
Since the shrinking pool of leaders will impact all organizations in the long run, a good plan is needed to identify those physicians with leadership potential. Once you have targeted this subgroup of young doctors who are interested in becoming physician leaders, it is important to customize opportunities for leadership development.
- Sweeten the deal with additional perks for physicians willing to take leadership roles
- Carefully choose the committees and activities to get these physicians involved
- Connections are important – begin to foster integration and mentorship during the site visit
If your facility can successfully adopt some of these recommendations, your recruitment process should go more smoothly and your odds for success will increase. Candidates will be impressed with your readiness, your flexibility and your commitment to the successful recruitment and integration of new hires.
For more assistance in recruiting younger physicians, please contact us.
