Did you attend Cejka Search's AMGA 2010 presentation?

We would like to open this blog as a forum for further discussion of the AMGA 2010 presentation “A Commitment to Retention: Recruiting Best Practices and Highlights from the 2009 Physician Retention Survey” featuring Dr. J. Gregory Stovall of Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics and Ms. Lori Schutte of Cejka Search.

We would like to hear from you what recruitment and retention strategies have worked for you this past year given the difficult economy?

Any additional thoughts and feedback about the presentation are welcome!

Are you attending the AMGA 2010 Annual Conference in New Orleans?

The Cejka Search team hopes to see you in New Orleans, LA at the AMGA 2010 Annual Conference taking place March 17-20, 2010.

Don’t miss the session “A Commitment to Retention: Recruiting Best Practices and Highlights from the 2009 Physician Retention Survey” on Friday, March 19 at 3:45p.m., which features Dr. J. Gregory Stovall, Sr. VPMA and Director of Organization Development, Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics and Lori Schutte, President, Cejka Search.

More than just a simple recount of the 2009 Physician Retention Survey’s facts and figures, Dr. Stovall and Ms. Schutte will highlight recruitment and retention strategies that have succeeded for AMGA members in this difficult economy, share how to put those strategies in action for your organization, and provide a case study showing how a best practice recruitment and leadership development program succeeded in significantly improved retention. AMGA members attending the session will receive a complimentary electronic copy of the 2008 survey and 2009 supplement.

If you cannot attend the session, we hope you will stop by Booth 220 to register to win a $500 AMEX Gift Card and visit with the Cejka Search team:

Lori Schutte, President, Cejka Search
Mary Barber, VP, Recruitment Partnerships and Marketing, Cejka Search
Michael Dunford, EVP, Managing Principal, Cejka Executive Search
Lois Dister, EVP, Managing Principal, Cejka Executive Search
Brian McCartie, VP Business Development, Cejka Search
Jessica Prince, Regional Sales Director, Physician Staffing & Recruiting, Cejka Search
Vivian Luce, Regional Sales Director, Physician Staffing & Recruiting, Cejka Search
Rob Henges, Regional Sales Director, Physician Staffing & Recruiting, Cejka Search


We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Are you attending the MGMA meeting in Denver?

The Cejka Search team hopes to see you in Denver, CO at the MGMA Annual meeting taking place October 11-14, 2009.

While you are there, be sure to attend the session presented by Brian McCartie, Vice President Business Development, on “Ready for Retirement? How To Keep the Physicians You Have and Hire the Ones You Want” on October 12, 2009. In this session, Brian will discuss strategies that enable hospitals and health systems to effectively recruit and retain physicians in a time of shortage, with a specific focus on contrasting what comparable groups are doing to keep pre-retirement physicians engaged, how Stark rules can help to attract top candidates, and advice for implementing a ‘how-to’ recruitment guide.

Be sure to also visit the rest of the Cejka Search team at Booth #1425:

• Lori Schutte, President, Cejka Search
• Brian McCartie, Vice President Business Development, Physician Staffing and Recruiting
• Jessica Prince, Regional Sales Director, Physician Staffing and Recruiting
• Mike Hill, Vice President, Practice Leader, Executive Search

Cejka Search is proud to be a Gold Affiliate Member of the MGMA.

We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Experts to Highlight Key Trends in Physician and Healthcare Executive Recruitment, Leadership and Compensation

Cejka Search Presents Expertise in Physician Recruitment and Retention Strategies, Approaches for Academic Leadership Development, and Physician Executive Compensation

St. Louis, (September 16, 2009) – Cejka Search, a national physician and healthcare executive search firm, has been instrumental in providing expert presenters and support for recent and upcoming forums this fall. These include those hosted by: Association for Staff Physician Recruiters (ASPR); Southwind Health Partners LLC; Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC); Medical Group Management Association (MGMA); HealthLeaders Media; and the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE). To view select content available in the Cejka Search Healthcare Executive Library, visit www.CejkaSearch.com/resources/healthcarelibrary/default.htm.

Association for Staff Physician Recruiters (ASPR) 16th Annual Educational Forum, Minneapolis, MN, August 30–September 2, 2009
Cejka Search was recognized for supporting ASPR as a Gold Level Corporate Contributor and participant in ASPR’s 2009 Annual Forum, “Beyond Titles, Toward Impact – Recruiters as Organizational Leaders.”

