Considering that a single physician vacancy can result in $130,000 to $150,000 per month in lost revenue, more in certain specialties, and physician searches require 6 to 12+ months, it is vital to evaluate your current physician recruitment process.
The most effective and efficient way to recruit physicians is through a comprehensive digital recruitment strategy. To set your organization up for success, learn these digital physician recruitment best practices.
Four Digital Physician Recruitment Best Practices
The most effective and efficient way to recruit physicians is through a comprehensive digital recruitment strategy.
Only 11% of today’s physicians are actively seeking a new position, while 76% are considered passive candidates. The key is to intrigue this larger group.
Before You Start Recruiting, Create a Winning Physician Job Description:
- Use your job description to target specific physician qualities.
- The job title should include specialty, location, and have a hook.
- Use SEO keywords to increase search traffic.
- Give them a reason to come to you for more information.
- Sell more than just the job; highlight your community and culture.
1. Social Media is the Digital Key to Filling Your Physician Vacancy
- Cultivate your corporate brand to attract candidates who are best suited to thrive in your organization.
- Your successful physicians can be your best brand ambassadors!
- There are many physician-centric online communities. Learn which ones are the best fit for your organization by measuring candidate engagement.
- For an engagement boost, share “feel-good” stories that have occurred between patients and clinicians.
2. Leverage Email Marketing
97% of physicians prefer to receive job opportunities via email. Source: 2021 MMS Annual Physician Survey
Email Recruitment Best Practices: Do’s and Don’ts
- Do: Personalize your email message by addressing candidates by name, preferably Dr. “Last Name”.
- Do: Segment your email database by specialty so that Pediatricians do not receive emails about Gastroenterology positions.
- Do: Pay attention to your email metrics, including click-thru and unsubscribe rates.
- Don’t: Email candidates who haven’t opened or engaged with your emails in more than two years.
- Don’t: Use a “no-reply address” as your sender address.
- Don’t: Ignore privacy changes being implemented by Apple and Google.
- Don’t: Forget to test your campaigns. Try testing different subject lines, calls-to-action, or link placements.
3. Maximize Your Recruitment Efforts on Job Boards
Some Top Job Boards for Sourcing Physicians:
- Doximity
- Health eCareers
- DocCafe.com
- MDSearch.com
- NEJM Career Center
- PracticeLink
- Profiles Physician Database
- American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
Takeaways for Physician Recruiting via Job Boards
- In addition to specialty-specific job boards, try a variety of other physician-centric sites to determine which ones can be the most successful for you.
- Monitor your placements and which job boards produce the most success for your organization.
4. Consider Utilizing Mass Text
A new and effective method of reaching candidates is through mass text messaging. A smart text campaign can quickly engage physician candidates and allow them to respond if interested. Text messaging is increasingly popular for reaching a large number of candidates.
