After two years of searching for a urologist to lead a new program, leadership of a rural Illinois hospital needed to make a change. Just four months after opening a new urologist search with Jackson Physician Search, they had hired not one but two urologists.
Access to healthcare is an ongoing challenge for residents in rural America. Although nearly 20% of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, only 13% of physicians practice in rural communities. According to the National Rural Health Association, this translates to just 13 primary care physicians per 10,000 people compared with 31 physicians per 10,000 in urban and suburban areas. The disparity is even more significant in specialty care, with 30 specialists per 100,000 people in rural areas versus 263 specialists per 100K in urban and suburban communities.
Even those patients fortunate enough to live near top critical access hospitals may have to drive an hour or more for specialty care. This was the case for residents needing urology care living in a small town in central Illinois. While the hospital staffed a locum one or two weeks per month, those needing additional care were driving an hour or more to see a urologist in the nearest metro. The hospital leaders knew there was enough need in the area to support a full-time urology department, but after two years of searching, they were no closer to finding a urologist to head up the program. Leadership knew it was time to make a change. Luckily, a chance meeting at a conference in Chicago sparked a new partnership with Jackson Physician Search. The firm’s reputation for trust and transparency — not to mention its track record of success with rural placements — gave leadership reason to feel hopeful about the new search.
Urologist Needed to Lead New Department
After visiting the community and touring the facility, Senior Search Consultant Addyson Wilgus clearly understood who the organization needed and what would appeal to candidates. The hospital was highly regarded throughout the Midwest, and the compensation was competitive. Leadership wanted a candidate with some experience since they would initially work alone to start the department. However, they didn’t want someone too far into a career either. Finding a willing candidate within this narrow experience would limit their options. She also knew the risk of starting a new department without proof of volume would cause hesitation among some candidates. Still, despite the challenges, Addyson was confident she would find the right urologist for the job.
Addyson trusted the 100% digital physician recruitment process established by Jackson Physician Search, which has been proven time and time again to get results. She distributed the job ad using the vast physician job board network and leveraged various physician databases to cast a wide net for candidates. The opportunity received a fair amount of interest, but as Addyson suspected, many shied away from the responsibility of starting a new department.
Addyson was prepared for this, however. She shared projections from a market analysis she had conducted with the CEO, which showed how many patients they were referring out due to not having someone full-time. By keeping these patients in-house, there would be more than enough volume to support the position. In fact, the CEO was so confident in the revenue projections that he was willing to guarantee an above-market salary with the opportunity to exceed this base.
Promising Urology Candidates
Eventually, Dr. A saw the opportunity online and contacted Addyson. He was commuting several hours to work in Chicago, and her client’s location would cut his commute considerably. Several years out of training but still early in his career, Dr. A fit the experience requirements perfectly. The fact that he was already practicing in Illinois meant he was already licensed and wouldn’t necessarily have to relocate. He was excited about the opportunity to establish the program, and Addyson immediately presented him to the CEO.
She had also received an inquiry from a resident completing his training in LA. Although he would be a new grad, Addyson was impressed by his interest and confidence, so she advised the CEO to speak to him as well.
A Successful On-Site Visit
The CEO was impressed by Dr. A and invited him on-site for an interview. Because he was local, they arranged the visit quickly. Dr. A enjoyed meeting with leadership and touring the facility. He understood what it would take to start the program and felt confident in his ability. He liked the autonomy the position afforded as well as the flexibility. Although he would initially start the department alone, leadership had arranged to share call with a practice in the nearest metro, so Dr. A would not be on call constantly.
The client was moving forward with Dr. A, but Addyson advised them to keep the interview scheduled with Dr. P. If the department grew at the projected pace, they would likely need a second urologist by the time he had completed training. Other organizations heavily recruited Dr. P, so Addyson urged them to move quickly. They soon extended a second offer to Dr. P.
Secrets of Physician Recruitment Success
The client was thrilled with Addyson’s results. Before partnering with Jackson Physician Search, another firm had led the search for two years without success. The CEO said Addyson presented more qualified candidates in four months than the competitor had in two years. Moving more searches over to Jackson Physician Search was an easy decision, and Addyson continues to deliver.
Addyson attributes much of her success to the tools and resources Jackson Physician Search invests in for all its recruiters to leverage. She also acknowledges how critical the CEO’s involvement is. He recognizes the challenges of rural physician recruitment and understands the level of compensation and recruitment incentives needed to attract candidates. He is always responsive and ready to move quickly, which is critical. The tremendous success of this search suggests the beginning of a productive partnership that will improve access to healthcare for residents of central Illinois.
Whether your organization is seeking primary care physicians or specialists, Jackson Physician Search’s recruitment team has the tools, access, and expertise to accelerate your efforts. Contact us today to learn more about a potential partnership.