Southwind Physician Leadership College, Nashville, TN, September 16-18, 2009
Brian McCartie, Vice President Business Development, and Randy Gott, Senior Vice President, Southwind Health Partners L.L.C., will present “Keys to Successfully Recruiting and Retaining Physicians in the Physician Enterprise” on September 17, 2009. McCartie and Gott will discuss current healthcare market realities and provide strategies for effective physician recruitment and retention in a hospital employed environment.

Association of American Medical Colleges Roundtable for Executive Search Consultants Who Work with Academic Medical Centers, Washington, DC, September 23, 2009
Deedra Hartung, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, will participate in a roundtable discussion of “The State of the Leadership Search Process in Medical Schools and Teaching Hospitals” on September 23, 2009. Hartung will share her professional expertise in the academic medical arena, focusing specifically upon best practice executive search methodologies and executive leadership development strategies.

Medical Group Management Association Annual Conference, Denver, CO, October 11-14, 2009
Cejka Search is proud to be a Gold Affiliate Member of the MGMA. Brian McCartie, Vice President Business Development, will present “Ready for Retirement? How To Keep the Physicians You Have and Hire the Ones You Want” on October 12, 2009. McCartie will discuss strategies that enable hospitals and health systems to effectively recruit and retain physicians in a time of shortage, with a specific focus on contrasting what comparable groups are doing to keep pre-retirement physicians engaged, how Stark rules can help to attract top candidates, and advice for implementing a ‘how-to’ recruitment guide.

HealthLeaders Media ’09: The Hospital of the Future Now, Chicago, IL, October 15-16
Cejka Search is proud to sponsor for the second year this important industry event which provides attendees with actionable strategies in such areas as improving the patient experience, attracting top talent, and creating a culture of innovation. The event also honors the winners of the 2009 Top Leadership Teams in Healthcare Awards Program which recognizes outstanding senior healthcare leadership.


Southwind Institute for Senior Health Systems Executives, Optimizing the Value of the Employed Physician Enterprise, Nashville, TN, November 4-6, 2009
The Southwind Health Partners event is designed specifically for non-profit health system C-Suite executives and has a focus on strategic, operational and financial success factors for the employed physician enterprise. Brian McCartie, Vice President Business Development will participate in two roundtable discussions on “Recruiting Physicians to the Employed Physician Group.”

American College of Physician Executives 2009 Fall Institute, Tucson, AZ, November 14-19, 2009
Lois Dister, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, will facilitate an interactive panel presentation of key findings and recommendations from the 2009 Physician Executive Compensation Survey by Cejka Search and the American College of Physician Executives on November 16. Participants will engage with a panel of physician executives who will discuss the survey findings as they pertain to their organization’s objectives and strategic planning.


About Cejka Search
Cejka Search is a nationally recognized healthcare executive and physician search organization providing services exclusively to the healthcare industry for more than twenty-five years. Partnering with our client organizations to identify and present only the best healthcare talent, Cejka Search completes assignments across all levels of the healthcare continuum and is a market leader in providing flexible, innovative healthcare search and recruitment services. Cejka Search is a Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (Nasdaq: CCRN) company, a diversified leader in healthcare staffing services.

For more information, contact Nancy Burns, Cejka Search, at nburns@cejkasearch.com or 314-726-1603. Follow us on Twitter: @cejkasearch

How to Prepare a C.V. and Cover Letter that Gets Attention

The Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) of a physician differs from other industry professionals in that it contains a factual presentation of your professional history and accomplishments, going into detail only when necessary to provide further explanation. However, the cover letter that accompanies your C.V. continues to serve the function of summarizing and presenting key accomplishments, and conveying who you are as a doctor and a person.

Knowing how to organize and present your thoughts on paper is a must. Here's some advice to help guide you as you write your cover letter and C.V.

Cover Letter

• One page only; the more focused, the better.
• Address your letter to a specific individual at the prospective employer’s organization or physician recruiter's firm. "To whom it may concern" letters are responded to last. If you don't know whom to contact, phone the organization and ask for a suggestion.
• Highlight your strengths. Include not only your clinical skills, but also your leadership ability and people skills. Be enthusiastic and convey your passion for medicine and helping patients.
• Describe your current work environment and relevant patient care experience. If your productivity as measured in patients seen per day or revenue generated is impressive, cite those results.
• Explain your particular philosophy for patient care. If you've received high scores on patient-satisfaction surveys, be sure to include these statistics.
• Point out personal interests and hobbies, which help to humanize you and can be used as topics of conversation during an interview. For example, if you're drawn to the employer's locale because you love the outdoors, be sure to mention this.

