Jackson Physician Search recruiter uses creative recruitment strategies to help an independent primary care group expand its horizons.
While the healthcare M&A numbers may suggest that small, independent private practices are disappearing, many private groups continue to be profitable. Their leaders understand the significant challenges they face and are finding creative ways to carve out and grow market share. This was true for one Jackson Physician Search client in a small Southern metro. The independent primary care group had a unique model of patient-focused care that was well-received in the thriving city. If the reputation-based growth strategy continued to work, the group could potentially open multiple locations in the coming years. However, first, they needed to hire another physician who would champion the group’s approach to team-based, whole-patient care. They not only wanted a clinical fit, but a perfect cultural fit too.
The client set the bar high, but if it could be hurdled, Jackson Physician Search would be the one to do it. Keep reading to learn how our senior search consultant found success for an extremely selective client in just under 90 days.
Searching for the “Perfect” Physician Candidate
For a year, the group’s leadership tried and failed to find this perfect physician on their own. When its leaders realized they needed help, they enlisted Jackson Physician Search as a retained recruitment partner. Once provided with a dedicated physician recruiter, the senior search consultant arranged to visit the city to meet with the client and learn more about the clinical and cultural needs of the group.
“I was really impressed by the group’s leadership,” he says. “And the town had a ton of appeal–scenic, growing industry, and plenty to do. I knew the location wouldn’t be an obstacle.”
Our recruiter spent several days immersing himself in the organization until he understood exactly who he needed to find. The group’s growth was largely a result of positive online reviews, so the leaders were laser-focused on preserving its stellar reputation–online and off. They wanted a physician with a magnetic personality who patients would rave about and staff would love. The candidate would also need to feel strongly about the group’s mission to treat the whole patient with a focus on preventative care. He went away with a plan to attract candidates who would fit this description and thrive in the unique environment. He was confident that he would recognize the right person when he spoke to them.
Physician Recruitment Marketing and Outreach
He crafted a family medicine job posting and leveraged the JPS network of physician job boards to distribute the ad to relevant sites, with a focus on specialty-specific job boards. The JPS marketing team also sent the job ad to relevant physicians in the JPS database. These channels attracted a high volume of candidates. As the recruiter spoke to each one, he found a few potential candidates he presented to the client, but no one felt just right.
Going Beyond the Job Boards
While the standard digital recruitment methods were working to attract candidates, he had another idea. He himself had fallen in love with the town, and he suspected many physicians doing their residencies in the area would feel the same way. If he could reach out to those family medicine residents about the opportunity, he was likely to find many who wanted to stay in the area. The senior search consultant also knew the group’s affiliation with the neighboring hospital meant the new physician would qualify for its significant loan repayment program. And who would be more appreciative of loan repayment than residents?
He contacted the residency directors at several local programs. One of the directors agreed to put the job ad on their internal job board. It was here that Dr. M learned about the opportunity. Still in his second year of residency, Dr. M wasn’t in a rush to find a job, but he knew it wasn’t too early to start looking. He reached out to our senior search consultant, who knew from the first call that Dr. M could be the one.
Secrets of Physician Recruitment Success
The client had already rejected multiple candidates, but the recruiter felt sure Dr. M was the one they had been looking for, which he stressed to the client when presenting him. The client spoke to Dr. M and agreed to invite him for an on-site interview. Because the candidate was already local, it took place quickly. The client was impressed, as was Dr. M. He and his wife spent the evening dining with the leaders of the group in what felt like a celebration–for everyone involved knew they had finally found the next right move.
Jackson Physician Search attributes much of the success to the residency outreach, as this was how Dr. M found out about the opportunity. The loan repayment program also made the job extremely attractive. Additionally, our senior search consultant guided the client to incorporate an early signing bonus payout before Dr. M would even begin the job. Since he still had a year of residency left, this gesture would allow Dr. M to benefit financially from his early decision. The combination of factors resulted in a successful placement in fewer than 90 days.
If you are seeking a recruitment partner with creative ideas and market-based recommendations, the team at Jackson Physician Search would love to help. Contact a recruiter today.
