In today’s business of physician recruitment, you have to act fast.Physician recruitment is playing an increasingly important role for hospitals and health systems. There is a shortage of physicians nationally already causing concern and many more physicians are preparing to retire. Combined with changes by the federal government to the way health care is delivered and a trend toward more physician employment by hospitals, recruiting good doctors is becoming vital to organizations’ success.
For recruiters, successfully attracting the right doctors requires quick responsiveness to physician inquiries and leads. Particularly with today’s new generation of physicians, it is more important than ever to be fast and flexible when communicating with potential candidates.
Physicians are now quick to communicate via smart phone and email, and they tend to check their messages and then call and text in spurts throughout their busy days and nights.
Today’s physician recruiter must be adept and comfortable with communicating quickly, casually and continually with potential candidates. They must also find a way to differentiate themselves and their style from other organizations.
The advantage to this less formal mode of communication is the ability to connect very personally, almost instantly, with a physician candidate. Strong relationships and an understanding of personality and fit are gained through frequent and casual emails and text communications throughout the recruitment process.
Conversely, if the physician candidate is lacking the ability or willingness to communicate electronically, it may be an indication that the individual is not prepared for or comfortable in the new electronic medical environment.
The new electronic tools also provide the opportunity for stronger and more frequent ongoing communication with physicians once they have joined the organization.
The physician recruiter can take advantage of that personal connection and maintain contact with new physicians throughout their on-boarding process, which is considered at least the first year and often beyond. The recruiter has the ability to check in – through text or email – with new physicians to be sure that they are settling in and finding everything they need both personally and professionally in their new job and community.
Today’s physician recruiter is blessed with more communication tools than ever before. The challenge is to take advantage of them and reduce the chance for missed opportunities.
