See how Jackson Physician Search helped a rural Oklahoma hospital fill four critical positions, including OBGYN, CRNA, and two General Surgeons.
When Addyson Wilgus, Senior Search Consultant at Jackson Physician Search, took over the search for a hospital in Elk City, Oklahoma, she inherited a daunting challenge. The 62-bed rural facility, serving a population of just 12,000 and located near the Texas Panhandle, was in desperate need of four key positions: an OBGYN, a CRNA, and two General Surgeons.
The job market reflected what we often see in rural communities — wonderful places to live but without the big-city amenities many physicians and their spouses look for. Combined with the nationwide physician shortage and the fact that Elk City is about two hours from the nearest major airport, recruiting naturally became more challenging.
On top of that, the OBGYN and CRNA roles would be challenging to fill, even in the most attractive markets. After the COVID pandemic shifted many CRNAs to 1099 versus W-2 employment, the candidate pool shrank dramatically, allowing CRNAs to command high salaries and lucrative benefits. While the market for OBGYNs was a bit more promising, many candidates expressed trepidation about being the hospital’s sole provider, fearing they’d be on call 24/7 with little support. Without anyone currently in the role to provide actual experience to assuage those concerns, it was difficult to convince them that their fears were unfounded.
RVP of Business Development, Cheyenna Villarreal, illustrated how special the facility, its employees, and the community are to Addyson. It didn’t take long for Addyson to see it for herself. The CEO is a market-savvy executive who built a remarkable practice housed in a beautifully renovated, award-winning facility, with specialty services including orthopedic surgery, neurology, and ENT. As the area’s leading employer, the hospital is the heart of the community. Because the CEO is committed to providing the best quality care to his neighbors, friends, and family, he was willing to pay top dollar to attract top talent and bring creative solutions to the table.
A Partnership Built on Speed and Trust
Addyson had a big job, but thankfully, the CEO is a formidable partner. When Addyson found an interesting resume, he would text or call the candidate that same day. His responsiveness, combined with a direct and transparent communication style, created an efficient and effective process for getting candidates interested in taking a trip to Elk City. During the on-site visit, the CEO rolled out the red carpet and effectively demonstrated everything that makes both the facility and the community the ideal place to work and live. Without fail, successful candidates would have an offer before they reached the airport for their flight home.
“Most CEOs put their recruitment on the back burner,” Addyson shared. “But he was very much invested every day. He was very communicative and always quick to reply. A partnership like this makes a huge difference, especially in a tough market.”
The partnership paid off. Between December 2024 and April 2025, Addyson placed all four critical positions — some of which had been open for years.
Delivering the Perfect OBGYN
The OBGYN search was especially urgent. For roughly two years, Elk City was without a provider. This meant that expectant mothers were forced to drive two hours to Oklahoma City for deliveries — an issue that became a regular topic on the town’s Facebook page.
After inheriting the search, Addyson completed it in just five months by finding Dr. J, a mid-career physician willing to embrace solo practice in a small town. The CEO helped seal the deal with a very compelling offer: only eight weeks on call per year thanks to midwife and family practice support, 90th percentile compensation, and autonomy to run the practice, which saw 400 deliveries a year.
There would be no more two-hour drives and no more rants on the community Facebook page — only raves, like this one: “Thank the Lord for this man!”
Dissecting a Surgeon’s Job Description to Provide Sustainable 24/7 Coverage
The hospital faced another obstacle. A single general surgeon couldn’t sustainably provide 24/7 coverage. The hospital was losing approximately 330 cases annually due to weekend coverage gaps alone. The CEO’s solution? Replace one surgeon with two working a 7-on/7-off schedule — and pay them both very competitively.
It was a winning strategy. Addyson stitched up the open search for both surgeons in just 56 days. She presented 10 candidates between March and April, and two accepted offers. One surgeon, Dr. D, splits his time between Oklahoma City, where his wife is also a physician, and Elk City, where they bought a home. The week-long rotations provide a best-of-both-worlds schedule that works for his young family, while the hospital gets full coverage without burnout.
In a Challenging CRNA Market, Creativity Counts
Perhaps the most difficult placement was the CRNA position. Once again, the CEO came to the negotiating table with a creative offer. He presented candidates with the option to work full-time with benefits, including malpractice coverage, for a lower base pay, or on contract. Both options featured an attractive three-week-on, one-week-off schedule.
After five months of searching from a tiny pool of candidates from across the region, Addyson found Dr. R on one of the 10+ job boards Jackson Physician Search advertises on, with ads posted 24/7.
Dr. R would bring 24 years of experience to the team — a major win for the hospital. He was coming from a small city in Arkansas with a culture that was like Elk City’s, so he fit in well with the community — a major win for him.
Making Rain During a Recruitment Drought
What made these placements possible? Three key factors: competitive compensation (75th-90th percentile), attractive schedules, and, most crucially, a committed, responsive CEO who understands how to make a dream scenario out of the reality of a challenging market.
Do you have positions that have been open for months — or years? Whether you’re in a rural location, need highly specialized providers, or are competing against urban markets, the recruitment team at Jackson Physician Search knows how to identify candidates who will thrive in your community. Contact us today to discuss your recruitment needs.