C.V.

• It should be two to three pages at most.
• Center your name, address, phone, and email address at the top.
• List your education in chronological order beginning with most recent on the left; institutions in the center; and degrees, residencies and fellowships on the right.
• Provide details on your licensure and certification.
• Cite your work experience, with dates on the left; employers, positions and special responsibilities on the right. A common mistake is to note responsibilities and skills separately at the top of the C.V., and then list employers, positions and dates later. It will be clearer if they are combined.
• Fill in any gaps in your work history and be sure to account for all your time.
• If you have significant committee experience, cite committee names, dates, and goals. Briefly describe your roles.
• If you’ve had professional articles published, indicate the publications noting that they're available on request. If you're trying for an academic job, list article titles, publications and dates.
• Mention your honors and awards. If you were selected for Alpha Omega Alpha, the national medical honor society or as chief resident, include it. These honors are meaningful and impressive.
• List three to four professional references including their names, titles, organizations, addresses, and phone numbers. If you're a resident, it is best to ask your chief resident, program director, and the attending physicians with whom you interact. Fellow residents and nurses are considered personal, not professional, references.
• Retire the line, "References are available on request." Naming names says that those people will speak well of you. Ask their permission first and brief them on the types of positions for which you are applying. It’s also a good idea to get a general idea of what they'll say.
• Proofread your cover letter and CV carefully! Misspellings and grammatical errors are never acceptable. Unclear language, poor organization and formatting blunders such as misaligned columns or inconsistencies in spacing look sloppy and inevitably reflect poorly on you. If necessary, ask a friend to proofread for you – this will help bring any errors to light and help you to make your best first impression.
  

How Advanced Practitioners Supplement Recruitment and Retention Efforts

Advanced practitioners are a vital part of physician recruitment and retention.

According to the 2008 Physician Retention Survey by Cejka Search and the AMGA, 96 percent of medical groups will either maintain (50%) or increase (46%) the proportion of advanced practitioners in their organizations.

Why? “Advanced practitioners have an important role in primary care and specialty care services, especially given the continued shortage of physicians. Their services can enhance the timeliness, access and efficiency of care,” cited one survey respondent.

With 95 percent indicating that their primary care physicians and roughly 80 percent citing surgical and medical specialists are receptive to working with physician assistants and nurse practitioners, augmenting your advanced practitioner personnel could also be an important facet of your physician recruitment and retention strategy.

These professionals can quickly and effectively complement your physicians’ skills and serve as an excellent resource for patient education and management. As an added plus, they can also help cover call for physicians – 43% of survey respondents stated their physician assistants have call responsibilities and 33% cited nurse practitioners also shared call.

If you are looking to supplement your medical personnel, Cejka Search can help support you in your search for the advanced practitioner, or physician, that best fits the needs of your organization.

Try our interactive marketing package for FREE when we partner with you on your next physician or advanced practitioner search. For more information, visit www.cejkasearch.com/interactivecapabilities. Or contact Brian McCartie, Vice President Business Development, at (800) 261.4518 or via email bmccartie@cejkasearch.com.

Adding New Media to your Recruitment Recipe

Will a “tweet” today produce a new physician tomorrow? Not likely.

Networking through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube is similar to traditional networking: you build relationships and credibility to generate placements down the road. What’s different is that social networking over the Internet efficiently expands your network.

When combined with effective search optimization, email campaigns, podcasts and other targeted media, the chances of generating response to your opportunities rise exponentially.

Says who? Evidence that physicians embrace social and interactive media is growing:

• Physicians rate online job sites (71%) and email (72%) among their top sources for job opportunities. [Source: The New England Journal of Medicine]
  
• Consumer channels are proliferating: 60% of internet users access their email from outside the typical “inbox,” and Web 3.0 is picking up momentum (online videos, podcasts, blogs, RSS feeds). [Source: Forrester Research and Jupiter Research]

Does it really work?
Cejka Search has introduced interactive and social media into the traditional mix for sourcing, and nearly 75% of our responses result from online and interactive media.

By partnering with our clients — starting with a strategic assessment of the practice opportunity, adding outreach to our national database and following best practices recruitment process throughout the search — we have helped our clients fill more searches in the last year than in any year in our 25 year history.

