Physicians Practice - September 2008 - (Page 87) CME PHYSICIAN RECRUITING FINDING THE KEEPERS B Y S H E L LY K . S C H WA R T Z , B A HOW CAN YOU BOOST YOUR RECRUITING PROSPECTS IN THE MIDST OF A PHYSICIAN SHORTAGE? DO YOU EVEN NEED TO? Recruiting physicians these days is a lot like running a marathon. It takes stamina, preparation, and a willingness to press on in the face of insurmountable odds. It’s also akin to selling real estate, where location, location, location matters greatly. Just ask Jason Marker. The family practice physician in rural Indiana has been actively seeking a second physician to join his solo practice for nearly two years, putting the word out to recent graduates at the residency programs where he teaches. He also networks regularly with colleagues through the American Academy of Family Physicians. So far, he’s come up dry. “It’s a slow process,” admits Marker, who says he can handle his heavy workload for a few more years. “These days, recruiting is a multi-year prospect. If I don’t find someone in the next one to three years, I’ll have to step up my LEARNING OBJECTIVES After completing this article, readers will be able to: • Analyze market conditions for physician recruitment in their geographic location • Develop physician recruitment strategies that are customized for their practice includes budget allocation, a compensation package, and interview strategies • Create a recruitment plan that efforts.” That would likely include advertising in professional journals and working together with his local hospital to cast a wider net. If recruiting trends among his peers are any indication, Marker may ultimately have to sweeten the pot with a larger sign-on bonus, more flexible hours, or a fatter salary — a proportionately bigger challenge for small practices. “It’s become difficult for everyone in the industry to recruit, especially small practices, which have fewer resources,” says Brian McCartie, regional vice president for Cejka Search, a St. Louis, Mo.-based healthcare recruiting firm. “Smaller group practices are not able to regenerate themselves as easily anymore because of the physician shortage. The supply [of doctors] and demand [for healthcare services] is out of balance.” MANY VARIABLES What’s causing this imbalance? For one, record numbers of older physicians are reaching retirement age — backlash from the post-war baby boom. For another, many younger doctors are decreasing their hours or leaving the profession for nonclinical settings, SEPTEMBER 2008 | PHYSICIANS PRACTICE | WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM 87 http://WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM
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