Americans are experiencing a shortage of physicians. As healthcare becomes more accessible, Americans who previously did not see doctors are now able to do so. There will be a shortage of over 100,000 physicians in the coming years. This is because not enough new professionals who are becoming physicians. Even worse is that there is a growing number of physicians who are retiring. If you run a healthcare organization, there are several challenges to hiring a physician that may lead to you needing a physician recruiter service.
Market Saturation
One issue is the large number of hospitals covering a particular community. This leads to physicians having a larger number of hospitals that they can choose from. This leads to healthcare facilities having to compete for a limited pool of applicants.
Physician Leverage
Because physicians know that they are in demand, they have leverage. They can demand more from their employers and will require more perks to be attracted to a particular position. One approach is to try to get residents to commit to stay at your hospital for at least two years. You can then try to offer an attractive package that may encourage the odds that they will remain at your practice.
Poor Distribution
Physician shortages are not a problem in every part of the country. To some extent, there isn't a physician shortage but simply a physician distribution problem. There are some areas where physicians are more willing to live.
The Complexity of Running a Hospital
One of the greatest challenges for recruiters is planning for an unknown market. It's not always certain how many physicians you will need in the future. Part of the problem is that healthcare organizations are very complex, and the hiring process is not only managed by HR but also by various departments. Each department has its own culture. Therefore, it can be difficult to understand the needs of each department.
Even worse is how difficult it is to communicate with a department given how many hours an average healthcare provider works. Many healthcare providers will work 40-60 hours a week. This leads to healthcare providers not wanting to devote any free time they have toward assisting in the recruiting of physicians.
Because of how difficult it is to recruit physicians, it's a good idea to instead work with physician recruiter services. You will be provided with assistance and advice on how your practice can more effectively recruit physicians.
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