That’s a recipe for recruitment success.
Ready for a sample? Try our interactive marketing package for FREE when we partner with you on your next physician search.

For more information, visit www.cejkasearch.com/interactivecapabilities. Or contact Brian McCartie, Vice President Business Development, at (800) 261.4518 or via email bmccartie@cejkasearch.com.

How To Do More With Less

It is a fact of doing business during these challenging economic times. All expenditures have to be justified for the value they provide. Cejka Search can help by partnering with you to make your recruiting budget go farther.

Recognizing this need to do more with less, we recently introduced new recruiting solutions that can be tailored to support your specific physician and advanced practitioner recruiting efforts.

Now you can select from a range of options to supplement your recruiting efforts. We can partner with you to implement the newest recruitment marketing technologies, enhance your organization’s best practice recruiting process, or help source candidates in the most difficult-to-recruit specialties.

We work to earn your respect and confidence with every search.

Delivering physician talent is our core business, and providing outstanding service guides everything we do. Recognizing that time is valuable, we work quickly to learn about your needs and the criteria for your open position, while providing regular communication and timely status updates. Time and again, customer surveys reveal that we exceed our client’s service expectations, and more than nine out of 10 clients recommend us to others.

“I have worked with Cejka Search on numerous searches and they have been both professional and successful for us. Our partnership allows us to create a contract that works both for Aurora Health Care and Cejka Search. I have been pleased with the communication throughout the process as well as my working relationship with the Cejka Search team. They are responsive and work with us to find a mutually beneficial outcome.”
Debora Modder, Director Aurora Physician Services & Recruitment
Aurora Health Care, Milwaukee, WI

Flexible recruiting solutions are tailored to meet your needs.

We recently introduced new flexible recruiting solutions that can be tailored to meet your organization’s most challenging physician and advanced practitioner recruitment needs. We’ll listen and customize a solution that will save you time, lower your recruitment costs, deliver more qualified candidates and increase your chances of hiring and keeping your candidate of choice.

“The benefit of partnering with Cejka Search is that together we identified and created a model that works for our organization – one that is fluid and can be adjusted over time. Our goal for this fiscal year was to recruit 20 physicians and, with 24 physicians joining our staff this year to date, the partnership with Cejka Search has proven its value.”
Maureen Cragon, Director, Physician Recruitment
Elliot Health System, Manchester, NH

Learn how innovative technology can work for your next search.

We use customized, innovative and complementary marketing techniques designed specifically for candidate outreach. Our approach is transparent: we promote your organization’s brand to physicians nationwide, thus building your reputation as an employer of choice.

Our clients benefit from the marketing insights, purchasing power and efficiency we gain from executing thousands of advertising, email, mailing, and online campaigns each year. We maintain extensive partnerships with over 50 leading print and online publishers who are responsible for over 600 healthcare publications and physician career websites. We have developed a complete interactive marketing capabilities suite using a variety of advanced technologies including search engine optimization, RSS feeds, and social networking platforms. Cejka Search can offer you a unique marketing outreach program that targets the right candidates with the right mix of experience and fit for your organization.

“Our partnership with Cejka Search over the past seven years has always been characterized by timely, professional and results-oriented efforts. Their access to high quality pediatric subspecialty candidates and industry knowledge ensures our ability to effectively and competitively recruit the physicians needed to make our organization successful. We strive to be the best at what we do and we expect the same level of commitment from our partners. Cejka Search understands our brand and culture. As the first line of contact to potential candidates, it is essential that their first impression be a positive representation of our organization.”
Dean Rapoza, Executive Director
Connecticut Children’s’ Hospital, Hartford, CT

Make Cejka Search your partner in organizational success.

At Cejka Search, our focus is healthcare. We understand the dynamics of this industry and how to find the candidates whose talent and skills make our partner organizations successful. Our physician recruitment solutions are unique and customized to your organization’s vision and goals.

“The value of Cejka Search’s services is certainly evident and allows me to do more with my time. Instead of being a department of one, I have the resources of many skilled individuals on my team. With Cejka Search’s support, I can now focus on our strategic objectives such as developing a comprehensive retention and mentoring program for our newly hired physicians.”
Maureen Cragon, Director, Physician Recruitment
Elliot Health System, Manchester, NH

Let our knowledge of this industry help you get results.

