Jordan Search Consultants Blog
The ever-changing landscape of the healthcare industry can be a difficult one to navigate. To help you stay in-the-know, Jordan Search Consultants’ Founder and CEO, Kathy Jordan, posts twice a month about a range of healthcare and higher education topics. Some subjects she frequently touches on include recruitment, organizational culture, candidate sourcing, population health, integrated care, physician leadership, and much more.
Want Kathy to answer a question you have or address a topic you’ve been wondering about? Email her here.
Staffing Services and Healthcare Provider Shortages During COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many challenges – one of the biggest being the shortage of healthcare workers throughout the industry. In Houston, Baton Rouge, and other cities hit particularly hard, shortages continue to grow as the virus spreads, making it increasingly difficult for hospitals to cope with the influx of cases. In Florida, as COVID patients continue to test positive in record numbers, finding enough experienced workers to attend to the critically ill patients is becoming increasingly difficult.
Across the United States, another pressing issue looms: testing. Testing before asymptomatic carriers spread the virus is vitally important to controlling the pandemic’s reach. However, many sites are having trouble finding qualified staff to perform this testing – leaving them overworked, understaffed, and with a high employee turnover rate. As the system begins to reach its maximum capacity during this secondary surge – and as healthcare professionals themselves begin to get sick and quarantine — hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities are all in need of additional help and backup staff.
Our Commitment to Our Clients – Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Choosing where to focus our efforts to address the issues resulting from the pandemic was a difficult task. As healthcare recruiters, our business modelis designed to allow us to quickly provide help when our clients – and, most importantly, their patients – need us.Here’s what we are doing to help our clients address the challenges brought on by the pandemic.
Staffing Testing Sites
With COVID-related healthcare needs rapidly and urgently increasing, we knew that it was vitally important to place providers where they would make the greatest impact, and that meant staffing static and pop-up COVID testing sites – specifically in underserved populations. By doing so, we were able to serve locations having difficulty remaining staffed so they could continue the vital work of testing patients. These pop-up and static testing sites have contributed to the over 74 million tests that have now been performed in the United States. In cases of communicable outbreaks, such testing is vital not only for patient care, but also for understanding and tracking the spread of the disease. Without reliable data from testing, researchers and healthcare providers are unable to pinpoint trends and insights that help with the development of treatment options and mitigation of infection rates.
Creating a Plan for the Future
The hiring process has changed significantly as both healthcare organizations and their staffing partners have adapted to a virtual environment, but the industry continues to find strength in collaboration – sharing everything from PPE inventory and employees to innovative ideas and insight.For our part in this process, we have expanded the staffing services that began to address testing site shortages into a full staffing service line for healthcare organizations and providers. This service has already enabled us to address the staffing needs of vital COVID-19 care sites, including nursing homes, hospitals, community clinics, and other healthcare centers in need. By compiling and thoroughly vetting a broad database of nurses, nurse practitioners, CNAs, medical assistants, physician assistants, and other mid-level providers, we are able to respond swiftly to staffing needs for clients across the country. This allows them to focus on mission critical items without sacrificing the recruitment of top-tier staff to serve as permanent or interim support as they cope with the continued demands of COVID-19 patient care.
As we move towards the next phase of the pandemic, we cannot predict what will happen, but we can continue to prepare. By connecting in new ways and evolving our solutions alongside the evolving needs of healthcare systems and hospitals across the country, staffing and recruitment companies will continue to play a critical role in the current pandemic and beyond. If you have urgent healthcare staffing needs, we’re here to help – contact us today.
How COVID-19 is Transforming Healthcare Recruitment
As health systems recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, they face an ever-worsening provider shortage. Last year, the Association of American Medical Colleges predicted the U.S. would see a shortfall of up to 122,000 physicians by 2032. Now, lost revenue due to the pandemic has caused many hospitals to furlough employees and slowed, or completely delayed, recruitment efforts. The end result will be unprecedented demand for providers unlike what hospitals have ever dealt with before.
The lack of funding from cancelled elective procedures and high costs associated with treating COVID-19 patients were financially devastating for healthcare systems around the country. In May, the American Hospital Association estimated that hospitals were losing more than $50 billion per month. The U.S. Labor Department reported that 1.4 million healthcare workers lost their jobs in April. Nearly 135,000 of those job losses were in hospitals.
