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How COVID-19 is Transforming Healthcare Recruitment

Virtual Medicine

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.

Jordan Search Consultants

Jordan Search Consultants

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call 866-750-7231 or email us

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