Do more with less and launch your next search with a competitive advantage. For a limited time, we are offering our premium interactive marketing package (a $10,000 value) for FREE when we partner with you on your next physician search (although terms and conditions do apply). See for yourself how our proven search process and comprehensive candidate outreach, including advanced, interactive marketing technologies can work for you.

Want to learn more? Contact Brian McCartie today.

Brian McCartie
Vice President Business Development
(314) 236-4481(800) 776-5776
bmccartie@cejkasearch.com

Today's Interactive Technology

Are you using today’s interactive technology in your physician recruitment efforts?

Undeniably, we live in a time when the hottest marketing channels change almost weekly! Today’s new and innovative technologies make highly targeted communications possible, expanding our ability to reach physicians, advanced practitioners and healthcare executives in more places and in more ways.

At Cejka Search, we harness the power of new technology to amplify the impact and reach of our clients’ recruitment communications and to drive their competitive advantage in attracting and hiring qualified candidates.

Our powerful interactive recruitment activities incorporate today’s best practice online marketing tools. For example, search engine optimization activities ensure your physician job postings earn top ranking search results when both passive and active job seekers search on Google, Yahoo!, and MSN for timely and newsworthy articles of interest. RSS feeds – like an on-line newspaper that provides only the content that is wanted – push available positions to other syndicated feeders throughout the internet.

As the only recruitment firm listed in iTunes, podcasts highlighting open positions are syndicated to over 50 internet audio stations addressing healthcare topics and are automatically picked up and played during various healthcare shows. Lastly, our work with interactive healthcare blogs are a powerful networking tool and allow us to stay on top of relevant and timely healthcare topics.

Are you ready to use new technologies to augment your recruitment reach to physicians?

Let us help you expand your reach and impact. For a limited time only, we’re offering our premier interactive marketing package (a $10,000 value) for free when we partner with you on your next physician search.* You’ll benefit from Cejka Search’s proven search process and comprehensive candidate outreach, including advanced, interactive marketing technology.

Talk to us today and find out which of our recruitment solutions makes the most sense for you and your organization. Visit www.cejkasearch.com/interactivecapabilities for more information. Or, contact Brian McCartie, Vice President Business Development, Physician Search Division at 1.800.776.5776 or via email bmccartie@cejkasearch.com.

2008 Physician Retention Survey Now Available

The 2008 Physician Retention Survey is a national survey of the American Medical Group Association (AMGA) members and has been designed to collect relevant information on the trends characterizing the recruitment and retention of physicians.

Top findings of the 2008 Physician Retention Survey include:

• Lower turnover rates than in 2007


• Incentives aid physician retention


• The increased role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants (advanced practitioners)


• Discover more by purchasing the survey at CejkaSearch.com!

Cejka Search's speaking engagements at NAPR Annual Meeting

NAPR 2009 Annual Convention
April 15-18, 2009
Bally's Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada

Are you attending the 2009 NAPR? Don't miss these instructional presentations from Cejka Search!

Cold Calling, Pre-Qualifying and Presenting - Parts I + II
Wednesday, April 15; 10:30 - 11:45 am

• Pat Doyle-Grace, Cejka Search, St. Louis, MO
• Craig Fowler, Pinnacle Health Group, Alpharetta, GA
• Tracey Black, Carolinas HealthCare System, Charlotte, NC
  

In this highly interactive session, attendees will learn a variety of techniques and practical applications to screen and pre-qualify prospects, including behavioral-based interviewing techniques to determine a prospect’s likelihood to make a move. Part II is a role playing session to practice skills learned in Part I.


Meeting the Physician Retention Challenge
Thursday April 16; 3:00 - 4:00 pm
Brian McCartie, Regional Vice President, Cejka Search, St. Louis, MO

Understanding the expectations of physicians at each career stage is critical to successful recruitment and retention. This session will review the latest benchmarks, trends and best practices as revealed by the highlights of the recently released 2008 Physician Retention Survey.

The annual Cejka Search and AMGA Physician Retention Survey is an eagerly awaited source of trend information that recruitment professionals depend on. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how national trends may impact your recruitment strategy.

The National Association of Physician Recruiters (NAPR) is the premier professional organization representing thousands of recruiters who are dedicated to excellence in serving the healthcare industry.

Create Partnership for Successful Selection

A prominent northeast hospital cardiology group with a long-standing reputation in the community sought to hire a physician. At the beginning stages of the search, the hiring team of this single-specialty group, located in a rural area, felt that their ideal candidate would be a younger physician familiar with the region with three years of experience.