Even prior to the pandemic, healthcare leaders had been increasingly worried about their ability to fill key provider positions. According to J.P. Morgan’s 2019 Healthcare Industry Outlook, 97% of senior healthcare executives were concerned about the provider shortage and 35% listed it as one of their top three challenges.
In this blog, we’ll outline some of the changes on the horizon for healthcare recruiting and the ways recruitment firms employ innovative solutions to fill key roles in hospitals and health organizations.
Virtual Recruiting Will Become the Norm
Some of the biggest challenges for recruiters during this time are travel restrictions and in-person meeting limitations. Just as many other industries have turned to virtual meetings, so have healthcare systems and recruiters.
Many health systems have pivoted to an entirely virtual recruitment process, utilizing virtual job fairs and online job sites to identify potential candidates. If the candidate is deemed a possible fit for the organization, they’ll advance to phone and Zoom video interviews with key decision makers. Their final interview will take place in-person, with COVID-19 screening and social distancing guidelines.
The innovation doesn’t end there. In order to obtain buy-in from a candidate, the health systems offer video tours and photos of the facility they’ll be working in, as well as the opportunity to talk with future colleagues for a more personal look into the organization. Recruiters have also partnered with local realtors to provide candidates information on the community and available housing options—all through a virtual screen.
Health Systems Will Shift Hiring Priorities, Optimize Screening Processes
There is a staggering amount of provider positions that need to be replaced, and it is going to take an extended period of time to fill these roles. To ensure health systems are providing the best possible care to their patients, they will need to prioritize which key positions are on the top of their list.
This prioritization will also extend to the screening process. Health systems and recruiters will need to work together to establish which skills and experience are most important in potential candidates. As telehealth continues to rise in popularity, possessing a “virtual bedside manner” will also become essential. Consulting with patients and colleagues through video will require providers to be highly attentive and empathetic. Recruiters will make greater use of behavioral interviewing to ensure candidates possess soft skills and high levels of emotional intelligence.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major setbacks for health systems that were already contending with provider shortages. However, they are not alone in their struggle. With the help of an experienced recruitment firm, advanced technology, and streamlined recruitment practices, hospitals can recoup their losses and find talented individuals to provide the much-needed care our nation needs to heal and move forward.
Telehealth and the Future of Healthcare in a Post-COVID World
Within just a few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused rapid, widespread changes to our ways of life—including the way providers deliver care to patients.
During the height of the pandemic, non-essential healthcare services were forced to take a backseat. However, the need for these services remained; patients, especially older and at-risk individuals, chose to forego care for their serious health issues for fear of contracting the virus. A survey by the SCAN Foundation and the John A. Hartford Foundation found that more than half of older Americans put off seeking medical treatment in March. As a result of the reduced visits, hospitals are reporting over a 100% decrease in operating margins.
To meet demand and sustain revenue, health systems are turning to telehealth—the use of technology and electronic communications to provide long distance care to patients in need. While many providers and hospitals were already making telehealth investments, the pandemic has accelerated its implementation and solidified its role in the future of healthcare.
Convenience and choice for patients
In an age of social distancing, telehealth services allow patients to receive care for minor issues from the comfort of their own homes, and the convenience and peace of mind it offers has won over many Americans already. According to a recent survey, 25% of consumer respondents say they’ve used telehealth services prior to the pandemic; 59% say they’re more likely to use telehealth services now, and 33% would even leave their current physician for a provider that offered telehealth access.
Telehealth also has the potential to address social determinants of health (SDOH) through its advanced technology and artificial intelligence capabilities. Providers can track SDOH factors like job status, education level, social and physical environments, and more to make customized treatment plans that take into account the patient’s total wellbeing. Furthermore, telehealth can also help provide greater access to healthcare for underserved or rural populations by eliminating financial and geographic barriers.
As evidenced by the consumer survey, patients in the future will choose providers based on the quality of their telehealth services. Hospitals and private practices will need to ensure they have a robust telehealth network in place going forward, otherwise they may find themselves falling far behind their competitors.
The need for a new virtual “bedside manner”
A generational divide is likely to develop between younger generations who will quickly embrace telehealth as just another technological service, and the older adults who may feel isolated and left in the lurch. Forty percent of older adults surveyed by the SCAN Foundation and the John A. Hartford Foundation say that telehealth visits are worse, or much worse, than a regular office visit.
