Use Web Technology to Your Advantage

The demand for primary care positions significantly outweighs the current supply, which makes recruitment a struggle. Since primary care physicians are especially important for the aging population, hospitals and medical groups must adopt creative recruitment strategies.

A non-profit regional health system in eastern Texas launched a search to recruit 15 family practice physicians this calendar year. This health center operates more than 20 area clinics, for which primary care physicians are always in high demand. The health center enlisted Cejka Search experts to help strategize this search.

Strategy
Realizing the importance of cutting-edge technology and outreach, Cejka Search made recommendations on how to best leverage technology based on current trends. For instance, a greater percentage of recent medical school graduates use mobile devices and MP3 players more often than their predecessors. As these technological tools gain popularity, both young and experienced doctors are becoming more tech-savvy. Therefore, the health system can utilize more technology in its efforts to recruit top physician talent.

Effective uses of technology can be as simple as: frequently updating the health center’s Web site producing podcasts (audio recordings of available positions), creating a blog to encourage discussion between candidates and others in the health system. • Update Website with recent awards and announcements. Web site updates are important when candidates consider joining a health system or medical group. They first turn to the organization’s Web site to find information and to validate their interests in applying for an opportunity. Updates may include news about the health system such as recent awards, new treatment centers, and welcome announcements for new physicians.

Results
• Create podcasts. Podcasts are a particularly progressive advertising opportunity as an additional outlet for physicians to find job postings. When Cejka Search began posting job openings via podcast, in as little as 24 hours, the podcast was downloaded 72 times.

• Blog. Another avenue for recruiting, as well as retention, is the use of social networking through a Web log, or “blog.” From a recruiting perspective, it gives candidates a window into the organization’s culture. Candidates can read how new and experienced physicians interact and discuss issues with one another. As an outlet to talk about trends and to ask questions, the blog provides a consistent dialogue amongst doctors at all points in their careers, which is good for retention.

Though it is still a little early to measure results for this year, the feedback, thus far, has been very positive. Even though these positions are in high demand across the country, the search is currently on track to fill all 15 positions as planned. Since there are more candidates who use the Internet to find job opportunities versus journal ads, both the podcast and the blog make job postings even more accessible than traditional search engine postings. Like Web 2.0, recruiting is in its next phase and can be used in combination with Internet tools to seek out the best physicians for hospitalist care.