A rural Oklahoma hospital that once considered itself “not recruitable” decided to place its trust in Jackson Physician Search, resulting in 36 successful physician searches.
Rural hospitals sometimes struggle to recruit quality physicians due to the difficulties of making a job in a small town seem desirable to candidates who tend to explore opportunities in metro areas.
However, one rural hospital in Oklahoma discovered a great solution to filling open roles was to forge a strong relationship with a knowledgeable physician recruitment partner who was willing to go the extra mile.
That partner was the Jackson Physician Search team. Since the beginning of the partnership in 2015, Jackson Physician Search has successfully placed 36 physicians for this client – with an impressive 61% of the placements occurring between 2019 and today. And, we’ve done more than just place doctors, we’ve helped build entire programs.
Fostering the Ideal Client Relationship
The physician recruiter assigned to the search was a new addition to the Jackson Physician Search team when he first received this client, but that didn’t stop him from immediately hitting the ground running to understand the hospital’s needs, mission, and goals so he could begin sourcing potential candidates.
As luck would have it, our recruiter and the administration’s personalities meshed well from the start, which allowed them to establish a good rapport quickly and seamlessly – a key factor in building a trusting relationship.
Often, clients do not realize the hurdles they face when recruiting, which can lead to unrealistic expectations regarding the time it takes to fill a position, the compensation and benefits a position requires to stand out, and the flexibility needed to keep candidates engaged throughout the process.
With this notion in mind, our physician recruiter made it his goal to communicate effectively with the client every step of the way, providing frequent updates in a way that was beneficial for both parties. He worked with a sense of urgency, helping the client understand what was at stake for each job search, and in turn, setting a pace that allowed potential candidates to move through the hiring pipeline quickly.
He also used his expertise and up-to-date market data to educate the administration about aspects of recruiting they were unaware of, providing in-depth knowledge of what it takes for candidates to be interested in a rural opportunity.
All these factors combined have led to a flourishing relationship between Jackson Physician Search and this rural Oklahoma hospital.
Putting Trust to the Test
With a partnership built on a foundation of mutual trust, we once again proved our ability to efficiently place physicians for this rural hospital when they found themselves in need of an Orthopedic Surgeon.
Now a Senior Search Consultant, our physician recruiter once again worked with his client to create an appealing physician job description drawing candidates to apply for the position.
Soon, it caught the interest of Dr. L, an Orthopedic Surgeon in Kansas looking for a new position where he could make a difference in the community and the lives of his patients. We quickly contacted Dr. L – who was also interviewing for another job in Texas – and began the screening process.
The client was impressed by Dr. L’s resume and believed he would be an ideal fit for the Orthopedic Surgery position, as well as the organization. However, because the hospital CEO was unavailable to meet with Dr. L during his interview, they could not move forward in the process.
One Last Attempt to Seal the Deal
The hospital sent Dr. L an invitation to meet with its CEO at the next possible opportunity. However, their attempt to secure the perfect candidate may have been too late, as Dr. L revealed his intention to accept the job the Texas hospital offered him on the spot at his on-site visit.
Upon learning this information, the hospital’s CEO turned to our Senior Search Consultant, whose talent and expertise had not failed yet, and attempted one last Hail Mary to sway Dr. L’s decision in their favor.
The recruiter called Dr. L to convince him not to take the job in Texas and made him a verbal offer for his client’s position, using the argument that Dr. L wouldn’t even be eligible to practice in Texas until he had a valid Texas license – a process that could take up to six months.
With that in mind, Dr. L reconsidered. Shortly after, he took a phone call with the rural Oklahoma hospital CEO, where he officially accepted the offer to be their new Orthopedic Surgeon.
An Unorthodox Path to Success
Make no mistake, it is very unusual for a client to allow a recruiter to make a verbal job offer on their behalf. However, our Senior Search Consultant’s ability to fill his client’s position directly correlates to the trust he has built with the hospital administration over time.
This hospital that once considered itself “not recruitable” due to its rural location has grown immensely since partnering with Jackson Physician Search. By following our expert recruiter’s guidance, they’ve brought on a variety of top-tier physicians like Dr. L, notably hiring 11 Hospitalists that have grown their program from the ground up, as well as the hospital’s first telehealth employee.
This partnership is a true testament of the success that is possible when you partner with an experienced physician recruitment firm dedicated to finding the ideal candidates for your organization.
If you’re interested in learning more about how we can elevate your physician recruitment effort, contact Jackson Physician Search today.