Many seniors live alone and go long periods of time without social contact. For these older adults, the physical touch they receive from their physician is vital for their mental wellbeing. Without it, they may experience elevated levels of depression—which has been shown to worsen chronic conditions. And because of social distancing requirements, even younger individuals can experience similar side effects from lack of physical, in-person interaction.
Providers must develop more advanced emotional intelligence skills to be able to provide compassionate care to their patients. Skills like communication, empathy, and self-awareness will be what defines an adequate physician from an exceptional one. And not only must they be aware of their patient’s mindset, they need to observe their own as well to ensure they’re mentally able to provide the level of care and attention that is necessary.
It’s clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has generated a revolutionary change in healthcare that is here to stay. While there are many benefits to telehealth, there are also a multitude of challenges that providers must navigate in this ever-evolving landscape to ensure they’re providing quality care, even from a distance.
Tips for Showcasing Soft Skills During an Interview
A well-written resume can attest to your experience and education, but in today’s competitive job market, healthcare employers expect more than a strong skillset – they want to ensure a new hire is a good fit with the company culture and has the necessary people skills to provide excellent care to patients and their families.
Potential candidates can stand out from the crowd by cultivating and highlighting their soft skills during job interviews. The Oxford Dictionary defines soft skills as “personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people.” In other words, they’re the traits necessary for effectively collaborating with coworkers and managers.
Some specific examples of soft skills that employers look for when hiring employees are emotional intelligence, adaptability, professionalism, the ability to think critically and on the spot, and the ability to collaborate. If you’re a candidate aiming to showcase these skills during an interview, here are a few key ways to do so:
Practice describing “how,” not just “what.”
In order to convincingly demonstrate to a potential employer that you possess leadership capabilities or other soft skills, it’s important to respond to behavioral-based questions with exactly how you navigated the situation, not just with the outcome of the situation.
For example, when asked about a time when you displayed leadership skills, it’s not enough to say, “I’ve been the team lead on several projects.” The more effective answer would be, “When I served as team lead for several projects, I harnessed the strengths of my team members and helped guide the projects to completion before the actual deadlines.”
The more persuasive details you can provide to showcase just exactly what you did to accomplish a task or overcome an obstacle, the more clear it will be to your interviewer that you have the right soft skills and know how to apply them to your job duties.
Become an active listener.
Active listening is a critical communication skill. It involves giving your full attention to the words the other person is saying in order to understand the actual message being relayed.
You can practice active listening any time you have a conversation. While the other person speaks, be sure to make eye contact and try to mirror the facial expressions they make. When it’s your turn to reply, summarize what they’ve said or ask clarifying questions.
It takes time to get into the habit of actively listening. During a conversation, many people start to think ahead about what they will say next. This is even more common in high pressure situations like a job interview. Practicing mindfulness, in which you consciously focus in on your thoughts from moment to moment, is a great way to get in the habit of redirecting your thoughts to the present moment.
Be friendly and positive.
When it comes to showing your ability to communicate and work with others, being friendly and remaining positive can go a long way. A casual and personal conversation with your interviewer makes it easier for them to actually envision working with you. After all, no one wants to work with an unhappy person who can’t – or won’t – hold a conversation.
When it comes time to talk about your skills, be confident and clear in your abilities and what you bring to the table. Avoid phrases that show hesitancy or uncertainty in favor of more assertive language. An example would be using “I am confident I can lead this team through change,” instead of “I think I could help colleagues navigate change.” You want to appear confident, so you should enter the interview with the belief that you have the right skills and experience to be a great fit for the job.
Provide an impeccable presentation.
Interviewers pay attention to more than just the responses you give. They’re also making a judgment based off your physical appearance, as this can say a lot about a candidate’s level of professionalism.
It may seem like a no-brainer for many job seekers, but it’s important to make the right first impression by dressing and grooming yourself appropriately. A shabby, ill-fitting suit or a revealing dress can disqualify you from the start. Instead, always go with a tailored outfit that’s slightly more formal than the actual dress code and avoid cosmetics or accessories that are too distracting.
Your body language also demonstrates your confidence and communication skills. You may not notice you’re slouching or that your handshake is weak, but your interviewer definitely will. To project poise and confidence, be sure to make eye contact (but don’t overdo it, as that can seem confrontational), keep your posture upright, and try to avoid any restless fidgeting like tapping your foot or twirling your hair.
