With the help of a colleague, recruiter Don Evans made an incredible 44-day family medicine placement in rural Texas.
When the CEO of a healthcare system in rural Texas submitted an inquiry through the Jackson Physician Search website, Divisional Vice President Cheyenna Villarreal responded right away. She learned they needed a Family Medicine physician to lead a clinic and small inpatient facility an hour east of Houston. Cheyenna outlined the Jackson Physician Search 100% digital physician recruitment approach, but after consideration, the CEO felt they could place the physician on their own. Cheyenna wished him well but asked if she could stay in touch.
Over the next six months, Cheyenna checked in several times. With each update, the CEO assured her they were making progress and had plenty of candidates, until eventually, they didn’t. They were running out of time and ready to give Jackson Physician Search a try.
A CEO with High Physician Recruitment Expectations
“I did not sugarcoat anything, and I knew my parameters were tight, “ explains the CEO. “I wanted someone ready to go in 90 days.”
The average length of a family medicine physician search is 180 days, so the pressure was on Don Evans, Senior Search Consultant at Jackson Physician Search. Not one to shy away from a challenge, Don traveled to the facility to meet the CEO and other administrators. He immediately recognized that the role would only appeal to a small subset of family medicine physicians as it involved some inpatient care but nothing acute.
On top of the challenges of the role itself, the team was very specific about what kind of physician they felt was needed to fit in with the rural community members. Don noted their preferences, but he already had a candidate in mind who just might be perfect for the job.
A Family Medicine Physician Searching for His Next Step
Several months prior, Don’s colleague, David Eisenberg, had connected with Dr. M about a family medicine job in the Texas panhandle. Dr. M had led a practice in rural Idaho for twenty years and wanted to relocate to Texas to be closer to family. However, when the position didn’t work out, he took a locum tenens job until he could find the right opportunity.
Knowing Don had multiple clients in Texas, David introduced Don to Dr. M, and the two got to know each other. When Don met with the new client, Dr. M immediately came to mind. Dr. M was clinically qualified, interested in working in that part of Texas, and enthusiastic about the scope of the specific role. He also had the experience to expand the service line of the clinic to do more women’s health, something Don hoped the client would find appealing.
“This Is the One.”
“I just knew this doctor was the right doctor,” says Don. “But he didn’t check every single one of their boxes, so I picked the right moment and said, ‘You gotta see him. This is the one.’”
The administration agreed to meet with Dr. M, and Don’s instinct proved to be right–they fell in love with him. Even the CEO, who rarely spent any length of time with candidates, spent half a day with him. Dr. M was qualified, enthusiastic, and extremely personable–everything they needed in the role.
Dr. M was equally impressed. He felt he could make an impact at the clinic, and its location put him within an hour of his mother, the primary reason he was moving to Texas. When the organization extended a generous offer, he didn’t have to think twice before accepting.
Unprecedented Physician Recruitment Results
Because he had been working in locums positions, Dr. M started the job almost immediately.
“I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and I’ve never had this happen!” says Don. “Dr. M signed the contract on a Thursday and started the following Monday. The client arranged housing and everything else he needed. He just had to show up.”
Searches are typically measured from the start of the search to the contract date, but the start date is often months or even a year out. In this case, however, it took 44 days from the start of the search to a signed contract and just a few days more to Dr. M’s first day–truly unprecedented results.
An “Others First” Culture of Teamwork
So, what is the secret to these unprecedented physician recruitment results?
While Don acknowledges some “kismet” involved, the culture of teamwork at Jackson Physician Search certainly played a part. When David introduced Don to Dr. M, it was because he truly had Dr. M’s best interests at heart and knew his teammate, Don, might be able to help. David’s “others first” mentality allowed him to put Dr. M’s needs before his own desire to secure the placement. This is a core value of Jackson Physician Search.
Don also attributes the success to the client’s readiness to act quickly and his own ability to fully understand both the needs of the client and the needs of Dr. M, who became a good friend.
The CEO, of course, was thrilled with the results.
“I had high expectations and Don exceeded them–clearly. He found a great physician who was already Texas licensed and could start right away.”
If your organization needs assistance with a particularly difficult search, the team at Jackson Physician Search has the expertise and national reach to achieve the results you need. Contact a physician recruiter today to learn more.