The hiring committee needed a partner to work with their schedule and help facilitate the search. Cejka Search joined their team to promote this competitive job opportunity and implement a successful hiring process.

Strategy
Developing a partnership with the hiring team is essential to creating a cohesive recruitment process. Joining the team, embracing the organization’s goals and desired outcomes, Cejka Search earned the leverage to offer advice to other team members.

Cejka Search used that leverage, encouraging the hiring team to open up the selection parameters by (1) seeking candidates beyond the regional parameters of the northeast area; and (2) increasing the number of years of experience required. This created a greater pool of candidates, as well as a sense of urgency to the search.

Cejka also recommended revising the compensation package. Other organizations seeking candidates for similar positions offered higher compensation packages, along with a signing bonus. Since the hiring process is primarily candidate-driven, the position’s benefits needed to keep the potential physician’s expectations in mind. Presenting a more competitive offer attracted more applicants.

Results
By reevaluating the criteria for the position, the recruitment team succeeded in hiring a doctor from the West Coast with more than 15 years of experience who received a higher compensation package. Within a year’s time, two more cardiologists were also successfully recruited. Because this partnership yielded fine results, Cejka Search is now collaborating with the group to create a similar hiring process for a vascular surgery position.

The partnership between the two organizations of the hospital and Cejka Search resulted in a unified recruitment process, a better understanding of what candidates want, and a successful placement for the job position.

Improving the Interview Process

A southern New Hampshire hospital needed to improve their success at hiring additional physicians and a team of employed physicians were struggling to find qualified candidates for various positions. In the past, the physicians interviewed a candidate for about 15 minutes then returned to their busy schedules and evaluated the candidate based on instinctive feelings.

After noticing a disorganized interview process, the physicians enlisted Cejka Search experts to help create a successful interview process for the hospital, physicians and the candidates.

Strategy
Most physicians’ busy schedules leave little time to concentrate on interviewing a candidate effectively.

Cejka Search decided that in order for them to recruit successfully, the physicians had to make the interview process a higher priority, which meant starting the process with a serious training program.

Prior to the interviews, Cejka Search and the physicians met to address the results needed for a successful hire. The training continued with the group discussing the importance of advance preparation, introducing the entire team in one visit, assigning specific competencies to individuals interviewing and allotting enough time in the interviews for candidates to answer questions thoroughly. For instance, most interviewers tend to rush candidates even though allowing more time results in more comprehensive answers.

The physicians then role-played within the group to become comfortable asking interview questions. Finally, Cejka Search emphasized how crucial it is to evaluate a candidate within 24 hours.

Cejka Search recommended the physicians apply behavioral interviewing, a technique used to obtain more in-depth answers from the candidates and avoid scripted answers. This technique helps highlight the candidate’s experiences—how they have reacted to situations in the past; what they did to specifically address this issue and the outcome.

Results
After the physicians practiced behavioral interviewing, they interviewed numerous candidates for varying positions. Follow-up surveys, which allowed the candidates to evaluate the interview process, confirmed the process was highly effective.

As a result of the physicians using behavioral interviewing, each qualified candidate proved they identified with the core values of the hospital and would make a good long-term fit for the organization. The improved interviewing process helped the hospital hire several candidates quickly and efficiently.

Restructuring to Improve Recruitment

A hospital in a small Midwestern community had one hospitalist on staff and was contracting with a hospitalist group who supplied a number of hospitalists when the solo physician was not on duty. The staff hospitalist had a patient load higher than one person could handle. The hospital recognized that to have the continuity and care, a second staff hospitalist was needed.

The hospital recognized this problem and turned to the experts at Cejka Search to recruit for an additional full-time hospitalist.

Cejka Search evaluated the situation from an outside perspective and foresaw a significant power balance issue that might turn highly qualified candidates away.

The current hospitalist was not interested in bringing in a partner to the organization. A new physician would likely face difficulty finding new patients and receiving referrals from doctors with whom the original solo practitioner already had relationships. The job description and setting were not viable unless the hospital was willing to restructure the organization.

Strategy
In this particular case, Cejka Search recommended the hospital create a new coordinator position to serve both an external and internal role. Externally, the position would be a positive face for the community to interact with and internally, he or she would schedule and organize among the soon-to-be three full-time hospitalists. The coordinator would ensure that none of the physicians would be in a position to compete against one another for patients or compensation opportunities.

