Senior Search Consultant Cori Centerino has partnered with a Southern Illinois hospital group for a decade, helping rural communities land the physicians they need. Recently, her creative approach filled a family medicine role in 126 days and a GI vacancy that had been open for more than 900 days in just two months.
About 20 percent of Americans live in rural areas, but only ten percent of physicians practice in these communities, resulting in a national shortage of country doctors.
Despite these discouraging statistics, one nonprofit hospital group serving southern Illinois continually attracts physicians in highly sought-after specializations, thanks to Senior Search Consultant Cori Centerino, whose local knowledge, smart sourcing strategies, and market expertise ensure that these hospitals are able to provide big city care to their small communities.
“It seems like we’re always working on something together,” Cori shared when describing the decade-long partnership. “There’s never been a time in my career where I haven’t had an active search with them.”
Bridging a Care Gap in Rural Illinois
Cori’s first order of business was to find a family medicine physician at a rural clinic in Madison County. It had been over a year since a retirement created a vacancy in the small medical practice, and the short-term fix of having doctors cover from other locations was not sustainable, especially for primary care. While finding a family medicine physician willing to manage a team of four APPs in a small city would be a challenge, Cori knew if someone was out there, she’d find them.
She began combing through Doximity, where Jackson Physician Search is the only firm to provide every recruiter with a license. Her search returned a promising profile. Dr. M was a resident in Carbondale, so he was already familiar with southern Illinois and had trained in a rural setting. He was also already managing APPs and could seamlessly transition into this leadership position. Cori was optimistic: the compensation package was solid, with attractive sign-on and retention bonuses, and the role would let Dr. M continue progressing in his career. She perfected her pitch and hit send. Later that day, Dr. M replied and scheduled an interview for six weeks later.
At the interview, Dr. M demonstrated that he would be a strong fit for the position. His skills and personality were a perfect match, and the hospital appreciated his willingness to accommodate its dynamic needs. They sent him home with an offer that included student loan repayment and a monthly residency stipend through his start date. Given the leadership responsibilities that came with the role, the clinic also agreed to increase the sign-on and retention bonuses. Dr. M accepted, closing a search that took only 126 days.
A Creative Approach Fills a Three-Year GI Vacancy in Two Months
Cori’s next assignment was to revive a search for a gastroenterology position vacant for more than 900 days. With a small candidate pool and a hyper-competitive market, GI searches can cause heartburn for even the most enterprising recruiters. This one was no exception: every time a promising candidate came through the door, they’d immediately shop for a better deal down the street. After the client’s last offer was declined because the candidate was able to get $100,000 more in salary from a competitor, Cori needed to get creative and think differently about the role.
“We weren’t getting traction, and leadership wasn’t willing to increase the compensation to be market competitive,” Cori explained. “I met with the COO to see what we could change. I suggested we revisit the scope of practice from full-time at the hospital to part-time at the ambulatory surgery center.”
The revised scope aligned the compensation with MGMA benchmarks, while the novel schedule would give Cori the ability to recruit from longer distances. She could also pitch it as an ideal opportunity for late-career physicians looking for work-life balance. The hospital group CEO loved the idea and gave her the green light.
A Pivot Immediately Pays Off
Cori launched a new ad that offered the same full-time compensation to perform procedures only 1-2 days a week, with the option to add after-hours call at the hospital. She didn’t have to wait long to see if her gambit worked. The next day, she received an application from Dr. B, a chief GI fellow at a nearby hospital who was looking to maximize his available hours. The CEO wanted to bring him in right away. Cori scheduled an in-person interview as soon as his schedule allowed: at 6:30 a.m. The hospital presented an offer before Dr. B left. With a few schedule tweaks to work half-day blocks over four days, he was ready to sign.
Recruiter’s Quick Thinking Saves the Day
One hiccup: Dr. B was credentialed in Missouri as a GI doctor, but in Illinois as Internal Medicine. He came to Cori concerned things might not work out, and questioning whether he met the requirements to practice in the ASC.
If Dr. B took after-hours call at the hospital in Illinois, Cori believed it would satisfy the Illinois GI credentialing requirement. She asked hospital leadership to investigate, and they confirmed Cori’s quick thinking was sound. The agreement was updated, and Dr. B signed.
Ultimately, Cori’s creative pivot attracted a better-fit candidate and filled an opening over two years old in two months. The hospital expected a late-career physician looking to wind down their schedule, but instead landed an ambitious, highly trained fellow eager to work as many shifts as he could fit in. When asked about what made her approach successful, Cori replied, “With hyper-competitive specialties, rethinking scope and schedule can really pay off.”
Would your organization benefit from a strong physician recruitment partner? See how Jackson Physician Search consultants combine local market knowledge with national reach to help hospitals like yours secure top physicians. Contact us today to learn more.