Achieve a competitive edge by emphasizing soft skills
Soft skills may not seem that important when compared to more quantifiable hard skills like clinical knowledge or a certification, but both are essential in order to meet the demands of a job, especially in healthcare.
By employing the tactics listed above, candidates can make their soft skills apparent to interviewers, which can often make a difference in whether or not they progress to the next step in the hiring process.
If you’re a resident or fellow that would like to know more about soft skills and how to showcase them, Jordan Search Consultants can help. Email us or give us a call at 866-750-7231.
Five Benefits of Using an Executive Search Firm
Finding the right candidate for the C-Suite is an intense process for any industry. It can cost as much as $2.7 million for a single failed high-level executive hire. There’s even more pressure in healthcare, where a bad fit can have disastrous consequences for patients and employees alike. That means it’s imperative that a candidate possesses all the necessary qualities for success, like a high level of emotional intelligence, the capability to think critically and strategically, and plenty of business acumen.
Fortunately, with the help of an executive search firm, healthcare organizations can ensure they hire the best possible candidate without having to spend an extensive amount of time and resources on recruiting. Below are just a few benefits an executive search firm can bring to the hiring process.
1. Impartial screening for all candidates.
Biases in the hiring process can be a major problem, especially if there are internal candidates involved. An executive search firm provides an objective third-party perspective to guarantee that candidates are selected based on their merits and not just on who they know.
In addition, third-party search firms use advanced technology and marketing resources to identify candidates from a diverse passive and active candidate pool, which helps to eliminate unconscious biases based on age, gender, race, or ethnicity.
2. Comprehensive recruitment process to ensure a perfect fit.
Before the recruitment process starts, an executive search firm performs a detailed interview with key stakeholders to determine what an organization’s culture is like and what the assignment requirements are. This information is then compiled into a profile that lists out what personality traits and skills to look for in candidates.
Using that candidate profile, the search firm creates customized interview questions to screen for the right skills and qualifications. By engaging in such a comprehensive process, organizations can avoid hiring candidates whose culture doesn’t align with the organization or the community it serves.
3. Access to an extensive database of candidates.
Executives aren’t the kind of candidates that spend their time searching through job boards for open positions. More often than not, finding the right candidate for an executive position requires having the right connections and reputation to entice top performers to consider joining an organization.
Executive search firms specialize in those exact areas – they devote time to networking and marketing in order to develop a sizable database of highly qualified candidates. And because they have access to high-level contacts in the industry, they can cast a wide net that reaches candidates that would otherwise not be aware of the position.
4. Commitment to diversity and inclusion.
According to a recent survey by Gartner, 45% of HR leaders report that their leadership bench lacks diversity. When you take into consideration that diverse leadership leads to more innovation, and in turn higher revenue, it’s apparent that diversity is necessary for an organization to truly excel.
However, it can be difficult for organizations to find diverse candidates on their own. That’s why many executive search firms provide specialty services that focus on diversity and inclusion. This ensures that the talent pool candidates are pulled from contains a wide range of differing perspectives.
5. Discretion and confidentiality.
When it comes to hiring for an executive position, the best candidate is often already employed at another organization – sometimes even a partner or competitor. And in other situations, an organization may be seeking to replace an executive that isn’t meeting performance standards.
In both cases, working with an executive search firm guarantees that the hiring process is confidential and conducted with the topmost discretion. This creates a win-win situation where the best candidate is hired, and important business relationships remain intact.
Save time and money with an executive search firm
There are a multitude of obstacles and complications that arise in any hiring process. But because healthcare organizations face the additional challenge of meeting a rising demand for care with a limited supply of qualified physicians, there is even less time, money, and resources for filling key executive positions.
Outsourcing the hiring process to an executive search firm allows healthcare organizations to focus on more important priorities, like providing top quality patient care. And because search firms select from a diverse talent pool and perform a vigorous screening and vetting process, stakeholders can rest assured that their new executive hire’s values and skillset will be the perfect fit for the organization.
Jordan Search Consultants provides all the benefits listed above – and more. If your organization needs assistance finding the right candidate, give us a call at 866-750-7231 or email us here.
