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Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) often lack sufficient critical staff, which can negatively impact patient care.

In today’s ultra-competitive, post-COVID market, a focused medical recruitment strategy can be instrumental in attracting top talent to fill open positions faster, industry insiders told ASC News.

“The first thing to remember is that physicians aren’t just producers; they’re pivotal team members whose insights and expertise drive the success of our ASCs,” James H. Becker, CEO of TriasMD, told ASC News.

The Newport Beach, California-based TriasMD is a musculoskeletal management company and parent of the DISC Surgery Centers.

Liz Mahan, director of professional development and solutions for the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment, echoed those sentiments.

“Recruitment is more competitive than ever; physicians are having no difficulty finding opportunities while still completing residencies or fellowships,” Mahan told ASC News. “For practices, that means they need to have well-structured recruitment processes in place and be able to move candidates quickly through the interview process. They must also be prepared to put their best offer forward. It is almost guaranteed that physicians will have multiple offers, which may not leave much room for practices to negotiate.”

The Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment is a professional organization for health care recruitment executives and other stakeholders.

Building a successful recruitment strategy means involving the right people within the practice. Specifically, those people should include the medical director, administrator and key employees.

“All of those people are stakeholders,” Janet L. Carlson, executive director of Commonwealth Pain & Spine, explained during a recent PreferredMD Solutions webinar. “And [they] should be at the table early on in conversations with physicians [to identify the most significant roadblocks to finding quality candidates].”

Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Commonwealth Pain & Spine is a large network of pain management physicians. The organization has 21 offices located throughout Kentucky, southern Indiana and Illinois.

Additionally, physician recruitment should also be team-based, with the opportunity for everyone on the team to meet with candidates, even if that is just a quick informal meet-and-greet over lunch or coffee, according to Mahan.

”The more practices can include all staff in the interview process for a physician, the more current employees will feel connected to the new physician,” Mahan said. ”From the candidate side, physicians want to know that their practice will be supported and run well; meeting with most of those working there will help them understand the team they will join.”

Developing a flexible recruitment approach

One of the primary hurdles ASCs face in physician recruitment is the need for more flexibility in their work arrangements.

In response, they should ensure that pay and benefits are updated to industry standards. Along those lines, ASCs should consider offering flexible work hours, increased time off, specialized training opportunities and other perks that physicians may find valuable.

This approach helps demonstrate that the ASC is listening to what is important to physicians.

“It’s important to be open-minded when talking to physicians to make sure that we’re honestly listening to what is important to them,” Carlson explained during the webinar.

Work-life balance is one area to pay special attention to, Mahan said.

“Work-life balance is incredibly important to physicians, even more so since COVID-19 accelerated burnout and, in some cases, led to early retirements,” she noted. ”More and more physicians are pushing for control over their schedules, including clinical, administrative and call times.”

One example of a flexible arrangement: Some people are willing to work hard four days in a row in exchange for the potential for three days off, Carlson pointed out.

“Another thing that’s very important to them is time off,” Carlson said. “They want more than standard long weekends with holidays attached, or a week here or there. I’m finding that some want more vacation time, and that’s more important than their base salary.”

In addition to providing flexibility, supporting physicians in their networking and development can also be a significant factor in attracting top talent. Committing to supporting their participation in professional organizations, attendance at conferences, and willingness to participate in research can help build credibility and trust with physicians, sources told ASC News.

“These are physicians who are passionate about what they do and striving to be the best in their field,” Carlson said. “Commit to them that you will support their participation in their professional organizations, attendance at conferences and willingness to participate in research.”

Solidifying a successful recruitment strategy often has a ripple effect, too.

Generally, employees who feel supported and engaged will be likelier to tell their colleagues and refer strong candidates to their ASC.

“Trust and credibility are everything, and referrals have inherent trust and can significantly speed up the recruitment process,” Becker said. “Physician referrals also come with an implicit vetting process, ensuring that candidates will likely be high-caliber clinicians who fit the ASC’s culture.”

In addition to current staff, social media and online job boards are also helpful tools for finding qualified candidates.

Attending physician conferences and networking events can help cast a net for talent. Ensuring the ASC has a simple online application system and a streamlined interview process is also crucial.

Lastly, examining successes in physician recruitment and learning from the process can help rectify any issues in the recruitment process and improve the strategy’s overall effectiveness.

By adopting these strategies, ASCs can attract top talent, improve patient care and maintain a competitive edge in the market.