Recruiting New Health Professionals: Considerations for

Recruiting New Health Professionals: Considerations for CommunitiesVicki Trauba, Program ManagerRural Health Resource Center Duluth, Minnesota

Technical Assistance and Services Center

Mission: To provide technical assistance, information, tools and resources for the improvement of rural healthcare. To serve as a national rural health knowledge center and strive to build state and local capacity.Private non-profit organization 501c3Established in 1991 as a collaborative initiativeCreated in response to increasing challenges of providing healthcare in rural communities

Rural Health Resource Center

Health ProfessionalSupply & Demand

Rural Health Resource Center

147 Hospitals, 110 hospitals in rural areas.

2003 Demand for Physicians in Greater and Underserved Minnesota (Including Duluth & Rochester)

DemandRanking

Physician Specialty CurrentVacancy

VacanciesNewly Created

Vacancies Due to Turnover

Primary Care1 Family Medicine 58.8 25.0 37.82 Internal Medicine 18.0 2.0 12.03 Obstetrics/Gynecology 14.0 14.0 3.04 Pediatrics 10.0 7.0 3.05 Medicine/Pediatrics 2.0 2.0 0.0

Subtotal 102.8 50.0 55.8Medical Specialties

1 Cardiovascular Disease 7.0 2.0 4.02 Gastroenterology 5.0 4.0 1.03 Hospitalist (IM) 5.0 2.0 3.04 Dermatology 3.0 1.0 1.0

Subtotal 20.0 9.0 9.0Surgical Specialties

1 Orthopaedic Surgery 13.1 13.0 4.02 Urological Surgery 9.0 8.0 3.03 General Surgery 8.0 5.0 3.04 Otolaryngology 7.1 5.0 2.0

Subtotal 37.2 31.0 12.0Other Specialties

1 Diagnostic Radiology 16.0 12.0 7.02 Psychiatry 8.0 7.0 6.03 Anesthesiology 6.0 4.0 2.04 Neurology 6.0 3.0 5.0

Subtotal 36.0 29.0 20.0Overall Total 196.0 119.0 96.8

Evaluating Practice Opportunities

Community FactorsCompatibilityPractice CharacteristicsPractice ConsiderationsReason for Opportunity Financial Package

Survey of Final-Year Residents

• 43% received <100 contacts about practice opportunities• Top 2 practice considerations:

Geographic location /lifestyle & financial package• 58% prefer salary with production bonus• 41% prefer partnership & 30% prefer single specialty • 47% indicated loan repayment would effect choice of practice• 47% unprepared in handling business considerations• 60% significantly concerned with:

Dealing with managed care organizations, insufficient practice management knowledge & malpractice issues

Source: MHA 2003

Practice ComponentsCompensationPersonal Benefit PackageProfessional BenefitsClinic Setting HospitalAdditional Health Care ProvidersRecruitmentRetentionCommunity

Recruitment Readiness & Feasibility Assessment

Common Recruitment Incentives

• Compensation – 1 year guarantee, some with additional Signing Bonus

• Loan Forgiveness with Service Obligation (95%)

• Relocation Expenses (99%)• CME Allowance (93%)• Health Insurance (96%)• Malpractice (90%)• Retirement & Disability (70%)

Source: MHA 2004

Common Recruitment Methods

Connect with Training Programs:Promote health careers in high schoolsTrack you local students in health programs; keep in touch; provide internships and scholarshipsProvide clinical training at your clinic or hospital for nursing, medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and PA studentsEncourage your providers to serve as community faculty for future recruitment

Overview of the Recruitment Process

First contact (after mailing, word of mouth, ads, web)Obtain CV or resumeSend recruitment packetSecond contact or follow-upArrange for and conduct interviewConduct reference check and background checkArrange site visit

Overview of the Recruitment Process

Conduct site visitSecond visit (if necessary)Contract negotiationsSigning the contractRetention

Demonstrates to candidates that more than just the hospital or clinic wants their servicesDemonstrates the community cares enough about local health care to actually be a part of its successProvides the first opportunity for the candidate and family to begin making personal links with the community

Community Participation

Before recruiting a new health care provider, meet with and gain the support of recognized leaders of the various sectors of your community:

•Local employers•Local economic developers•School leaders•The Chamber•Civic minded residents

Community Stakeholders

What Can the Community Do to Help?

Assist with the site visit itineraryCommunity tours including local

churches and schoolsOpportunities for the spouseActivities for the childrenPlanning social events

Student Loan Repayment Program

Rural Physician Loan Forgiveness Program:Residents in Peds, FP, IM, Psych, Ob/GynprogramsRural (non-metro areas)State administered 3 year minimum obligation


Urban Physician Loan Forgiveness Program:Residents in Peds, FP, IM, Psych, Ob/GynprogramsFederally designated urban HPSAs and MUAsState administered 3 year minimum, 4 year maximum obligation


Rural Midlevel Loan Forgiveness Program:Students in NP, PA, CNM, Nurse Anesthetist and Advanced Clinical Nurse Specialist programs Rural (non-metro areas)State administered 3 year minimum, 4 year maximum obligation






Nurse Loan Forgiveness Program:Students RN and LPN programs Nursing homes or ICFMRsState administered 3 year minimum, 4 year maximum obligation




Dentist Loan Forgiveness Program:Students and residents in Dental programs or licensed Dentists25% of patient visits are public programs or sliding fee scaleState administered 3 year minimum, 4 year maximum obligation




Federal National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program and

Minnesota National Health Service Corps State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP):Primary Care Physicians, Dentists, Dental Hygienists, CNMs, CMs, NPs, PAs, Clinical Psychologists, Clinical Social Workers, Psychiatrists, Mental Health Counselors, Psychiatric Nurse Specialists, Marriage & Family TherapistsFederally designated health professional shortage area (HPSA), rural or urban2 year minimum obligation

• The Rural Health Resource Center (RHRC)• Healthcare Education – Industry Partnership (HEIP)• MN Hospital Association• MN Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, MN

Dept. of Health• MN Dept. of Employment and Economic

Development, Research and Statistics Office• Area Health Education Center (AHEC)

Resources

Community

"Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community."

Anthony J. D’Angelo

Recruiting New Health Professionals: Considerations for

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