Giving Thanks to Providers This Holiday Season
The leaves are changing colors, the weather is getting chillier, and most of us are planning what we will be serving alongside the turkey at Thanksgiving dinner. As we gather with friends and families for the holidays, we hope you remember to give thanks for the ways in which the healthcare industry and providers are making an impact on public health.
At Jordan Search Consultants, we are grateful each day for the healthcare providers we vet and place at client organizations throughout the country who take care of thousands of people each year. Without these professionals, the health of populations could not be sustained or improved.
We are specifically thankful for providers who work in rural communities to provide care for populations that have previously been underserved. Their choice of working in a rural area is not an easy one – rural providers tend to have lower incomes than their urban counterparts, while operational costs usually remain the same. Yet their impact is significant in helping to lessen some of the disparity in access that has been overwhelmingly prevalent in healthcare. Patients that would normally delay or put off care are now receiving it in a timely manner from providers who are invested in making a positive difference.
In addition, healthcare providers make significant contributions to the rural economy, helping to stimulate growth and development. Plus, when new hospitals or medical facilities are opened, new jobs are created. An estimated 14% of employment in rural America comes from the healthcare sector.
During this holiday season, we encourage you to give thanks to the healthcare providers in your life. Not only do they take care of us and our loved ones, but they are also working to provide care to those that need it most in communities across the country and the globe.
How to Assess Soft Skills During the Recruitment Process
How to Assess Soft Skills During the Recruitment Process
When we think about the qualities that make a good healthcare provider, we often think in terms of training, experience, and academic knowledge. Yet what is often overlooked is the importance of soft skills.
What are Soft Skills and Why are They Important?
Soft skills are the characteristics that allow us to effectively interact and communicate with others. While soft skills are useful to have in any job setting, they’re critical in the healthcare industry, where providers must interact with patients and families who are often experiencing high levels of emotional distress.
While the majority of providers see an average of 19 patients a day, some report seeing up to as many as 50 or more per day. The oncoming physician shortage means this number will only continue to increase, making it even more important that patients receive as much value as possible from the limited time they have with providers. There is also increased pressure to deliver high quality patient-provider interactions as more organizations move toward tying compensation to patient satisfaction scores. Fortunately for providers, research has shown that developing an important soft skill – emotional intelligence – can positively influence patient satisfaction.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to be aware of and manage one’s emotions, while also being aware and empathetic of the emotions of others. In the context of healthcare, it’s the ability to identify a patient’s emotions, show empathy, and be able to communicate effectively (read: in non-technical terms) with patients no matter their emotional state. This also extends to staff, colleagues, and anyone else providers interact with throughout the day.
The ability to collaborate is another essential soft skill, as providers are often expected to lead and support teams. Good leaders are characterized by their humility and capability to listen and receive feedback from others. This was highlighted in a study that linked leaders’ altruistic behavior with employees feeling more included, innovative, and willing to go beyond the call of duty.
How Do You Assess Soft Skills When Recruiting?
Every candidate will strive to make a good impression during an interview, but not everyone will have the necessary soft skills to truly excel in their position. Expanding upon the fundamentals of behavioral interviewing with strategically chosen questions about past behaviors can help reveal essential soft skills like emotional intelligence, collaboration abilities, and leadership potential.
Examples of these questions include:
- What is the most difficult change you have encountered in your career and how did you manage it? How did you lead others through this change?
- Can you give me an example of your most difficult and emotional patient and how you developed rapport? What did you learn through that process?
- Give me an example of how you led a team through conflict.
- Tell me about a time when you failed in a work setting. What happened? How did you handle the situation? What did you learn about yourself?
- Tell me about a time you had to admit that you had made a mistake to others. How did you handle it?
You should also add in specific questions that relate to the role being filled. For example, a candidate interviewing for a surgical position might be given a situational question to uncover soft skills, such as “How would you inform a patient that an operation was unsuccessful?”
After the interview, include questions about soft skills when performing reference checks, such as how well they work on a team or whether they are skilled at actively listening and providing feedback. Managers and coworkers can provide firsthand accounts of what it’s like to work with a candidate, which provides helpful insight into how their soft skills are actually perceived by others.
Regardless of which tactics you choose to use, vetting a candidate for soft skills is essential to ensuring that they are capable of performing the requirements of their position and are ultimately a good fit for your organization.
If you need assistance in understanding how your recruitment program assesses soft skills, Jordan Search Consultants can help. Email us or give us a call at 866-750-7231.
