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Healthcare Recruitment 101: Strategies for Finding and Retaining the Right Talent

Written by PCC | Jun 30, 2023

Imagine you're a healthcare provider struggling to fill an essential position on your team. You're competing against other healthcare organizations in a tight job market, and it seems like every candidate has multiple job offers on the table. You feel overwhelmed, stressed, and uncertain about how to navigate the competitive hiring landscape.

If you can relate to this scenario, you're not alone. Many healthcare providers face significant challenges when it comes to recruiting top talent. But what if we told you there are proven best practices that can help you attract and retain the best healthcare professionals?

Keep reading to discover the best practices for healthcare recruitment and how you can navigate the competitive hiring landscape.

Understanding the Challenges of Healthcare Recruitment

Healthcare recruitment is a unique and complex process. The healthcare industry is growing rapidly, with an increasing demand for qualified professionals to provide high-quality care. However, the supply of healthcare professionals is not keeping pace with demand, resulting in a competitive hiring landscape.

Additionally, recruiting healthcare professionals is not just about finding someone with the right skills and experience. It's also about finding someone who fits in with your organizational culture and values. This can be a significant challenge, as healthcare providers must balance the needs of patients with the needs of their staff.

Best Practices for Healthcare Recruitment

Despite the challenges, there are several best practices that you can follow to ensure that you attract and retain the best healthcare professionals.

Develop a Comprehensive Recruitment Strategy

A comprehensive recruitment strategy involves identifying your hiring needs, creating job descriptions, and outlining your recruitment process. By having a clear understanding of your recruitment goals and objectives, you can better align your recruitment efforts with your organizational needs.

Streamline the Recruitment Process

A streamlined recruitment process can help you attract and retain the best healthcare professionals. This can involve automating certain tasks, such as resume screening and scheduling interviews, and using technology to help you identify top candidates.

Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits 

Benefits are a key factor in attracting and retaining the best healthcare professionals. Many independent practices may not have the budget to offer higher salaries than other healthcare organizations in your area. But they can still provide a competitive compensation package that includes benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and more.

Build a Strong Employer Brand

A strong employer brand can help you stand out in a crowded job market. This can involve creating a positive organizational culture, providing opportunities for professional development, and promoting your organization's mission and values.

Good to Great: Lessons on Hiring From Tim Rushford

In the PCC User’s Conference class "Finding and Keeping the Right People: Making a Great Practice," healthcare consultant Tim Rushford shared a valuable lesson he learned from the late Dr. Charles Houston. 

“He wanted a team with chemistry,” Rushford said. “Not the great people, the right people." This strategy emphasizes the importance of hiring the right people who can work well together. 

Rushford believes that hiring smart is the key to growth for any business, resulting in decreased turnover, improved performance, and increased profits. He also advised using a standardized employment application, checking references, and conducting background checks to find the right candidate. 

Lastly, Rushford stressed the importance of focusing on the applicant's character during the interview, challenging them, and eliminating those who answer "I don't know." 

Ultimately, finding the "wow" factor and building a strong employer brand will help attract and retain the right people for years to come.

How PCC's EHR and Reporting Tools Can Help Attract Top Talent

Healthcare providers face challenges in recruiting top talent, but following best practices such as developing a strategy, streamlining recruitment, offering competitive compensation, and building an employer brand can help. 

Additionally, PCC EHR's tools provide tailored insights for improving patient care and profitability. Leveraging these insights can identify areas of opportunity to improve and attract top talent.

To identify other opportunities to grow your pediatric practice, join pediatric management expert Chip Hart as he uncovers the top mistakes pediatricians make with our free webinar!