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.
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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.