The Importance of Timeliness When Recruiting Millennial Candidates
Millennials have become an undeniable force in the workplace; in 2016, they became the largest generation of workers in the labor market. In an extremely competitive hiring environment, healthcare organizations looking to recruit Millennial providers must tailor their communication efforts throughout the hiring process in order to secure this cohort. Organizations who demonstrate responsiveness as well as a willingness to engage with Millennials via their preferred tool – a cell phone – will have an edge. According to a Gallup poll, texting was the most commonly used method of communication for younger Americans. Healthcare organizations who are unable to cater to the distinct communication preferences of this generation run the very real risk of losing qualified candidates.
When considering Millennial candidates, it’s imperative to understand how extensively their lives and technology are intertwined – and how this affects their expectations and the ways they communicate. A recent article on Inc.com offers an enlightening look at how gaming, the internet, and mobile technology shapes the lives and outlooks of Millennials.
- Multiplayer online gaming, where players don headsets to play games with other participants all over the world, has helped fuel the Millennial tendency to desire instant feedback, engage in diverse collaboration, and make a difference with their contribution.
- With the internet, and the ability to search for information using search engines like Google, Millennials have always had information at their fingertips. They are accustomed to getting answers to their inquiries almost instantaneously.
- The rise of mobile technology and social media have heavily influenced the ways in which Millennials interact with others. According to one study, nearly half of Millennials look at their phone more than 50 times a day. Texting is a dominant and preferred method of communication.
Millennials’ lifelong embrace of technology (and the way it has shaped their communication tendencies) informs how they prefer to interact with potential employers. Keep these key tenets in mind when recruiting Millennials:
- Choose Texting over Email. Millennial candidates overwhelmingly prefer to communicate by text message. In our experience, Millennials will reply to a text almost immediately, but it may take days for them to reply to an email message.
- Respond Promptly. Millennials reply to texts quickly, and they expect the same behavior in return, including from potential employers. They desire prompt feedback – evidence that the organization is serious about their interest.
- Remember That Time is of the Essence. When it comes to scheduling interviews, extending offers, and negotiating contracts, timeliness and fast turnarounds are imperative. Millennial candidates have limited time and availability. If an organization takes days to confirm an interview date, it’s very likely the candidate will have given that time slot away to someone else. When it comes to contract negotiations, quickly resolving issues and making adjustments is crucial. We have witnessed a candidate walk away from an offer and take another job due to frustration over how long contract adjustments were taking.
Because of our extensive experience working with Millennial candidates, Jordan Search Consultants understands what it takes to recruit and secure individuals from this generation. If your organization needs assistance finding the best Millennial providers, Jordan Search Consultants can help. Email us or give us a call at 866-750-7231.
Conquering the Challenge of Candidate Sourcing
Healthcare organizations across the nation are well aware of the workforce challenges facing the industry. While the demand for healthcare providers continues to increase, the available supply is shrinking. For healthcare organizations seeking to fill open positions, being able to find top-quality candidates is essential. It’s also the most time-consuming part of the recruitment cycle. For many organizations, their outlay of resources would be better spent on the later stages of the recruitment cycle, when it is time to interview, conduct site visits, and extend offers to candidates. By utilizing Jordan Search Consultants as your candidate sourcing partner, organizations can bypass the long process of weeding out unqualified contenders. Instead, you can spend your time interacting with already-vetted, quality candidates.
When it comes to healthcare recruiting, it’s essential to work with a partner who not only understands the ins and outs of the healthcare industry but will also spend time getting to know your organization’s culture. Cultural alignment between the organization and a candidate matters immensely when it comes to recruitment and retention. In addition to possessing the necessary skillsets, a potential candidate’s personality and values need to be a good fit with your organization and the communities you serve in order for them to be a long-term match. Whether our clients are utilizing our Candidate Sourcing Service or our other recruiting service offerings, Jordan Search Consultants is focused on finding candidates who will work well with an organization on all levels.
At Jordan Search Consultants, we envision our Candidate Sourcing Service as an infinity sign. We believe in the importance of partnering with healthcare organizations to ensure that our work integrates seamlessly into your recruiting process, saving you time and money. This model ensures quality candidates are sourced, with NO PLACEMENT FEES.
