Factors To Consider When Hiring Primary Care Physicians
Finding and retaining primary care physicians is one of the top issues for any hospital. Valuable resources and precious time are needed to find the best physician that will really suit the needs of a particular hospital and the community as a whole. This process can be complicated. In fact, nearly all physician recruiting service providers believe that it is extremely difficult to recruit new physicians. The challenge is even more difficult because the supply of primary care physicians is declining as the population grows, with baby boomers requiring intensive care as they age. Besides, few medical students are considering primary care option.
Indeed, without enough primary care physicians, there will be a big gap in physicians supply versus demand. Therefore, this will make it more difficult for patients to get immediate care. Furthermore, it will increase the pressure of recruiting and retaining of enough medical staff. So, finding a physician with personality attributes and skills that match the needs of a hospital requires financial resources and substantial time. Below are 4 factors to consider when hiring primary care physicians.
1. Compensation Plans And Incentives
It is always important for every hospital to determine the amount of money that they are willing to pay their physicians. In addition, they should define how they want to pay them. Every hospital should also define how they will compare their payment arrangement to the market. Today, there is a wide range of compensation arrangements. The arrangements range from straight-based salaries to combination of both incentives and salaries or salaries with productivity components. Benefits also play a significant role in compensation packages of physicians.
2. Incentive Plans For Different Specialties
There are two sets of incentive measures that every hospital should consider. For example, incentive measures can actually be broken down to suit every physician department in addition to a comprehensive incentive strategy that spans across all departments. It is crucial to understand what the hospital want to achieve from primary care physicians or pediatricians compared to what they are trying to achieve from the cardiologists. By distinguishing various goals and targets of every specialty, every hospital will be able to leverage incentives to keep physicians challenged and drive improvements.
3. Personal Traits And Competencies
With the cultural changes taking place in medicine field, it is paramount for primary care physicians to have a sense of flexibility. This is beyond just productivity. It is about being able to work in a shared environment and as a team. Traditionally, the modus operandi for all physicians has been somewhat hierarchical and independent. However, healthcare now needs team-based approaches and collaborative attitudes to patient care. Therefore, it is important for a physician recruiting Service to consider the interpersonal communication skills of a candidate before hiring. Additionally, they should consider the ability of a candidate to function in a team-based setting.
4. Leadership Potential
Mostly, physician leaders are just appointed without any formal mentoring or background. This, in terms of expectations and workload, can actually make the transition feel like 0-100 mph acceleration. For sure, physician leaders should be the visionaries of what is to come. Besides, they should understand why the strategy of the hospital have to be the way it is. These skills and competencies are though and reinforced through practice. Frankly, it is important to hire a candidate with clinical and leadership skills.
The above are four factors that a physician recruiting service should consider when hiring primary care physicians.
