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P H Y S I C I A N R E C R U I T M E N T P hysicians are arguably hospitals' most valuable assets. Attracting optimal fi ts for a medical staff and community is, therefore, vital to a secure fi scal future. It is a process in which the chief executive offi cer, chief operating offi cer, chief medical offi cer and other senior executives should play a role from start to fi nish, observers say. "A single physician can represent tremendous value, often measur- able in millions of dollars, to a hospital and the competitive market from which the hospital strives to attract patients," says Darrell Pile, CEO of the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council, a state organization responsible for emergency preparedness and devising clinical protocols and standards of care which hospitals and providers in a nine-county region may choose to adopt. "The C-suite already gets involved in similar decisions when deciding what equipment to buy, as well as the adverse when cutting expenses to achieve the same fi nancial impact. For sheer economic reasons, physician recruitment should be among leaders' priorities. It is through physician recruitment that a hospital can seek prosperity. Rarely is fi nancial well-being achieved by making a third and fourth round of budget cuts." The Powers and Persuasion When searching for an employer, a physician is likely to have many options — and to feel intense pressure to pick the hospital where he or she is most likely to thrive. The personal touch by high-level executives can help a hospital stand out from the crowd. Pile, who has written about physician recruitment for Becker's Hospital Review, recommends the following actions to make a candidate feel wanted: + The CEO should place an introductory phone call to the physician in advance of the interview and send a follow-up letter afterward. + Leaders may wish to identify a C-suite member who can discuss lifestyle-related issues during the interview, such as neighborhoods, schools and the physician's interests. + During the interview and tour, ask physicians on the medical staff — particularly those recently hired — to discuss the merits of the organization. Explain each C-suite member's role and how he or she supports physicians. Highlight the hospital's strengths and areas of recent growth to give the candidate a favorable impression of the organization's place in the market. + Look for opportunities to mentor the candidate in areas in which he or she needs assistance, such as understanding managed care contracting and crafting billing protocols. "Choosing an employer is among the most diffi cult decisions a physician will make," Pile says. "A bad decision could unravel years of blood, sweat and tears. A wise C-suite seeks to determine what the physician regards as key decision points and then sets forth a plan that directly and indirectly raises his or her confi dence in the opportunity the hospital presents." ■ THE HOSPITAL C-SUITE GUIDES MANY OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISIONS THE ORGANIZATION MAKES. WHY SHOULD TOP LEADERS BE ABSENT FROM THE PHYSICIAN RECRUITMENT PROCESS? Physician Recruitment: The High-level, Hands-on Approach By Thomas Crocker CORE M D N E W S . CO M ■ MD NEWS | 2 3

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