Results
Since the hospital established a proven and equitable method for distributing patients among the hospitalists, Cejka Search was able to bring in a number of qualified candidates to be interviewed.
After learning about the system’s positive structure, a high percentage of candidates left their interviews very interested in the position and the hospital was able to hire its two top candidates.
The organization now has a hospitalist system that serves the best interest of all parties: the hospital, physicians and most importantly, the patients.

If any organization is planning to grow, it is important to bring all new physicians into fair work environments, which positively impacts physicians’ tenure with the organization.

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.

Compensation Expectations

Setting clear expectations for compensation is one of the most important strategies identified by respondents of the AMGA and Cejka Search 2007 Physician Retention Survey. With that in mind, it is important to remember that attracting and securing the best applicants will help save hospitals and medical groups time and money in the long run.

One recruitment challenge that exemplifies this principle involves a non-profit regional health center that enlisted Cejka Search’s expertise. It is a 392-bed acute care facility with a Level II Trauma Center and an accredited Chest Pain Center located in an East Texas city with a population around 100,000.

The health center was recruiting two pediatricians for two separate positions. The first was a position in its Family Care Center for uninsured and underinsured women and children. The health center paid these physicians a straight salary.

At the same time, the health center was also searching for a pediatric physician who would treat insured patients in a traditional style practice. The components of this financial package did not limit income, providing both a base salary and productivity bonus option in addition to a signing bonus.

This was a challenging search because the requirements for both positions were very similar, although the salary and benefits varied. The health center needed to fill both positions immediately, but did not want all of the candidates to apply only for the more traditional practice setting.

Strategy
Cejka Search used industry supply and demand trends from the retention survey to support their recommendations for the client. Some of this data included qualifying 39 percent of respondents cited increasing the signing bonus, loan repayment or other incentives as a strategy for attracting and retaining primary care physicians. Thus, Cejka Search’s recommendations began with marketing the clinic position by highlighting the signing bonus, although the amount would not be specified.

To also make the position more competitive, it was recommended that bonuses based on productivity would attract more highly qualified candidates.

Results
Once Cejka Search publicized the signing bonus and told the potential candidates of an anticipated change in the compensation plan, the position attracted several qualified applicants.

Cejka Search has already helped the health center fill both positions. The health center implemented Cejka Search’s same recommendations in another specialty in early December 2007 and interviewed and hired a highly qualified top candidate within 60 days.

This case is a success because the client routinely does what it takes to attract qualified candidates for each position.

Recruiting and Retaining Primary Care Physicians

The Primary Care physician shortage is becoming more critical every year. Primary Care physicians provide their patients with the basic care they require, often recommending and coordinating specialized care as needed. Despite their important role, Primary Care physicians were recently found to be the most difficult to recruit and retain, according to the Cejka Search and AMGA 2006 Physician Retention Survey.

Call responsibilities tend to be the most common challenge for Primary Care physicians. While compensation for call coverage was the least frequently mentioned strategy for recruiting and retaining these physicians, the following tactics have proven effective:
Increasing the use of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants
Hiring Hospitalists to reduce call schedule and hospital responsibilities
Increasing base salary and/or guarantees

Among all respondents in the Cejka Search and AMGA 2006 Physician Retention Survey, 93 percent employed Primary Care physicians and 77 percent of respondents ranked Primary Care physicians first for difficulty in recruiting. Of the Primary Care physicians, the survey found that Internists were the most difficult to retain over the last two years, and pose the greatest concern for recruitment in the next five years.

The above industry trends and challenges reflect important issues from the candidate’s perspective. This information will help develop a Primary Care practice opportunity that is both appealing and competitive, thus attracting the best candidates.

Recruiting the Younger Physician

In the coming years, the young medical professionals will be filling the positions that are currently occupied by physicians in the generations known as “Baby Boomers” and “Matures.”

According to the American Medical Association:
Roughly 33% of practicing physicians are 27 to 41 years old, representing the “GenX” segment. Within this generation of physicians, 58% are male and 42% are female.

Millennials, born after 1980, are just now emerging from medical school. Although small in numbers at this point, 54% are women. This is the first segment in the history of modern medicine in which women will represent the majority of physicians.

These young physicians bring with them new values, needs and expectations. A number of key strategies can help you be more effective in recruiting and retaining this “new generation” of physicians.

