Congratulations! After months of searching, a physician has accepted your offer of employment and signed a contract with your organization. Your recruitment efforts have paid off, and that is something to celebrate! However, this is no time to take your foot off the gas, so to speak. Instead, it’s time to switch gears from physician recruitment to physician retention.
Why Early Onboarding Is Essential to Physician Retention
As Regional Vice President of Recruitment for Jackson Physician Search, my involvement in a search typically tapers off once the contract is signed. However, I make a point to stay in touch with the candidate and make myself available to the client if needed. Whether the start date is in just a few months, a year away, or more, I urge clients to adhere to a schedule of ongoing communication through various channels to welcome the physician into the organization and make them immediately feel a part of the team. This critical stage of early onboarding ensures a smooth transition for physicians. It also keeps them focused on their new employers when they are no doubt still being pursued by other organizations.
A lot can happen between a signed contract and the first day on the job. The organization must nurture the relationship and begin onboarding during this time. This crucial first step should launch a broader physician retention plan.
The “When?” and “What?” of Early Physician Onboarding
Most organizations recognize the need to begin onboarding as soon as possible. According to a 2024 joint study from the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR) with Jackson Physician Search and LocumTenens.com, 21% of healthcare organizations say onboarding begins at the point of verbal acceptance, and 61% start the process when the contract is signed. Opinions vary on what exactly onboarding includes. However, most agree it should cover HR requirements, badge access, credentialing, and IT set-up. Certainly, credentialing must begin before the physician reports for duty, but what other elements should organizations focus on in those months leading up to a physician’s start date?
The goals of early onboarding are:
- Help newly contracted physicians get to know the organization
- Ensure all paperwork is processed in a timely manner
- Reassure physicians that they have made the right decision
Too many organizations overlook this last goal and remain focused on logistics and paperwork in their post-contract communication. While the logistics are essential, so is nurturing the relationship and connecting the new hire with peers and other members of the community. The personal element of onboarding builds the physician’s loyalty and increases the chances that the physician remains committed to the contract.
Establish a Pre-Start Date Onboarding Checklist and Schedule
Identify which onboarding elements can or must be completed before the start date and map out a timeline for requesting documents and checking in with the physician about progress. Of course, this will cover licensing, credentialing, and privileging requirements. However, it should also address relocation needs, virtual training requirements, and, as the start date approaches, details of where to report and orientation itineraries.
The cadence of these check-ins will vary depending on the time between the contract and the start date. However, whether it is a matter of weeks or years, communication should begin immediately with follow-ups scheduled appropriately to keep the physician engaged without overwhelming them with information.
Maintain Regular Communication Through Multiple Channels
Adopt a multi-channel approach to communication. While logistical emails from HR are important, think of other ways your organization can easily engage new hires. Add them to the organization’s newsletter list and ensure they receive relevant employee correspondence. Invite them to follow the organization on social channels. Ask permission to share the news of their signing publicly so you can begin introducing them to the community.
Get the Team Involved
Help new hires bond with their colleagues by extending invitations to team functions such as summer picnics or holiday parties. Find out who they hit it off with during the site visit and have them reach out occasionally to check-in. Did the spouse have shared interests with one of the other spouses? Make sure they have a way of getting in touch, whether it’s on a social channel or via text. Don’t force it, but encourage team members to be friendly and helpful, especially if the new hire is relocating.
Begin Now
Accepting a new physician job is a monumental decision that comes with both excitement and fear. By accepting your organization’s offer, the physician indicates that the positive outweighs the negative. However, much like making a big purchase, anxiety can follow these significant decisions. By initiating early onboarding and developing a relationship with the new hire immediately, you can minimize doubts and calm any lingering uncertainties. The early onboarding stage — whether it lasts weeks or years — is crucial to integrating the physician into the organization and cementing their commitment to your organization.
If your organization is hiring physicians, the recruitment team at Jackson Physician Search has the tools to help you identify qualified candidates who fit seamlessly into your practice and community. Contact us today to learn more.
About Tara Osseck
With more than 15 years of experience in the healthcare industry, Regional Vice President of Recruiting Tara Osseck specializes in matching healthcare organizations with physicians who are a strong fit for the role and the culture. Her healthcare career began as a physician liaison. It quickly expanded to include physician recruitment, strategic planning, and business development, working for various hospitals throughout Memphis, Tennessee, and St. Louis, Missouri. Based in St. Louis, Osseck leads the firm’s Midwest Division, placing providers across the Midwest and Upper Midwest. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Truman State University and a master’s in health care administration and management from The University of Memphis.
