The healthcare industry is an ever-evolving field, with increased competition, expectations and demands forcing hospitals to think outside the box about how they recruit and hire new physicians.
One of the best ways to ensure high-level talent for your organization is with a quality compensation program. But, achieving this goal isn’t only in the employee contract. In fact, there are a number of other steps that are required to bring in the best, from cultivating a positive company culture to providing a strong support system for all staff members. In order to become the most effective and productive organization within the industry, you need great physicians – not mediocre ones. This may mean it is time to evaluate how you attract these professionals.
In order to get started, here are four tips for how healthcare practices can recruit top-tier physician talent:
1. Offer fair compensation programs
The fact of life is that we all work for the money, and finding a profession that is enjoyable at the same time is an added bonus. Ideally, it wouldn’t have to be this way, but the truth remains that in order to be competitive, healthcare practices have to pay their physicians fairly. According to Healthcare Finance News, this aspect is one of the top priorities for all medical professionals. It is surprising how a good program – one that includes accountability and analyzes leading indicators in the field – can result in a lower turnover rate, a more pleased workforce and better quality physicians.
2. Encourage a collaborative culture
Once a pay structure is in place, you should encourage them to work within the organization and community to further build a sense of involvement. Healthcare Finance News noted that physicians are drawn by freedom and creativity, both with their work schedule and their spare time. If a collaborative culture exists, they’ll be more inclined to share ideas and discuss cutting-edge treatment methods. Involved employees will only be a good thing, and that could allow them to be more productive and also see more patients during the day.
3. Cultivate a strong work-life balance
Physicians work a lot. They’ve put in years in the classroom, followed by even more time learning in a healthcare setting, and now they’ve got the ability to choose where they are employed. If you want to bring in the best, it helps to learn what they want. According to Medical Practice Insider, this is different depending on their age. Professionals under the age of 40 tend to want a strong work-life balance. For most, 80 hour weeks as well as Saturdays and Sundays on-call is no longer desirable. Instead, they want to be involved in their family’s lives. Compensation programs can be tailored to this goal, usually by incorporating more incentives and fewer time-based metrics.
4. Get the office up to date
Today’s physicians, regardless of age, care about technology. This aspect has molded healthcare practices for years, and that is even more true at the moment. With that in mind, Medical Practice Insider advised ensuring that your office is as up-to-date as possible. For instance, do you have an electronic health record system in place? Is it customized to be as effective as possible? These answers can be the difference between hiring a good physician and bringing in a great one. More people today aren’t intimidated by technology, and an affinity here will make the entire organization run smoother. The key to a sound compensation program isn’t found in one single aspect. Instead, it is a collection of many different elements, and each one has to be working toward the same goal.
