The challenges of recruiting to a community healthcare center have long been documented. These days, recruiting physicians is hard enough, but there are additional challenges when searching for primary and specialty providers to fill seats at FQHCs. What are those challenges and how can you build a successful recruiting plan to overcome them?
Top Recruiting Challenges at Community Healthcare Centers
Today, 95% of community healthcare centers are struggling to fill clinical vacancies. These organizations have higher vacancy rates for physician health centers than hospitals. Why? There are several reasons:
- Compensation
FQHCs typically can’t offer the same benefits and salary as a hospital. - Location
Most community health centers are located in rural or struggling urban locations. - Facilities
Many of these organizations have clinical support systems and technology that may lag behind large health systems.
Overcoming these challenges requires an extra effort to develop an effective recruiting plan to engage doctors. Here’s how to do it.
Creating a Better CHC Physician Recruitment Plan
When there’s a buyer’s job market, every recruiting effort must create tangible benefits for the candidate. You are, in effect, selling at every step in the recruiting process today. Some of the benefits, such as loan forgiveness, become a crucial part of your “pitch” to candidates. Too, physicians have better work/life balance and don’t have to deal with the administrative frustrations you do in a private or smaller practice. The care model is also more comprehensive, stretching the boundaries of both new doctors and the ones looking for a change. You’re also looking for those candidates who feel a great desire to pursue mission-based healthcare. All of these plusses can be leveraged when forming relationships with potential physician candidates.
For CHCs, there are five key techniques to help these organizations succeed in their physician recruitment efforts:
- Start With a recruiting marketing plan. Most FQHCs lack a true marketing plan let alone one that encompasses recruitment.
- Develop regional outreach campaigns using free and social media. The process can encompass academic institutions or other partnerships to reach graduating students burdened with loan debt.
- Also focus on retaining your existing staff. Develop internal systems for career development. Build the culture. Then reach out to staff for referrals.
- Do a compensation review. FQHCs can no longer attract physicians without competitive salaries. Make sure you’re offering plenty of time off in addition to a good salary and loan forgiveness.
- Partner with a recruiting firm like UHC Solutions to proactively build physician relationships.
UHC Solutions is the nation’s leading recruiting team for FQHCs and other community healthcare organizations. We can help you fill the empty seats in your organization—and our efforts will literally pay for itself in faster time to hire. Call on our team today.