Organizations have benefited from utilizing Jordan Search Consultant’s Candidate Sourcing Service in numerous ways:
- Delivers Top Talent: Jordan Search Consultants is able to cast a wide net for talent, using a proprietary physician and executive database with more than 850,000 prospects as well as other specialty-specific databases. We screen top contenders against your organization’s particular requirements, corporate culture, and more.
- Saves You Time: Investing in a recruiting outsourcing program, like our Candidate Sourcing Service, can reduce the time-to-hire by 43%.
- Saves You Money: Because we are saving your organization time, and you can place multiple candidates from our sourcing efforts with no placement fee, we are saving you money. In fact, clients report that they have saved up to 60% or more compared to contingency and retained search models.
- Increases Staff Productivity: Our service takes the time-consuming process of identifying qualified candidates off your plate so your staff can move forward with other priorities.
- Enhances Retention: Because you are presented with top-quality candidates specifically pre-screened per your organization’s criteria and culture, you are interviewing people who are more likely to take the position—and remain for the long term.
- Enhances Reputation: Our sourcing outreach initiatives continually put your organization’s brand and opportunities in front of external candidates and stakeholders. Consequently, your organization stays top-of-mind for current and future candidates and industry leaders.
If your organization is interested in gaining a competitive recruiting edge (and regaining time for other projects), Jordan Search Consultants is here to help. Email us 0r give us a call at 866-750-7231 to learn more about our Candidate Sourcing Services and how we can assist you with your healthcare recruiting needs.
The Importance of Empowering Female Healthcare Providers
By Kathy Jordan
As the founder and CEO of Jordan Search Consultants, I know firsthand that women bring unique and innovative leadership skills to all professions, including that of healthcare. In fact, having women in the highest ranks of leadership directly correlates with increased organizational profitability. And although the gender ratio is starting to shift toward a more balanced distribution in the world of healthcare, there is still much that needs to be done in order to encourage and equip female providers to continue to pursue careers and leadership paths in medicine.
In 2017, the number of females entering medical school surpassed the number of male enrollees for the first time. As more women physicians, Nurse Practitioners (NPs), and Physician Assistants (PAs) enter the traditionally male-dominated field of healthcare, organizations must recognize and respond to their particular needs. By advocating for women in the healthcare industry, and taking steps to support and enable their success, forward-thinking organizations will reap the benefit of building a strong workforce that is inherently well-equipped to navigate the collaborative nature of the evolving healthcare landscape and address the challenges of current and future physician shortages.
Only about one-third of physicians in practice now are female. However, when the current classes of medical students finish residency in a few years, the majority of new physicians will be female. Currently, women physicians do not receive the same pay (and they often do not receive the same respect) as their male counterparts, despite producing better outcomes. These inequalities undoubtedly contribute to the higher rates of disengagement and burnout of female physicians. To recruit and retain more women doctors, healthcare organizations must implement hiring policies and work environments that recognize their value in a supportive and substantial way. This includes committing to salary transparency and less pay disparity, providing leadership and growth opportunities (including mentor relationships), creating systems that allow for more flexible work schedules, supplying access to supportive professional communities, and offering better maternity leave policies and childcare options to encourage work-life balance and decrease burnout.
In addition to the increasing number of female physicians entering the healthcare workforce, there are currently more than 270,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. The vast majority (88%) of NPs are female. The role of Physician Assistant, one of the fastest-growing jobs in the U.S., is also predominantly filled by women. With current physicians facing increased patient loads and more administrative burdens, NPs and PAs have stepped in to fill the gap by taking on more responsibilities. By partnering with physicians as part of a team, they are able to provide much-needed primary care services to patients. Not only does this arrangement help decrease patient wait time, research has also shown that when women are part of a group, collaboration, collective intelligence, and overall performance of the team increases. Additionally, women are often inherently stronger in soft skills such as empathy and are able to ensure a patient feels heard and cared for. One study showed that 65 percent of patient satisfaction was linked to empathetic communication during their visit – an important consideration in the ongoing shift to value-based models of care.
Clearly, women bring unique and valuable skills to the field of healthcare, including the ability to engage with patients, improve care, and support collaborative innovation. But more must be done to encourage and support their career and leadership goals, and fairly compensate them for their work. By working to empower female providers in meaningful ways, organizations will also equip themselves for future success.
If you’d like to learn more about how to support and advocate for female providers in your organization, call 866-750-7231 or email me here.