Align physician recruitment strategies with retention initiatives. Hire the “right” physician who fits well within your culture and then immediately focus on retention initiatives. This includes fostering relationships among peers, the larger practice and the community.

Establish clear expectations. younger physicians expect an accelerated partnership track, one that includes a reasonable buy-in and early sharing or equity participation in ancillary revenue sources. They want to see the specifics of “how much” and “when” spelled out clearly in their employment contract.N

Be ready to address details the realities of the practice during the interview process. This includes productivity goals, the compensation model, call coverage, clinical hours, and patient volumes.

Young physicians generally have strong time management skills and use technology to increase efficiency. They understand the value of team work and thrive in an environment where they receive frequent feedback and mentoring.

Don’t hesitate to structure the opportunity to leverage these strengths for the benefit of all.

Recruiting Principle and Example

Setting clear expectations for compensation is one of the most important strategies identified by respondents of the AMGA and Cejka Search 2007 Physician Retention Survey. With that in mind, it is important to remember that attracting and securing the best applicants will help save hospitals and medical groups time and money in the long run.

One recruitment challenge that exemplifies this principle involves a non-profit regional health center that enlisted Cejka Search’s expertise. It is a 392-bed acute care facility with a Level II Trauma Center and an accredited Chest Pain Center located in an East Texas city with a population around 100,000.

The health center was recruiting two pediatricians for two separate positions. The first was a position in its Family Care Center for uninsured and underinsured women and children. The health center paid these physicians a straight salary.

At the same time, the health center was also searching for a pediatric physician who would treat insured patients in a traditional style practice. The components of this financial package did not limit income, providing both a base salary and productivity bonus option in addition to a signing bonus.

This was a challenging search because the requirements for both positions were very similar, although the salary and benefits varied. The health center needed to fill both positions immediately, but did not want all of the candidates to apply only for the more traditional practice setting.

Strategy
Cejka Search used industry supply and demand trends from the retention survey to support their recommendations for the client. Some of this data included qualifying 39 percent of respondents cited increasing the signing bonus, loan repayment or other incentives as a strategy for attracting and retaining primary care physicians. Thus, Cejka Search’s recommendations began with marketing the clinic position by highlighting the signing bonus, although the amount would not be specified.

To also make the position more competitive, it was recommended that bonuses based on productivity would attract more highly qualified candidates.

Results
Once Cejka Search publicized the signing bonus and told the potential candidates of an anticipated change in the compensation plan, the position attracted several qualified applicants.

Cejka Search has already helped the health center fill both positions. The health center implemented Cejka Search’s same recommendations in another specialty in early December 2007 and interviewed and hired a highly qualified top candidate within 60 days.

This case is a success because the client routinely does what it takes to attract qualified candidates for each position.

Submitted by Cheryl DeVita, Senior Search Consultant of Cejka Search

Partnership and Equity Ownership Opportunities

Partnership and ownership opportunities are one of the most effective initiatives for retaining today’s physician. According to the Cejka Search and AMGA 2006 Physician Retention Survey, 51% of respondents mentioned partnership opportunities as one of the most effective initiatives on an ongoing basis.

These partnership and equity ownership options have proven successful among groups with established opportunities in place. Of the 62% who already offer their physicians these opportunities, 79% of respondents said partnership opportunities was their most effective retention tool, followed by profit-sharing opportunities (60%).

Be aware of what your competitors are offering and how your group’s partnership and equity programs stand out. For example, most groups offer partnership after two years. Consider these questions as you evaluate your group’s program, and then highlight its positive aspects that would be most appealing for each candidate as you are recruiting.
If your group’s income is divided equally among the doctors, are all doctors eligible or just shareholders?
After how much time does your organization offer partnership and equity opportunities?
How does your partnership buy-in price compare to the salary you are offering, and the benefits a partner stands to gain?

Some other partnership trends to be aware of include:
65% of groups offer the opportunity to part-time physicians.
94% of physician owned groups offer the option.
Partnership opportunities are most common in smaller practice groups and it’s found in 69% of groups with between 51 and 150.

While a lack of partnership opportunity was never cited as a main reason for leaving a group, the opportunity has proven effective for recruiting and retaining successful physicians.

*Source: The Cejka Search and AMGA 2006 Physician Retention Survey was completed by 92 members of the American Medical Group Association, and collectively employ more than 16,833 physicians.