This may sound strange coming from a recruiter, but it’s true. The key to solving the physician recruitment crisis is not necessarily bringing in better recruiters. Most healthcare organizations experiencing a recruiting crisis can point to their trouble with another “R” word as the main culprit: retention.
Retention is a challenge nearly every healthcare organization faces. We recently conducted a survey with MGMA about engagement, commitment, and retention with physicians and administrative leaders to understand the factors influencing physician tenure, particularly among those early in their careers. What we found is that, rather than aspects like geography or compensation, it’s often about the relationships they have with leadership. In fact, when physicians decided to leave an organization, the most common reason was leadership and administrative issues. Organizational culture was a close second. Additionally, over half of respondents said poor leadership interactions made them less likely to stay at an organization.
The good news is that this is a problem that can be addressed by applying management skills that cultivate authentic relationships in which physicians feel empowered to participate in decision-making and know that their voices are heard by executives, administrators, and their clinical teams. Physician executives who are willing to be curious, empathetic, and communicative can become effective leaders and trusted advocates who build strong cultures in which their teams feel heard and empowered to influence decisions. Here are a few strategies I’ve seen talented physician executives use to keep morale and retention high at their healthcare organizations.
Foster Transparency, Empathy, and Empowerment Through Committees
Some of the most effective physician leaders are collaborators who build systems that give providers genuine influence over their work environment. A winning strategy to accomplish this is to create formal committees that act as active decision-making bodies where frontline voices can shape organizational direction. Some examples of committee charters are: throughput and clinical processes, equipment procurement, quality improvement, and multidisciplinary care coordination between nursing, physicians, and advanced practice providers.
Committees provide a forum where leaders can help their teams understand the full complexity of organizational decisions and invite them to brainstorm solutions to issues affecting both their work environment and the organization’s operations. This two-way empathy is crucial. Providers need to feel heard, but they also need to understand why their ideal solution might not always be feasible. Physician leaders who can articulate these tensions honestly build trust and loyalty, which positively impact both performance and retention.
Relationship Building as Foundation of the Onboarding Experience
The most significant moment for a physician executive to establish a positive relationship with their team and set a winning culture in motion is the physician onboarding process. The period between signing and start date averages 180 days in physician recruitment — a dangerous gap where excitement can turn to doubt. Effective physician leaders don’t leave this transition solely to HR and credentialing departments. They reach out personally and regularly, ensuring the new physician knows they are a key member of a great team. This simple practice ensures the physician is connected and prepared, and demonstrates authentic, attuned leadership.
Create Mentorship Opportunities
A common approach among the most successful physician executives is to create opportunities for others to lead while under the wing of a mentor. A potential trailhead for a leadership development journey is allowing those who raise concerns to take the initiative to find solutions. Typically, those who speak up the most aspire to formal leadership roles, so allowing them access to this responsibility early on is a natural progression in their growth. It’s a win-win. Physicians can facilitate personal development while organizations improve team culture and overall system operations.
Delegation of the executive’s tasks is another practical approach to building leadership muscle. By bringing physicians to the table and involving them in the decision-making process, they get a front-row seat to how the business operates. This will help them to better understand not only the organization’s operations but also the challenges their executive is facing.
Feedback Is Your Friend: The Power of 360 Reviews
Once providers arrive, the smartest culture transformation initiatives start with listening. Conduct 360-degree anonymous feedback in the first 60 days, asking open-ended questions such as:
- What makes your job challenging?
- What holds you back from reaching your full potential?
- What adjustments could be made to make you more efficient at your job?
Additionally, leaders should be asking questions that tie directly to organizational objectives, so they can demonstrate how their team members are individually and collectively contributing to better business outcomes.
Culture doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built through deliberate choices about how voices are heard, how people feel seen, how decisions are explained, and how providers are empowered to shape their work environment. Physician leaders help design this culture every day through the systems they build, the communication they model, and the empathy they demonstrate.
If you are seeking a new physician executive opportunity, the recruitment team at Jackson Physician Search is eager to help. Reach out today to learn more.
About Dirk Jansson
Dirk Jansson is the Director of Physician Executive Search at Jackson Physician Search, where he is dedicated to connecting healthcare organizations with results-driven physician leaders who can help reach their short- and long-term objectives while aligning with their unique culture.
Leveraging more than a decade of experience across multiple industries, Dirk’s passion for the art and science of physician executive recruiting, coupled with an intense commitment to serving others, is foundational to his success. His unique access and refined method of navigating complex, specialized candidate pools help healthcare organizations of all settings and sizes nationwide secure the physician leaders they need to thrive in the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare.
